Ford Explorer reliability - how does it compare?

[mkaresh]

We've updated our reliability stats for the Explorer to include owner experiences through September 30, 2013.

Repair frequencies, in terms of repair trips per 100 cars per year:

2005 Explorer: 81, moderate, small sample size
2004 Explorer: 64, low, small sample size
2003 Explorer: 109, high, very small sample size
2002 Explorer: 98, moderate

We'll have further updates in February and in May. The more owners participate, the more comprehensive and precise these will be.

To see how competitors compare, and to sign up to help improve this information:

Ford Explorer reliability ratings and comparisons

 

[FR-425]

I don't see any realistic results coming out of this.

You can't account for poor ownership / driver reliability.

Lets face it some people can drive a notoriously weak design for an unusual amount of miles.

And others yank the door handles off trying to change a tire!

 

[mkaresh]

A fair amount of it is just luck--which is why you can't base too much on a handful of vehicles. Some people have the feeling that if they keep all the fluids fresh, etc., that this somehow also prevents failures in non-lubricated parts, such as window regulators. The power of positive vibes?

 

[swshawaii]

http://www.carcomplaints.com/Ford/Explorer/

 

[mkaresh]

Car complaints is like a forum, or at least those forums that are largely composed of threads about car problems. You can get a sense of which problems people are having, but not of what percentage of people are having them (since the people without problems aren't chiming in).

 

[swshawaii]

In late 2005 I started conducting my own reliability research. I'm reporting absolute stats like "times in the shop" that will make the differences between cars much clearer. Relative ratings obscure too much--how large is the difference between "better than average" and "worse than average"?

^ Wasn't this your objective? :scratch:

 

[mkaresh]

^ Wasn't this your objective? :scratch:

Absolutely. What are you confused about? (Or what am I confused about, without realizing it?)

 

[swshawaii]

Need to give credit for perseverance, you started this Explorer "reliability" survey May 2007 and are still here. There are over 60 replies in this thread, over 50 are your own with very few from others. I understand there are many participants that have not replied. Again, I applaud you for trying, but what are you trying to accomplish that isn't already being done by CarComplaints.com? There's my confusion. I'm done, thanks.

 

[mkaresh]

As I mentioned above, you cannot get any sense of how troublesome a model is from car complaints. From that site you know many people are having problems, but not how many are not. The second group is usually larger, even much larger.

If you just want to see what people are upset about, then carcomplaints or a forum like this one are good places to go.

I've done what I can to keep my site from becoming a place people visit only when they have a complaint, as this would distort the statistics.

 

[mkaresh]

We've updated our reliability stats for the Explorer to include owner experiences through December 31, 2013.

Repair frequencies, in terms of repair trips per 100 cars per year:

2005 Explorer: 63, moderate, small sample size
2004 Explorer: 77, moderate, small sample size
2003 Explorer: 112, high, very small sample size
2002 Explorer: 65, low

We'll have further updates in May and in August. The more owners participate, the more comprehensive and precise these will be.

To see the repairs behind these stats, and to sign up to help improve this information:

Edit: I just noticed (somehow I'd forgotten) that some unknown person has made it so our site name gets rendered as #####. I was posting here with Rick's permission. Assuming this can't get cleared up, and my PM's have not been responded to, I won't post further updates.

 

[Everdream]

I've driven a 92 Explorer, a 2004 Jeep Grand Cherokee and my current 2002 Ex Limited. The Jeep had issues with wires comming off the starter, the SKIF going off and being a pain, and my power steering would freeze up. I've not had the Limited ex long enough to know how it will perform over a length of time, but in oct it was hit in the front and it still runs, everything inside works and it has about 180k on it. I do need new tires, and I do sometimes have a steering issue in that a feeling of it rubbing or something. All in all, I'd say the jeep and the Ex are neck in neck so far as the ford has been easier to work on.

 

[mkaresh]

We've updated our reliability stats for the Explorer to include owner experiences through the end of 2014.

Repair frequencies, in terms of repair trips per 100 cars per year:

2005 Explorer: 26, low, very small sample size
2004 Explorer: 120, high
2003 Explorer: 35, low, small sample size
2002 Explorer: 73, low

We'll have further updates in May and in August. The amount of variation could be due to the small sample sizes for some years. Additional participants would be very helpful.

For the details, including how competitors compare, and to sign up to help improve this information:

Ford Explorer reliability ratings and comparisons

 

[Everdream]

So since the last time I posted here, the ford is still roaming around the house. it is now at 190k. Issues I'm seeing so far is a noise from the rear diff/wheel area (like a whooping noise when you drive..whoop whoop whoop whoop), and the transmission sometimes doesn't shift where i think it should. that said, it is still a great running little truck! the 92 explorer in my last post is also still alive and running for the person i sold it to at 303k miles......LOL.

 

[enigma9o7]

our site name gets rendered as #####.

This is still happening, your link doesn't work. I'd be interested in checking out your site and perhaps signing up, but your link doesnt work cuz of the ####... can you maybe try typing it some other way that doesn't get filtered?

 

[mkaresh]

I forgot this was happening, and posted here by mistake.

The site name is true delta dot com