2004 Ford Explorer 4WD

Pros: Exterior styling, seats seven, steering very good for an SUV, low price after rebates
Cons: Quivering structure, busy ride, cheap interior, seats could be better

Beginning around fall of 2000 I told people interested in buying a mid-sized SUV that they should wait until a totally redesigned Explorer was introduced in January 2001. I had learned that the revised SUV would have an independent rear suspension, a ...

Pros: fun drive, standard for its class, handles well.
Cons: fuel economy, roomier 2nd and 3rd row seats

The Top Line I had the opportunity to drive a rented 2004 Ford Explorer XLT 4 litre V6 for nearly a week through some pretty tough conditions in the Northeastern USA. Our family also owns a 1999 Ford Explorer so I’ve included some ...

Pros: Nicely-priced. Occasional 7-passenger seating.
Cons: 5 of the 7 passengers need to be stick-people. Tranny/front drivetrain concerns.

INTRODUCTION I rented a 2004 Explorer for a week, turning in a 2004 Chevy Lumina after the snow started pouring down. I had the opportunity to put several hundred miles on it, in the city, on the highway, and even on some very light off-road ...

Pros: Big, Roomy, nice exterior looks
Cons: it's a Ford, V8 is wimpy, cheap-as-heck interior

Many people are drawn to American made cars because they are usually $5K - $8K less then Japanese imports. From experience, that sticker price savings was used with frequent visits to the dealer for repairs....but I thought I would entertain myself at a ...

Pros: Strong, capable mid-size SUV. Roomy, handles great, and can tow a load. Great value.
Cons: Seats could be firmer. Needs skidplates and better tires for heavy off road use.

I am very impressed with my new Explorer compared to the last version, which my girlfriend owns. Smoother, clean design, and MUCH better handling. Solid as a rock. I have towed my 1971 Airstream Safari (4800 lbs wet) over 3000 miles with it and have had ...

Pros: Ride, handling, 4wd capability and gas mileage.
Cons: Seats, glove box and ac fan speeds

I leased a 2002 Explorer XLT in the summer of 2001, as i had just bought a 2001 model in december of 2000. So the lease was up in june, i turned it in with a tad over 50K on the clock,and was ready for a new one. I purchased a 2004 XLT with very ...

Pros: Looks, comfort, price after rebate, awesome customer service
Cons: low gas millage for 1st 5-6k miles. Stay away from after market equipment.

History: In past few years, skiing has become a big part of my life. Also recently I started mountain biking. So, I thought a new SUV instead of a little Saturn would be a fresh change. After spending a long time researching and not wanting to ...

Pros: Dependable, problem free, great dealer!
Cons: Better gas mileage would make this the ultimate vehicle.

I think that this is an incredible vehicle. I love the styling and the sturdy feel of the vehicle while driving. My husband and I both loved our 2003 Explorer so much, that we ended trading in our 2001 Corolla (that we both loathed driving)for a 2004 Explorer. Despite taking a hit on the Corolla, the Explorer is definitely worth it.

Pros: Comfort, capacity, and hey it's pretty to boot!
Cons: Gas hog, can't really feel its power but I think it's there somewhere...

Well, after we traded in our Ford focus for this big baby, we thought we made a terrible mistake. It is a gas guzzler and seems to not have enough torque to push it's mass, and it takes a while to hit top speeds but after we drove it for a few days we understood. I suppose a few sacrifices have to made for size and comfort right? I fit my son's carseat, a stroller, groceries, my husband,and 3 friends in all at one time and it was still pretty comfortable. Occasional squishing on turns but hey that's fun!I recommend this to a family of 4-6 people.

Pros: Looks nice. Comfortable ride. Rear HVAC controls.
Cons: Gas mileage. Transmission. Problems GALORE! WHAT A PAIN IT IS TO OWN!!!!!!!

Wanted a vehicle with a third row seat. We thought we got a pretty good deal on a used 2004 Explorer XLT 4.0 V6 4x4 about a year ago. At the time it had 30,000 miles (currently 39,500 miles). We have had it to the dealer about 6 times (or once every 2 months) with a problem. The problems ranged from front end noise/problems to transmission leaks, pinion seal leak, and a solenoid replaced. The transmission will sometimes "bang" into gear in lower gears. I was told that is how it shifts. The transmission leak was "fixed" once (about 3 weeks ago) but now it is leaking again today.

Pros: Absolutely NONE
Cons: There isn't enough space to go through them

This is my first and last Explorer. I took a leap of faith buying a Ford and won't make that mistake again. Driving in traffic it has this wait and see attitude. You can floor it and it revs and about 8-10 seconds later it shifts. That is usually too late to change lanes. I would be afraid to take this off road even in the lightest mud or rocks. The 4 wheel drive is clunky. I agree with most people about the auto 4 wheel drive engaging and disengaging when turning slowly and tight. I didn't know that this was a baby Bronco, it bucks. If I could drop this back off at Ford and walk away no RUN I would.

Pros: 7 seats
Cons: bad gas mileage, tinny, transmission problems

The 2004 Ford Explorer has a problem with the transmission/transfer case which the company will not fix. I suspect it is a design flaw. The auto 4 wheel drive locks when going from park to reverse or forward when the wheels are turned sharply. It is more than annoying and could result in personal injury. They should stand by their products.

Pros: nice look, roomy
Cons: transmission, suspension, balancer pully busted, crankshaft sensor busted, much much more....

I've had transmission problems that ford will not get fixed correctly! Needed the Solenoid pack replaced ? Not sure what that is, but they apparently fixed it in December and now it needs to be repaired again. Ford will not honor the warranty on it and said since I have put 14000 miles on the car since december they will not fix it. I need to pay the full $900.00 to get it fixed again! If I had only put 12,000 or less on the vehicle from then until now, then it would have been covered. RIDICULOUS! To make matters worse, I've got about $1,500 in suspension problems. need rear struts, lower ball joints, some kind of bushings or another. I'm not a good car person can you tell? I'm just mad because if the truck was so great, I wouldnt have so many problems on a 2004 vehicle with about 60K miles on it!

Pros: Sturdy, good 4-wheel drive SUV.
Cons: Serious transmission problems need to be addressed by Ford.

Transmission problems with the '04 Explorers are becoming very well documented. Clunking into reverse, delay when shifting into drive, etc. Good vehicle otherwise.