Problems with 2002 Ford Explorer STRUCTURE

Campaign number: 04v442000 date: 2004-sep-13 component: structure: body: hatchback/liftgate: hinge and attachments the ford explorer had the recall work performed fall of oct 11,2005. on june 3,2006, about 8 months, the epoxy/tar used to "secure" the strut bracket on the glass failed in 90+degree weather (moderate sunny day, it will get hotter). from observation, using adhesive to prevent the ball joint from pivoting was a bad design. i opened the glass liftgate and started to reach in and the glass lift gate slammed down on my head. due to local temperature and regular vibration from driving and the load from the strut, the adhesive yielded and the ball joint rotated causing the strut to pop off causing the glass liftgate to come down abruptly and without warning. had this happen to my wife, she would have been seriously injured being petite. i notified the ford company and the dealer, both decline to repair the repair performed under recall as it was pass their warranty of 12 month or 12,000 miles. it was over the 12,000 miles. so i guess after 12 month or 12000 miles, ford is no longer liable if the recall repair injures or kills someone as it was a repair under a recall. *jb

Dt*: the contact stated there are three cracks in the rear hatchback door above the emblem. the dealer and manufacturer have been alerted. *ak

The back panel below the rear window has cracked. *tr

Tl* the contact owns a 2002 ford explorer. the contact stated that the rear hatch was fractured. the vehicle was taken to the dealer who advised that the vehicle could be repaired but he could not guarantee that the failure would not recur. the manufacturer was contacted who offered no assistance. the failure mileage was 30,000 and the current mileage was 110,000.

Rear lift hatch ,the piece of body under the glass, started out as a small crack. now has split and separated all the way down. took it to the dealership hoping to be treated with a little fairness. wrong..it can be fixed, but at my expense.. doesn't seem right. it happened on it's own and i'm finding out i'm not the only one it's happened to. the numbers should show there is a problem and should be dealt with by the ford company.*jb

Dt*: the contact stated the vehicle's lift gate strut disengaged, it fractured the glass and the glass shattered. there was a recall on the nhtsa campaign #04v442000, concerning the lift gate and attachments. the recall work was preformed; although, the remedy did not repair the problem. the vehicle was driven to the dealer for inspection and repair.

I walked around the back of my 2002 ford explorer today to find the panel directly below my rear window was severely cracked in 3 places. i had a minor crack which i repaired on my own before. in neither instance did i have an accident or anything along those lines to cause the cracks. after doing some research on the internet and contacting a few ford dealerships, i've discovered that hundreds, if not thousands of other 2002 explorer owners have had the misfortune of experiencing similar problems. the phantom splitting of a body panel on a modern vehicle is a major design flaw. my vehicle's safety is now in question; i am concerned that the hatch-back glass is now not adequately supported due to the multiple cracks below it. please, for the safety of all 2002 explorer drivers and the travelers behind them on the road, see to it that this defect is remedied by ford motor company with a product recall. *jb

Dt*: the contact stated when the vehicle was taken to an independent repair shop for state inspection, the technician determined all four rotors were corroded and flaked off when touched. there is corrosion on the entire underside of the vehicle. the technician stated it looks as though the entire vehicle was submerged in saltwater. the dealership and manufacturer have not been contacted.

I have a 2002 ford explorer xls (45k miles) that was recalled in september 2004 for the back liftgate. i had the recall work done in august in 2005 at a local ford dealership. in january of 2006, the liftgate suddenly developed a crack (3-4 inches in length)right below the back window, just to the right of center. after taking it into the dealership, they are claiming that since it is not under warranty, i will be responsible for the costs of repair (about $300). they are claiming that ford has not issued a recall on this defect because ford does not consider it a "safety issue". i believe it is definitely a safety issue because the crack is directly under the rear window and will probably grow in size the longer it goes unrepaired. a noticeable crack that suddenly develops under the back window would seem to be an obvious safety concern. furthermore, it is a "customer service" issue which ford should address. also, i had no problems with cracking in the liftgate until after the recall work was done. these appear to be directly related. this is obviously a manufacturer defect and would seem to be a major safety concern. i have done research and i am not the only ford customer having this same problem with the 2002 explorer. i am expecting ford to address this problem and accept responsibility for this defect in the 2002 explorer. *nm

On a cold day, i discovered that the body panel below the glass on the rear gate of my 2002 ford explorer cracked. nothing hit the vehicle to cause the crack. the outside temperature was around 32 degree f at the time. *jb

The back panel below the rear window developed a 1/4 inch crack from running from top to bottom. *jb

Rear hatch cracked two spots. *jb

Upside down "y" crack found in liftgate/hatch from bottom of rear window to bottom of hatch door, to the left of the ford emblem. brought car to dealership where i purchased it 3 yrs ago, but was told it wasn't covered - out of warranty. am concerned about the stability of the rear window and liftgate. this product defect should be recalled by ford and replaced at no charge. *jb

Two large cracks below liftgate window . i took truck in for recall 04s20 and dealership said cracks were not fords problem bull ----- shame on ford i have been looking on internet complaints and many other people have the same problem . i think they should fix it correctly the first time. *jb

Dt: the contact had nhtsa recall campaign 01i010000 repairs performed on the rear liftgate glass in february 2005. then, the rear liftgate glass shattered when he shut the liftgate. he contacted the dealer and manufacturer, and they offered no free remedy. *ak

Crack below rear window. *nm

In november 2005, the rear liftgate applique of my 2002 ford explorer cracked overnight. the crack is directly in line with the rear windshield wiper. the local ford dealership claims that they have seen several ford explorers with this same problem and it is caused by cold temperatures and windshield washer fluid getting into the plastic applique and forcing a crack. the night this occurred the temperature reached 10 degrees above zero. because of this crack, i no longer can use this portion of the liftgate for fear that it will cause further damage to my vehicle. i called the ford customer service line where the representative did an investigation into my claim and no warranty or recall will cover this defect. the approximate cost of the repair is $300.00. this is an obvious defect in the manufacturing of the vehicle and should be recalled and repaired at ford's expense. this should not have happened to a vehicle that is made for inclement weather. *jb

Ford replaced hinges on back window 3 times per safety recall before getting it right. now, the panel on the bottom of the window is cracked in several places, the service department claims it is not related. ford body shop says it is. *jb

In may, 2005, ford dealer performed fix for nhtsa recall 04v442000. this recall is intended to prevent the rear tailgate glass from failing. the alarming issue is that 5 months after the recall fix was performed, the real tailgate glass exploded while the tailgate glass was in the open position. this occurred inside a closed garage so wind was not an issue. the force of the explosion sent thousands of pieces a glass flying as far as 15 feet. this could have injured anybody standing near the rear of the car. in this case, nobody was near the glass when it exploded. perhaps there is a design defect in the recall fix, or perhaps the recall fix was installed incorrectly. both the ford dealer and ford motor company have refused to take responsibility for repairs costs. *nm

Rear liftgate on my 2002 ford explorer eddie bauer has a crack in it. i worked for ford for 2 1/2 years and can not believe that they will not fix this problem. i personally have seen hundreds of the same thing happen to other people. with ford hurting for business you would think that they would repair these to keep their customers. i personally own two ford products and unless they fix this problem then i will purchase my next vehicles from a different manufacturer. *jb

Dt*: the contact stated while shifting gears, the automatic transmission made a clunking noise and the vehicle displayed a jerking motion. the vehicle was seen by a dealer and the solenoid housing of the automatic transmission was replaced. afterwards, the problem persisted and the solenoid housing was again replaced by the dealer. the front pads were replaced. the drivers side door would pop open. there was a delay when shifting gears, and then the vehicle would slam into gear. updated 04/06/06. *jb

Dt: the contact stated the plastic on the hatchback under the window cracked. the dealer and manufacturer offered no free remedy. no repairs have been made. *ak

Tl*the contact owns a 2002 ford explorer. the contact stated that the liftgate is cracked and leaking. he notified ford who stated that complaints have been made for the same failure. the current mileage is 65,590 and failure mileage was 37,000.

There is a panel below the rear window gate that has a vertical crack.. initially, the rear window was a recall, now the panel below the window has cracked. the rear window was replaced, at no cost, but ford will not replace the defect/crack on the back panel. *jb

I was driving my 2002 explorer at a low rate of speed and the back window blew out. just spontaneously blew up, sending glass throughout the vehicle. in april 2005, the car was recalled for a back gate glass problem. the dealer says it was fixed. now, six months later, the glass just blows up and causes damage to the back gate. this is odd and frightening. had my children been in the third seat, they would have been sprayed with glass and injured. luckily, i had just left them off at school. please look into this matter for us. *jb

After seeing other 2002-2006 ford explorers on the street with the same problem of having a crack in the rear panel right below the rear window i decided to see if there was anything we could do about it. i know there was a recall to replace the hinges because the door would slam shut which i believe caused the crack. i talked to ford when it first occurred and they said based on my mileage they would not fix it and it would cost about 500. my question to ford was what does the mileage have to do with what i believe was a recall defect that ultimately caused this problem? i noticed on the new model explorers they redesigned them so the glass opens up without the panel. after reading other complaints i am now concerned that the window could actually fall out if the door is shut and could break and cause an injury. i would like to file a formal complaint and hopefully get this resolved soon. *tr

Dt*: the contact stated there is a crack by the ford symbol in the back. there are no dents or debris around the crack. the dealership and manufacturer were alerted.

Rear hatch window lift failed and caused rear glass to shatter (luckily no one was hurt). the window was lifted to remove items from the rear and the lift arm apparently was wedged under the glass and it exploded so loudly that neighbors 2 houses away ran over and people walking down the street came to make sure no one was injured. we had the glass replaced by a glass company--this took 4 days due to the unavailability of the glass. they also indicated they had just (the same day) replaced another with the exact same problem and they had seen several in the last few weeks. the struts were not replaced and we were advised not to use the hatch door until they are. our dealer was not responsive on this matter but i believe there needs to be an investigation. the glass co said that the window design was changed in or after 2002 so the struts are lower and support the glass correctly. *jb

I have developed a crack in the plastic applique beneath the liftgate window. it appeared as a scratch and has morphed into a full blown crack about six inches long. *nm

Dt: consumer stated he received a recall 04520 in 10-04. consumer called the dealer numerous times. they put him on a list and indicated they would call him back. in 2-05 he received a card from ford stating dealer could now order parts for his vehicle. he called the dealer, and they said they didn't have the parts, and they will order them. the dealer said again he would be put on a waiting list. the recall was on liftgate back window brackets. that was six months ago and they still haven't called consumer. *ak *nm

Rear hatch hinges popped off of bolts, known problem, recalled some vehicles, did not notify every owner. will not pay for repairs.

dt: contact stated there was a recall on the liftgate strut, and repairs were done. but on three different occasions the part popped off, on the fourth occasion the part broke again. ford refused to pay for another repair. *ak

Tailgate exterior applique cracked for no apparent reason. *nm

I have a cracked panel in my ford explorer 2002. this panel could break in half while driving and cause a serious accidents. ford refuses to do anything about it. *nm

Ford explorer 2002 rear panel cracked, and i traveled around the country and i saw several cars with the same problem. i visited too many websites and there's more people complaining on that issue. the back door panel is cracked and getting worse everyday, and someday the glass is going to explode. *tr

Tl*the contact owns a 2002 ford explorer ext wagon. the contact that stated that upon purchasing the vehicle he noticed that the transmission would shift in an awkward manner. the vehicle was taken back to the dealer who informed him that there was nothing wrong with the vehicle. the failure suddenly recurred and he had to replace the transmission. he also stated that 3 out of 4 window regulators have failed. the windows are not working normally. the liftgate in the rear of the vehicle was fractured which made it difficult to open. the vehicle had only been repaired for the transmission and the 3 window regulators. the failure mileage was approximately 10,000.

2002 ford explorer safety bar to the tail gate cracked. *mr the safety bar cracked and caused the back window to flex. the consumer suggested that this same problem may occur on his 2003 model as well. *sc *jb

Crack developed in area below lift gate glass. now the door ajar light goes on and off, as well as the buzzer. the glass does not shut properly and is inoperable and the area below the glass has completely fallen away. *tr

Tl* the contact owns a 2002 ford explorer. the rear hatch lift-gate under the ford emblem has developed cracks. consequently water has entered the doors and lights. the vehicle was taken to the dealership and she was advised that she would have to pay between $600-$700 to repair the vehicle. she notified the manufacturer of the failure, but was referred to nhtsa. the current mileage was approximately 120,000. the failure mileage was approximately 70,000.

Vehicle was parked in front of the residence and driver lifted up the liftgate and glass shattered. driver took the vehicle to the dealer, and mechanic determined that the liftgate glass needed to be replaced. *ak

I own a 2002 ford explorer. on 3/20/05 i noticed a crack on the back panel just below the upper lift gate. the crack is to the right of the ford emblem and extends from the top to the bottom of this plastic panel. upon contacting my dealer, i was informed by their body shop that this repair was covered by the original warranty. when i went to the body shop at the dealership i was told that the orginal warranty had expired, my original warranty started 6/29/01. i have only just reached 36,128 miles to date. i had purchased an esp premium care contract, but was told that it would not cover the repair my vehicle required even though i was told at the time i purchased the esp that it offered "bumper to bumper coverage." if i want this crack repaired it will have to be out of my pocket to the tune of $450. in any event, i feel that this should be a recall item as it seems as though it will inevitably weaken the upper liftgate window frame. i only learned about the upper liftgate hinge recall with this visit to the body shop. i have never received any recall info. from ford. this crack seems as though it could only add to the dangerous situation only ready imposed by the upper liftgate. at the very least, i feel that my extended service plan should cover this repair ensuring the safety of my upper lift gate window. i paid over $900 for the esp coverage.*ak

Vehicle started to hesitate when shifting, whining noise from rear end as well. over drive light on, then finally vehicle stopped engaging gears. 2002 explorer has been sitting in driveway for one year due to transmission failure. ford not willing to fix the problem. vehicle has 58000 miles. prior to this incident rear hatch window blew out two times with the second time glass blew off so violently it damaged paint on new vehicle (dealer and ford manufacturer refused to pay for repair and instructed me to file insurance claim) damage to other car was clearly due to defect in window hatch mechanism and they should pay. nothing has been done. *jb

Rear liftgate structure below the glass has cracked. crack is 6 inches long and growing. it seems this is a issue that is related to the design flaw covered (recall 04s20). this flaw will eventually effect the structural integrity of the rear liftgate structure and make unsafe.*ak

Several problems - at 9,000 miles my brakes went and had to have my rotors resurfaced by 23,000 miles my rear brakes were completely gone and my front brakes were nearly gone. this cost me over $1,000 to repair. at 25-27,000 miles my vehicle would not change gears properly. going in reverse the vehicle would "bang" into gear, then going from park to any gear this would happen. on level ground and on hill. the dealership said they guessed at the problem and fixed something in the transmission. at 32,000 miles the piece of plastic under the liftgate window completely cracked. since under warranty the dealership is fixing this. there has been a "whining" noise while using the gas pedal for some time that the dealership can not recreate.... i expect that to go wrong as soon as my warranty expires. i think you only get 36,000 mile warranty because they know the vehicle will fall apart after that!*jb

Nhtsa recall campaign 04v442000/rear concerning liftgate glass. this vehicle was not included in the recall due to vin. however, both hinges were fractured, and the glass fell out of position. *ak

Recall campaign: recall issued for liftgate on 2002 ford explorer. *bf prior to the liftgate being repaired it opened twice without using the latch release. the plastic panel which is a part of the liftgate cracked but the dealer refused to replace it under the recall. *nm

Nhtsa recall campaign 04v442000; ford issued a rear liftgate glass recall. this vehicle was included in the recall, but there were no available parts in order to repair.*ak

'recall campaign' issued for 2002 ford explorer, parts not available. *bf (the rear lift gate window) *sc

2002 ford explorer xlt 6 inch crack under window. *nm

The consumer received a recall notice(04v442000) rear liftgate glass no parts available. notice was received on nov. 2004 however still no parts availabl to repair liftgate. *tt