6.5
fairly significant- Typical Repair Cost:
- $450
- Average Mileage:
- 79,300 miles
- Total Complaints:
- 622 complaints
Most common solutions:
- Ford should pay for it (396 reports)
- not sure (86 reports)
- paid to have rear panel replaced (48 reports)
- file complaint with NHTSA to get a recall issued (26 reports)
- start a class action suit and get damages reimbursed (17 reports)
- dealership replaced the entire panel (10 reports)
This problem may be covered under warranty. Ask your Ford dealer.
« Read the previous 20 complaints
ALWAYS BEEN A FORD PERSON, CANT BELIEVE THEY HAVEN'T DONE ANYTHING ABOUT IT. WE SHOULD ALL GO AND MAKE A COMPLAIN TO THE BBB
- Marina Y., riverside, CA, US
With this many owners having the same problem, Ford should fix it.
- jbburks, Collierville, TN, US
Have had this problem for 5+ years now. seemed to happen after they had the recall on the latch for the back window liftgate.
- Karen C., Buffalo, NY, US
This is absolutely stupid that FORD doesn't fix this problem. Every Explorer I see has this same problem. Ford should pay to have this problem fixed. I will NEVER buy another FORD vehicle!!
- Cindy D., Hazard, KY, US
Now I'm noticing Ford Explorers everywhere with this defect.
- lenny20135, Bluemont, VA, US
I have a 2002 Explorer which I take better care of than myself. I bought it in 2004 after two years in Iraq and cherish having a paid of vehicle that still runs great. I have replaced all the hub bearing and breaks and lots of other upkeep, which I expected. My only problem with my ride is the panel below the rear window. It cracked right after I bought the car and was replaced with no issue. It cracked again in the same place in 2006 and was replaced with no issue. It has now cracked again and my dealership is telling me there is no recall and Ford will not fix it, although they did mention it is a manufacturer defect. I do not understand why it can be replaced two times and not this time? I do not even use the upper tail gate because of this and only open the entire rear hatch. Someone please help. No way I can pay $450 the dealership wants and I do not want to let it go. It looks like crap and Im afraid water will get in and rust out the rear windshield wiper or winder latch. RECALL!!!!!
- David W., New Bern, NC, US
separated back hatch window panel, below the glass.
- Ryan G., Bremerton, WA, US
The crack rattles which it is very annoying. Cant stand it!!!
- loisg, Del Ciity, OK, US
this happened to me and looks uggly!!!!!!!!!!!!! I listen to a noise and when I look it was bad so bad
- Nat C., Peachtree City, GA, US
WE UNDERSTAND THAT THERE WAS A fORD ASSISTANCE PROGRAM FOR THIS PROBLEM IN 2006; SURE WOULD HAVE BEEN NICE IF FORD NOTIFIED OWNERS OF THE VEHICLES INVOLVED SO THAT THEY WOULD KNOW ABOUT IT. tHEY HAVE NOW CANCELED THE PROGRAM AND WE NOW HAVE THE PROBLEM AND FOUND OUT ABOUT THE PROGRAM ONLY BY SURFING THE WEB.
- Douglas R., Bel Air, MD, US
click to see larger images
This is a known issue and they should be made to pay. These blood-suckers used my tax money to get a free loan and this is for they repay us?
I WANT MADE SUV FIXED!
- Daniel B., Fredericksburg, VA, US
It is not cracked just the whole piece is falling off the car
- david_clark15323, Mentor, OH, US
I went thru a car wash after wash noticed crack in rear panel. I take good care of my truck. Just seems alot of people are having same problem why can't Ford make panel a little more sturdy so this doesn't happen to everyone more a pain to deal with than anything.
- Dianna D., Fletcher, NC, US
Yes, again Ford has successfully made me a non-believer out of me! If that is quality number #1 I would hate to see #10. I have also experienced the same problem as others when it comes to having the rear upper lid cracking. Ford won't fix it because it has passed the warranty period. My vehicle has been babied since day one and always garaged kept and never been in any accident. This problem should have been recalled by Ford and replaced with a different design lid. What an insult by Ford!!!
- fernie, Vancouver, BC, Canada
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I just can't believe the problems I have had with this truck and that ford won't stand behind their design mistakes, I won't be buying another ford as much as I really really like my truck, there has been way too many issues with the heating and air conditioning (blend box) power windows breaking electric issues in the driver door and from what I have read so far I am lucky the transmission has not gone yet.
- mamaksnj, Parlin, NJ, US
Noticed many other ford explorers have same problem, think it was from recall of the tentions that was applied to rear windows
- bbarnes, Gorham, ME, US
The Explorer Cracked Rear Panel is very common. Since ours cracked have seen many with the same crack. The local dealership will do nothing, except will gladly fix it for $500. Ford's special assistance program is no longer available for this issue.
- bljpanther, Lilburn, GA, US
My Explorer was manufactured or assembled in FORD Venezuela where I bought it. Then moved to Argentina with the car. After 4 years the panel started to crack and split. In Argentina there are no Ford Explorer models later than 1997and no spares for my vehicle. No Ford dealer can help me but propose to have it fixed by one of the body shops here.
It really a pain in the a.. !
- Rene W., Buenos Aires, Prov. Buenos Aires, Argentina
this was my dads explorer"garage kept with 42,000 when i purchased last year, several things wrong with this explorer,the plastic panal under rear window cracked, it don't start sometimes it just stalls, air bag light on, 2nd erg sensor in 10,000 miles gone bad,on start up engine races sometimes..
- Ken W., Melvindale, MI, US
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parked the car in my garage and when I came out the next morning I immediately noticed a crack to the right of the FORD emblem on the strip just below the rear window. That was NOT there the night before. I saw several vehicles on the road with the same problem but I am not sure how to go about to get it fixed-I think it should be at the expense of FORD Motor Company. Anybody has some good advice how to proceed? Thank you
Update from Jan 23, 2012: well that happened on Dec. 16, 2010. NOW in Jan.2012 on Sunday Jan.08, 2012 a sunny day in GA I washed my Explorer and rinsed it off always staring at the damn crack, ah well I went inside to get something to drink and when I came out to dry off the car I had a second friggin crack on the left side of the FORD emblem. I am just about so pissed at FORD, unless they do something to get this repaired I know I will NEVER again buy a FORD product, unbelievable, now 2 damn cracks
- Reinhard G., SENOIA, GA, US