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Ford Explorer SportYears to avoid, problems & recalls

Based on 731 NHTSA owner complaints across 9 model years, no Ford Explorer Sport year stands out as one to avoid, and the strongest years are 1997, 1999, 2000 and 2003. The Explorer Sport has 5 safety recalls on record.

Ford Explorer Sport
Years to avoidNoneUse caution: 2001, 2002Best years'97 '99 '00 '03Fewest complaints for their ageOwner complaints731Top: StructureSafety recalls51997–2005 model years

Source: NHTSA complaints, recalls, investigations and manufacturer recall reports. Updated daily. How we score years. Photo: IFCAR, Public domain.

Best & worst years

Ford Explorer Sport 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 median. Tap a year for its full report.

'97'98'99'00'01'02'03'04'05
  • Avoid
  • Caution
  • Solid
  • Best
  • Not rated
2005Not rated–/1005 complaints · 0 recalls2004Not rated–/10018 complaints · 0 recalls2003Solid61/10065 complaints · 0 recalls2002Caution40/100133 complaints · 3 recalls2001Caution32/100188 complaints · 5 recalls2000Solid53/10071 complaints · 1 recall1999Solid50/10093 complaints · 0 recalls1998Solid43/100121 complaints · 0 recalls1997Best68/10037 complaints · 0 recalls
Complaints by system

Most common Ford Explorer Sport problems

All model years combined: 731 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
Structure11016
Power train972
Engine and engine cooling7113
Electrical system6722
Seats658
Vehicle speed control5820
Suspension583
Latches/locks/linkages551
Visibility535
17 other systems24558
5 recalls

Ford Explorer Sport recalls

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

–Vehicle speed control07V-336 · 2001–2002 · Aug 3, 2007 · 3,600,000 vehicles–Front assembly: recliner06V-114 · 2001–2002 · Apr 10, 2006 · 8,585 vehicles–Vehicle speed control: cables03V-280 · 2001 · Aug 5, 2003 · 448,005 vehicles–Front assembly: recliner03V-281 · 2001–2002 · Aug 5, 2003 · 1,552,880 vehicles–Hood: hinge and attachments00V-394 · 2000–2001 · Nov 28, 2000 · 137,700 vehicles
6 investigations

NHTSA investigations of the Explorer Sport

  1. VEHICLE ROLLAWAY ALLEGATIONSPE09020 · 2002–2005 · closed Aug 19, 2009
    No recall
  2. REAR LIFTGATE GLASS HATCH FAILURERQ08003 · 2004 · closed Oct 24, 2008
    No recall
  3. SPARK PLUG EJECTION FROM CYLINDER HEADDP05005 · 1997–2003 · closed Jan 4, 2006
    No recall
  4. STUCK ENGINE THROTTLEPE05037 · 2002 · closed Nov 2, 2005
    No recall
  5. REAR LIFTGATE GLASS ASSEMBLYPE04045 · 2002 · closed Sep 28, 2004
    Led to recall 04V-442
  6. FRONT SEAT BACK RECLINER ATTACHMENTPE03020 · 2001–2002 · closed Sep 5, 2003
    Led to recall 03V-281