FaultScore

Worst years for a Ford Explorer Sport Trac

Owners have filed 929 complaints about the Ford Explorer Sport Trac with NHTSA across model years 1997 to 2010. More of them are about the transmission & drivetrain than anything else.

Avoid

2001 Ford Explorer Sport Trac

229 complaints — the highest FaultScore of any year, mostly transmission & drivetrain.

Cleanest on record

2008 Ford Explorer Sport Trac

34 complaints — the lowest FaultScore of the graded years.

Every Ford Explorer Sport Trac 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
2010 C 38 4 3 30,000 Transmission & Drivetrain
2009 7 0 0 10,250 Transmission & Drivetrain
2008 B 34 2 3 62,000 Engine & Cooling
2007 D 122 13 2 40,000 Transmission & Drivetrain
2006 6 0 0 Transmission & Drivetrain
2005 C 85 7 1 73,500 Fuel & Propulsion
2004 D 108 21 1 45,000 Suspension
2003 D 93 5 8 48,600 Engine & Cooling
2002 D 190 8 3 42,302 Transmission & Drivetrain
2001 F 229 20 9 71,760 Transmission & Drivetrain
2000 3 1 0 Transmission & Drivetrain
1998 8 0 1 69,850 Electrical System
1997 6 0 1 107,500 Transmission & Drivetrain

What breaks on a Ford Explorer Sport Trac

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

Worst in 2001

Engine & Cooling 107 11.5%

Worst in 2002

Worst in 2002

Worst in 2001

Worst in 2001

Brakes 72 7.8%

Worst in 2002

Worst in 2002

Suspension 54 5.8%

Worst in 2001

Airbags 44 4.7%

Worst in 2004

Tires 39 4.2%

Worst in 2001

Steering 25 2.7%

Worst in 2001

Seats 22 2.4%

Worst in 2001

Lights 19 2.0%

Worst in 2002

Other & Unspecified 19 2.0%

Worst in 2001

Exactly what failed on a Ford Explorer Sport Trac

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

Automatic Transmission 67 31.0%
Body 44 20.4%
Engine 22 10.2%
Cruise Control 18 8.3%
Frame AND Members 17 7.9%
Front 13 6.0%
Side/Window 10 4.6%
Wiring 9 4.2%
Latch 8 3.7%
Recliner 8 3.7%

Complaints filed over time

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

Nov 2000 peak 17 Apr 2026

Ford Explorer Sport Trac 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 Trac

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