• Sign Up! To view all forums and unlock additional cool features

    Welcome to the #1 Explorer ST Forum and Explorer ST community dedicated to Explorer ST owners and enthusiasts. Register for an account, it's free and it's easy, so don't hesitate to join the Explorer ST Forum today!


What don't you like about your ST?

Messages
98
Reactions
44
Points
17
Location
Melbourne, FL, USA
#1
Curious what the things that you owners don't like about the ST after you've had them for a while. Anything that's a huge regret, or something you still can't stand? Anything that maybe makes you wish you had gone with a different vehicle?
 

hbalek

Active Member
Messages
954
Reactions
532
Points
232
Location
Kensington, MD, USA
#2
The creaks, squeaks and rattles in the interior, which are mostly temperature sensitive due to presumably cheap, lightweight plastics and other materials. The liftgate in general bothers me: the way it opens when you walk by and doesn't open on first try with foot sensor, it makes creaking and rattling noises when going over bumps and also when opening and closing, and it's a dust and dirt magnet on the outside. LOL!
 

Symetry

Active Member
U.S. Army Veteran
Messages
642
Reactions
875
Points
232
Location
West KY
#3
The creaks, squeaks and rattles in the interior, which are mostly temperature sensitive due to presumably cheap, lightweight plastics and other materials. The liftgate in general bothers me: the way it opens when you walk by and doesn't open on first try with foot sensor, it makes creaking and rattling noises when going over bumps and also when opening and closing, and it's a dust and dirt magnet on the outside. LOL!
Well dang , that's not good.
Is that kind of a common thing with these cars?

I'm still trying to get one.
Got one lined up in Nashville , start negotiating tomorrow.

Jim
 

Last edited:

hbalek

Active Member
Messages
954
Reactions
532
Points
232
Location
Kensington, MD, USA
#4
Well dang , that's not good.
Is that kind of a common thing with these cars?

I'm still trying to be it one.
Got one lined up in Nashville , start negotiating tomorrow.

Jim
Ford went really cheap on the interior build quality. It looks great though and the seats are extremely comfortable. Also, despite other people's warranty repairs here due to leather tears and premature wear on the driver's seat, my fat ass has no complaints with the driver's seat. It looks almost brand new and it has a year and 12,000 miles of wear on it. The only annoying thing with the seat is the clicking noise on sharp turns and acceleration and memory seats have NO memory! LOL Even with the latest Sync3 update, almost every time I start up the SiriusXM radio takes forever to boot up and actually display and play music. This usually means I've driven away from parking lot and 30-60 later the radio finally boots up!
 

Last edited:

Symetry

Active Member
U.S. Army Veteran
Messages
642
Reactions
875
Points
232
Location
West KY
#5
I've only test drove 2, and one had wind noise the other did not.

I'm a thinking you are paying (a lot) more for performance , motor and suspension tuning than for luxury.
Lincoln and Cadillac are extremely quiet and luxurious , but don't handle or have muscle.

Jim
 

hbalek

Active Member
Messages
954
Reactions
532
Points
232
Location
Kensington, MD, USA
#6
I've only test drove 2, and one had wind noise the other did not.

I'm a thinking you are paying (a lot) more for performance , motor and suspension tuning than for luxury.
Lincoln and Cadillac are extremely quiet and luxurious , but don't handle or have muscle.

Jim
Agreed and this is my first ever SUV after many years of sport/luxury sedans. I feel like this has the perfect balance of luxury, looks and performance. It excites me on a daily basis. It is my daily relief and oasis from COVID fatigue!
 

Messages
11
Reactions
6
Points
2
Location
Wisconsin
#7
Lack of hardware power in the infotainment system. It lags due to that

Execution of the camera system in 10 inch portrait screen. If the bleeping Mustang Mach-E software can stack the 360 picture & the forward/reverse view, why couldn't they do that on a Sync 3 update.

Sync 3 wastes so much space on the 10 in screen, especially when using Fruit CarPlay/Droid Auto.
 

UNBROKEN

4000 Post Club
Messages
4,592
Reactions
5,368
Points
352
Location
Houston, TX, USA
#8
Well dang , that's not good.
Is that kind of a common thing with these cars?

I'm still trying to be it one.
Got one lined up in Nashville , start negotiating tomorrow.

Jim
Mine makes no interior noises like that.
 

hbalek

Active Member
Messages
954
Reactions
532
Points
232
Location
Kensington, MD, USA
#9
Mine makes no interior noises like that.
Many others complained about about rear door panel noises and dash noises especially in extreme heat. Maybe if yours was built in 2020, they resolved some manufacturing issues. Or maybe the sound from your aftermarket exhaust covers up other minor noises!
 

Symetry

Active Member
U.S. Army Veteran
Messages
642
Reactions
875
Points
232
Location
West KY
#10
Yeah , I've driven Lincoln and Cadillac SUVs and they are smooth , luxurious, and very quiet interior. My MKC Lincoln is whisper quiet.

So , I was hoping , for the the big price tag , the ST would be decent in the same areas, but , the 2 I drove handled great not noisy , just not Cadillac.
But they handle , drive really good, and have impressive power. The Lincoln and Cadillac aren't even close in these areas.

Jim
 

hbalek

Active Member
Messages
954
Reactions
532
Points
232
Location
Kensington, MD, USA
#11
Yeah , I've driven Lincoln and Cadillac SUVs and they are smooth , luxurious, and very quiet interior. My MKC Lincoln is whisper quiet.

So , I was hoping , for the the big price tag , the ST would be decent in the same areas, but , the 2 I drove handled great not noisy , just not Cadillac.
But they handle , drive really good, and have impressive power. The Lincoln and Cadillac aren't even close in these areas.

Jim
Like many reviewers have said, Ford has built their own version of a BMW X5 for tens of thousands less! At least in the way it drives, it matches much more expensive European sporty SUVs.
 

Symetry

Active Member
U.S. Army Veteran
Messages
642
Reactions
875
Points
232
Location
West KY
#12
I wonder if the 2021 has debugged some of those things.

Jim
 

Messages
111
Reactions
45
Points
27
Location
Commerce Charter Township, MI, USA
#13
There is a member in the FB group that has said Ford has really upped its quality game for the '21s. I just got my '21 last week, and I don't remember enough about my '20 ST to compare the two. But, right now I'm totally in love with my '21 ST.... woot!
 

B.Beauty

New Member
Messages
13
Reactions
2
Points
2
Location
Newport, RI, USA
#14
The only issues I have had are some whistling of the turbos, not on boost, and a sync loading issue delay at times.
 

hbalek

Active Member
Messages
954
Reactions
532
Points
232
Location
Kensington, MD, USA
#15
I wonder if the 2021 has debugged some of those things.

Jim
It's worth a look at 2021 but others on here have said the deals on 2020's are too good right now to ignore! A year ago I didn't have that option. In early December 2019, I got 8,000 off MSRP but no 0% financing deals available then. COVID-19 changed that as well, a mere 3 months later.
 

Symetry

Active Member
U.S. Army Veteran
Messages
642
Reactions
875
Points
232
Location
West KY
#16
There are no new 2020s within 150 miles of me. Some used ones, and very few 2021s.
I working with a dealer ,125 miles from me now. Trying to make the deal over the fone.
So far so good. Will get down to final numbers tomorrow.

Jim
 

hbalek

Active Member
Messages
954
Reactions
532
Points
232
Location
Kensington, MD, USA
#17
There are no new 2020s within 150 miles of me. Some used ones, and very few 2021s.
I working with a dealer ,125 miles from me now. Trying to make the deal over the fone.
So far so good. Will get down to final numbers tomorrow.

Jim
Certified Preowned, low-miles vehicle would've been a sweet deal on an ST if it were available to me.
 

Symetry

Active Member
U.S. Army Veteran
Messages
642
Reactions
875
Points
232
Location
West KY
#18
Well I have another problem also.

This will be more my wife's than mine, and only white is allowed in the garage.
So that whittles down the available ones .:)

Jim
 

OP
BlkGS
Messages
98
Reactions
44
Points
17
Location
Melbourne, FL, USA
Thread Starter #19
To be honest, buying a used ST right now seems like a genuinely bone headed move. With new 20s being 50k or less, and used ones being 45k or more, you literally pay more for a used one after you factor in warranty and interest rates.
 

hbalek

Active Member
Messages
954
Reactions
532
Points
232
Location
Kensington, MD, USA
#20
To be honest, buying a used ST right now seems like a genuinely bone headed move. With new 20s being 50k or less, and used ones being 45k or more, you literally pay more for a used one after you factor in warranty and interest rates.
If a CPO ST were close to low 40K then it would be a sweet deal with less than 15,000 miles. Honestly haven't looked but that's how I would shop Lincolns, 1-2 year old, low miles.
 



Top