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Picked up my 2025 Ford Explore ST last week

Blue Beast

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2020 ST
#21
I picked up my 2025 Explorer ST last week, having had the previous 2021 Explorer ST.
I was surprised by what is no longer available, here's a short list, let me know if you have any questions:

No longer available:
Hands-Free, Foot-Activated Liftgate
Active Park Assist
Door Sill lighting
Leather Seats
Dash configurations when you switch modes
(Previously when you switched to say Sport Mode everything went red and the dash focused on sport related dials)
The PRNL & Mode Dials will keep spinning until you stop (Annoying)
Second-row Console

Not crazy about:
Seating material
Floor mats are cheap
Android based System is frustrating and distracting.
Limited amount of physical buttons to manage functions.
STILL NO RADIO Control other than volume from the steering wheel.

Dealer had no instruction available for BlueCruise
LJS
Welcome to the forum
 

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Location
California
Vehicle
2025 Ford Explorer ST
#22
Got this fixed...took about 5 minutes. They pulled the panel and out the connector back where it was supposed to be.

On the way home, the center screen went blank (doubt it was related). Sirius was on - touched the screen with no response - pushed the front camera button & it showed up, but went blank when the camera was disabled - "Ford" showed up when I shut down the car - everything worked normally when I restarted the car.

:rolleyes::unsure::oops:
My Screen went black once, but so far has not done it again and it was only for a few seconds. I did have another little glitch the other day. I had Audio off and locked and left the car for like 15 minutes. When I came back and started up Audio was back on and set to Bluetooth which is fine because I don't have any music on my phone. However when I went to turn it off by the physical button is would just flash real quick, but then it would still be on. it did this until I changed the source to another like AM/FM, then back to the Bluetooth, then I hit the button again and this time it turned off. I wish there was a way to default the map to full size as I hardly listen to music nowadays unless on a road trip and I wish there was a way to not have the audio automatically start. Right now I have it set where there is no source to pull from, but it's like the start/stop button, seems like I always have to hit the off button to keep it off and to have it actually say Audio off. I'm hoping ford is gathering some data so they can release an update for all these little quirks after more people buy the 2025's.
 

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Michigan
#23
Screens going black on rare occasions aren't anything new in any Ford vehicle. Nearly all reset by turning off the vehicle and restarting it. Its the wonderful world of computer and electronic glitchery.
 

JADE97

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18056
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2022 Ford F250 Tremor
#24
Screens going black on rare occasions aren't anything new in any Ford vehicle. Nearly all reset by turning off the vehicle and restarting it. Its the wonderful world of computer and electronic glitchery.
The issue in my 22 F250 Tremor was found to be due to a loose connector on the touchscreen.
 

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#25
I a
The issue in my 22 F250 Tremor was found to be due to a loose connector on the touchscreen.
I assume your issue was not on rare occasions and or wasn’t usually reset by restarting. Everything has exceptions.
 

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9
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Location
Nashville TN
Vehicle
2025 Ford Explorer ST
#26
I picked up my 2025 Explorer ST last week, having had the previous 2021 Explorer ST.
I was surprised by what is no longer available, here's a short list, let me know if you have any questions:

No longer available:
Hands-Free, Foot-Activated Liftgate
Active Park Assist
Door Sill lighting
Leather Seats
Dash configurations when you switch modes
(Previously when you switched to say Sport Mode everything went red and the dash focused on sport related dials)
The PRNL & Mode Dials will keep spinning until you stop (Annoying)
Second-row Console

Not crazy about:
Seating material
Floor mats are cheap
Android based System is frustrating and distracting.
Limited amount of physical buttons to manage functions.
STILL NO RADIO Control other than volume from the steering wheel.

Dealer had no instruction available for BlueCruise
LJS
Interesting. I picked up a 2025 Explorer ST on Saturday evening. I had some similar thoughts but also some different takes:

1. Hands-free, Foot-activated liftgate would be nice to have.
2. Don't care about active park assist but i have a button that has a P on it and I don't know what it does (and haven't bothered to figure it out yet)
3. I like the FP door sills and I've got ST puddle lights, so I don't think I'm missing anything - there's plenty of interior lighting on this thing for me.
4. Leather seats would be nice to have. I'd have paid a lot extra to have them on the front row with heated/cooled seats and perforation, but solid on the second row. Or weatherproof and childproof vinyl, the bronco marine grade vinyl really seems to hold up pretty well.
5. Where the hell are my performance gauges and more RED when I go to sport mode? Ford took away the beautiful rolling-rocks-become-a-Bronco on the Bronco with the big screen but it still has the custom displays for the various modes, even if its just a color palette change for sport or eco, but there's some great additional, wide-dash displays for offroad modes so long as you don't have the lane-assist or cruise control enabled, etc. The Explorer has the equivalent of the splash video that was removed by OTA update but doesn't have mode-specific screens? That should be enhanced via OTA update and should have at least a performance view with lots of info, including boost pressure, trans-temp, oil-temp, tire psi + temp, etc etc.

I like the android based system so far. I had to get used to where to get things quickly, the ability to uninstall useless things, how to rearrange apps to prioritize the ones i want, and the like. The different user profiles are very nice, including the recall of not just seat/mirror position, but also display dark-mode, disabled lane-assist etc.

As always, Auto Start Stop (beautiful A.S.S. acronym here) should be a rocker switch or push-button w memory rather than a push button without memory.

I was given no explanation of BlueCruise either, but it seems intuitive. Got on the interstate with cruise enabled and lane-assist and it did its thing for me. I didn't realize it was a free trial of a subscription service, which I am not a fan of. I'd rather it be a pre-paid option of some $500-1,500 1x fee and its on 'forever'.
 

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Location
Massachusetts
Vehicle
2023 ST
#27
3. I like the FP door sills and I've got ST puddle lights, so I don't think I'm missing anything - there's plenty of interior lighting on this thing for me.
I don't think there was ever a lighted door sill option. My '23 has the FP door sill plate, and the ST puddle lights, and IIRC from the couple of '25's I test drove they were the same way. Unless 2020's had that option and it was removed, i think that's just how they have always been.
 

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'20 Raptor, '22 Explorer ST, '14 GT500, '03 F150
#28
No 6-gen Explorer has ever come with lit door sills.
 

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Massachusetts
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2023 ST
#29
This 2020 Platnium has them. 3:47 in the video


Can't seem to find a part listing for these however.
 

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Location
Raleigh, NC
Vehicle
2025 Explorer ST
#30
I picked up my 25 ST a few weeks ago. My second Explorer. I had a 2018 XLT with no issues. It was time for an upgrade. I really like it!
 

hbalek

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#31
I picked up my 25 ST a few weeks ago. My second Explorer. I had a 2018 XLT with no issues. It was time for an upgrade. I really like it!
Don't ever drive it without warranty! This generation is plagued with major failures at relatively low miles.
 

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'20 Raptor, '22 Explorer ST, '14 GT500, '03 F150
#32
Don't ever drive it without warranty! This generation is plagued with major failures at relatively low miles.
Not true at all. Most of us are going problem free.
 

hbalek

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#33
Not true at all. Most of us are going problem free.
Keep in mind, mine's a 2020. Tell that to my local police departments who recently told me they stopped all future orders on these vehicles because of all the major repairs on their fleets. Of course, when he told me to get rid of mine, I said not now that I have warranty extended and new tires on it. I'm sticking with it. I love/hate this thing! And that's a fact! It's been a very interesting few years of random rentals/loaners just long enough to miss my ST and appreciate driving it after a week or so with a rental. It's been anything but boring ownership experience! Good thing I have an amazing service advisor for almost 6 years. We're like family now and he takes good care of me! If he left my dealership, I'd probably look to trade this in.
 

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'20 Raptor, '22 Explorer ST, '14 GT500, '03 F150
#34
Keep in mind, mine's a 2020. Tell that to my local police departments who recently told me they stopped all future orders on these vehicles because of all the major repairs on their fleets. Of course, when he told me to get rid of mine, I said not now that I have warranty extended and new tires on it. I'm sticking with it. I love/hate this thing! And that's a fact! It's been a very interesting few years of random rentals/loaners just long enough to miss my ST and appreciate driving it after a week or so with a rental. It's been anything but boring ownership experience! Good thing I have an amazing service advisor for almost 6 years. We're like family now and he takes good care of me! If he left my dealership, I'd probably look trade this in.
Not saying there isn’t problems, but you make it sound like you WILL have problems no matter what with these cars. Completely not true. My local departments love their cars, they hated their Dodges because they were horrific. If you’re department hates their Explorers, I’d want to know how much they hate their other patrol vehicles.
 

hbalek

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#35
Not saying there isn’t problems, but you make it sound like you WILL have problems no matter what with these cars. Completely not true. My local departments love their cars, they hated their Dodges because they were horrific. If you’re department hates their Explorers, I’d want to know how much they hate their other patrol vehicles.
Much to my chagrin, they unveiled new squad cars and they are all Durangos and Chargers. I asked where are the Fords, they said too many problems and stopping orders. I think they probably had the hybrids, which may have given them even more problems. My engine is the only problem-free and most-loved part of the ST. Also, most of my local governments prefer to purchase hybrid, PHEV or EV's whenever possible.
 

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'20 Raptor, '22 Explorer ST, '14 GT500, '03 F150
#36
Much to my chagrin, they unveiled new squad cars and they are all Durangos and Chargers. I asked where are the Fords, they said too many problems and stopping orders. I think they probably had the hybrids, which may have given them even more problems. My engine is the only problem-free and most-loved part of the ST. Also, most of my local governments prefer to purchase hybrid, PHEV or EV's whenever possible.
Yeah these engines are as solid as a rock. It’s everything around it that is more prone to problems.
 



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