6.2
fairly significant- Typical Repair Cost:
- $300
- Average Mileage:
- 67,200 miles
- Total Complaints:
- 33 complaints
Most common solutions:
- not sure (19 reports)
- Ford should recall it (7 reports)
- take to a body shop and paint (7 reports)
« Read the previous 20 complaints
Came out one day to get in the car and there it was....crack running from center of hatch to base of hatch. Stress crack running just to the left of FORD logo....I called Ford and they said noone has complained of this problem. If I fixed it, it would just occur again begin what I believe to be design problem with it since I have seen so many other cars on the road with the same flaw. I have been additionall have a problem with the door ajar light. After reading other complaints...I now realize the door ajar has to do with the hatch not being securely/completely closed with the crack. Otherwise I have had no problems with this vehicle.....I sure wised FORD would fix this obviously design problem.
- bsherman, Spring, TX, US
Add me to the list. Plastic cracked on the rear door by the Ford emblem. I was told it was due to metal and plastic glued together but having different expansion rates. The crack has "only" been cosmetic- it doesn't allow water into the vehicle. Junk engineering.
- Mike S., Tallahassee, FL, US
finish almost completely gone now,really a cheap finish by Ford.I guess a Lear jet is more important to them than customer satisfaction and doing a quality job.
- tland, West Columbia, SC, US
The exterior of this 2003 Explorer looks terrible. I have paint issues on hood, paint peeling & cracking on trim between & around windows and the plastic trim is all fading. I've also had issues with interior trim (fabric pulling out on seat retainer & visor), visor vanity cover broke off, flash on molded A and B pillars (plastic that holds seat belts for both driver and passenger). This is my 5th Ford Explorer product - and my LAST Ford purchase. I've had 3 Explorers with a warranty recall on rear window. This is terrible.
oh- I forgot about the seat belts not retracting properly.
- wmelissa, Zeeland, MI, US
see comments on complaint relating to paint issues on hood - I am a very very disappointed Ford owner.
- wmelissa, Zeeland, MI, US
Paint fades and flakes off between windows, on black painted surfaces. Caused from the sun. You can't leave this vehicle in the sun!
Quality product!
- nevadahudson, Minden, NV, US
Fading body panels just makes the thing look cheap. I looked all over for a faded 4 Runner, Highlander, Rav 4, Cr-V, Pilot, Pathfinder, Xterra.....I got nothin'! Expeditions, Explorers are all over the place....fancy lookin'. Looks aged like a fine wine.
- benbohio, Toledo, OH, US
This is crap, how does something like this go unnoticed, someone should put it in the news. I have my plastic panels fading at the top. It is ugly and need to be replaced.
- dorado, Lombard, IL, US
I noticed the finish on the black trim between the windows peeling this summer. Silly me, I thought it was maybe because of the RainX treatment that I had put on the car at the automatic car wash. Now I see that others have the same problem. So I can just chalk it up to having purchased a poorly built Ford.
- Tracy W., Houston, TX, US
At around 50,000 i noticed the black panels between the door were fading at the top and noticed they were peeling...not very attractive.
- Emily A., Madison, MO, US
DON'T HAVE ANY PROBLEMS RE. ANY CRACKS IN THE TAILGATE, AS REPORTED BY UR NUMEROUS READERS, BUT I HAVE NOTICED THIS YEAR AN UNUSUAL FADING/CRACKING OF PAINT IN THE TOP CORNERS OF ALL FOUR DOOR PANELS (INCLUDING BOTH TOP CORNERS OF TAILGATE), WHERE THE THE DOOR MEETS THE TOP TRIM... SEEING AS MY VEHICLE IS BLACK IN COLOR, U CAN UNDERSTAND HOW THIS PROBLEM IS QUITE UNSIGHTLY... BOUGHT IT USED FROM CARMAX, SO I'M GONNA B RESPONSIBLE FOR ANY COSMETIC REPAIRS OUT OF POCKET... I LOVE GENERALLY LOVE THE TRUCK, EXCEPT 4 DEPLORABLE GAS MILEAGE, BUT MAY RECONSIDER "EXPLORING" DIFFERENT VEHICLE OPTIONS WHEN PAYMENTS R UP
- cisco14335il, Chicago, IL, US
Started noticing that the glossy black window panel trim was starting to fade around 50k miles. Now it looks pretty bad. I've never used harsh detergents or other cleaning material on the car. Looks like it is losing it's finish.
- Peter K., El Dorado Hills, CA, US
Just like all the rest. Came back from skiing and there it was...the crack of death over the Ford logo. Maybe it was a message from ? Couple hundred bucks later and a week or two the replacement piece fell off. Poor body work at the dealership. This vehicle has had problems since day one from computer module, ($800) faulty engine light sensor, ($100) gears in the differential ($1200), cruise control ($400) and most recently, the entire transmission, ($3300) and not yet 80,000 miles. Ford is staying in business with all the repairs as these all seem to be pretty common issues. Edsel was just the beginning.
- Mark N., Roseburg, OR, US