2003 FORD EXPLORER SPORT Complaints

NHTSA SAFETY RECALL 04V-442 OF 2003 FORD EXPLORER FORD IS REFUSING TO FIX MY VEHICLE. FORD IS STATING MY VEHICLE HAS NO RECALLS AND THIS RECALL DOES NOT EFFECT MY VEHICLE. I WAS DRIVING DOWN A ROAD WITH NO OTHER CARS WHEN MY REAR WINDSHIELD EXPLODED. THIS CAUSED ME TO THINK SOMEONE WAS SHOOTING OR ATTACKING WHICH ALMOST CAUSED ME TO CRASH MY VEHICLE THINKING I WAS UNDER ATTACK. THE POLICE CAME AND WROTE A REPORT, INVESTIGATED AND FOUND NO EVIDENCE OF MALICIOUS ACTS. FORD IS REFUSING TO RESOLVE THIS AND WILL NOT SAY WHY MY VEHICLE IS NOT EFFECTED. *NM

MY AUNT'S VEHICLE WAS INVOLVED IN AN ACCIDENT WHERE THE VEHICLE ROLLED SEVERAL TIMES. THE FRONT PILLAR ON THE DRIVER'S SIDE COLLAPSED ALLOWING THE ROOF TO COLLAPSE ALMOST DOWN TO THE LEVEL OF THE STEERING WHEEL. THERE WAS ALSO A LACK OF AVAILABILITY OF SIDE CURTAIN AIRBAGS ON THE VEHICLE. THE ACCIDENT RESULTED IN THE DEATH OF THE DRIVER OF THE VEHICLE. *JB

CRUISE CONTROL DOES NOT ENGAGE MOST OF THE TIME. I POWER THE SYSTEM ON, BUT WHEN PRESSING THE SET BUTTON, THE SYSTEM POWER QUICKLY BLINKS ON AND OFF. BRAKE PEDAL IS NOT DEPRESSED, IT OCCURS AT ANY SPEED.*AK

WHILE DRIVING 50 MPH REAR LEAF SPRINGS FAILED. AS A RESULT, REAR END COLLAPSED, AND VEHICLE COULD NOT BE BE DRIVEN. DEALER STATED THE PART WILL NOT BE AVAILABLE UNTIL JANUARY 2005. *AK *SC

WHILE DRIVING, THE PASSENGER SIDE AND DRIVER SIDE AIR BAGS UNEXPECTEDLY DEPLOYED. VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR INSPECTION AND THE MECHANIC COULD NOT DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM. *AK THE CONSUMER RECEIVED A CALL FROM THE ENGINEERING DEPARTMENT WHO INFORMED THE CONSUMER THE AIR BAG DEPLOYED BECAUSE THE RESTRAINT MODULE HAD RECEIVED A SIGNAL FROM THE CRASH SENSORS INDICATING AN EXCESSIVE LATERAL FORCE THAT EXCEEDED THE THRESHOLD OF ITS DESIGN FOR DEPLOYMENT. *JB

WHILE DRIVING ON THE FREEWAY VEHICLE DECELERATED 5 MPH BEFORE REGULATING SPEED. AFTER EXITING FREEWAY, VEHICLE DIED AT STOP LIGHT. VEHICLE TOWED TO DEALERSHIP WHERE THEY INFORMED ME THE INERTIA SWITCH, LOCATED UNDER KICK PLATE ON PASSENGER SIDE, WAS DAMAGED AND THUS CUT OFF THE FUEL PUMP. ONCE FIXED, VEHICLE RAN FINE. THIS IS A SAFETY DEVICE IN CASE OF AN ACCIDENT, BUT IT IS LOCATED IN A VERY BAD LOCATION.*AK

WHILE APPLYING THE BRAKE PEDAL, THE VEHICLE JERKED AND VIBRATED. THE BRAKE PEDAL WENT TO THE FLOOR. THE DRIVER WAS ABLE TO MAINTAIN CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE AND DROVE IT TO THE DEALER FOR INSPECTION. THE MECHANIC WAS UNABLE TO DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER DETAILS. *JB

PROBLEMS WITH TIRES ON 2003 FORD EXPLORER. *MR THERE WAS A VIBRATION IN THE FRONT END, THE TIRE WERE NOTICED WORN ON THE INSIDE, THERE WAS ALSO A PROBLEM WITH THE REAR END WHICH WAS TILTED DUE TO A BENT FRAME, THE REAR END LEAKED AS WELL. THE DEALER CLAIMED THAT THEY COULDN'T FIND ANYTHING WRONG. (THREE SETS OF TIRES IN 20K MILES AND ABOUT TWO WEEKS LATER, THEY HAD TO REPLACED ONE OF THE BACK TIRES AGAIN) THE NOISE AND VIBRATION REMAINED. *SC *JB

THIS FORD EXPLORER SPORT TRACK WAS BOUGHT NEW. I PREVIOUSLY HAD A FORD EXPLORER. THE REASON I TRADED WAS BECAUSE OF THE ROLL OVER RATE. THE DEALERSHIP WHERE I PURCHASED THIS VEHICLE GAVE ME A RUN DOWN ON THE NEWLY DESIGNED EXPLORER TELLIN ME THAT THE NEW DESIGN HAD CORRECTED THE ROLL OVER PROBLEM IN WHICK FORD MOTOR COMPANY HAS HAD SEVERAL LAW SUITS. I HAVE TWO GRANDCHILDEN WE ARE RAISING AND I MOST CURTAINLY DON'T FEEL SAFE IN THIS VEHICLE AFTER READING THE ARTICLES ON THIS SITE AND THE ARTICLE IN THE FORT WORTH STAR TELEGRAM. I HAVE HAD THIS VEHICLE IN THE SHOP TWICE FOR TRANSMISSION PROBLEMS AND POWERSTEERING PROBLEMS. BOTH TIMES THEY SAID THEY FOUND NOTHING. PLEASE ADVISE ME IN WHAT I SHOULD DO.

WHILE DRIVING AND ATTEMPTING TO APPLY THE BRAKES THEY FAILED INTERMITTENTLY. NO IMPACT REPORTED. *AK THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER. THE TECHNICIAN TEST DROVE THE VEHICLE BUT COULD NOT DUPLICATE THE FAILURE. THE MASTER CYLINDER WAS REPLACED BUT THE BRAKES FAILED AGAIN AFTER IT WAS REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN BACK TO THE DEALER AT LEFT FOR TWO WEEKS. DURING THAT TIME THE FAILURE COULD NOT BE DUPLICATED. THE CONSUMER FEELS THAT THE ENTIRE BRAKE SYSTEM SHOULD BE REPLACED SINCE THE DEALER IS UNABLE TO CORRECT THE PROBLEM. *NM