2003 FORD EXPLORER Complaints

View complaints related to 2003 FORD EXPLORER. The complaints found here are submitted by actual consumers with first hand experience. There are more than 1,200 complaints submitted for the 2003 FORD EXPLORER. You can submit your own complaint to the NHTSA or call the Hotline, Monday-Friday 8am to 8pm at (888) 327-4236, TTY: (800) 424-9153.

  • 2003 FORD EXPLORER
    - LAGRANGE, GA

    WHILE DRIVING MY VEHICLE ON SUNDAY, WHILE DRIVING MY VEHICLE STALLED IN THE ROAD. THE TRUCK FELT AS IF IT WAS TRYING TO PULL A HILL. THIS WAS VERY SCAREY FOR ME AND MY CHILDREN BECAUSE IF SOMEONE WAS COMING BEHIND US OR IF I WAS TURNING INTO THE FLOW OF TRAFFIC THIS COULD HAVE BEEN A TERRIBLE ACCIDENT. AFTERWARDS THE VEHICLE COULDN'T GO OVER 30 MPH WITHOUT SHIFTING OUT. THIS IS VERY DANGEROUS AND FORD SHOULD RECALL THIS IMMEDIATELY BEFORE SOMEONE IS KILLED. *TR

    Source: NHTSA WEB SITE
  • 2003 FORD EXPLORER
    - CONVERSE, TX

    UNEXPECTED TRANSMISSION FAILURE. TRANSMISSION NOT SHIFTING GEARS PROPERLY. VEHICLE IN GOOD CONDITION NO FLUID LEAKS. VEHICLE DRIVEN AND MAINTAINED PROPERLY. THIS ISSUE HAS OCCURRED TO NUMEROUS EXPLORER OWNERS WITH LOW MILEAGE AS MY VEHICLE. *TR

    Source: NHTSA WEB SITE
  • 2003 FORD EXPLORER
    - ST. ALBANS, WV

    TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 FORD EXPLORER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE TAILGATE WAS CRACKED. THE CONTACT SPOKE WITH THE MANUFACTURER AND WAS TOLD THE LIFT GATE WAS NOT UNDER WARRANTY. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 100,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 110,000. *TR

    Source: HOTLINE VEHICLE OWNERS QUESTIONNAIRE
  • 2003 FORD EXPLORER
    - DIXON, IL

    TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 FORD EXPLORER. THE CONTACT STATED THE OVER-DRIVE LIGHT ILLUMINATED WHILE DRIVING 65 MPH AND THE VEHICLE SLOWED DOWN TO 20 MPH. THE CONTACT TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER AND THE DEALER STATED THE TRANSMISSION WAS DEFECTIVE AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE CONTACT DID NOT REPLACE THE TRANSMISSION. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 110,000.

    Source: HOTLINE VEHICLE OWNERS QUESTIONNAIRE
  • 2003 FORD EXPLORER
    - CARY, NC

    TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 FORD EXPLORER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE PARKED, HE NOTICED A FRACTURE ON THE REAR LIFT GATE PANEL. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 90,000. *TR UPDATED 5/24/13 *CN UPDATED 06/12/2013 *JS

    Source: HOTLINE VEHICLE OWNERS QUESTIONNAIRE
  • 2003 FORD EXPLORER
    - CHANDLER, AZ

    TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 FORD EXPLORER. THE CONTACT WAS DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 40 MPH WHEN THE NAVIGATIONAL SYSTEM FUNCTIONS DISABLED WITHOUT WARNING. THE CONTACT MANEUVERED TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD AND TURNED THE ENGINE OFF. ONCE RESTARTED, THE NAVIGATION SYSTEM BEGAN TO OPERATE NORMALLY HOWEVER, THE FAILURE RECURRED INTERMITTENTLY. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER FIVE TIMES FOR THE SAME PROBLEM. THE NAVIGATIONAL SYSTEM SOFTWARE WAS UPDATED. IN ADDITION, AN UNKNOWN PART WAS REPLACED AT A LATER DATE. THE FAILURE CONTINUED TO PERSIST AFTER THE REPAIRS. THE DEALER WAS UNABLE TO PROVIDE A REMEDY FOR THE FAILURE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE DEFECT. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 12,000.

    Source: HOTLINE VEHICLE OWNERS QUESTIONNAIRE
  • 2003 FORD EXPLORER
    - JACKSONVILLE, FL

    I WAS DRIVING MY 2003 FORD EXPLORER AND I WAS GOING ABOUT 40 MILES PER HR. I WAS APPROACHING A RED LIGHT, AND AS I WAS BRAKING MY VEHICLE ACCELERATED WITHOUT ME HAVING MY FOOT ON THE GAS PADDLE. I HAVE HAD MAJOR TRANSMISSION WORK (RE-BUILT TRANS, $3000) ON MY VEHICLE, IN WHICH I HAD TO TAKE IT BACK TO THE TRANSMISSION REPAIR SHOP THREE TIMES, YET I CONTINUE TO HAVE UNEXPLAINED PROBLEMS. THE VEHICLE SEEMS TO BE UNSAFE FOR ME TO DRIVE AT THIS TIME. *TR

    Source: NHTSA WEB SITE
  • 2003 FORD EXPLORER
    - CLEVELAND HEIGHTS, OH

    TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 FORD EXPLORER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE OVER DRIVE LIGHT ILLUMINATED AND THE VEHICLE SHIFTED ERRATICALLY. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHERE IT WAS FOUND THAT THE TRANSMISSION NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT CONTACTED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 96,706.

    Source: HOTLINE VEHICLE OWNERS QUESTIONNAIRE
  • 2003 FORD EXPLORER
    - ELLERSLIE, GA

    TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 FORD EXPLORER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT HE NOTICED THAT THE LIFT GATE WAS FRACTURED NEAR THE MANUFACTURING EMBLEM. THE FAILURE CAUSED THE INTERIOR LIGHTS AND THE ANTI-THEFT ALARM TO ACTIVATE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT INSPECTED BY A DEALER OR AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED AND THEY ADVISED HIM THAT THE VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER 04V442000 (STRUCTURE). THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 120,000. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 140,000. *TR

    Source: HOTLINE VEHICLE OWNERS QUESTIONNAIRE
  • 2003 FORD EXPLORER
    - COLUMBIA , SC

    TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 FORD EXPLORER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE TRANSMISSION SLIPPED AND CAUSED THE OVERDRIVE LIGHT TO ILLUMINATE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER. THE FAILURE WAS LOCATED AND THE CONTACT WAS ADVISED THAT THE TRANSMISSION NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE REAR HATCH FRAME WAS ALSO FRACTURED AND CAUSED THE REAR HATCH TO SPLIT IN HALF. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURES. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 112,000.

    Source: HOTLINE VEHICLE OWNERS QUESTIONNAIRE