2003 FORD EXPLORER Complaints

MY 2003 FORD EXPLORER XLT ONLY HAS 70000K AND THE TRANSMISSION IS COMPLETELY IN NEED OF REBUILD. IT DOESN'T DRIVE IN REVERSE AND DOESN'T GO FASTER THAN 25MPH WITHOUT SOUNDING AS IF THE ENGINE IS GOING TO FALL OFF. IT KICKS BACK WHILE ATTEMPTING TO CHANGE GEARS AND THE RPM IS WORKING HARD WITH THE TRUCK GOING NOWHERE FAST. I CANT AFFORD TO REPAIR THE PROBLEM AS IM STILL MAKING MONTHLY PAYMENTS ON IT. THIS SHOULD NOT BE HAPPENING WITH AN EIGHT YEAR OLD VEHICLE. THIS LITTLE BIT OF INFORMATION ON HOW THERE IS NO DIPSTICK TO CHECK THE TRANSMISSION FLUID SHOULD HAVE BEEN REVEALED AT TIME OF PURCHASE I THINK. *TR

"OD (OVERDRIVE)" LIGHT BLINKING IN DASH. THEN "SERVICE ENGINE SOON" LIGHT ON 12-31-10. HIGHER RPM'S IN ENGINE THEN USUAL, TO SHIFT GEARS IN AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION. TRANS HAVING THUMPING SOUNDING WHEN PLACED INTO PARK, DRIVE OR REVERSE. BROKEN SERVO SIDEARM INSIDE TRANSMISSION.. VEHICLE ONLY HAS 62,000 MILES ON IT. TAKEN TO LOCAL TRANSMISSION SHOP. ESTIMATE OF $1,475 TO FIX. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 FORD EXPLORER. THE VEHICLE WAS PARKED WHEN THE CONTACT NOTICED THAT THERE WAS A LARGE CRACK IN THE REAR LIFT GATE PANEL. THE CRACK WAS LOCATED UNDER THE TAIL GATE WINDOW. THE FAILURE WAS DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 120,000.

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 FORD EXPLORER. WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS PARKED THE CONTACT NOTICED THAT THE REAR TAILGATE WAS CRACKED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHERE THE TECHNICIANS STATED THAT THE CONTACT WOULD HAVE TO PAY TO HAVE THE TAILGATE REPLACED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED AND STATED THAT THEY WOULD PAY FOR R HALF OF THE REPAIR COST. THE CONTACT STATED THAT HE SHOULD NOT HAVE TO PAY ANY PORTION OF THE REPAIR COST. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 40,000. UPDATED 2/23/11 *CN UPDATED 04/25/11

THE FRONT WINDSHIELD ON MY 2003 FORD EXPLORER REACHES EXCESSIVE TEMPERATURES. IN MILD WEATHER ON A SUNNY DAY THE INTERIOR OF THE WINDSHIELD CAN BECOME SO HOT IT CAN EASILY MELT ITEMS PLACED AGAINST IT. ADDITIONALLY, IT APPEARS THIS IS THE ORIGINAL WINDSHIELD FROM THE MANUFACTURER. *TR

PROBLEMS WITH THE REAR PANEL CRACKING UP, BEING REPLACED TWICE, STILL CRACKED AGAIN, ALSO THE TRANSMISSION NOT ABLE TO CHECK IT DURING A TRIP UNLESS YOU GO UNDER THE TRUCK, LAST THING THE BRAKE LIGHT SWITCH STICKING CAUSING TO DRAIN BATTERY AND NOT ABLE TO ORDER PART BECAUSE THE MANUAL ARE WRONG. *TR

AS I WAS DRIVING TO WORK THE OTHER DAY, I WAS SITTING IN A LINE OF CARS WAITING FOR MY TURN TO GO THROUGH A 4-WAY STOP WHEN MY 2003 FORD EXPLORER SUDDENLY STOPPED RUNNING. I HAD PLENTY OF FUEL AND THE ELECTRICAL WORKED. THE ENGINE SIMPLY WOULDN'T TURN OVER. I CALLED A TOW TRUCK AND HAD THE VEHICLE TOWED TO MY LOCAL REPAIR SHOP. AFTER SOME INSPECTION, THE REPAIRMAN DETERMINED THAT I HAD BLOWN A FUSE. THE CAUSE WAS MY ABS SENSOR CONTINUALLY SENDING OUT AN PROBLEM SIGNAL. THE CAUSE OF THAT WAS MY WHEEL BEARINGS GOING BAD. FURTHER INSPECTION SHOWED THAT AT LEAST THREE OF MY WHEELS HAVE BAD BEARINGS. THE REPAIRS ARE INCREDIBLY COSTLY (WELL OVER $1,000). AND THE MECHANICAL FAILURE IS DANGEROUS, INCLUDING WHEEL SEPARATION, WHEEL SEIZING UP AND BRAKE FAILURE. I WAS LUCKY TO HAVE BEEN STOPPED AT AN INTERSECTION. I DRIVE ON THE INTERSTATE DAILY AND IF THE CAR HAD FAILED THERE, IT COULD HAVE BEEN INCREDIBLY BAD. WHILE WHEEL BEARINGS TO FAIL, THE MECHANIC SAID IT IS INCREDIBLY RARE TO SEE MULTIPLE BEARINGS GO OUT AT THE SAME TIME. WELL, EXCEPT FOR FORDS. HE SAID THE EXPLORER AND FOCUS (ESPECIALLY THE '02 & '03 MODELS) HAVE A REPUTATION FOR WEARING OUT. SOMETIMES, MULTIPLE TIMES FOR THE SAME WHEEL. A QUICK GOOGLE SEARCH PROVED HIM RIGHT. THERE ARE HUNDREDS OF COMPLAINTS FOR THIS PROBLEM ON THE '02 & '03 FORD EXPLORERS. I REALIZE WE'RE GOING ON 8 OR 9 YEARS SINCE THESE VEHICLES WERE PRODUCED, BUT HOW COULD THE SAME ISSUE ON HUNDREDS OF CARS NOT HAVE BEEN ADDRESSED YET? THE PROBLEM SEEMS TO OBVIOUSLY NOT BE DUE TO USER ERROR OR POOR MECHANICAL MAINTENANCE. I IMPLORE YOU TO INVESTIGATE THIS FURTHER FOR THE SAKE OF THE THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE STILL DRIVING THESE CARS EVERY DAY. *TR

METAL CRACKED INTO FROM LIFTGATE WINDOW TO BOTTOM OF LIFTGATE. JUST WENT TO WORK ONE DAY AND CAME HOME TO FIND THIS HUGE CRACK IN THE LIFTGATE DOOR. I HAD NOT OPENED THE LIFTGATE THAT DAY. AFTER DOING RESEARCH AND PERSONALLY WITNESSING OTHER EXPLORERS WITH THIS PROBLEM, I FOUND THERE ARE HUNDREDS OF FORD EXPLORER OWNERS WITH SAME PROBLEM. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 FORD EXPLORER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE REAR HATCHBACK WINDOW HINGE WAS FRACTURED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED UNDER NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER: 04V442000 (STRUCTURE:BODY:HATCHBACK/LIFTGATE:HINGE AND ATTACHMENTS) YET THE FAILURE RECURRED. BOTH THE DEALER AND MANUFACTURER WAS INFORMED OF THE FAILURE WHO ADVISED THE CONTACT THAT ANY FURTHER REPAIRS WOULD BE AT THE CONTACTS EXPENSE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 139,634 AND THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 120,000.

CRACK IN PANEL BELOW REAR GLASS OF 2003 FORD EXPLORER. PANEL JUST CRACKED FROM ONE DAY TO THE NEXT. WENT TO TRADE IN FOR NEW EXPLORER AND DEALER EVEN COMPLAINED ABOUT DAMAGE. *TR