Which parts fail
Components named in complaints (accelerator pedal, throttle, sudden acceleration, cruise control).
Mileage when the problem started
Owner reports
Selected complaints filed with NHTSA by 2004 Ford Explorer owners, lightly cleaned up (personal details are redacted by NHTSA).
Tl* the contact owns a 2004 Ford Explorer. While reversing, the contact's vehicle accelerated on its own and crashed into a Chevrolet cobalt. There were no warning indicators illuminated. The air bags did not deploy. There were no injuries. A police report was filed. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, but the failure could not be diagnosed. The local dealer and manufacturer were not contacted. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The failure recurred multiple times, resulting in the contact crashing into a tree and other unknown vehicles. There were no warning indicators illuminated. The air bags did not deploy. There were no injuries. A police report was filed. The vehicle was towed to the contact's residence. The local dealer was not contacted. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was contacted and did not assist. …
Tl* the contact owns a 2004 Ford Explorer. While driving 55 MPH with the cruise control activated, the vehicle lost power steering and braking, which resulted in a crash. All the warning indicators illuminated. The vehicle was towed to the contact's residence and then towed to an independent mechanic for diagnostic testing. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. A police report was filed. There was one injury that required medical attention. The contact was treated for second degree burns. The failure mileage was approximately 100,000.
When pressing on the accelerator there is a sometimess a delayed reponse when the vehicle moves it is sudden and unxpected. As result of this I recently backed into a fence causing damage to my car and the fence
I was driving on the interstate about 70mph. I was in the far left lane. My Explorer suddenly lost pressure tried hitting the gas pedal to the floor, rpms, still dropping, no fuel pressure at all. I was trying desperately to get over at the same time trying to take into account the speed of the other vehicles and if I was going fast enough to make it over two lanes of traffic. By the time I made it over to the right shoulder I was literally going about 5mph. It was the most intense moment in my life, car, trucks, tractor trailers moving at 70+MPH don't see you until they are up on you. I have researched and Ford has known issues with their throttle body assembly. Instead of taking care the issue they wait until something catastrophic happens to take care of it. …
Engine dies when driving with cruise control operating and heading down slight hill at speed of around 35 MPH. Cruise is designed to maintain driving speed going down the hill (up or down hill for that matter). The tachometer indicates a slowing of engine RPM. At higher speeds, the slowing of RPM does not fall too low. However, at the slower speed around 35mph, the RPM drops below 500 RPM and the engine stalls. I lose power steering and breaks. I have a difficult time steering and breaking. This is a safety problem on a curve or if a red light is ahead. I can't steer the car on the curve. I May not be able to stop the car at the traffic light and end up in an intersection and be hit by vehicles with a green light. I May hit a car in front of me that has stopped at a light or stop sign. I May not be able to stop for a pedestrian crossing at the intersection (with the light). …
Tl contact owns a 2004 Ford Explorer. The contact stated that the vehicle would not start. She depressed the accelerator pedal and the vehicle started and began to vibrate. She then placed the vehicle in reverse and heard a loud clunking noise. She smelled a strong gas odor inside the passenger compartment. The contact looked in her rearview mirror and noticed a large amount of smoke coming from the exhaust system. She parked the vehicle and had it towed. She then noticed that all of the radiator fluid leaked out. The mechanic stated that the valve failed and damaged the entire engine. The mechanic also stated that the engine needed to be replaced and appeared to be a manufacturer defect. The current and failure mileages were 63,000. …
Traveling with the cruise control set at approximately 58 MPH, traffic 100 - 120 feet in front of the vehicle came to an abrupt stop. Pressed the brake to disengage the cruise control and started applying pressure to the brake pedal. The vehicle seemed to initially start to slow, however, as we approached the stopped traffic, the engine continued to rev and we could not stop, causing us to hit the rear-end of the vehicle in front of us. The vehicle we hit moved forward a few feet and we hit the rear-end again as the Explorer's engine continued to rev and drive us forward even with constant pressure applied to the brake pedal. After the second collision, we were able to pull the Explorer off to the side of a road, notify the police, and file a accident report. The Explorer has not yet been taken to the dealership to evaluate what had happened.
I have already put a complaint in about my throttle body issue. This evening I went about a mile and a half, and my wrench light came on and my truck started to not to be able to move. I pulled over, turned it off. Waited a bit and restarted it. This time it took a bit to get it to start up. I then proceeded to go back home because of how it was acting a mile and a half after driving, not often two minutes later it happens again, and the engine started chugging, I couldn't move, and I almost got rear ended again! I then again turned it off and waited and then started the truck up. It took sometime once again to start. I finally made it back home in tears. I was able to get codes off, since I picked a up a code raffia few days prior. I got code p2104, p2111, and p2112. This issue needs to be addressed. I will be calling Ford tomorrow!
Dt: the consumer stated that the vehicle suddenly accelerated while coming to a stop. The consumer was pulling into the garage with her foot on the brake. The tires started squealing and spinning. The vehicle then had gone out of control and lunged forward. The vehicle proceeded to go through a set of cabinets and pinned the consumers husband between a wall and the vehicle. The vehicle suffered major damage and was not drivable. The consumers husband sustained major injuries and spent a week in the trauma unit. The accident had been investigated by the police department. Pictures and other documentation are available. There was other property damage. (12/08/05)
My 2004 Ford Explorer caught on fire today. The fire began under the hood. Per the fire department, the fire started around the cruise control and brake master cylinder area. Ford does not have a recall out for this year model, unlike the 2003 and older models, but this is definitely a manufacturer problem. The car was driven to several points, drop the kids of at school, one at daycare, and a stop for breakfast. Nothing was wrong with our car. After arriving to work, my wife got a call that her car was on fire. There were no signs, malfunctions that something was wrong with the vehicle. Regularly scheduled maintenance were always performed.
Acceleration complaints in other Explorer years
Frequently asked questions
How common are acceleration problems on the 2004 Ford Explorer?
NHTSA has 76 complaints about the speed control & acceleration of the 2004 Ford Explorer, 6% of the model year's 1,304 complaints. The component named most often is cruise control (15 mentions).
Is there a recall for 2004 Ford Explorer acceleration problems?
No. NHTSA lists no speed control & acceleration recall for the 2004 Ford Explorer. If the problem is widespread, a repair may still be covered by an extended warranty or a manufacturer service bulletin — ask a dealer.
At what mileage do 2004 Ford Explorer acceleration problems start?
Half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 74,000 miles, and 17% before 25,000 miles.
Is it dangerous?
Owners linked 10 crashes, 5 fires and 6 injuries to speed control & acceleration problems on this model year. If you notice symptoms, have the car checked before driving further.
Source: U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) — owner complaints through October 20, 2026, recalls and defect investigations; fuel economy from the EPA. Complaints are unverified reports and are not proof of a defect. How we rate model years.