general problems of the 2003 Ford Explorer

There is a crack down the middle section of the liftgate for quite some time. The liftgate has been unlocking and opening automatically by itself. On only rare occasions has the liftgate opened all the way while driving. On the morning of 7/28/2022 while the vehicle was parked in my driveway the liftgate was discovered to have again unlocked by itself and opened slightly and now with one of the two hinges holding the glass sheared leaving the liftgate glass hanging by only one hinge. With the glass now hanging without having both hinge supports functioning and the inability to close and lock the liftgate, 1) the glass could fall out while driving and 2) with the liftgate unable to now close and lock, contents of the back storage area could fall out of the vehicle while driving. On 8/1/2022 the vehicle was inspected by the foreman of the service dept. At healy Ford, goshen, n. Y. I was told to take it to a body shop for realignment repair. Apparently a recall on 9/13/2022 # 04v442000 did not include my VIN. However, in driving around I do see many 2003 Explorers with the identical crack on the liftgate.

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 ???.

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.

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

Broken gear shifter.

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

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.

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.

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.

My 2003 Ford Explorer rear passenger, and rear lift gate and window exploded. It was parked in front of my home.

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??.

"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 ".

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.

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??.

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.

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

Head lights are cloudy given poor visibility. Back hatch door has a crack.

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.

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 .

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.

Transmission failure.

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.

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.

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.

Driving on interstate at high speed. O/d and tramission lights came on tramission died!.

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.

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 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.

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.

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.

U-haul will not rent any trailer to owners of Ford Explorer's. U-haul should not be allowed to pick and choose it's customers. If I have a safe and properly equiped tow vehicle like a 2003 Ford Explorer, 4 door, 4x4, automatic, 4. 0 liter with a heavy duty towing package then u-haul should not be allowed to tell me I do not have an appropriate tow vechicle. The real reason they decline to rent a trailer to Ford Explorer owners is because the company lawyers told them not to because "u-haul has chosen not to rent behind this tow vehicle based on our history of excessive costs in defending lawsuits involving Ford Explorer towing combinations.