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Ford Explorer Sport TracYears to avoid, problems & recalls

Based on 720 NHTSA owner complaints across 13 model years, no Ford Explorer Sport Trac year stands out as one to avoid, and the strongest years are 2003, 2005, 2007 and 2010. The Explorer Sport Trac has 7 safety recalls on record.

Ford Explorer Sport Trac
Years to avoidNoneUse caution: 2001Best years'03 '05 '07 '10Fewest complaints for their ageOwner complaints720Top: Power trainSafety recalls71997–2010 model years

Source: NHTSA complaints, recalls, investigations and manufacturer recall reports. Updated daily. How we score years. Photo: SsmIntrigue, CC BY-SA 4.0.

Best & worst years

Ford Explorer Sport Trac years to avoid

Complaints by model year, colored by the CarFlaw verdict: complaints weighted for crashes, fires and injuries, adjusted for years on the road and compared with the Explorer Sport Trac median. Tap a year for its full report.

'97'98'00'01'02'03'04'05'06'07'08'09'10
  • Avoid
  • Caution
  • Solid
  • Best
  • Not rated
2010Best76/10031 complaints · 1 recall2009Not rated–/1006 complaints · 0 recalls2008Not rated–/10023 complaints · 1 recall2007Solid50/100100 complaints · 1 recall2006Not rated–/1005 complaints · 0 recalls2005Solid60/10066 complaints · 0 recalls2004Solid48/10086 complaints · 0 recalls2003Solid55/10078 complaints · 0 recalls2002Solid43/100144 complaints · 2 recalls2001Caution35/100167 complaints · 4 recalls2000Not rated–/1003 complaints · 1 recall1998Not rated–/1005 complaints · 0 recalls1997Not rated–/1006 complaints · 0 recalls
Complaints by system

Most common Ford Explorer Sport Trac problems

All model years combined: 720 complaints grouped by the system owners reported.

Box size = number of complaints naming that system. Darker = larger share. One complaint can name more than one system.
Complaints by system
SystemComplaintsCrash, fire or injury
Power train1399
Electrical system889
Structure795
Engine and engine cooling753
Vehicle speed control7321
Suspension515
Air bags4523
Service brakes, hydraulic446
Tires384
20 other systems26132
7 recalls

Ford Explorer Sport Trac recalls

Newest first. The ring shows the share of affected vehicles repaired, from the manufacturer's latest report to NHTSA.

–Front assembly: recliner10V-161 · 2010 · Apr 20, 2010 · 33,256 vehicles–Automatic transmission: cooling unit and lines07V-453 · 2008 · Sep 26, 2007 · 1,497 vehicles–Vehicle speed control07V-336 · 2001–2002 · Aug 3, 2007 · 3,600,000 vehicles–Steering07V-181 · 2007 · Apr 25, 2007 · 11 vehicles–Front assembly: recliner03V-281 · 2001–2002 · Aug 5, 2003 · 1,552,880 vehicles–Vehicle speed control: cables03V-280 · 2001 · Aug 5, 2003 · 448,005 vehicles–Hood: hinge and attachments00V-394 · 2000–2001 · Nov 28, 2000 · 137,700 vehicles
5 investigations

NHTSA investigations of the Explorer Sport Trac

  1. Fleet Vehicle Recall Completion AuditAQ10001 · 2010 · closed Dec 28, 2015
    No recall
  2. VEHICLE ROLLAWAY ALLEGATIONSPE09020 · 2002–2005 · closed Aug 19, 2009
    No recall
  3. TIRE VALVE CRACKINGPE08060 · 2007–2008 · closed Apr 9, 2009
    No recall
  4. SPARK PLUG EJECTION FROM CYLINDER HEADDP05005 · 1997–2004 · closed Jan 4, 2006
    No recall
  5. FRONT SEAT BACK RECLINER ATTACHMENTPE03020 · 2001–2002 · closed Sep 5, 2003
    Led to recall 03V-281