Problems with 2003 Ford Explorer STRUCTURE

Rear hatchback was taken to ford for a recall regarding the hatchback hinges. the stress of the failed hinges has caused cracks to develop below the rear window in the facia, it is cracking. *jb

Just noticed a large crack in panel underneath rear window of 2003 ford explorer xlt. the crack just appeared without any reason. dealer refuses to pay for replacement. we have not repaired yet because we are seeking dealer reimbursement. there are a huge number of cases of this same problem in 2002 and 2003 explorers. one website that lists many others with same problem is autobeef.com. dealer estimate was $648. please acknowledge receipt of this complaint and inform us on how to proceed. *jb

Paint bubbling up on front of hood on 2003 ford explorer. *tr

Rear liftgate body panel below glass window developed a crack from top to bottom today after closing the liftgate. the dealer says it is not covered and they have seen this before. this is clearly a design defect since this panel is broken but not the glass in the liftgate. *jb

Upon going out to my truck this morning to put my sons stuff in the back, i noticed that i have a crack in the panel just below my liftgate glass. this struck me as unusual as i don't even use the liftgate window. i decided that i would do a search for a recall that i may not have been privy to...and i have found hundreds of complaints, but no recall. the dealers are refusing to replace this item even when it is under warranty, they say it isn't covered. if there is obviously a defect and this many people are having the same issue ... why isn't something being done about it. if it keeps cracking the glass is going to fall out!! the dealerships are saying that if you still have warranty that they will replace it no charge, but at the same time even if you do have warranty ... it isn't covered. there should be a recall on this...as it does pose a hazard if the window falls out due to the crack in the structure. does anyone know if anything can be done about this or who we need to contact??? *jb

Plastic under (attached to) rear liftgate window cracked. crack runs top to bottom, around the ford emblem. entire liftgate needs replacing. ford says i have to pay for it. i have seen several explorer on the highway with the same defect. don't really know if this would be a safety issue, but i'm sure the integrity of the structure would be compromised in a rollover. *tr

Ford explorer 2003. tailgate cracked in half below window. no precipitating cause. car under warranty, dealer stated this was manufacturing defect. replaced at no charge, apparently with another defective tailgate. tailgate cracked again 9 mos. later. dealership required payment of 20% from owner since vehicle out of warranty (38k miles) even though it was admittedly ford's manufacturing defect. ford replaced the tailgate with a third defective tailgate that will undoubtedly crack again. both ford facilities stated that they'd wish that ford would do a recall and "accept responsibility for the defect". they'd replaced one a month at the small dealership and "many" at the larger dealership. pictures available per e-mail if desired. *nm

I own a 2003 ford explorer xlt, and yesterday i noticed that the back panel below the back glass, has a 1/4 crack all the way down it! it is located a inch or two right of the ford emblem. this is ridiculous, i called the dealership and they told me to bring it in for an estimate, since i have 59,000 miles on the vehicle, it isn't covered under the warranty. well, on the ford website under my warranty information it states that corrosion and defective parts are covered for 5 years regardless of miles driven. well what does this fall under? i have put so much money in this vehicle because of other mechanical problems, that i am not going to put more money in it for this. ford needs to cover it, or start some type of investigation for a recall. *jb

Ford explorer- 2003 location rear hatch or door. panel below window where ford emblem appears. plastic body part splits for no apparent reason. has happened to many other explorers. dealer says it is caused by rear wiper motor being housed behind crack. dealer will not repair, though this is a known defect, without charging customer an extended warranty deductible. *nm

Dt*: the contact stated while parked in a driveway unloading the vehicle, the rear gate hinges fractured and the glass dropped. the manufacturer was contacted, and informed there was no recall for this defect. the contact expressed concern because the hinges held the glass and the incident could happen while driving affecting other vehicles on the road.

Cracked panel below glass on 2003 ford explorer, both on mine and my wife's explorer, both bought brand new within a month of each other. *nm

Rear door hatch has cracked from the bottom of the window to the bottom of the hatch. *tr

My 2003 xlt explorer has a fiberglass panel below the window on the tail gate. we purchase the vehicle from a ford dealer in august and with in a couple of weeks a crack appeared from the window to the top of the ford emblem. i brought the vehicle back to the dealer and they stated that they have seen this problem in many explorers and ford is aware of it but they do not offer any savings or warranty coverage for repair. if this is a common defect, than what is ford doing to remedy this issue? *nm

The hood on my vehicle is blistering and bubbling off in many areas. *tr

After opening the hatchback to put groceries inside, the window fell. after inspecting it, it turns out the hinge on hatchback broke causing the window to fall. it hit my left arm and forearm causing severe bruising, other than that nobody else was hurt and the window did not fall off completely. i called the dealer and was asked to drop it off for inspection. was eventually fixed. but i can't help to wonder if it will happened again and if the consequences will be worse. *jb

Crack in panel on rear hatch i see same crack in same sport on all same vehicles. *tr

In july 2006, my husband and i noticed a hairline crack above the ford emblem on the back window/liftgate panel. within 1 week, the crack had gone all the way through the liftgate. in hot weather, the crack is barely visible (because the plastic seems to swell); in cold weather, the crack is at least 1/8-1/4" wide. i'm concerned of wear on remaining components since i have no idea if water/snow just go through the crack or get inside the panel itself. is there a fix offered by ford for this since it is apparently a design/component flaw?*cn

The back liftgate panel is cracked on my 2003 ford explorer. i live in colorado and the local ford service department said it was likely due to our dry weather, they haven't heard of it occurring in other states. i travel beyond colorado frequently and have seen several other vehicles with the same problem. this sounds like a manufacturer/ford defect that should be considered under a recall. *tr

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

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

Dt*: the contact stated while the vehicle was parked at home the rear lift gate window exploded. during the incident the temperature out doors was about 70f. last year, the vehicle was taken to the dealership who replaced the gates defective hinges, according to recall # 04v442000 instructions. the contact expressed concern about the incident because it could have caused a serious accident. *ak the consumer was told poor quality glass may have used to perform the recall work. the consumer had the window repaired at his expense, however days later he heard a noise and upon inspection, the consumer discovered the inside panel of the liftgate was very loose and it looked as though it was about to fall off. updated 08/02/06. *jb

As many others have reported and am sure countless others do not know what to do, i am complaining about the crack in the rear of the 2003 explorers. is anything going to be done about this that you know about? i have talked to ford and to dealers and they have done nothing. my concern became larger then cosmetic today when i left the car wash. now not only is there that huge crack but also the seal around the window is falling out and water is getting in. if this is starting to happen i wonder now is it just a matter of time before these windows start to fall out??? does ford really need another huge lawsuit when what i see starting to happen to me starts with others if it has not already. will ford just wait for rear windows to fall out going down the interstate causing wrecks, or will they finally own up to the thousands of 2002-2004 explorer owners that they made an error in production. no one is perfect but we should be responsible for our actions. *tr

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

The panel directly below the rear window in my 2003 ford explorer has developed large cracks in it. after talking to the dealer, it was very evident that this is a common defect as they said they see a minimum of 10 per year and that ford will not fix it unless it is under warranty. my vehicle has 68,000,miles on it. i also have seen this defect listed multiple times in automobile defect websites such as www.carcomplaints.com. *nm

Explorer limited. six months into owning this car, bought at approximately. 32,000 miles, i noticed there was bubbling on the hood of car. it was on the front of the hood on both sides above head lamps as well as in the middle (point of the of the hood). even though this is a manufacturers defect kenny ross in pittsburgh will not work with me in getting repaired. one of their collision men said i was out of warranty. i spoke to the manager he said if it is under warranty not a problem. then the head guy of the collision department said even if i had a warranty the hood would have been covered only under the 12 months, 12,000 miles warranty (???). just the basic run around and they insult your intelligence. the paint is now cracking and peeling off. i noticed the bubbling at about 39,000+ miles and just reported it to ford may of this 2006, although i did mention it to the guy that sold me the car a year or so ago. in addition i purchased the extended service plan from this so called dealership thinking i was getting an extended warranty, which was implied, only to find out that the extended warranty and the extended service are two different things. buyer beware but they should have to disclose the difference. why would i buy an esp when i can extend the warranty for just about the same price. *jb

Rear hatchback was taken to ford for a recall regarding the hatchback. prior to that, there were problems with the hatchback, i.e. accidentally opening. now just below the rear window of the hatchback, it is cracking. similar to many owners listed on this site. *nm

Dt*: the contact stated that the vehicle's paint looked bubbly like a blister on both the driver and passenger sides of the hood. the corrosion was located on the side of the hood closest to the head lights. the vehicle was taken to an independent repair shop who determined that it was a manufacturer's defect. the manufacturer directed the contact to take the vehicle to an authorized dealer for repair. the dealer refused to repair the defect at no charge because the vehicle's warranty had expired. there was a vast amount of information on the manufacturer's website regarding the defective paint which was observed by the contact. the vehicle was not involved in a crash or fire.

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.

Following the actions taken by the ford dealership to correct the fault with the rear door/liftgate recall, a large crack developed on the liftgate from the bottom of the glass to the bottom of the liftgate. i have noticed this same crack on several other explorers. i have been told that this is not something that ford recognizes as an item for "recall." i am unsure of the integrity of the structure of the rear door/liftgate. *jb

Crack in body of tailgate with no cause; crack starts at the bottom of the back window and runs to the bottom of the plastic panel. i took it to the dealership and they said it is a know defect, but will not fix it. in my neighborhood alone, there are at least 4 other explorers with the same issue. ford needs to fix this ! it takes away from the trade-in value of my car. *tr

This morning i noticed a crack in the tailgate of my 2003 explorer xlt. it was not there two days ago. i took the vehicle to my local dealer and he said that the part is not covered under warranty or recall so i will be responsible for the charges. he has personally seen many of these. i have been on several forum sites and know that i am not the only one having this problem. is anything being done from ford's side? *jb

Plastic under (attached to) rear liftgate window cracked. crack is 10 to 12 inches long. entire liftgate needs replacing. ford says i have to pay for it. i have seen several explorer on the highway with the same defect. *jb

After having about of freezing weather my wife noticed a crack on the plastic panel attached to the bottom of the rear hatch back window. i took it to our local ford dealer upon which i was informed that this is a defect in manufacturing and that they replace quite a few of these every year. but being that my warranty expired in august of 2005 they will not pay for replacement. i feel ford should be held responsible. *jb

The rear panel below my window on my 2003 ford explorer cracked all the way through. i went snow sking and after doing research on the internet, i found that this scenario is common. the panel gets moisture behind it and freezes, then cracks. i have a ford manufacturer warranty, and i am still under warranty. i contacted the dealership where i purchased the vehicle, i called the ford customer service line, and contacted the local media, who suggested your website. no one is willing to fix the problem, and one day it will fall off while i am in traffic. currently i have not fixed the problem. i advised the ford customer service people that i would never fix the problem. i would keep it there as a constant reminder of their commitment to customer service. check out the internet (autobeef.com) lots of people are having the same issue. *jb

Crack in body of tailgate with no cause; crack started at the bottom of the back window and ran to the bottom of the panel. *jb

Our ford explorer was parked in our garage like it is every night. in the morning we went out to put something in the back of the explorer when we noticed that the back top hatch was cracked. it cracked right down the middle of the ford sign. when we closed the hatch after noticing it it pinched my fingers. we contacted the dealer where we bought the vehicle and we were told that it was a service bulletin but not a recall and that he understood that it was dangerous and told us to contact ford customer service. my husband contacted them and was told that they could not fix the problem. ford gave us an estimate to fix it and it would be about $400. the problem with the hatch being cracked is that if someone was sitting in the third row seat at any time the glass could pop out and hit them in the head. when you do open the hatch your fingers get pinched if they are in the wrong place. we have not gotten the problem fixed yet. *nm

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

I own a 2003 ford explorer. the plastic panel just below the tail gate window has cracked from top to bottom. upon doing some research on this problem it appears that there are 100's of similar incidents. *jb

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 a 2003 ford explorer xls. the rear lift gate on this vehicle has cracked directly below the rear window. we have spoken to the ford dealership here and they say they are not obligated to fix this piece due the vehicle being out of the initial warranty even though i have the premium esp plan and the fact that temperatures got to below freezing (27 degrees f). this is an engineering defect that should be dealt with since the piece located on the exterior of the vehicle and should be able to withstand freezing temperatures. this is a part i believe should be coverage against defect. cost of $57.00 plus installation and painting. i would like any help in this matter. *jb

Panel under tailgate window cracked and split while vehicle parked in driveway on cold day. vehicle had previously had tailgate hinges replaced under recall. dealership advises that manufacturer denies any responsibility to repair/replace. dealer estimate of $401 to repair. *jb

Dt: the contact states while the vehicle was parked she heard the liftgate glass explode. nothing hit the glass and the hydraulic shaft released. the vehicle is currently at a local mechanic, but they have not diagnosed what happened. the dealership and manufacturer were not willing to assist with repairs, therefore, the insurance company was repairing the vehicle. *ak

The lift gate trim piece needs to be repaired for the 4th time not including lift gate recall which would be the 5th repair. i have been informed by local dealer that this is "design flaw" and ford has yet informed them how to correctly repair the problem. *jb

Molded running board broken under normal use, one dealer accused me of having a child jump on the running board - reason unknown. another dealer took photos and sent to detroit, warranty repair refused? *jb

My 2003 ford explorer has peeling paint on its hood .this is a wide spread complaint. *tr

Factory rearend was replaced in my 03 ford explorer. since then the problem of gradual rearend deterioration has not been fixed. if the rearend fails catastrophically then a serious accident could occur. ford motors does not consider this to be a safety concern, but it definitely is. ford should recall all vehicles with the defective rearends and fix their problem. *tr

2003 ford explorer rear hatch glass shattered while parked.*mr *jb

Complaint regarding recall 04s20 relating to the rear lift gate.*** no answer required***. *mr the consumer still had not received a call or letter as to when to take the vehicle in to have the recall work performed. *jb

The plastic molding around the rear glass on the liftgate cracked. consumer was concerned that the glass may fall out while opening the liftgate or while driving. the dealer was notified.*ak.....the consumer was advised by dealership that this happened to a lot of people. if not under warranty the consumer must pay. the consumer's gas gauge failed with only 2500 milles over warranty. *ak

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