Problems with 2003 Ford Explorer STRUCTURE

I own a 2003 ford explorer. approximately 3 months ago, my wife and i noticed that the plastic trim between the rear window and the ford logo was cracked. i have since noticed it on a majority of 2002 - 2004 explorers. i have also found numerous online posts and other websites describing the same issue with other explorer owners and a refusal by ford to remediate the problem. *tr

Applique underneath the rear window cracked next to emblem with no impact. *tr

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

I have a 2003 ford explorer it has a crack in the rear panel under window of liftgate i had it replace before for the same problem now ford refuse to fix the crack saying the have no records of this problem. *tr

Rear hatch below window has cracked from top of panel to bottom this may have been due to cold weather but i'm reading about all kinds of these cracks happening in all provinces and states. when is ford going to accept the fact this is a defect and make a recall? *tr

Tl*the contact owns a 2003 ford explorer. the contact noticed that the rear liftgate was cracked on her vehicle. she took the vehicle to the dealer and they stated that it was not defective; therefore, she would have to pay for the repair. the contact disagrees and believes the manufacturer should pay for the repair. the manufacturer stated that there was no defect and will not assist with the repair. the failure mileage was 39,000 and current mileage was 54,300. updated 03-04-09 *bf the back of the liftgate panel below the window cracked. updated 03/04/09. *jb

I was driving on the highway before dawn and heard a very loud noise (it was the sound of an explosion). i thought that a tire may have blowout, which was strange since the car has a set of new tires and i did not notice any changes in the driving of the vehicle. i stopped on the side of the highway and checked the car using a flash light. i saw nothing. later that day when i went to get gasoline, i saw a crack in the panel that contained the ford logo, about 2 inches to the right of the logo that extended from the top of the panel to the bottom. it was just a clean crack on the panel below the rear window. this happened on a cold night (19 deg. f). from what i have seen and read it sounds like a design flaw with the fact that a plastic part is glue to a metal part with a different coefficient of expansion. the car is a ford explorer xlt 2003. although the cracked panel does not seem to be a safety defect, the distraction caused by the loud bang noise while driving the car in heavy traffic and stopping in the highway at night to determine the cause of the noise clearly put me and my family at risk. moreover, there is a good chance the rear window panel may separate from the vehicle at speed, being a safety issue for other motorists. *tr

Ford explorer rear hatch defect, crack in hatch, ford has released a technical bulletin but says it is an owner responsibility to have it repaired. as a disabled veteran on a fixed income i cannot afford to have it repaired. there are hundreds of complaints on the internet regarding this issue with basically the same answer from ford. *tr

2003 for explorer eddie bauer - the rear liftgate panel under the rear glass has a crack all the way through it. no known cause. there appear to be a large number of vehicles with this problem. *tr

The rear panel below the window on the hatch just suddenly cracked... it wasn't hit or anything, it just cracked. *tr

The back lift gate (hatch) of my 2003 ford explorer has a vertical crack under the window next to the center ford logo. i noticed on the internet that 1,000s of other people to include in our city are having the exact same issue with explorers and mountaineers. this happened in winter. i see in car stats there are complaints there too. *tr

The paint has blistered and is actively peeling off of a substantial area of the hood of my 2003 ford explorer. according to lemonlaw.com, ford motor company had issued a service bulletin indicating a major paint defect in many 2000-2005 ford, lincoln, and mercury cars, trucks, and suv's that use aluminum body parts. the bulletin further states that, "some vehicles may exhibit bubbling or blistering under the paint on aluminum body parts". i am not a lawyer, but i do know that warranty or not, this is a clear breach of all expressed and implied warranties due to the fact that the body parts and/or paint were defective from the start since the bulletin states that ford research admitted that the problem stems from iron contamination within the aluminum body part prior to being painted. i registered my complaints with my local dealer and with ford motor company, asking for full remedy of the situation. the only offer they make is a deal on a new car! i hope that filing this complaint will help the consumer who has been clearly hurt and is experiencing economic loss due directly to ford motor company. i have been trying to get this situation remedied since september 2008, but my complaint continues to be pushed aside. i believe they hope all of the consumers experiencing this problem will go away quietly. *tr

Tl*the contact owns a 2003 ford explorer. while the vehicle was parked, the contact pressed the button on her key fob to open the glass on the rear hatch. as a result, one of the two hinges fractured as the window was opening. she attempted to close the glass, but apparently it was misaligned. due to excessive pressure, the glass shattered and debris fell onto the contact and the ground. she called the dealer in reference to nhtsa campaign id number 04v442000 (structure:body:hatchback/liftgate:hinge and attachments) and was informed that the coverage date for the recall expired. the dealer would have to personally petition to the manufacturer for the vehicle to be repaired. the manufacturer stated that they would not assume financial responsibility for the repair. the contact's insurance company is in the process of notifying the manufacturer on her behalf. as of september 24, 2008, the vehicle has not been properly repaired. the failure mileage was 58,600 and current mileage was 59,600.

Factory paint blistering on hood. vehicle is 5 years old and has 44,000 miles. there are a large number of complaints about this problem on a long list of internet sites. ford is not acknowledging this issue. apparently this is affecting 2000-2005 vehicles. *tr

Plastic body part below rear window glass cracked. *tr

Tl*the contact owns a 2003 ford explorer. the contact noticed that the liftgate glass applique was damaged and cracked. the dealer stated that because there was no recall for the failed component, the contact would be responsible for the repair costs. the vehicle has not been repaired. the failure and current mileages were 60,000. updated 10/16/08. *lj updated 10/17/08. *jb

Paint peeling off my car. *tr

Vertical crack in the back hatch of my ford explorer 2003 just below the glass and going down. *tr

Tl*the contact owns a 2003 ford explorer. the rear liftgate glass hinge has fractured. the contact opened the rear liftgate glass and, when he attempted to close it, the liftgate would not shut correctly. the hinge split into two pieces. the contact feels that if he attempts to open the rear liftgate, the glass will shatter. he discovered a recall for this failure, but the dealer stated that his vin was not included in the recall. the recall number was unknown. the current and failure mileages were 63,000.

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

A crack in the rear hatch near the ford emblem on 2003-2005 ford explorers. ford has a tsb (technical service bulletin) on this issue so they know it exists and yet they are refusing to do anything about it. the following website is just one of a few out there regarding this matter... http://www.carcomplaints.com/ford/explorer/2003/body_paint/cracked_panel_below_the_rear_window.shtml. *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.

Horizontal crack in lift gate running from top of piece (bottom of window) to bottom of piece. *tr

July of 2007 the rear window on our 2003 ford explorer xlt had broken at one of the hinges and the window sagged. after researching on the internet we found out there was a recall, (04v44200). we then contacted ford and they agreed to fix the problem at no charge. now 10 months later while the auto was parked in our driveway the window shattered with no one around. there was a neighbor working in the yard who witnessed this happen. glass was both inside the vehicle and outside the vehicle. after a week of phone calls with no luck, i was finally in touch with a one of the parts guys at ford who said this is an ongoing problem that he was aware of. he even stated that they only replaced the hinges and not the glass which is known to shatter. after several phone calls, we were notified that the recall was only on the hinges (even though they know the glass is defective as well) and they would not help us out. well im not paying $1,600 out of my pocket for another product that ford knows has a problem and doesn't back up there warranties. *tr

My back windshield exploded last thursday while parked in my driveway. not only did the glass explode, but the fiberglass underneath the glass was pulled away from the backend of the truck in a bowing position. i had the back hinge replaced after the recall, it's been less than 12 months and the ford dealership in nashua will do nothing for me, stating that they have never seen anything like that before and there are no other complaints. when i asked to speak to the area factory rep, they informed me that they didn't have one. i asked to speak to the manager, who pretty much said, here's your hat, what's your hurry, out you go...he then flagged me as being an "irate" customer. i am a mother of 4 young children, god forbid they had been in the car when that had happened. ford should be ashamed of themselves..ford-built strong my leg! anyone interested in filing a class action lawsuit in the state of nh, please let me know, i am going to contact my lawyer today. *tr

Lift gate frame cracks right in the middle. i was told by cortese ford in rochester that they have seen several ford explorers with this defect and they believe it ha something to do with how the frame is put together. *tr

Tl*the contact owns a 2003 ford explorer. while driving 55 mph with the cruise control activated, the cruise control failed without warning. the vehicle was taken to a dealer and they stated that the cruise control wiring failed. there is a recall for the vehicle speed control, but his vin was not included. the recall number was unknown. the current mileage was 11,550 and failure mileage was 11,330. updated 06/25/08. *lj the consumer stated after the dealer fixed the recalled rear hatch probelm, the cargo hatch flew open while driving down the highway. a

Tl*the contact owns a 2003 ford explorer. when the contact opened the liftgate, the right hinge swung out and became detached. the hinge nearly struck his child. he called the dealer and was notified of a recall on his year, make, and model vehicle for this identical failure. he called the manufacturer and was informed that his vin was not included in the recall. the contact believes that if the failures are the same, his vin should be included. the recall number was unknown. the current and failure mileages were 70,000.

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

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

There is a vertical crack that just appeared in the rear hatch of my 2003 ford explorer. we take very good care of our vehicles and this truck is rarely driven. it is also parked in our garage except when being driven. i have read that this problem is very common in this truck. our "door ajar" light and warning regularly indicates that the door is not closed properly. it has even flung open while we are driving. we have the third row seat in this model and keep my two 5 year-olds in that seat. it was very frightening when this happened and we had to pull over suddenly to remedy the problem. there is a serious defect in this design which can cause injury to those in the vehicle or around you since the hatch opening out of no where is startling. *tr

Cracked rear panel below the windshield. i have seen several ford explorers with the same problem as mine. i have also noticed several complaints on line at carcomplaints.com for the same problem. i reported the problem to ford customer relations, but they are not doing anything to fix the problem. *tr

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.

The panel just below my back windshield has a crack in it which has occurred for no reason at all. after speaking with some at the local dealership i was very disappointed to hear that about 99% of these have to be replaced and that it would cost me almost $400 to do so. i called ford and they once again told me that it was a problem but they could not do anything to help me i would have to pay for it. at that time i ask to speak to a supervisor and when speaking with her i was informed that there were no complaints on this issue. (which i find hard to believe since 3 dealers have now told me that this is a re-occurring problem.) my biggest concern is if i do not fix this right away that i will lose this piece and it will end up hurting someone. *tr

Rear door crack in the middle on ford explorer, below the window, probably because the material the frame is made of is just plastic. i keep seeing people in my town with the same problem. i wonder if there is a formal complaint about this defect. i contacted ford corporate, but i was told that no one has complained. this is not just a cosmetic problem, but a safety problem. sometimes when i am driving the door window gets open. please let me know if there is something you can do to help me and other customers who own a ford explorer and who have the same problem. *tr

The rear hatch on my 2003 ford explore xlt cracked in 3 separate places. the vehicle is primarily housed in a garage. i called ford to report the problem. they told me they would not fully cover the defect. they would "help" since it was out of warranty. i feel the cracks are a flaw in manufacturing or product design. they should be covered entirely by the manufacturer. *tr

2003 ford explorer with crack in rear door panel (cargo door) we noticed this crack after a cold night. it was no fault of our own, and since then we have noticed many other ford explorers with this same vertical crack in the back door. i really think this is a defect of ford motor company,and expect them to recall this product. any help you could give us would be greatly appreciated. i have also read many of these same stories about the cracked rear door online. with so many people complaining, it's a shame that nothing has been done by ford to correct this issue. thank you for your time and help. *tr

I own a 2003 ford explorer. first, i noticed a small crack in the tailgate below the rear window. within two days, the crack spread the entire length of the applique and through the ford emblem. i contacted ford and they are aware of this defect, however, they have not issued a recall. we purchased an extended 75,000 mile warranty, but this crack happened at 78,000 miles. ford said they would not fix because warranty expired and no recall on their end. *tr

The rear hatch has cracked from the back glass down on both sides of the emblem. i called ford and they stated that they have had a lot of complaints about this same issue but it was not a recall and they would not fix it. *tr

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 rear hatch has developed a crack through the middle of the panel just below the visible glass of the hatch. this crack encompasses the rear ford logo. this crack occurred without any damage to the vehicle. *tr

Tl*the contact owns a 2003 ford explorer. the rear liftgate window suddenly blew out while the vehicle was parked. the vehicle was taken to the dealer and they stated that it was a common failure, but they could not explain the cause. the vehicle is currently at the shop being repaired. the contact has pictures of the failure. the current and failure mileages were 72,000. updated 03-31-08 *bf after doing some research, the consumer discovered the gas in the struts that hold the top portion of the rear hatch can explode when cold weather is a factor. updated

Rear tailgate molding below window cracked. appears to be a prevalent flaw based on internet research. called ford and they advised it was a known problem however were not planning to recall. i believe this is related to the prior recall of rear liftgate glass as this part was new post recall. *tr

Cracked rear panel below the windshield. i have seen several ford explorers with the same problem as mine. i have also noticed several complaints on line at carcomplaints.com for the same problem. i reported the problem to ford customer relations, but they are not doing anything to fix the problem. this is the second one for my explorer and will not be replaced by me. *tr

Trim panel on the bottom of rear hatch window developed a large crack unexpectedly. crack is vertical from window to bottom of liftgate glass. *tr

I own a 2003 ford explorer xlt 4wd. approximately 12 months ago, the rear trim panel beneath the rear window crack down the middle. i contacted my nearest dealer who informed me that while ford had recognized that it was a problem, they did not plan to issue a technical service bulletin or recall. the dealer service reps even agreed that there is a significant problem with explorers and mountaineers. i have seen many other explorers and mountaineers with the same problem as well as many complaints on-line. today the rear hatch left latch broke off causing the entire rear lift gate window to nearly fall off. the problem could possibly be related due to the earlier crack causing the weight of the rear glass to shift, place too much strain on the left latch. the dealer is repairing the broken latch, window molding and rear hatch struts, under an extended service plan but still will not repair the previous cracked trim panel. this is indicative of ford's failure to back up their product and they have lost a long term customer. *tr

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

2003 ford explorer cracked rear hatch without impact. weather conditions were colder than normal. there are two vertical 1/4" cracks that appeared suddenly below the rear hatch lift gate window. we had not used the back lift door or the lift gate window in several days. *tr

After only 24,000 miles, our 2003 ford explorer has experienced two problems with fiberglass & aluminum body parts. below the rear window a crack developed in the fiberglass after closing the window during cold weather. after talking to other owners of the same model, i became aware of the fact that body shop owners are informing them that this is a common defect in that model. since this is a common problem, a recall should be issued and the owner should have their vehicles repaired by ford. my dealer has said ford has not issued any recall on this issue. why has this not happened? in addition, the aluminum hood is now showing bubbling under the paint, and the paint is beginning to peel off the hood. it is apparent ford has either had some defective paint delivered to their plants, or their is an engineering defect along with a manufacturing defect that has caused these problems. this is ford's responsibility, not the owner, and should be covered under warranty or recall regardless of the problem source. after review by ford's zone manager he concluded ford had no responsibility for this problem. please refer to the following web sites for others who have had these problems with ford denying its ultimate responsibility for their mistakes: http://www.automotiveforums.com/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=489142&page=2 http://www.automotiveforums.com/vbulletin/t489142.html http://www.lemonlawclaims.com/ford_explorer_cracked_paint.htm http://cbs5.com/consumer/ford.peeling.paint.2.755918.html how can ford issue 'service bulletins' on these issues, but fail to correct the problems? it is therefore quite obvious that ford is aware of these problems, but failing to address them satisfactorily. they then leave the dealer with the problem of informing the customer of their decision and taking all the 'heat' for ford motor company. *tr

Cracked hatch on 2003 ford explorer. worried that panel will fall off. ford does not want to take care of this problem that is obviously a defect. have read that many other people around country have same problem no matter what climate is. feel that it is a safety hazard with the possibility of panel falling off while driving and creating an adverse incident which could cause injury. *tr