2003 FORD Explorer

Rear end, ABS, wheel sensor, hub assembly, transmission issues, constant brake related and wheel related issues that are so bad can\\\'t drive car. Transmission ;band broken servo broken torque converter no second or fifth gear. Again. Undriveable and I just can\\\'t put anymore money into this thing to keep fords crap working. I can\\\'t afford constant repairs or buy a new car. Ford won\\\'t stand behind their KNOWN problems. Who can help? Can someone help consumers such as me that depend on their vehicle? I take impeccable care of this broke down hunk of metal!

Bad transmission it is slipping

Transmission shifts hard and clunks, is not safe to drive. The estimate repair is around $ 3,400. Will never buy a ford again.

Tramission problems

Rear plastic panel below hatch window has multiple cracks

The rear panel of my 2003 Explorer cracked. This appears to be a common problem that Ford will not currently address (They did once)

Back Glass Exploded after pressing the lift gate release button, glass covered me and my foster child I was holding.

The spark plugs have ejected causing damage to the coil at least six times since I have taken ownership of this vehicle in February 2016. It is unreliable and I think Ford should come good for this failure

Back Hatch has a crack through the metal

some i didn’t repair and i am living with these.

1. Transmission- builds up power, but does not accelerate when gas padel pressed, pressure keeps building until finally the car explodes in acceleration and you are thrust back. Very difficult to change lanes or enter a highway. Incredibly dangerous.
2. Sensors on the door constantly tell me the doors are open, don’t know when a door is actually open.
3. The hutch body is cracked, glass is not securely held by the body of the hutch.

THE REAR LIFTGATE WINDOW SHATTERED FOR NO APPARENT REASON. IT WAS PARKED AT WORK AT ABOUT ONE AM. BEEN SITTING FOR THREE HOURS AT THAT TIME. THE TEMPERATURE WAS ABOUT 60 DEGREES F. THE WINDOW WAS NOT CRACKED OR ANY OTHER DEFECTS OR VISIBLE DAMAGE. DID NOT JUST CRACK IT COMPLETELY SHATTERED.

Transmission needed rebuilding at 96800 miles. O/D light is now blinking and transmission is shifting erratically. Transmission seems to surge and grind.

The vehicle is a closed transmission ..consumer has no way of checking or maintaining level..or checking the color or if clutch shards are present…consumer has to pay $115 to even have transmission level checked…consumer cannot perform preventative maintanence on their vehicle…this has been an ongoing problem with ford owners that Ford is not willing to address

The rear window exploded while the vehicle was parked in front of my house. There was a recall issued for this problem in 2004 (04V-442), when I contacted ford, they told me that the previous owner had brought it in for repair of this recall. Because it was a one time repair, I am not covered even though it failed after receiving the recall repairs

ocassionaly the vehicle will not shift from park into any drive gears (reverse or drive) no other symptoms on transmission this far, slight grinding and ABS light illumination for the wheel bearing but no other symptoms as of yet. we have stopped driving this vehicle at this point due to safety concerns.

My transmission O/D light came on and a few days later, my check engine light came on. I had to let off on the excelerator to get the car to shift into second gear. Sometimes, I pushed onto the accelerator at 4000 rpm to have the transmission switch gears. After taking it to the transmission shop, it turns out that the band for second gear snapped and a metal piece in the transmission started grinding and metal fragments dispersed inside my transmission. All the gears, the solenoid, and the torque converter had to be replaced. The cost of this repair was 1700 dollars. Should I have to have my transmission repaired before 100,000 miles?

My 2003 spark plug blew out and is costing alot of money and wasted time. How can this not be a safety issue? Ford needs to own up to the bad design and fix the probelm on their own dime.

Mechanic said transmission needs to be replacement. Cost for new on $3300.00 Rebuilt not much less.

Crack in rear tailgate panel like all the other ones. Also the door ajar indicator seems to be coincidentally turned on.

Crack in rear liftgate door for 2002-2005 Explorers. Ford knew about the problem, covered it up and now there is a class action lawsuit.

Complete transmission failure requiring remanufactured transmission!

O/D Off light began to flash then vehicle would not shift out of first gear.

Hood corrosion that took many years to show up. I had contacted Ford for the problem, but they never give me a solution.

Ford dealer said that my rear tailgate crack was inherent on 2003 ford explorers and that ford will not correct the issue.

The tailgate panel is cracked. The crack expands and contracts given different weather conditions. Concern is the integrity of the panel, a safety concern every time we open and close the tailgate.

Transmission failure

I purchased a used 2003 Ford Explorer in November of 2011 from a used car dealership in Eastpointe, Michigan. In October of 2012. I was driving on the freeway on my way home from work and all of a sudden my car would not accelerate. I coasted off of the freeway into the nearest gas station and I put my car in park. My car would not shift into no gears. I had to have my car towed. The following day I contacted the nearest transmission repair shop, because the problem seemed to be coming from my transmission. I had my car repaired, however, it took me two months to pay for it and get it out of the repair shop. The same day I got my car out of the shop, it started making these loud noises. Ihad to take my truck back to shop, and the repairman claimed it was my tourque converter. I got the truck out the shop again and it ran good for about one month and all of a sudden my O/D lights starts to flash. I contacted the transmission repair shop and informed the owner/repairman and he told me to bring it in the next day. The next day come, well the O/D light has stopped flashing. Therefore, nothing was done. I relocated to Jacksonville, Florida, two weeks later and my truck check engine light came on. I had it checked out by a professional skilled mechanic and he said I needed to replace the coil/wiring. I had him replace my wiring. One week later, (currently), my truck O/D lights flashes, my RPM is too high shifting from 1st to 2nd gear, my transmission appears to be slipping, surges when braking, surging under acceleration, and unexplained acceleration. I was so upset that I begin to do research on this vehicle and I found out that the 2003 Ford Explorer had over 26,000 complaints about the transmission and unexplained acceleration. Recently, I secured employment, however, my vehicle is not safe to drive, and it appears I can not count on a replicable transmission shop to do the repairs, due to experiencing the same problems over and over again. I’m just devasted, I paid $ 6,700 for the truck and put an additional $ 5,000 dollars into the truck less than nine months from purchase date. Totaling $ 11,700 dollars. I can not believe there is not a recall on these vehicles. Something need to be done about this, these vehicles were defective when they left the assembly line. We the people should not have to suffer and pay enormous repair costs over and over again. I need help because I just can not accept this is happening to me.
Unbelievable,
Tammy Watkins

Crack on rear hatch next to Ford Emblem

I purchased this vehicle less than a month ago from Terrebonne Ford in Houma, LA. The (external) plastic panel below the rear window not only cracked, but flew off. My local dealer is not offering to take care of this as I purchased the vehicle “As-Is”. I have researched this matter and have found thousands of complaints regarding this part. Part# 1L2Z78402A30. This problem appears to be on the 2002-2005 Ford Explorer’s. Also found the same part# problems on the Lincoln Aviator 03-05 and the Mercury Mountaineer 02-05.

Transmission begain slipping between gears, 1-2 and 2-3.

Total rebuild transmission

This SUV was brought in February of 20012.from a used car dealer. The problem is that I never was told that it was a V-8 and I did not test drive it either. Now when I first drove it it accelerated really fast and it does this all the time. I am afraid that one day it is going to accelerate while driving in the freeway or in the city streets and cause me to wreck, get injured or cause me to die. I took it to the used car mechanic. I was told that the warranty does not cover any thing except electrical. I have been trying to fix the problem. but it is no use it does the same thing. The part was replaced by my own mechanic who replaced the part for free. I would like something to be done about my situation. either get my money back or get another car.

The transmission pushed me over the edge, I see online the number of complaints and see this is a manufacturer problem. I’ve never towed anything or drove this vehicle hard, so the transmission should be more durable than this. Ford is quality right?

My Explorer has 72000 miles and the O/D light is flashing also, the transmission takes a long time to shift to second gear and it shifts with difficulty. I replaced the selenoid ($$$ the mechanic indicated it was due to a poor design by Ford engineers) and a month later the same problem. I understand that Ford is aware of this issue and decided to do nothing but MAKE MONEY from the parts sold for this type of repair. This is an expensive problem and the company is aware and no class action has been generated?

Ford refused to help me when there have been many complaints about a poorly designed transmission. Read complaints on the internet and talk to a transmission specialist. I am surprised that there has been no class action or recall. I have owned over a dozen Fords and that is all my family ever drove. I will certainly look at another Ford, but after I look and shop with their competitors.

Flashing OD light followed by check engine light, Began experiencing shift problems. Had to adjust gas pedal to get transmission to shift. Took to shop was informed it was either a piston and spring or total rebuild. AAmco transmission stated it was a common problem with this vehicle. Called FORD was informed my problem as the vehicle out of warranty. Driving 40 yrs. take care of my vehicles. Rebuild will cost $2500 +. I guess Ford will wait till someone gets killed when the transmission fails and causes an accident. (More cost effective?). They don’t/won’t acknowledge their design flaw. Their reputation for reliability is falling through the Floor, CONSUMER REPORTS DROPPED THEM FROM 10TH TO 20TH in their annual reliability rankings. They have lost their credibility, they will not acknowledge their flawed transmission as they don’t want to pay for the fix. Don’t know how some people can sleep at night . Brought my last FORD !!

Crack door panel on rear door of 2003 Ford SUV. Paint is peeling off near the cracked panel.

THE STEERING JUMP OUT OF SOCKET, MY INSURANCE COVER THE COST. REAR CRACKED PANEL, INTERIOR LIGHTS WILL NOT GO OFF. THE DRIVER SIDE FOR THE WINDOWS, DOORS AND MIRRORS NOT WORKING AT ALL. DRIVER SEAT VERY HARD TO RELEASE. THE CAR SOMETIME FEEL LIKE I DRIVING IN another gear….

o/d and service engine light coma on about the same time and the transmission won’t go into overdrive

O/D light flashes. Hard shift from 1 to 2. Check transmission light. O/D off light. Check engine light. Need to replace transmission

I went to leave for work one morning & I noticed the rear panel was cracked. It wasn’t like that the night before, so it literally happened overnight. My mechanic said it was cosmetic & a common problem with these trucks. I was told the window would be fine, but there is a chance of the panel ‘pieces’ falling off. I haven’t had it fixed due to the expense. To add insult to injury, a week later, my transmission started slipping & the O/D light was flashing. I had it towed & sure enough, it had to be rebuilt. It also needed a new hub bearing and both front ball joints had to be replaced.

Trying to merge onto the highway when my O/D light started flashing and the transmission would not shift into gear. Almost caused an accident because I could not go any faster than 35mph while trying to merge into traffic traveling 65mph. After looking online seen where this is a major problem for the early 2000 models.

O/D light started flashing then service engine light came on.

FORD EXPLORER HAS A CRACKED REAR PANEL BELOW THE WINDOW. THIS IS THE SECOND TIME THIS HAS HAPPENED. THEY COVERED IT THE FIRST TIME BECAUSE IT WAS UNDER WARRANTY AND THIS TIME THEY WILL NOT. IF I DO GET IF REPAIRED/REPLACED IT WILL HAPPEN AGAIN. FORD NEEDS TO RECALL THIS RIGHT AWAY.

Vehicle will not go into gear properly when driving, transmission slipping, and O/D light flashing.

Transmission failed at 143K. Transmissions I had in prior Ford vehicles never needed to be replaced. I sold or turned them in with 245K 1988 – Bronco II, and an 1995 Explorer with 273K. There seems to be a problem with Ford’s sealed transmission used in the Explorers from 2002-2008. This needs to be investigated and Ford should be held accountable.

There is an increasingly loud grinding noise coming from underneath the center of the vehicle that seems to occur as I accelerate and get very loud as I break, then cease. It happens repeatedly each time I drive and is becoming increasingly worse.

The transmission on my SUV has been change twice. The first time my transmission failed it was it under warranty and I paid nothing to get it fix. My Explorer only had around 35000 mile on it. All of my repairs and maintenance was handle by the Ford Dealership were I bought the vehicle. My transmission was replace again three months ago. My vehicle only had 75,000 miles on it. I paid 3,000 to replace the transmission. This is the worst vehicle I have ever own. I also had two new starter replaced in this vehicle.

The studs on the rear wheels are snapping off. This has happened THREE times while I was driving. My right rear tire was being held on by only one stud. This has also happened twice while I was having my tires rotated. In total, I have lost 21 studs on my rear tires over the last 16 months. My local Ford service dept has no solution how to fix the problem. Regional engineers have recommended solutions, but we have already done them all. The problem continues. My car is dangerous and Ford has no solution to fix it.

The panel under the back window has cracked

Our engine seized with no warning and now our transmission has blown with no warning. I have researched this and this is a very widespread problem and a very dangerous one if on a major highway as we were. I researched this problem on Carcomplaints.com and it is a very very common complaint. We were stuck on the highway with our 2 small children not once but twice now.First when the engine seized we were stuck in a lane on the highway 403 as our vehicle would not move and again when our transmission blew. We were driving along and without warning the vehicle jerked us forward and then made a loud clunking noise and then the O.D light started flashing and we pulled over. We referred to our owners manual and it cautioned us to pull over and have the vehicle serviced immediately. We called ford after redaing all the complaints on this site alone to see if there had finally been a recall made and they offered to diagnose the problem for $105 an hr and if need be rebuild our transmission for $4000- $ 5000 plus service rate of $105 an hr.

My 6 cd changer went out and was replaced i only had to pay 100.00. My tailgate split from the bottom of window to the opening, they fixed it and than it split in 3 places and it wasn’t fixed, now my transmission. It started with the o/d light flashing and would not turn off, than the check transmission light came on. When I took it to the shop I was told it was a common complaint with that model Explorer. I called Ford at the 1-800-392-3673 number but they said they never heard what i had told them and that they would make note of my complaint but there was nothing else they could do because as of June last year my warranty was up.

At 82,000 miles the transmission on the 03 Explorer was revving up way too high before it would shift. Took it to the dealer. They did a transmission servicing for $225. I picked up the car, and hadn’t even driven a mile when the o/d light started flashing, and the transmission would still not shift properly. Went straight back to the Ford dealer. They kept it overnight and checked it out. They said it needed a new transmission for a cost of $4800.00. That is on top of the $225 I just paid. There was NO WAY we could pay that. We checked out the many Explorer tranny problems listed on the internet, and saw that this was a very common and well known problem. So, we called Ford Customer Care, and guess what? They DON’T care! They said they were unaware of any Explorer owners having this problem. We referred them to the internet, where hundreds of complaints are listed. We will have to get the transmission replaced, but we will not do it through the Ford dealer. We are done with Ford!

Transmission would not engage after coming to a stop and then suddenly shift in to gear. When parked and shifting into reverse there is a lag then sudden engagement and acceleration in reverse.

The transmission fails to shift properly. The problem occurs in Forward and Reverse. The transmission fails to engage,especially when trying to accelerate or back. This is a significant safety hazard for the vehicle operator and any vehicle passengers including children. This is an SUV which is marketed and sold for the “family” consumer.This vehicle, when the transmission does not engage while under power, also poses safety hazards to other drivers because you become a “sitting duck” on freeways and surface streets when the transmission fails to engage or disengages. Inevitably this WILL lead to serious injury or death.

spark plug blew out of engine block while driving to grocery store. Though I blew my engine.

MY o/d light is flashing and the dealership says I have no 2nd or 5th gear and everyone I talk to says that this is a common problem for the explorer but there is no recall yet. Which I can’t see why there isn’t if they put bad equipment on cars they should fix them I shouldn’t have to pay for their mistake. The dealership says I need a new transmission but I took it to a different repair shop and they said I may only need to replace the solenoid pack which is 650.00 to replace.

Transmission failure.
Was necessary replace or install: new assembly set, new filter w/400 inlet, new band intermediate, new trans fluid and exchange rebuilt torque converter.

I drove up to Maryland to visit family. After being in Maryland for less then two days I noticed a large crack on my rear tailgate hatch. This was not there the day before and I had no idea what caused it. My son did some research and discovered this is a common problem with this vehicle year and model. This has happened to hundreds of explorer owners and Ford should issue a recall on this problem. This is a vehicle manufactuer problem.

Transmission failure

The o/d light started blinking in April 2011, in May 2011 the check engine light came on and the o/d light was blinking. I took the car to my mechanic who said the P0775 code was displayed and the transmission would need replaced for a total cost of parts and labor being $2200. I have only had this car 8 months and have replaced the transfer case now the transmission. Upon completion of researching consumer reviews this is the most comlplained about problem of any car on the road in 2002,2003,and 2004 model ford explorers. I am currently trying to retain an attorney to pursue further action through a class action lawsuit

Like many 2003 Ford Explorer owners, the back rear panel has cracked near the Ford emblem. I’ve contacted the corporate office of Ford Motor Company, and also our local Ford dealer — Champion Ford of Owensboro, KY — about getting this repaired at Ford’s expense. No luck any time, though they are happy to give me an estimate on getting it fixed at MY expense. I’ve been working on this since May. I have contacted the corporate consumer office one more time (this morning) and if I do not get a satisfactory response, I am starting a Facebook page, posting pictures of my Explorer and encouraging other Explorer owners with the same problem to join and post photos. I cannot imagine that Ford Motor would want such negative publicity, but if a Facebook page does not encourage them to do the right thing, my next step will be to do a video, post it on YouTube and hope that it goes viral.

Like every other day, I started the SUV a few minutes before I had to leave to let it warm up because NY is cold, and then left to run some errands. I realized right away that the truck sounded a little funny when accelerating, so the radio went off so I could listen. I found that when shifting from first to second, in this automatic vehicle, the overdrive was kicking on prematurely. Then the O/D light started flashing. I came home and started researching it and found hundreds of complaints, so here I am, in the same boat as everyone else, about to look up numbers to transmission specialists because the dealer is definitely not going to make any money off of my with this one.

I just bought an 03 Ford Explorer in the beginning of Feb 2011, I now need to replace the transmission. This was a private sale so there was no warrenty on it. It shifts hard between 1st and 3rd and I have been told that I am missing 2nd and 5th gear. I don’t have $1500 plus to fix the transmission and would like to know what is being done about this problem because I think it’s unfair to have to have such a large out of pocket expense when this wasn’t something I did.

I have never had any problems with my 2003 Ford Explorer until the last month. I have always taken care of my car and have provided all necessary upkeep. I was doing nothing more then driving 5 miles to the gas station when out of nowhere my scheck engine light came on. The next day on my way to work I noticed that the transmission was having trouble shifting and by the time I got home that evening my O/D Off light was flashing. My car is still in the garage being fixed and the last they could tell me i was looking at paying at least 3200 but it may be more.
I thought at first that it was just a fluke until I checked the internet to find that there are alot of other people having the same problems. It seems to me that if so many people are having this problem with this transmission that Ford should take responsibility and fix the problem.
I have called my Ford dealership and they say there is nothing that they can do. I would be very interested in knowing if there is a class action lawsuit for this problem and if there is anything else that I can do.

Engine revs to approx. 5K before slamming into 2nd gear. Also does not want to come out of low-range sometimes even though i follow all the steps in the owners manual!

Cracked rear panel, door ajar switch.

Cracked rear hatch near the Ford logo.

ABS light stays on now. Code says there is a problem with the rear wheel sensor. When the ABS light would go off it felt like I didn’t have any brakes at all. Locked tires up trying to stop at a red light. Also having an issue with the cruise control not working. Light comes on but cruise won’t engage.

No second gear

I am currently replacing my second transmission on my Explorer 4.6l. It will have it’s third installed this week. Both failures have occurred in traffic at highway speed. Quick internet research reveals this is a known issue and the most commonly complained about car problem since the year 2000. This is 3rd transmission. Both previous failures occurred at hwy speed in traffic. Failed April 2011 at 165000 km with $1600 repair bill.

the vehicle began kicking back while changing gears and now i cant go above 25mph without wottying the engine is going to fall out due to the extreme noise it makes. also now the car will not drive in reverse.

O/D light flashing, would not shift out of 1st gear unless you let off the gas. The hinges on the back hatch glass are broken, Ford already fixed it once after they issued a recall so now they say it my problem. It makes no sense if you replace a defective part with another defective part that you should be let off the hook.

I have a crack on the rear panel below the rear window on the lift gate. I have not fixed the problem as I have read that the fix will involve the same rear panel that has already cracked and driving around town I see many Ford Explorers with cracks in the rear panel the same as mine. I think that Ford should do something about this problem and the fix should be a better panel the one they put into the car when it was made. I am worried that water will invade the crack and cause problems within the lift gate like a short to the switchs that open the lift gate and the lift gate window. It is almost a joke how many Explorers that I see that have the same crack in the rear panel that my car has.

cRACK DEVELOPED IN THE REAR HATCH BELOW THE WINDOW

CD player will not eject CDs. AC/heat unit made loud thumping noises. 1 attempt at repair fixed it for a few weeks, then it crashed altogether. It was replaced. My current issue is the newfound crack on my rear door panel.

Automatic transmission failed upon startup and stranded driver, requirining vehicle to be towed and the transmission to be rebuilt. Front wheel bearing failed requiring replacement.

"OD (Overdrive)" light blinking in dash. Then "Service Engine Soon" light on on 12-31-10. Higher RPM’s in engine then usual, to shift gears in automatic tranmission. Trans having thumping sounding when placed into park, drive or reverse. Broken Servo sidearm inside transmission.. Vehicle only has 62,000 miles on it.

w hatch for all ’02’s, ’03’s and ’04’s. Warranties are not intended to cover design flaws that never should have occurred in the first place. This issue was not caused by wear and tear on our "very well taken care of" vehicle. Warranties cover wear and tear…….but legitimate car companies cover and fix an issue that CLEARLY elicits a RECALL for a defected part(s). I will continue to fight this issue until it is resolved and Ford customers like myself are satisfied. I’ve said it before and I’m not alone….we take pride in our vehicles, and while a crack in the rear panel may not "appear" to be anything other than a cosmetic issue (it remains to be seen if the crack creates other problems?), I can no longer take pride in my car with the crack being a daily reminder that I no longer have what I once considered a nice vehicle. And while I can’t see the crack as I’m driving, I’m reminded of it when I see the many others driving around town with the same problem. I’ve even seen some with duck tape covering the crack!!! I’m sorry, but a $30,000+ vehicle should NEVER have duck tape on it for ANY reason; not one that’s not 20+ years old, at least! Attached you will find two photos of my vehicle. While I hope Ford will end this fight "better late than never", and keep me from having to spend my free time arguing this issue……I’m prepared to do what is necessary to put an end to a very unfortunate situation, one that could have been prevented had Ford chosen to step up to the plate. Shame on Ford……. –Lisa Chalstrom Original Owner: 2003 Ford Explorer XLT V6 (Red) VIN #: 1FMDU73WX3ZB09303 Odometer Reading as of summer 2010: approx. 65,000 miles ——————————————————————————– http://www.carcomplaints.com/Ford/Explorer/2003/body_paint/index.shtml http://www.carcomplaints.com/Ford/Explorer/2003/body_paint/cracked_panel_below_the_rear_window.shtml The two links above are just ONE of the many websites I plan to send to you, which show the countless complaints regarding the cracked panel below the rear window. At this website alone, 321 people have a complaint regarding the body and / or paint of their 2003 Explorer. Of those 321 people, 273 of them have complaints about the cracked panel below the rear window of their vehicle. Of those 273 people, you can add myself, making it 274. ——————————————————————————– http://www.edmunds.com/ford/explorer/2003/consumerreview.html Listed in the link above, you will find numerous Ford Explorer 2003 car owners listing complaints of the cracked panel below the rear window…..most of which was their ONLY suggested improvement on that vehicle. Also note the rating for the "build" of this model is a "5", and the overall rating of the vehicle as a whole, is only a 6.1….NOT great, in my opinion. ——————————————————————————– http://www.fordproblems.com/Explorer/cracked-rear-panel.shtml From this link above, it is almost laughable that Ford having FULL understanding of this complaint, is STILL unwilling to solve this problem and correct it for their customers. Note that one person saw "6" Explorers in ONE parking garage, ALL with the rear cracked panel. In addition to my Explorer, I have seen countless others with the exact same crack….some of which actually have duck tape on them. How embarrassing for Ford, one would think? I also found the following quote the most interesting from the report: "The Ford Explorer’s most frequent problem – in fact one of the most common problems reported for *any* vehicle (Ford or otherwise) – is cracks in the plastic panel below the rear window." And you STILL won’t help? ——————————————————————————– http://www.automotiveforums.com/t489142-discuss2003_ford_explorer_cracked_rear_hatch.html Now the website above has SO many complaints about the cracked rear panel, that the moderator of the site ended the dialogue because the complaints were so repetitive. How ridiculous is that? Not the fact that the moderator ended the dialogue, but the fact that there were SO many complaints and Ford yet again does not take accountability….amazing. ——————————————————————————– http://www.explorerforum.com/forums//showthread.php?t=235694 I’m feeling a bit repetitive myself here. Again, the link above lists all the numerous complaints regarding the same issue. Interesting how one post mentioned that a Ford employee let it slip they have been receiving a multitude of calls / complaints regarding this issue. And still….nothing from Ford to resolve this issue. ——————————————————————————– http://www.topix.com/forum/autos/ford-explorer/TCQ0SRS3D41AIGKAT Well let’s see….yet another 155 complaints listed on this link above. Ford’s response? This is not a warranty issue and is a problem created by heat and humidity. I would love to say something inappropriate right about now, but I’m going to rise above Ford and try to show some dignity. ——————————————————————————– http://www.aboutautomobile.com/Complaint/2003/Ford/Explorer/Body And note, there is a complaint that a person’s rear panel cracked in the WINTER, so obviously it is NOT a heat / humidity issue, as Ford has claimed!!! Regardless of whether or not this crack occurs in the winter vs. summer, it STILL should not be happening in the first place! And, also note the people complaining of this issue have multiple friends with the SAME issue! ——————————————————————————– http://www.facebook.com/topic.php?uid=22166130048&topic=12547 Ok, this issue has gone to Facebook? Really? Facebook? Wow. The funny part is, Shawn from Ford made a comment in response to all the complaints regarding the cracked panel, and whether or not these parts have been recalled. Shawn, a Ford employee, simply offered a website to check for open recall information: fordowner.com%2F&h=5002d. Wow, thanks for the information, Shawn. ——————————————————————————– http://www.planetfeedback.com/ford+motor+company/quality/2002+ford+explorer/283285 This website is titled, "Planet Feedback– The Voice of One. The Power of Many." If only it were true…..that the voice of just 1, or two, or 3… 300, 3,000+ people were enough power for Ford to realize what they’re doing…or NOT doing, is WRONG. ——————————————————————————– http://www.arfc.org/complaints/2003/ford/explorer/?q=&page=10 870 complaints! 870!!!??? I will give you that not all the complaints on this particular site are related to the rear cracked panel, but MOST of them are….and including the paint issue which is something I have not even addressed yet!!! That is yet ANOTHER issue with the rear panel of my vehicle, which began to occur at the time the panel cracked. ——————————————————————————– http://automarketseoanalysis.com/index.php?mode=key&key=ford+explorer+hatch+crack+recall Gotta lose my dignity for a second and step down to Ford’s level by referencing the 1st comment on the forum found in the above link. It states: "I too have had the ASS crack on my 2004 Explorer." Well, at least someone is able to bring some sort of humor in what is a very unfortunate situation….one that could be corrected by Ford if they did what is right. ——————————————————————————–

There is paint peeling hood and headlights. There is also corrosion around my headlights. I have not had the problem repaired yet however I was told that the cost would be over $500. I contacted customer service and was told that my car is out of warranty and Ford Motor would not cover the repair. I wrote a letter to Ford Customer Assistance Center and have not received a response.

The Side Curtain Airbags deployed on the vehicle while traveling down a city street at 25 mph. There were no potholes, breaking, or accelerating occuring at the time. Ford refuses to not only fix the issue, but even investigate it.

The only real problem at this moment is that the paint on the hood and fenders started peeling off. This is the only place that this has happened. I wash and wax the vehicle regularly.

Rear end has humming sound. Faster you go louder sound gets, also vibration feeling through out truck

Paint on hood started to bubble. Took to ford and they told me it wasn\’t going to be able to be covered because I have \’chips\’ in the paint and that it could have been caused by those. They told me I cannot prove I cared and washed it frequently and that was probably part of the problem.

Paint cracking and peeling off the top of the explorer.

Multiple bubbling/blistering areas of paint on front lip of hood on 2003 Explorer. Paint is also peeling on roof near roof rack.

June 2004 took the explorer in to the dealer for noise and leak coming from the rear axle area, they told me a wheel bearing was bad, also it needed strut inserts a axle boot and a axle seal was leaking. They wanted over 1200 hundred dollars to fix the rear axle problems, with no help from Ford. This vehicle was only a year old and out of waranty by a few thousand miles. We had the repair done at an independant for much less. Next came the transmission torque converter clutch failure, still being repaired at this writing, that will cost 700 dollars possibly more, Also we are told Ford has problems with the rear axle and they know about it, gear noise and clutch pack shudder in the 02 and 03 Explorers the dealer says the best fix is a new and improved rear axle assy, 1000 bucks or more to fix. These problems should be Fords responsibility They created these monsters

I was leasing this Explorer, last April 11 I bought the truck, via financial agency. Two days ago my transmission started to fail (do not go in gear)I took the truck to a Ford dealer, they told me that Ford do not accept any responsibility in this transmission. They not cover me for the five years like in a normal situation, because I bought the truck from them. Transmission still a new transmission. Become defective in early 3 years, with a milage of only 30,600, I\’m not a lawyer but I smell a lemon in this situation, and Ford one more time take us customers for granted.

I was involved in an accident that occured on Oct. 14, 2003. I was making a left turn when I was broadsided by a Toyota Camry going about 20 -30 miles an hour. My Explorer tipped onto the driver side. I was terrified it would roll-over (upside-down) I had no idea how easy it was to tip my vehicle over. Do you have any data concerning Ford Explorers? Do you have any suggestions as to what I can do? I’m never getting into that vehicle again but I owe $22,000. Now trade in value is maybe $16,000. The car is still being repaired and will be covered by the other driver’s insurance.

i purchased my explorer on 10-28-03 it has been in the shop three times for the same problem it has a vibration in the rear axle the first time they balanced the tires i got it back the same day the second time they balanced the tires again i got it back in two days. this is the third time for the same problem i dropped it off on january 2, 2004 and it is still in the shop. they have no idea what the problem is they have also called in a ford specialist and still no idea.

I own a 2003 Explorer Sport Trac 4×4. At 18,560 miles my brakes began making a grinding noise and the emergency brake light would come on when applying the brakes. Took to Haag Ford, Lawerenceburg, Indiana to have it looked at. Prior to to the visit, I contacted (2) other Ford dealerships. They both stated that the grinding is obviously the brake pads going out,which I knew but, they both explained that I should get at least 35,000 miles out of the pads that were put on at the manufacturer. The service rep caled and informed me that it was definately the pads but, could not find any reason why the pads did not last 35,000 miles and that I would be responsible for replacement, not Ford. My question is, if the Ford rep, both of them, said that they should last at least 35,000 miles why am I responsible for “faulty” pads that were put on my truck with only 18,560 miles on them?

i have recently bought 2 brand new fords from champion ford in shreveport louisiana. my brand new ford xlt explorer 2 door sport has been in the shop for various repairs longer than i have had the vechicle. the vechicle was purchased on 09/27/2003 since then the hood had to be re-painted, both side body moulding has been replaced, the front turn signal light came loose , both botttom exterior body door trim had to be replaced,interior trim piece below the rear window broke and had to be re-placed, but the main problem is a vibration in the motor/transmission that vibrates the dash i have spent already over $60.00 in gas back and forth to dealership, me and my wife have taken off two days at work costing us over $500.00 in loss of pay, i have already paid the first truck note and insurance payment and now the truck is back at the dealership for repairs for approximatly one more week of repairs. on 10/17/2003 the truck was brought back to the dealership and my wife drove another explorer of the same make/model and had no problems i then was told by the service mgr. that this problem was inherant to this make/model. i then approached the sale mgr. with the hopes of either exchanging or trading up too the 4 door model to help defray the profit loss. it was explained to me that the vechicle had already depriciated some $4000.00 and that to swap vechicles it would cost me an additional $75.00 aan up a month car note.i have contacted ford motor company who basically told me i was stuck with the vechicle even though the dealership has had the vechicle longer than i have had it.i was sent from employee to employee mgr. of this to mgr. of that. i would appreciate any information or ideas you could provide me with this situation. this vechicle is to be my wife’s truck and i would like her in a safe truck that is safe for her to travel in. the dealership has already replaced the cosmetic faults but has stated that this problem is of doubtfull outcome. i am not a rich man and this purchase was basically to fullfill a wish of my wife to own and enjoy a suv. we have neither enjoyed or been able to drive the vechicle much due to it’s continuing problems. thank-you for your time and consideration.

I have had my explorer since May 27. It had 11 miles on it when I bought it. The first time it would not start it had 300 miles on it. Eventually I did get it started, brought it to Ford and they could not find a problem. The 2nd time the same thing happened I had 2300 miles on it. I had it towed to Ford. When it got to Ford it started and they could not find a problem. This happened again at 2500 miles and 2700 miles. Ford still has it now. They have had it for a week and still do not know what is wrong with it. The problem occurred on June 5, July 8, July 25 and August 21. So far all work has been warranty but I have been without my vehicle 21 days in the 3 months I have owned it.

I had to replace the air blower again in 3/05, mileage was at 7865 and cost was covered by warranty $83.27.I was able to get Ford to cover the computer reprogramming which was to update the computer because I use E85 fuel exclusively. It is a dual fuel system. It took research on my part via internet and talking to the owner before they agreed to pay the cost. If they are selling a dual fuel vehicle, the computer system should recognize it!My biggest problem right now is the paint peeling and blistering on the hood of my Explorer. Ford recommends replacing the hood with a steel one. My cost for repairs is an estimate for repainting. They are standing firm on not paying for this repair. They are aware of the problem but refuse to consider fixing it. The back window on the drivers side works intermittely and the drivers seat belt does not retract. I was told I had to replace both. This was right after my warranty period had expired.

Driver seat moves forward on braking and to the rear when accelerating. Movement is approx. 1/2 to 1 inch.The dealership was unable to fix the problem and after contacting Ford they said it would be noted and we may be contacted if they get others with the same issue? The service manager at my dealer has seen many. I want it fixed. My wife will not drive the vehicle and we feel it is a safety issue.

Corrosion and blistering paint along front edge of hood. Ford dealer bodyshop said it is a known problem with alumimum contamination prior to painting. Ford denied warranty repair (paint problems not covered outside of 3/36 base warranty). Also said 5 year corrosion warranty only applies if corrosion caused holes in metal.

Before I purchased the vehicle I asked for an alignment to be done. The salesman told me it was done. I brought the car to my own mechanic to check up on the work and he told me that the front tires were bald on the inside and causing the steering to be off. The dealership switched them side to side leaving the baldness on the outside. When I brought it back to the dealership even their manager told me that it should not have been handled that way. During my five visits to the service department for many different problems I have been told, \"You bought a Ford, what do you expect\" and \"it is not going to run like a Cadillac.

august 15,2008 my paint is bubbling on outside of hood and inside of hood and flaking off……………………….my milage is 61,000

Anti-lock light has remained on due to speed sensor malfunction. had to go into shop three times. Covered by warranty. Tailgate panel developed a crack about 5 inches from Ford Insignia. Possibly due to hydraulic shocks allowing the tailgate to shut too forcefully

2003 Ford Explorer Sport Trac was hit from behind, causing driver to be forced into the driver\’s seat. The upper portion of the drivers seat caved in causing the head-rest support poles to protrude into the driver\’s upper back, causing injury. Ford dealership service manager denied that there was a problem with the seat. Ford factory representative refused to meet with owner. Ford Customer Service refused to investigate the owner\’s claim.

2003 FORD EXPLORER Leakage of the rear differential. I was told by the repairman that Ford has created a kit for this repair, but has not taken responsibility for this problem. I would have to buy one of the kits and pay to repair the problem. I don\’t think this should be my repair, and if they are making kits, they know they have a problem and should assume the responsibility for the cost of the repair.

Transmissions should not go out this quickly. There are an abundant amount of these issues.

The car had a problem with the transmission under the warranty but Ford dealership took care of that back in 2003. I have been very diligant with the 2002 V8 Eddie Bauer Explorer and its maintenance. When the transimission o/d light went on in November 2009, it didn’t come back again until May 2010. Then it started to come on and go off more frequently and when the transmission check light came on I broguht it to the Ford dealership in June 2010. They reprogrammed the computer and it did fine until just last week July 20th, 2010. I went on line before I brought it to an independent transmission shop and found that Ford has a class action suit against them for this faulty transmission. I am hoping to be part of the group. Ford knows they have a problem.

Pretty positive front left wheel bearing failure cause accident on freeway.

Cracked panel below the rear window which is the most common complaint on the 2001, 02, 03 Ford Explorer…dealership with not repair!

**I DO NOT WANT TO MISLEAD YOU***The term “failure” on the previous page can be interpreted in various ways. For instance, the fact that it is not functioning properly indicates failure, but it is a failure to work properly- not a failure to work.The Ford Feild Services Engineer acknowledged that Ford knows of the problem and that approximately 50% of the Explorers have the issue, although some do not know that the noise or vibration isn’t what is supposed to be happening.As we discussed on the phone, from 40-70 mph there is significant vibration and whining noise originating from the rear-end. My dealer, Middlekauff Ford of Plano, TX, has been aware of the problem for several months and hasn’t been able to facilitate any repair and has chosen to cease communications with my wife and I until a repair is announced. We are most upset about the fraudulent misrepresentation of the vehicles quality and safety when, in fact, Ford knew of this problem and chose to conceal it.

2003 ford explorer with bad recall repair work. consumer stated that the dealer repaired the vehicle wrong. he states that the hinges were supposed to be replaced. dealer replaced the struts and hinges. *kb when the consumer tried to get the problem fixed the first time he was told the struts looked fine. however, the driver's side hinge began to separate and the whole liftgate subsequently shifted; the gap between the liftgate and the body was no longer symmetrical but was significantly increased on the driver's side while decreased on the passenger side. as a result, the liftgate no longer latched or would only latch with a great deal of pressure applied when closing it. the consumer stated it was the two hinges at the top of the real hatch glass section that attached to the roof or body of the vehicle that were broken. the consumer stated the liftgate latch, trim panel and the rear taillight were damaged as a result of the defective hinge and should be fixed without charge. recall# 04v442000 *jb

2003 ford explorer's driver's seat shifted when the consumer accelerated or decelerated quickly. *ts the seat was repaired once already. a local dealership has looked at the seat recently but indicated that they cannot guarantee the repair. *nm

The consumer's 2003 ford explorer had a rock chip the windshield. a crack developed from the chip. *kb the crack ran the entire length of the windshield. the consumer believes the windshield are poorly manufactured. *nm

2003 explorer engine stalling and surging when driving and coming to a stop. *ts ***nar*** the dealer reprogrammed the pcm. 8jb

Problems with abs braking system on 2003 ford explorer.*mr when making emergency stops and abs initiated, brake pedal suddenly decreases, and travels downward past the gas pedal stopping close to the floor. in some cases, consumer has the tendency to press both the gas and brake pedals due to the proximity of the two pedals, which resulted consumer to rear end another vehicle. *la

Problems with brakes, transmission and seat recliner handle.*mr dealer was notified. *cb

2003 expolrer - defective computer sensor module for the airbag system for the entire vehicle. *ak

Tl*the contact owns a 2003 ford explorer. she stated while utilizing the rear liftgate to remove items from the trunk compartment, the rear liftgate fell causing the glass to shatter. the contact was not injured. the manufacturer was contacted and although the exact same failure of her vehicle is related to nhtsa campaign id number: 04v442000- structure, structure body, hatchback/liftgate, hinge and attachments as a result of nhtsa action number pe04045, her vin was not included. no repairs were made to date. the failure and current mileages were unknown.

There appeared without warning a big crack in the rear liftgate of the 2003 ford explorer. the crack goes from the bottom of the glass all the way to the bottom of the liftgate. the crack expands and shrinks according to the temperature. so far it got as wide as 1/4 inch. . the crack is in the shape of a peace sign.*ak nothing hit the vehicle; it's stored in a garage everyday. i went to mallouf ford dealership in north brunswick nj and they said i'd have to pay $800 to fix it. there was another person in the dealership at the same time with the same problem. i went online and found a slew of other ford explorer owners with the same problem. my concern is the glass of the rear lift gate not being properly supported and will eventually become loose, crack or fall out. let's not wait for something horrific to happen before this growing problem is fixed.

When cold, below 35 degrees f, the rear hatch will not fully open. the hatch stops at head height. i've hit my head twice. ford has said because the hatch opens when it's warm, there is nothing they can do. it's a minor head bump, but has potential to damage an eye because of the way the hatch sheet metal protrudes. the suv is a 2003 ford explorer.*ak

Nhtsa recall campaign 04v442000 concerning rear liftgate glass. owner received notification from the manufacturer in october 2004. owner has been in touch with the dealership, but is constantly being told that parts needed to repair the recall are unavailable. *ak

Tl* the contact owns a 2003 ford explorer. when operating the vehicle, the rear hatch door and the rear hatch window became unsecured and opened due to a crack near the rear window wiper. the cause of the failure was not diagnosed. the vehicle was not repaired. the manufacturer was notified of the failure. the vin was not available. the failure mileage was 40,000.

Tl* the contact owns a 2003 ford explorer. while driving 55 mph, the lug nuts became detached from the rear passenger wheel, which caused the vehicle to shake violently. the contact pulled the vehicle over to the side of the road and waited for a tow truck. the contact stated that the failure occurred on more than one occasion and included all of the wheels. the contact previously replaced the lug nuts on all of the wheels. the dealer and manufacturer were not contacted. the failure mileage was 140,000.

The back lift gate has a crack. i have noticed this on practically every other exploer of this year. i contacted ford several years ago and they said since it was a defect that was not a danger they would not recall or repair it.

Awoke the morning of may 10, 2017 to find the entire back liftgate and window exploded outwards and inwards of our ford explorer. the vehicle was parked in front of our home, we are rural, so no evidence of someone purposely breaking it. our sheriff in cascade county, montana, stated it appears to be something internal probably the lift struts exploding. this seems to be a problem as stated on many online sites, and many ford explorers have this problem. this particlar model vin number did not show up as recalled, although we sit here looking at the damage caused by this problem. we would appreciate someone looking into this, as it could happen to anyone and prove to be very dangerous if this vehicle were being driven when this explosion occured. please check into this asap.

Transmission shifts hard and clunks, is not safe to drive. the estimate repair is around $ 3,400. will never buy a ford again.

Greetings the problem the cabin not well sealed from any fumes plus the a/c door inside to keep the air recycle falling off not well secure consequently getting fumes from the outside and also i can smell the cabin in the morning when i get inside from either oil leaks and exhaust burns, it needs attention promptly since ford does care or get concern on any problem. it has being happening more since 2006 and also the truck insulation it is bad since most cold weather penetrates the cabin when you driving you can feel the air coming in. it needs testing and recall, it has being increasing the amount of fumes coming in from the outside other trucks. you may have to do the fume smoke test how much it goes inside the cabin.

Tl* the contact owns a 2003 ford explorer. while driving approximately 10 mph, the vehicle stalled without warning and crashed into a ditch. there were no injuries and a police report was not filed. there were no warning indicators illuminated. the contact and four bystanders pushed the vehicle into a residential driveway. the vehicle was not taken to a dealer. the vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. the manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. the approximate failure mileage was 108,412.

Tl* the contact owned a 2003 ford explorer. while driving at an unknown rate of speed on a highway, the contact was involved in a head on collision with another vehicle. the air bags did not deploy. the other vehicle rolled over and the contact's vehicle stopped at the median. a police report was filed. the contact sustained a mild concussion, a bruised sternum, back and neck pains. the contact received medical treatment. the vehicle was towed to a yard and destroyed. the vehicle was not diagnosed by a dealer or mechanic. the approximate failure mileage was 319,000.

"takata recall"i brought the truck and the airbag light was flashing 4x4 lights flashing also, smelling oil coming from the deferential on the back axle. now, the transmission started slipping and he changed a part . then, the transmission started to slip again. also,i wanted to switch to another vehicle but he declined it . he said " he put to much work into the truck and all the parts are new in which only the tires and muffler was revolved ".

Chat conversation start 5:57pm greetings, i saw you commentary about the ford explorer exhaust fumes inside the cabin, well i have a 2004 ford explorer with the same problem, i am a mechanic i figured may be the filter was clogged well it was no filter, what i found the vent door fell off from the place where it suppose to open and close laying down on the fan, so i reinstalled back and the problem was fixed, it is a poor design from the ford company. i was loosing heat during winter and not be cool at the summer loosing the thru vent out place. ford needs to fix all this problems along with seat belts, rear window quarter panel cracked no one is getting ford to do recalls on this items very poor construction.

Tl* the contact owns a 2003 ford explorer. while driving at low speeds, the vehicle began to experience a jerking motion and the abs indicator illuminated. the failure was persistent. the vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic where it was diagnosed that the wheel speed sensors, abs sensors, and abs pump failed and needed to be replaced. the vehicle was repaired, but the failure recurred. the manufacturer was not notified of the failure. the failure mileage was approximately 163,000. the vin was not available.

Tl* the contact owned a 2003 ford explorer. while driving approximately 10 mph, the vehicle suddenly accelerated and the passenger side air bag immediately deployed without warning. the contact stated that the powdery dust from the deployed air bag clouded his vision and caused the vehicle to rear end the preceding vehicle. the crash caused a chain reaction that involved four vehicles. a police report was filed. the contact sustained minor cuts and pains that required medical attention. the vehicle was destroyed and towed to a tow yard, from where it was later picked retrieved by the insurance company. the failure mileage was approximately 73,700....updated 02/22/17 *bf *cn

Back glass exploded. when i pressed the gate release button, glass exploded on my and my foster child i was holding.

The rear panel of my 2003 explorer cracked today for no reason. not sure if this is a safety concern. when i "googled" the problem, it seems this is a common problem that ford once addressed.

While driving this vehicle, the spark plugs have blown out of the engine six times requiring six different tows home. the vehicle is unreliable for me (disabled, single mom) who has to take my daughter and i to doctors appointments. i feel unsafe and it is not safe for my daughter, but i can't afford to trade or get another vehicle. i think ford should come good for this defect. *tr

Tl* the contact owns a 2003 ford explorer. the contact stated that the front driver's side wheel detached due to the control arm being corroded. the contact called elder ford (777 john r rd, troy, mi 48083, (248) 825-8646) and was advised to schedule an appointment. the vehicle was later taken to an independent mechanic who diagnosed that the metal of the upper control arm was not a good metal; therefore, the control arm was corroded through and needed to be replaced. the vehicle was not repaired and was not taken to a dealer. the manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. the failure mileage was approximately 150,000.

Shifter broken inside steering column. stopped at a gas station when putting into park it broke. had to keep my foot on brake paddle for 2 hours until two truck arrived

2003 ford explorer. consumer writes in regard to malfunction to company's rear wheel bearing. *as *tr

Tl* the contact owns a 2003 ford explorer. within a month of owning the vehicle, an independent mechanic stated that the brake system needed servicing, including the rotors and brake pads. the vehicle was not diagnosed by a dealer. the manufacturer was notified and had not issued any brake system recalls; however, there were ten tsbs for the brake system. the vehicle was not repaired. the failure mileage was not available.

Tl* the contact owns a 2003 ford explorer. when attempting to close the rear window, the contact noticed that the rear liftgate window hinges were cracking and were tilted on one side. the contact, a certified master technician, stated that the window needed to be replaced. the contact called fort mill ford at (866) 680-5276 (located at 801 gold hill rd, fort mill, sc 29708) and was informed that the vin was not included in any recalls. the manufacturer was notified of the failure and referred the contact to nhtsa. the approximate failure mileage was 133,000.

Exhast manafold has crack in it and screws came lose and fell out wihich created fumes in car.

2003 ford explorer. consumer writes in regard to defective throttle in model vehicle. *as *tr

Vehicle was in motion, moving through an intersection on a city street and involved in an accident. no air bags deployed at all.

All side airbags deployed without accident. deployment happend while my wife and 4 year old son was in the vehicle driving approximately 30-40 miles per hour down a straight road in long valley new jersey. this road is smooth, level and free of pot holes etc. unable to see because of the downed airbags and smokey dust like material from the airbags she pulled off the road as best she could.

Engine stops while driving (stalls in motion while turning on street and highway) restarts without problem, has happened twice now 30 days apart.

This suv's are getting hot during the texas weather, why are not including a solar fan installed to keep the air circulating in the suv, technology is changing why are not adding the system ???

Rear window lower panel plastic cracking up, replaced three times, still cracking due to no support and bending too much, i called ford does not care if continues cracking up, it looks ugly also panels can cause an accident to other cars getting into their windshields loose parts. they know about the problem and not fixing it.

The problem the seat belts does not have enough tension to retract consequently getting on the door lock mechanism, causing the door not to lock, to stay open unsecured also damaging the seat belt, it does no have a way to increase the tension which it should have. it damaged my door seal, my lock mechanism and the belt too.

Whenever we are driving in the car, my wife and i get dizziness and nausea. my wife and daughter say there is an eggy smell sometimes. mostly, no odor but an overwhelming sense of dizziness only when we are in that car to the point we avoid driving as much. this has been ongoing for years. i thought it was a seal issue creating a weird pressure inside the car until in my research for a solution i came across news stories on carbon monoxide in other ford explorers.

Tl* the contact owns a 2003 ford explorer. while driving 65 mph, the temperature gauge increased to high and the vehicle caught fire under the hood without warning. the air bags did not deploy. there were no injuries due to the fire. a police report was filed. the vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic. the local dealer and manufacturer were not contacted. the vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. the failure mileage was approximately 160,000.

Vehicle was parked when rear window exploded after door closed. shards of glass flew outward

Broken gear shifter

Shift lever broke off inside steering column of my wife's explorer when changing from park to drive to exit from a boat launch ramp with no boat on the trailer. vehicle was towed on a flatbed wrecker to my garage. broken element ( see photos) was not replaceable by itself. steering column had to be replaced. this was not normal wear and tear, but rather a faulty /weak component that represents a danger. i have noted reports of identical incidents online. thus far, neither the dealer nor ford national "customer service" is prepared to reimburse.

I contacted ford regarding recall with the lift gate. there was recall in 2004 for my vehicle that was taken care of in 2005. in 2016 the same thing happen where the lift gate bolts broke and the gate fell and the glass shattered all over me. i went through my insurance company and got it repaired. at the time i didn't know it was recall i bought the car used so i had no idea of the call. ford told to contact a dealer the dealer shop manager told me ford will not refund my deductible since they repaired it under the recall. all i want is my 250 back because the same thing happen that they so called repaired. is there any way you can assit me. i do have my bill from the repair shop that my insurance state farm took care of. the vehicle was parked i was closing the lift gate when it fell down and glass shattered.

My transmission light has been coming on. i was only at 117k miles when it happened. that's to soon for a transmission to be acting up especially since it's anew one according to carfax this is the second transmission for my explorer. the first one was put in only at 3 years old. it will sometimes jerk into reverse or take a second to go into drive when i switch gears. my overdrive light also flashes which i assume means my overdrive no longer works. the light only comes on after driving over 40 mph. so if i'm on the highway i can't go the speed limit because i don't want this light coming on. i took it to a transmission shop it needs a torque converter and a rebuild. i contacted ford and they won't do anything about it. they told me to buy a new car. when i go up hills my explorer also has trouble even though it shouldn't. i also need a new solenoid pack.

Tl* the contact owned a 2003 ford explorer. while driving 35 mph, another vehicle crashed into the front end of the contact's vehicle. the front driver side air bag failed to deploy. the contact sustained injuries to the head, back, and knees that required medical attention. a police report was filed. the vehicle was destroyed. the manufacturer was notified of the failure. the failure mileage was 95,404. updated 09/27/16*lj *js

The rear lift-gate has a cracked panel.

2003 ford explorer, while driving through town i started to slow down for a group of kids waiting to use a cross walk when the explorer shut down & lost all power to control brakes and steering almost hitting the kids.. i have taken to a shop & was told they could not duplicate the issues i have been having for 5 years. the reason i am now reporting this is because the close call i just had with the cross walk. this problem starts after about 5 or 10 minutes of run time then clears up not returning until next run or some time later...

I lost control around a ben going 35mph after it got done raining and got in an accident hit a telephone pole and farm post after spinning about 4xs car is totaled air bags never went off

Tl* the contact owns a 2003 ford explorer. the contact stated that the hinges on the rear windshield were loose and the rear window was not properly secured. the vehicle was not diagnosed nor repaired. the manufacturer was notified of the failure. the approximate failure mileage was 150,000.

Tl* the contact owns a 2003 ford explorer. the contact stated that the rear lift gate hinge fractured which caused the lift gate to remain unlocked. the vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. the vehicle was not included in nhtsa campaign number: 04v442000 (structure). the manufacturer was not notified of the failure. the approximate failure mileage was 133,000.

I have owned this 2003 ford explorer since it was brand new in 2003. it currently has 70,009 miles and has been kept in a garage and not driven often over 13 years. within two years of purchasing this vehicle i noticed a crack in the middle of the lift gate under the glass. i talked to two ford dealerships that advised it was not a defect but my fault for gliding the glass to harshly. i had not used the glass often and had never slammed it.m since that time i've seen hundreds of ford explorers from the early to mid 2000s with the same crack in the same location. today i was behind four different explorers from the same time period and all had the same crack. i checked online and realized there are thousands of complaints about this defect with some drivers stating the back glass bursts while they were driving. it is unbelievable that with so many of these vehicles having the exact same issue that ford has not owned up to the defect and repaired it. all one needs to do is search through online images to see it us a huge problem and a definite manufacturer defect and with the back glass blowing out it is a major safety concern.

While driving home from work this evening the o/d off light began steadily blinking and the transmission took way too long to shift (rpm almost red line) and wouldn't shift into 5th gear. i was driving on a city street and first noticed the truck not shifting and within 3 minutes of driving the o/d off light began flashing. if you turn the truck off then back on the o/d off light turns off but the truck still won't shift correctly and the light starts to blink again. my truck only has 133,000 miles. i googled this problem and discovered that the vast majority of 2003 ford explorer owners have this same problem.

While driving home from work this evening the o/d off light began steadily blinking and the transmission took way too long to shift (rpm almost red line) and wouldn't shift into 5th gear. i was driving on a city street and first noticed the truck not shifting and within 3 minutes of driving the o/d off light began flashing. if you turn the truck off then back on the o/d off light turns off but the truck still won't shift correctly and the light starts to blink again. my truck only has 133,000 miles. i googled this problem and discovered that the vast majority of 2003 ford explorer owners have this same problem.

Continental contitrac p235/70r16 dot a308 46kw 311 noticed vibration while driving, tire tread was separating; installed spare. had vibration again a month later. both tires had tread separation. installed in 2013; approx 20k miles. replaced all 4 tires; have old tires.

Tl* the contact owns a 2003 ford explorer. the contact stated that the door ajar warning light illuminated, which caused the dome light to remain illuminated. the vehicle was not diagnosed nor repaired. the manufacturer was not notified of the failure. the approximate failure mileage was 188,000.

I was driving in minus 20 degree celsius to take highway 15 north from just after panama bus station. in the entrance, my car start to slow down to the 5 kmph. in the back of my cars were all on their hazard light and being mad at me. so i drive back to my home taking the next exit. i wish somebody could take the videos and sent to the ford company to let them know my situation.

2003 ford explorer shuts down while driving. i lose braking and steering ability. it can happen at any time. it has happened several times . today 12 feb. 2016 is the latest date.

Cracked panel below the rear window

Tl* the contact owns a 2003 ford explorer. while driving on an incline at an unknown speed, the vehicle failed to accelerate and the overdrive warning light illuminated. the vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic where it was diagnosed that the transmission needed to be replaced. the vehicle was repaired, but the failure recurred. the vehicle was taken to another independent mechanic where it was diagnosed that the solenoid pack and the oxygen sensors needed to be replaced. the vehicle was repaired, but the failure recurred. the contact also mentioned that the check transmission and check engine warning lights illuminated. the manufacturer was not notified of the failure. the failure mileage was 80,000. the vin was not available.

Vehicle was parked(engine cold) on residential street,alarm sounded,upon opening hood discovered flames, put out immediately with extinguisher, car will not run and there appears to be extensive damage especially on right side.

I bought my ford explorer xlt back in june of 2015. since then i replaced my oxygen sensor do to a fault in the system and melting back in aug. 20015. the suv wouldn't start because of it and had to be towed. since i purchased and had replaced the oxygen sensor by a ford dealer, i noticed the suv having power failure even from a complete stop and now the over drive off light flashes; this started in the beginning of nov. 2015 i noticed that there is over 2755 complaints of transmission problems and failures exactly the same as mine, but not one recall. this is a issue with the suv themselves and not owner error. i have children and don't want to end up stranded in the street or side of the highway due to transmission failure. there has to be something causing the transmission to break down or fail and i refuse to be the the blame nor pay thousands to ford dealership to fix a flaw in there own suv. a recall needs to be made for this problem and it is clearly a manufacture flaw.

The problem with seat belts does not have enough tension to retract the harness causing to stay by the door and not closing good, it means the belts it is by the door mechanism jamming the lock and not locking properly on driver or passenger side, i had the door open while i was driving, also destroyed my door seal tearing up, the manufacture ford does not want to replace it for free since it is a manufacture defect, they want to charge for the replacement and even the new ones are not working properly. i check all this stuff since i was a fleet maintenance mechanic, car inspector. government needs to step in and fix the safety harness for good tension. this happened when i was driving, also parked the door did not close properly due the harness did not retracted.

1. transmission does not let you accelarate. pressure builds up while you are pressing on the gas pedal and it doesn't increase your speed until 10 seconds or so of pressing the gas pedal, and than it explodes and you are thrust back with the acceleration. very dangerous when you are trying to change lanes or are entering the highway. lack of acceleration has almost got us into a few accidents. 2. sensors are not functioning, constantly telling me that the doors are open. i don't know when a door is actually open or not. 3. the rear hatch is cracked and i'm afraid it doesn't provide enough stable prorectection for the rear glass to be held in place properply.

Tl* the contact owned a 2003 ford explorer. while driving at 50 mph, the front and rear driver side tires blew out, which caused the vehicle to flip over several times. the air bags failed to deploy. a police report was filed. the contact suffered injuries to the lower back, arm, and knees. the passenger suffered an inflammation of the lower back. the driver and passenger both required medical attention. the vehicle was towed to an independent facility. the vehicle was destroyed. the approximate failure mileage was 100,000.

We have recurring wheel bearing and hub assembly issue. the timing i put on the form may be off a bit but not much. its all like a recurring ford explorer nightmare at this point! we have replaced bearings, hib assembly, tie rod, then rear end went up ( and shouldn't have)/now again, another bearing and wheel sensor. the truck cuts out when at a slower speed. i lost steering a few months ago while driving and when i try to put it in gear, sometimes it won't move.i have called ford, nhtsb and no one is willing to make ford recall these issues and ford won't do the right thing knowing it's an ongoing problem with a lot of fords! please someone help! i have multiple sclerosis and a heart issue. i need a safe reliable car and can't afford to get another one. someone, please do the right thing here! i know its an older model and i question if this is why the recall isn't happening.idk but this isn't right. the truck is sitting out front needing an additional $700 of work . after rear end, tie rod, bearings, brakes in the past several months, we have no way to fix this lemon. always been ford but if they or a governing agency doesn't help.. never a ford again. look at all the complaints for the same thing!!!! shameful.

My 2003 ford explorer xls is having issues with the automatic transmission. when i accelerate from a stopped position, the transmission stalls, slips and delays when it shifts into the next gear. as i searched for issues with the transmission i found 100's of complaints regarding this matter. from what i have found, the transmission is a design flaw

My fiancÉ and i put our 10 month old and our 8 year old in the seatbelts and i got in the car (i am pregnant) and shut my door and my fiancÉ got in and shut his door and the curtain airbags went off and the back airbags. we were in park at the time. there was not reason for the airbags to deploy. i only had liability insurance so they won't pay anything. i called the ford dealer (who i just bought a $50,000 2015 ford explorer from him january 2015) and he said i could call the service desk who was no help. stated there is no recall. anyone i can call? this is crazy and dangerous!!!!

My daughter and her fiancÉ and put their 10 month old and their 8 year old in the seatbelts and my daughter got in the car (she is pregnant) and shut her door and her fiancÉ got in and shut his door and the curtain airbags went off and the back airbags. they were in park at the time. there was not reason for the airbags to deploy. they only had liability insurance so they won't pay anything. i called the ford dealer (who i just bought a $50,000 2015 ford explorer from him january 2015) and he said i could call the service desk who was no help. stated there is no recall. anyone i can call? this is crazy and dangerous!!!!

My 2003 ford explorer rear passenger, and rear lift gate and window exploded. it was parked in front of my home.

Transmission failure, a common occurrence in these vehicles

My hinges to my back glass hatch keep breaking and glass keeps almost falling off. i'm afraid that kids might hit button under the handle that pops it open and it comes down on them and hurt the badly!! this is the 5th time since 2011 that this has happened and i called before to make sure was no recall and wasn't and still isn't for my yearake and model. i have been able to fix it up myself until this last time. so i am unable to fix it now. i filed a complaint with ford and the gave me this site and my report # for that claim is cas7942030. each time its been parked.

I purchased my 03 ford explorer back in 2/15. it looked like i purchased a very very good used vehicle. everything has been fine with it up until 2 weeks ago. my door ajar light keeps coming on when everything is closed, the od light is blinking non stop and the trunk window opens by itself when i am driving. when im driving it feels like the car is trying to "catch up". like it knows i'm trying to do a certain speed but its way below and after a min. or so, then it will go the correct speed. i had it hooked up to a diagnostic tool and its giving me the code of p7032 (something like that). something about 2nd gear of trans? ive been told that this is a known issue with this make, model and year.. ive also ready 100s of reviews and complaints on these issues. what i don't seem to understand is why isn't ford doing anything about this???? if you are a manufacturer and see all these complaints and reviews (which i'm sure they do) then why aren't these vehicles getting recalled? i'm not rich in any way fashion or form. i'm a single mother of 4 who works full time and receives no gov't assistance. if i would have known that this is a "known" issue i would never have spent my hard earned money.... does anyone know if anything is being done about this??

The brackets connected to the liftgate released while the car was parked and locked and blew the back liftgate panel out along with shattering the glass.

Adjusted hvac temperature from cold to hot. approximately 5 seconds later, a loud and repetitive popping sound came from the defroster vents. i was startled and immediately stopped the car (on a 2 lane highway) to investigate. the blend door actuator is failing. this condition will cause a loss of climate control in the cabin. it can get stuck on hot or cold or anywhere in between. if it gets stuck in the cold setting, the windshield defroster will not work which could cause an accident due to loss of visibility. if it gets stuck on the hot setting, heat-sensitive passengers may be injured by heatstroke in the summer months since air will always flow through the vents when the vehicle is moving.

Tl* the contact owns a 2003 ford explorer. while accessing the power liftgate, the hinges fractured and caused the door to abruptly close. there were no injuries. the liftgate was completely removed and placed in the vehicle temporarily. the vin was not included in nhtsa campaign number: 04v442000 (structure). the manufacturer was not notified of the failure. the approximate failure mileage was 87,000.

Tl* the contact owns a 2003 ford explorer. while driving approximately 30 mph, the check engine and abs indicator illuminated. the contact mentioned that the brakes failed and the steering wheel seized. the emergency brake was engaged in order to come to a complete stop. the contact restarted the vehicle after few minutes and it functioned normally. the vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic but the failure could not be duplicated. the manufacturer was not notified of the failure. the approximate failure mileage was 142,000.

Being that i am disabled, i'm affraid that when the transmission finally goes completely out, i'll be straned somewhere or the suv will cause a wreck and hurt/kill me or someone else. there have been thousands of complaints about the transmission on this explorer that a recall should have been sent out. i can not affored the repair cost or the cost of another suv/car, please help!

The o/d off light & check transmission lights went on, then vehicle wouldn't shift properly and became inoperable.

Tl* the contact owns a 2003 ford explorer. while driving 45 mph, the transmission experienced difficulty shifting from first into second gear. when it shifted, an abnormal sound was heard. the vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic where it diagnosed that the transmission needed to be rebuilt or replaced. the vehicle was not repaired. the manufacturer was made aware of the failure. the failure mileage was 152,000.

There is a crack in the rear lift gate door. have seen this on many other ford, mercury, etc. also the door ajar indicator stays on.

I used my key remote and popped open the back hatch and while the hatch was up the hinge snapped dropping the hatch on my head nearly knocking me out cold.

Tl-the contact owns a 2003 ford explorer. the contact stated while closing that the liftgate both hinges fractured. the vehicle was taken to the dealer where both hinges and struts were replaced. in 2005, the vehicle was repaired under nhtsa campaign number: 04v442000 (structure) however,the remedy was insufficient. the manufacturer was notified of the failure. the approximate failure mileage was 165,000. js

Opened back hatch to place helium balloons in; upon closing the rear glass exploded. we had the full hatch open, not just the glass part & closed it as you would normally.

Tl- the contact owns a 2003 ford explorer. the contact stated that the glass and the window on the rear liftgate panel had cracked. the contact stated that the dealer had replaced it three times and the failure occurred because the material is not made to expand or contract based on the weather.rl

Was leaving gas station, shifted from park to drive, shift lever broke off into my hand. obviously a defect, as i have over 2 million miles under my belt, driven numerous cars & trucks, and have never had this happen before in over 40 years of driving, both personally and professionally. i see there are hundreds of similar complaints for this, why is there no recall?? *tr

As i have been driving like i normally do the o/d light came on blinking. then i pressed the button for it nothing happened. i continued with my daily routine and the light came on and off. and continued to blink. then all of the sudden i would step on the gas but it would not give me anymore than 15mph. when i came to a traffic light my car did not want to go anymore so i had to pull over on the side of the road. it didn't want to continue going. then after the third try it gave me more gas to drive normal not even a minute after it did it again. i was afraid yo get hit by traffic and since i had my three toddlers i was scared. i pulled into a shopping center and called my dad. and also a mechanic. it needs a new transmission when that vehicle has had all its needs. i cannot afford it and its upsetting seeing all the complaints on carcomplaints.com about it knowing i am not the only one with this problem. this is a defect and it should be recalled. *tr

Tl* the contact owns a 2003 ford explorer. the contact stated that the rear wheels shook and detached from the vehicle. the contact replaced the wheel bearings, but the failure still occurred. the lug nuts were tightened twice by the dealer, but the lug nuts on the rear wheels were still loose. the dealer stated that they did not have a repair for the failure. the vin was invalid. the failure mileage was 129,000.

Tl* the contact owns a 2003 ford explorer. the contact stated that the rear passenger side lug nuts sheared off the wheel. the contact stated that the same failure previously occurred to the front driver side wheel. the vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. the lug nut was replaced. the manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. the failure mileage was 159,000.

Tl* the contact owned a 2003 ford explorer. while driving 45 mph, the contact lost control of the vehicle and crashed into a guardrail. the air bags did not deploy. the driver suffered lacerations to the left arm and required medical attention. a police report was filed. the vehicle was destroyed. the manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. the failure mileage was 260,000. the vin was unavailable.

I noticed that the paint was peeling off in several places on the vehicle. six months later more paint has disappeared. *tr

The problem the seat belts does not have enough spring action to retract causing to be laying down and it is getting caught by the door lock mechanism messing the belt plus causing the door not to lock properly, either the driver or the passenger side. the door came unlock since the harness did not retract. it needs attention and being replace by the dealer or being recall to make sure it is replace. the belt is getting damage.

Second owner of this vehicle and had for almost a year. driving son to school and suddenly heard a loud rattling noise under hood. took directly to mechanic and found out timing chain was going. mechanic said he had seen this problem a lot in this model and around the same mileage. *js

Tl* the contact owns a 2003 ford explorer. the contact stated that the rear hatch was open and the hinges that opened the glass fractured. the vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. the contact referenced nhtsa campaign number: 04v442000 (structure). the manufacturer was not notified of the failure. the approximate failure mileage was 175,500.

Tl* the contact owns a 2003 ford explorer. the contact stated that the rear liftgate glass strut brackets and glass hinges were fractured and tilted. the vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, but was not diagnosed or repaired. the vehicle was also taken to the dealer who stated that the vin was not included in nhtsa campaign number: 04v442000 (structure). the failure mileage was 100,000.

For years ford has had a poorly designed hydraulic manual clutch system . often impossible to shift at red light or while driving and had many near rear end collisions due to not being able to continue shifting and maintaining speed. for over a decade the poorly designed system gets air bound rendering the clutch useless . this is caused because the hydraulic line has low and high spots and air becomes trapped in the high spots and results in loss of clutch operation . the entire system must be removed and elongated to allow air to be released from system . no bleeder valve at master cylinder for one thing . there is a bleeder valve at the slave cylinder but because the line has many twist and turns with high spots bleeding does not eliminate air trapped in high spots . this is a well know problem and a dangerous one . ford could care less . its about time ford answers and modifies this fault . you need only go online and enter ford ranger hard shifting problems and you will see it is common place problem . of course after the 36 k warranty this becomes a common problem and ford turns there cheek . i cant tell you how frustrating to be at a red light and unable to shift along with not being able to shift at high speeds with cars running up your rear . please address this before life is lost . thank you . i urge all ranger owners to get on board. *tr

Tl* the contact owns a 2003 ford explorer. after inspecting the vehicle, the contact discovered that the rear liftgate fiberglass was cracked. the vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. the manufacturer was not notified of the failure. the failure mileage was unknown.

While the vehicle was parked in front of my house, the rear window exploded and i have a cctv video showing it was not smashed out. after reading that there had been a previous recall issued in 2004, i contacted ford to inquire about the recall status. they informed me that the previous owner of the vehicle had already brought it in for this recall. after the recall repairs to prevent the rear window explosion, it still exploded later on. *tr

Vehicle died upon turning once again. this is becoming more frequent, as it has happened twice now in the last week. seems to occur after highway speed, then slowing for a turn (tipically a right hand turn). i consider myself quite mechanically inclined and i am baffled. i also own an obdii scanner and no codes come up!! this is the second time i have filed a complaint, and would like some answers. very dangerous issue in my opinion!! i will also be posting this on other websites to raise awareness, and hopefully get some results!! this is unacceptable. *tr

The mechanic called it a rear complete strut assembly part of the spring back by the back wheel on the driver side is broken off *tr

Front end accident did not deploy driver airbag,however passenger airbag deployed with no occupant in seat. *tr

In the early morning hours of december 11, i was driving to work when without warning both side curtain air bags deployed. there were no cars behind me and there were no oncoming traffic so i was able to pull off the road without incident. upon inspection there was no damage anywhere to the vehicle. as of now there is no reason why they deployed. *tr

Air bag light blinks when started and then remains on. i haven't had it checked out yet but i was seeing if there was a recall on this to see if it would cover the cost to fix. *tr

Tl* the contact owns a 2003 ford explorer. the contact stated that while driving approximately 45 mph, the lug nuts sheared off the wheels causing the rear passenger tire to become detached from the vehicle. the tire caused damage to the vehicle as a result of the failure. the dealer was not contacted. the manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. the failure mileage was 132,000.

Tl* the contact owns a 2003 ford explorer equipped with michelin cross terrain tires, size: 235 r70/16 (na). while driving approximately 40 mph, the rear driver side tire blew out. the vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. the manufacturer was not notified of the failure. the approximate tire and vehicle failure mileage was 35,000. the consumer stated when the tire blew out, it caused him to swerve off the road . there was no accident. updated 03/03/15

Tl* the contact owns a 2003 ford explorer. the contact stated that the front and rear wheel bearings deteriorated. the vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, who replaced the rear driver's side and the rear passenger's side wheel bearings on two occasions. the remedy failed to repair the vehicle. the contact stated that there was an abnormal noise coming from the front and the rear of the vehicle. the manufacturer was notified of the failure. the approximate failure mileage was 98,000.

Engine stalls out when braking or turning. this is an issue that occurs at random with no warning. this has continued to occur multiple times over the last four years, and leaves myself and family in a, powerless, defenseless, potentially fatal, situation. *tr

Tl* the contact owns a 2003 ford explorer. while driving various speeds, the vehicle failed to accelerate and the transmission malfunctioned while in third gear. also, while driving up hills, the failure recurred and the overdrive and check engine sensor lights illuminated. the vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic. the technician diagnosed that the transmission was faulty. the vehicle was not repaired. the manufacturer was not notified of the failure. the failure mileage was 94,000.

Tl* the contact owns a 2003 ford explorer. the contact stated that the key fob failed to unlock or lock the doors. the vehicle stalled and failed to start. the contact mentioned that a chime sounded after the failures occurred. the vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. the manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. the failure mileage was 160,000.

The problem when you driving on the highway around 65 mph you feel the truck hesitating, since this truck did not come with dip stick to check the transmission fluid, it is hard to check unless you take it to a tech or stop on the middle of the road to check it underneath the truck running trans for the fluid to drip, it is really stupid you can be run over by a car or cause an accident, it seems like the manufactures are getting stupid, in a emergency and you are in the highway crossing the state line how can you check the fluid on transmission, it need immediate attention to add the dip stick pretty pronto, it need the ford company to take responsibility to add the dip stick, i submitted several reports to them they don't care at all. *tr

The problem with the seat belts does not have enough retraction force like it used to be, they hang out, damaging the door locking mechanism and door seal, driver and passenger side. it has being a problem not retracing the belt like it suppose to. *tr

Bought suv in december of 2012 and everything seemed to work fine. within the next few months there were several times that the cruise would not engage without pushing it on & off several times. after june of 2013 it rarely engaged at all at any speed. now, september 2014 it will not engage at all. afraid it might cause short &/or a fire under the hood. noticed recall identified this problem on 2002 models. this vehicle was actually built in 2002, so am wondering if this might be one that got missed in the recall? own a 1994 f-250 that has both 1993 and 1994 parts on it. *tr

Noticed upper part of rear tailgate under glass next to ford emblem is cracked from top to bottom. *tr

Tl* the contact owns a 2003 ford explorer. the contact stated that the rear panel of the liftgate was cracked. the failure caused the contact's fingers to become pinched when attempting to close the liftgate. the contact also stated that the hinges fractured on the liftgate. the hinges were repaired according to nhtsa campaign number: 04v442000 (structure), but the failure recurred. the vehicle was not repaired and the manufacturer was not notified. the approximate failure mileage was 165,000.

My truck just went out of warranty by 5,000 miles and i was driving and hit a bump and my #3 spark plug blew out of the engine. scared me to death because it sounded like a gun. i had just turned off a red light so i had no speed at all. $500 to put a helio coil in it. then i hit 170,000 and another one blew out while my family and i were in the mountains and we had to limp home. told by the mechanic the truck could have started fire. i had every single service by ford until the first one blew. never ever heard of this happening until i searched it on the internet. what if i had my hood open changing the air filter and or other part and one of them had blown? could kill anyone. how is that safe. and the fact that your in the middle of no where with no cell coverage and you have to drive a ticking time bomb. please hold ford accountable for design flaw. i take care of my ford explorer, after all it cost 36k new and i want to get my money out of it. they are supposed to be built to last with regular maintenance. it has been a great suv with the exception of the spark plug issue. the only reason i still have it is because i love it. (last number on vin is 5 but it wouldn't let me enter it.) *tr

The back panel on the hatch is cracked. *tr

A recall was issued for 2003 ford explorers for the hinges on the back window tailgate. the right side hinge on my 2003 ford explorer broke, i was fortunate to be strong enough to catch the glass before it snapped the other hinge. when i contacted ford after seeing the recall notice online, i was told my ford was not part of the recall. i have also checked on the nhtsa site and it was not listed there either. my complaint is that if explorers of the same year are recalled and my hinge broke, i believe there may be an issue with a larger range of explorers than listed. *tr

My vehicle suddenly without warning will stall and i lose all power. no power steering. i am able to put the vehicle in neutral and can turn the vehicle back on. the mechanic can not find any codes etc on why this is happening. apparently this is a common thing. *tr

Tl* the contact owns a 2003 ford explorer. the contact stated that while driving 40 mph in heavy rain, the vehicle hydroplaned, flipped over, and crashed into a rail. the air bags failed to deploy. a police report was filed and one injury was reported that required medical attention. the vehicle was destroyed. the vin was unavailable. the manufacturer was not notified of the issue. the failure mileage was 189,000.

Tl* the contact owns a 2003 ford explorer. while driving 30 mph, the vehicle jerked and quickly shifted into second gear. the check engine indicator was illuminated and the overdrive warning indicator was flashing. the repair shop stated that the transmission needed to be overhauled. the vehicle was not repaired and the manufacturer was not notified. the approximate failure mileage was 163,300. updated 9/12/14*cn updated 09/23/14

Tl* the contact owns a 2003 ford explorer. the contact stated that while driving at approximately 40 mph, the vehicle stalled without warning. the vehicle was not able to restart. the vehicle was towed to the contact's home. the vehicle was taken to a dealer where it was diagnosed that the windshield wipers were pushing water into the fuse box when it rained. the vehicle was not repaired. the manufacturer was not notified of the failure. the approximate failure mileage was unavailable.

Crack in rear liftgate body panel. may fail during opening/closing and cause injury. this is a known problem with 2002-2005 explorers. ford knew about the problem and covered it up. there is a class action lawsuit in progress. *js

Driving home from vacation without problems, o/d off light started flashing, tried to turn it back on but wouldn't do anything. stopped, turn key off, started no light. after about 150 miles after stopping on traffic light o/d off light started flashing again. 10 miles later engine service light came on and stayed on . *tr

I have had three incidents with my 2003 ford explorer. the first incident involved the suspension ( sway bars snapped, tires had to be repaired). second incident was the transfer case and a wiggling drive shaft along with rear wheel bearings ( parts deemed defective by mechanics) , and emergency brakes that snapped off in my mechanics hands because they were rusty. now it is transmission work for a possible faulty sensor. ford needs to recalls before someone is killed due to catasrophic equipment failure! ive called them every time and they are aware of the issues but refuse to do anything other then document them and say have a nice day!

The car was idling rough and the "service engine" light kept coming on, even after i had the auto repair shop (pep boys) check and fix things. they advised me to go to the ford dealer, and said it may be the timing chain. future ford ran diagnostic, said it may be timing chain but have to open engine to verify. estimate for repairs $1500 to open engine and $2500 to fix). did not have work done yet. the engine has a loud rattling sound that started suddenly and has gotten worse, and increases upon acceleration. there is an oily smell. at stop light when idling, the idle is slow and a loud knocking sound - idle sounds like car is about to shut off. the normal idle sound for the car is smooth and like a soft hum. called ford to see if there is a recall for this problem, as there are many complaints similar to mine that are listed on the ford website about several years of the ford explorer. mileage now is 150,000 miles. ford said there is no recall, but keep receipts for work done in case of one in the future.

I was driving on a curve and the engine shut off , i was able to stop ,and turn the car on again, that was the third time that happened , the other two times the car was at low speed , around 30 mph . *tr

The transmission light, 4×4 and the od light came on. it does shift gear from 1 to 2 until 3000 rpm. *tr

Tl* the contact owns a 2003 ford explorer. the contact stated that while driving approximately 70 mph, the vehicle suddenly decelerated down to approximately 45 mph and the over drive warning sensor light illuminated. also, the contact indicated that during the incident the vehicle failed to shift into gear. the failure recurred on multiple occasions. the vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. the manufacturer was not notified. the failure mileage was 156,000.

When closing the glass tailgate the right hinge that attaches the glass to the tailgate broke causing the glass to detach from the car and fall hitting me in the left arm updated 09/16/14*lj updated 3/18/2015 *js

2 complaints - back rear hatch panel under rear window has multiple cracks live in augusta ga and visit florida and this seems to be a common problem every make body like mine have this crack and some panel has even fallen off. this has to be a manufacturing problem for this large amount of suv's to have the same problem see more with problems than without. also recently had problems with window intermittently not going down and back up after ice storm in augusta this year all four windows stopped going up and down. this also seems to be a common problem with this model and body style of ford explorers. owned a 1993 ford explorer eddie bauer had approx. 300,000 miles on it before i got rid of it and the most happened to this car was the transmission and rear brake leak which was the most expensive problem i had. wish i still had the 1993 explorer because my 2003 makes me hesitant about purchasing another ford explorer no matter how much i like them this one will make turn to another make of car. once a loyal ford owner not so sure now. you would think that ford will be as loyal to us as we are of them, it is the little things that make you frustrated and not wanting to purchase another. if you can't depend on the smaller things how can we depend on them with the larger things. once a loyal ford owner. *js

Tl* the contact owns a 2003 ford explorer. the contact stated that the lift gate window became detached intermittently. the liftgate door failed to close properly and it developed a crack at the bottom. the vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic who diagnosed that the lift gate needed to be repaired and the window needed to be replaced. the contact was not included in recall nhtsa campaign id number: 04v442000 (structure). the vehicle was to be inspected, diagnosed and repaired by an authorized dealer. the manufacturer was notified of the failure. the approximate failure mileage was 1,002.

My son purchased this explorer brand new and i bought it from him four years ago and i love this as it is the best design in the suv's, and i can not afford a new vehicle as i am no young gal any more. we have maintained it faithfully and have had no serious problems with it and is at 145000. i was driving to work going 55 mph and the o/d light comes on and i push the button and it would not go off. i pulled over and tried the button a few times-nothing. i shut it off, turned it back on-no light was on-proceeded down the highway and the light turns back on and it will not shift and is straining shift. i took it in to jiffy lube to go ahead and get another oil change and let them check the transmission fluid and they said that they could not access it to check the fluid-they suggested a transmission flush at $200-why can't they access it? wouldn't a dip stick save a lot of trouble? as i look at all the complaints about the transmission troubles in the explorers, i am very shocked. please can you help me out here as i cannot afford high maintenance bills that would be charged through a dealer. just tell me if there is a simple solution to fixing it so that my brother may repair it and get it back on the road. one response is as such: after talking to 2 ford reps today, and turned down flat for help, i have decide its now a quest.... ford stated they didn't have enough complaints for the nhtsa to open up an investigation to possibly order a recall...... soooo, for all those that have issues, call ford and also make a complaint on the nhtsa site www.nhtsa.gov or call them at 1-800-424-9393. my family is a ford family and we currently have 5 fords in our household, a mustang, ford f150, ford focus, expedition, and the explorer that is having issues. this isn't including extended family. ford is about to lose future business.... *tr

My 2003 ford explorer has some serious electrical issues. my right front passenger window will not roll down. it gets very hot in my truck out in the heat. it stopped working all of a sudden and the a/c in the car does not blow. (i didn't break any of these things) my door ajar light is always on the dash... my driver's door sensor went out for some reason and now my vehicle thinks that the door is always open, which drains my battery and my lights will not turn off at times. i have to manually turn them on/off. i dislike doing that because i'll forget sometimes. my rear lift-gate cracked one day too. i believe its from the cheap plastic. it's dangerous and my glass can fall out any day now. i also pinched two blood clots in my hand from opening this cracked rear hatch and had to see a doctor for it. please help me get these things fixed. thanks in advance. *tr

I attempted to put the vehicle in reverse and when i shifted to reverse the vehicle slammed into reverse so hard that it hit the vehicle that was parked behind me. *tr

Transmission failure. *tr

O/d off dash light began to flash. service engine soon light came on. transmission needs to be rebuilt. advised to report this known common problem with 2003 ford explorer models. *tr

Paint "bubbled up" on the front edge of the hood a few years after purchase and has continued to flake and peel off. apple valley ford service refused to fix the paint problem when reported in approximately 2006. *tr

I have had to had the transmission replaced 3 times so far on this vehicle. after looking online and talking to the transmission shops in the area, this seems to be a problem (at least for the ford owner) with this year of the ford transmission. one estimate is they see this year at least 4-5 times in a two week span. the entire 2003 ford transmission seems faulty and costing customers thousands of dollars to fix. ford has been asked to investigate their transmission for this year with no resolve (at least not to the public). if a transmission fails on an uphill and the owner does not catch on fast they may cause an accident. *tr

Truck jerks when trying to pick up speed picks up speed very slow sometimes doesn't want to go in drive. *tr

Ford explorer 2003 34.656 miles garage kept o/d light starts blinking at 25miles hr. transmission servo ports need to be bored & sleeved. hydraulic pressure low at servo ports. updated 11/24/2014 *js

Tl* the contact owns a 2003 ford explorer. the contact stated that the power steering and transmission lines failed due to corrosion. the contact also stated that the brakes lines, fuel tank cover, door locks and the running boards were also corroded. the brake lines were replaced. the manufacturer was made aware of the failure. the vehicle was not repaired. the approximate failure mileage was 110,000 and the current mileage was 157,372. rk

Submission from constituent re a filed complaint with ford motor company and would like to be reimburse for all the cost by ford. *smd the consumer stated when he attempted to start the vehicle, it would not crank. he replaced the battery, but the vehicle still would not start. the vehicle was towed to a local garage. the next day, the consumer was informed, the engine had seized. there was no warning from the dash indicators, no engine sounds, and the oil was at the proper level. it cost $3,669.98 to replace the engine. *jb

Transmission failure at 45000 miles. needs to be replaced. cost $3200. out of warranty. although the car is 11 years old it has not much mileage. a transmission should not fail at 45000 miles. *tr

On february 18th i noticed a crack in the rear glass lift gate molding otherwise known as the rear applique. after a google search i realized this is known defect that ford motor co. does not recognize officially. there is a class action lawsuit regarding this defect. on april 25th 2014 i opened the rear glass lift gate to get something out of the rear cargo area. upon closing the glass lift gate the entire window shattered into many pieces and actually put three cuts on my arm. i have looked into this online and found many owners of the 2002-2005 ford explorer's, mercury mountaineer's and lincoln aviator's all had this cracking of the rear applique. also found out whether or not a crack was visible many people had the rear glass shatter upon them while closing the glass lift gate. right now i must pay for the entire repair out of pocket, insurance doesn't cover it since they say i have a $1000.00 deductible. the cost for the glass was quoted at $495.25 plus tax. i also will have to replace the rear applique which covers a portion of the glass window at an additional cost. not sure why this is not covered by ford since the window shattering can cause injury and therefore should be classified as a huge safety issue. i will get this fixed and keep my receipts for all repairs and hope all owners of the vehicles listed above get some sort of reimbursement. *tr

Tl* the contact owns a 2003 ford explorer. the contact stated that while driving 65 mph, a dragging noise was heard from the rear of the vehicle. the contact inspected the vehicle and found that the rear passenger side lug nuts were loose and caused the wheel to separate. the failure was previously experienced on the rear driver's side. the local mechanic replaced the lug nuts however the failure was not corrected. the lug nuts continued to separate from the rear wheels while driving. the vin was not available. the failure and current mileage was 100,000.

O/d light started blinking and my transmission started slipping in the early gears. *js

Tl* the contact owns a 2003 ford explorer. the contact stated that while attempting to park, the rear lift gate spontaneously exploded, leaving glass inside and outside of the vehicle. the contact was not injured. the vehicle was not repaired. the manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. the vehicle was scheduled to be repaired. the failure mileage was 185,000.

Tl* the contact owns a 2003 ford explorer. the contact stated that while traveling various speeds, the steering wheel became difficult to turn. the vehicle was taken to independent mechanic who replaced the intermediate shaft. the manufacturer was notified of the failure. the approximate failure mileage was 126,000.

The o/d light came on. i had to let off on my accelerator pedal to get my car to shift into 2nd gear. sometimes i would push on the accelerator and at 4000 rpm, my car would shift. after taking the car into the transmission shop, the technician told me that the band for second gear snapped and a rod starting grinding which dispersed metal into the transmission. the rod as well as the gears, solenoid, and the torque converter had to be replaced. the cost of this repair was 1700 dollars. should my transmission be going out this soon? why wasn't there a recall for this transmission? *tr

The vehicle is a closed transmission ..consumer has no way of checking or maintaining level..or checking the color or if clutch shards are present...consumer has to pay $115 to even have transmission level checked...consumer cannot perform preventative maintenance on their vehicle...this has been an ongoing problem with ford owners that ford is not willing to address. *tr

I have kept up with ford's suggested servicing interval for the transmission. i was halfway through an extended drive on the highway when suddenly the transmission fluid temperature reading on my scangauge ii was in excess of 235 degrees fahrenheit and the o/d off light comes on and the dashboard contained error message overheating transmission. i pulled over to a gas station and saw that there was no transmission fluid leakage that was readily apparent. after this incident, i had the transmission fluid serviced and the overheating issues seem to have reduced, but several techs at various transmission shops now see error codes p0732 and p0755. i now notice gears 1 and 2 are severely slipping, and i was informed that my transmission was damaged, which would require a total replacement costing over $3,000. i do not have this kind of money just lying around, and transmission failure at 100,000 miles seems to be a very common issue among 2002-2004 ford explorers/mercury mountaineers/lincoln aviators. why in over 10 years there has been no recall or warranty i do not know, but it speaks of great irresponsibility and distress in ford's service department. if ford does not issue any type of recall or warranty for failures of this nature, i will cease to buy their products. *tr

While driving at approximately 35 mph, the top portion of the liftgate on the vehicle opened independently and then the driver side hinge fractured causing the liftgate to fall and hang by only one side. in addition, the compression rod was bent when this occurred. in order to continue driving the vehicle the compression rod had to be removed and the liftgate had to be temporarily fastened with harnesses. the vehicle was then taken to a body shop to be repaired. the manufacturer was notified of the failure. the approximate mileage was 83,000. *tr

Tl* the contact owns a 2003 ford explorer. the contact stated that while driving approximately 20 mph, the air bag warning indicator remained illuminated. the failure recurred whenever the engine was in operation. the vehicle was taken to a private mechanic for diagnosis, who was unable to locate a trouble code. the failure persisted. the manufacturer had not been notified of the defect. the approximate failure mileage was 112,000.

Tl* the contact owns a 2003 ford explorer. the contact stated that the rear lift door was misaligned and became cracked. the vehicle was previously repaired for the rear lift door hinge however, the contact stated that the repair caused the misalignment. the contact purchased a new rear lift door and the door was replaced. the vin was not available. the manufacturer was made aware of the failure. the failure mileage was 5 and the current mileage was 28,273.

Locked up and failed causing accident. *tr

Tl- the contact owns a 2003 ford explorer. the contact stated that the over drive light illuminated and the vehicle lost acceleration power while traveling various speeds. the contact also mentioned that a grinding noise was heard. the local mechanic performed a diagnostic but was unable to locate a failure code. the vehicle was not repaired. the manufacturer was made aware of the failure. the failure and current mileage was 185,697. mah

Flashing o/d off, check transmission, and check engine lights went on. took to transmission service co for inspection. there response was this model ford transmission was no good. they flushed system, added new fluid and asked that i pray for extra miles. that was nov.'13. now feb '14, transmission lighting same check lights. total re-build likely at $2500 +/_. complaints on 2003 explorers at carcomplaints.com are extremely out of control signaling something wrong. please inquire about this defect and the 2003 explorer in general. *tr

Tl* the contact owns a 2003 ford explorer. the contact stated that while driving approximately 35 mph, the lift gate opened independently and caused the driver's side hinge to become fractured. in addition, the compression rod was abnormally bent. the contact made a temporary adjustment to the lift gate in order to continue driving the vehicle. the vehicle was not repaired. the manufacturer was notified of the failure. the approximate failure mileage was 83,000.

Transmission failure at 77,000 miles, june 2010. replaced with ford part at ford dealer. replacement transmission lasted 3 yrs/8 mos, and lasted 45,000 miles (8 months beyond warranty). ford will not acknowledge the problem, or provide any relief whatsoever in resolving the problem. transmission failure at any point, at any time, could be very very dangerous. *tr

Plastic rear panel below the rear gate glass cracked directly beside the ford oval. the panel is now split into two pieces. contacted ford dealer and ford customer service (via email) and ford will not stand behind the failure of this panel. this is a common complaint with explorers and ford has not even as much as tried to help the customer with repairs. *tr

This event has happened twice now my 2003 ford explorer has excelerated without warning ! and while trying to stop the vehicle. the second time ending in an accident. i have only had this vehicle just under 2 months ! the floor mats are not the problem here. once i was in reverse and a power surge came over the vehicle the brakes would not work didn't result in an accident but was somewhat afraid of it. i was coming home last nite turned into my drive and the vehicle excelerated without warning brakes did not work at all ended up smashing into my ford escape that could have bin my little girl or someone's child! will not drive this vehicle again. have had fords most all of my life never seen this before! there's a lot of exceleration problems listed on this site i think it's time for a recall before someone is killed thanks for your concern! *tr

Tl* the contact owns a 2003 ford explorer. the contact stated that the back panel below the window became cracked. the vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. the manufacturer was made aware of the problem. the approximate failure mileage was 150,000.

Tl* the contact owns a 2003 ford explorer. the contact stated that the overdrive warning light illuminated. the vehicle was taken to the dealer where it was found that the transmission needed to be rebuilt. the vehicle was repaired. the manufacturer was not contacted about the failure. the failure mileage was approximately 72,000.

I want to bring to your attention a defect in the tailgate panel on the 2003 ford explorer. it is cracked and as a result water gets into the inside of the panel and leaks into the vehicle. as a result of the bitter cold days here in the northeast over the last month or so, ice forms on the inside of the windows causing major issues with visibility which is dangerous. it also shorted out the rear wiper motor as well. there should be a safety recall on this since it effects so many people. *tr

Tl* the contact owns a 2003 ford explorer. the contact stated that the rear hitch was cracked. in addition, the door ajar warning light remained illuminated. the vehicle was taken to a dealer. the mechanic did not diagnose or repaired the failure. the manufacturer was made aware of the problem. the approximate failure mileage was 125,000. *tr

Transmission failure took to dealer ,they rebuilt it.took it back 04/28/05 they rebuilt it again with 27998 miles on it. took it back 08/23/05 with 31714 miles they rebuild it again. took it back 02/11/08 before extended warranty ended on 02/19/08 they said couldn't find problem .i think because of the lemon law. now 12 /17/2013 it needs another transmission. *tr

Tl* the contact owns a 2003 ford explorer. the contact was completing a right turn at 3 mph when the rear driver's side wheel became detached from the vehicle. the contact noticed that the lug nuts were completely sheared off and the rear passenger's side tire was missing a lug nut. the vehicle was not taken to an independent mechanic or dealer and was not repaired. the manufacturer was not contacted. the approximate failure mileage was 169,000.

Tl* the contact owns a 2003 ford explorer. the contact stated while driving approximately 25 mph, the transmission failed to shift gears. the over-drive and transmission warning indicators were also illuminated continuously. the vehicle was maneuvered to the side of the road where the engine was turned off. upon restarting, the failure persisted. the vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. the manufacturer was not notified of the defect. the approximate failure mileage was 120,000.

I have been having issues with the cruise control on my explorer. it works fine for several months and then occasionally it will not engage. most times if it will not engage, the dashboard light does not show up, but since last week the light has come on, but the cruise control has not engaged. since this has been an ongoing issue and seems to resolve on its own, i continue to try it occasionally. i tried to set it last friday while i was going approximately 40 mph. it did engage, but then began to slowly accelerate. i tried pushing the button that should reduce the speed, but it continued accelerating, so i kicked the brake pedal to disengage. i have tried it 3 additional times and each time it accelerates. the last time i tried it, yesterday afternoon, the speed was picking up incredibly quickly. it felt like i had just floored the accelerator. i was able to kick the cruise control off with the brake pedal though but am now concerned that this may happen when the cruise is not engaged. *tr

Tl* the contact owns a 2003 ford explorer. the contact stated that while driving 10 mph, she heard a loud, abnormal noise. after inspecting the vehicle, she noticed that the rear door hinge was fractured and causing the door to hang. the vehicle was not taken to the dealer. the manufacturer was made aware of the failure but did not offer any assistance since the vehicle was not included in nhtsa campaign number: 04v442000 (structure). the vehicle was not repaired. the failure and current mileage was 99,600.

O/d light suddenly starts flashing while driving at normal surface street speeds of 40 - 45 mph. within 10 miles, the transmission started slipping and it felt like the vehicle was laboring; my wife thought the emergency brake was engaged. she never made it home - within minutes, the vehicle slowed, would not accelerate and subsequently broke down. the vehicle was towed to the nearest ford dealer who determined the transmission was a total loss. we purchased the extended warranty when we obtained this vehicle from said dealer. although we had well over 10,000 miles left on the warranty, it had expired less than 4 months ago solely based on calendar days!! this is a secondary vehicle for us and does not get a lot of use; less than 10,000 miles a year. both the dealer performing the repairs and ford motor company customer care were surprisingly unsympathetic to the circumstances and were unable (or unwilling) to make any concessions. so, $4,200 and a week later, i had a 'new' re-manufactured transmission. i was somewhat suspicious of the sealed transmission - one that does not have provisions to monitor the transmission fluid - which was manufactured and installed on the 2003 models. after looking into this issue, it has become quite apparent that there has been an inordinate number of these transmission failures on similar vehicles. i expect to get at least 150,000 miles from my automobiles - and i have with a few other vehicles from another us manufacturer. consumers who use their hard earned money to purchase us manufacturer's products should expect a reasonable amount of quality, reliability and customer service. it is very unlikely that i would consider ford for my next automobile purchase. mileage at failure: 111,846. *tr

When i started my truck, the interior dome lamp would not go off and door ajar indicator was chiming as if there was a door open. i got out of my vehicle and walked around the car opening and closing all the doors as well as the liftgate and rear hatch glass. i got back in the car and it was still going off. after i started driving and got above 10mph the light and indicator went off. i did a search on the web and found out that its a common problem for ford explorer owners regardless of the year it was manufactured. all of the wires that run from the driver's side door and into the body of the vehicle become brittle over time which eventually leads to cracks and breaks in the wires thus resulting in a electrical short. ford should have addressed this issue given that its a common problem for explorers manufactured between 2001 and 2009. for those who are electrical savvy, you can run new wires yourself. for those of us who are not, we have to rely that some mechanic isn't gonna rape our pockets and charge some ridiculous price to fix it. thanks ford motor company!! *tr

Driving on interstate at high speed. o/d and tramission lights came on tramission died! *tr

Tl* the contact owns a 2003 ford explorer. the contact stated that while turning at various speeds, the body of the vehicle began to bounce abnormally. the vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic where it was stated that the body mount needed to be replaced. the vehicle was not repaired and the manufacturer was notified. the approximate failure mileage was 120,000.

Tl* the contact owns a 2003 for explorer. the contact stated that the vehicle was parked when he engaged the liftgate and the hinges fractured. the manufacturer was made aware of the failure and informed the contact that the vin was not included. the vehicle was not repaired. the failure mileage was 105,000. *updated 09-18-13 *bf updated 09/24/2013 *js

Tl* the contact owns a 2003 ford explorer. the contact stated that while driving 35 mph, she applied the brakes but the pedal traveled to the floor board and vehicle did not respond. the contact then began to rapidly pump the brakes until the vehicle decelerated. the contact suffered an injured knee due to the pressure she applied to the brake pedal. the vehicle was diagnosed by an independent mechanic, who stated that the pistons had shattered. the vehicle was repaired. the vin was unavailable. the failure and current mileage was 190,000.

2003 ford explorer. consumer writes in regards to humming/whining noise in the rear end of vehicle and a frequent leak in the differential. *smd the consumer stated several components such as the ring an pinion, bearings, seals and gear and pinion were all replaced. however, the issue remained unresolved. also, the rear hatch was cracked. when the consumer inquired about a replacement and its cost, the dealer advised against the replacement/repair as the new hatches had the same problem. the vehicle overheated and had to be towed to the dealer. a diagnosis revealed a damaged thermostat housing.

I was driving down i-10 at 3:30 in the afternoon on my way home and my 2003 ford explorer out of no where went in reverse i was about an inch away from hitting the car behind me. my children were crying scared and i too was shaking tried to make it home but my car wouldn't go past 20mph and we got stuck at the gas station had to get towed to my house. i have been told that i need a new transmission and cannot afford one i just bought the car a year ago. thank you ford for almost killing me and my children! *tr

Traveling north bound on highway 99 in chico ca, between exits 385 and 386, the side air bags deployed. this was in the middle of a construction zone but there was little in the way of debris on the road or bumps to have caused the air bag deployment. my head was violently thrown toward the center of the vehicle but i managed to maintain control and so there was no subsequent accident. i noted the little orange light glowing on the dash telling me the air bags had deployed. i suffered from a sore / stiff neck and a recurrence of major tendonitis symptoms in my left ear. the local ford dealer could not isolate the exact cause of the un-commanded air bag deployment and the matter is still with our auto insurance company. *tr

Tl* the contact owns a 2003 ford explorer. the contact stated the rear lift gate glass hinge corroded and fractured from the vehicle. the vehicle was previously included and repaired under nhtsa campaign number: 04v442000 (structure). the manufacturer was made aware of the failure. the vehicle was taken to the dealer where the contact was informed that both of the hinges were corroded and would have to be replaced. the vehicle was being repaired. the approximate failure mileage was 121,000. *tr

While driving the o/d light began flashing on my dashboard, the vehicle slowed down to about 15 miles as if the transmission was pulling/slipping, the car made a hard jerk and began to pick-up speed. this cycle repeated until i reached my destination. the light came on again the next day and the same events occurred. *tr

Transmission is not shifting into second gear and overdrive. overdrive light flashes. previous owner had a new transmission put in through ford motor company and it started occurring again within a week of the replacement. i purchased the vehicle in april and have had it to numerous repair shops for transmission filter changes and tune ups, nothing helps. now im told it needs a new transmission. the transmission in it now is only 8 months old. it revs really high after first gear then kicks into second only after letting off the gas and manually shifting with the shifter. it will not shift into overdrive at all. the overdrive off light is constantly flashing. i highly doubt my next vehicle will be a ford!! *tr

Back glass on lift gate exploded. glass went every where. no one was in the thank goodness.vehicle was just sitting in driveway. it just exploded and shattered. there was nothing wrong with the glass. the only thing there was a crack on lower panel that had been there for about 3 years. *tr

Tl* the contact owns a 2003 ford explorer. the contact stated that the oil warning light illuminated. the vehicle was taken to a private mechanic who stated that the engine oil pump and the timing belt had failed. the vehicle was not repaired. the failure was reported to the manufacturer. the failure mileage was 60,000. the current mileage was 61,000.

Tl* the contact owns a 2003 ford explorer. the contact stated that the air conditioner and defroster would not operate when activated. the vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, who advised that both the air conditioning/heater switch and the blower motor would need to be replaced. the vehicle was not repaired. the manufacturer was not made aware of the defect. the approximate failure 130,000.

There has been no accident. under normal wear and tear of car went to open hatchback glass one day to load groceries and dropped low on my head because hinge holding the glass door came loose. had to ease it back up in place , have not been able to open glass door since for fear of it falling and breaking to pieces. the second complaint is the hatchback door is cracked under the ford emblem and to the side . i have seen many many explorers with this same exact crack as mine. they have also complained!!!! ford only recalled explorers up to i believe that were made up to february 2003. my car and others i have spoke with their and mine was made in 8/2003 so we were not covered!!! that is bull!! ford should stand by their products. *tr

Tl* the contact owns a 2003 ford explorer. the contact stated that the overdrive and check engine transmission warning lights both illuminated upon starting the vehicle. the vehicle was taken to a dealer for diagnosis but no cause for failure was found. the vehicle would also jerk and lunge forward when the contact was driving at various speeds. the vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic for diagnosis and the contact was informed that the transmission would need to be replaced. the manufacturer was not notified of the failure. the vehicle was not repaired. the failure and current mileage was 154,615.

While driving my vehicle on sunday, while driving my vehicle stalled in the road. the truck felt as if it was trying to pull a hill. this was very scarey for me and my children because if someone was coming behind us or if i was turning into the flow of traffic this could have been a terrible accident. afterwards the vehicle couldn't go over 30 mph without shifting out. this is very dangerous and ford should recall this immediately before someone is killed. *tr

The vehicle was driving down the highway when suddenly the o.d off light started flashing. when it approached local streets i noticed the transmission was slipping going into 2ng gear. the vehicle was taken to the dealer who immediately diagnosed it as a defective transmission. a little research on the 03 explorer transmission indicated it was a 5r55s model which has an astronomical failure rate. its also a sealed unit which doesn't have a dipstick to check the fluid level or condition ( burnt smell). the ford explorer also leads the list by having 4 out of the top ten vehicle complaints for worst model years cars. all the top complaints are for transmission failure. *tr

Tl* the contact owns a 2003 ford explorer. the contact stated that while driving 3 mph, the front passenger's side wheel became disconnected from the vehicle, causing the vehicle to forcefully drop to the ground. the vehicle was towed to a dealer for diagnosis and the contact was informed that the lug nuts had sheared off of the wheels, which would need to be replaced. the manufacturer had not been notified of the failure. the contact was awaiting the repair of the vehicle. the failure and current mileage was 98,000.

Tl* the contact owns a 2003 ford explorer. the contact stated that the tailgate was cracked. the contact spoke with the manufacturer and was told the lift gate was not under warranty. the vehicle was not repaired. the failure mileage was 100,000 and the current mileage was 110,000. *tr

Unexpected transmission failure. transmission not shifting gears properly. vehicle in good condition no fluid leaks. vehicle driven and maintained properly. this issue has occurred to numerous explorer owners with low mileage as my vehicle. *tr

Tl* the contact owns a 2003 ford explorer. the contact stated that the over drive light illuminated and the vehicle shifted erratically. the vehicle was taken to the dealer where it was found that the transmission needed to be replaced. the vehicle was not repaired. the manufacturer was not contacted. the failure mileage was 96,706.

Tl* the contact owns a 2003 ford explorer. the contact stated that while parked, he noticed a fracture on the rear lift gate panel. the manufacturer was made aware of the failure. the vehicle was not repaired. the approximate failure mileage was 90,000. *tr updated 5/24/13 *cn updated 06/12/2013 *js

Tl* the contact owns a 2003 ford explorer. the contact stated that while traveling 5 mph, the side curtain air bags deployed inadvertently. the vehicle was taken to the dealer however, the dealer was unable to determine what caused the air bag deployment. the manufacturer stated would provide no assistance. the failure and current mileage was 125,000. *tr

I was driving my 2003 ford explorer and i was going about 40 miles per hr. i was approaching a red light, and as i was braking my vehicle accelerated without me having my foot on the gas paddle. i have had major transmission work (re-built trans, $3000) on my vehicle, in which i had to take it back to the transmission repair shop three times, yet i continue to have unexplained problems. the vehicle seems to be unsafe for me to drive at this time. *tr

Tl* the contact owns a 2003 ford explorer. the contact was driving approximately 40 mph when the navigational system functions disabled without warning. the contact maneuvered to the side of the road and turned the engine off. once restarted, the navigation system began to operate normally however, the failure recurred intermittently. the vehicle was taken to an authorized dealer five times for the same problem. the navigational system software was updated. in addition, an unknown part was replaced at a later date. the failure continued to persist after the repairs. the dealer was unable to provide a remedy for the failure. the manufacturer was notified of the defect. the approximate failure mileage was 12,000.

Tl* the contact owns a 2003 ford explorer. the contact stated that he noticed that the lift gate was fractured near the manufacturing emblem. the failure caused the interior lights and the anti-theft alarm to activate. the vehicle was not inspected by a dealer or an independent mechanic. the vehicle was not repaired. the manufacturer was contacted and they advised him that the vehicle was not included in nhtsa campaign id number 04v442000 (structure). the failure mileage was approximately 120,000. the current mileage was approximately 140,000. *tr

Without any prior indication of an issue, the overdrive light started flashing. after stopping at the next traffic light, it appeared the transmission was having a problem getting into 2nd gear. needless to say, the tranny problem continued and now needs to be replaced. this issue seems be consistent with that of many, many early 2000s explorer owners. i feel an investigation into this issue is warranted. *tr

Transmission failure. *tr

Tl* the contact owns a 2003 ford explorer. the contact stated that the transmission slipped and caused the overdrive light to illuminate. the vehicle was taken to the dealer. the failure was located and the contact was advised that the transmission needed to be replaced. the rear hatch frame was also fractured and caused the rear hatch to split in half. the manufacturer was made aware of the failures. the vin was not available. the vehicle was not repaired. the failure and current mileage was 112,000.

Tl* the contact owns a 2003 ford explorer. the contact stated the over-drive light illuminated while driving 65 mph and the vehicle slowed down to 20 mph. the contact took the vehicle to the dealer and the dealer stated the transmission was defective and needed to be replaced. the contact did not replace the transmission. the failure mileage was 110,000.

Tl* the contact owns a 2003 ford explorer. the contact noticed a large fracture under the rear liftgate glass near the manufacturing emblem. the fracture was approximately six inches long. the vehicle was not inspected. the manufacturer was notified of the problem. the approximate failure mileage was 83,000.

I was driving down tx hwy 190, and my o/d light started flashing on my 2003 ford explorer, it was found that the shift solenoid pack was going out, it was an electrical issue with the solenoids, the pack was replaced and now it is doing it again, ran the diagnostics on it and it is the exact same problem, the shift solenoid pack electrical problem on a solenoid pack that is barely a year old and the mileage is now at 201000. *tr

Although this defect did not cause an accident or injury, the potential was there for serious damage to this or following vehicles. specifically, the defect was the rear strut/spring assemblies i.e. broken and shifted coil spring. as this part sits close to the fuel tank, the piece of spring that broke off could have easily punctured the fuel tank resulting in possible fire. it could also have wedged against a brake line, thus causing a brake failure and/or suspension failure/misalignment causing loss of control and an accident. in addition, if the piece of spring, weighing about three (3) pounds had fallen out, it could have caused severe damage to a following vehicle or it's operator had it bounced up and penetrated a windshield. the reason for the lapse in time in my reporting this condition is because i thought perhaps it was just a one time isolated failure to my vehicle. however, in talking to other ford explorer owners, as well as several auto repair shops, i have learned that this has been a common failure on similar vehicles. if this was a simple repair to a component that had little or no affect on the vehicles performance or did not present a safety condition, i would have probably just written it off to normal maintenance and repair. however, with my knowledge of automobiles, and a condition that could potentially cause damage as well as personal injury, as well as being a quite expensive repair, i felt compelled to report it to the proper people who perhaps have a larger data base than i do, and take action against ford motor company to mandate a recall or reimbursement to those ford explorer owners who have experienced the same failure as i have. *tr

A crack on the rear hatch next to ford emblem. *tr

Check transmission indicator on in information center and overdrive light on. grinding noise from under vehicle. *tr

My 2003 ford explorer while going down the road, i started to notice that it was a hard shift from 1st to second gear, the rpm would go to almost 4000rpm, then almost slam into gear. my o/d light started flashing, and my check engine light came on, when i got home i researched it on the internet and found there are numerous problems with the ford transmissions, after contacting ford they basically told me i was out of luck they wouldn't help,,,, i have been a loyal ford customer for years and so has the rest of my family and my business uses ford vehicles. someone needs to research this, ford is getting away with a big injustice by making a substandard transmission that is costing their customs thousands of dollars. but all ford will say is if the nhtsa decides to investigate and sees its a problem then they will act on it. *tr

Ok we were driving pulled out and it did not shift to second gear and cars were coming up and honking horn it takes car a long time to switch to 2nd gear at light and this is very dangerous can get hit. the o/d light flashes causing service engine light to come on. transmission was serviced and i was told it was a ford issue with these transmission ford was not successful at helping their needs to be a recall on these transmission they are very dangerous and the customer is constantly paying the price on these vehicles. *tr

Transmission failure. *tr

Tl* the contact owns a 2003 ford explorer. the contact stated that while driving approximately 60 mph, the transmission shifted gears independently with the illumination of the over drive indicator. the vehicle had not been diagnosed or repaired. the manufacturer was notified of the problem and informed the contact that there was not a recall related to the defect. the approximate failure mileage was 136,000.

Tl* the contact owns a 2003 ford explorer. the contact stated that the tailgate had cracked underneath the rear window. the vehicle was not taken to a dealer. the manufacturer was made aware of the failure. the vehicle was not repaired. the approximate failure mileage was 103,000 and current mileage was unknown. updated 04/18/2013 *js

Tl* the contact owns a 2003 ford explorer. the contact was driving approximately 15 mph when the transmission began to slip gears. the failure occurred whenever the vehicle was in operation. the vehicle was taken to an authorized dealer, who stated that the transmission would need to be replaced. the manufacturer was notified of the problem and informed the contact that there was not a recall related to the defect. the vehicle was not repaired. the approximate failure mileage was 94,000.

Tl* the contact owns a 2003 ford explorer. the contact stated that while refueling, a large amount of fuel sprayed out of the filler neck. the vehicle had not been repaired. the manufacturer was not notified of the problem. the approximate failure mileage was 123,000. the vin was unavailable.

Went to put the car in park and the gear shift detached from the steering wheel. key was stuck in the ignition, unable to put the car in park. towed it to our house where my uncle was able to fix it. had to replace the whole steering column. the problem was caused by a weak piece of metal in the alloy connecting the gear shift to the steering column. *tr

Both rear coil springs rusted through and broke. *tr

Tl* the contact owns a 2003 ford explorer. the contact stated that while driving approximately 40 mph, the contact heard a clicking noise coming from the a/c heater blend door actuator. in addition, the a/c failed to operate. the vehicle was taken to the dealer for diagnostic testing. the technician advised that the blend door actuator needed to be replaced. the manufacturer was made aware of the failure and advised the contact that the vehicle was not included in any recalls. the vehicle was not repaired. the approximate failure and the current mileage was 110,000. updated 03/07/13*lj updated 03/11/2013 *js

Tl* the contact owns a 2003 ford explorer. the contact stated that while driving 60 mph, the transmission failed and the vehicle stopped accelerating. the contact attempted to restart the vehicle to reset the problem but the failure recurred. the vehicle was towed to a transmission center for inspection and they advised that the transmission needed to be replaced. the vehicle was not repaired. the manufacturer was notified but provided no assistance. the failure mileage was 126,000.

Travel approximately 55 miles per hour southbound on sr-99 both the left and right side head curtain airbags deployed for no reason while i was driving with my 2 year old daughter and 3 month old son, both in appropriate child safety seats. the vehicle was not hit, i did not swerve, nor step on the breaks. nothing occurred in the vehicle to warrant or cause the airbags to deploy. the force of the airbags struck my head causing head and neck pain, but more importantly it could have caused an accident or even death had i swerved and it caused an accident with another vehicle or caused my vehicle to crash out of control. *tr

Tl* the contact owns a 2003 ford explorer. the contact stated that while driving approximately 5 -10 mph over a road bump, the hatch back window detached and fell from the vehicle without warning. the contact pulled over and saw that the hinges to the rear window were severely rusted, causing the window to detach. the vehicle was not inspected by a dealer or an independent mechanic. the manufacturer was later contacted and advised him that the vehicle was too dangerous to drive and should not have passed state inspection. the failure mileage was approximately 147,000. the current mileage was approximately 148,000.

Tl* the contact owns a 2003 ford explorer. the contact stated that the rear lift gate was fractured near the window. the vehicle was not taken to the dealer for inspection. the vehicle was not repaired. the manufacturer was notified of the failure and advised the contact that they would look further into the failure. the failure mileage was 110,000.

Vehicle transmission will not shift into upper gears. o/d light blinks on and off. there are many complaints on this issue to ford. ford will not repair or compensate owners for this known dangerous and faulty transmission issue on many 2000-2003 explorer's. this should be a recall. *tr

Tl* the contact owns a 2003 ford explorer. the contact stated that there was a fracture in the trim that held the rear window in place. the vehicle was taken to a dealer for inspection where they advised that the part was defective and needed to be repaired. the vehicle was not repaired. the manufacturer was notified but provided no assistance. the failure mileage was 20,000. ...updated 12/17/12 *bf

While i was merging from one road to the next the explorer transmission felt like it popped out of gear. when i continued the transmission would not change gears without me "feathering" the gas. took it to a repair shop and had to pay $2000+ to repair/rebuild the transmission. *tr

Tl* the contact owns a 2003 ford explorer. the contact stated that the lift gate was cracked. the vehicle was not taken to a dealer for inspection. the vehicle was not repaired. the manufacturer was notified and stated that the vehicle was not included in any recalls. the failure mileage was 96,000.

I was backing up to the garage to unload the stuff in the back and the car made a loud whinning noise and took off fast..i couldn't stop the truck.. *tr

Tl* the contact owns a 2003 ford explorer. the contact stated that the vehicle had developed a crack on the tailgate of the vehicle under the rear window. the manufacturer was made aware of the failure who stated there had not been enough complaints to issue a recall and referred her to nhtsa. the vehicle was not repaired. the failure and current mileage was 80,000.

Tl* the contact owns a 2003 ford explorer. the contact stated that the lift gate window detached from the hinges and crack the door. the vehicle was taken to the dealer for inspection and they stated that the hinges needed to be replaced. the dealer also stated that the vehicle was under recall nhtsa campaign id number: 04v442000 (structure:body:hatchback/liftgate:hinge and attachments). the vehicle was repaired but the failure recurred and the door was still cracked. the manufacturer was notified and advised the contact to keep the receipts in case of another recall. the failure mileage was 160,000.

Tl* the contact owns a 2003 ford explorer. the contact stated that while driving 30 mph, the wheel detached from the vehicle. the contact discovered that a lug nut was detahced from the wheel which caused the failure. the vehicle was towed to the dealer where the contact was advised that the lug nut was sheered. the vehicle was repaired but the failure recurred. the manufacturer was notified but provided no assistance. the failure mileage was 120,000.

Tl* the contact owns a 2003 ford explorer. the contact stated that when the brakes were depressed, the abs warning light illuminated. the vehicle was taken to the dealer. the manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. the vehicle was not repaired. the failure mileage was 21,000 and the current mileage was 105,000.

Tl* the contact owns a 2003 ford explorer. the contact stated that while inspecting the vehicle it was found that the hinge for the liftgate was broken. the vehicle was not taken to a mechanic and was not repaired. the manufacturer was contacted who informed him that the vehicle was not included in nhtsa campaign id number 04v442000 (structure: body: hatchback/liftgate: hinge and attachments). the failure and current mileage was 110,308.

Tl* the contact owns a 2003 ford explorer. the contact stated that the hinges on the back lift gate fractured and allowed the glass to become disengaged. the vehicle could not be driven. the dealer was notified and informed the contact that there were no recalls on his vehicle. the manufacturer was made aware of the failure who stated that the vehicle had been repaired under the recall nhtsa campaign id number: 04v442000 (structure:body:hatchback/liftgate:hinge and attachments) 8 years prior and provided no other assistance. the failure and current mileage was 130,000.

Wheel bearings went out on front right wheel and both the rear wheels. i just replaced my transmission and now i have to pay for wheel bearings which is not cheap. i cannot believe ford does not acknowledge this problem with alot of explorers. i would not every buy ford again. *tr

All 4 of the wheel bearings had to be replaces in a matter of 5 months the rear window has a crack in the fiberglass covering right down the middle said not covered not a health risk but the molding is still cracked from the bottom of window to the bottom of the molding piece brake lights stay on until u get back in and tap the brakes then the light shuts off. *tr

Tl* the contact owns a 2003 ford explorer. the contact stated that the lift gate hinges were fractured. the vehicle was not taken to the dealer. the manufacturer was made aware of the failure who did not offer any assistance since the vehicle was not included in nhtsa campaign id number: 04v442000 (structure:body:hatchback/liftgate:hinge and attachments). the vehicle was not repaired. the failure mileage was 40,000 and the current mileage was 82,000.....updated 10/11/12 *bf updated 10/16/2012 *js

It's the transmission. the vehicle is having problems going into gear and jerking. the transmission is sealed so i can not change the fluid myself either. there are many others having the same problem as i am having. how do i go about getting a recall on the transmission? *tr

Tl* the contact owns a 2003 ford explorer. the contact stated that while driving 55 mph the check engine warning lamp illuminated. the vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic who diagnosed that the brackets that hold the timing chain fractured. as a result, the brackets and valve cover needed to be replaced. also, the contact stated that while driving at various speeds she could hear a grinding noise. the vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic who stated that the front driver side hub assembly needed to be replaced. the manufacturer was made aware of the failure who did not offer any assistance since the vehicle was not included on any recalls. the vehicle was not repaired. the failure mileage was 75,000 and the current mileage was 120,000.

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 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.

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.

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.

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.

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

Tl* the contact owns a 2003 ford explorer. the contact stated that the rear lift gate detached from the hinges of the vehicle. the dealer was notified and stated there was a recall but the contact's vin was not included in the recall associated with nhtsa campaign id number: 04v442000 (structure: body: hatchback/liftgate: hinge and attachments). the manufacturer was notified and offered no assistance. the vehicle was not repaired. the failure mileage was 55,000.

Tl* the contact owns a 2003 ford explorer xlt. the contact stated that a crack was found in the rear door panel. the crack was noticed while the vehicle was parked in the contact's garage. the vehicle was not taken to the dealer. the manufacturer was not contacted and the vehicle was not repaired. the failure and current mileages were 125,000.

The problem with the seat belts that it does not retract, it seems to me that system would not hold any tension to be safe on the road and beside that it does not retract, it torn the seal because metal hook was still sticking out and it got caught on the door consequently tearing the seal, they are the same way on both side of the vehicle, driver and passenger. i brought to the dealer and it seems like they don't care to replace it. *tr

Tl* the contact owns a 2003 ford explorer. the contact stated that the rear lift gate panel was cracked due to defective material. the dealer denied assistance with the repair because the warranty expired. the vehicle was not repaired. the failure mileage was 56,543 and the current mileage was 60,000. updated 08/07/12*lj

Tl* the contact owns a 2003 ford explorer. the contact confirmed there was a crack located on the panel of the rear window. the vehicle was not taken to the dealer to be repaired. the manufacturer was not notified of the failure. the vehicle was not repaired. the vin was unknown. the failure mileage was 125,000 and the current mileage was 177,000.

Large crack appeared on hatch door below window. many complaints on internet with same problem. *js

Tl* the contact owns a 2003 ford explorer. the contact was driving 55-60 mph when three studs detached from the passenger side rear wheel. the vehicle was towed to a private mechanic and the manufacturer was contacted. the vehicle was repaired and the vin was unavailable. the failure mileage was 55,000 and the current mileage was 68,000.

Brought vehicle in for routine maintenance ( brakes ) when it was discovered that both rear coil springs were broken. while having springs replaced it was discovered that the rear wheel bearings also needed to be replaced along with the rear shocks. this vehicle has been driven only less than 55,000 miles under normal driving conditions on paved city and highway roads. after inspecting the broken springs we realized that the damage wasn't a recent occurrence. they could have been defected at 40,000 miles or less.i believe ford motor company should be made aware of possible defected rear suspension parts it may be using in some of it's vehicle models and the potential safety risks this may pose on the general public. *tr

Transmission slipping while driving. *tr

Tl* the contact owns a 2003 ford explorer. the contact stated that the window on the rear hatch developed a crack and the hinge was bent due to defective material. the manufacturer was notified and stated that the repairs associated with nhtsa campaign id number 04v442000 (structure: body: hatchback/liftgate: hinge and attachments) were previously performed. the manufacturer would not provide further assistance. the vehicle was not repaired. the failure mileage was 53,000 and the current mileage was 64,000.

Rear of vehicle emitted a thumping and popping sound. first thought that rear tire had blown or that rear end had malfunctioned. after regaining control of vehicle and pulling off to shoulder on three wheels and a rotor, determined that the driver's side rear wheel and tire had disappeared. all lugs and nuts were gone. wheel had departed from vehicle and gone in an unknown direction. rotor and caliper where still attached to vehicle. policeman was later able to retrieve wheel and tire from some distance down the highway behind the vehicle. rim was scored all the way around the circumference of the inside of the rim. i assume that the rim had dropped down onto either the lugs or rotor prior to finding its way out of the fender well. blessed to be able to talk about this. ford motor company, there are recurrent problems here. had rear bearing replaced on same wheel approximately 16 months prior. suggested repairs around $400.00 to start for this incident. there may be greater damage and cost because the vehicle rested and dragged upon the rear suspension strut and torsion bar prior to get it stopped and pulled off of the pavement onto the grassy shoulder. *tr

I have a 2003 ford explorer xlt with 105,000 miles on it. yesterday (4/24/12) it would not go into reverse and had difficulty shifting into 2 and 3 gear + the overdrive light just started blinking on and off. i took it back to the ford dealer where i purchased it and i am told it will cost me $4,000.000 to repair! i have contacted ford motor customer service (fmcs) and they tell me that there are no recalls on this issue nor can they offer me any assistance with the cost. the guy i spoke to at the fmcs was rather shocked at the $4,000 price tag and did agree with me that the trans failed prematurely. however, there was nothing he could do to help me. this conversation was recorded by the ford customer service center out of florida. i have been online looking over several blogs and several web sites and it appears that this is a common problem. it also appears that the ford explorer has a huge problem with transmission failure, mostly from the early 2000s -- especially the 2002 to 2004 ford explorer. mine is a 2003! *tr

Transmission light flashing and i am told the transmission needs to be replaced or rebuilt. this tranny should be more durable, ford is better than all the complaints i have read online about this situation. *tr

Tl* the contact owns a 2003 ford explorer. the contact stated while driving 35 mph the overdrive warning lamp was illuminated. the vehicle was not taken to the dealer for diagnostic testing. the manufacturer was made aware of the failure and did not offer any assistance. the vehicle was not repaired. the failure and current mileage was 100,000.

Tl* the contact owns a 2003 ford explorer. the contact stated that the glass on the rear hatch bottom molding was cracked. the vehicle was taken to the dealer but was not repaired. there were no recalls for the failure. the manufacturer was notified who offered no assistance. the failure mileage was 180,000 and the current mileage was 186,000.

Tl* the contact owns a 2003 ford explorer. the contact stated that she noticed a fracture on the lift gate window. the vehicle was taken to a dealer where they advised her that she would have to have the panel replaced. the manufacturer was contacted and they offered no assistance. the failure mileage was approximately 39,000. updated 04/26/12*lj the consumer also stated the rear differential was replaced.

While in parked position, ignition started, gear shift broke while putting in reverse - failure of metal alloy connecting gear shift handle to steering column. key was stuck in ignition and was not removable. had to replace entire steering column. towing expenses incurred as well as repair expenses. problem caused by weakness/failure in metal alloy connecting gear shift handle to transmission steering column. *tr

Tl* the contact owns a 2003 ford explorer. the contact stated that there was a fracture in the rear lift gate hinge, making it impossible to connect the rear tailgate door to the vehicle. the dealer and manufacturer were notified, but the nhtsa campaign id number 04v442000 (structure:body:hatchback/liftgate:hinge and attachments), did not include the vin. the vehicle was not repaired. the failure and current mileages were approximately 160,000.

Tl* the contact owns a 2003 ford explorer. the contact noticed a crack at the rear hatch back under the rear window. the contact stated that the crack was becoming wider when the hatch back was opened and closed. the vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. the vin was not available. the failure mileage was 30,000 and the current mileage was 40,000.

Tl* the contact owns a 2003 ford explorer. the contact stated that the vehicle would not accelerate over 15 mph and the overdrive light illuminated while the failure occurred. the vehicle was towed to a local mechanic and a diagnostic test was performed. the failure was located at the third gear, which would not shift, and caused the transmission to fail. the transmission would need to be replaced. the vehicle was not repaired. the manufacturer was made aware of the failure. the failure and current mileages were 152,000.

Tl* the contact owns a 2003 ford explorer. the vehicle was included in the recall associated with nhtsa campaign id number: 04v442000 (structure:body:hatchback/lift gate:hinge and attachments) and was repaired. after the repair, the contact noticed a fracture in the panel under the rear liftgate window. the manufacturer was made aware of the failure. the vehicle was not repaired. the approximate failure mileage was 70,000. updated 04/10/12*lj updatd 04/20/12. *jb

O/d light flashing and wont go into overdrive. the transmission is a sealed unit. *tr

Tl* the contact owns a 2003 ford explorer. while parked, the contact noticed that the panel below the rear window hatch was cracked. the vehicle was taken to the dealer for diagnostics where the technician stated that the rear panel would have to be replaced. the vehicle was not repaired. the approximate failure mileage was 59,000. updated 03/21/12*bf the consumer stated the rear panel connected to the back rear window cracked underneath the rear window and has weakened the rear view window. the seal has rotted out due to water seeping into the defective cracked panel. updated 04/09/12 water seeped into the cracked panel and caused corrosion and electrical problems. updated 05/07/12

Traveling the i-95 corridor in north carolina at approx. 3am the transmission over drive light began flashing and the check engine light came on shortly after. vehicle began to have shifting problems. had to ease into 1st gear and play with accelerator pedal to shift out of 1st gear. not a good feeling when 500 miles from home and in the middle of nowhere. researched and found that this is becoming a common problem for these vehicles. brought vehicle to aamco and was informed again common in the explorer. cost estimate for repair $2500.00. vehicle had 77000 miles at time of failure. called ford for "goodwill" repair. should have talked to a door knob. standard reply "vehicle out of warranty". driving over forty years, never experienced transmission failure. this is a design flaw that they are not acknowledging. they may not pay now but in the long run the cost will be great. drove my last ford. *tr

Tl* the contact owns a 2003 ford explorer. the contact stated that while restarting the vehicle, the gear shifter detached from the steering wheel. the vehicle was towed to an authorized dealer where it was diagnosed with a failure to the steering column that needed to be replaced. the vehicle was not repaired. the failure and the current mileage was 75,900. ..updated 04/11/12 *bf the consumer stated when he put the vehicle in reverse, the entire gear shift came out in his hand. leaving the vehicle in reverse. he was able to turn the ignition switch off. a cast iron bracket was completely broken off in the steering column. updated 05/31/12

Tl* the contact owns a 2003 ford explorer. while examining the vehicle, the contact noticed that the rear glass hatch housing was cracked in half. the vehicle was taken to the dealer where the contact was informed that the rear hatch needed to be replaced. the vehicle was not repaired. the vin was not available. the current and the failure mileages were 120,000.

Tl* the contact owns a 2003 ford explorer. the contact stated that the vehicle has had two rebuilt transmissions. the contact stated that the transmission started slipping again and the torque converter had to be replaced. the failure and the current mileage was 77,000.

Tl* the contact owns a 2003 ford explorer. the contact stated that the rear tail gate door developed a cracked. the vehicle was not taken to the dealer. the manufacturer was made aware of the failure who did not offer any assistance since there were no recalls related to the failure. the vehicle was not repaired. the failure mileage was 110,000 and the current mileage was 112,000.

Door adjar sensor fails in 2003 ford explorer its all over internet. *tr

Multiple issues with my 2003 ford explorer which include the electronic mother board having been replaced twice (under warranty), cracked liftgage (not under warranty cost $300), transmission rebuild approx 90,000 ($3000), dome lights do not turn off, door ajar lights, electric rear windows do not open, o/d light flashes and now the final problem after having replaced my transmission in july 2011 is a drive train or drive line issue. at approximately 45 mph after dropping from a higher speed, a thumping happens. diagnosis for this issue has been 3 days still with no final determination. *tr

Initially happened at 98k miles back in 08. put in park (vehicle on elevated driveway). jerked back and heard a clunk- like it was shifting from park into a gear with vehicle pressure- and it started to roll back. hit brakes- and put it in reverse. then neutral to start it. parked it on the curb for an hour, went back out and it didn't do it again until last week. thinking it might have been the weather this time- parked on my fairly steep driveway again with lots of ice/snow. 189k miles with the orig tranny and regular computer updates/flushes. been an amazing truck- just thinking it might happen again. *tr

The transmission slips gears between 1st->2nd and 2nd->3rd gears. the car has never been used for towing and has been maintained by a ford dealership according to the recommended servicing. at only 80,000 miles, it should not be having transmission issues. *tr

Tl* the contact owns a 2003 ford explorer. the contact stated the vehicle was previously repaired under a recall associated with nhtsa campaign id number 07e104000 (visibility: glass, side/rear). the repair was performed prior to the purchase of the vehicle. the remedy was insufficient, as a result to the rear liftgate hinge failing to secure the window glass properly. the vehicle had not been repaired. the manufacturer was notified of the malfunction. the approximate failure mileage was 109,000.

Back glass hatch has a hairline crack to the left side of the ford embelm. just suddenly apperared, after no impact. *tr

Transmission failure. transmission does not want to up shift, it will shift hard. o/d light flashing. *tr

I payed 18,000 for my 2003 ford explorer xlt with the flex fuel in 2006. its a very nice looking suv but i only drove it for 2 years before the transmission started to fail. i beleave a transmission should last more than 2 years. my concearn is that its defective all around the transmission and i could still drive it if i wasnt in fear for my life. i have had it to ford dealership and they could not diagnose the problem, they wanted me to pay them to taket out the tranny and wanted way to much for any parts,so i had it looked at by a transmission place that been around a long time and he had no idea what was wrong.replaced the selenoid for like 900 and my it ran fine for like 2 weeks until i put in 4 w/d than my o/d light started bliking again and the transmission slipped, the o/d light eluminated the first time my transmission ever slipped.and if i went and drove it right now it would cause an accident and some people might still depend on there defective explorer to get somewhere.it accelerates by its self it sometimes dosnt want to go in gear and if this is electrical someones vehicle could stop in the middle of a highway with no warning but a blinking o/d light.and worst thing is, if ford would reconize this problem with out selling new transmissions that will eventually have the same problem with i could have it fixed but no one but ford knows what is wrong and they obviously dont know how to fix it or know if they admit their mistake it was a design flaw i want my money back.i bet you they wouldnt even take my explorer on a trade in. and if you just google ford explorer anything from 1999 to 2007 i think....its going to have like thousands of people with the same problem as mine and probaly like from 40,000 miles up, way to early for transmission replacement. *tt

I noticed a crack on the rear hatch trim panel under the window out of nowhere. also, the paint on my hood and quarter panels has been bubbling and peeling off in huge chunks. it would seem they should do a recall on these issues since there are so many complaints. *tt

Tl* the contact owns a 2003 ford explorer. the contact stated that both rear coil springs fractured. the rear passenger side coil spring failed first and was repaired. the rear driver’s side coil spring was not repaired. the manufacturer was made aware of the failure. the failure mileage was 10,585 and the current mileage was 129,000. updated 02/27/12*lj updated 02/28/12

I called ford customer relations to report my transmission was failing, and discovering that many people were reporting the same issue on the web: flashing overdrive light, constant engine service light, and my transmission was sticking and not shifting properly. i told the representative about my issue and immediately they said i did not have the extended warranty. i told them i did have the extended which was up to 100000 miles, but i was barely over by 3000 miles. i explained that a lot of other people were complaining about the same transmission issue with the same make, model, and year. the agent sounded like he was reading from a script, including his supervisor saying i was out of warranty, sorry, and go to the dealer you bought the car from. when it was clear he was not going to do anything, i asked to speak with a supervisor, but it was clear that she was not going to do anything either. all i was asking for was a goodwill repair discount, and they refused. i grew up with fords; fairlane, falcon, galaxy, maverick, ltd, taurus, expedition, t-bird, and explorer. i am not going to say i will never drive another ford, but i no longer feel loyal to the brand. honda's and toyota's transmissions last longer and they stand by their product. i am very disappointed about thier lack of customer service and indifference with my problem. this is going to cost $2500 for a rebuild or $3500 for a new transmission. *kb

Front wheels made loud humming sounds and at time felt like they were rubbing. mechanics found that both front wheel hub assembly's were failing simultaneously. they also think the rear is starting to go. this appears to be caused by poor design and/or craftmanship by manufacturer. *tr

Tl* the contact owns a 2003 ford explorer. while driving approximately 30 mph, the transmission began to slip gears in a jerking motion. there was also a hesitation and the engine revved continuously. in addition, the over drive and transmission warning indicators illuminated on the instrument panel. the indicators remained illuminated until the engine was turned off. the vehicle was diagnosed by two different independent mechanics and they informed the sensor solenoid would need to be replaced and possibly the transmission. the vehicle was in the process of being taken to an authorized dealer for a third opinion. the manufacturer was not notified of the defect. the approximate failure mileage was 74,000. the vin was unavailable.

Rattling noise in 4.0 liter-sohc 2003 ford explorer xlt. dealer replaced rear tensioner. noise remained. diagnosis said engine noise is coming from rear cassette and possibly front one. engine would have to be removed and taken apart to replace timing chain cassettes for @ $4k. the car only has 53,070 miles on it. online search verifies an obvious issue pattern and complaints to an inferior quality cassette material requiring labor intensive engine removal repair. *tr

Tl* the contact owns a 2003 ford explorer. the contact stated that while driving 30 mph, the transmission would not shift into gear and failed. the check engine and the bs warning lights were illuminated. the contact notified a mechanic of the failure and was advised that the transmission would likely need replacing.the manufacturer was not notified of the failure. the vin was unavailable. the failure mileage was 148,000.

Tl* the contact owns a 2003 ford explored. the contact stated that the rear lift gate glass shield cracked and shattered. the vehicle was not taken to the dealer nor was it repaired. the failure and the current mileage was 166,079.

Took explorer to dealership to get the transmission fluid checked and got a call from the dealership that the spark plug had blown out of the engine and stripped the threads in the head but not on the spark plug. *tr

I went to leave for work one morning & i noticed the rear panel was cracked. it wasn't like that the night before, so it literally happened overnight. my mechanic said it was cosmetic & common problem with these trucks. i was told the window would be fine, but there is a chance of the panel piece falling off. i haven't had it fixed yet due to the expense, but i am afraid a piece may fall off while driving which could injure someone. to add insult to injury, a week later, my transmission started slipping & the o/d light was flashing. i had it towed & sure enough, it had to be rebuilt. it also needed a new hub bearing and both front ball joints had to be replaced. *kb

Timing chain broke, with no warning, bent all the valves and wasn't even driving it. had just started the car in the garage and backed out of driveway with car idling very rough. pulled back in driveway and oil was pouring out underneath, due to chain had busted the valve cover. well had to pull the motor, replaced guides, cassettes, and tensioners, with 2000.00 just in parts alone. had car back from mechanic not even 3 weeks and engine started knocking as if a rod was knocking. went back to mechanic and tensioners were the cause of timing-chain "clank". apparently they (ford) designed these tensioners with "plastic" guides which shred off into the hydraulic tensioner pick up tube therefore clogging up the hole for oil to get to chain and will continue to do so unless you get updated tensioners directly from ford at 100.00 each. there are 3 timing chains and multiple tensioners as well, which continue to go out after 30,000 miles and need replacing, which most can be replaced with motor in but some cant therefore i have had motor out twice now, at 2500.00 each time. there was an onp to owners but ford would only cover cost up to 100,000 miles and only if owners complained!! otherwise they would not fix!!! well this is a bad design on fords part with plastic tensioners to guide your timing chain!!! now they have updated with a tougher nylon "plastic". but have not recalled the old ones so unless you order dealer parts you receive the old parts which are no good and will end up making you spend more money and for the last 12months, i have had my car 3 weeks due to cant afford the enormous repair bill, which ford knew about all along, but failed to recall plastic parts unless someone complained. according to my research it has been an ongoing problem since the 1996-2006 year model explores with 4.0 sohc v-6 motors. something definitely needs to be done!!! *tr

I have a 2003 ford explorer. i had stopped and was waiting for a mail carrier to finish putting mail in a mailbox when i was rear-ended. the other driver hit me at high speed. i was subsequently pushed into the mail carriers vehicle---even though he tried unsuccessfully to get out of the way. i don't believe i hit the mail carrier at high speed, but still it did cause damage to the back bumper of his vehicle and light damage to my front bumper. the truck then rear-ended me again due to his speed and inability to stop. neither air bag in the front of my vehicle deployed. my vehicle was totaled due to the damage from the rear-end hit. the only door on my vehicle that opened correctly was the front passenger door. my seat on the front is apparently broke and laying flat. the cargo area was pushed into the third seat, the third seat into the second seat, etc... i'm not sure if the airbags should have deployed or not. but, if they should have this really needs to be looked into. i believe my injuries would not have been as severe if the airbags had deployed. i have what i guess may be classic whiplash type injuries. back pain, neck pain, and shoulder pain; as well as, my elbow was hurt; and both wrist from trying to grab the steering wheel to prevent myself from being thrown into the steering column or windshield during the second hit from the rear. anything you can tell me that will help with these questions? i am being asked by other people that know about the wreck why the airbags did not deploy. *tr

Tl* the contact owns a 2003 ford explorer. the contact stated that there was a crack on the frame of the vehicle starting from the bottom of the rear glass going down toward the manufacturer¿s emblem. the dealer and the manufacturer were notified of the failure but denied any assistance with repairs to the vehicle. the vehicle was not repaired. the failure mileage was 86,000 and the current mileage was 96,000.

My 2003 ford explorer was in the shop for a fuel smell and diagnosed with a fuel tank leak around the fuel filler hose at the gas tank. there is visible cracking on the plastic surrounding the base of the filler neck as it attaches to the fuel tank with constant fuel seepage. i called the customer relationship center at ford motor company with the hope that they would be concerned about this serious issue and was given a case number and asked to take my vehicle into my local ford dealer's service department for an inspection to verify the problem. i left my vehicle with them for an entire day and was told at the end of the day that there would be no assistance available from ford and therefore no work or inspection was performed by the service department. this is a critical ford motor company engineering problem and would hope they would take a serious interest in resolving such a hazardous issue. *tr

Tl* the contact owns a 2003 ford explorer. the contact stated the rear liftgate glass bolt brackets detached from the hinges, causing the glass to detach. there was a recall associated with the defect under nhtsa campaign id number 04v442000 (structure: body: hatchback/liftgate: hinge and attachments) but the vehicle was ineligible for the recall repair due to the build date. the vehicle had not been repaired. the approximate failure mileage was 85,000.

When i was switching the gear from reverse to drive at a gas station, the shifter lever was snapped off. i cannot move the car any more, and the key got stuck in the steering column. i find loads of others have same problem happened and ford is not doing anything on this dangerous/could be fatal problem. *tt

I have a 2003 ford explorer, ran to the store last night to buy groceries. loaded things into my truck, closed the door and things were fine. arrived home to remove the groceries and there was a 6 inch long crack on the rear hatch of my truck right beside the ford logo and rear windshield wiper. i take pride in my vehicle and keep it clean and the outside body is perfect; until this happened. i am disappointed that i called ford and there is no recall in regards to this, but there are hundreds of complaints online about the exact same issue. i want ford to pay for the repair of this. i have been a loyal ford customer and so has by family since the early 1980s. i will probably never purchase another ford as this is just another issue that ford won't acknowledge. *kb

Tl* the contact owns a 2003 ford explorer. while driving 50 mph, the overdrive and check engine warning lights illuminated. the vehicle was towed to the dealer who inspected the failure and informed the contact that the transmission was faulty and needed to be replaced. the manufacturer was notified who advised that there were no recalls for the failure and offered no further assistance. the failure mileage was 175,024.

My 2003 ford explorer has a cracked rear panel. this is the second time it has happened. the first time it was covered by warranty and ford repaired it at no charge. this time they will not. i was told it will cost approximately $300.00 and it would happen again. the crack develops right in the middle of the panel under the rear window. *tr

Tl* the contact owns a 2003 ford explorer. the vehicle was included in the recall under nhtsa campaign id number: 04v442000 (structure:body:hatchback/liftgate:hinge and attachments). after the repairs were performed the contact attempted to open the lift gate which separated from the strut and detached from the vehicle. the vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic who replaced the hinges. the approximate failure mileage was 70,000.

I was driving at 60 mph and approaching a red light 1/4 mile ahead i released pressure on the accelerator but the car maintained 60 mph and would not slow down, i applied the foot brakes but realized this was not the answer, it felt like the cruise control was not releasing however the cruise control not being used, i placed the car in neutral and braked to a stop the engine was racing. i tapped the accelerator with my foot and the accelerator pedal retracted , the engine slowed,i continue my trip and after driving a few miles found that the accelerator was stuck again,i selected neutral and tapped the accelerator,the engine went back to idle.i pulled over and looked at the accelerator cable where it connects to the accelerator to make sure the accelerator was not caught on the carpet, i opened the hood to check the accelerator cable which was hidden under a large plastic shroud (cover), i removed the shroud in and immediately discovered the problem. a small cheap snap and lock fastener in the end of the cruise control cable had broken allowing the stiff cruise control cable connector to slip from its connector and restrict or lock the retarding movement of the accelerator cable, the throttle cable does not retract and the engine is stuck at a high rpm and a novice driver would not know what to do and would probably panic and eventually the brakes would fade and the driver crash. when the remedy is to 1) shift to neutral and 2) tap and release the accelerator quickly which because the cruise cable is not attached or anchored at it's end quickly frees the accelerator cable in my opinion this cruise control connector and weak metal spring type push in fastener is too weak and suffers from metal fatigue over time. i am just glad my wife was not driving alone when this happened. *tr

Transmission failure....o/d light flashes and service engine light stays on. *tr

Transmision failure, replaced at dealership. new transmision failed within a week, replaced at dealership also replaced all hub bearings, excessive noise. rear end also has excessive noise. rear back up sensor frequently turns off and does not work. *tr

Tl* the contact owns a 2003 ford explorer. the contact stated while the rear lift gate was open the hinge failed causing the gate to fall on the contacts head. the dealer was stated the vehicle was not included in nhtsa campaign recall number: 04v442000: structure: body: hatchback/liftgate: hinge and attachments. the vehicle was not repaired. the contact stated the approximate failure and current mileage was 68,000.

Tl* the contact owns a 2003 ford explorer eddie bauer edition. the contact was driving 30 mph when the overdrive warning light illuminated and the vehicle became hard to shift. the vehicle was taken to the dealer for diagnostic testing where it was diagnosed that the overdrive band was fractured and possibly had caused damage to the torque converter. the manufacturer was contacted but the vehicle was not repaired. the failure mileage was 34,029 and the current mileage was 64,846. updated 11/22/11*lj the consumer stated the shifting was erratic at steady speeds, there was a hard bang when shifting. the pcm was reprogrammed. there was a clunk noise when coming to a stop. the dealer replaced the transmission fluid. the overdrive light illuminated and 95% of the time, the vehicle would not shift out of 1st gear. updated 03/12/12

While entering the highway, my suv would not shift into gear. the fastest it would go was 35mph, the tachometer was pegged out, the o/d light was flashing on and off and transmission would not shift into the next gear. almost got hit by vehicles traveling the speed limit which is 65mph, because the transmission would not shift properly for me to merge into traffic. *tr

Tl* the contact owns a 2003 ford explorer. the contact stated when she started her vehicle it was idling it was very rough. the vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic who advised her that the timing chain fractured and needed to be replaced. the manufacturer also advised her to no longer drive the vehicle under those conditions. the vehicle was not repaired. the manufacturer was notified and offered no assistance. the failure and current mileage was approximately 93,000.

O/d light spontaneously came on. can not be turned off. transmission takes off slow. first gear slams into second, with slow takeoff causes cars behind me to stop short because my takeoff is very slow. *tr

Dear mayzel, i appreciate your timely response, but i must admit that i am more than a little disappointed (and confused). i am reading ford explorer recall #04v442000, "ford recalls 2002-2003 ford explorer vehicles for liftgate glass" (see below), and it seems to cover my model year and my situation exactly. the lift hinge has stripped out the bolt three time, leaving the glass to hang from the other hinge (and struts). can you explain why this recall would not apply? sincerely, bill dascomb dear william, this is mayzel from ford's customer service department. i have read your email regarding the back hatch glass concern of your 2003 ford explorer. i am truly sorry to hear that you are having this issue with your vehicle. i have personally checked our resources and verified that your vehicle is not involved in any recalls or csp's at this time. many factors are used to determine these such as warranty status, vehicle history, customer contacts, dealership comments and so forth. i have reviewed if any available coverages may assist in your repair request. there is not active esp to cover the part or the repair and the vehicle is outside of any applicable warranty. we recommend that your vehicle be inspected by a ford/lincoln/mercury dealership to determine the cause of any symptoms your vehicle may be experiencing. once you have the repairs completed, i strongly suggest that you keep the original receipt for the repairs, so that in case a recall will be issued in the future, these receipts may be reviewed by your dealership's service manager for a possible refund. thank you for contacting ford. sincerely, mayzel customer relationship center ford motor company

The transmission on my 2003 ford explorer is gone. *kb

At about 85k miles, the studs on the rear tires of my 2003 ford explorer began breaking-off. this has happened three times while i was driving and twice while getting my tires rotated. i have probably replaced almost 20 studs in the last 18 months. i have had numerous diagnoses from mechanics and all have been wrong. finally, a service manager at quirk ford in quincy, ma admitted that he did not know the problem. of course, i have already paid thousands of dollars to have the problem fixed - to no avail. the service manager contacted tecnicials at the corporate level and they recommended several things. the service dept at quirk ford had already done all of these recommendations in the past. the corporate level technicians claim that their is not history of this in other vehicles, but a quick internet search reveals that this is not true. there are countless complaints online from 2002-2004 explorer owners identifying the same dangerous problem. *tr

Timing chain tensioner failure with valve cover damage provoking oil leak and heavy smoke out of the engine, wich lead to spill of oil in the highway (oil dropping) and engine out of sequence due to a plastic "casset" tension break, i have read over the internet alot of complains about the same incident

Manufacturer latent defect - driver seat base frame track broken. *tr

2003 ford explorer xlt. consumer wants to know if his vehicle is included in recall # 11v352000 *tgw

Bought pre-owned explorer and after $84,000 miles (when i noticed - so, probably well less) the wheel bearings need to be replaced. i'm finding way too many occurrences online for this to be an occassional thing. *tt

Broken coil springs front and rear causing the vehicle to try and swing around to the right on slippery surfaces. extremely dangerous. *tt

Tl* the contact owns a 2003 ford explorer. the contact stated that there was a crack on the rear liftgate, extending up to the window. the contact expressed concern over the possibility of the window separating from the vehicle. the vehicle was taken to an authorized dealer where the contact was informed that the failure was cosmetic and they would be unable to assist with repairs. the manufacturer was made aware of the failure, but offered no assistance. the failure mileage was 74,000 and the current mileage was 77,130.

Tl* the contact owns a 2003 ford explorer. the contact stated while opening the rear hatch the lift gate hinge failed off causing the lift gate to hang on by one hinge. the contact took the vehicle to the dealer who stated the hinge needed to be replaced. the contact did not have the hinge replaced. the contact stated the lift gate could have fallen off while driving. the failure mileage was 123,000.

My 2003 ford explorer had a "thunk" noise from day one. ford dealership "could not duplicate" the complaint even though i took it back multiple times. had to replace the torque converter at 70k miles and now at 135k miles the whole transmission and another torque converter for rattling again. od/off blinking light and check transmission notice came on with erratic shifting and loss of 2nd and 5th gears. replacement of trans eliminated "thunk" and my $4600. similar complaints without any acknowledgement of faulty materials or engineering by ford has plagued hundreds if not thousands of explorer owners. where is the expected investigation of these problems? why do we have to wait until accidents or injury to have faulty autos recalled? why are spark plugs ejected more of a safety concern than transmissions that leave drivers without proper moving capability on the highway? where is the recall for these units? *kb

Suddenly the transfer case started jerking and the suv was shaking badly that i almost couldn't drive it home. i was lucky to have this happening at 1/2 mile from my house and at about 20-25 miles per hour! it was no code to indicate where the failure occurred within the power train. i took a part the rear end, i found nothing wrong with it. i started to troubleshoot the transfer case and i noticed that the electrical motor with actuator does not spin the shaft from transfer case, reason that the transfer case can't select firmly the position of hi, low or 4wd!!!!. observing that the motor of the transfer case sifter does not spin, i purchased a new motor from ford,. after replacement, the problem persisted; so, i replaced the transfer case module, behind the glove box; no result. to be able to move the car around i unplugged the transfer case motor shift from the main harness and the suv stays now in 4wd with blinking lights on my dash for abs and 4x4 wd!!! i am still wandering what could happened to me if the jumping and grinding was to happend when i was driving the car with 65-70 miles per hour and the power train could snap and the driveshaft could fly out... who shall be responsible for my life or somebody else's that i could hit? i consider that the manufacturer shall recall the explorer's affected and address the transfer case issues. the old parts that i have replaced are available, they are functional. i still don't know what is wrong because i couldn't find any advise from any ford sites\, neither from a qualified diagnostic specialist. if i go to ford dealership they will be charging tons of $$$ until the car runs again; they don't care how many parts will replace and i will have to pay ford's mistakes from my pocket; this is not right! *tr

I bought 2003 ford explorer in 2008, used, and in 2011 i opened my back glass and the hinge snapped on the left side and the glass started falling, and the only thing that saved the glass from breaking was the right side hinge held. i called the ford company and they said that i could take it to a dealer and have it inspected, but there was no saftey recall on my vehicle. i looked online and in 2004 the 2003 ford explorer was recalled for this very problem. *kb

Car started to accelerate in reverse and struck another vehicle while brake was applied to no avail. *tr

Tl* the contact owns a 2003 ford explorer. the contact stated that the hatch back had a crack from the end of it to the window. the vehicle was inspected by a dealer who advised her that it was caused by stress from opening and closing of the door. the vehicle was not repaired. the manufacturer was not notified. the failure mileage was approximately 80,000.

Tl* the contact owns a 2003 ford explorer. the contact stated that the horn was defective and the airbag light illuminated on the instrument panel. a local mechanic diagnosed a defect within the steering column. the vehicle was not repaired. the manufacturer was notified but did not offer assistance. the failure mileage was 95,000 and the current mileage was 100,000. updated 08/10/11

Tl* the contact owns a 2003 ford explorer. the contact stated that the rear lift gate fractured directly underneath the window seal. she noticed when the door was ajar the warning light would illuminate as if she had opened the doors. the dealer advised her that they were aware of the failure, but there was no recall. the vehicle was not inspected nor was it repaired. the failure mileage was approximately 125,000.

Tl* the contact owns a 2003 ford explorer. the contact was closing the rear liftgate when the rear glass detached from the vehicle. the contact was able to grab hold of the glass to prevent it from shattering. the vehicle was not taken to a dealer for diagnostics or repairs. there was a recall under nhtsa campaign id number: 04v442000 (structure:body:hatchback/liftgate: hinge and attachments) that could have been be related to the failure but the manufacturer stated that the contact's vin was not included. the approximate failure mileage was 133,000.

The back panel on my explorer cracked by just closing the glass. the temperature was only 65 so considering the more extreme temperatures we have seen in north carolina was did it crack on that day? *tr

The tailgate cracks down the center. *tr

I own a 2003 ford explorer xlt. i started my car up this mourning to go to work. i stepped out of the car to remove an empty cup when i heard a pop from inside my car. as i turned an looked i saw my car filled with smoke. as i went back to the car the passenger side air bag was deployed. there was no warning what so ever. if this would have happened when i was driving there is no telling what would have happened. this car is in very good shape. it has 130000 miles on it. i am afraid of this happening to the drivers side bag now as i have seen that this has happened before to this model. *tr

Tl*the contact owns a 2003 ford explorer. the contact stated while driving approximately 35 mph the over drive light began illuminating on the instrument panel and the vehicle began to shift into a higher gear. the contact turned the vehicle off and upon restarting it, the vehicle began to function normally. after driving for a few miles, the failure recurred. the vehicle was not taken to a dealer to have the failure diagnosed or repaired. the manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. the failure mileage was 110,000 and the current mileage was 111,000.

Tl*the contact owns a 2003 ford explorer. the contact stated that the door ajar light illuminated frequently and the dome light stayed illuminated even when the doors were closed. the vehicle was taken to an authorized dealer for a manufacturers recall and the dealer stated that the repair had previously been performed. the vehicle was not repaired. the contact stated that the vehicle hesitated intermittently. the vehicle had not been inspected or repaired. the manufacturer was not notified of the failure. the current mileage was approximately 72,000. the failure mileage was approximately 49,000.

Blend door actuator not working. not able to defrost windows easily.

My 2003 ford explorer limited blew a spark plug right out of the engine. very scary & very loud while going to the grocery store. i thought for sure the engine blew. *tr

A 2003 ford explorer rear wheel drive with 82k miles. the wheel hub bearings have failed on both rear wheels. *tr

My 2003 ford explorer was parked in my driveway and it somehow rolled down approx 150 feet and smashed into a tree. there was no one in the vehicle it was parked and the keys were in the house. i immediately called my insurance (state farm) and they had me call a collision garage to come out and they came within the hour. they have stated that the vehicle is a total loss. the next morning i called ford and they disregarded anything i said and said my insurance should take care of it. i am still paying on a loan for this car and i do have full coverage but i am now without a vehicle and i am scared to think of what might of happened if my daughters would of been playing in the backyard. *tr

First i must say i love this truck. its my second one and both had same problems. while driving home from work all of a sudden truch lurched forward then o/d off lite started flashing then check engine lite flashing.took it to my mechanic and it came up with a po775 code, he said its very common and not the first one hes seen do this. pressure control solenoid b needs replacing for about $400.00 then after removing pan whole transmission needed overhaul now $2200.00 later. i think ford knows of this problem and should stand behind it. also blend door stopped working and all 4 calipers seized up. dont know if ill ever buy another ford.also power windows quit working, broken wire in door. nothing but trouble with this vehicle.i think a class action suit should be started against ford for repairs on these transmissions.i cant afford to dump hundreds of dollars into this truck after paying thousands of dollars for it.

Crack in rear panel of my 2003 ford explorer. *tr

The drivers side rear hub broke without any warning or indication of any problem whatsoever. it destroyed the knuckle and the wheel nearly fell off.

Paint on hood bubbling with corrosion under hood. *tr

Explorer od light came on and truck would not shift gears properly. check engine light appeared and the truck just made it to the mechanic. the truck needed a new transmission at the expense of $3000. it is obvious that the ford explorer is known for this type of failure. sent an email to ford and they will not assist on the expenses or admit there is a problem with these vehicles.

I have a 2003 ford explorer and my o/d light keeps flashing i took it to the dealer to get it checked and they said i need a new transmission because i have no 2nd or 5th gear they also said this is a common problem with that year. they said the shift sealnoid went out so now i cant drive my truck tell i can afford 3400 dollars to get it fixed so that has made it harder for me to get to work and to get my family where they need to be. *tr

Multiple episodes of lugnuts on 2003 ford explorer top-of-the-line original equipment chrome wheels loosening over time. traveling at highway speeds when serious vibrations have occurred. on each occasion, lugnuts were loose or missing, with one or more lugs completely sheared off on two separate occasions. on this reported occasion, lugnuts were very loose on one wheel. most logical explanation appears to be that wheel material is not capable of performing as designed, and that delamination/oxidation of wheel surfaces are primary contributing factors. *tr

Vehicle transmission slips out of gear and sometimes wont engage. frequently occurs at stop/start movements. ocurrs in forward and reverse. "o/d off" light is frequently displayed. unsafe to drive anywhere!!! *tr

Tl* the contact owns a 2003 ford explorer. the contact stated that there was a crack on the rear liftgate from the top of the manufacturers emblem up to the window. the vehicle was not inspected or repaired fro the failure. the failure mileage was unknown and the current mileage was 130,000.

Transmission problems started around 100k miles; high rpm shifting between 1st and 2nd gear with subsequent flashing o/d light. many times transmission will "clunk" into gear either from going into reverse, stopping completely, then shifting into drive and/or when putting in reverse or drive. appears this is a common problem for my model year explorer (03) and same code many others receive (p0775) which really does not describe the problem or lead a not so mechanical inclined person to try and troubleshoot/buy parts to fix. i'm career military man w/family and my truck is paid off next month--owned 5 years and really sucks to have to possibly dump $3k into a truck that ford has known contained issues with the 5r55w transmission. *tr

Transmission went out. *tr

Tl* the contact owns a 2003 ford explorer. the contact stated that while driving approximately 40 mph, the vehicle began to decelerate independently with the illumination of several warning lights. the failure would recur intermittently and the either the vehicle would restart immediately or the vehicle would be towed. the vehicle was inspected by an independent mechanic and they advised her that the transmission would need to be replaced. the vehicle was not repaired. the manufacturer was contacted and offered no assistance. the failure mileage was approximately 67,000. the vin was unavailable.

Driver side wheel bearing failure. *tr

Accelerator defect ; the car atuomatically sped up without my foot on the gas pedal. caused damages to 3 other vehicles, 1 of which was totalled. *tr

I own a 2003 ford explorer, i have owned it for almost 5 years and took care of it. i also paid alot of money for it and after about three years out of nowhere my o/d light started blinking and my car started shifting wrong. i had the solenoid on tranny replaced soon as i put it in 4wheel drive my o/d light started blinking again and shifting wrong. this is making the car accelerate to much at times and almost not wanting to shift others.so while waiting thinking i need a new transmission my engine light comes on followed by a light ticking noise, that got louder and louder over about a month.so the car was taken to the dealership an put on a computer they said i should junk it, yes its 5 years old but i bought my car from their and i paid alot for it.so no one knows exactly what's wrong with it i myself believe but ford.i been told i need a new transmission and my timing chain is bad on the engine.the car still runs although i wont drive it completely unsafe. its a nice looking car but i seen alot of people with this same problem with the same year make and model how is that and its dangerous? me and my daughter wrecked after sudden acceleration thankfully the airbags deployed and burnt her but we were both fine otherwise. i just now this is dangerous,ford knows about it and why it happened and how to fix it. *tr

I recently encountered problems with my vehicle's acceleration. the vehicle then began to buck, make loud noises, the check engine light came on and then the o/d light began to flash. i took my vehicle to the dealer to have a diagnostics test performed which determined that my transmission needed to be replaced. the vehicle that i am referencing is a 2003 ford explorer with 73,859 miles (at the time of the diagnosis). i did research which revealed that this has been a common issue with 2003 ford explorers with approximately the same number of miles. i did get the transmission replaced in my vehicle, however the complaint is that these vehicles are requiring transmission replacements at such low miles. with all of the complaints involving this issue, it seems to warrant an investigation into the matter........please investigate. *tr

Almost every older model ford explorer that i see on the road has the same issue with the cracked panel below the rear glass on the liftgate. for a while i was having a problem closing my back lift gate. there seemed to be a problem with the latch. i later realized that there was a recall (#04s20) on (what i thought had nothing to do with the cracked panel) liftgate glass hinge and ball stud bracket. right after the repairs were done by the dealer on my vehicle in january 2011, i realized that the liftgate worked perfect. it was then determined that the misalignment caused problems with the liftgate closing correctly.....which caused damage to the panel.....which resulted in the crack.......ford has done a recall on what has resulted in the crack but they have not stepped forward to take responsibility for the damage that has occurred due to the defect.....it is unfair for us to have to pay out of pocket for damages due to a manufacturing defect.......please investigate and resolve as appropriate. *tr

While accelerating to merge into highway, vehicle experienced sudden unintended acceleration. my son had to manually pull up on the gas pedal on the floor to correct this. we were able to recreate it again by pressing down heavily on the gas pedal - and this time we were ready to manually pull up on the gas pedal. we verified that the floor mats were not obstructing the gas pedal in any way. *tr

Cruise control often times "takes off" and does not hold the speed as set. i have looked down at the speedometer several times to find myself going well beyond 85mph - after setting the cruise control at 60. i have to disengage the cruise control for my vehicle to stop continuously speeding up. then, there are times where the cruise control does not engage at all. the green light will come on, but the speed will not hold. in these instances, my speed actually decreases.

My transmission failed while trying to cross a busy intersection. it would not shift and i was unable to accelerate. it was a scary moment; luckily there was no crash. ford knows about the high failure rate for transmissions in the 03 explorers, but refused to do anything other than offer to put in a new transmission at an exorbitant rate. they should have issued a recall on these transmissions, but have refused to do so, in spite of many complaints.

Well this will be the 2nd transmission for my 2003 ford explorer, the first was at 88700 miles about 4 years ago. it took the dealership almost 2 weeks to figure out what was wrong. then 2 weeks after that heard a loud ping while driving home, at 9:00 at night, took in to dealer and the drive shaft had water in it. now i am the original owner, truck has never been off road, never towed anything, highway miles. so, i fix all that( about $3,000.00 in one month) now this past weekend coming home on the interstate truck gives a large shudder 3 times, i almost get run over by a tour bus because truck is getting ready to die. limp home can't drive over 60 miles an hour, went back roads home, did not like going up small hills. when 1 mile from home o/d off light came on and transmission started acting bad. pulled into driveway, barely. now i'm pissed because here i go again pouring out money to fix and almost got hit on interstate. *tr

Tl* the contact owns a 2003 ford explorer. the contact was traveling 45 mph when the over drive warning light illuminated and the transmission failed. the contact took the vehicle to the dealer and was told that the torque converter, servo pack and clutch would need replacing. the vehicle was not repaired. the failure and current mileage was 100,000.

2003 ford explorer front wheel bearings make a loud grinding sound. common problem in all 2003 ford explorers. it ground down the wheel lugs from the inside and the tire came off on the freeway doing 60mph. the rotors got eaten up on the inside too. ford needs to address this issue before someone gets killed. *tr

Ford explorer rear liftgate panel has crack and it expands during cold weather and it affects rear liftgate latching security as rear liftgate flies open whenever it feels like it when driving. *tr

Tl* the contact owns a 2003 ford explorer. the contact stated that a crack had developed on the liftgate of the vehicle. the vehicle was not taken to the dealer. the manufacturer was contacted but offered no assistance. the vehicle was not repaired. the failure and current mileage was 56,000.

The transmission went out several months after the warranty expired and the company did nothing to address this...the car was only 5 years old when this happened and we had to get a new transmission. *tr

I was driving my 2003 ford explorer xlt v6 4.0l on i40w, when all of a sudden the vehicle began to decelerate while the rpms were constantly going up. this put me in the interstate with no power as the gears weren't shifting. i took it to my local ford dealership and they put it on the diagnostic machine and told me they really didn't know what was wrong with it and that they would have to break the transmission down in order to know for sure. i searched online for any common transmission problems and came across a site where people with vehicles just like mine having the same exact problem. as of now i'm still waiting on ford to let me know what's going on with my truck, but with hundreds of other people having the same problem i see no reason for them not know what the problem is as well as have a recall on the vehicle to fix the problem. *tr

No second gear. *tr

I was just driving along and i heard a pop noise and the panel under the back window was cracked. *tr

Tl*the contact owns a 2003 ford explorer. while driving approximately 35 mph, the over-drive and engine service warning indicators illuminated. the warning indicators remained illuminated until the engine was turned off. the vehicle was taken to an authorized dealer where a diagnostic test was performed which detected that the gear ratio and pressure control solenoid were defective within the transmission. the contact was awaiting the parts for the vehicle to be repaired. the failure mileage was 94,583. updated 03/31/11*lj updated 04/05/11

Rear hatch cracked near the ford logo. *tr

Like every other day, i started the suv a few minutes before i had to leave to let it warm up because ny is cold, and then left to run some errands. i realized right away that the truck sounded a little funny when accelerating, so the radio went off so i could listen. i found that when shifting from first to second, in this automatic vehicle, the overdrive was kicking on prematurely. then the o/d light started flashing. i came home and started researching it and found hundreds of complaints, so here i am, in the same boat as everyone else, about to look up numbers to transmission specialists because the dealer is definitely not going to make any money off of my with this one. *tr

Engine revs to nearly 5000 rpm before slamming into 2nd gear. had several mechanics tell me that these transmissions are junk.

I was driving my 2003 ford explorer, and all of a sudden when merging onto the highway, my overdrive light started flashing, and the transmission won't shift out of 1st gear. absolutely unacceptable! an 03?! please! *tr

I own a 2003 ford explorer and have never had any problem with my vehicle. i do not drive it hard and make sure that it gets the proper upkeep. as i was driving down the road one day my check engine light came on. the next day on my way to work i noticed that the transmission was having trouble shifting and the time i got home that evening the transmission was shifting very hard if it would even shift at all. my o/d off light also started flashing. i thought that it was just a fluke with my transmission until i checked online to find that there is alot of other people having the same problem and that ford is doing nothing to fix the problem. my car is currently in the shop and they have said that it will cost atleast 3200 or more to fix the transmission. i have contacted my ford dealership and they were well aware of the problems with this transmission but stated there was nothing they could do and ford hasn't accepted responsibility for the problem. they also stated that there was an obvious defect with the transmission. i would like to know if there is or was a defect investigation seeing that there are so many people with the same problem and if anyone can tell me if there is a class action lawsuit for this matter. *ln

Tl* the contact owns a 2003 ford explorer. the contacted stated that the rear window panel was fractured near the bottom. the contact was concerned that the window would fracture from the vehicle and break. the manufacturer was contacted and advised that there were no a recalls. the vehicle was not repaired. the approximate failure mileage was 30,000.

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

Some sort of transmission failure dealing with the shifting solenoid. this leads to sporadic shifting between the lower gears. this lead to very hard driving in slow and icy conditions. the car would be at such high rpms at slow speeds such as 20-30 mph that the car would loose traction, so far i have had no accidents with this problem but the potential is very apparent. *tr

I have 2003 ford explorer and after 7years a crack has formed from the rear window down to the ford logo on the rear panel or trunk door. *tr

Tl*the contact owns a 2003 ford explorer. the vehicle experienced difficulty changing gears while driving at any speed. the vehicle was taken to an authorized dealer where the contact was told that the transmission needed to be replaced. the vehicle was taken to an independent repair shop where the transmission was rebuilt. approximately 3 years later the failure recurred. the vehicle was taken to an independent repair shop where the transmission was rebuilt. the failure mileage was 54,655 and the current mileage was 111,260.

Service engine light appeared, then the od (overdrive) light began flashing. then the explorer had difficulty accelerating. the engine was running higher rpms than usual, especially when accelerating from 0 to 30mph. i took the explorer to the ford dealer where the explorer was purchased and exclusively serviced since when i bought it new in july 2003. they would not acknowledge that this is a persistent problem with 2003 explorers. they told me that i have no 2nd or 5th gears, int. servo failed and case bore damaged. they want over $3,600 to repair (and that, they say is a discount!). i then took it to a transmission shop, who was well aware of this problem and there were 2 other explorers currently there being repaired for the same thing. an investigation needs to be done for a recall. this is a safety issue and a consumer rip-off! *tr

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 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.

Tl* the contact owns a 2003 ford explorer. while the vehicle was parked the contact noticed that there was a cracked panel below the rear window. the vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic where the technician stated that the panel needed to be replaced. the vehicle was not repaired. the approximate failure mileage was 105,000. updated 02/23/11 *bf the consumer stated the panel has since been replaced. updated 04/28/11 updated 06/13/11 *bf updated 01/04/12 *ln

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

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

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

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

Crack developed in the panel below the rear hatch window. *tr

O/d off light blinks on dashboard and vehicle shifts hard. was advised that transmission rebuild was necessary. *tr

Tl* the contact owns a 2003 ford explorer. the contact noticed that the passenger side rear coil spring was abnormally covered by an unknown plastic sheet. the dealer was notified and informed the contact that there were no recalls for the vehicle. the contact did not inform the manufacturer of the failure. the vehicle was taken to a private mechanic who advised the contact that the rear coil spring would need to be replaced. the vehicle was not repaired. the current mileage was approximately 80,000 and the failure mileage was 78,000. updated 02/03/11*lj updated 02/04/11*jb

Tl*the contact owns a 2003 ford explorer. the contact stated that the rear hatch door has fractured under the glass. she noticed the fracture once the temperature became cooler. the vehicle had not been inspected or repaired. the failure mileage was approximately 75,500.

2003 ford explorer 5r55-w transmission failure wherein the internal linkages, servo valve and bearings failed at startup, rendering the vehicle unmovable under it's own power and stranding the driver. *tr

Tl*the contact owns a 2003 ford explorer. while driving approximately 40 mph the heater stopped working. the vehicle was taken to a local mechanic who stated that the temperature blend door needed replacing. the vehicle had not been repaired. the approximate failure mileage was 130,000 and the current mileage was 150,000.

I have a 2003 ford explorer and recently the check fuel cap light went on, i have change the cap 3 times, reset the computer, check the charcoal canister, the fuel lines and all the recommendations on the users manual but nothing seems to work, now the service engine soon light also went on, i checked online and there is thousands of people with the same problem... no solution from the dealer or online yet. *tr

At 110000 miles was driving at highway speed and heard "bumping, rumbling sound", car was not handling well, got off at next exit 1 mile down the road and as i was slowing down right rear wheel fell off vehicle. had it towed to dealership and they noted that the wheel studs were bad and the wheel bearing was bad, replaced both. at 140000 miles was driving at 50 mph and heard same sound, stopped immediately and found that left front wheel was loose. had it towed to dealership, they stated that they found rust on the rotors/lugs/wheel, cleaned it and retorqued wheels to 130 ft lbs, stated they have had this problem with other vehicles!! at 151000 heard same sound, i was driving on a side road at 30 mph, stopped immediately and the left front wheel was loose again (tires had been rotated, so this is not the same wheel as previously). dealership again cleaned the rotors/lugs/wheel and retorqued wheels to 125 ft lbs this time and stated that with some of the previous problems they were attributing it to delamination of a coating on the aluminum wheels, but that we don't have that kind of wheel. by luck and careful monitoring we have not been in a serious accident with this issue - yet! a front wheel falling off at highway speeds could likely be deadly. there are repeated reports on this problem, it is not an isolated incidence. the only time the wheel studs were sheared and bearings were bad is when i did not catch it in time and the wheel actually came off, i firmly believe the issue is the same though, the wheel falling off is causing the studs to shear and bearings to go.

Tl*the contact owns a 2003 ford explorer. the contact stated that there was a crack on the rear lift gate that extended across. there were also three other smaller cracks. the vehicle had not been inspected or repaired. the contact stated that the rear window looked as if it would explode. the current and failure mileages were approximately 83,000.

Tl*the contact owns a 2003 ford explorer. the contact stated that the air conditioner functioned but the heat did not. the contact replaced the thermostat and stated that there were no leaks in the heating coil. the contact called the manufacturer who stated that the reactor could have been the cause of failure. the current and failure mileages were 133,700.

I sent a letter of complaint to ford regarding my situation with my transmission failing on me and the local ford dealer charging me $4,300 since my car is no longer under warranty. i truly hope that ford gets their act together and addresses this issues as i'm seeing more and more complaints pop-up everywhere regarding this. poor excuse!!! dear valued customer, thank you for contacting the ford motor company customer relationship center inquiring for any recalls on your 2003 ford explorer. i sincerely understand the frustration that this transmission concern on your vehicle has brought you. please be informed that ford motor company is working with the national highway traffic and safety administration (nhtsa) to proactively identify areas of concern through investigation of consumer and dealership feedback. if a concern is noted, a recall is conducted to remedy a safety or emissions concern in the interest of customer satisfaction and environmental responsibility. thus, i have reviewed if any available coverages or programs may provide assistance towards your vehicle repair. after extensively reviewing your situation, i regret to inform you that there are no recalls, warranties or other coverages available that may cover the repair on your vehicle. while this is so, i would like to thank you for taking the time to bring your concern into our attention as this is definitely something we can build on. if a program is announced on a specific component and/or for the transmission concern on your vehicle, ford will notify you by mail. i appreciate the fact that you are a loyal ford customer and hope that we might have the opportunity in the future to assist you with a more favorable resolution to keep your confidence in our products and services. if you have any other inquiries and/or concerns that need to be addressed, please feel free to contact us and we will be happy to assist a valued customer like yourself. sincerely, customer relationship center *tr

The back hatch cracked on my 2003 ford explorer. i hear this is a common problem with this suv. *tr

Tl*the contact owns a 2003 ford explorer. while driving 35 mph, the vehicle suddenly lost power, the check engine light illuminated and the vehicle suddenly stalled. the vehicle was towed to a transmission specialist who stated that the gear solenoid needed to be replaced. the vehicle had not been repaired. the contact called the manufacturer who offered no assistance. the current and failure mileages were approximately 110,000.

Tl*the contact owns a 2003 ford explorer. the contact stated that while driving 30 mph when the rpms increased up to 405 and the over drive light illuminated as well. the contact drove onto the emergency lane and was able to restart the vehicle it recurred. the dealer was informed about the failure and they stated that the bands in the transmission are shot and will have to be replaced. the vehicle was not repaired. the failure mileage was 62000 and the current mileage was 62010.

Wheel bearing failure. *tr

My 2003 ford explorer has only 70,000 miles on it and three out of the four wheel bearings have had to be replaced, at a total cost of over $1,100. the mechanic told me that this could cause a dangerous situation such as abnormal tire wear or the wheel coming off during driving. this potentially unsafe situation warrants a recall by ford. *tr

Tl* the contact owns a 2003 ford explorer. while the vehicle was parked, the contact noticed a crack in the panel attached to the glass of the rear liftgage. the crack was small at first but became larger over time. the vehicle had not been taken to be inspected for the problem. also, the heated stopped blowing heat and was taken to an authorized dealer where the contact was informed that the blend door actuator needed to be replaced. the vehicle had not been repaired. the failure mileage was approximately 38,000 and the current mileage was approximately 46,000.

Please be advised that the hatch back of the 2003 ford explorer developed a crack directly in the middle. this defect can be seen around many other 2003 fords. please be advised that the hatchback piece is rattling and seems like it will come off. *tr

Both front wheel bearings. *tr

93,000 miles and abs light and loud grinding noise (in addition to applique crack in rear). need to replace both rear hub bearings, brake pad rotors, and parking brake shoes. search the web on these problems, and over 3 hundred complaints seen on just one site for 2003 explorers alone. *tr

2003 ford explorer rims are corroding chrome is peeling off could cause rim to become weak or break peeling chrome is sharp and could cause severe cuts to hand when cleaning or handling wheels off car. *tr

There have been multiple problems with my 2003 ford explorer since i bought it brand new in august of 2003. but ironically they have all appeared after the warranty had expired. in september 2007 the air conditioning unit no longer worked. it cost me $2000 and a week without a car, to get it fixed. in august 2009 the passenger door window would no longer work. in september 2009 my suv started making a clicking sound when turning on the heater. since we lived in a warm climate this did not concern us much, as the heat had worked even with the clicking sound. but we moved to a colder climate and the heater went out in march 2010. in april 2010 the service engine light came on. after speaking with the mechanic, he said it was a transmission problem that occurred when the car shifted from 1st to 2nd gear and from 4th to 5th gear. he could not give me any more information and was not willing to fix my transmission problem (he suggested i go elsewhere because he was not an expert in transmissions). in may 2010 the o/d light started flashing off. after speaking to mechanic again, he said it was related to the transmission problem. in august 2010 the door ajar light started coming on randomly, even when the door is not open. and in september 2010, i noticed my abs light will come on randomly. it does not appear to be triggered by any specific reason, and does not always come on. *tr

2003 ford explorer, front and rear wheel bearings fail. i have had them replaced once, and now they are going out again. after investigation, this is a recurring problem with this year. something about poor design. contacted my local deal and he said ford knows about this, but on such an "old" vehicle, ford isn't going to take any action. *tr

Abs light on,second wheel bearing needs replaced. *tr

I have continuous problems with my tires coming off of my 2003 ford explorer while driving following any work requiring removal of my tires (this has happened to me multiple times now). the first incident happened in 2006. the explanation that i have received is that the aluminum rims require extra torquing when placing the tire back on the vehicle. i'm not sure what the root cause really is but now i know that there is an issue with the metal in all of the areas associated with my tires being attached to my vehicle. everything is corroded behind the hub caps of all 4 wheels. this could be associated with the issue that the windstars are experiencing, maybe the annealing process used for the metal was defective? i don't know but this is a safety issue and i want an investigation opened so that it can be corrected. i have contacted ford regarding this issue so they are aware of this and i know that there are many other individuals experiencing the same exact issue with their explorers. *tr

Tl* the contact owns a 2003 ford explorer. the contact stated that there was a crack in the tailgate hatch in the rear of the vehicle. additionally, the contact stated that when attempting to rent a trailer from u-haul, the company would not rent to anyone with a ford explorer which she believed to be a safety concern. the vehicle was taken to an authorized dealership where the contact was informed that she would be responsible for repairs. the contact had not spoken with the manufacturer at the time of the complaint. the current mileage was approximately 120,000. the failure mileage was approximately 70,000-

The ford explorer's most frequent problem - is it cracks in the plastic panel below the rear window. this occurs on explorers from model years 2002, 2003 & 2004. with most affected explorers now past the standard warranty period, most owners will end up having to pay for the repair out of pocket. because the cracked panel is not a safety defect, there is very little chance of a recall. for a short time in late 2006, ford started a "special assistance program" for out-of-warranty explorers, where ford paid for all but $100 of the ~$450 repair cost. however since january 2007, people calling ford's customer service line began to report back that apparently ford has ended the brief assistance program. *tr

O/d light began flashing and transmission started to slip from 2nd t 3rd gear. had the trans solenoid pack replaced which helped for awhile but problem came back after a month or so. took it to repair shop again and this time they said it's the 4th and 5th gear servos. *tr

2003 ford explorer with 74,000 miles on it - o/d light began flashing. around the same time i noticed that when going from a stop to a start it would take a long time to shift into gear. took it into the mechanic - suggested a new transmission for $4100!!! for a car that has less than 100,000 miles this is ridiculous. *tr

While driving on hwy 38 in sc, the steering wheel started shaking real bad and then the entire suv started shaking and we veered off the right side of the road into a field. the front left tire came off and we came to a complete stop. upon further investigation i saw that 2 of the 5 lug posts were sheared off and the other 3 were bent. in addition the molding around the front right tire came off and the driver's side door was jammed shut. after everyone was out safely the suv has been towed and is with an auto center for repairs and body work. i searched online and this is a known problem for this vehicle yet ford has not had any recalls despite the frequency of this issue. if you search "2003 ford explorer problems" it will come up. this needs to be looked into before someone gets killed. i can see that several people have paid for their vehicles to be repaired only to have it happen again on another wheel. *tr

The transmissions is failing in 2nd and 5th gear. it occurs everyday and you can not accelerate without it sticking in a higher gear, making it difficult to stop safely. *tr

With no warning, while driving my 2003 explorer yesterday, the o/d off light comes on then the check transmission light also comes on. after that i notice the shifting of gears feels really weird. it shifts slower and harder when it shifts. i cannot drive the car because it is unsafe for me and my 2 young children. the repair shop says i need a new transmission which will cost me $2000 that i don't have, to put into a vehicle i am still paying on. if i continue to drive it with the transmission the way it is now, it could lock up and make me stop in the middle of the road, and possible get myself and others seriously injured or killed. this seems to be a problem with this make, model and year vehicle that i have, but i didn't not know that until i began doing research when it messed up yesterday. *tr

I own a 2003 ford explorer-4.6 liter v8 4 wheel drive, the vehicle has 158,000 miles and have experienced the sparkplug blowout while driving home from work. i was traveling on a busy state road when the engine miss fired and then heard a loud pop and the engine went to missing bad. i immediately pulled to the side and checked to see what was happening. i limped the vehicle into a parking lot and proceeded to reinstall the plug and coil pack. the forcing push of the plug broke the coil pack and tore the plug boot. i just replaced the coil pack and plug boot assembly and reinstalled the plug bck in. i feel that this issue is common on the 4.6 liters, a friend and shadetree mechanic did a motor swap in an expedition with this same motor for the same reason cause the plug in cylinder #4(passenger rear) tore the threads coming out and let loose metal into the piston journal and caused severe damage. *tr

Wheel bearing needs replacement. normal driving conditions. at only 52,000 miles the truck started making a humming sound. had it checked out and the front wheel bearing needs to be replaced. $500! *tr

Tl* the contact owns a 2003 ford explorer. the contact stated that the paint on the hood of the vehicle was buckling and chipping in large areas. the failure began at spread to both the driver and passenger sides of the vehicle. the manufacturer would not provide any assistance. the vehicle was not repaired. the current and failure mileages were approximately 82,000. updated 11/16/10. *lj

Overdrive light is blinking and transmission is shifting hard and sometimes not at all. the car has 90,000 miles on it. nothing has ever been toed. it is a daily commute car i have owned since brand new. there is no way i should already need a new transmission. also the wheel bearings have gone on both sides of the front of my car. this has happened to countless other people with this year (2003) explorer. i have researched both and this is a common occurrence with this car. and both are extremely hazardous for safety reasons. i believe this is a huge defect from ford and needs to be investigated. *tr

I keep reading about 2 complaints that people need to know about and ford should take action on; the first being the back tail gate... ford do the right thing. the second has to do with the transmission, overdrive light, the parking brake and the cruise control. i use the cruise control when driving long distances and while on a few trips the overdrive light would come on for no reason, at least i thought, i then found out that i had an abs problem and wheel bearings problems. all happening at the same time? as if that wasn't enough my transmission was dripping fluid on my new driveway! this was while i only had only 70,000 miles, it wasn't right, i checked out the brakes, they had been replaced before however when i pull off the rear drum / disk to check the parking brake that's when i found the problem. i never use my parking brake, it rotted and delaminated and was dragging hence the od light, the overheating of the transmission which blew out the seal, the excessive brake dust which was partially the cause of abs sensor malfunctioning. the last part impacts the bearings, when the abs sensor malfunctions it can apply the brakes as in skidding or in tire slippage adding to early unnecessary wear on bearings and again overheating of the transmission. ford needs to install a few "smart" sensors, one which could track parking brake malfunctions, also one for fail safe temperature readings for the transmission. (that is before it is compromised.) do the right thing ford, your sales depend on it. *tr

Wheel bearing and hub assembly failure. *tr

I have a 2003 ford explorer with approx. 70,000 miles on it. on july 15, 2010, i noticed that the overdrive light was flashing on and off and then the check engine light turned on. this problem happened on and off for about a week. on july 26, 2010, i took the vehicle in for repair and was told that i needed a new transmission and a new solenoid pack. the cost of these items was $2,500! i proceeded to do some internet research and found that this seems to be a common problem with the 2002 and 2003 ford explorers. the transmissions of these vehicles have major problems as no one should have to replace a transmission with only 70,000 miles on it. i feel ford needs to issue a recall of this item as it has caused many people a lot of money to repair. *tr

Tl*the contact owns a 2003 ford explorer. the contact stated that when she started the vehicle there was a knocking noise in the engine compartment. the vehicle was the towed to the dealer who stated that the timing chain failed. the vehicle was not repaired. the failure and current mileages were 92000.

While i am driving the truck slows down then speeds back up. vehicle is only 7 years old and has 71,000 miles, a few days ago the o/d light started flashing and then a day later the check engine soon light came on as well. i took the truck to a transmission shop they hooked the truck up to the machine and 5 malfunctions came up in the transmission he said that the 1st and 5th gear is slipping. he would have to rebuilt the transmission, which would cost at least $2000. he also stated that my truck was too young and didn't have enough miles in it to already have transmission problems. i see by the other complaints on carcomplaint.com that i am not the only one have this problem. who do we have to contact in order to have ford notice that they truck should get recalled b/c of the transmission problems? *tr

One of the two hinges that secure the rear liftgate glass to the vehicle recently broke. under the nhtsa's guidance, ford previously issued a recall describing and addressing this exact problem. however, ford claims that my truck falls outside the build dates for the affected vehicles. several other owners have complained of this issue online, so it appears the recall needs to be expanded to the later build dates. *tr

2003 ford explorer ext with less than 85,000 miles. after having my abs (antilock brakes) lights come on several times, i had the abs module completely replaced. the light continued to come on afterwards, so i had sears complete a front end inspection. found out that the vehicle needs both front end wheel bearing hub assemblies replaced. this is apparently affecting the tires and the brakes as well. had i not found out when i did, the bearing could have went out completely, and caused a crash and possible injuries and death. this vehicle does not have alot of milage on it and should not need bearings this quickly. i am not the only person with this complaint... after alot of research, i have found alot of ppl with this problem. view this website for more info.. http://www.carcomplaints.com/ford/explorer/2003/wheels_hubs/front_wheel_bearing_failure.shtml. *tr

I have a 2003 ford explorer. i have had several incidents of it not easily changing from park to reverse, and reverse to park. last night, i was unloading some items from the explorer. the car was in park, and the emergency brake was engaged. i was standing in the right side passenger doorway. i reached over to turn off the ignition. upon turning it off, the explorer immediately began to roll into reverse. my mother was sitting in the backseat at this time as well as my two babies, who were strapped in their car seats. my driveway is an incline, so the explorer rolled backwards. i tried to run with it as i was trapped in the doorway. the explorer gained speed going down the driveway, causing me to be knocked down, unsure of whether or not i was about to be run over, or whether my mom and children were going to be injured. i was thrown down, landed on my buttocks which has caused severe bruising, hit my head on the concrete, and was left with painful, open cuts on my left arm. my mother was tossed about causing pain to her back. my kids were thankfully restrained in their car seats. they rolled backward into a neighbor's yard, then proceeded to roll forward back across the street into my yard. when the car finally stopped, the emergency brake was still engaged, and the gear shift was stuck between park and reverse. it would not come out of this position. it took quite a lot of work to get the car to go into reverse or drive so that the explorer could be properly moved. i am very upset at the incident which could have left myself, my kids, or my mom critically or fatally injured. i am very afraid to drive this vehicle now, and i am very afraid to park it. if i had another vehicle to drive right now, i certainly would be driving it instead of the ford explorer. *tr

My 2003 explorer cracked from the back window to the ford emblem. ford told me its not their problem and there is no recall initiated. i have 3 other friends who also have this problem. this needs to be recalled as it is by no fault of the owner and apparently is a factory defect. *tr

Tl* the contact owns a 2003 ford explorer. while attempting to open the rear lift gate window, the hinge for the window broke and the glass became disengaged. the vehicle was taken to an authorized dealer where the contact was informed his vehicle was not included in the recall associated with nhtsa campaign id number: 04v442000 (structure: body: hatchback/liftgate: hinge and attachments). the vehicle was not serviced for the failure. the failure and current mileages were 100,000.

My car is a 2003 ford explorer with aluminum wheels. overall the car is in great condition. when washing the car there is some chrome peeling from the wheel at the hub extending out to the lug nuts. i removed the wheel after some effort due to the corrosion of the aluminum. i cleaned he corrosion from the aluminum at the hub and found internal pitting between 1/8" and 1/4" deep when probing. i am a architect with a engineering background and in my opinion the loss of aluminum structure is significant and the wheel no longer safe. the other wheels have some chrome peeling as well and will also need to be replaced although i have not looked at the depth of the pitting or removed the wheels. as ford has the explorer has had issues with wheel failure in the past and this is a issue that was not observable when i changed the brakes about a year ago to very significant now it may be worth looking into. i have a photo of the aluminum if you like and will retain the rim when i get a new one. the other three wheels have not been removed if you wish to see these in the near future undisturbed prior to replacement. the threaded portion of the axle is corroded with no threads visible and 10% of the diameter lost. the center of the wheel behind the plastic cap was 20% filled with corrosion residue when i removed it. the other side has not been opened up yet. i have had other cars over the years including fords and never have seen an issue like this. *tr

I was approaching a red traffic light at a very low rate of speed . i had my foot on the brake and was preparing to come to a complete stop when the engine suddenly sped up. i increased the pressure on the brake pedal but could not stop the car. i was afraid that i would hit a car in front of me waiting at the traffic light. i then shifted the car into neutral and then was able to stop the car. my tachometer was reading above 5000 rpm. i tapped the accelerator pedal and the rpm returned to normal. this all happened within a few seconds. i was able to drive the car home without further problems. i have an appointment to have the car checked by a ford dealer tomorrow. *tr

Tl* the contact owns a 2003 ford explorer. the contact depressed the accelerator pedal and the vehicle was hesitant to pick up speed. all warning lights on the dash board illuminated during the failure. the vehicle was towed to the dealer yet they were unable to duplicate the failure. the contact stated the failure had occurred two additional times in the same day. the vehicle was not repaired and the vin was not available. the failure and current mileages were 40,900.

Repair shop "perrier auto center" change oil for me by overload engine with 10 quarters of oil and also overload power steering fluid that cost failed power steering. *tr

Overdrive light flashes on my 2003 ford explorer. *tr

Tl* the contact owns a 2003 ford explorer. the contact stated the brake lights would not shut off or would sporadically flicker on and off while the vehicle was turned off. the manufacturer advised they had not received any complaints concerning the failure and there were no recalls. the vehicle had not yet been taken to the dealer for repairs or diagnostic testing. the failure and current mileages were 161,000.

Tl* the contact owns a 2003 ford explorer. the contact stated the rear lift gate hinges fractured and caused the rear windshield glass to fall and shatter from the vehicle. the dealer advised there were no recalls for the vehicle and any repairs would be at the expense of the owner. the vehicle was repaired accordingly. the failure mileage was 110,950 and the current mileage was 113,000.

2003 ford explorer limited edition crack in liftgate below the glass. ford motor company told me there is no recall on it and to repair it myself. *tr

The front bearings on my 2003 ford explorer have gone out in the past two weeks. the vehicle has 75,000 miles on it. the car stopped steering and i had a very difficult time driving it to the nearest repair station. had i been on the highway it would have been a disaster. the right front bearing went at the beginning of the month and the left at the end of the month. the mechanics that worked on the vehicle stated that they see many of these. additionally we had to replace the rear strut assembly since the spring actually snapped. this too was familiar to the mechanic. when researching this issue i have found that many owners have the same problems. the mechanics i have spoken to stated that wheel bearings should not go that soon and that this is a hazard that should be fixed. *tr

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

Wheel bearing/hub failure. *tr

Steering column.. hard to shift into park. *tr

I have a 2003 ford explorer that i bought brand new, it now has 135,553 miles on it. have never had problems and it actually drives very well, but the o/d off light started flashing. took it to the ford dealer 3 days later, was told the torque converter needed to be replaced at a cost of $1,225.00. the dealer has told me that the torque converter has been replaced twice, the o/d off light still flashing and after further diagnostics they have now determined the computer needs to be replaced at a cost of an additional $1,325.00. according to the internet this is a persistent problem that ford has yet to do anything about. it should be a recall issue. *tr

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.

Rear applique "rear liftgate panel" below the rear window cracked in half. no impact involved. *tr

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

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

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

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 o/d light is flashing on the dashboard,service engine light comes on and when i accelerate the transmission shifts rough,ford says it is not a common problem,but i have visited several sites today with complaints from other consumers,all makes,all models of ford trucks and suvs. i have 2003 ford explorer .the vehicle just went over 80,000 mile. *tr

I own a 2003 ford explorer and was closing the window of the back hatch when the rear lift gate hinge failed and broke and the window became dislodged and hit me in the head. my son was standing next to me and thankfully the window didn't fall out completely and land on him! i have contacted ford and they said that although there was a recall for this very same problem, your agency did not identify my vehicle as being affected and they will not repair it at their cost. again, they said it was because your agency did not identify my vehicle as being affected by this defect. at the present time, the window is hanging by the struts and the left hinge. further, i have gone online and seen that many other people have had this very same problem and it was not covered by ford's recall. this is a major safety issue as that window could have fallen out and landed on my son! thankfully, i was not seriously injured. i can't believe that this has not been recalled more extensively. i think it is reasonable to expect that a window or a door is not going to fall off a hinge and potentially cause a serious injury. safety is a reasonable expectation! *tr

The rear lift gate cracked down the center. every ford explorer lift gate i see has a crack down the center. this has to be a defect in the gate. there are just too many people with the same problems. *tr

Tl*the contact owns a 2003 ford explorer. while the contact was closing the rear lift gate the hinge broke without warning. prior to the recent failure the vehicle was taken to the dealership where nhtsa campaign id #04v442000 (structure: body: hatchback/lift gate: hinge and attachments) repair was performed on the vehicle. the repair was insufficient and failed to address the safety defect. the vehicle was taken to an authorized dealer for inspection where the dealer refused to repair the vehicle free of charge. the current and failure mileages were 70,000.

The vehicle is a 2003 ford explorer. has 142,000 miles. had tire rotation at 137,000 miles in jan 2010. on 3/6, we drove 120 mi from home to baltimore, parked in parking lot for 6 hours. drove 50 mi to tyson's corner va, parked in hotel parking lot. on 3/7, we drove 15mi to daughter's home in arlington. left car there for 7 hours. drove back home along routes 66, 495 and then 95. went about 60 mi when i noticed the steering wheel was shaking a bit. kept driving for maybe 5 mi before i heard a noise from the front end near the wheels. decided to pull off the highway and get to a service station to check tire pressure. checked tire pressure and began to back out when the right front wheel fell off. there was only 1 lug stud remaining that was broken off about 1/2 " above the brake drum. the other 4 lug studs were missing, and seemed to be sheered off about 1/2" below the drum. thankfully, the wheel did not fall off on route 95, else we and, most likely others, would have been seriously injured or killed. i had the car towed to my body shop, also the dealership that i bought the car from and had the tire rotation done. looking at some forums, it seems like this is not the first/only time that a ford explorer has lost a tire by broken lug studs disappearing. i will get the vehicle repaired and then will sell the vehicle. i will also have the other lug posts inspected, but who knows if anyone will see anything. i believe that this issue warrants further investigation, if none have already been done. thank you. *tr

1. fuel gauge just stop working after refilling the vehicle. 2. the failure just happened and now it does not detect gas in the engine. 3. the failure happened shortly after getting a non-related item fixed on february 27, 2010. *tr

I have a 2003 ford explorer xlt with the crack in the back panel next to the emblem. i came out to my car and it was cracked all the way from the window seal to the bottom of the hatch. i called the 800 number that ford gave me to call and they told me there is no recall and the part. there are several thousand people with this same complaint. the local body shop told me that the problem is in fords design of the panel. they have zero reinforcement next to the emblem to close the door which is right in the middle of the door, where normal people push to close it. this manufacturing defect in the explorers from 02-03 is very well known and quite possible over time could cause a weakening in the rear window of the vehicle and eventually lose it's support and fall. *tr

I bought my 2003 explorer new. appx. 2-3 years ago (don't have exact date yet, still searching for info) it would suddenly stall and shut off. the rpm indicator would also jump really fast. i took it to the dealer and they said it was an idle issue and "fixed" it. a few days ago, i noticed a similar issue and nearly crashed. as i was rounding a corner, the vehicle suddenly stalled, thereby causing my power steering to fail. i quickly put the car in neutral, restarted it and regained steering, very nearly colliding with a vehicle in the opposite direction. the car seemed okay for a few days, but then did the same thing again. two near head-on collisions are two too many. i stopped using the vehicle and had my dealer look at it. they called me yesterday and told me it was the idle air control valve, which will cost $332 to replace. i checked online and found that this is a known issue (tsb 0335, feb. of 2003). i need this vehicle so i will have to get it repaired, but think ford should take some kind of responsibility for the defect. i hope it doesn't take someone having a serious collision due to the defect for something to be done. thank you for anything you can do. *tr

Tl-*the 2003 ford explorer. the contact stated that the paint portion on the liftgate has cracked in several places just under the glass. the contact feels this can be a potential safety hazard because there have been other vehicles whose rear glass has broken. the failure mileage was 75000 and the current mileage was 80000.

Over drive light is blinking; transmission is revving high.. only has 79,000 on it! *tr

I own a 2003 ford explorer. the back hatch below the window is cracked. i've seen many with the same defect in parking lots. one woman i spoke with said hers flew off into the windshield of a minivan & caused an accident. i e-mailed ford motor co. they will not issue a recall. this is a safety hazard and with so many vehicles so easily found in parking lots with the same defect is concerning me. i can't afford to have this fixed right now what do you suggest? *tr

We own a 2003 ford explorer eddie bauer - 4wd at times the cruise control will either work, not work at all, work after being warmed up, work after shutting the motor off and restarting, work with the speed accelerating continuously at dangerous levels, or indicate it is working but is not. after viewing several sites where many other owners are having the same problem, we went to our dealer. our dealer replaced a defective deactivation pressure switch that caused the cruise control to react erratically. they used ids hook up to locate problem at a cost to us of $325.89. after talking to someone at the dealership, it became apparent this is not an uncommon problem, and it is a defective part that is causing a very dangerous situation to occur. the driver that does not detect the increasing speed or panics when it occurs could have a serious or deadly accident. ford should be required to replace these parts at no cost to the owners at no cost, especially since our vehicle has just 39,000 miles on it. *tr

I own a 2003 ford explorer xls with only 74500 miles on it and both front wheel bearing assembly have gone bad. i know that these will fall off while driving causing serious injuries. *tr

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. she stated while utilizing the rear liftgate to remove items from the trunk compartment, the rear liftgate fell causing the glass to shatter. the contact was not injured. the manufacturer was contacted and although the exact same failure of her vehicle is related to nhtsa campaign id number: 04v442000- structure, structure body, hatchback/liftgate, hinge and attachments as a result of nhtsa action number pe04045, her vin was not included. no repairs were made to date. the failure and current mileages were unknown.

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

Temperature blend door starts making a clicking noise and then the heater starts putting out cold air. the front window doesn't defrost. no heat in the front of the vehicle when temperatures outside can reach 0 degrees. the average cost to repair the part is $734. *tr

2003 ford explorer , 70,000 miles rear lift gate cracked in middle splitting off in "y" shape there was no impact done to make this happen. heard loud pop told that ford will not do anything & i will have to pay out of pocket.*tr

2003 o/d light blinking, service engine light soon light turned on. transmission problems detected. lots of fords transmissions seem to have flaws need to force a recall.*cw

Tl*the contact owns a 2003 ford explorer. while the contact was examining the vehicle she noticed that there was a large crack on the panel under the rear window. the vehicle has not been diagnosed by the dealer. there were no prior warnings. the current and failure mileages were 115,000.

2003 ford explorer "o/d off" light blinking. *tr

2003 ford explorer xlt - overdrive light starting flashing and now the transmission slips when shifting from 1st to second gear. engine revs to 3200 rpms and makes a loud noise before feathering the gas to get the transmission to shift into 2nd gear. vertical crack in fiberglass tailgate panel just below rear window glass. no impact to tailgate occurred-crack just appeared. *tr

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

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

Liftgate glass applique damaged/cracked - service procedure. *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

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?!

My 2003 ford explorer exhibits most of the symptoms described in consumer advisory dated 13 october 2009. it has an intermittently functioning cruise control, a permanently on abs indicator light, and it occasionally gets stuck in park. i was wondering why 2003 wasn't included in the safety recall. *tr

Right front wheel bearing. there is only 68,000 miles on my 2003 ford explorer and the wheel bearing has to be replaced. after doing some investigation, i found that there are several thousand complaints about bad wheel bearings for the explorer. shouldn't this be a recalled since it is a safety hazard???? *tr

I have noticed over the past 2 weeks the gear shift lever getting harder to move from park to reverse and vise-versa. now, the steering column mounted gear selector (prnd321) at times won't come out of park. i have to play with the gear select lever/brake pedal in order to get the interface to release. i haven't as yet taken the vehicle to my mechanic for repairs. *tr

Our ford explorer shut down without warning in an intersection. people began pushing my wife, baby son, and two other sons out of the intersection when the truck began smoking and then the engine burst into flames. we lost the truck (which only has two payments left and which was in perfect working order), our car seats, and a considerable amount of personal items to smoke, fire, and water damage. the fire department had to be summoned to put the fire out. *tr

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

Tl* the contact owns a 2003 ford explorer. when attempting to shift gears, the column shift lever had fractured. he had to push the vehicle to the side of the road-way. the vehicle was then towed to a dealership, and he was advised that he would have to purchase a new steering column. the manufacturer was notified, and he was advised that they would not provide assistance. the vehicle was taken to a local service station and repaired. after the repair the failure re-occurred, the current mileage was approximately 130,000. the failure mileage was 127,000.

I owned a 2003 ford explorer. i was getting ready to go on a trip when i noticed that a vertical crack had formed in the middle upper liftgate panel below the window. i have no idea what cause. however, it appears to the same defect that others are describing in this same model. at the time it was about 90,000 miles on the odometer. ford needs to make a recall on this issue. *tr

The rear end on the 2003 ford explorer starts to whine, then growl' then leak then go bad. the rearend on the ford explorers evidently go bad often. the owners would be put in danger when the breakdown occurs on the road. the explorer is a family vehicle so the rearend going out on a trip away could be disaster. i googled 2003 ford explorer rearend problems and found hundreds of complaints. *tr

Tl* the contact owns a 2003 ford explorer. the rear windshield has developed cracks, which subsequently caused the windshield wipers to fail. she took the vehicle to the dealer for inspection, but they did not perform an inspection. the manufacturer advised her to repair the vehicle, and if her model type was recalled, she could inquire about reimbursement. the vehicle was in the process of being repaired. the current and failure mileages were 64,000.

Tl* the contact owns a 2003 ford explorer. while driving 45 mph the steering wheel locked without warning. suddenly, the driver loss control of vehicle and crashed into a bridge. the air bags deployed with the massive impact. the police was called to the scene. the driver was taken to the hospital. the driver sustained moderate injuries to the back neck and chest. the vehicle was towed to an auto collision center. the cause of failure has not been determined at this time. the failure and current mileages were 165,000. updated 11/23/09. *lj updated 11/24

Our 2003 ford explorer has what appears to be a stress crack on the plate below the rear hatch window, next to the ford emblem. i've seen dozens of explorers since this happened with the same issue, and thousands of complaints online regarding this defect, yet i am told that ford will not pay to repair their defective part, as there is no recall on it. *tr

I just noticed a crack in the panel underneath the rear window of my 2003 ford explorer. i searched online to see if there is a recall & there is not. i came upon a website, www.carcomplaints.com & noticed several complaints as mine in the same make & model & around same mileage. i contacted ford to let them know my problem, referenced the site i found & how to initiate a recall or financially responsibility. i am the main driver & i can barely close the heavy trunk so i am sure i did not do cause the crack & it is a defect. i have tried to use the trunk as little as possible so i don't know if this would be concerned a safety issue. i have not done any repairs since i wanted to see if ford would take responsibility. our car warranty will only cover the repair if it is a defect since the crack was not caused during an accident or excessive use. i thought i would try your site to file the complaint to see if i can get a resolution. *tr

2003 ford explorer xls awd - driving on highway, vehicle begins vibrating excessively. o/d off light flashes, service engine soon light comes on. transmission bad. $3000 to replace. *tr

I have experienced all of the warnings the nhtsa listed for ford drivers regarding possible imminent fires including getting the vehicle out of park mode. my problem is the recall only includes 1995-2002 explorers and i have a 2003 explorer. the manufacture date is 02/03. is it possible the plant still had the texas instrument cruise control deactivation switch in stock from 2002 and installed it in my vehicle? approximate incident date is the most recent date and the vehicle would not get out of the park mode on that particular date (8/27/2009). the antilock braking system warning has been an on and off problem for at least the last 2 years. brake light warning on dashboard only a couple of times. the malfunctioning cruise control last happened about 8 months ago and may have happened again but don't remember when for sure. the only item i had checked out was the antilock braking system light on the dashboard. november 21, 2008 they replaced the differential speed sensor, i have yet to find out if that is related to the recalled switch. it fixed the antilock brake dashboard light from coming on mostly. it has come on after that, but only a couple of times and only for a short time. *tr

Own a 2003 ford explorer the air bag light blinks then stays on constantly while the car is running. i am concerned about my safety whether my air bag is actually working or not. after searching the internet apparently several other ford owners are having the same problem. also i have a cracked panel on the back hatch , i have seen several ford explorers with the same crack and at the same location , took the ford dealer in clarksville indiana was told it was due to weather , was told several ford explorer owners are complaining about the same problem but unfortunately ford is aware of the problem but not doing a recall. was told would cost around $300 to replace the panel the ford dealership instructed me to file a complaint because they have seen too many themselves. *tr

I have a 2003 ford explorer manufactured in 01/03. it is not included in the current 'voluntary' recall of ford vehicles due to a defective speed control deactivation switch. however, the vehicle exhibits the symptoms of the vehicles with a defective speed control switch (see faq below from ford.com): q. are there any early warning signs or symptoms i would notice that would indicate a problem? a. if the system malfunctions, a customer may notice vehicle symptoms such as; the speed control may become inoperable, the vehicle may not shift out of park, the rear brake lamps may not work, brake fluid may leak at the switch, the battery may drain or go dead, the abs warning light may flash or a fuse in the system may open. my vehicle has an inoperable speed control. it started as an intermittent problem, but is now inoperable. the vehicle frequently does not shift out of park, and the abs lamp frequently illuminates. i have contacted ford, and the dealer to request the vehicle be included in the recall and have the problem corrected at no cost. both have refused. *tr

Tl*the contact owns a 2003 ford explorer. the contact stated that the seals on 3 axles were leaking and needed to be repaired; therefore, the right front axle and both rear axles were repaired. the axles were improperly installed and were repaired again four weeks later. the manufacturer stated that they were unable to provide any assistance regarding the repairs. the contact is aware of the safety risk since the axles could fail while driving and potentially cause a crash. the current mileage was 60,828 and the failure mileage was 55,294.

Overdrive light came on as well as the check engine light the vehicle had been running fine, then the gears would not shift, we were on interstate 70 eastbound between wheeling wv and washington pa traveling at 65 mph in heavy traffic. the vehicle began to slow without warning we were nearly hit by a tractor trailer that had been following us! we searched the internet to see if this had happened to anyone else and lo and behold hundreds of complaints were listed on numerous sites, the vehicle is now at the transmission shop and before its all done it will cost at least $2300 to repair as the transmission went all at once with no warning at all! there is no way for the diy mechanic to check the transmission fluid as the transmission is completely sealed (no dipstick) so i guess i am grateful that the truck driver was able to swerve enough to not hit us or ford would be directly responsible for our deaths! *tr

I was driving my 2003 ford explorer at 70 mph in the fast lane of the freeway and decided to pull the driver's side visor down to cut down on the sun's glare. all of a sudden, the plastic mount that holds the visor metal stem in place shattered and the visor came loose dangling in front of my face by an electrical cable. the visor was severely obstructing my vision so i had to quickly grab the it and hold it out of the way with my left hand while steering with my right to negotiate across 4 lanes of freeway traffic until i could stop the vehicle on the freeway shoulder. the electrical cable does not have a connector so it is not possible to disconnect it from the vehicle. as a result, i had to drive the next 20 miles using my left had to hold the visor up with my left hand while driving with my right until i could reach home. *tr

The door ajar light intermittently illuminates as the overhead lights come on. i had this occur once in the past and the dealer replaced a switch / relay but now it is occurring again... much more frequently ... in fact, it is illuminated more then not now. *tr

Just happen don't no why the bottom frame of the lift gate has two cracks and im afraid that one of these days the glass may fall off the frame and cause an accident, thanks hope we get help with this problem. *tr

Tailgate is splitting. *tr

Tl*the contact owns a 2003 ford explorer. she stated that when she purchased her vehicle the hinge on the back of the window was broken. the dealer told her that there was a recall and that it could be repaired. the dealer later advised her that her vin was not a part of the recall. last year the dealer stated that they would not repair the broken hinge. the vehicle has not been repaired. the failure mileage was unknown and current mileage was 129000.

Purchased the vehicle from carmax on 9-19-07 it has been towed in at least 5 times and has been in for service for the same issues over and over again transmission, radio/nav system ,spark plugs breaking off and going into engine , back firing when starting vehicle ,starter / ignition switch,front noise and loss of power .on 11/28/07 it was towed in 2 months after i purchased it. they stated on the invoice brakes and emergency brakes severely rusted, carmax has said they performed two inspection on this vehicle 1 in va. and 1 in md. how did they miss brakes ( on monday, march10th 2009 heading south bound i95. the suv ( 2003 ford explorer) started to shaking violently. at this point, i had started slowing down from 65 mph to 55 mph to get off of 95. moments later the tire flew off of the ford explorer, before i even had a chance to get off. fortunately, i kept control of the suv and was able to get over coming inchs of hitting the guard rail and other cars around me. . the tire went of the road up the hill and back down onto 95. the tire went about 2/10 of a mile down the road. fortunately, the tire did not hit anyone else and no one hit the tire. i came slamming to a screeching halt hard on the front passenger side of the car ,jamming my left arm. the car has been towed to carmax in white marsh, md. they have stated to me, via voice mail , that this is not supposed to happen. this was due to faulty wheel studs and we should follow up with ford . my warranty will not cover any of the damage that has been done to suv. after doing research on ford explores i have found that they have had this problem with faulty wheel stud since 1998. yet, i have not seen any recalls. we are very fortunate that my family was not in the car . i feel that ford explorers need to been investigate as well as recalled. they are very unsafe and it looks like ford is covering these issues up. *tr

Add to the pile. we have a ford explorer limited, 2003 built 2004 model. i have had the rear differential repaired at my cost but the car still kicks when put into reverse. we live in australia. i have been told to have two additives put into the transmission fluid and replace the solenoid. the additives are not even available from ford in australia. they sell it but no parts. amazing. i even had to source the parts for the rear diff myself from the u.s. ford australia could not give a price, date etc. they took the money but did not warn anyone about the fact that you are driving a time bomb. we bought this car used from a ford dealer. i only wish there was a way to prove they knew and did not disclose. it would be an interesting class action against the dealers if ford will not take responsibility. i just want to get rid of it but can't in clear conscience dump it on some other poor bugger. this car has suffered from every problem from flashing abs to diff to transmission. the last time the transmission slipped the car rolled. luckily no one was in front of the car considering it was put into reverse. *tr

While driving down the street, i heard a loud noise that startled me. it was dark and i did not know what the noise was. i examined the car and a vertical crack had appeared in the back lift door panel that is just below the back lift window. since this incident i have noticed other 2003 ford explores in several different states with the same flaw. the flaw occurs on either side of the ford emblem or right through the middle of it. the flaw seems to occur in other mercury models as well, with the same engineering design. i believe this crack is due to stress and an engineering flaw. i reported it to ford several months ago as i continue to see more and more vehicles with this defect. *tr

I was driving on the freeway at approximately 60 mph. when i depressed the brake, the car accelerated to 70 mph first, then to 80 mph. i tried applying the emergency brake, but it did not slow down the vehicle at all. to avoid colliding with the vehicle in front of me, i forced the transmission gear into parking. this momentarily slowed down the vehicle, and i tried to move it into the far right lane of the freeway. then suddenly it started driving in reverse at a very high speed, causing me to collide with an oncoming truck on the freeway. unable to control the car and fearing for my life, i turned the ignition key, which brought the car to a halt. the high patrol arrived within only a couple of minutes. when one of the officers turned on the car so as to determine what the problem was, the car immediately accelerated to 80 mph. he turned off the car and directed everyone to step away from the car, cautioning that the car was dangerous. two officers disconnected the battery and said that there appeared to be a problem with the accelerator. they then pushed the car off the freeway to the nearest gas station. fortunately, i did not get hurt. but there was significant body damage to my car and to the other truck with which i collided. however, the driver of that truck drove off, thus i was unable to get his information. i had the car immediately towed to my neighborhood ford dealership, which determined that the accelerator pedal was defective. when i advised them that the emergency brake had failed, i was told that nothing works when the accelerator pedal breaks. this is a serious problem. the car was out of control on the freeway, driving in reverse, and it could have injured many people and caused a lot more damage. ford refuses to pay for the body repair, and is charging me nearly $1,000 to replace the accelerator pedal. i would appreciate your investigating this problem. i would be happy to provide a copy of the letter that i sent to ford. *tr

2003 ford explorers have defective rear ring and pinion gears. starting with a whine, the misalignment and wear could cause the drive train to seize up. replacement parts by dealerships are also inferior, and only provide ~ 40-45k miles of relief. *tr

Tl*the contact owns a 2003 ford explorer. while driving between 50-60 mph, the contact heard a loud grinding noise coming from the rear suspension. he took the vehicle to the dealer and they replaced the rear bearings; however, the failure recurred two months later. the vehicle is currently being repaired at a repair shop. through online research, he found numerous complaints for this identical failure with other ford explorers. the failure mileage was 67,000 and current mileage was 109,000.

The transmission started not shifting properly and the o/d light started flashing. check engine came on. took 2003 ford explorer to get checked by ford dealership. result: transmission failed and required replacing. ford explorer only had 83,000 miles. $3,000 dollars to replace. told that it was a common problem among ford explorers. *tr

Transmissions in 2003 ford explorers . first transmission replaced at 62,500 miles and second needs replacing at 87,000 miles. was told by mechanic that is the ford transmission problem for that year of explorer may complaints online about the same issue. *tr

My 2003 ford explorer sometimes will lock the shifter at reverse as i move it to park. it feels like it went all the way to park, but it really stops (and won't move) at reverse. letting off the brake, assuming it is in park, causes the vehicle to roll backwards. *tr

I bought my 2003 explorer in 2002 at 110 miles. within the 3 year warranty the air conditioning had a urine smell and knocking noise in the rear but they didn't want to fix it. as a result i have a slow leak which means it has to be charged every year. in feb 2007 a crack formed in the rear panel they didn't want to fix. october 2007 at 45000 miles i needed wheel bearings for inspection. at 48000 miles when i paid my truck off may 2008, within a few days the 0/d light & service engine soon light came on resulting in my gears slipping. i found out through several shops that my 2nd and fifth gears were burned out. the dealership said the solenoid body, then has to go in to check for more. i filed a complaint with the attorney general because i had no extended warranty which was a waste of time because ford wasn't cooperating. so now it's june 2009 and i'm still driving it a whole year later because i can't afford to get it fixed. i learned how to drive the truck but i'm reminded everyday about the problems. park to reverse is a struggle, it doesn't start easily sometimes, it has no power while driving, abs and door ajar lights stay on, and reverse alarm when to close doesn't work, and instead of being happy i paid it off it's nothing but a feeling of frustration, anger, and regret for buying from ford. *tr

Today i got in my ford explorer and noticed that my overdrive light was flashing. so, pulled over to see what the owners manual says and soon right after the engine light comes on..i then look through the manual and it indicates that if these lights were to come on please take it to service asap. i did the following and took the suv to pep boys. i described my problem to the service manager and he said please don't tell me it's a ford explorer....i hesitated and looked at him with a puzzled look on my face and said yes. why ? i said. well ford explorers are known for this problem and that i should check to see if there are any recalls. i then went to fords website and followed the directions on how to check for any recalls on your vehicle and entered my vin# and got back no recalls on this vehicle. with all these complaints and consumers crying about this problem how can we allow a car giant like ford to get away with this manufacturing problem? at least they should have the decency to inform you that there cars have been known for having transmission problems dating back to 1995. the list of people with the same problem that i have was rude awakening and very disturbing to see. we need a resolution to this problem regardless of what it takes. please contact me directly if you need to. *tr

03' ford explorer, steering column won't shift into or out of park correctly, have to push very hard on brake and struggle w/shift to get it to work. during oil change operator nearly had a roll away accident as parking to return truck to owner after change. this occurs at least 4 times a day. *tr

Tl*the contact owns a 2003 ford explorer. the contact stated that the hinges for the rear liftgate fractured and almost caused the glass to disengage and cause injury. the manufacturer stated that the vin was not included in nhtsa campaign id number 04v442000 (structure:body:hatchback/liftgate:hinge and attachments); therefore, they would not assume any responsibility. the vehicle has not been repaired. the failure and current mileages were 130,000.

My wife and i own a 2003 ford explorer. under nhtsa campaign id number 04v442000, the liftgate glass struts brackets and glass hinges were allegedly repaired. one of the glass hinges that was allegedly replaced had failed. the hinge pin for this hinge has been sheared off in a similar manner to the problem with the original hinges covered under the above referenced recall. my ford dealer and ford are entirely unwilling to address this issue under the original recall, stating that they have met their obligation. since the ¿replacement¿ hinge has failed in the same manner as the original i am left with only two possible explanations. the ¿replacement¿ part is similarly flawed or the part used in the recall was not the replacement part. regardless of the explanation, a safety issue remains with the glass liftgate on my 2003 ford explorer and it is my belief that this directly relates to the above recall. the liftgate glass has not (yet) fallen, but with a failed hinge such a accident will occur. *tr

The passenger side airbag warning light comes on intermittently for no reason (has since i bought it used in 2006). the door ajar warning light comes on and won't allow me to lock/set my alarm on my vehicle plus it leaves the interior lights on for a while (started about 6 months ago). i am now experiencing a banging sound under the hood when i change the temperature (heat or air conditioning)(started in last 4 months). i have to turn the fan on high to get it to stop. it will do it even if the temp is off sometimes. it also will not lock into gear when put into park on an incline (my driveway)...without rocking backwards into gear(started in the last 6 months). *tr

No noise/warning. the car had billowing black smoke coming from under the hood. on inspection oil was gushing from a valve at the back of the engine and burning, it nearly burst into flames. it was towed to a local mechanic, who found the timing chain had broken, slashing a valve cover and cutting into the back of the engine. it can be fixed for $3,000 plus tax estimate, but the ford dealership recommends against this and says it needs a new engine /refurbished engine $5,000 plus tax. ford refuse to accept this is a defect, despite multiple complaints i have seen on the internet. the car was a ford explorer 2003 with only 60,720 on the clock. i bought it new and maintained it well. i still have payments on it so am selling it for $2000 to cover the payments. it was a $34,000 car. *tr

On 5-14-09 at about 7:15am i got my children's diaper bag out of the back of my 2003 ford explorer my hatch door was fine. i then went to work and it was a warm day but not hot. at about 6:10pm the same day i went out to get something out of the back and i saw it. there is 2 cracks the upper part of the hatch in to the left of the ford emblem. one starts at the window and goes down the other starts at the bottom and goes up. at that point i contacted the toyota dealership that i purchased the vehicle from and took the vehicle to them to look at. the service guy said he had no idea what could have made this happen. he stated he could tell it had not been hit or anything and that it wasn't a flex point. he told me to contact the local ford dealership. i contacted apple ford (lynchburg va) on 5-15-09 and was instructed they had seen many cases of this but they can't do anything until ford puts out a recall. i then contacted ford motor company and was instructed they will not fix it but to have a dealer look at it. my concern is if the window falls out because of this what is it going to do to my 1 year old and 3 year old in the back seat or the people in the care behind me on the road. i have done nothing to make this happen. it is a default from the company that could potentially cause harm. i have also researched it on the internet and found via google there are lots of people like me. if water gets down through the crack it could very well rust the latching mechanism and make it fail to work properly. *tr

I currently own a 2003 ford explorer. abs light had been showing sometimes and gained a small vibration in the engine. then one day by a turn of the key there was a loud thumb sound and it never started again. put a new starter on got it started but it had a major pecking sound coming from transmission. took transmission out and found that the torque had a bad rattle in it. replaced torque and restarted engine and still had another small pecking sound it was coming from the engine dropped oil pan and found to have a balance shaft chain guide busted and the timing chain was loose. so by the turn of the key resulted in torque lock up in which caused started drive to bust and all the pressure when the new starter kick in broke torque loose and caused the crank to over spin the timing chain in which broke chain guide. so lucky it happened by the turn of the key instead of driving down the road. *tr

Was driving to work and trans started slipping. o/d light started blinking and then next day check engine light came on. took it to a dealer who told me i need to either rebuild my trans for $3200 or put in a rebuilt from ford for over $4000 which would give me a 100k mile warranty, 64k more than the brand new one that was in the car when i bought it. car had 74,500 miles on it but was less than 3 weeks over the 5 year/ 75k extended warranty i purchased from ford. i called the customer relationship number and the warranty people numerous times and no one offered any help. i even offered to by a new ford if they would give me a fair trade on my old one, it seemed as if after driving ford's for the past 8 years they did not want me as customer any longer. i took it to an independent shop and fixed it for $2000 and i just traded it for a new nissan pathfinder which cost me less, has more power and gets better gas mileage. i am happy to say i have owned my last ford. *tr

I have a 2003 ford explorer. i recently was pulling out of my garage when i realized i needed to check and see if i had my glove and shoes in the back for my softball game. i put my car in park and popped the trunk, when i got out of my car the car kicked back into reverse and started to roll. luckily the door caught on the garage door and bent it, but no one was hurt. clearly, the transmission kicked back into reverse without me doing it. this is not the first item i have noticed something 'screwy' like this with my car, it has been acting up a time or two before. *tr

Ii purchased a 2003 explorer, 2-11-03. kept having problems shifting out of reverse, and finally, 3-8-04, and again, 9-13-04, and was told by dealer the problem was not valid, and would eventually go away, with no damage to vehicle. i continued to have problems, on and off, and now have over 89,000 miles on vehicle, and it is happening more and more. sometimes, i have to continue cutting the engine off, restart, and keep trying to get the transmission to shift out of reverse. i have never received any recall notice regarding the transmission, either from ford, or dempewolf, the dealer. this does not happen all the time, but, enough to make me nervous that one day it might not back up at all. when it does shift, the force almost throw me out of the seat. it is a scary situation. i always took my vehicle to dempwolf for servicing, and to try and get the transmission problem rectified. i have my maintenance receipts, all of them! *tr

Both front and rear wheel bearings failed on my 2003 ford explorer at 67,000 miles. the vehicle is only driven on paved roadways and has been maintained by both myself and ford. under normal operating conditions all 4 of these bearings should not have failed. *tr

2003 ford explorer 4 dr. rear coil spring is broken. no rust on outside of spring, but its broken due to bad metal used to make it. *tr

I own a 2003 ford explorer. i just read the article in the paper regarding transmission hazards. i can honestly say i do believe these suv's do have a problem with transmission slipping in and out of gear on there own. i have several incidents where mine has done it. one time i had put my car in reverse and it jumped forward and i actually ran over the curb in front of me but the gear shift was in reverse. there is problems regarding this suv. i took the car back to carmax where i purchased it from but it still does it. the car is out of warranty now. it will do it randomly. i don't know the reason but i do think it is a safety issue that needs to be investigated. *tr

The back rear panel of the hatchback cracked for no apparent reason. it is a manufacturers defect which the company is unwilling to pay for. *tr

Tl*the contact owns a 2003 ford explorer. the vehicle has continental tires. the contact stated that the inside of both front tires on his vehicle were slick. the dealer rotated the tires, but currently the rear tires are experiencing the same failure. the vehicle was taken back to the dealer, but they could not determine the cause of the failure. the tire line and size were unknown. the failure mileage was 61,000.

Tl*the contact owns a 2003 ford explorer. the contact stated that the second row middle seat belt was not working. the seat belt cannot be pulled out to hook into the child seat. the manufacturer stated that the seat belt was not under warranty; therefore, the contact would have to pay for a diagnostic. the vehicle will be taken to a child seat technician and the dealer. the failure mileage was 125,000.

I was driving home from work when i noticed my vehicle started to make this taping noise. i pulled over to the side of the road to see what it could be then noticed it was coming from under the hood. i didn'ttt feel safe continuing to drive on the highway so drove to the next exit and got off. the noise started to get louder so i pulled into a gas station and waited for someone to come pick me up because i didn't feel the vehicle was safe to drive. as i was sitting there with the car turned off, something on the driver side under the hood burst into flames. fire department had to come out and put vehicle fire out. *tr

The panel below the glass on the rear hatch of my wife's 2003 ford explorer cracked forno apparent reason. the dealer tells me it will cost $800 dollars to repair plus a body shop expense (paint). i've noticed on many forums on the internet that this is a very common problem and ford should address it! *tr

We have owned the subject 2003 ford explorer xlt since it was new. the rear liftgate hinge holding the rear glass failed. i understand that this failure is the subject of nhtsa recall #04v442000. ford informs me that they will not fix this continuing safety defect because they replaced the hinge once before in 2006. i have no record of such a repair, not do i agree that ford's policy of only performing one replacement is valid. even if they did replace it once, the design is clearly defective and the safety issue still remains. i would expect nhtsa to direct ford to properly fix the problem, rather cause me to pay ford for yet another replacement for the ineffective one they previously performed. *tr

I was driving my 2003 ford explorer on the highway and suddenly the overdrive light came on and began flashing. i brought it in to get checked and was told it is a transmission problem. supposedly need to change the torque converter. i am not the first and afraid that i won;t be the last with this problem. this needs to be addressed! *tr

We were driving the vehicle from wi to mn and the overdrive light was flashing and the ford explorer was not shifting correctly and a few times was stuck at 50+ mph even though the cruise control was not on. we returned to our home and took the 2003 ford explorer in to a repair shop who said the report indicated that the transmission needs to be replaced. the design of the transmission on these vehicles doesn't allow the owner to check fluid levels. it felt like a very dangerous situation with children in the car and the vehicle not shifting correctly and actually "revving" and staying at 50+ mph while the cruise was not on. *tr