Ford Explorer Complaints (2003)

1,274 consumer complaints on file.

#10029166July 25, 2003
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:DISC
ON MY NEW FORD EXPLORER WHEN I APPLY THE BRAKES AT SPEEDS ABOVE 40 MPH WHOLE FRONT END SHAKES VIOLENTLY, THE STEERING WHEEL ALSO SHAKES VIOLENTLY, AND THE VEHICLE LOSES CONTROL.*AK
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10029167July 25, 2003
EQUIPMENT:APPLIANCE:AIR CONDITIONER
ON MY NEW FORD EXPLORER, THERE IS A AIR CONDITIONER LEAK IS LETTING 134A GAS INTO THE OZONE LAYER. 134A PISSES OUT OF THE A/C SYSTEM EVERYTIME I USE THE AIR CONDITIONER UNIT.*AK
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10029888July 22, 2003
STRUCTURE:BODY:HATCHBACK/LIFTGATE:HINGE AND ATTACHMENTS
CONSUMER STATES THAT VEHICLE HAD BEEN SITTING FOR 40 MINUTES WHEN THE REAR HATCHBACK WINDOW EXPLODED. CAUSE UNKNOWN. *AK
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10029459July 16, 2003
AIR BAGS:FRONTAL
WHILE DRIVING 50-55 MPH VEHICLE WENT OFF THE ROAD INTO A DITCH AND HIT A TELEPHONE POLE. UPON IMPACT, FRONT AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. *AK
Crash:
Yes
Fire:
No
Injuries:
1
Deaths:
0
#10027201July 14, 2003
VISIBILITY:POWER WINDOW DEVICES AND CONTROLS
WHILE DRIVING REAR WINDOW EXPLODED WITHOUT WARNING. DEALER NOTIFIED. *AK
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10027064July 11, 2003
SUSPENSION
CONSUMER STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING AT HIGH SPEEDS VEHICLE WILL VIBRATE HEAVILY. DEALER NOTIFIED. *AK
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10025532July 7, 2003
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL
VEHICLE ROLLED BACKWARD WITH KEYS REMOVED AND FORD SAID NO DEFECT FOUND. *AK
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10024681June 23, 2003
FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:STORAGE:TANK ASSEMBLY:FILLER PIPE AND CAP
WHEN REFUELING GAS SHOOTS BACK UP THROUGH FILLER PIPE ONTO CONSUMER.*AK
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10023310June 18, 2003
VISIBILITY:GLASS, SIDE/REAR
WHILE DRIVING THE 2003 FORD EXPLORER, THE RIGHT REAR WINDOW SHATTERED UNDER NORMAL DRIVING CONDITIONS. *NLM
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10023130June 16, 2003
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE
VEHICLE ENGINE MISSING AND LOST POWER WHILE ATTEMPTING TO ACCELERATE ONTO ON-RAMP. ATTEMPT TO RESTART FAILED. HAD TO CALL FOR TOW. DEALERSHIP COULDN'T FIND ANYTHING WRONG. *NLM
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10023106June 15, 2003
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
JUNE 2, 2003 6:40 PM PICKED UP THE BRAND NEW EXPLORER SPORT TRAC FROM TREADWELL FORD AND DROVE HOME TO WEST MOBILE. JUNE 3, 2003 7:20 AM DROVE THE NEARLY 30 MILE COMMUTE TO WORK IN NORTH MOBILE COUNTY. UPON PARKING THE VEHICLE, IT SMELLED HOT, WITH A NEARLY BURNT ELECTRICAL SMELL. JUNE 3, 2003 ~8:40 PM LEFT WORK AFTER LONG DAY. DROVE APPROXIMATELY 3 MILES, WHEN RADIO CONSOLE WENT BLACK. SHORTLY THEREAFTER, ENTIRE DASHBOARD PANEL LIGHTING, HEADLIGHTS, AND ELECTRICAL SYSTEM STARTED TO ACT ERRATICALLY. PULLED INTO BP GAS STATION, AND VEHICLE COMBUSTION SYSTEM BEGAN TO SPUTTER. BRAKED TO STOP VEHICLE MOTION TEMPORARILY, AND VEHICLE SEEMED TO ACT DRIVABLE AGAIN. ATTEMPTED TO LEAVE BP STATION, BUT VEHICLE STOPPED AND WOULD NOT RESTART. NEEDED ASSISTANCE TO PUSH VEHICLE OUT OF ENTRANCE TO HIGHWAY 43. CREOLA POLICE OFFICER AND ANOTHER MAN WHO BOTH ASSISTED WITH PUSHING THE VEHICLE WHILE I STEERED IT STATED BRAKE LIGHTS WERE ACTING ERRATICALLY. JUNE 4, 2003 ~8:50 AM TALKED WITH DON DAVIS IN TREADWELL FORD SERVICE AND EXPLAINED WHAT HAD HAPPENED LAST NIGHT. JUNE 4, 2003 ~5:30 PM DON DAVIS LEFT A MESSAGE AT MY HOME THAT THEY WERE WORKING ON THE VEHICLE BUT COULD NOT FIND ANY PROBLEM. JUNE 5, 2003 ~11:30 AM DON DAVIS LEFT A MESSAGE AT MY HOME THAT BY DRIVING THE VEHICLE AROUND, HE WAS ABLE TO REPRODUCE WHAT HAPPENED TO ME THE EVENING OF JUNE 3. JUNE 5, 2003 ~5:30 PM DON DAVIS LEFT A MESSAGE THAT THE VEHICLE WAS READY TO BE PICKED UP AS THE ALTERNATOR HAD BEEN REPLACED. *NLM
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10023004June 13, 2003
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
TRANSMISSION INDICATOR LIGHT ON. TRANSMISSION SLIPS DURING SHIFTING. DEALER INITIALLY SAID THERE WAS NOTHING THEY COULD DO UNTIL FORD ENGINEERING GIVES THEM THE FIX. SECOND VISIT TO DEALERSHIP THEY REBUILT TRANSMISSION TWO DAYS LATER TRANSMISSION IS SLIPPING AGAIN. *NLM
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10021404June 11, 2003
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION
ON NUMEROUS OCCASIONS MY 2003 FORD EXPLORER XLT HAS STALLED WHILE DRIVING.*AK
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10021370June 10, 2003
EXTERIOR LIGHTING:HEADLIGHTS
I PURCHASED A NEW 2003 FORD EXPLORER SPORT TRAC THIS YEAR AND THE HEADLIGHTS ARE MADE SO THAT YOU CANNOT ADJUST THEM FOR SIDE VISION. I HAVE HAD THE TRUCK TO TWO DIFFERENT DEALERS AND THE TECHNICIANS SAY THAT IT IS A DESIGN FAULT. DRIVING THIS VEHICLE AT NIGHT IS COMPARABLE TO HAVING TUNNEL VISION. MY TRUCK IS EQUIPPED WITH FOG LIGHTS AND THEY DO HELP WITH THE SIDE VISION BUT THEY ONLY WORK ON LOW BEAM. EVEN WITH THE FOG LIGHTS THE AREA TO THE SIDE OF THE TRUCK ARE BLACKED OUT. IN THE MONTHS THAT I HAVE HAD THIS VEHICLE I HAVE ONLY DRIVEN ABOUT SIX TIMES AT NIGHT. I DO NOT KNOW ANYONE ELSE THAT OWNS A SIMILAR TRUCK SO I HAVEN'T BEEN ABLE TO FIND OUT IF EVERYONE HAS THIS PROBLEM OR JUST ME.*AK
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10021067June 5, 2003
AIR BAGS:FRONTAL
I HAVE A 2003 FORD EXPLORER, ON MAY 25, 2003 I WAS TAKING AN ELDERLY LADY FROM A BOARDING HOME THAT I VOLUNTEER AT, TO THE CEMETARY. I GOT HER IN THE EXPLORER, TURNED THE KEY ON AND THE DRIVER SIDE AIR BAG EXPLODED, I NEVER EVEN GOT TO PUT THE CAR IN GEAR OR ANYTHING. .MY HUSBAND (GORDON SHERNAN) TALKED WITH FORD MOTOR COMPANY AND BECAUSE OF THE VEHICLE BEING OVER WARRANTY, THEY WEREN'T THE LEAST BIT CONCERNED. I WOULD REALLY LIKE TO KNOW WHY ONE WENT OFF AND NOT THE OTHER, AND WHY IT WENT OFF BY JUST STARTING THE VEHICLE. I FEEL THIS IS REALLY A SAFETY ISSUE,NOT ONLY DID IT SCARE HALF THE LIFE OUT OF BOTH OF US, BUT MAKES YOU WORRY EVERY TIME YOU GET IN A CAR WITH AIR BAGS. IF I HAD BEEN DRIVING ON A ROAD WAY, I CERTAINLY WOULD HAVE HAD AN ACCIDENT. I FIND IT VERY LAX ON FORD MOTOR COMPANY PART THAT THEY ARE NOT CONCERNED AT ALL. FORTUNATELY I WALKED AWAY WITH JUST A SORE CHEST, SHOULDER AND STIFF NECK.*AK
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10021119June 5, 2003
LATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGES:TAILGATE:LATCH
FORD EXPLORER, 4-DOOR, 200 WINDOW ON REAR TAILGATE DOOR "POPS" OPEN ON ROUGH ROADS. HAPPENED 4 TIMES WITH NEW VEHICLE WITH UNDER 5,000 MILES.*AK
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10021546June 3, 2003
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE, FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:STORAGE, PARKING BRAKE
THE VEHICLE EXPELLED GASOLINE EVERYTIME THE CONSUMER WAS REFUELING THE TANK AND THE GAS PUMP AUTOMATICALLY SHUT OFF, AS IT IS DESIGNED TO DO. THE PROCESS OF FILLING THE TANK INCREASED FIVE FOLD, TAKING APPROXIMATELY 25-30 MINUTES, BECAUSE THE PUMP REPEATEDLY SHUT OFF AND EXPELLED GAS. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED AND WAS AWARE OF THE PROBLEM BUT THERE WAS NO CURRENT FIX FOR THE PROBLEM. THE EMERGENCY BRAKE NEEDED ADJUSTING AND THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT ILLUMINATED. *MR *SCC *NLM
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10022060June 2, 2003
VISIBILITY:REARVIEW MIRRORS/DEVICES
REAR VIEW MIRROR GIVES A FALSE IMAGE, WHEN THERE ARE NO CARS BEHIND VEHICLE DRIVER CAN OT SEE IN REARVIEW WINDOW. BUT IF CARS ARE BEHIND DRIVER CAN SEE. CONSUMER WAS INVOLVED IN AN ACCIDENT AS A RESULT, DRIVER WAS INVOLVED IN AN ACCIDENT. *AK
Crash:
Yes
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10018784May 16, 2003
STRUCTURE
I JUST BOUGHT A FORD EXPLORER SPORT 2 DOOR TO TOW MY BOAT. THE SPECS FOR TOWING PROVIDED BY FORD ARE 5100 LBS. MAXIMUM TRAILER WEIGHT, 350 LBS. MAX TONGUE WEIGHT. MY BOAT & TRAILER IS 3200 LBS AND TONGUE WEIGHT 280 LBS., WELL WITHIN SPECS. MY FIRST TRIP TRAILERING 20 MILES TO THE LAKE THE VEHICLE THEN TRAILER SWERVED, SINCE THE WEIGHT PUSHES THE REAR DOWN & FRONT END UP SO THAT LITTLE WEIGHT REMAINS ON THE FRONT TO CONTROL STEERING. THE FORD ENGINEER CONSULTED SAID "IF HE BOUGHT THE EXPLORER TO TRAILER WHY DIDN'T HE BUY THE 4 DOOR" (IMPLYING IT HAS A LONGER WHEEL BASE & IS MORE STABLE. THE SERVICE DIRECTOR & SHOP FOREMAN AT THE DEALER AGREED THAT THE FRONT END IS TOO HIGH TO BE SAFE BUT FORD REFUSES TO TAKE ANY ACTION TO CORRECT. NLM
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10018232May 6, 2003
VISIBILITY:POWER WINDOW DEVICES AND CONTROLS
THE DRIVER'S POWER WINDOW BUTTON WAS VERY SENSITIVE. THE SLIGHTEST TOUCH/BUMP CAUSED THE WINDOW TO OPEN FULLY. THE CONSUMER ALMOST HAD AN ACCIDENT DUE TO THIS PROBLEM, WHILE DRIVING IN A RAIN STORM. *JB
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0

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