2003 FORD EXPLORER Complaints

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 FORD EXPLORER. THE CONTACT STATED THE REAR LIFT GATE GLASS HINGE CORRODED AND FRACTURED FROM THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS PREVIOUSLY INCLUDED AND REPAIRED UNDER NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 04V442000 (STRUCTURE). THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHERE THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT BOTH OF THE HINGES WERE CORRODED AND WOULD HAVE TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS BEING REPAIRED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 121,000. *TR

TRAVELING NORTH BOUND ON HIGHWAY 99 IN CHICO CA, BETWEEN EXITS 385 AND 386, THE SIDE AIR BAGS DEPLOYED. THIS WAS IN THE MIDDLE OF A CONSTRUCTION ZONE BUT THERE WAS LITTLE IN THE WAY OF DEBRIS ON THE ROAD OR BUMPS TO HAVE CAUSED THE AIR BAG DEPLOYMENT. MY HEAD WAS VIOLENTLY THROWN TOWARD THE CENTER OF THE VEHICLE BUT I MANAGED TO MAINTAIN CONTROL AND SO THERE WAS NO SUBSEQUENT ACCIDENT. I NOTED THE LITTLE ORANGE LIGHT GLOWING ON THE DASH TELLING ME THE AIR BAGS HAD DEPLOYED. I SUFFERED FROM A SORE / STIFF NECK AND A RECURRENCE OF MAJOR TENDONITIS SYMPTOMS IN MY LEFT EAR. THE LOCAL FORD DEALER COULD NOT ISOLATE THE EXACT CAUSE OF THE UN-COMMANDED AIR BAG DEPLOYMENT AND THE MATTER IS STILL WITH OUR AUTO INSURANCE COMPANY. *TR

TRANSMISSION IS NOT SHIFTING INTO SECOND GEAR AND OVERDRIVE. OVERDRIVE LIGHT FLASHES. PREVIOUS OWNER HAD A NEW TRANSMISSION PUT IN THROUGH FORD MOTOR COMPANY AND IT STARTED OCCURRING AGAIN WITHIN A WEEK OF THE REPLACEMENT. I PURCHASED THE VEHICLE IN APRIL AND HAVE HAD IT TO NUMEROUS REPAIR SHOPS FOR TRANSMISSION FILTER CHANGES AND TUNE UPS, NOTHING HELPS. NOW IM TOLD IT NEEDS A NEW TRANSMISSION. THE TRANSMISSION IN IT NOW IS ONLY 8 MONTHS OLD. IT REVS REALLY HIGH AFTER FIRST GEAR THEN KICKS INTO SECOND ONLY AFTER LETTING OFF THE GAS AND MANUALLY SHIFTING WITH THE SHIFTER. IT WILL NOT SHIFT INTO OVERDRIVE AT ALL. THE OVERDRIVE OFF LIGHT IS CONSTANTLY FLASHING. I HIGHLY DOUBT MY NEXT VEHICLE WILL BE A FORD!! *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 FORD EXPLORER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE OIL WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A PRIVATE MECHANIC WHO STATED THAT THE ENGINE OIL PUMP AND THE TIMING BELT HAD FAILED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE WAS REPORTED TO THE MANUFACTURER. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 60,000. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 61,000.

THERE HAS BEEN NO ACCIDENT. UNDER NORMAL WEAR AND TEAR OF CAR WENT TO OPEN HATCHBACK GLASS ONE DAY TO LOAD GROCERIES AND DROPPED LOW ON MY HEAD BECAUSE HINGE HOLDING THE GLASS DOOR CAME LOOSE. HAD TO EASE IT BACK UP IN PLACE , HAVE NOT BEEN ABLE TO OPEN GLASS DOOR SINCE FOR FEAR OF IT FALLING AND BREAKING TO PIECES. THE SECOND COMPLAINT IS THE HATCHBACK DOOR IS CRACKED UNDER THE FORD EMBLEM AND TO THE SIDE . I HAVE SEEN MANY MANY EXPLORERS WITH THIS SAME EXACT CRACK AS MINE. THEY HAVE ALSO COMPLAINED!!!! FORD ONLY RECALLED EXPLORERS UP TO I BELIEVE THAT WERE MADE UP TO FEBRUARY 2003. MY CAR AND OTHERS I HAVE SPOKE WITH THEIR AND MINE WAS MADE IN 8/2003 SO WE WERE NOT COVERED!!! THAT IS BULL!! FORD SHOULD STAND BY THEIR PRODUCTS. *TR

BACK GLASS ON LIFT GATE EXPLODED. GLASS WENT EVERY WHERE. NO ONE WAS IN THE THANK GOODNESS.VEHICLE WAS JUST SITTING IN DRIVEWAY. IT JUST EXPLODED AND SHATTERED. THERE WAS NOTHING WRONG WITH THE GLASS. THE ONLY THING THERE WAS A CRACK ON LOWER PANEL THAT HAD BEEN THERE FOR ABOUT 3 YEARS. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 FORD EXPLORER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE AIR CONDITIONER AND DEFROSTER WOULD NOT OPERATE WHEN ACTIVATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC, WHO ADVISED THAT BOTH THE AIR CONDITIONING/HEATER SWITCH AND THE BLOWER MOTOR WOULD NEED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE DEFECT. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE 130,000.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 FORD EXPLORER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE OVERDRIVE AND CHECK ENGINE TRANSMISSION WARNING LIGHTS BOTH ILLUMINATED UPON STARTING THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A DEALER FOR DIAGNOSIS BUT NO CAUSE FOR FAILURE WAS FOUND. THE VEHICLE WOULD ALSO JERK AND LUNGE FORWARD WHEN THE CONTACT WAS DRIVING AT VARIOUS SPEEDS. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC FOR DIAGNOSIS AND THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT THE TRANSMISSION WOULD NEED TO BE REPLACED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 154,615.

THE VEHICLE WAS DRIVING DOWN THE HIGHWAY WHEN SUDDENLY THE O.D OFF LIGHT STARTED FLASHING. WHEN IT APPROACHED LOCAL STREETS I NOTICED THE TRANSMISSION WAS SLIPPING GOING INTO 2NG GEAR. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHO IMMEDIATELY DIAGNOSED IT AS A DEFECTIVE TRANSMISSION. A LITTLE RESEARCH ON THE 03 EXPLORER TRANSMISSION INDICATED IT WAS A 5R55S MODEL WHICH HAS AN ASTRONOMICAL FAILURE RATE. ITS ALSO A SEALED UNIT WHICH DOESN'T HAVE A DIPSTICK TO CHECK THE FLUID LEVEL OR CONDITION ( BURNT SMELL). THE FORD EXPLORER ALSO LEADS THE LIST BY HAVING 4 OUT OF THE TOP TEN VEHICLE COMPLAINTS FOR WORST MODEL YEARS CARS. ALL THE TOP COMPLAINTS ARE FOR TRANSMISSION FAILURE. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 FORD EXPLORER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING 3 MPH, THE FRONT PASSENGER'S SIDE WHEEL BECAME DISCONNECTED FROM THE VEHICLE, CAUSING THE VEHICLE TO FORCEFULLY DROP TO THE GROUND. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO A DEALER FOR DIAGNOSIS AND THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT THE LUG NUTS HAD SHEARED OFF OF THE WHEELS, WHICH WOULD NEED TO BE REPLACED. THE MANUFACTURER HAD NOT BEEN NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE CONTACT WAS AWAITING THE REPAIR OF THE VEHICLE. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 98,000.