Ford Explorer Complaints (2003)

1,274 consumer complaints on file.

#10664742December 17, 2014
AIR BAGS
FRONT END ACCIDENT DID NOT DEPLOY DRIVER AIRBAG,HOWEVER PASSENGER AIRBAG DEPLOYED WITH NO OCCUPANT IN SEAT. *TR
Crash:
Yes
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10663533December 11, 2014
WHEELS, WHEELS:LUGS/NUTS/BOLTS/STUDS
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 FORD EXPLORER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 45 MPH, THE LUG NUTS SHEARED OFF THE WHEELS CAUSING THE REAR PASSENGER TIRE TO BECOME DETACHED FROM THE VEHICLE. THE TIRE CAUSED DAMAGE TO THE VEHICLE AS A RESULT OF THE FAILURE. THE DEALER WAS NOT CONTACTED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 132,000.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10663635December 11, 2014
TIRES
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 FORD EXPLORER EQUIPPED WITH MICHELIN CROSS TERRAIN TIRES, SIZE: 235 R70/16 (NA). WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 40 MPH, THE REAR DRIVER SIDE TIRE BLEW OUT. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE TIRE AND VEHICLE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 35,000. THE CONSUMER STATED WHEN THE TIRE BLEW OUT, IT CAUSED HIM TO SWERVE OFF THE ROAD . THERE WAS NO ACCIDENT. UPDATED 03/03/15
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10661203November 28, 2014
SUSPENSION
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 FORD EXPLORER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE FRONT AND REAR WHEEL BEARINGS DETERIORATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC, WHO REPLACED THE REAR DRIVER'S SIDE AND THE REAR PASSENGER'S SIDE WHEEL BEARINGS ON TWO OCCASIONS. THE REMEDY FAILED TO REPAIR THE VEHICLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THERE WAS AN ABNORMAL NOISE COMING FROM THE FRONT AND THE REAR OF THE VEHICLE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 98,000.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10658978November 18, 2014
POWER TRAIN
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 FORD EXPLORER. WHILE DRIVING VARIOUS SPEEDS, THE VEHICLE FAILED TO ACCELERATE AND THE TRANSMISSION MALFUNCTIONED WHILE IN THIRD GEAR. ALSO, WHILE DRIVING UP HILLS, THE FAILURE RECURRED AND THE OVERDRIVE AND CHECK ENGINE SENSOR LIGHTS ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC. THE TECHNICIAN DIAGNOSED THAT THE TRANSMISSION WAS FAULTY. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 94,000.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10655175November 15, 2014
ENGINE
ENGINE STALLS OUT WHEN BRAKING OR TURNING. THIS IS AN ISSUE THAT OCCURS AT RANDOM WITH NO WARNING. THIS HAS CONTINUED TO OCCUR MULTIPLE TIMES OVER THE LAST FOUR YEARS, AND LEAVES MYSELF AND FAMILY IN A, POWERLESS, DEFENSELESS, POTENTIALLY FATAL, SITUATION. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10652585November 4, 2014
POWER TRAIN
THE PROBLEM WHEN YOU DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY AROUND 65 MPH YOU FEEL THE TRUCK HESITATING, SINCE THIS TRUCK DID NOT COME WITH DIP STICK TO CHECK THE TRANSMISSION FLUID, IT IS HARD TO CHECK UNLESS YOU TAKE IT TO A TECH OR STOP ON THE MIDDLE OF THE ROAD TO CHECK IT UNDERNEATH THE TRUCK RUNNING TRANS FOR THE FLUID TO DRIP, IT IS REALLY STUPID YOU CAN BE RUN OVER BY A CAR OR CAUSE AN ACCIDENT, IT SEEMS LIKE THE MANUFACTURES ARE GETTING STUPID, IN A EMERGENCY AND YOU ARE IN THE HIGHWAY CROSSING THE STATE LINE HOW CAN YOU CHECK THE FLUID ON TRANSMISSION, IT NEED IMMEDIATE ATTENTION TO ADD THE DIP STICK PRETTY PRONTO, IT NEED THE FORD COMPANY TO TAKE RESPONSIBILITY TO ADD THE DIP STICK, I SUBMITTED SEVERAL REPORTS TO THEM THEY DON'T CARE AT ALL. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10652041November 3, 2014
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 FORD EXPLORER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE KEY FOB FAILED TO UNLOCK OR LOCK THE DOORS. THE VEHICLE STALLED AND FAILED TO START. THE CONTACT MENTIONED THAT A CHIME SOUNDED AFTER THE FAILURES OCCURRED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 160,000.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10649313October 22, 2014
SEAT BELTS
THE PROBLEM WITH THE SEAT BELTS DOES NOT HAVE ENOUGH RETRACTION FORCE LIKE IT USED TO BE, THEY HANG OUT, DAMAGING THE DOOR LOCKING MECHANISM AND DOOR SEAL, DRIVER AND PASSENGER SIDE. IT HAS BEING A PROBLEM NOT RETRACING THE BELT LIKE IT SUPPOSE TO. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10648704October 19, 2014
STEERING
I WAS DRIVING AT APPROX 55MPH AND THE STEERING COLUMN LOCKED UP AND I WAS UNABLE TO CONTROL THE VEHICLE, IT AUTOMIATCALLY PULLED TO THE LEFT AND CAUSING MY VECHICLE TO ROLL SEVERAL TIMES. (3-5 TIMES) VEHICLE IS NOW TOTALLED. I RECEIVED MEDICAL ATTENTION AT THE SCENE AND I'M UNDER OBSERVATION FOR THE NEXT 48 HOURS. I'M HIGHLY CONCERNED DUE TO THE LEVEL OF OTHER VEHICLES THAT ARE MY SAME MAKE AND MODEL THAT HAVE HAD THIS SAME ISSUE. PLEASE ADVISE ASAP. THANK YOU IN ADVANCE FOR YOUR HELP. *TR
Crash:
Yes
Fire:
No
Injuries:
1
Deaths:
0
#10640076September 30, 2014
POWER TRAIN
MY FORD SPORT TRAC HAS FAILED TO LOCK WHEN THE GEAR SHIFT IS PUT INTO THE PARK POSITION. WHEN YOU START TO GET OUT THE VEHICLE WILL ROLL AND YOU WILL HEAR A CLICKING NOISE IN THE TRANSMISSION. IT HAS DONE THIS FOR SOME TIME AND I HAD IT FIXED ONCE BUT IT IS DOING IT AGAIN. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10638789September 24, 2014
AIR BAGS
I WAS PICKING MY DAUGHTER UP FROM SCHOOL. WE GOT INTO THE CAR PUT OUR SEATBELTS ON I STARTED THE VEHICLE AND PUT IT IN GEAR. I PICKED MY FOOT UP AND MOVED TO THE GAS WHEN I NOTICED A CAR COMING UP FROM BESIDE ME AND THEN I PRESSED THE BRAKE AND THE PASSENGER SIDE AIRBAG DEPLOYED CRACKING THE WINDSHIELD AND PULLING THE DASH COVER AWAY FROM THE RADIO AND AIR VENT. WE CALLED FORD MOTOR AND WE WERE TOLD TO TAKE IT TO A DEALERSHIP TO BE EXAMINED. FORD CUSTOMER CARE HAS LEFT MESSAGES AT OUR HOME NUMBER WHEN WE RETURN THE CALLS WE ASK THEM TO CALL OUR CELL NUMBERS AND THEY WILL NOT. I THINK THE DO NOT WANT TO TALK TO US. A WEEK LATER THE DEALERSHIP CALLED AND SAID THAT FORD MOTOR WOULD PAY FOR THE DIAGNOSTIC BUT WOULD NOT PAY FOR THE REPAIRS BECAUSE THE CAR IS OUT OF WARRANTY. THAT THE AIRBAG FAILING IS NO DIFFERENT THEN HAVING TO CHANGE OUT THE BRAKES FROM WEAR AND TEAR. WE WERE NOT AWARE THAT A SAFETY FEATURE HAD AN EXPIRATION DATE. I WAS TO THE UNDERSTANDING THAT A SAFETY FEATURE SHOULD LAST THE LIFT TIME OF THE VEHICLE. BECAUSE OF THIS I AM WORRIED ABOUT DRIVING ANY CARS WITH AIRBAGS. WE WERE NOT ASKING FORD MOTOR FOR ANYTHING ADDITIONAL BUT TO JUST REPAIR THE CAR AND WE CAN NEVER TALK TO ANYONE AT THE COMPANY. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10638582September 23, 2014
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL
BOUGHT SUV IN DECEMBER OF 2012 AND EVERYTHING SEEMED TO WORK FINE. WITHIN THE NEXT FEW MONTHS THERE WERE SEVERAL TIMES THAT THE CRUISE WOULD NOT ENGAGE WITHOUT PUSHING IT ON & OFF SEVERAL TIMES. AFTER JUNE OF 2013 IT RARELY ENGAGED AT ALL AT ANY SPEED. NOW, SEPTEMBER 2014 IT WILL NOT ENGAGE AT ALL. AFRAID IT MIGHT CAUSE SHORT &/OR A FIRE UNDER THE HOOD. NOTICED RECALL IDENTIFIED THIS PROBLEM ON 2002 MODELS. THIS VEHICLE WAS ACTUALLY BUILT IN 2002, SO AM WONDERING IF THIS MIGHT BE ONE THAT GOT MISSED IN THE RECALL? OWN A 1994 F-250 THAT HAS BOTH 1993 AND 1994 PARTS ON IT. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10637205September 18, 2014
STRUCTURE:BODY:HATCHBACK/LIFTGATE
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 FORD EXPLORER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE REAR PANEL OF THE LIFTGATE WAS CRACKED. THE FAILURE CAUSED THE CONTACT'S FINGERS TO BECOME PINCHED WHEN ATTEMPTING TO CLOSE THE LIFTGATE. THE CONTACT ALSO STATED THAT THE HINGES FRACTURED ON THE LIFTGATE. THE HINGES WERE REPAIRED ACCORDING TO NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 04V442000 (STRUCTURE), BUT THE FAILURE RECURRED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED AND THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 165,000.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10637242September 18, 2014
STRUCTURE:BODY
NOTICED UPPER PART OF REAR TAILGATE UNDER GLASS NEXT TO FORD EMBLEM IS CRACKED FROM TOP TO BOTTOM. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10636990September 17, 2014
SERVICE BRAKES
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 FORD EXPLORER SPORT TRAC. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 34 MPH DOWN A MOUNTAIN, THE BRAKES WERE ENGAGED AND THE REAR END OF THE VEHICLE STARTED TO ABRUPTLY MOVE FROM SIDE TO SIDE. AS A RESULT, THE VEHICLE CRASHED INTO THE GUARD RAIL. THE DRIVER'S SIDE CURTAIN AIR BAG AND PASSENGER'S DASH BOARD AIR BAGS DEPLOYED. ALSO, THE CONTACT MENTIONED THAT AS THE PASSENGER'S SIDE AIR BAG DEPLOYED, FLAMES EMITTED OUT OF IT. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED AND THE CONTACT SUSTAINED NECK AND BACK INJURIES WHICH REQUIRED MEDICAL ATTENTION. THE VEHICLE WAS DESTROYED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE ISSUE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 75,000.
Crash:
Yes
Fire:
No
Injuries:
1
Deaths:
0
#10633706September 16, 2014
STRUCTURE:BODY
A RECALL WAS ISSUED FOR 2003 FORD EXPLORERS FOR THE HINGES ON THE BACK WINDOW TAILGATE. THE RIGHT SIDE HINGE ON MY 2003 FORD EXPLORER BROKE, I WAS FORTUNATE TO BE STRONG ENOUGH TO CATCH THE GLASS BEFORE IT SNAPPED THE OTHER HINGE. WHEN I CONTACTED FORD AFTER SEEING THE RECALL NOTICE ONLINE, I WAS TOLD MY FORD WAS NOT PART OF THE RECALL. I HAVE ALSO CHECKED ON THE NHTSA SITE AND IT WAS NOT LISTED THERE EITHER. MY COMPLAINT IS THAT IF EXPLORERS OF THE SAME YEAR ARE RECALLED AND MY HINGE BROKE, I BELIEVE THERE MAY BE AN ISSUE WITH A LARGER RANGE OF EXPLORERS THAN LISTED. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10633255September 15, 2014
STRUCTURE
THE BACK PANEL ON THE HATCH IS CRACKED. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10631395September 7, 2014
ENGINE
MY TRUCK JUST WENT OUT OF WARRANTY BY 5,000 MILES AND I WAS DRIVING AND HIT A BUMP AND MY #3 SPARK PLUG BLEW OUT OF THE ENGINE. SCARED ME TO DEATH BECAUSE IT SOUNDED LIKE A GUN. I HAD JUST TURNED OFF A RED LIGHT SO I HAD NO SPEED AT ALL. $500 TO PUT A HELIO COIL IN IT. THEN I HIT 170,000 AND ANOTHER ONE BLEW OUT WHILE MY FAMILY AND I WERE IN THE MOUNTAINS AND WE HAD TO LIMP HOME. TOLD BY THE MECHANIC THE TRUCK COULD HAVE STARTED FIRE. I HAD EVERY SINGLE SERVICE BY FORD UNTIL THE FIRST ONE BLEW. NEVER EVER HEARD OF THIS HAPPENING UNTIL I SEARCHED IT ON THE INTERNET. WHAT IF I HAD MY HOOD OPEN CHANGING THE AIR FILTER AND OR OTHER PART AND ONE OF THEM HAD BLOWN? COULD KILL ANYONE. HOW IS THAT SAFE. AND THE FACT THAT YOUR IN THE MIDDLE OF NO WHERE WITH NO CELL COVERAGE AND YOU HAVE TO DRIVE A TICKING TIME BOMB. PLEASE HOLD FORD ACCOUNTABLE FOR DESIGN FLAW. I TAKE CARE OF MY FORD EXPLORER, AFTER ALL IT COST 36K NEW AND I WANT TO GET MY MONEY OUT OF IT. THEY ARE SUPPOSED TO BE BUILT TO LAST WITH REGULAR MAINTENANCE. IT HAS BEEN A GREAT SUV WITH THE EXCEPTION OF THE SPARK PLUG ISSUE. THE ONLY REASON I STILL HAVE IT IS BECAUSE I LOVE IT. (LAST NUMBER ON VIN IS 5 BUT IT WOULDN'T LET ME ENTER IT.) *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10622499August 15, 2014
AIR BAGS
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 FORD EXPLORER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING 40 MPH IN HEAVY RAIN, THE VEHICLE HYDROPLANED, FLIPPED OVER, AND CRASHED INTO A RAIL. THE AIR BAGS FAILED TO DEPLOY. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED AND ONE INJURY WAS REPORTED THAT REQUIRED MEDICAL ATTENTION. THE VEHICLE WAS DESTROYED. THE VIN WAS UNAVAILABLE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE ISSUE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 189,000.
Crash:
Yes
Fire:
No
Injuries:
1
Deaths:
0

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