YearToAvoid

2005 Ford Explorer Structure & Body Problems

NHTSA has 163 owner complaints about body and structure problems in the 2005 Ford Explorer, 33% of all 497 complaints for this model year. That is #7 highest body and structure complaint count among 21 Explorer model years. These complaints report 1 fire and 2 injuries. Median mileage at failure: 75,000 miles.

Structure & Body complaints
163
33% of 497
Crashes reported
0
Fires reported
1
Injuries reported
2
Median mileage
75,000 mi
Related recalls
0

When 2005 Ford Explorer body and structure complaints were filed

First complaint Feb 9, 2005, latest Sep 1, 2022.

2005 Ford Explorer structure & body complaints: complaints filed per quarter142005 Q12008 Q12010 Q32012 Q12013 Q32015 Q12016 Q42022 Q3
163 complaints filed with NHTSA from 2005 Q1 to 2022 Q3; peak 2011 Q1 (14).

Structure & Body recalls for the 2005 Ford Explorer

No safety recalls on record for this model year.

Structure & Body complaints by Explorer model year

Raw complaint counts per model year; newer years have had less time to accumulate complaints.

  1. 2005163 (33%)
  2. 200622 (3%)
  3. 200735 (17%)
  4. 200828 (19%)
  5. 20095 (15%)
  6. 201021 (18%)
  7. 2011116 (10%)
  8. 2012146 (18%)
  9. 2013455 (20%)
  10. 2014286 (17%)
  11. 2015425 (24%)
  12. 2016618 (25%)
  13. 2017675 (40%)
  14. 2018296 (40%)
  15. 2019154 (52%)
  16. 202089 (7%)
  17. 202138 (9%)
  18. 202217 (6%)
  19. 202312 (11%)
  20. 20243 (14%)
  21. 202510 (10%)

Frequently asked questions

Does the 2005 Ford Explorer have body and structure problems?
NHTSA has 163 owner complaints about the body and structure in the 2005 Ford Explorer, 33% of all complaints for this model year. Median mileage at failure is 75,000 miles.
Which Ford Explorer year has the most body and structure complaints?
The 2017 Ford Explorer has the most body and structure complaints (675), compared with 163 for the 2005.
Is there a body and structure recall for the 2005 Ford Explorer?
No NHTSA recall campaign for the 2005 Ford Explorer is classified under structure & body. Complaints alone do not trigger a recall; check the full recall list and your VIN.

Sources: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation complaint and recall databases; U.S. EPA fuel economy data; NHTSA 5-Star Safety Ratings. Complaints are unverified owner reports.

Data updated Sep 24, 2026. Read the methodology and data sources. The Complaint Index is based on NHTSA owner complaints and recalls; it is not a reliability rating.