10.0
really awful- Crashes / Fires:
- 0 / 0
- Injuries / Deaths:
- 1 / 0
- Average Mileage:
- 12,040 miles
About These NHTSA Complaints:
The NHTSA is the US gov't agency tasked with vehicle safety. Complaints can be spread across multiple & redundant categories, & are not organized by problem. See the Back button — blue bar at the very top of the page — to explore more.
Driver's side rear door could not be opened from the inside. Dealer was not notified at this time.
- San Jose, CA, USA
Driver and passenger side door locks will not lock or unlock. Rear window would be rolled down so that driver can enter and exit from the vehicle. Consumer drove the vehicle to dealer for inspection, and mechanic informed the consumer that this vehicle was not on recall.
- Zephyrhills, FL, USA
Rear doors won't open from inside and it is not the child deterrent lever on door, heating system overrides A/C heater sometimes dosen't work. Recline lever broke off.
- Dover, DE, USA
Consumer states rear doors will not lock or unlock due to latches breaking. Door latches had been repaired four times.
- Petersburg, IN, USA
Air conditioner does not cool and driver side lock does not work.
- Hermitage, TN, USA
When I purchased this vehicle the back passenger door would not open from the inside and the child safety lock was not locked. The dealership fixed that for me, but now the driver side back door will not open. I think this is a big safety issue when you have children riding in the back seat. This time I have to pay $200 to get this fixed and I shouldn't have too. If I were to have an accident and my 7 and 9 year olds are in the back seat the one that is setting behind me cannot get out. This is a big concern to me. I have been in an accident before where my door would not open and that was the scariest feeling of my life. I think someone needs to check into the door assembly and make sure that it is sturdy and durable.
- Lexington, KY, USA
Several months ago, the rear door latch stopped working from the inside. My child was unable to open the door to exit and the only way to open the door is from the outside. I believed that maybe something had gotten caught on the door handle to pull it too hard to cause it to break. The handle is no longer flush with the door, it extends out a little. Several months ago, I was speaking to my sons preschool teacher, who also owns a Ford Explorer (1996) and she too said that she had the same problem with her back handle. Today I talked with another Explorer owner (1997) who said that recently, in the same week, both door handles in the rear had broke in the same manner. Our concern is for our young children who in the event need to get out their door in an emergency, would be unable, unless someone opens from the outside.
- Mineral Ridge, OH, USA
Several months ago, the rear door latch stopped working from the inside. My child was unable to open the door to exit and the only way to open the door is from the outside. I believed that maybe something had gotten caught on the door handle to pull it too hard to cause it to break. The handle is no longer flush with the door, it extends out a little. Several months ago, I was speaking to my sons preschool teacher, who also owns a Ford Explorer (1996) and she too said that she had the same problem with her back handle. Today I talked with another Explorer owner (1997) who said that recently, in the same week, both door handles in the rear had broke in the same manner. Our concern is for our young children who in the event need to get out their door in an emergency, would be unable, unless someone opens from the outside.
- Mineral Ridge, OH, USA
Passenger's rear door will not open from inside even without child proof lock on.
- Deridder, LA, USA
The drivers rear door lock is inoperative. Nlm
- La Grange, KY, USA
Door lock will not operate with inside lock buttons or hand remote locks.
- Blountville, TN, USA
A year ago my door locks started to cycle up and down without my help. The dealer replaced the module but it continues to do it but only about once a month. It is hard to take it in when it is happening because it stops and does not do it again for a long time. At times it will go on for 10 minutes.
- Belleville, MI, USA
Lock system on both rear passenger doors have failed such that neither door can be opened from the interior of the vehicle. Obvious safety hazard if rear passengers must exit from the vehicle quickly.
- Raleigh, NC, USA
Both back doors will not open from the inside. Child safety locks are not on. This is the second Ford Explorer I have owned and I had the same problem with the other one. A Ford dealer has acknowledged that they have sold numerous parts to correct this particular problem. This newer model has a feature where the doors automatically lock when you reach a certain speed(5mph?). I feel like this could be hazardous because you have to rely on the driver to open the doors and it cannot be done without first unlocking them. If the vehicle was on fire, this problem would delay the time that the passengers in the back seat could be safely removed from the vehicle..
- Austin, AR, USA
Consumer experiencing ongoing problem with door closing improperly. Vehicle been in/out dealer on three occasions and codition still occurring.
- Steudenville, OH, USA
The rear doors will not open from the inside. Occupants have opened doors from the outside. Dealer has not seen vehicle.
- Raleigh, NC, USA
Door lock.
- Brea, CA, USA
Both rear passenger doors continuousley will not open from inside, causing safety hazard.
- Huntsville, AL, USA
Have reported this before. Consumer complaint ids 538918, 702648, 827786, 829733 also apply. Very dangerous, rear doors lock and can't open without exiting vehical to open from outside. Acting like malfunction of childlocks, only childlocks are disengaged. Serious accident waiting to happen. Dealer doesn't know how to fix problem and doesn't recognize it as a problem. Need to put dealer in rear seat to get any reaction, and still no resolution. Recall warranted. This is a major safety problem!! Ford will not recognize the problem.
- Springfield, VA, USA
- Wyoming, PA, USA