2005 Ford Explorer Sport Trac Fuel System Problems

FORD INERTIA SWITCH. WHILE DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY AT 65 MILES PER HOUR THE VEHICLE SUDDENLY LOST ALL POWER AND PROPULSION, CAUSING MY POWER STEERING TO GO OFF AS WELL AS ALL INSTRUMENTATION TO TURN OFF, WHILE MOVING AT 65 MPH. THE ONLY THING I COULD DO IS TURN MY HAZARD LIGHTS ON FIND AN EXIT AND COAST TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD. THIS CAUSED AN EXTREMELY UNSAFE SITUATION, AND ONE THAT VERY WELL COULD HAVE ENDED IN DEATH. THE ONLY ISSUE IS THAT IT OCCURS VERY SPORADIC AND IT'S VERY HARD TO TROUBLESHOOT OR RECREATE THE FAULT.

FUEL GAUGE ON MY 2005 FORD SPORTRAC DOES NOT REGISTER CORRECTLY. NEEDLE STUCK AT 1/4 TANK AND SOMETIMES WILL MOVE, BUT CAN NOT BE TRUSTED. EVEN AFTER FILLING UP, IT WILL NOT SHOW FULL TANK. HAVE TO USE TRIP METER TO HAVE ANY IDEA WHEN TO RE-FUEL. THIS IS VERY ANNOYING AND AFTER RESEARCHING ON INTERNET, WE FOUND THIS IS A VERY COMMON PROBLEM WITH FORD AND HAS BEEN A PROBLEM FOR A LONG TIME. THIS SITUATION SHOULD BE CORRECTED BY FORD VIA RECALLS ON THEIR VEHICLES. IT COULD CERTAINLY BE A SAFETY ISSUE WHILE DRIVING. *TR

I WAS DRIVING IN TOWN AND IT STALLED OUT. IT KEPT HAPPENING AT LEAST THREE TIMES A WEEK EVEN WHEN I WAS ON THE FREEWAY. I HAD FAR TOO MANY CLOSE CALLS FROM WRECKING OR CAUSING AN ACCIDENT. I WENT AND HAD IT LOOKED AT BY A MECHANIC AND HE REPLACED THE SPRING IN THE FUEL RESET SWITCH. IT IS CURRENTLY IN THE SHOP ONCE MORE FOR THE SAME PROBLEM. MY CHECK ENGINE LIGHT IS ALSO ON AGAIN. HAS BEEN FOR THE LAST YEAR. IT CLAIMS THERE IS SOMETHING WRONG WITH THE FUEL CAP OR THE FUEL LINES. I'VE HAD A PRESSURE TEST DONE AND MY GAS CAP CHANGED AND IT STILL HASN'T FIXED THE PROBLEM. ALSO MY DRIVER SIDE DOOR HANDLE IS STARTING TO GET STUCK AND MY FUEL GAUGE IS NO LONGER REGISTERING THE ACTUAL AMOUNT OF GAS I HAVE. I HAVE SO MANY PROBLEMS WITH THIS TRUCK AND I JUST WANT THEM TO BE FIXED. THIS STUFF IS DANGEROUS AND CAN CAUSE LEGITIMATE ACCIDENTS AND SAFETY ISSUES. *TR

I STARTED SMELLING GAS ABOUT A YEAR AGO, BUT THOUGHT IT WAS A GAS CAN I WAS HAULING AROUND. WELL ONE DAY I PULLED MY CAR INTO THE DRIVEWAY , AND NOTICED A SMALL PUDDLE UNDER MY CAR. I GOT DOWN TOO SEE WHAT IT WAS. I SMELLED IT AND IT WAS GAS. I THEN DROPPED THE GAS TANK AND SEEN IT WAS LEAKING AT THE CONNECTION BETWEEN THE FUEL PUMP AND THE FUEL LINE. I THEN BOUGHT THE FUEL LINE THINKING THIS WOULD FIX THE PROBLEM. TOO MAKE ALONG STORY SHORT IT DIDN'T. IT WAS A REAL EASY TO REPLACE THE LINE. BUT NOW I HAVE TOO REPLACE THE TOP OF TANK TOO. MY POINT IS THIS PART SHOULD BE RECALLED. THERE SHOULD NEVER BE A PART THAT SHOULD LEAK GAS ESPECIALLY WHERE IT MAKES A PUDDLE RIGHT UNDER THE GAS TANK. IMAGINE IF SOMEONE THREW A CIGARETTE UNDER MY CAR, BOOM. PEOPLE SHOULDN'T HAVE TO DIE FOR THIS TO BE RECALLED. I'M NOT GOING TO FIX THIS, FORD SHOULD. BAD APPLICATION. IF ANYTHING HAPPENS I PLANNING ON TAKING FORD TO COURT. *TR

THE FUEL GAUGE IN MY 2005 FORD EXPLORER SPORT TRAC STOPPED WORKING. IT READS BELOW EMPTY AT ALL TIMES. I RESEARCHED THE PROBLEM ONLINE AND IT IS APPARENTLY A KNOWN PROBLEM IN FORD EXPLORERS, MOUNTAINEERS AND RANGER HAVING A FAULTY FUEL SENDING UNIT AND FUEL PUMPS IN THIS MODEL YEAR. THIS IS A HAZARDOUS CONDITION AND SHOULD BE RECALLED. NOT KNOWING WHEN OR WHERE A VEHICLE WILL RUN OUT OF GAS IS A SERIOUS ISSUE AND NOT KNOWING IF THE FUEL PUMP WILL FAIL IS ALSO A SERIOUS SAFETY ISSUE. IT COULD BE ON A MAJOR HIGHWAY, IN HEAVY TRAFFIC OR IN A DESOLATE AREA. AFTER VIEWING SEVERAL COMPLAINTS ON VARIOUS INTERNET SITES, FORD IS ALSO STILL SELLING THESE VEHICLES PRE-OWNED AND NOT FIXING THE PROBLEM BEFORE THE SALE. FORD IS AWARE OF THIS ISSUE AND HAS DONE NOTHING TO FIX THE PROBLEM EXCEPT TO CHARGE PEOPLE FOR THE REPAIR. *KB

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 FORD EXPLORER. WHILE THE CONTACT WAS ADDING FUEL TO THE VEHICLE IT SPRAYED BACK OUT. THE CONTACT STATED THAT TWO PEOPLE ATTEMPTED TO FUEL THE VEHICLE AND THEY BOTH EXPERIENCED THE FAILURE. THE CONTACT WAS UNABLE TO ADD FUEL TO HER VEHICLE AND SHE WAS ALSO UNABLE TO DRIVE IT. THE FUEL GAUGE ON THE DASHBOARD DISPLAYED THAT THE FUEL TANK WAS EMPTY. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 65,806.

WHILE IN PARK, THE CAR DIED. PUSHED CAR INTO AUTO PARTS STORE PARKING LOT. ASSOCIATE HELPED BY RESETTING THE FUEL CUT OFF SWITCH LOCATED ON THE FIRE WALL ON THE PASSENGER SIDE UNDER THE GLOVE COMPARTMENT. SINCE THIS FIRST INCIDENT IT OCCURRED APPROXIMATELY EVERY SIX MONTHS FOR A COUPLE OF YEARS, THEN EVERY MONTH, AND NOW ALMOST WEEKLY.IT HAS OCCURRED WHILE IN TOWN AT LOW SPEEDS AND ON THE HIGHWAY AT HIGH SPEEDS. CANNOT FIND A RECALL BUT KNOW OF OTHERS WHO HAVE HAD TO CHANGE OUT THIS SWITCH ON THEIR SPORT TRACS. *TR

TRUCK SHUT OFF WHILE I WAS DRIVING IN AUGUST 2007 (MILEAGE: 24587). VERY DANGEROUS I WAS ON THE HIGHWAY. 2 OTHERS IN TRUCK WITH ME, I WAS IN MIDDLE LANE OF I95. TOWED TRUCK TO QUALITY FORD OF MT. VERNON AND THEY REPLACE FUEL PUMP. IT DID IT AGAIN IN DECEMBER 2007 (MILEAGE: 29082) WHILE I WAS ON THE STREET. AGAIN, I HAD IT TOWED TO QUALITY FORD OF MT. VERNON AND THIS TIME THEY SAID MY FUEL FILTER WAS DIRTY DIRTY DIRTY. EVEN THOUGH I HAD LESS THAN 30,000 MILES AND THE FILTER WASN'T EVEN DUE TO BE CHANGED, ACCORDING TO THEIR GUIDELINES. THEN THE CAR SHUT OFF A FEW TIMES AND I WAS ABLE TO RE-START IT WITH A JUMP. THEN FEBRUARY 22, 2008 (MILEAGE: 30972) THE CAR SHUT OFF ON ME WHILE I WAS DRIVING LOCALLY AND I GOT A JUMP AND TOOK IT BACK TO QUALITY FORD OF MT. VERNON AND THEY REPLACE THE BATTERY THIS TIME. THEN APRIL 8, 2008 (MILEAGE: 32487) THE CAR JUST SHUT OFF ON ME AFTER STARTING WHEN I TRIED TO DRIVE. I HAD TO HAVE IT TOWED TO QUALITY FORD OF MT. VERNON AND THEY REPLACE THE FUEL PUMP AGAIN AND A FUEL PUMP MODULE. NOW IT'S JUNE 2008 (MILEAGE: 24,704) AND MY CAR HAS BEEN AT QUALITY FORD OF MT. VERNON FOR ALMOST 3 WEEKS. FIRST THEY DID THE DIAGNOSTICS AND COULDN'T FIND ANYTHING, SO THEY SAID THEY HAD AN ENGINEER COMING IN TO DETERMINE THE PROBLEM. THE ENGINEER SUPPOSEDLY SAID I NEEDED YET ANOTHER FUEL PUMP AND SOME OTHER GISMO. I STILL DON'T HAVE A CAR. *TR

FOR THE LAST YEAR OR SO, I HAVE DEALT WITH A "CHECK FUEL CAP" LIGHT THAT CONSISTENTLY TURNS ON AND OFF. IN ADDITION, WHENEVER I TRY TO PUMP GAS, IT USUALLY COMES SPEWING OUT. NOW IT HAS GOTTEN TO THE POINT THAT WHENEVER I DO TRY AND PUMP GAS, IT WILL ONLY LET ME PUT IN ABOUT 10 CENTS AT A TIME BEFORE THE LATCH MAKES ME STOP. I GET VERY NERVOUS AFTER PUMPING MY GAS, KNOWING THAT THE LEFT SIDE OF MY CAR HAS GASOLINE SPILT ALL OVER IT. WHAT IF I WAS TO DRIVE BEHIND SOMEBODY THAT THROWS A CIGARETTE OUT AND IT JUST SO HAPPENS THAT IT TOUCHS THE GASOLINE ON THE SIDE OF MY CAR? IN ORDER TO GET THE PROBLEM CORRECTED, I TOOK IT TO D&D COLLISION, AND ACCORDING TO THEM THEY SAID IT IS THE EVAP CHARCOAL CANISTERS THAT ARE CAUSING THIS REACTION FOR THE GAS TO COME BACK OUT OF THE GAS TANK. IT JUST SO HAPPENS, THAT USUALLY MOST CARS ONLY HAVE ONE CANISTER, BUT MINE HAS TWO. THE TOTAL COST TO FIX IS APPROXIMATELY $500 AND THAT IS NOT INCLUDING THE FACT THAT THEY SAID ONCE THEY CHANGE THE CANISTERS THEY WILL BE ABLE TO SEE IF THEIR ARE MORE PROBLEMS. THEY BELIEVE THAT THEY ARE ABOUT 95% CORRECT ABOUT THE PROBLEM, BUT THEY SAID THERE IS ABOUT A 5% CHANCE THAT THEIR COULD MORE TO THE PROBLEM. THIS CAR IS COMPLETELY UNSAFE FOR THE ROAD WITH GASOLINE ALL OVER THE LEFT SIDE. THE PROBLEM IS, IS THAT I HAVE NEVER BEEN IN ANY ACCIDENT, OR ANYTHING, SO I DON'T UNDERSTAND WHERE THIS RANDOMLY CAME FROM. I HAVE SPENT THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS ON MY SPORTS TRAC EXPLORER AND IT JUST SEEMS THAT ALL TOGETHER, THE CAR WAS PUT TOGETHER IN POORLY CONDITION. *TR

EVERY TIME GAS IS PUMPED INTO THE VEHICLE, EVEN WHEN TANK IS EMPTY, AFTER A FEW SECONDS THE GAS BACKS UP END SPEWS OUT OF THE GAS FILL TUBE. IT IS ALMOST IMPOSSIBLE TO PUMP GAS SO THAT THE GAS DOESN'T EJECT BACK OUT OF THE FILL TUBE. I CAN ONLY ASSUME ITS A HUGE FIRE/SAFETY ISSUE AS IT NORMALLY AMOUNTS TO A HUGE PUDDLE OF GAS ON THE GROUND, ALL OVER MY PAINT, AND MOST OF THE TIME ON MY CLOTHES AND SHOES, ESPECIALLY ON A WINDY DAY. I ALSO KNOW IT'S NOT ONLY MY VEHICLE, AND THAT IT MUST BE A COMMON PROBLEM, BECAUSE ANY TIME I GET FULL SERVICE THE ATTENDANT IMMEDIATELY KNOWS TO TURN THE NUZZLE UPSIDE DOWN AND PUMP AS THIS SEEMS TO ALLEVIATE THE ISSUE BUT STILL DOESN'T ELIMINATE IT. *TR

I HAVE A 2005 FORD EXPLORER SPORT TRAC - THE FUEL DELIVERY SYSTEM SWITCH SEEMS TO SHUT DOWN ALL BY ITSELF. ONCE ABOUT 6 MONTHS AGO WHEN I WAS AT A STAND STILL IN THE LEFT HAND TURN LANE OF A BUSY INTERSECTION AND AGAIN LAST NIGHT WHILE DRIVING ON THE VERY BUSY 405 FWY. THE TRUCK JUST "SHUTS OFF" NO GAS, NO NOTHING. I HAD ONE PASSENGER INJURED AS WE WERE PULLED OVER, A CAR WENT BUY AT A HIGH RATE OF SPEED AND KNOCKED MY FRIEND INTO THE SIDE OF THE TRUCK. THIS IS A VERY DANGEROUS SITUATION. YOU CAN'T DRIVE A VEHICLE THAT WILL JUST TURN ITSELF OFF IN "MID-STREAM" I COULD HAVE CAUSED A VERY BIG ACCIDENT. *JB

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 FORD EXPLORER SPORT TRAC. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING AT VARIOUS SPEEDS, THE VEHICLE SHUT OFF WITHOUT WARNING. THE CONTACT MENTIONED THAT THE FAILURE OCCURRED WHENEVER THERE WAS A FRONT PASSENGER RIDING OCCUPYING THE SEAT AND THE PASSENGER LEG TOUCHED THE FUEL RELAY SWITCH. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS UNKNOWN.