2003 FORD EXPLORER Complaints

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 FORD EXPLORER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 60 MPH, THE TRANSMISSION SHIFTED GEARS INDEPENDENTLY WITH THE ILLUMINATION OF THE OVER DRIVE INDICATOR. THE VEHICLE HAD NOT BEEN DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE PROBLEM AND INFORMED THE CONTACT THAT THERE WAS NOT A RECALL RELATED TO THE DEFECT. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 136,000.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 FORD EXPLORER. THE CONTACT WAS DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 15 MPH WHEN THE TRANSMISSION BEGAN TO SLIP GEARS. THE FAILURE OCCURRED WHENEVER THE VEHICLE WAS IN OPERATION. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER, WHO STATED THAT THE TRANSMISSION WOULD NEED TO BE REPLACED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE PROBLEM AND INFORMED THE CONTACT THAT THERE WAS NOT A RECALL RELATED TO THE DEFECT. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 94,000.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 FORD EXPLORER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE REFUELING, A LARGE AMOUNT OF FUEL SPRAYED OUT OF THE FILLER NECK. THE VEHICLE HAD NOT BEEN REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE PROBLEM. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 123,000. THE VIN WAS UNAVAILABLE.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 FORD EXPLORER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE TAILGATE HAD CRACKED UNDERNEATH THE REAR WINDOW. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO A DEALER. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 103,000 AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS UNKNOWN. UPDATED 04/18/2013 *JS

WENT TO PUT THE CAR IN PARK AND THE GEAR SHIFT DETACHED FROM THE STEERING WHEEL. KEY WAS STUCK IN THE IGNITION, UNABLE TO PUT THE CAR IN PARK. TOWED IT TO OUR HOUSE WHERE MY UNCLE WAS ABLE TO FIX IT. HAD TO REPLACE THE WHOLE STEERING COLUMN. THE PROBLEM WAS CAUSED BY A WEAK PIECE OF METAL IN THE ALLOY CONNECTING THE GEAR SHIFT TO THE STEERING COLUMN. *TR

THE FORD EXPLORER SPORT HAS SERIOUS ELECTRICAL PROBLEMS. *REAR BRAKE LIGHT WOULD NOT TURN OFF AND CAUSED MY BATTERY TO DRAIN. TOOK IT TO THE SHOP AND THEY STATED THIS IS A KNOWN PROBLEM WITH FORD EXPLORERS, THAT THE BRAKE LIGHT SWITCH THAT THE CAR HAS IS DEFECTIVE. THE MECHANIC ACTUALLY STATED THAT THEY STOPPED MAKING THAT KIND OF BRAKE LIGHT SWITCH, SO THEY HAD TO ORDER A NEW KIND OF BRAKE LIGHT SWITCH. BECAUSE THE MECHANIC'S STATEMENT, THIS INFORMED ME THAT FORD IS AWARE OF THE BRAKE LIGHT SWITCH THAT CAME WITH THE CAR IS DEFECTIVE. *DOOR AJAR LIGHT SOMETIMES COMES ON FOR NO REASON WHEN ALL DOORS ARE FULLY CLOSED, AND THEN TURNS OFF ON IT'S OWN AFTER A COUPLE DAYS. I CALLED FORD AND THEY STATED THIS SOMETIMES HAPPENS AND I NEEDED TO GREASE THE DOOR LATCHED AND CLEAN THE RUBBER LINING ON THE DOORS. I DID ALL THIS AND IT STILL HAPPENS SOMETIMES. I'VE SEEN COMPLAINS ABOUT THIS ONLINE TOO. THIS IS DANGEROUS BECAUSE NOW WHEN THE DOOR AJAR LIGHT COMES ON PEOPLE MAY IGNORE THINKING IT'S THE REGULAR GLITCH, WHEN IT COULD POSSIBLY BE AN OPEN DOOR ONE DAY. *POWER DOOR AND POWER WINDOW MOTOR CONSTANTLY GOES OUT EACH YEAR. I HAVE HAD THIS REPAIRED THREE TIMES NOW. THIS IS ALSO DANGEROUS BECAUSE IN AN EMERGENCY PASSENGERS CAN'T EXIT A WINDOW IF NEEDED. *TR

2/14/2007 I NOTICED THERE IS A FRACTURE/CRACK BETWEEN THE TAILGATE DOOR OPENER AND THE WINDOW. THE FRACTURE/CRACK BECOMES MORE/LESS WIDER DEPENDING ON HOW HOT OR COLD IT IS OUTSIDE. I WENT TO THE DEALER AND THEY STATED IT WOULD CAUSE ME BETWEEN $400-$800 TO GET IT FIX AND THE WHOLE AREA WILL NEED TO BE REPLACED. THEY STATED THAT IT SHOULD NOT CAUSE MUCH PROBLEM UNLESS SOMEONE HITS THE BACK OF MY CAR OR I CLOSE THE TAILGATE NOT SOFT ENOUGH, WHICH COULD DAMAGE THE WINDOW. SINCE THEN, I HAVE NOTICED THAT ALL EXPLORERS THAT I SEE HAVE THE SAME FRACTURE/CRACK ON THE TAILGATE DOOR ON THE SAME AREA LOCATION. I ALSO HAVE SEEN MANY MANY MANY COMPLAINTS ABOUT THIS ONLINE. THIS HAS TO BE A DEFECT THAT IS CAUSING THE FRACTURE ON THE TAILGATE DOOR BELOW THE WINDOW. THIS COULD CAUSE INJURY IF THE WINDOW BREAKS OR THERE IS ISSUE WITH THE DOOR OPENER HINGE. *TR

AS I WAS DRIVING THE SUN VISOR DROPPED, AND STARTED TO DANGLE AND SWING TOWARDS MY FACE. IT STARTLED ME AND I SWERVED THE CAR A LITTLE, TRIED TO DODGE THE VISOR FROM HITTING ME IN THE FACE/HEAD, AND THEN PULLED INTO A PARKING AREA. I NOTICED THE SUN VISOR HINGE HAD CRACKED AND THE WIRING CAME LOOSE. I TOOK IT TO THE FORD DEALER QUICK LANE AND THEY STATED IT WOULD COST ME BETWEEN $120-$250 DEPENDING ON THE COLOR AND IT WOULD NEED TO BE REWIRED DURING INSTALLATION. THIS COULD CAUSE SOMEONE TO HAVE AN ACCIDENT OR INJURY, AND THERE IS NO REASON THIS PART SHOULD OF BROKEN LIKE THIS. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 FORD EXPLORER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 40 MPH, THE CONTACT HEARD A CLICKING NOISE COMING FROM THE A/C HEATER BLEND DOOR ACTUATOR. IN ADDITION, THE A/C FAILED TO OPERATE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR DIAGNOSTIC TESTING. THE TECHNICIAN ADVISED THAT THE BLEND DOOR ACTUATOR NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE AND ADVISED THE CONTACT THAT THE VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED IN ANY RECALLS. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 110,000. UPDATED 03/07/13*LJ UPDATED 03/11/2013 *JS

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 FORD EXPLORER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING 60 MPH, THE TRANSMISSION FAILED AND THE VEHICLE STOPPED ACCELERATING. THE CONTACT ATTEMPTED TO RESTART THE VEHICLE TO RESET THE PROBLEM BUT THE FAILURE RECURRED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO A TRANSMISSION CENTER FOR INSPECTION AND THEY ADVISED THAT THE TRANSMISSION NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED BUT PROVIDED NO ASSISTANCE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 126,000.