What Is Ford Problems?

Ford Problems (fordproblems.com) is a reference site that catalogs the most common defects for Ford vehicles by model and generation. It combines owner complaints from CarComplaints.com with recall, investigation, and technical service bulletin (TSB) data from NHTSA, then ranks vehicles by reliability. It's useful if you're shopping for a used Ford and want to know which model years to avoid, or if you already own one and want to check whether a symptom you're seeing is a known pattern.

What the site actually does

The core promise is matching complaints to official data so you can see which problems are widespread rather than one-off. Three things follow from that:

• Problems are organized by model and generation, not just by brand, so a 2004 Explorer and a 2015 Edge are treated as separate cases with separate issue lists.
• Vehicles are ranked by reliability, which lets you compare across models instead of reading complaint-by-complaint.
• Each issue links to an article explaining the cause and what happens if it's ignored.

The data behind it

This matters because complaint counts alone can mislead—a popular model will always have more complaints than a rare one. Cross-referencing with recalls and TSBs helps separate "many owners hit this" from "this is a documented design issue."

What you'll find on the site

Trending problems

A rotating set of high-profile issues, each with a short explainer. Examples from the site:

• Ford Edge rattling noise — the flexplate cracks in 2015–2018 Edge SUVs with EcoBoost engines, producing engine rattles that worsen if left alone.
• EcoBoost engine fires — a design flaw in the engine block and cylinder head lets coolant leak into the cylinders, leading to misfires, overheating, and in severe cases engine fires.
• Swollen and stuck lug nuts — Ford used a two-piece design with an aluminum cap over a steel core; the cap swells and delaminates with heat and traps moisture.

Most-complained-about issues

The site lists specific complaints with counts, which is where it gets concrete. Examples:

• Cracked panel below the rear window, 2004 Explorer — 769 complaints
• Same panel, 2002 Explorer — 622 complaints
• Window does not roll up, 2004 F-150 — 614 complaints
• Transmission failure, 2002 Explorer — 441 complaints
• Transmission slipping / hard shifts, 2004 Explorer — 392 complaints

What breaks most often (by category)

Transmission leads at 9,519 complaints, followed by engine (7,407), body (5,254), interior (4,490), electrical (3,122), windows (2,941), and HVAC (1,771).

Years to avoid

The site flags model years with the heaviest complaint volume: 2002 (5,610), 2004 (4,527), 2003 (4,308), 2005 (3,391), and 2013 (3,349).

How to use it

1. Before buying a used Ford — look up the specific model and generation, then check the "years to avoid" list. If the year you're considering appears, read the linked issues before negotiating.
2. If you already own one — search your symptom (e.g., "rattling noise" or "transmission slipping") against your model year. If it matches a documented pattern, you'll know whether it's a known defect worth raising with a dealer or mechanic.
3. Cross-check the complaint counts — a high number on a high-volume vehicle is less alarming than a moderate number on a low-volume one. Use the recall and TSB data to judge severity.

Limits to keep in mind

The site aggregates complaints, which are self-reported and skew toward frustrated owners. It doesn't tell you the failure rate as a percentage of vehicles sold, and it doesn't cover repair costs or whether a given fix is covered under warranty. Treat it as a map of known problem areas, not a verdict on any individual car—an inspection by a qualified mechanic is still the deciding step.