Ford Explorer Complaints (2003)

1,274 consumer complaints on file.

#10188058April 16, 2007
STRUCTURE:BODY:TAILGATE
CRACK IN BODY OF TAILGATE WITH NO CAUSE; CRACK STARTED AT THE BOTTOM OF THE BACK WINDOW AND RAN TO THE BOTTOM OF THE PANEL. *JB
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10187423April 10, 2007
STRUCTURE:BODY:HATCHBACK/LIFTGATE:SUPPORT DEVICE/STRUT
THERE APPEARED WITHOUT WARNING A BIG CRACK IN THE REAR LIFTGATE OF THE 2003 FORD EXPLORER. THE CRACK GOES FROM THE BOTTOM OF THE GLASS ALL THE WAY TO THE BOTTOM OF THE LIFTGATE. THE CRACK EXPANDS AND SHRINKS ACCORDING TO THE TEMPERATURE. SO FAR IT GOT AS WIDE AS 1/4 INCH. . THE CRACK IS IN THE SHAPE OF A PEACE SIGN.*AK NOTHING HIT THE VEHICLE; IT'S STORED IN A GARAGE EVERYDAY. I WENT TO MALLOUF FORD DEALERSHIP IN NORTH BRUNSWICK NJ AND THEY SAID I'D HAVE TO PAY $800 TO FIX IT. THERE WAS ANOTHER PERSON IN THE DEALERSHIP AT THE SAME TIME WITH THE SAME PROBLEM. I WENT ONLINE AND FOUND A SLEW OF OTHER FORD EXPLORER OWNERS WITH THE SAME PROBLEM. MY CONCERN IS THE GLASS OF THE REAR LIFT GATE NOT BEING PROPERLY SUPPORTED AND WILL EVENTUALLY BECOME LOOSE, CRACK OR FALL OUT. LET'S NOT WAIT FOR SOMETHING HORRIFIC TO HAPPEN BEFORE THIS GROWING PROBLEM IS FIXED.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10187173April 6, 2007
STRUCTURE:BODY:TRUNK LID
2003 FORD EXPLORER. THE BACK DOOR PANEL THAT HAS THE FORD EMBLEM ON IT IS CRACKED IN HALF FROM THE TOP TO THE BOTTOM NEXT TO THE EMBLEM. I SEE MANY OF THEM LIKE THIS. FORD WANTS ME TO PAY FOR THIS DEFECT. IT'S THEIR DEFECT.*AK UPDATED 09/16/08.*LJ
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10187043April 4, 2007
STRUCTURE:BODY:HATCHBACK/LIFTGATE
TL*- THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING THE 2003 FORD EXPLORER WITH 43000 FAILURE MILEAGE) A CRACK ON THE REAR OF THE VEHICLE MADE THE HATCHBACK FLY UP WHILE DRIVING. THERE WAS RECALL 04V442000, BUT THIS VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED. THE VEHICLE HAD NOT BEEN TAKEN TO A DEALER ABOUT THE CRACK, OR THE HATCH FLYING UP. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 44264.*AK
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10186540March 30, 2007
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 FORD EXPLORER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE TRANSMISSION WAS SLIPPING AND WAS DIFFICULT TO SHIFT INTO PARK. WHEN ATTEMPTING TO SHIFT THE VEHICLE IN GEAR IT HESITATED AND JERKED BEFORE ENGAGING. THE TRANSMISSION HAS BEEN REPAIRED TWICE PREVIOUSLY AT 18,000 MILES AND 27,000 MILES. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE NEEDED THE SAME REPAIR AT 58,000. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 58,742.*AK
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10185964March 23, 2007
POWER TRAIN:AXLE ASSEMBLY:AXLE SHAFT:SEAL
PURCHASED A 2003 EXPLORER XLT IN NOVEMBER 2003. WITHIN A FEW MONTHS NOTICED A LEAK THAT ORIGINATED FROM DIFFERENTIAL AREA. TOOK TO DEALER WAS TOLD A SEAL HAD TO BE REPLACED AND EVERYTHING SHOULD BE OK. TOOK A FAMILY TRIP RECENTLY, THE FIRST ONE IN THE EXPLORER ON MARCH 17, 2007 AND REAR AXLE SEAL FAILED ON A 1,200 MILE ROUND TRIP. CALLED FORD CUSTOMER SERVICE AND EXPLAINED WHAT HAPPENED, I EVEN EXPLAINED THERE WERE SEVERAL TSB CONCERNING MY ISSUE, I WAS INFORMED THAT IT WAS NOT A RECALL THEREFORE IT WASN'T COVERED. I WAS TOLD BY FORD TO GO AND HAVE IT DIAGNOSED BY LOCAL DEALER, SAME ONE THAT FIXED THE PROBLEM ORIGINALLY. I HAD PROBLEM'S DIAGNOSED, CALLED FORD AND WAS TOLD THAT DEALER WOULD PROVIDE "CUSTOMER CARE AFTER WARRANTY". CALLED DEALER WAITING FOR REPLY FOR NEXT STEP. MY EXPLORER ONLY HAS 33,600 MILES WHILE 1,200 MILES WERE PLACED IN THE LAST FEW DAYS, AND WARRANTY EXPIRED 4 MONTHS BACK. *AK
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10185616March 20, 2007
VISIBILITY:GLASS, SIDE/REAR
TL*-THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 FORD EXPLORER EDDIE BAUER EDITION. THE REAR WINDOW CRACKED NEAR THE LOCATION OF THE FORD EMBLEM. THE NHTSA WEBSITE LISTED SEVERAL RELATED COMPLAINTS. THE MANUFACTURER WAS AWARE OF THE DEFECT, AND WILL NOT AUTHORIZE THE REPAIR. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGE WERE BOTH 49,000.*AK
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10184853March 12, 2007
SUSPENSION:FRONT:WHEEL BEARING
CATASTROPHIC FAILURE OF THE FRONT HUB/WHEEL BEARING ASSEMBLY. *JB
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10184865March 12, 2007
STRUCTURE:BODY:HATCHBACK/LIFTGATE
TL*- THE CONTACT STATED THAT THERE WAS A CRACK ON THE PANEL ON THE REAR GATE UNDERNEATH THE WINDOW ON THE 2003 FORD EXPLORER. WHEN OPEING S THE LIFTGATE IT FELT SHAKY AND UNSTABLE. THE CONTACT STATED THIS CAUSES THE DOOR AJAR WARNING LIGHT TO REMAIN ILLUMINATED. THE CONTACT TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALERSHIP, AND THEY INFORMED HER THE BACK PANEL ON THE REAR LIFTGATE NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE CURRENTLY HAS 120,000 MILES. *AK
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10184597March 9, 2007
SUSPENSION:REAR
THE VEHICLE SHAKES OR VIBRATES WHEN TURNING THE WHEEL RIGHT OR LEFT AT LOW SPEEDS. *JB
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10184515March 8, 2007
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
2003 FORD EXPLORER FAULTY TRANSMISSION. *JB
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10184425March 7, 2007
POWER TRAIN:AXLE ASSEMBLY
NOISE AT REAR END OF VEHICLE. DIAGNOSIS REAR AXLE AND REAR END. REPLACE REAR AXLE AND REAR END KIT (REBUILD). THE NOISE WAS NOTICEABLE FOR SOMETIME AND BECAME WORSE. I HAVE REVIEWED NUMEROUS SIMILAR COMPLAINTS AND THIS APPEARS TO BE AN ISSUE THAT THE MANUFACTURER SHOULD ADDRESS. THERE WERE SERVICE BULLETINS THAT REFERENCED IMPROPER FLUID USE BY MANUFACTURER. *JB
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10184321March 6, 2007
LATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGES:HOOD:LATCH
WHILE DRIVING THE VEHICLE, THE HOOD RELEASED. FORTUNATELY, THE SAFETY LATCH PREVENTED THE HOOD FROM COMPLETELY RELEASING. THIS HAS OCCURRED SEVERAL TIMES SINCE. 2003 FORD EXPLORER. *JB
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10183996March 2, 2007
AIR BAGS:FRONTAL, VISIBILITY:REAR WINDOW WIPER/WASHER:SWITCH/WIRING, LATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGES:HATCHBACK/LIFTGATE:LOCK, SEATS:FRONT ASSEMBLY:POWER ADJUST
TL* - THE CONTACT CALLED ABOUT THE 2003 FORD EXPLORER XLT. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE AIR BAG LIGHT STAYED ON, AND WHEN IT WAS ON, THE AIRBAG DEACTIVATED WHICH WAS A SAFETY PROBLEM. IT HAPPENED ALL THE TIME. THE FUSES HAVE BEEN CHANGED UNDER WARRANTY, AND NOW THAT IT WAS NOT UNDER WARRANTY, IT WAS NO LONGER REPAIRED FREE OF CHARGE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT SHE WAS TOLD BY ONE SERVICE STATION THAT IT WAS STANDARD FOR THE FUSES TO BLOW BECAUSE OF THE FUSE BOX LOCATION. ANOTHER SERVICE STATION TOLD THE CONTACT THAT THIS WAS NOT TRUE THAT THE FUSE BOX WAS TO HIGH IN THE CAR FOR PEBBLES TO BE ABLE TO GET INTO THE FUSE BOX. ALSO, THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS WON'T TURN OFF BY THEM SELVES, EVEN WHEN THE KEYS WERE OUT OF THE IGNITION. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE AIRBAG LIGHT AND THE DOOR AJAR LIGHT WERE CONSISTENTLY ON. MOREOVER, THE ELECTRONIC SEAT WOULD NOT MOVE FORWARD OR BACKWARD. SHE HAD THE SEAT REPAIRED TWICE AND IT FAILED AGAIN. FINALLY, CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS MAKING A KNOCKING NOISE IN THE FRONT AND REAR OF THE VEHICLE'S UNDERCARRIAGE. THE VEHICLE CLANKED STOPPING, TURNING TO GO FORWARD, OR JUST SITTING STILL. THE FIRST TIME THE CONTACT TOOK THE VEHICLE FOR REPAIR SHE WAS TOLD BY THE REPAIR SHOP THAT IT WAS THE DRIVER'S SEAT THAT WAS CAUSING THE CLANKING NOISE, AND THE SECOND TIME SHE WAS TOLD THAT THE NOISE WAS NOT SOMETHING THEY COULD IDENTIFY BECAUSE DURING DIAGNOSTIC TESTING IT DID NOT SHOW A SPECIFIC FAILURE CODE. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGE WERE BOTH 114000.*AK
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10184010March 2, 2007
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE
I WAS DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD & STARTED SLOWING DOWN AS I CAME INTO TOWN. I WAS COASTING ALONG AND MY CAR STALLED OUT. I DIDN'T EVEN REALIZE IT HAD CUT OUT, I STILL HAD STEERING & BRAKES BUT I HAD TO RESTART MY VEHICLE. I TOOK IT BACK TO THE DEALER (I HAD JUST BOUGHT IT 6 DAYS PRIOR) AND ASKED THEM TO LOOK AT IT. THEY WORKED WITH THE LOCAL FORD DEALERSHIP AND CAME BACK WITH "NOTHING IS WRONG WITH IT". THEY SAID THERE WASN'T EVEN A RECORD OF THE INCIDENT TAKING PLACE. *JB
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10183663February 27, 2007
STRUCTURE:BODY:HATCHBACK/LIFTGATE
CRACK IN BACK HATCH BY FORD EMBLEM. *NM
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10183551February 26, 2007
POWER TRAIN:DRIVELINE:DIFFERENTIAL UNIT
I PURCHASED A 2003 FORD EXPLORER XLT. I QUICKLY NOTICED A NOISE FROM THE REAR OF THE VEHICLE WHEN SPEEDS OF 55-60 MPH WERE ACHIEVED. AFTER BRINGING THE VEHICLE TO THE AUTO REPAIR SHOP I WAS TOLD THAT THE REAR DIFFERENTIAL NEEDED TO BE REPLACED AND THAT IT WAS NOT ONLY DANGEROUS TO DRIVE BUT EXTREMELY EXPENSIVE. AFTER SOME RESEARCH I HAVE DISCOVERED THAT THIS IS A COMMON ISSUE WITH THE FORD EXPLORER. SHOULD THIS TYPE OF REPAIR THAT COULD RESULT IN HUMAN INJURY, BE ADDRESSED BY FORD. I AM HOPEFUL THAT YOUR ANSWER WILL BE YES! *JB
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10183587February 26, 2007
POWER TRAIN:DRIVELINE:DIFFERENTIAL UNIT
I WAS DRIVING MY 2003 FORD EXPLORE AND I STARTED TO HERE AND NOISE FROM THE REAR END WHEN I TOOK OFF FROM A DEAD STOP. I DIDN'T WORRY ABOUT IT RIGHT ANY,THEN IT KEPT GETTING WORSE, SO I TOOK IT IN TO THE FORD DEALERSHIP WHERE I BOUGHT IT AND THEY SAID THE CLUTCH WAS BAD IN THE DIFFERENTIAL AND IT WOULD BE BETWEEN 500 TO 700 TO FIX. THIS EXPLORER ONLY HAS 49,000 MILES ON IT. MY WIFE DRIVES THIS CAR AND I KNOW IT HAS NEVER BEEN BEAT ON. I STILL DO NOT HAVE MY TRUCK BACK YET IT HAS BEEN IN THE SHOP FOR ABOUT 4 DAYS NOW. I AM ABOUT UP TO 1200 DOLLARS IN REPAIRS. I HAVE READ SEVERAL COMPLAINTS ABOUT THIS SAME THING ON THE INTERNET. I JUAST CAN'T UNDERSTAND WHY THEY DON'T HAVE A RECALL. *JB
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10183131February 21, 2007
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION:TORQUE CONVERTER
I HAVE A 2003 FORD EXPLORER WITH 51,000 MILES. ON 2/13/2007 O/D LIGHT STARTED FLASHING AND SERVICE TRANSMISSION MESSAGE APPEARED IN MESSAGE CENTER. TOOK TO AN INDEPENDENT SERVICE SHOP AND WAS TOLD IT WAS PROBABLY THE TORQUE CONVERTER. HAD IT TRANSFERRED TO A TRANSMISSION SHOP WHERE THEY REMOVED THE TRANSMISSION PAN AND FOUND METAL SHAVINGS. THEY SAID IT IS THE TORQUE CONVERTER AND I WILL NEED A PARTIAL OR FULL REBUILD, THEY WILL NOT BE SURE UNTIL THEY REMOVE THE TRANSMISSION. THEY ALSO MENTIONED THEY HAVE SEEN THIS IN MULTIPLE VEHICLES AND HAVE HAD TO REPLACE A LARGE NUMBER OF EXPLORER TRANSMISSIONS FOR SIMILAR PROBLEMS. *JB
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10183162February 21, 2007
POWER TRAIN:DRIVELINE:DIFFERENTIAL UNIT, POWER TRAIN:CLUTCH ASSEMBLY, POWER TRAIN:AXLE ASSEMBLY:AXLE SHAFT:SEAL
TL* - THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 FORD EXPLORER XLT. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS MAKING NOISES, WINING, AND GRINDING. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE DIFFERENTIAL SYSTEM FAILED AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. ALSO, THE FOLLOWING COMPONENTS NEEDED TO BE REPLACED: CLUTCHES, RING, PINION, CARRIER BEARING, PINION BEARING, AND PINION SEAL. THE CONTACT HAD TO UPDATE THE AXLE SEALS. AT THE TIME OF THE ORIGINAL FAILURE THE VEHICLE HAD AN ODOMETER READING OF 37,000 MILES AND THE WARRANTY HAD JUST LAPSED. THE CONTACT DID NOT BELIEVE THAT THE WEATHER WAS A FACTOR, AND THE SOUNDS WERE ALWAYS WHEN SHE WAS IN THE PROCESS OF ACCELERATING. THE CONTACT STATED THAT IT STARTED VERY SLOWLY AND BECAME AN EVERY DAY OCCURRENCE. *AK
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0

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