Problems with 2005 Ford Explorer STRUCTURE

Came outside and noticed a crack in my rear hatch going all the way down. ford dealer says they will not cover it, even with a extended warranty. *tr

Tl* the contact owns a 2005 ford explorer. the contact stated that the liftgate door was cracked. the vehicle was taken to the dealer who verified the failure and stated that the rear liftgate needed to be replaced. the manufacturer was made aware of the failure who did not offer any assistance since the vehicle was no longer under warranty. the vehicle was not repaired. the failure mileage was 20,000 and the current mileage was 45,000. updated 02/22/12*lj the consumer stated the back panel that is cracked, is also soming unglued. the panel was replaced before at 20,000 miles. updated 003/01/12

this problem is very stressful on a senior citizen with a heart condition who's heart is functioning at 60% and on medication everyday. upper back hatch has factory defect crack next to the lock, in the last couple of months it has been unlocking itself at random, while sitting still or driving. no injuries, muggings ,theft,kidnapping of grandchildren and/ or escape or theft of four children yet!!!. i do not have the extra monies to fix..it is fords factory defect that i see on explorers everywhere. i have contacted them , and they still claim no safety issue. *tr

Tl* the contact owns a 2005 ford explorer. the contact was driving approximately 35 mph when she heard an abnormal noise coming from the rear of the vehicle. after inspecting the vehicle, she noticed a fracture where the emblem and the windshield connected. the vehicle was not inspected for the failure or repaired. the failure mileage was approximately 77,300.

Plastic piece under the rear lift-gate window with a large crack across its entire height just to the left of the ford emblem. ford dealership indicated it was just poor engineering and they will not cover or assist with the cost of repair or replacement, nor was there any plan to make available a metal version or properly engineered replacement panel. *tr

My car was parked in a small lot at work. when going out to load some items in the cargo area, a friend noted the vertical crack in the lift gate. it is to the left of the ford emblem and i have since seen numerous identical cracks on other vehicles. there was no collision that cause this, there are no scratches or dents. it is a manufacturer defect. *tr

2005 ford explorer has paint peeling along the roof rack. the dealership said this is not covered by ford. while researching the problem on the internet, i found that this is a common problem for other owners. *tr

Paint is peeling from the roof (over the drivers side and front passenger side) in the grooves of the roof. also, the paint is peeling from the top of the liftgate. *tr

Tl* the contact owns a 2005 ford explorer. the contact stated that there was a fracture in the rear panel of the rear window. in addition, the air conditioner blend door was fractured and would not allow air to pass through the ventilation system. neither the dealer nor the manufacturer was contacted. the failure mileage was 67,000 and the current mileage was 100,000.

Rear tailgate window portion with ford logo cracked vertically. i am assuming that this is from regular use since nothing hit the car. i only use the upper portion or the tailgate as if you use the larger portion of the tailgate, anything that you have in the rear of the car falls out. i would think that this issue could cause the rear window to be less than secure. *tr

Tl*the contact owns a 2005 ford explorer. the contact stated that there was a crack in the bottom of the rear liftgate that extended to the emblem. the contact called the manufacturer. the vehicle had not been inspected or repaired. the current and failure mileages were approximately 69,000.

I have a 2005 ford explorer that has bubbling of paint and rust in the groves on top of my roof. i have contacted ford direct i have also contacted my local dealer who has also advised this is a paint defect and contacted ford direct themselves to have this defect repaired and ford states the only way to repair it would be if the roof has rust holes thru the top or if i was the 1st owner of the vehicle. this is very apparent that it is a paint defect and nothing more. i have done an internet search and found this problem is a very regular problem for most vehicles between 200-2005. *tr

Noticed a crack running from the bottom of my rear window down to the bottom of the upper portion of the rear lift gate to the left of the ford emblem on my 2005 explorer. crack just appeared for no reason. did not take it in or have it fixed. ford will not own up to this flaw so i will not pay to have it fixed. i will not buy another ford since they don't stand by their product. i only have 41000 miles on it and i bought it brand new. *kb

Rear window trim cracked. i am now worried that the pieces will fall off and cause problems on the road to other drivers, but ford says this in not a safety issue and will do nothing to fix problem. *tr

Tl*the contact owns a 2005 ford explorer. the vehicle was parked when he noticed that there was a crack on the rear lift gate directly underneath the rear window beside the ford emblem. over the course of a month the size of the crack increased. an authorized dealer was notified and he was informed that this was a common failure among these vehicles. the vehicle was not repaired. the failure mileage was 75,000 and the current mileage was 82,000.

Hatch panel between window and latch split (cracked) when i closed window after putting in groceries. car has 60,000 miles, called dealer in july to see if a recall had been established due to the fact that i know of 7 other 2005 ford explorers with the exact same crack, happened the exact same way. told me no but sounds like a defect. didn't offer to take care of. *tr

Tl* the contact owns a 2005 ford explorer. the contact stated that the rear panel lift gate was cracked. there were no prior warnings. the vehicle was not repaired and the manufacturer was not contacted to report the failure. the current and failure mileages were 18000. updated 08/06/10*jb

I purchased a 2005 ford explorer in march of this year, after having it for 3 months the rear lift gate got a crack in it right next to the ford symbol. i contacted ford and was told this is not on recall nor is it under warranty, i have an extended warranty as this was a used vehicle, my parents own a 2003 explorer and the same thing happened, my neighbor owns a 2004 and also the same thing happened, i have also seen numerous explorers on the road with this problem and i want to know why is this not a recall, with the research i have done this is an ongoing problem for explorers ranging from 2002-2005, if this crack continues to spread my glass will eventually fall out. *tr

Paint is delaminating on the roof of my 2005 explorer. vehicle has 53,000 miles on it. since i am out of warranty, ford will not fix it. from the research i have done on the internet, this is a common problem with this generation explorer (2002-2005). i owned a 1998 explorer for 10 years without any paint related problems. *tr

Tl*the contact owns a 2005 ford explorer. the contact stated that the rear panel on the lift gate was cracked down the side by the ford logo. the dealer stated that the crack was a design flaw on the vehicle. the contact stated that he heard the crack while pulling into his driveway at 5 mph. the failure mileage was approximately 58,000. the current mileage was approximately 61,000. updated 11/03/10. *lj

The rear panel under my back window is cracked on my 2005 ford explorer. what happens if it falls off and the person behind me has a crash trying to avoid it? will ford take responsibility for their poor engineering? doubt it. this particular complaint is rampant on the internet. i want to make sure the guy behind me can be assured he won't have to play dodge the plastic when it falls off. *tr

Panel below tailgate glass has vertical crack. purchased 2005 explorer 2 weeks ago and it was in perfect condition (had an 02 explorer with same crack issue so i knew what to look for). crack literally happened overnight. if toyota can have a massive recall then so can ford. *tw

Dep crack in the rear hatch *cn

Tl*the contact owns a 2005 ford explorer. while the contact was examining the vehicle she noticed that there was a large crack on the panel under the rear window. the vehicle has not been diagnosed by the dealer. there were no prior warnings. the current and failure mileages were 79000.

Large cracks developed on tne tailgate on both sides of the ford sign in the panel below the rear window. the cracks continue to get larger and i am concerned that a piece of the panel could come loose and cause a following motorist to have an accident. i am aware that ford has received thousands of complaints regarding this issue which is obviously a design flaw and should be held accountable for the repair. *tr

My 2005 ford explorer has multiple paint problems peeling all over the car,,the dealer said its any after market paint job i bought the car used from dave smith ford in 2008 they are trying to say that the car was completely repainted within the first 3 years of the cars life.

I have a 2005 ford explorer and noticed that the rear hatch has a crack in it to the left of the ford emblem, the vehicle has only 38,000 miles on it and i think this is a defect in workmanship which ford should cover, but they will not pay for repairs of it at all. further more i will not buy another ford vehicle as the company does not stand behind their products at all. shame on ford and their cheap construction of materials. *tr

Noticed a crack in the back window panel near the ford emblem. *tr

The last week in nov. 2009, i had backed my vehicle into the garage. the next morning, when i came outside, the first thing i can see is the back of my vehicle and a vertical crack on the panel between the top hatchback and the liftgate. the crack was in the center to the left of the ford emblem. the crack was the full distance vertically of the panel. it has since widened. i took my vehicle to my local ford dealership to have it looked at within 3 days of the incident. the next day, i received a call that it would cost me $430 to have fixed. my local dealer said ford would not pay for this incident which was of no fault of my own. i have since researched this problem and found out that hundreds of explorer owners have had this happen to their vehicle and ford won't pay for it nor do a recall to fix the problem. it is obvious that there is a manufacturing problem. since i have experience this problem, i have been very observant of other explorers and 1 out of 3 explorers i see, has the same cracked panel in almost the exact same spot. sometimes i see the crack on the left of the emblem, sometimes the right, but basically its the same vertical crack. *tr

10/1/09 noticed paint was bubbling up and peeling off the roof of my vehicle. brought vehicle to dealer who refused to repair it since vehicle was out of warranty. judging by what i've read on the internet plenty of ford owners have the same problem and ford motor co. refuses to fix it. paint should not fail on brand new vehicles after four years. once again the consumer gets no satisfaction. *tr

The paint on my 2005 ford explorer is peeling off big chunks in numerous spots on the roof. i contacted ford and they told me that since it was past my 3 year 36,000 mile warranty that it was up to me to get fixed.i want ford to have this problem fixed. i shouldn't be having to pay for defective paint that ford is well aware of. a recall needs to be done on ford vehicle paint. *tr

Tl*the contact owns a 2005 ford explorer. the contact stated that the ford emblem was cracking on the rear of the vehicle. the crack begins near the rear window and extends all the way down to the ford emblem. the contact will take her vehicle to the dealer for inspection. there were no recalls for this issue. the failure mileage was 40,800.

Have a 2005 ford explorer that just went out of warranty and the back tailgate area cracked by the ford applique. ford will not extend any goodwill repairs and claims it is not a design flaw. i have seen thousands of posts on just one website where others report the same problem and same response from ford. there was not damage or event to the tailgate to cause the crack. just occurred one very hot day while parked in the heat. contacted an auto repair shop to get a quote and they stated that they see this all the time and they can't believe ford doesn't have a recall on this problem. *tr

The paint bubbled and peeled on the roof of my 2005 ford explorer eddie bauer edition. dealer says it is a paint defect but ford does not have a recall. had my roof repainted at my expense. now, anytime it rains, i am getting water leaking from the rear ac unit controls and my front driver's side carpeting is soaking wet. *tr

I have a crack on the tailgate of my 2005 for explorer. i saw on our local news that many others are having the same problem. *tr

I noticed one day that the panel below my rear window was cracked. it's like it just magically appeared overnight! the thing is a terrible eyesore, and i'm so tired of ford refusing to repair what is clearly a defect. *tr

2005 ford explorer paint falls off. *tr

Paint is peeling and chipping off along top of roof near front and rear. ford says this happens a lot. they say i am out of warranty, even though evident that this has been occurring a lot longer to my car. *tr

The paint on my 2005 ford explorer eddie bauer edition is peeling off big chunks in numerous spots on the roof. i contacted ford and they told me that since it was past my 3 year 36,000 mile warranty that it was up to me to get fixed. my car had approximately 53,000 miles on it when i reported it. i want ford to have this problem fixed. i shouldn't be having to pay for anything to be repainted on a car that is 4 years old! *tr

Tl*the contact owns a 2005 ford explorer. the paint is peeling off the roof of the vehicle. when the contact took her vehicle to the dealer, she was informed that they would not cover the repair costs because the vehicle had over 63,000 miles. ford only covers the paint job if the vehicle has less than 12,000 miles. the current and failure mileages were 63,000.

Approximately 2 years ago the paint on the top of my 2005 ford explorer began to chip off. i was told ford would not fix it unless it was rusted, however now what began as a chip has grown to approximately an 18in circle in the middle of my vehicle. ford has indicated there is a technical service bulletin about the defect however no recall has been issued. *tr

The paint on our 2005 eddie bauer explorer is bubbling and peeling off and has been doing this since 2008, but now is getting worse. when at the ford dealer while getting the computer changed wich is another problem with fuel efficiency, we asked about the paint and we were told that there isn't any type of recall. we are also having problems with having to change tires every 15000 miles. thi truck has many defects. *tr

Front aluminum hood began paint blistering at about 2 years of ownership. took back to the dealer for repair. two years later, paint blisters return. tsb 6-25-15 issued with painting guidelines but no repair authority. after second occurrence, dealer said no repairs would be made and advised us to pay to replace the hood and paint. this is unacceptable for a $45k car (limited version with all options) *tr

Tl* the contact owns a 2005 ford explorer. the contact stated that the paint is peeling from the roof and the roof is starting to rust. the manufacturer stated that this has not been an issue with other vehicles and it is not covered under any warranty. the contact is worried about the long term affects of the rusting. the vin was rejected from the system. the failure mileage was 25000 and the current mileage was 58000.

Crack in panel beneath rear window. known defect in explorers 02-05. safety issue to other drivers should panel section(s) come off. possible safety issue due to water, dirt getting into any underlying electronic equipment. *tr

There are two cracks on the back top lift gate which allows water to get to the electric locks and it opens by itself when wet. the wheels bearings have to be replaced about every 3 months. the passenger front belt tightens and will not loosen.

Dt*: the contact stated while driving various speeds, the lift gate ajar light illuminated and seconds later the lift gate opened. the vehicle was inspected by a dealer who realigned the lift gate glass strut. afterwards, while driving low speed, the entire lift gate opened without warning. the dealer instructed the contact to use a bungee cord to lock the door as a temporary repair. the vehicle was returned to the dealer who installed a lift gate dual lock assembly. there was a nhtsa recall, # 04v442000, regarding the structure. the vehicle was not included due to the vin. the manufacturer was alerted.

I purchased a 2005 ford explorer limited from a ford dealership in the spring of 2006. the vehicle was a lease return. after driving the vehicle i noticed a vibration in the floorboard and in the gas pedal. i e-mailed ford concerning this and they sent me to the dealership where i purchased the vehicle for the corrective action. i've been back and forth to the dealership appox 8 times for the same problem and no resolution has been found. i contacted ford a couple of more times and i still haven't gotten the problem resolved. in the meantime this vibration gives me back and headaches and numbness in my feet and i can no longer drive the vehicle because of the adverse affects it has on me. what more can i do? mclean ford-mercury have been great through out this whole ordeal. they've done more than most dealerships would do and have been super. unfortunately i can't say the same for ford. i'm really disappointed and dissatisfied with their service. *nm

2005 ford explorer. consumer writes in regards to vehicle rear axle leaking. *smd the consumer stated the rear axles were replaced at 59,752. a year later after listening to the noise in the rear end for quite some time, the problem returned. six months later, they were replaced again. also, the rear panel beneath the window was rusted and the throttle needs to be replaced, as it is causing vehicle hesitation.*jb

Noticed the back panel of my 05 explorer was deeply cracked. did some research to find that this is a defect of many explorers. i don't have to money to fix it and shouldn't have to since i did nothing wrong. *tr