Ford Explorer Complaints (2003)

1,274 consumer complaints on file.

#10225519April 23, 2008
SUSPENSION:FRONT:WHEEL BEARING
LOUD ROARING SOUND INSIDE OF CAR. TURNED OUT TO BE THE FRONT DRIVERS SIDE WHEEL BEARING. REPLACED NOW THE REAR IS DOING THE SAME THING. MY VEHICLE DOESN'T HAVE ENOUGH MILES FOR THESE FAILURES TO HAPPEN. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10226149April 21, 2008
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL:CRUISE CONTROL
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 FORD EXPLORER. WHILE DRIVING 50 MPH AND ATTEMPTING TO ENGAGE THE CRUISE CONTROL, THE SPEED RAPIDLY INCREASED ABOVE 55 MPH. THE CRUISE CONTROL LIGHT ILLUMINATED, WHICH INDICATED THAT THE CRUISE CONTROL WAS ENGAGED. THE CONTACT DEPRESSED THE BRAKE PEDAL AND ATTEMPTED TO DISENGAGE THE CRUISE CONTROL, BUT WAS UNSUCCESSFUL. THE CRUISE CONTROL INTERMITTENTLY FAILED TO OPERATE NORMALLY. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT EQUIPPED WITH ANTILOCK BRAKES. THE FUEL SYSTEM AND DATE OF PURCHASE WERE UNAVAILABLE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 77,335 AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 77,392.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10224883April 18, 2008
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL
CRUISE CONTROL FAILURES: FAILS TO ENGAGE, UN-COMMANDED ACCELERATION, UN-COMMANDED DECELERATION, SPEED SURGING, INDICATES ENGAGED AND IS NOT ENGAGED. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10224727April 16, 2008
STRUCTURE:BODY:HATCHBACK/LIFTGATE
THE REAR HATCH HAS DEVELOPED A CRACK THROUGH THE MIDDLE OF THE PANEL JUST BELOW THE VISIBLE GLASS OF THE HATCH. THIS CRACK ENCOMPASSES THE REAR FORD LOGO. THIS CRACK OCCURRED WITHOUT ANY DAMAGE TO THE VEHICLE. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10224413April 14, 2008
STRUCTURE:BODY:TRUNK LID
CRACK DEVELOPED WITHOUT APPARENT CAUSE IN PLASTIC PANEL BELOW THE REAR WINDOW. I'VE NOTICED THIS IN MANY OTHER EXPLORERS OF SIMILAR YEARS. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10224351April 13, 2008
STRUCTURE:BODY:HATCHBACK/LIFTGATE
REAR DOOR HATCH HAS CRACKED FROM THE BOTTOM OF THE WINDOW TO THE BOTTOM OF THE HATCH. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10224295April 12, 2008
SUSPENSION
BEARINGS IN FORD EXPLORER ALMOST SEIZED.... THIS COULD CAUSE A MAJOR PROBLEM IF THEY HAD NOT BEEN REPLACED. 3 OUT OF FOUR AT ONE TIME? *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10224225April 11, 2008
STRUCTURE:BODY:HATCHBACK/LIFTGATE
I HAVE A 03 EXPLORER. AND MY HATCH CRACKED IN 07. WHEN I TOOK IT TO THE DEALERSHIP AFTER SEEING OTHER MODELS WITH THE SAME PROBLEM. I WAS INFORMED THERE WAS NO RECALL ON THE PART AND IT COST ME ROUGHLY $800.00 TO FIX. I FEEL AS THOUGH FORD SHOULD RECALL THE PART AND REFUND ALL THE CUSTOMERS WHO HAS HAD THE SAME PROBLEM, AND HAD TO SPEND $$ TO GET IT FIXED. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10223840April 9, 2008
SUSPENSION:FRONT:WHEEL BEARING
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 FORD EXPLORER. AT 50,000 75,000 AND 80,000 MILES, THE WHEEL BEARINGS FAILED. THE TWO FRONT AND THE REAR DRIVER SIDE WHEEL BEARINGS WERE REPLACED SEVERAL TIMES. AT 30,000 MILES, THE CONTACT TOOK THE VEHICLE BACK TO THE DEALER FOR THE STATE INSPECTION AND THEY STATED THAT FOUR WHEEL BEARINGS NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE DEALER FURTHER STATED THAT THE FREQUENT FAILURES OF THE WHEEL BEARINGS MAY BE DUE TO DRIVING ON A DIRT ROAD. THE MANUFACTURER STATED THAT THERE WAS NO RECALL FOR THE FAILURE; THEREFORE, HE SHOULD TAKE THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER. THE CONTACT WILL HAVE THE WHEEL BEARINGS REPLACED, BUT HE FEELS THAT THE MANUFACTURER SHOULD BE RESPONSIBLE FOR THE COST. THE DEALER INFORMATION AND PURCHASE DATE WERE UNAVAILABLE. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 130,000 AND FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 60,000.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10223591April 7, 2008
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
DRIVING TO WORK FROM HOME, O/D OFF LIGHT BEGAN FLASHING AND GOING FROM 1ST TO 2ND GEAR LAGGED. RETURNING HOME THAT NIGHT, O/D OFF LIGHT BEGAN FLASHING AND SERVICE ENGINE SOON LIGHT CAME ON ALONG WITH LAGGING IN SHIFTING. TOOK TO MECHANIC WHO PERFORMED TRANSMISSION MAINTENANCE AND REPLACED SOLENOID. THIS CORRECTED SERVICE ENGINE LIGHT, BUT O/D LIGHT STILL FLASHED. FOUND FILINGS IN TRANSMISSION FLUID WHICH LED TO REPLACING TRANSMISSION. FOUND FORUMS THAT RELATED SIMILAR PROBLEMS WITH TRANSMISSION. AT LEAST I GOT 90,000 MILES BEFORE THIS HAPPENED. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10223459April 5, 2008
SUSPENSION:FRONT:WHEEL BEARING, PARKING BRAKE:CONVENTIONAL:MECHANICAL:LINKAGE AND CABLE, UNKNOWN OR OTHER
LOSS CONTROL OF MY SUV, AND FOUND OUT MY SPINDLE, BEARINGS AND EVERYTHING WAS SHOT! *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10223271April 3, 2008
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE
I HAVE A 2003 FORD EXPLORER AND HAS A FLEX FUEL SYSTEM 4.0L 114,000 MILES AT TIMES NOT ALL THE TIME ONCE IN AWHILE I WILL GO TO TURN AND SLOW DOWN THE IDLE JUMPS UP AND DOWN YOU WILL BE ABLE TO SEE THE RPS GO NUTS AND THE ENGINE SHUTS ITSELF OFF I ALMOST HIT ANOTHER CAR NOT BEING PREPARED FOR THE SHUT DOWN THE BRAKES THE STEERING ALL GOT HARD TO HANDLE... HAS ANYONE BEEN LOOKING INTO THIS PROBLEM AT ALL? I HAVE CHANGED SPARK PLUGS THE FUEL FILTER AIR FILTER AND STILL DOES THIS IN WARM WEATHER AS IT DOES IN COLD WEATHER.. ANY CLUE AS TO WHAT I CAN DO? VARY UNSAFE. I HAVE NEVER HAD A CAR OR TRUCK DO THIS MORE THAN ONCE. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10223045April 1, 2008
STRUCTURE:BODY:HATCHBACK/LIFTGATE
THE REAR HATCH ON MY 2003 FORD EXPLORE XLT CRACKED IN 3 SEPARATE PLACES. THE VEHICLE IS PRIMARILY HOUSED IN A GARAGE. I CALLED FORD TO REPORT THE PROBLEM. THEY TOLD ME THEY WOULD NOT FULLY COVER THE DEFECT. THEY WOULD "HELP" SINCE IT WAS OUT OF WARRANTY. I FEEL THE CRACKS ARE A FLAW IN MANUFACTURING OR PRODUCT DESIGN. THEY SHOULD BE COVERED ENTIRELY BY THE MANUFACTURER. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10222732March 30, 2008
STRUCTURE
REAR DOOR CRACK IN THE MIDDLE ON FORD EXPLORER, BELOW THE WINDOW, PROBABLY BECAUSE THE MATERIAL THE FRAME IS MADE OF IS JUST PLASTIC. I KEEP SEEING PEOPLE IN MY TOWN WITH THE SAME PROBLEM. I WONDER IF THERE IS A FORMAL COMPLAINT ABOUT THIS DEFECT. I CONTACTED FORD CORPORATE, BUT I WAS TOLD THAT NO ONE HAS COMPLAINED. THIS IS NOT JUST A COSMETIC PROBLEM, BUT A SAFETY PROBLEM. SOMETIMES WHEN I AM DRIVING THE DOOR WINDOW GETS OPEN. PLEASE LET ME KNOW IF THERE IS SOMETHING YOU CAN DO TO HELP ME AND OTHER CUSTOMERS WHO OWN A FORD EXPLORER AND WHO HAVE THE SAME PROBLEM. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10222659March 29, 2008
POWER TRAIN:DRIVELINE:DIFFERENTIAL UNIT
EXCESSIVE WHINE/NOISE COMING FROM THE REAR END OF THE VEHICLE, AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10222631March 28, 2008
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
WHEN SHIFTED INTO REVERSE THE VEHICLE WILL INTERMITTENTLY SLAM INTO THE GEAR AFTER SOME TIME HAS LAPSED, OR OTHER TIMES IT WON'T MOVE INTO ANY GEAR AND FREEZES IN A NEUTRAL STATE, EVEN WHEN THE SHIFT LEVER IS MOVED INTO DRIVE OR ANY OTHER GEAR, FOR THAT MATTER. THESE EVENTS HAVE OCCURRED AT LEAST SEVERAL TIMES IN THE 1 MONTH PERIOD WE HAVE OWNED IT. PURCHASED IT FROM A DEALER ON 2/24/08 WITH 53,000K MILES ON IT. IT IS CURRENTLY IN A FORD DEALER (1 WEEK SO FAR) FOR SERVICE, BUT THEY SAY THEY CAN NOT REPLICATE THE PROBLEM WITH THE TRANSMISSION. IF I PICK UP THE VEHICLE NOW THE USED VEHICLE WARRANTY THAT CAME WITH THE VEHICLE WILL EXPIRE AND WILL NOT COVER THE PROBLEM WHEN IT DOES COMPLETELY FAIL. AFTER READING ALL THE PROBLEMS THESE TRANSMISSIONS HAVE, IT IS INEVITABLE IT WON'T BE LONG BEFORE THAT HAPPENS. HOPEFULLY, IT WON'T BE IN THE MIDDLE OF TRAFFIC OR WORSE YET, WHEN DRIVING WITH MY GRANDKIDS SOMEWHERE. THIS IS DEFINITELY A SAFETY ISSUE, AS THE TOTAL FAILURE OFTEN HAPPEN WITH NO WARNING. THE VEHICLE OTHERWISE DRIVES GREAT. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10222626March 28, 2008
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING
THERE WAS A CLICKING NOISE IN THE DASH WHEN I TURNED THE HEAT ON. ONE DAY THERE WAS ONE MORE HARD CLICK AND AFTER THAT NO MORE HEAT. SO NOW WHEN I TURN THE HEAT ON THERE'S A CLICKING NOISE AND NO HEAT, WHEN I TURN IT ON COOL THE CLICKING NOISE STOPS. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10222501March 27, 2008
SUSPENSION:REAR, POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION, POWER TRAIN:TRANSFER CASE (4-WHEEL DRIVE)
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 FORD EXPLORER. WHILE DRIVING 30 MPH, THE CONTACT HEARD A WHINING NOISE COMING FROM THE VEHICLE. THE NOISE BECOMES LOUDER AS THE VEHICLE TRAVELS FASTER. THE WHINING APPEARS TO BE COMING FROM THE REAR SUSPENSION. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 120,000 AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 144,800. UPDATED 04/14/08. *LJ THE CONSUMER STATED THE TRANSMISSION WAS REPLACED AT NO CHARGE BY FORD AT 55,000 MILES DUE TO A DEFECT. THE 4-WHEEL DRIVE MAKES EXCESSIVE NOISE WHEN IN GEAR. UPDATED
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10222351March 26, 2008
STRUCTURE
THE PANEL JUST BELOW MY BACK WINDSHIELD HAS A CRACK IN IT WHICH HAS OCCURRED FOR NO REASON AT ALL. AFTER SPEAKING WITH SOME AT THE LOCAL DEALERSHIP I WAS VERY DISAPPOINTED TO HEAR THAT ABOUT 99% OF THESE HAVE TO BE REPLACED AND THAT IT WOULD COST ME ALMOST $400 TO DO SO. I CALLED FORD AND THEY ONCE AGAIN TOLD ME THAT IT WAS A PROBLEM BUT THEY COULD NOT DO ANYTHING TO HELP ME I WOULD HAVE TO PAY FOR IT. AT THAT TIME I ASK TO SPEAK TO A SUPERVISOR AND WHEN SPEAKING WITH HER I WAS INFORMED THAT THERE WERE NO COMPLAINTS ON THIS ISSUE. (WHICH I FIND HARD TO BELIEVE SINCE 3 DEALERS HAVE NOW TOLD ME THAT THIS IS A RE-OCCURRING PROBLEM.) MY BIGGEST CONCERN IS IF I DO NOT FIX THIS RIGHT AWAY THAT I WILL LOSE THIS PIECE AND IT WILL END UP HURTING SOMEONE. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10222275March 25, 2008
SUSPENSION:REAR:SPRINGS:COIL SPRINGS
REFERENCE MY 2003 FORD EXPLORER 4X4. RIGHT REAR SPRING IS BROKEN. VEHICLE ONLY HAS 45,506 MILES. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0

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