Problems with 2003 Ford Explorer POWER TRAIN

Severe rear end noise has been happening for over a year now. rear differential now needs to be changed. although there are technical service bulletins the dealership will not work with me on the cost of these repairs. i have also had a sensor replaced twice and it is now broken again. *tr

This vehicle is a 2003 ford explorer limited with a severe roar coming from the rear end. there is a technical bulletin out at repair shops but no recall. it could result in the gears locking down and losing control while driving. it is a defect of the ford motor co and should be under recall. the cost of repair is around $1400.00. the noise is so loud that it could block the ability to hear oncoming traffic and emergency vehicles. you don't have to worry about using a cell phone while driving in this vehicle because you would not be able to hear the other person. i understand that all ford,lincoln, and mercury suv's are a part of this tech-bulletin. the years that are affected are 2002-2006. please consider issuing a recall soon. *tr

Tl*the contact owns a 2003 ford explorer. the contact heard a loud whining sound coming from the rear of the vehicle while accelerating and decelerating. the service manager stated that he could not find anything in his computer that was related to the failure. there are currently ten nhtsa service bulletins related to the failure. the current mileage was 76,000 and failure mileage was 55,000. update 09/10/08 *cw the consumer was told the rear axle may have to be replaced. updated 09/11/08. *jb

Tl*the contact owns a 2003 ford explorer. while driving 10 mph, the vehicle shifted into four wheel drive without warning. the contact pressed the reset button on the dashboard, which deactivated the four wheel drive feature. she also stated that the door open light remained illuminated. the dealer has not inspected the vehicle. the current and failure mileages were 63,000.

Excessive whine/noise coming from the rear end of the vehicle, at highway speeds. *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

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

Tl*the contact owns a 2003 ford explorer. the contact stated that she heard a clicking sound during deceleration. a mechanic diagnosed the cause of failure as a worn out range hub in the transfer case. the contact stated that she could never get out of 4 wheel drive, which burns more gas and activates components that are unnecessary during normal driving. the current mileage is 73,000 and failure mileage was 70,000. updated 02-01-08 *bf

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.

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

Tl*the contact owns a 2003 ford explorer. the contact stated that the transmission was slipping and was difficult to shift into park. when attempting to shift the vehicle in gear it hesitated and jerked before engaging. the transmission has been repaired twice previously at 18,000 miles and 27,000 miles. the contact stated that the vehicle needed the same repair at 58,000. the failure mileage was 58,742.*ak

Purchased a 2003 explorer xlt in november 2003. within a few months noticed a leak that originated from differential area. took to dealer was told a seal had to be replaced and everything should be ok. took a family trip recently, the first one in the explorer on march 17, 2007 and rear axle seal failed on a 1,200 mile round trip. called ford customer service and explained what happened, i even explained there were several tsb concerning my issue, i was informed that it was not a recall therefore it wasn't covered. i was told by ford to go and have it diagnosed by local dealer, same one that fixed the problem originally. i had problem's diagnosed, called ford and was told that dealer would provide "customer care after warranty". called dealer waiting for reply for next step. my explorer only has 33,600 miles while 1,200 miles were placed in the last few days, and warranty expired 4 months back. *ak

Noise at rear end of vehicle. diagnosis rear axle and rear end. replace rear axle and rear end kit (rebuild). the noise was noticeable for sometime and became worse. i have reviewed numerous similar complaints and this appears to be an issue that the manufacturer should address. there were service bulletins that referenced improper fluid use by manufacturer. *jb

2003 ford explorer faulty transmission. *jb

I purchased a 2003 ford explorer xlt. i quickly noticed a noise from the rear of the vehicle when speeds of 55-60 mph were achieved. after bringing the vehicle to the auto repair shop i was told that the rear differential needed to be replaced and that it was not only dangerous to drive but extremely expensive. after some research i have discovered that this is a common issue with the ford explorer. should this type of repair that could result in human injury, be addressed by ford. i am hopeful that your answer will be yes! *jb

I have a 2003 ford explorer with 51,000 miles. on 2/13/2007 o/d light started flashing and service transmission message appeared in message center. took to an independent service shop and was told it was probably the torque converter. had it transferred to a transmission shop where they removed the transmission pan and found metal shavings. they said it is the torque converter and i will need a partial or full rebuild, they will not be sure until they remove the transmission. they also mentioned they have seen this in multiple vehicles and have had to replace a large number of explorer transmissions for similar problems. *jb

Tl*- while driving the 2003 ford explorer at 60 mph the contact heard a noise and the back of the suv began to vibrate. once the vehicle was checked the contact noticed that the tire was at an angle. the contact thought the dealer forgot to put the lugs:nuts back on the wheel. the drivers side rear axle shaft failed ,almost causinga crash after the dealer had worked on it. only one nut was holding the shaft in place. the contact believed that this was also a manufacturing defect. the weather was overcast and 20 degrees. it snowed, but the road was dry. the vehicle had to be towed the next day to the dealership to be repaired. the current and failure mileage were 60000.*ak

My 2003 ford explorer was serviced at dick edwards ford in junction city , ks to replace a left hand rear axle shaft seal on the 12th of febuary 2007. vehicle was picked up at the dealership by my wife. on the 13th of febuary she was driving home from work (about 3-5 miles) she called me on her cell phone and said she could hear noises, smelled something burning and the rear of the car was moving around and the brake pedal was low. i told her to proceed home with caution. when she arrived home i looked at the vehicle, and noted the lh rear wheel assembly was at a 30 deg angle. i called dick edward ford and they informed me to have it towed to the dealership. today they implied it was a bearing failure. i looked at the vehicle, spoke to the mechanic and i noted it was a rear axle shaft retention nut malfunction. the nut had backed out on the axle to the point that the assembly was about depart from the vehicle. the mechanic wanted to blame the axle bearing, which was destroyed. this nut if improperly torqued, or the assembly is not installed properly prior to torquing the nut, the nut can become loose and back off, especially since it is rh thread, there is not a cotter pin or anything holding this thing together, only a torqued nut. they then told me that they would not pay for it as it was a coincidence this happened. i refuse to pay. i have pictures of the vehicle setting in my driveway. i should have taken pictures at the dealership when it was taken apart. if my loved one had been on the interstate doing 70 mph this would have probably have allowed the wheel assembly to depart from the vehicle resulting in a catastrophic accident. and possible death to her as well as others. how many other vehicles out there with the same poor engineering design ? *jb

I was driving my 2003 ford explore and i started to here and noise from the rear end when i took off from a dead stop. i didn't worry about it right any,then it kept getting worse, so i took it in to the ford dealership where i bought it and they said the clutch was bad in the differential and it would be between 500 to 700 to fix. this explorer only has 49,000 miles on it. my wife drives this car and i know it has never been beat on. i still do not have my truck back yet it has been in the shop for about 4 days now. i am about up to 1200 dollars in repairs. i have read several complaints about this same thing on the internet. i juast can't understand why they don't have a recall. *jb

Tl* - the contact owns a 2003 ford explorer xlt. the contact stated that the vehicle was making noises, wining, and grinding. the contact stated that the differential system failed and needed to be replaced. also, the following components needed to be replaced: clutches, ring, pinion, carrier bearing, pinion bearing, and pinion seal. the contact had to update the axle seals. at the time of the original failure the vehicle had an odometer reading of 37,000 miles and the warranty had just lapsed. the contact did not believe that the weather was a factor, and the sounds were always when she was in the process of accelerating. the contact stated that it started very slowly and became an every day occurrence. *ak

2003 ford explorer xlt vertical crack in fiberglass tailgate panel just below rear window glass no impact to tailgate occurred-crack just appeared while driving. transmission had to be rebuilt at 50000 miles. *jb

My 2003 ford explorer had transmission problems. the vehicle has only 54,000 miles. the transmission had to be complete replaced. additionally, i was surprised to find out how wide spread the issue is. in reading other complaints, the common theme is an issue with the transmission @ roughly 50,00 miles or lower. more specifically, my od light kept flashing ,not able to shift to reverse, and not being able to shift to higher gears. *jb

Rear pinion gear on 2003 ford explorer causes high pitched whining sound, and is well known to ford dealerships in the area. the stated cost to repair (replace pinion ring, pinion gear, seals) is in excess of $1,100. *tr

Tl* the contact owns a 2003 ford explorer. after installing two new tires on the front of the vehicle the contact heard a thumping sound while driving. the dealer stated that the sound was caused by the difference in tread between the new tires and older rear tires, causing the front differential and transfer case to fail. the current and failure mileages were 96,000.*ak

While cruising uphill on an interstate highway at approximately 70 mph the transmission downshifted to maintain speed. after cresting the hill, the transmission would not shift back into overdrive and the overdrive light began to flash. i pulled off the highway and the truck would not shift 1-2 until approximately 4500 rpm and then would do so very harshly. when accelerating the transmission slips and does not provide full acceleration. according to my local transmission shop the repair will cost approximately $3000 and require an all new transmission. *nm

My 2003 ford explorer 4x4 has developed a severe binding, shudder sensation in the rear axel during low speed turning maneuvers. it also has a whining sound at highway speeds, typically 55 - 70 mph). this vehicle has only 34,000 miles on it and the dealer wants to rebuild the rear axle/differential - at my expense since the 3 year warranty time limit is up. if let go, the ford dealer indicates the rear axle could 'blow up' (their words), resulting in a complete loss of drive to the rear wheel. i have discovered at least six (6) technical service bulletins issued by ford on this problem! this is obviously a bad design and latent defect which can effect the safe operation of the vehicle. *jb

Dt*: the contact stated the transmission failed while driving 30 mph. there was smoke coming from the rear of the vehicle and when the contact stopped to inspect the problem, leaking transmission was noticed. the service dealer was notified and the vehicle was towed to a transmission shop where a computer diagnostics identified the problem as a failure to the onboard computer. the manufacturer was not alerted.

I have a 2003 ford explorer with 60,000 miles on it. my over drive light starts flashing and the transmission is slipping. i have just seen online hundreds of people with the exact same problem and ford is not recalling or doing anything to help with repairs. i think there is a defect in the design. i also got into a car accident in may of 2006 with my 2002 explorer and it was totaled. i flipped in the vehicle twice and not one airbag deployed. *jb

Dt*: the contact stated while shifting to any gear at various speeds, a noise was heard. the vehicle was driven to the dealer who determined the oil needed to be changed every month.

Tl*the contact owns a 2003 ford explorer. while driving 10 mph, the contact heard a noise similar to a tire blowout. she pulled the vehicle off the road and discovered that the lug studs for the driver and passenger side rear wheels had sheared off. the vehicle was towed to the dealer and the studs were replaced. the failure occurred twice. the contact attempted to shift into park, but the gear became stuck. she jiggled the gear until it went into park. the dealer was unable to determine the cause of the failure. the failure mileage was 40,000 and current mileage was 60,000.

Have a 2003 ford explorer 2wd that was purchased new from local ford dealership. started having transmission concerns in early 2005, vehicles just over a year old. after taking it in to the dealership 4 times in a year, was told they couldn't verify the problem. finally, in march 2005 was told they had to tear transmission down and replace the clutch pack, on testing transmission, line pressure was low. after work performed, took back again, was having same concern, again told couldn't verify problem. had transmission serviced, after telling them i was experiencing same problem, they serviced transmission and said all was fine. in october of 2006, was heading out of town on a two lane road, when i went to pass a big rig on highway 113, just outside of woodland, as i got around big rig, and accelerated, the car wouldn't go into 3rd gear, the rpms kept racing and falling, racing and falling. i had plenty of room to pass this truck, or so i thought, until the car did what it did. i was nearly hit head on by an oncoming car because i couldn't get around the truck, due to the transmission not shifting into a higher gear. we got to woodland and immediately went to ford dealership where we were told the transmission was not serviceable, and that we would need a new transmission installed. upon returning home, and doing some research, have discovered there are hundreds of people out there that have had exact same failure of their transmissions. contacted ford motor co., and have had no result. local dealership says sorry, car is out of warranty now, it will cost around 3600.00. asked what has to happen before ford recognizes they have a problem with this transmission, and was told they didn't know. very dangerous in my opinion, to be out on a highway and have the car lose the 3rd gear, preventing you from going over about 25 miles per hour. *jb

I bought a 2003 ford explorer the end of april 2006 at time of purchase abs light was on- dealer fixed problem within first 1 1/2 weeks of purchase after ordering a part. now 6 months after purchase the check engine and o/d light come on unexpectantly. within 1 week of lights coming on car stops on me unexpectantly. when taken to a repair shop for i am told i need a new alternator and a rebuilt transmission as the suv slips out of 2nd and 5th gears. i didn't purchase an extended warranty due to thinking it was still under original warranty and just purchased. i felt the dealership should have overhauled the vehicle and made sure everything was working up to par. i now have a repair bill of almost $2000 and don't feel responsible for it.

2003 ford explorer xlt torque converter causes transmission to lurch and slip unexpectedly. fearful of driving this vehicle because the transmission might lock up. ford is aware this is a common problem with their 2002 and later models. *nm

Have a 2003 ford explorer eddie bauer edition. at 13,000 miles my transmission stopped working. had to tow my car to a ford dealership. their initial assessment was that my transmission was completely broken due to a "factory default". they said they would have to replace my entire transmission. after 3 weeks, the dealership stated they could not find the problem, made no repairs and did not replace my transmission. they said the problem mysteriously fixed itself. now at 28,000 miles, my transmission is slipping everytime into 3rd gear, sometimes just revving instead of going and then jerking very hard into gear. ford dealership states they can't find a problem. i have heard the same complaint about ford explorers after 2002 and transmissions going out too early. ford needs to own up to the problem and recall those parts. it feels as if they are blowing me off until my warranty expires so they won't have to fix my car. i am scared driving down the highway that i will get rear ended every time my transmission slips and goes into neutral. i have had a few close calls. i am going back on monday, still trying to get them to fix my car... *nm

I purchased a 2003 explorer in august 2006; mileage was approximately 45,000. by october the car would not start and the alternator was replaced. a few weeks later, i was back because my car was jerking. nothing showed up on the diagnostic tool at that time. however, i was told the starter would have to be replaced as would the recently installed alternator. i returned less than a month later with the same jerking issue, only this time i notified the repair shop that the o/d light had been coming on. furthermore, my car had actually stalled in the middle of traffic. again, nothing was found. by early december, i was back. my car had stalled on a few more occasions and would not "pick up". that is, even though the rpm's would reach anywhere from 2500 - 4000, my car could not accelerate above 25 - 30 mph. several days later i was told that the transmission needed work. i got my car back a few days before christmas and decided last minute to head to the mountains. as soon as i reach a slight elevation, the car ceased to accelerate and what's more, a thick heavy cloud of black smoke came out of the rear and persisted for at least two miles. i headed back down the mountain for home. i took the car back and they kept it for at least a week and a half to repair the torque converter and other transmission related issue. in early fall 2007, i took the car to my local ford dealer for some strange noise coming from the engine. it ended up costing $2500.00 to repair. i returned in november for more work, this time for the same torque converter and solenoid issue as a year ago. during this two year period, my vehicle was under extended warranty. the total repair cost for the first year of ownership is anywhere from $5000 - $9000, of which i paid at least $2500 out of pocket. my warranty has since expired and i am worried that these same issues will recur, as i have read they have. this is not an isolated incident and should be investigated and a recall issued. *tr

While driving the 2003 ford explorer it started to shake causing lose of steering and brakes. the left rear wheel the came off because the lugs had unscrewed. the vehicle was taken to a dealer who determined that the front differential had blown apart from the inside out. it appeared that the damage was caused by uneven tires and the 4x4 engaging and disengaging on its own. *ts *nm

Rear axle was making a loud noise, was told that it was due to the seal was broken and needed to be replaced. this was replaced and the noise still continues. other consumers have had this same problem and nothing has ever happened with this issue. it cost a lot of money to have the axle worked on and it is still not fixed! *jb

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

2003 ford explorer 63,000 miles od light started flashing 2 days ago. took it to ford dealership they ran a check on it and the code came up: po741-torque converter clutch solenoid inter/mechanical failure. i was told they would replace the solenoid pack and that it would be 218.00 plus labor. went to pick it up 3 hours later and was told the transmission needs to be replaced. this vehicle was bought new and should not need a transmission replaced! *nm

4 items 1 - have owned the 2003 ford explorer for 7 months. while test driving, i noticed a hum noise coming from rear tires. was told it was tread noise. we took it for oil change at very well respected national automotive service shop. i was informed i needed to replace the rear hub assembly that is was critically broken. waiting to contact local ford dealer for resolution based on tsb research i have done. 2 - whining noise from air conditioner when accelerating. don't really know what is going on. saw this also on tsb. contacting local ford dealership. 3 - abs light randomly comes on. don't know why and no pattern to when. contacting local ford dealership. 4 - cruise control not working. i was driving down the road this weekend, using cruise control. stopped quickly for a car in front of me. when i started going again, the cruise control wouldn't work and hasn't worked since then. i don't know if it has to do with the brakes. i noticed ford recalled some cruise control mechanisms in other vehicles but not in the 2003 explorer. *jb

Dt:* the contact stated that the automatic transmission shuttered without warning while driving 35mph. the vehicle was inspected by the dealer who determined the fuel filter needed to be changed. a new fuel filter was installed by the problem continued to occur. the manufacturer was not contacted.

I recently purchased a 2003 ford explorer with 94,000 miles on it. within 2000 miles the rear end began howling so much that my fiance is afraid to ride in the vehicle as the thinks something is ready to break. i read some forum posts to learn that this is a common problem with the 2001-2004 explorer. ford should fix this problem as it is clearly a mechanical failure that will leave a family stranded on the side of the road. *nm

2003 ford explorer rear axle failure at 66,266 miles. rear end was grinding when taking off from a stop and during a left turn. dealer had to replace complete interior parts of the axle assembly. replaced ring and pinion gears, replaced bearings due to pitting, replaced differential clutch pack. *jb

My suv has 86791 miles its a 2003 and the transmission went.. i was driving down the highway and it stop shifting and the overdrive light kept flashing. i had to take it to the dealer and $1400.00 later its fixed.. with the ford explorer you can't change or check the transmission fluid it's in a sealed canister.. its mostly highway driving and the transmission should not have failed this soon in a vehicle....this is a poor design and ford won't even face up to it.. i also found out it is a problem not only in my car but in others.. *jb

Hello. i have several complaints regarding my 2003 ford explorer including several safety issues. the first complaint is regarding the driver's seat which shifts routinely on acceleration and de-acceleration. this concerns me if i get into an accident and the seat malfunctions. the second complaint is regarding the gear shifter not going into park easily. i have to jiggle it to into park. i am concerned that this might not properly engage park and my vehicle might roll. thirdly, my rear lift gate trim has had to be repaired at least 3 times. i am concerned that although the dealership says there is no safety issue, there possibly could be due to the rear lift gate hinges being recalled and representative informing me that the reason that i continue to have a crack appearing is due to design flaw. this concerns me b/c i frequently utilize the lift gate to retrieve groceries and other items and do not want the window to fail and fall on my head. the remainder concerns are regarding the function of my vehicle. i have had to have 3 of the window motors replaced under warranty. the transmission has had to be fixed twice (shifting module malfunction). finally, the fuel gauge had to be repaired due to improper fuel readings. i guess all these items could be very problematic as well b/c i could run out of gas and be stranded with my child, my vehicle might not shift properly leaving me stranded. please do not hesitate to contact me if you have questions. ps. i would also like to add that as i was completing this process i remembered that my vehicle had a high pitched whine that had to be repaired. i do not remember exactly what had to be repaired but it was covered under warranty. *nm

At 58,000 miles, both left and right rear axle seals developed substantial leakage necessitating immediate repair. ford dealership service department made no mention that this was a known problem and required full payment by me for cost of replacement. *jb

I can't seem to get the front differential to stop leaking - neither can my mechanic. my mechanic has replaced the "crush washer" (where the driveline connects to the differential) a couple of times. i was told the differential was manufactured by dana. i don't want to replace the differential because my driver's side front half-shaft will probably have to be replaced also... the threads on the end of the spindle have rusted off. i'll probably also have to replace the (lf) wheel bearing. (i think i'll have to because i had to have the ford dealership replace both rear wheel bearings back when the vehicle only had 36,000 miles on it) not critical stuff here - just a nuisance. thanks. *tr

At 40,000 miles 4000 out of warranty, the transmission on my 2003 ford explorer catastrophically failed. no warning at all. driving down the highway, the o/d light started to flash and the car started to shift in and out of gear. my wife nursed the car home. the car had no first gear and would slam from second to third. ford confirmed this, and said the only fix was a complete transmission. 6,000 miles later, the same thing. since this was under warranty, ford said that they could replace some solenoids and that would fix it....not!! three more trips and finally a transmission that doesn't act up all the time. it still shifts funny and sometimes fails to go into gear. my wife has come close to being rear-ended numerous times, i.e. backing into the street. this is a safety issue that ford has been ignoring, read the forums. i have many other numerous complaints about this vehicle. read differential clutches going bad, keyless entry failing, door locks failing, and a window that works part-time....kinda like ford engineers. *tr

Less than 2 yrs after purchase of a new 2003 ford explorer eddie bower 4x4 v8 from a dealer, the transmission started grinding and slipping. dealer service records documented my concerns and their inability/unwillingness to diagnose the problem due to the lack of a "service warning" light. subsequent visits with the same issue brought similar results from the dealer. warranty expired less than one year before i finally got a warning light and the news from my dealer was that it meant i needed a new transmission for just under $6500. with absolutely no help from any level of ford customer service, i had the transmission replaced for just over $3000 - obviously not by ford. *nm

Nhtsa 10003163. noise from converter housing. suv has 42,272 miles and dealer estimated $1200.00 repair. ford knew there was a problem with tsb #17050. *jb