2004 Ford Explorer: loss of power steering

Filed Feb 9, 2021 · Acceleration, Engine · 220,000 miles · CO

Engine dies when driving with cruise control operating and heading down slight hill at speed of around 35 MPH. Cruise is designed to maintain driving speed going down the hill (up or down hill for that matter). The tachometer indicates a slowing of engine RPM. At higher speeds, the slowing of RPM does not fall too low. However, at the slower speed around 35mph, the RPM drops below 500 RPM and the engine stalls. I lose power steering and breaks. I have a difficult time steering and breaking. This is a safety problem on a curve or if a red light is ahead. I can't steer the car on the curve. I may not be able to stop the car at the traffic light and end up in an intersection and be hit by vehicles with a green light. I may hit a car in front of me that has stopped at a light or stop sign. I may not be able to stop for a pedestrian crossing at the intersection (with the light). I may not be able to avoid a child ... Who darts into the roadway. This is a problem for many owners of the 2004 explorer. There are many complaints about it on the web. It is a problem that has been noted for years. I complained about it to dealers several times. Dealers dismissed it as nothing can be found, replicated or just not a problem. It is time to recalll the vehicle to fix this safety problem. This is an ongoing problem. I try to avoid using cruise control control at the 35mph range. It seems ok at highway speeds. The last of many instances was in november 2020. The problem first happened when there about 30,000 miles on the car.

Filed Nov 7, 2016 · Acceleration, Brakes · 100,000 miles · FL · crash · 1 injury

Tl* the contact owns a 2004 ford explorer. While driving 55 MPH with the cruise control activated, the vehicle lost power steering and braking, which resulted in a crash. All the warning indicators illuminated. The vehicle was towed to the contact's residence and then towed to an independent mechanic for diagnostic testing. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. A police report was filed. There was one injury that required medical attention. The contact was treated for second degree burns. The failure mileage was approximately 100,000.

Filed May 17, 2015 · Electrical, Engine · 109,000 miles · MI

Complete engine failure while driving. Service engine soon light appeared 2 days previous but did not yet make it to the mechanic. Computer reading suggested a sensor problem. Engine shut down, lost power steering and all systems. Engine restarted but now idles rough.

Filed Aug 6, 2014 · Engine · 90,000 miles · MI

My wife was driving and the engine just stalled . We pulled into a gas station with no power steering or brakes. I had it towed home that day. Later I found out the timing chain had come off.

Filed Feb 22, 2014 · Acceleration, Engine · 44,000 miles · NC

This is a county govt vehicle purchased used from a dealer about 2 years ago. I had been highway driving for about 3-4 hours at speeds between 55-70 MPH. I made one brief stop during that time, and was mostly using cruise control. Just prior to the incident, the speed limit drops from 70 to 55, and then to 35 in a relatively short distance. I used the cruise control coast to reduce my speed from 55 to 35. The 35 MPH speed starts on a bridge- there is a small incline and then a little larger decline. At about the base of the bridge, the engine shut off, I lost steering and coasted to a stop. I don't recall if I had braking. I was with a passenger; it was night, and this occurred in an area that was not safe. I tried restarting the car, and it restarted with no problem. I drove to a nearby gas station. The power steering fluid was low, so I filled that, restarted, and drove the remaining 1 1/2 hrs with no problems. Other employees continued to drive over the next 2 1/2 months locally-very little highway driving, with no issues. On february 21, I was returning from a trip in this vehicle from the same area, with the same circumstances as above. When I was still on the bridge where the speed drops to 35, the engine shut off again. This time I was alone. There was a vehicle following very close behind me but fortunately I continued to coast as this was on the decline of the bridge. I was able to steer slightly to get off the highway. The check gauges; check engine, and battery warning lights were all on. The car restarted with no problems. I drove to the same gas station; checked the gauges-all were normal and no warning lights. I drove the 1 1/2 hrs remaining with no problems. On a web search, I found multiple cases of very similar problems on explorers with no resolution. I could find no recalls on the VIN. This is an extremely dangerous and potentially fatal problem.

Filed Oct 10, 2013 · Engine · 92,925 miles · NY

The original equipment harmonic balancer came apart. The inner portion separated from the rest. This allows. It would have caused the destruction of the serpentine belt, and crankshaft position sensor if I had not caught it in time. This would have resulted in loss of engine power, loss of power steering, and loss of power brakes! This seems to be a common problem with the 2004 ford 4.0 liter v6. This could result in somebody losing control of the vehicle with little or no warning. I was replacing the water pump on my vehicle when I saw this defect.

Filed May 7, 2013 · Engine · 101,000 miles · FL

While was driving on I-95 I gave the car a boost of speed to pass another vehicle. I noticed my back window become "dirty" (covered in coolant) and while the car seemed okay I moved to the right lane. There was no shoulder to pull off due to construction. Without a shoulder I had to keep going another couple miles; after a couple miles I started loosing speed gradually. With children in the car this was a safety issue - I was fortunate to make it to an exit where upon immediately the car died as I slowed and white smoke started billowing out of the engine compartment. The problem was the thermostat housing failed causing the car to lose coolant. Since I was unable to pull over it resulted a blown head gasket. Due to design of the engine this repair is prohibitively expensive. I have seen this thermostat complaint numerous times and it is time that ford take responsibility for the plastic parts that are connected to the engine. This part should be aluminum according to my mechanic. Please consider recall to replace plastic thermostat housing with metal: ford must use metal parts because plastic warps in the heat. The affected parts are the thermostat housing and it's connection to the engine. I have good maintenance, oil changed regularly, fluids checked and maintained regularly. I also drive very conservatively and am easy on my driving. Ford must fix this! Between this issue and a bolt in my steering column falling out (causing a loss of steering) my confidence in ford is diminished.

Filed Aug 1, 2012 · Engine · 73,520 miles · WA

I had just purchased this vehicle to tow with. I was driving in the country with the cruise control on and set at about 45mph. All of a sudden I realized I the vehicle had turned itself off. No power steering, no brakes nothing. It did start right back up after getting off the road. Later in the day returning home it did the same exact thing at 50mph with cruise engaged. I talked with ford shop and they say it is a known problem with no known fix. This is very dangerous.

Filed Apr 1, 2011 · Acceleration · 103,000 miles · WA

My 2004 ford explorer has had a problem since it was new where the cruise control (speed control) would disengage on its own and at the same time kill the engine. The dealerships could not make it happen again and have never been able to fix the problem. It does it much more often at speeds less than 50 MPH, so I don't use the cruise at slower speeds; however, it has now started doing it above 50 MPH and the ABS light also comes on occasionally. This situation is extremely dangerous because when the engine dies your power-steering no longer works and steering is very difficult. It sounds to me like this should be included in a recall.

Filed Sep 16, 2008 · Acceleration · 46,000 miles · TX

I have discovered that my 2004 ford limited v8 cruise control can kill the engine while the car is in motion. I have been using the coast button on my cruise control to reduce speed as I approach a speed sign lower than my existing speed. If I hold the button as the car slows to a speed below 35mph (approximate) the engine quits leaving me with no power steering or vacuum braking. I've tried it several time and the fault is consistent. Whenever the car slows to below the minimum cruise control the device should disengage, not stall the engine. I think this is a serious issue and owners should be aware of it.

Filed Sep 6, 2008 · Transmission · 28,000 miles · CA

In 2005 I purchased a 2004 ford exxltspnbx 11900 from herz car sales. Just few month after that I experienced the first of 20 critical engine shutdowns that I experienced up to now. 2. The failure is that the engine of my car turns off spontaneously at speeds between 50 and 70 MPH. The consequences are: - sudden loss of power - sudden loss of steering servo, I.e. A sharp sideways kick if the car is in a curve - sudden loss of braking power - the need to shift to neutral and restart the engine, with the danger to shift to 'r' or even 'p' in panic, and to lock up the steering wheel at full speed (!!!) panic is the right word for the feeling my wife and I have experienced in every occurrence of this failure. 3. After the first two failures I brought the car to a ford dealership. The car was still under factory warranty, but the workshop couldn't localize the problem. They test-drove he car for 200 miles and concluded he car was ok, in spite of the fact that I told them that I had two events in 20,000 miles. The total frequency has been by now once in every 2,500 miles, on average. The shutdown seems to be occurring with the cruise control on, more likely on slight downhill slopes. 3. No solution for this problem so far.

Filed May 25, 2004 · Steering · 13,000 miles · GA

Power steering fails when driving at all/various speeds. Failure is felt during/attempted turning of the wheel in either direction while driving. Steering becomes very difficult and suddenly power steering kicks in and becomes unsafe as great pressure is being applied to steering wheel to overcome power steering failure. Dealership claims no known failures and cannot find problem with my steering system. As a systems safety engineer, I suspect defect in system and manufacture has yet to admit. Request assistance to force manufacture/dealership to investigate and determine problem.