Ford Explorer: common faults & what to check

Which Ford Explorer are you looking at?

8 generation variants documented. Pick the shape you recognise: the faults, the servicing and the timeline below all narrow to it. Free, no account needed.

Petrol

7 variants documented

1996–2001UN1996–2001UN4.0 petrolPetrolDocumented issues2 knownSee faults & what to checkPhoto: Kevauto via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0.

1996–2001UN1996–2001UN4.6 petrolPetrolDocumented issues0 knownSee faults & what to checkPhoto: Kevauto via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0.

2011–2020U5022011–2020U5022.3 petrolPetrolDocumented issues3 knownSee faults & what to checkPhoto: IFCAR via Wikimedia Commons, Public domain.

2011–2020U5022011–2020U5023.5 petrolPetrolDocumented issues4 knownSee faults & what to checkPhoto: IFCAR via Wikimedia Commons, Public domain.

2011–2020U5022011–2020U5023.7 petrolPetrolDocumented issues3 knownSee faults & what to checkPhoto: IFCAR via Wikimedia Commons, Public domain.

2020–nowU6252020–nowU6252.3 petrolPetrolDocumented issues3 knownSee faults & what to checkPhoto: Kevauto via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0.

2020–nowU6252020–nowU6253.0 petrolPetrolDocumented issues3 knownSee faults & what to checkPhoto: Kevauto via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0.

Hybrid

1 variant documented

2020–nowU6252020–nowU6253.3 hybridHybridDocumented issues3 knownSee faults & what to checkPhoto: Kevauto via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0.

Now narrow it to the engine

A 1.8 and a 2.4 of the same car do not fail the same way, so the faults below narrow to the engine as well as the year. Free, no account needed.

Start your free check on this Ford Explorer

No plate needed. You get the risk score, the buyer's checklist and the guided inspection for the exact car you picked above — not the whole nameplate.

The checks worth doing on a Ford Explorer before you hand over any money. Every documented fault is listed below, each with its own page.

• Serious issue

  Drive it long enough and in enough different ways for this to appear, because a short flat run will not find it.

  See why

  Ten-speed harsh shifting, clunks and sudden downshifts

  Harsh shifting from the ten-speed automatic is the single most reported defect on this generation of Explorer. Owners describe hard gear changes, sudden unexpected downshifts and a clunk during ordinary driving. Ford traced part of it to actuators assembled too tightly in the valve body and issued several calibration updates, so a car on old software behaves noticeably worse than one that has been back to a dealer — which makes the software version a real question rather than a formality. Two more serious variants exist beneath the shift-quality complaints: a clutch cylinder whose internal bushing can slide out of position, producing erratic shifting and sudden neutral-outs while driving, and a reverse clutch that engages too hard. A clunk is a bargaining point; dropping into neutral at speed is not.

  What you would notice

  • Harsh or clunky gear changes during ordinary driving
  • Sudden unexpected downshifts
  • Hard, banging engagement when selecting reverse
  • Erratic shifting, delayed engagement, or the gearbox dropping into neutral while moving
  • Transmission warning message

  Typically $500–$6,000 to put right.

• Serious issue

  Check the coolant reservoir level and look for a history of unexplained top-ups.

  See why

  3.5 Cyclone V6 internal water-pump failure (coolant into engine)

  The 3.5-litre (and 3.7) Cyclone V6 used in the fifth-generation (U502) Explorer imported into NZ hides its water pump inside the timing cover, driven by the primary timing chain. When the pump's shaft seal fails, coolant escapes down a weep passage and, if ignored, can pass into the oil and destroy bearings, turning a pump job into an engine rebuild. The weep hole often clogs, so the first sign can simply be coolant that keeps dropping with no visible external leak. This is a labour-intensive repair because the timing cover must come off. On these engines the pump commonly lets go somewhere between about 120,000 and 200,000 km rather than at a fixed figure, so history and coolant level matter more than odometer alone.

  What you would notice

  • Coolant level slowly dropping with no obvious external leak
  • Orange/yellow coolant residue at the weep hole on the front of the block
  • Milky or coffee-coloured engine oil / coolant mixed with oil in advanced cases
  • Overheating or coolant warning
  • Sweet coolant smell

  Typically $3,000–$5,500 to put right.

• Serious issue

  Cold-start the vehicle and listen immediately for chain rattle from the front of the engine.

  See why

  U502 2.0 EcoBoost Timing Chain Stretch

  The 2.0L EcoBoost four-cylinder in the U502 Explorer exhibits timing chain stretch and tensioner wear at higher mileage. Chain slap on cold start is the first indicator; progression leads to timing deviation and potential chain failure with engine damage. Documented across US and AU Explorer owner forums and independent workshop reports. Oil change frequency is directly linked to the rate of tensioner wear.

  What you would notice

  • Rattling or slapping from front of engine on cold start
  • Rattle that diminishes as engine warms
  • Camshaft position or timing-related fault codes
  • Rough idle or timing-related misfire on higher mileage

  Typically $1,800–$4,000 to put right.

• Costly issue

  Check for dried or fresh oil residue.

  See why

  U502 PTU and RDU Transfer Unit Seal Leaks

  The Power Transfer Unit and Rear Drive Unit on the U502 Explorer have very widely documented front output shaft and pinion seal leaks. Reported by hundreds of owners across US and AU Explorer communities. Seals fail from heat and age, draining ATF and leading to progressive PTU and RDU bearing wear. One of the most consistently documented mechanical failures on this generation Explorer.

  What you would notice

  • Oil drips beneath PTU or rear differential area
  • ATF or gear oil smell from drivetrain
  • Whine from PTU or RDU at speed
  • AWD warning or traction control warning light

  Typically $500–$3,000 to put right.

• Costly issue

  Cold-start the engine and listen at the front timing cover for a chain rattle in the first few seconds and again on a light throttle blip.

  See why

  4.0 SOHC V6 timing chain cassette & tensioner rattle

  The 4.0-litre SOHC V6 fitted to the Australian-delivered US-series Explorer drives its camshafts through long chains running in plastic guide cassettes with hydraulic tensioners. The tensioners bleed down and the plastic cassettes/guides embrittle and shatter, producing a loud chain rattle (a spark-knock-like clatter on cold start-up and under acceleration around 2400-2500 rpm). The front-left cassette can be done with the engine in the car, but a failed rear chain or guide requires the engine to be pulled, and shattered guide debris can circulate through the oil. On these now-elderly cars the noise commonly appears once past roughly 150,000-200,000 km, and earlier where oil changes were stretched.

  What you would notice

  • Rattling/clattering from the front of the engine on cold start that quietens as revs rise
  • Metallic knock or rattle under light acceleration around 2400-2500 rpm
  • Chain rattle that returns and worsens over time
  • Check-engine light for camshaft/crankshaft correlation in advanced cases

  Typically $2,500–$6,000 to put right.

• Costly issue

  On a test drive feel for a flare between 2nd and 3rd and any slip under load up a hill.

  See why

  5R55E automatic transmission 2-3 flare & band/servo wear

  The 5R55E five-speed automatic behind the 4.0 V6 in the Australian-delivered Explorer is a known weak point. It suffers a '2-3 flare' (a momentary rev-up between second and third), overheating from a failing thermostatic element in the valve body, and wear or breakage of the intermediate/second-gear bands and the rear sprag's nylon cage, which can leave it slipping or shifting erratically (for example 1-2-1-4-5). It was never strong enough for heavy towing and problems worsen with heat. Symptoms typically build past roughly 150,000-200,000 km, sooner on cars that towed or ran the fluid dark.

  What you would notice

  • Brief flare or rev-up when shifting from 2nd to 3rd
  • Slipping in one or more gears, or delayed engagement
  • Harsh, erratic or missed shifts (e.g. skipping 3rd)
  • Overdrive/'O/D OFF' light flashing
  • Burnt-smelling or very dark transmission fluid

  Typically $2,500–$4,500 to put right.

Ford Explorer service schedule

What falls due, and at what distance, for each generation of the Ford Explorer. These are the model’s intervals — the car’s own service book is the only thing that can tell you what has actually been done to it.

What these repairs cost on other cars

Some of the Ford Explorer’s documented faults are repairs other models share. Each page lists the documented NZ cost for every model it affects.

• Timing Chain Replacement Cost

Other Ford models