Which parts fail
Components named in complaints (battery, alternator, wiring, ignition, instrument cluster, infotainment).
Mileage when the problem started
Owner reports
Selected complaints filed with NHTSA by 2005 Ford Explorer owners, lightly cleaned up (personal details are redacted by NHTSA).
Tl* the contact owns a 2005 Ford Explorer. The contact stated that shortly after refueling, the vehicle failed to accelerate with the accelerator pedal depressed. The contact stated that the vehicle then abruptly accelerated at a high rate of speed without the accelerator pedal being depressed. Also, the low oil pressure warning light and check transmission warning light was illuminated. The contact stated that they were close to home so they pulled into the driveway to check the oil level, which was low. The contact took the vehicle to a certified mechanic who diagnosed that the engine bearing needed to be repaired due to damage caused by a defective oil sensor not properly informing the contact when the oil level was low. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact contacted the dealer capital city Ford located at 8623 e. …
The vehicle shuts off while driving causing loss of power steering, power brakes with a complete loss of power. This is an ongoing problem and has happend during highway high speed driving. It happens on cars built 11/24/04 and prior. The codes are p2106 and p2135. It's caused by a faulty throttle position sensor and requires a powertrain control module reset b36.11, b37.2 or higher. This has been an ongoing problem thar Ford readily ackowledges. They have ugraded the throttle position sensor twice without solving the problem.
While driving down the interstate at night my vehicles dashboard began to act erratic. Then the battery gauge rapidly dropped into the red zone. Within about 3 miles I lost my interior power, headlights, taillights, and signals including my hazard lights. When limping off the interstate my truck had lost enough power to where it died out. Once at the dealership it was found that the alternator fried out causing a surge that wiped out the PCM and utility cluster all without warning.
My Explorer transmission just stopped working going down the highway, almost got hit by a truck. Electrical system kept going in and out. Checked with a Ford dealership they said it was a common problem with explorers and there was no recall. I checked online and there was over 10,000 complaints made. I am in the military have 14 combat tours, and come home to have my life put in danger again on something that you all know about. When are you going to step in?
Several times over the past two years while driving at high speeds all the electrical turns off like the key is turned off. It is almost impossible to steer as there is no power steering. It almost caused an accident as the car slowed quickly. I am concerned as this has been reported several times and nothing has been done to solve this issue. Either Ford should fix the issue or pull this car out of service before somebody is killed.
A fire started in my 2005 Ford Explorer in the console area on the interior of the vehicle. The fire self extinguished as the oxygen was reduced. The fire caused extensive damage to the console area up through the center controls to the ceiling controls. Cause is unknown but the fire department believes it is due to an electrical malfunction in the console area.
Tl* the contact owns a 2005 Ford Explorer. The contact stated that while driving 65 MPH, the engine caught on fire. The fire eventually died without being extinguished. A police report was not filed. The vehicle was towed to the dealer, but was not yet diagnosed. The manufacturer was not notified. The approximate failure mileage was 94,000.
Car stalled while driving at highway speeds. Brakes and steering became impaired. Lucky, I was in the rightmost lane and was able to narrowly avoid collision. Incident occurred after a ~3hr drive as I was exiting the highway (I.e. Slowing down). Upon restart, engine turned over, but was undriveable due to iterative surge/stall cycles.
While parked in the driveway, we found that the back window of the hatch was completely broken and the body in the back was lifted off the car. It looks as if the hydraulic arm malfunctioned overnight.
I recently purchased a near new 2005 Ford Explorer. The vehicle is in pristine condition and has very low mileage to the point where it is below the industrial average. Since I purchased the vehicle, I have fueled it several times, always filling the tank to the top. Every time I have filled the vehicle up, the fuel gauge has dropped to empty and the mileage till empty indicator shows just dashes. In addition to the gauge dropping to empty my "service engine light" comes on immediately following the fuel gauge dropping. At first I thought it was possibly just a problem with my vehicle so I figured I'd have it fixed. Then out of curiosity I decided to check online and with other fellow owners of the 2002-2005 Ford Explorer model to see if they were having this problem as well. And to my surprise I found that it was a very common problem. …
Electrical complaints in other Explorer years
Frequently asked questions
How common are electrical problems on the 2005 Ford Explorer?
NHTSA has 36 complaints about the electrical system of the 2005 Ford Explorer, 7% of the model year's 497 complaints. The component named most often is instrument cluster/panel (2 mentions).
Is there a recall for 2005 Ford Explorer electrical problems?
No. NHTSA lists no electrical system recall for the 2005 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 2005 Ford Explorer electrical problems start?
Half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 78,000 miles, and 10% before 25,000 miles.
Is it dangerous?
Owners linked 0 crashes, 2 fires and 0 injuries to electrical system 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.