2003 FORD EXPLORER Complaints

I OWN A 2003 FORD EXPLORER XLT AND THE O/D LIGHT CONSTANTLY BLINKS. THE TRANSMISSION IS SLUGGISH SHIFTING FROM 1ST TO 2ND AND MY CAR FAILED AN EMISSIONS INSPECTION DUE TO THIS PROBLEM. I HAVE READ HOW MANY OTHER PEOPLE HAVE HAD THIS VERY SAME PROBLEM EVEN AFTER A TRANSMISSION HAS BEEN REPAIRED OR REPLACED. HOPING THIS PROBLEM COULD BE RECALLED BECAUSE THIS IS TOO WIDE SPREAD FOR IT TO BE A CONSUMER ISSUE. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 FORD EXPLORER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THERE WAS A CRACK IN THE LIFT GATE WHICH INCLUDES A PLASTIC PART JUST BELOW THE WINDOW. THE FORD MANUFACTURER INFORMED THE CONTACT THAT THERE WERE NO RECALLS AND HE SHOULD CALL NHTSA. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 116,000. UPDATED 2/26/10 *CN UPDATED 07/09/10.*JB

I SUGGEST YOU CHECK THE ONE URL SHOWN BELOW - THERE ARE OVER 400 EXAMPLES OF FORD SPRINGS FRACTURING BECAUSE OF A DEFECT IN THE SPRING MATERIAL. HTTP://WWW.CONSUMERAFFAIRS.COM/AUTOMOTIVE/FORD_SPRINGS.HTML I HAVE TWO BROKEN SPRINGS - I CALLED FORD TO ASK IF THEY WOULD FIX THE DEFECT OF COURSE THEY SAID NO WAY - NHTSA HAS NOT FORCED US TO DO A RECALL. *TR

THE PLASTIC APPLIQUE BELOW THE REAR WINDOW OF 2003 FORD EXPLORER CRACKED IN COLD WEATHER. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT IN MOTION. IT CRACKED WHEN THE REAR DEFROSTER CIRCUIT WAS ACTIVATED. INTERNET RESEARCH INDICATES THIS IS A WIDESPREAD PROBLEM, POSSIBLY AFFECTING 10-20% OF VEHICLES MANUFACTURED. IT IS CLEARLY A DESIGN PROBLEM. FORD, IN IT'S INFINITE WISDOM, GLUED THE LARGISH PLASTIC TRIM PIECE DIRECTLY TO THE REAR GLASS. IN COLD WEATHER, WHEN THE DRIVER ACTIVATES THE REAR DEFROSTER, THE GLASS EXPANDS AND THE PLASTIC TRIM PIECE, STILL EXPOSED TO THE COLD DOES NOT. THIS UNEQUAL THERMAL EXPANSION RESULTS IN THE PLASTIC APPLIQUE PIECE CRACKING. THIS IS A PROBLEM THAT SHOULD HAVE BEEN EASILY FORESEEN BY DESIGN ENGINEERS. IN TALKING WITH LOCAL FORD BODY REPAIR SHOPS, THE STAFF ADMITTED THAT THE ISSUE IS WIDESPREAD. THE REPAIR COSTS ABOUT $500. *TR

MY 2003 FORD EXPLORER DEVELOPED A CRACK IN THE REAR APPLIQUE FROM THE BOTTOM OF THE GLASS TO THE LIFTGATE. AFTER CONTACTING MY DEALER, I WAS TOLD TO EMAIL FORD, AS THIS WAS A COMMON COMPLAINT. AFTER DOING SO, FORD TOLD ME THAT ALTHOUGH THAT ARE THOUSANDS OF OTHER COMPLAINTS ABOUT THIS OBVIOUS DEFECT IN THE VEHICLE, THERE ARE NO RECALLS FOR THIS PROBLEM. MOST OF THE PEOPLE HAVE PAID OUT OF POCKET FOR THE REPAIRS. THIS IS NOT POSSIBLE FOR ME. I AM NOT IN A POSITION TO DO SO. IF THE CRACK GETS WORSE, I WILL HAVE TO PUT IN A CLAIM TO OUR INSURANCE COMPANY. UPON GOING ONLINE AND GOOGLING FORD DEFECTS, THERE ARE THOUSANDS OF COMPLAINTS ABOUT THIS ONGOING PROBLEM WITH THE FORD VEHICLES. PLEASE LET ME KNOW, HOW TO GET A RECALL ON THIS. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 FORD EXPLORER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE REAR LIFT GATE/APPLIQUE SPLIT DOWN THE MIDDLE WHICH CAUSED WATER TO ENTER THE VEHICLE, ALSO KNOWN AS A CRACKING FRACTURE OF THE PANEL. RECALL NUMBER 04V442000, STRUCTURE, BODY, HATCHBACK/LIFTGATE:HINGE AND ATTACHMENTS IS RELATED TO THE FAILURE; HOWEVER, THE VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED. THE CONTACT EXPECTS THE MANUFACTURER TO BE RESPONSIBLE FOR THE REPAIRS SINCE THERE IS AN EXISTING RECALL. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 104,000. UPDATED 01/12/10 *BF UPDATED 01/15/10.*JB

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 FORD EXPLORER. THE REAR WINDOW PANEL HAS FRACTURED. THE DEALER WAS CONTACTED, AND HE WAS ADVISED THAT THE FORD MANUFACTURER DID NOT RECOGNIZE THIS FAILURE AS A DEFECT. NO ASSISTANCE WAS PROVIDED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 28,700.

DRIVING MY 2003 FORD EXPLORER ON HIGHWAY WHEN GEAR SLIPPED..O/D LIGHT STARTED FLASHING! IT NEEDS A NEW TRANSMISSION THEY SAY BUT I HAVEN'T DONE THE REPAIR YET. *TR

I OWN A 2003 FORD EXPLORER. I JUST NOTICED A CRACK IN THE PANEL UNDERNEATH THE REAR WINDOW OF MY EXPLORER. I HAVE NO IDEA WHAT CAUSED IT. I NOTICED OTHER EXPLORERS WITH THE SAME EXACT PROBLEM. FORD NEEDS TO FIX THIS. DIDN'T THEY GET BAIL OUT MONEY FROM UNCLE SAM?!

I STARTED NOTICING THAT MY EXPLORER WAS NOT SHIFTING CORRECTLY AND THE OVERDRIVE LIGHT WAS STAYING ON, ALONG WITH THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT. I HAD THE COMPUTER TESTED AND IT RESULTED IN CODE P0775. I CALLED FORD (IN BETHLEHEM PA) AND THEY COULD NOT GET ME IN UNTIL THE W/O 7/20. SINCE I WAS LEAVING FOR VACATION AND NEEDED IT, I TOOK IT TO BETHLEHEM TRANSMISSIONS. AFTER THEY FIXED IT REBUILT THE TRANSMISSION AND $3309.70 LATER, THE OWNER STATED TO ME THAT THIS IS A KNOWN PROBLEM WITH THE 2003 EXPLORERS. SO I CALLED FORD, WHO TOLD ME TO TAKE MY RECEIPT TO THE LOCAL DEALERSHIP, THAT WAS A WASTE OF MY TIME B/C THE SERVICE MANAGER WAS RUDE, AND DIDN'T CARE ABOUT THE PROBLEM. MY TRUCK ONLY HAD 82,000 MILES ON. I UPGRADED TO THIS VEHICLE TO NOT HAVE PROBLEMS. WELL, I RECEIVED NO SATISFACTION WITH FORD, SO I AM NOW COMING TO YOU. THERE ARE NO RECALLS, BUT THIS NEEDS TO BE TAKEN CARE OF, I SHOULD NOT HAVE HAD TO SPEND THAT AMOUNT OF MONEY TO FIX A KNOWN PROBLEM WITH THIS MODEL. THE TSI FOR THIS ISSUE IS 5R55W. CAN SOMEONE HELP ME? THIS IS ALOT OF MONEY AND I THINK FORD SHOULD BE STANDING BY THEIR PRODUCT AND FIX THIS PROBLEM. I HAVE THE COMPLETE RECEIPT FOR THE REPAIR, BUT I DO NOT HAVE THE OLD TRANSMISSION. *TR