FaultScore

Worst years for a Ford Explorer Sport

Owners have filed 939 complaints about the Ford Explorer Sport with NHTSA across model years 1993 to 2005. More of them are about the body & structure than anything else.

Avoid

2001 Ford Explorer Sport

243 complaints — the highest FaultScore of any year, mostly suspension.

Cleanest on record

1997 Ford Explorer Sport

44 complaints — the lowest FaultScore of the graded years.

Every Ford Explorer Sport year, graded

The grade compares each year against the rest of this model's own run — never against another car. Click any bar or row to open that year's report.

Complaints filed with NHTSA, by model year. Bar colour is the FaultScore grade: A B C D F ungraded
Year Grade Complaints Crashes Fires Median miles Most reported
2005 5 0 0 94,408 Body & Structure
2004 C 23 5 0 50,000 Body & Structure
2003 C 85 4 3 99,000 Body & Structure
2002 D 160 12 7 70,500 Transmission & Drivetrain
2001 F 243 23 14 66,300 Suspension
2000 C 102 6 10 65,000 Transmission & Drivetrain
1999 C 127 7 5 71,900 Seats
1998 D 145 5 17 100,000 Doors, Latches & Locks
1997 C 44 4 6 100,000 Engine & Cooling
1993 5 0 1 Tires

What breaks on a Ford Explorer Sport

Across every model year on file. Follow a row for that part's complaints and the year it was worst.

Body & Structure 116 12.4%

Worst in 2001

Worst in 2002

Worst in 2001

Worst in 1998

Suspension 68 7.2%

Worst in 2001

Seats 68 7.2%

Worst in 2001

Worst in 2002

Worst in 2001

Worst in 1998

Tires 47 5.0%

Worst in 2001

Brakes 42 4.5%

Worst in 2001

Airbags 38 4.0%

Worst in 2001

Steering 26 2.8%

Worst in 2001

Lights 24 2.6%

Worst in 1999

Exactly what failed on a Ford Explorer Sport

The named sub-assemblies behind those complaints, across every model year.

Automatic Transmission 55 20.9%
Body 41 15.6%
Recliner 37 14.1%
Latch 30 11.4%
Hinge AND Attachments 23 8.7%
Engine 22 8.4%
Cruise Control 16 6.1%
Glass, Side/Rear 14 5.3%
Antilock/Traction Control/Electronic Limited Slip 14 5.3%
Gasoline 11 4.2%

Complaints filed over time

Every complaint about every Ford Explorer Sport, by the month it reached NHTSA.

Sep 2000 peak 21 Jul 2025

Ford Explorer Sport problems by state

Where owners filed from. Heavier states are usually just bigger markets, but a part that fails in heat or salt shows up here first.

Compare the Ford Explorer Sport

Side by side on complaint history. Remember that raw totals track how many were sold as much as how good they were.