2004 Ford Explorer Sport Trac consumer reviews

THINGS I LIKE ABOUT MY 2004 SPORTRAC: 1. EXTERIOR LOOKS - New it looked sharp and it is still a sharp looking truck at eight years old and almost 130 miles. 2. REAR SEAT - Decent space for two adults and one child in the back seat 3. SMALL BUT USEFUL TRUCK BED: I could have easily used another foot of truck bed and the chrome extended fold out frame is something I took off, as it was more problem than solution, but still, 90 percent of the time the bed size, five feet, is acceptable and it beats having to use the back seat, trunk, or roof of a car. 4. TWO-FOUR-FOUR LOW WHEEL DRIVE TRAIN: I use the 4 wheel drive when it rains or with snow and ice and take advantage of the 19/22 mpg with the two wheel drive the rest of the time. 5. THE 4.O SIX CYLINDER ENGINE IS STRONG THROUGHOUT THE TORQUE RANGE. My previous vehicle was a Toyota Tacoma, also with a 4.0. This Sporttrac engine and the vehicle overall is much better, much more capable, much more comfortable, and an overall, much better value than the Toyota Tacoma. For a lot more truck I gave up one mile to the gallon. I change the oil every three or four thousand miles and do scheduled upkeep but I have had no real out of the ordinary mechanical problems with the drive train; knock on wood. WHAT I DISLIKE ABOUT THIS SPORTTRAC: I. There are several minor but annoying design weaknesses that i could never understand were sent to mass production without fixing. A. DRIVER'S SIDE SEAT BELT: Never pulls all the way back to the unused position, consequently, many times the belt is caught in the door upon closing when getting out. Soon after I first purchased the vehicle, I paid to get it replaced. Since it was not considered broken, I had to pay. The new one work a little better but not much. It is a real design failing that should have been fixed before mass production B. The 04 model transmission shift gear on the steering wheel column is not recessed enough and much of the time when you shift into Drive from Park your hand tough the Overdrive button on the end of the shifter and you have to push it again. The dealership said that in 05 they had planned to fix it but they did nothing to fix/refit the 04's problem. C. The radio/clock defaults to the frequency every 30 seconds and whenever any of its buttons are touched. I would rather it defaulted to the time or that the vehicle was provided with a separate clock. Its is minor but annoying. 3. At 55, I have owned 15 vehicles in my life, at least nine new, and these included several Japanese models. The parts cost on this vehicle for the back corner window, $1k, for a replacement console $600, for mechanical parts in general are the most expensive of any vehicle I have owned. This is most noticeable for non-mechanical parts. SUMMARY Another foot of truck bed and fixing three or four minor and inexpensive design problems and I would probably keep the vehicle as the family's old truck for the next ten or twenty years. Due to its looks and its strong engine, this vehicle narrowly will miss the status of classic in a couple of decades because of the problems above. I hope this helps.

I like the styling of this truck, and its been dependable. It doesn't handle as well as I'd like but it is a truck.

I have owned Ford trucks in the past and will again in the future. I wanted a Ford Ranger and my wife wanted to be able to haul at least 4 passengers in comfort. This Sport Trac is like a Ranger limo. Or a stretch Ranger. It does everything I need it to do. Interior is just like a Ranger but bigger. Could use more cubby holes as I tend to stash stuff everywhere. Perhaps a little more storage behind the rear seat. Overall a great little truck getting 16 MPG in town and 18 MPG on the highway at 70MPH. We'll soon see how it does pulling a boat.

I recieved my 2004 sport trac for Mother's day in 2004. I go out off road hunting rocks to work into jewerly. I go with my rock club on field trips and have never found a place I could not go. I do have the automatic 4X4. I have been over places where a lot of high clearance vehicles could not go. I think that is due to the shorter stance. I made a cover for the bed (out of vinyl for weight) and have cut my fuel use down thus adding 2-3 miles per gallon. On a freeway trip I can avg. 22 to 25 mpg. We had only 2 problems with the truck, 1. recall due to manufacture putting wrong transmission fluid in at the factory. And the thieft device (which shuts off the truck) installed addon from the dealer, shorted out the truck. Had to have it towed into the dealer and device removed. All else has been good. Love my dealer, Gaudin Ford, in Las Vegas, NV. I also have a Tent that fits in the bed of the truck. I was able to use the one that fits a 2004 Ford explorer truck. I had a 4inch foam pad cut to shape of the bed, including the tail gate and have the full comfort of a memory foam bed while camping. I would recommend this to everyone who wants room inside and a full 6' bed (with the bed extender). I am 5' 1/2" 60 yrs old and need a bit of help getting into it. I use a step stool with a rope attached to get into the cab without hurting my back. I have not found a running step that would work well without catching it on rocks, cutting my clearance.

This is the type of truck that gets an A-Okay from the wife. It has all the advantages of a truck (unless you like to haul large loads)with the comfort of a small RV. Leather seats are plush as is the room. The only disadvantages is a little road noise (cut up the tunes)and visability when backing up. I would buy another one in a heart beat. I use a Jeep Wrangler in the woods but my Sports Trac on the highway.

I love this truck it looks good, rides great, gas is even better than sticker! I like the motorized rear sliding window. This is my first truck and I am very pleased. The built in bed liner is a great feature as well as the tow hooks on the side rails.