YearToAvoid

2005 Ford Explorer Transmission & Powertrain Problems

NHTSA has 99 owner complaints about transmission problems in the 2005 Ford Explorer, 20% of all 497 complaints for this model year. That is #7 highest transmission complaint count among 21 Explorer model years. These complaints report 2 crashes and 2 injuries. Median mileage at failure: 75,000 miles.

Transmission & Powertrain complaints
99
20% of 497
Crashes reported
2
Fires reported
0
Injuries reported
2
Median mileage
75,000 mi
Related recalls
0

When 2005 Ford Explorer transmission complaints were filed

First complaint Jan 27, 2005, latest Nov 9, 2022.

2005 Ford Explorer transmission & powertrain complaints: complaints filed per quarter92005 Q12006 Q32008 Q42010 Q32012 Q12013 Q32015 Q42018 Q2
99 complaints filed with NHTSA from 2005 Q1 to 2022 Q4; peak 2011 Q4 (9).

Transmission & Powertrain recalls for the 2005 Ford Explorer

No safety recalls on record for this model year.

Transmission & Powertrain complaints by Explorer model year

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

  1. 200599 (20%)
  2. 2006296 (47%)
  3. 200757 (27%)
  4. 200836 (24%)
  5. 20093 (9%)
  6. 201028 (24%)
  7. 201164 (5%)
  8. 201255 (7%)
  9. 2013119 (5%)
  10. 201479 (5%)
  11. 201586 (5%)
  12. 2016214 (9%)
  13. 2017123 (7%)
  14. 201850 (7%)
  15. 201935 (12%)
  16. 2020487 (40%)
  17. 2021121 (28%)
  18. 202261 (23%)
  19. 202312 (11%)
  20. 20241 (5%)
  21. 202515 (15%)

Frequently asked questions

Does the 2005 Ford Explorer have transmission problems?
NHTSA has 99 owner complaints about the transmission in the 2005 Ford Explorer, 20% of all complaints for this model year, including 2 that report a crash. Median mileage at failure is 75,000 miles.
Which Ford Explorer year has the most transmission complaints?
The 2020 Ford Explorer has the most transmission complaints (487), compared with 99 for the 2005.
Is there a transmission recall for the 2005 Ford Explorer?
No NHTSA recall campaign for the 2005 Ford Explorer is classified under transmission & powertrain. 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.