2003 FORD EXPLORER Complaints

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 FORD EXPLORER. THE CONTACT STATED THE HINGES FOR THE REAR LIFT GATE FRACTURED. THE CONTACT MENTIONED THAT THE GLASS FELL DOWN INTO THE DOOR. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER AND HAD THE HINGES WERE REPLACED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED WHO STATED THAT THERE WAS A RECALL FOR THE FAILURE UNDER NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER: 04V442000 (STRUCTURE: BODY: HATCHBACK/LIFTGATE: HINGE AND ATTACHMENTS) BUT THE VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED SINCE THE RECALL WAS ONLY ISSUED FOR THE 2002 MODEL YEAR EXPLORER. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 115,000.

DRIVING ON I-26 AT 65 MPH. TOOK FOOT OFF GAS, CAR CONTINUED AT 65, DID NOT HAVE THE CRUISE CONTROL ON. I PRESSED BRAKE, CAR DIDN'T SLOW, PRESSED HARDER, STILL DIDN'T SLOW, MOVED GEARSHIFTER TO 1ST GEAR, COULD HEAR ENGINE REVVING, REALIZED GAS PEDDLE/ACCELERATOR WAS STUCK, TAPPED FOOT ON GAS PEDAL AND CAR FINALLY SLOWED. TOOK CAR TO FOUR SEASONS FORD IN HENDERSONVILLE, WAS TOLD THEY COULDN'T RECREATE THE PROBLEM BUT MAYBE THE CRUISE CONTROL CABLE SEEMED "POSSIBLY NOT QUITE SNAPPED IN PLACE". THEY SNAPPED IT BACK. HAVE NOT HAD ANOTHER PROBLEM BUT AM PARANOID ABOUT DRIVING THE CAR NOW. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 FORD EXPLORER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING 30 MPH, THE VEHICLE EXPERIENCED SUDDEN ACCELERATION WITHOUT WARNING. THE CONTACT SHIFTED INTO NEUTRAL AND DEPRESSED THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL UNTIL THE VEHICLE DECELERATED. NEITHER THE DEALER NOR THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 121,000.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 FORD EXPLORE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING 40 MPH THE TRANSMISSION FAILED. THE OVER DRIVE WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL. THE CONTACT THEN DEPRESSED THE BRAKE PEDAL AND EVERYTHING SEIZED BEFORE STALLING. THE CONTACT RESTARTED THE VEHICLE AND THE VEHICLE FUNCTIONED PROPERLY. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A REPAIR SHOP WHERE THEY STATED THAT THE SOLENOID WAS DEFECTIVE IN THE TRANSMISSION. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED BUT PROVIDED NO ASSISTANCE BECAUSE THE VEHICLE WAS NO LONGER UNDER WARRANTY. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 100,000.

THE PROBLEM WITH THE FORWARD SEAT HEAD REST WRONG ANGLE CAUSING THE DRIVER TO GET STIFF NECK AND GET YOU REALLY TIRED DRIVING LONG DISTANCES, THERE IS NO WAY TO ADJUST BUT UP AND LOWER NOT ENOUGH TO CLEAR YOUR HEAD TO BE STRAIGHT AS PROPER POSTURE, I UNDERSTAND IT IS TO PREVENT NECK INJURIES, MY RECOMMENDATION TO HAVE AN ADJUSTABLE HEAD REST FWD AND AFT SIDE AND HIGHER TO ADJUST TO YOUR BODY PROPERLY. IT IS A BIG CONCERN SINCE LOTS OF PEOPLE GET ON THE ROAD AND THEY GET REALLY TIRED AND UNCOMFORTABLE DRIVING. *TR

REAR WINDOW HINGES BROKE FOR THE SECOND TIME. THEY WERE FIXED ONCE WITH RECALL AND ARE NOW BROKE AGAIN. ALSO THE BACK LIFT GATE PANEL HAS CRACKED. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 FORD EXPLORER. THE CONTACT NOTICED A CRACK ON THE REAR LIFT GATE PANEL. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR DIAGNOSTICS OR REPAIRS. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 91,793.

RCALL WORK WAS DONE ( FORD # 04S045 ) SINCE THAT TIME THE PLASTIC TRIM PIECE ATTACHED TO THE TAILGATE WINDOW CRACKED WHICH HAS ALLOWED WATER TO RUST OUT THE MOUNTING BRACKET THAT HOLDS THE LATCH AND WIPER ASSEMBLY. THE RESULT IS THAT THE WIDOW NO LONGER CLOSES SECURELY AND THE WINDOW LATCH IN-OPERABLE. HAS THIS BEEN ADDRESSED IN AND OTHER RECALLS? I HAVE OBSERVED THAT 9 OF 10 EXPLORERS/MOUNTAINEERS ALSO HAVE CRACKED TRIM PIECES. AS A RESULT OF THE RUSTING BRACKET I FEEL THAT THE WINDOW COULD SUDDENLY OPEN AND/OR SHATTER. REPAIRS SEEM IMPOSSIBLE ALSO DUE TO THE POSSIBILITY OF SHATTERING THE WINDOW CAUSING INJURY.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 FORD EXPLORER. THE CONTACT STATED THERE WERE TWO LARGE CRACKS BELOW THE REAR LIFTGATE, LOCATED NEAR THE MANUFACTURER'S EMBLEM. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER FOR INSPECTION. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED AND THEY WERE UNABLE TO PROVIDE ASSISTANCE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 80,000.

MY SON WENT TO LEAVE IN EXPLORER. NOTICED HATCH HAD POPPED OPEN (HAS BEEN DOING THIS) AND WHEN HE CLOSED THE TWO INCH OPENING THE GLASS EXPLODED ON HIM AND ALL OVER DRIVEWAY. GLASS PIECE IN EYE WHICH IS OK AND SCRAPES ON ARMS AND FOOT. THIS COULD HAVE BEEN SO MUCH WORSE AND WANT ANSWERS TO WHY THIS HAPPENED. *TR