2003 FORD EXPLORER Complaints

A LITTLE OVER A YEAR AGO I AND A FRIEND CAME OUT OF A GROCERY STORE TO DISCOVER THERE WAS A HAIRLINE CRACK IN THE REAR PANEL OF MY 2003 FORD EXPLORER. I DROVE RIGHT OVER TO A FORD DEALERSHIP TO REPORT THE INCIDENT. I DO HAVE AN EXTENDED WARRANTY FOR 100,000 MILES. IT WAS REPORTED TO THE WARRANTY COMPANY AND I WAS DENIED REPAIR. I WAS TOLD I COULD PAY $1,000.00 TO HAVE IT REPAIRED OR PUT CAULKING ON IT TO HELP TO SEAL THE CRACK. I PUT THE CAULKING ON IT AS I DID NOT HAVE THE MONEY TO PAY TO HAVE IT FIXED. I AM RETIRED AND ON A FIXED INCOME. OVER THE COURSE OF TIME THE CRACK WIDENED CAUSING THE PANEL AND WINDOW TO SHIFT TO THE LEFT. ON MONDAY 4/12/10 I OPENED THE HATCHBACK WINDOW TO PLACE A FEW ITEMS INSIDE AND THE WINDOW CAME CRASHING DOWN ON MY HEAD ALMOST DRIVING ME INTO THE GROUND. THE HINGES BROKE AND HAD A FRIEND NOT BEEN THERE WITH ME I COULD NOT HAVE LIFTED THAT WINDOW. HE AND I WORKED FOR 45 MINUTES TO GET IT PLACED BACK TO WHERE IT WAS NOT HANGING AND HAD TO PUT BUNGY CORDS ON TO HOLD IT IN PLACE. I HAVE HAD A HEADACHE FOR 3 DAYS NOW. I DROVE RIGHT OVER TO A FORD DEALERSHIP TO REPORT THE INCIDENT. THE SERVICE MANAGER TOOK MY INFORMATION AND CONTACTED THE WARRANTY COMPANY WHO GOT BACK TO HIM AND STATED THEY WOULD REPLACE THE HINGES. I TOLD HIM THIS IS UNACCEPTABLE!! THIS CRACK HAS WIDENED OVER THE LAST YEAR AND THE HATCHBACK HAS SHIFTED TO THE LEFT. REPLACING THE HINGES IS A TEMPORARY FIX. LIKE PUTTING A BANDAID ON A COMPOUND FRACTURE! I THINK THE ENTIRE HATCHBACK HAS WEAKENED AND IF THE BIG DOOR FALLS ON ME I COULD BE KILLED. AT THIS POINT I AM UNABLE TO UTILIZE THE HATCHBACK AT ALL AND MUST CLIMB OVER THE BACK SEAT TO RETRIEVE ANYTHING BEHIND IT. *TR

THE UPPER PANEL ON THE BACK LIFT GATE, CRACKED FOR NO APPARENT REASON. IT HAS 2 CRACKS STARTING FROM ONE SINGLE ONE. IT HAPPENED DURING THE WINTER, SO WATER MUST BE ABLE TO GET IN UNDER THE SEAL AND FREEZE AND CRACK THE PANEL. I HAVE SEEN OTHER EXPLORERS WITH THIS SAME CONDITION. THERE HAS TO BE SOME KIND OF DEFECT IN THE PANEL ITSELF TO ALLOW THIS TO HAPPEN. *TR

REAR APPLIQUE "REAR LIFTGATE PANEL" BELOW THE REAR WINDOW CRACKED IN HALF. NO IMPACT INVOLVED. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 FORD EXPLORER SPORT. WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS PARKED THE CONTACT NOTICED THAT THE HINGE ON THE REAR LIFTGATE WAS DETACHED. THERE WAS A RECALL UNDER THE NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER 04V442000 (STRUCTURE: BODY: HATCHBACK/LIFTGATE: HINGE AND ATTACHMENTS). AN AUTHORIZED DEALER WAS NOTIFIED AND INFORMED HER THAT THE VIN WAS EXCLUDED FROM THE RECALL DEFECT. THE VEHICLE HAD NOT BEEN REPAIRED WHEN THE COMPLAINT WAS FILED. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 120,000.

WATER RUNS DOWN FRONT PASSENGER SEATBELT APPERATUS, INSIDE THE CAR. WATER DAMAGE SEEN ON INTERIOR ROOF FROM WATER LEAKING INSIDE THE ROOF OF THE TRUCK.

CAR SUDDENLY LURCHES FORWARD AND ROCKS BACK AND FORTH. CAR WAS PARKED IN DRIVEWAY WHEN STARTED, IT SUDDENLY LURCHED FORWARD, ROCKING BACK AND FORTH LEAVING A BRUISE ACROSS MY SHIN FROM THE RUNNING BOARDS. TWO DAYS EARLIER, MY DAUGHTER CLOSED THE BACK HATCH WHICH CAUSED THE TRUCK TO LURCH BACK AND FORTH, LUCKILY, JUST BUMPING HER. THIS HAS HAPPENED NUMEROUS TIMES OVER THE PAST SEVERAL YEARS, EVEN THOUGH THE GEAR SHIFT WAS ALWAYS PROPERLY IN PARK WHEN IT HAPPENED.

WHILE DRIVING AT 20-30 MPH WHILE MAKING A LEFT TURN, AND AFTER HEARING A NOISE THAT SOUNDED LIKE A BLOW-OUT, THE RIGHT REAR PASSENGER TIRE WAS THROWN FROM THE VEHICLE, AFTER REVIEW OF THE VEHICLE, THE LUG BOLTS WERE ALL SEVERED FROM THE VEHICLE. NO DAMAGE TO THE RIM OR THE TIRE EXISTED

THE TRUNK, ON THE HALF PART KEEP ON CREAKING I REPLACE IT ONCE OUT OF PACKET COST BECAUSE FOR D DOESN'T WANT TO PAY FOR THE REPAIR. *TR

TRANSMISSION STARTED SLIPPING AND TAKING A LONG TIME GOING INTO GEAR AND JERKING INTO GEAR SINCE AROUND 67000 MILES. IT NOW HAS OVER 91000 MILES AND KEEPS GETTING WORSE. THE TRANSMISSION SHOP TOLD ME THAT THIS IS COMMON WITH THIS MODEL EXPLORER. *TR

FORD 2003 EXPLORER OVERDRIVE LIGHT FLASHING AND SERVICE ENGINE SOON LIGHT ON. BROUGHT IN FOR SERVICE TO BE TOLD FORD HAS THIS PROBLEM BUT THEY'VE DONE NOTHING ABOUT IT. COULD BREAK DOWN ON STREET AND STRAND MOTORIST. NOW I HAVE TO REPLACE TRANSMISSION. I FEEL MY FAMILIES SAFETY WAS JEOPARDIZED BY FORDS NEGLECT. *TR