6.6
fairly significant- Typical Repair Cost:
- $420
- Average Mileage:
- 76,900 miles
- Total Complaints:
- 551 complaints
Most common solutions:
- Ford should recall (226 reports)
- repair or replace tailgate (143 reports)
- not sure (104 reports)
- replace the panel (30 reports)
- need a redesigned tailgate (22 reports)
- ford needs to pay for being fixed (14 reports)
This problem may be covered under warranty. Ask your Ford dealer.
« Read the previous 20 complaints
Just want Ford to repair this. Tailgate problem takes away from the value and appearance of the vehicle.
- Willie W., Thomasville, GA, US
This vehicle is garage kept and pampered. I could not believe it when my wife said the lift gate had a crack in it. Sure enough a crack had appeared 1/16 which will allow water and the elements to enter this area and eventually cause major rust problems in the gate itself. After checking with loc. dealer and observing other Explorer owners, I find Ford Co. has been aware of this problem since 2002 without making any effort to fix the problem and make their Ford families happy. So being one of victims of Ford's neglect to fix this, I would like to be
added to the class action suit forthwith.
PS i have a photo of this but it is not posted on url.
- jimajones, Harrington, DE, US
The rear tailgate panel below the window glass continually cracks open across the whole width of the panel. It looks horribly ugly on an otherwise perfectly nice looking vehicle. It's due to the manufacturer "gluing" the panel in place instead of using other means of affixing the panel to the door itself, thus allowing movement due to expansion and contraction of the panel. It has happened and been replaced three times over the last years. Ford Co. replaced it originally while the vehicle was under extended warranty and I've replaced it twice, costing $500 each time.
It's now cracked in five places across the whole panel and I'm not going to put any more money into it to replace it. I believe Ford should repair it free of charge due to their manufacturing a defective engineering problem, ie, not allowing this panel to expand or contract due to outside temperatures of hot and cold when glued to it's inner steel framework. This damaged ugly panel makes the whole vehicle look terrible across the whole back-end while the whole remainder of the vehicle looks beautiful and is in perfect condition .
Update from Dec 3, 2015: You can have the new panel installed by a windshield/glass installer using their own type rubberized flexible glue that they install large windshields with. ( Do not use the type of inflexible Ford Co. glue which does not allow expansion and contraction due to heat/cold otherwise the panel will break again.) Naturally this will all be done at your own expense since Ford is just another major corporation in this United States that's protected by the Republican party's policy's to always protect big business at the expense of the little consumer. Just keep in mind a well known quote, United we stand, divided we fall. The big business and wealthy have been dividing this country for many decades now . Would you like to guess where we're headed for within the upcoming future ?
- William M., Hardy, VA, US
On its own, I wouldn't bother to mention it, but it's the first in a long line of problems with this vehicle, so I'm putting it on record to let everyone know what kind of vehicle Ford sells.
- John S., Abington, PA, US
Crack just showed up one day and now I see Explorers all over with the same crack right above the Ford center logo below back windshield. I should not have to fork out the cash to fix this, Ford should!
- Kevin B., Oviedo, FL, US
First I called the Ford Dealership to question them about any recalls on the crack in the back, they heard of the problem and then I called the Ford Main Office and made a complaint. Gave them all my information, they made a report of it by phone. I asked if there had been any other complaints of this happening to other Ford owners and was told No. I said I had seen 3 or 4 around my area. Now I read the Ford Corp. paid for some in 2007? So they lied to me. I brought it in to a repair shop and was told $500. Have not had it fixed.
This is not right. It is a defect and they should repair it.
- Vel W., Orange, TX, US
I have a 97 year old grandmother who is in a wheelchair and I can't open the trunk because of the cracked rear panel, so I have to try and figure how to put into back seat. I took it to Ford and they said; oh well, even though if you go on line you see countless complaints of the same thing.
- Catherine H., Hayward, CA, US
Apparently Ford's design was flawed, since most have this crack that only gets worse. Not only is it ugly, water and dirt get inside and rust starts. Ford should recall this and fix.
- dan47tam, hurricane, UT, US
It's damned ugly and it is it's own eyesore and a great representation of Ford fit and finish. The Ford Logo is right there on the crappy panel for all to see and judge for themselves......
- Steven M., Raleigh, NC, US
It's unbelievable that every Explorer I see on the road has this problem and Ford hasn't taken responsibility for shoddy workmanship.
- Frederick H., Riverview, FL, US
click to see larger images
We just bought this 2003, used. It had the crack! I have always respected Ford and have enjoyed their customer service and vehicles.
How sad that they had a design that was NOT a problem (prior to 2002), changed design - with a problem and apparently will not stand behind the required repair.
I don't think I want to spend the money to buy a replacement panel only to have this happen again. Think I'll check and see if there are any fabricators out there who can make a replacement out of an alternate material.
The best solution in this woman's opinion: Ford acknowledges the problem, gets it resolved and offers the repair to all owners with this problem at either a "FREE" or very reduced price.
- donnad131, Hiawassee, GA, US
Welp, 147,000 miles and 12 years later, I finally joined the elite club of cracked lift gate owners. I'm consistently careful with the lift gate, and only pushed down using the emblem, but here we are. Any advice on fixing?
- Philip Z., Dallas, TX, US
Ford should pay for repairs and more people should go on record at Ford motor.
- donna1950, Terre Haute, IN, US
Every third 2002-2004 Explorer I am following down the road is a victim of this poor structural design. I have talked to auto body repair experts that seem to all agree, if you use your upper hatch with any regularity it will eventually crack from stress. Ford is doing themselves a financial disservice by not volunteering to repair this situation. I for one won't purchase another Ford, and I have owned many, for their lack of taking responsibility for the problem.
- dbberrigan, Bend, OR, US
had this fixed at my cost. and now it has happened again.
- gonzalescalifornia, So.Lake Tahoe, CA, US
I think Ford should recall , this is obviously a huge problem and should be corrected.
- Amy P., Belle Plaine, MN, US
When I first noticed that my 2003 Ford Explorer had the crack by the "FORD" logo on the rear tailgate, I first thought that someone tried to break into my vehicle. Then I contacted the ford dealership in Phoenix to see what the cost would be to fix it. "B_ _ _ S_ _ _!" They told me that this is a continual problem with this year and that it was a stress fracture. Ford needs to fix the problems on all these vehicles at no cost to the owners. Please add me to the Class Action Law Suit. Another saddened owner of a Ford.
- Cheri H., Phoenix, Arizona, United States
This should be an embarrassment to FORD. I see other explorers on the road with the same problem
- Peter K., El Dorado Hills, CA, US
This crack is due to freezing weather. My son alerted me to the fact there is a class action suit for this happening to Explorers so I checked into it. It seems that FORD has known about this since 2002 and still sold this product. Since I live in the South, we rarely get freezes. We had a HARD FREEZE a few years ago and once the ice melted I noticed I had a crack in my back panel. I wasn't aware that water could actually leak into the panel and destroy wiring.
Who do I need to send my repair invoice to once I find out all the damage this has caused???
Sign me,
Just another Explorer Driver with a cracked back panel
- pamelahouston, Humble, TX, canada
The panel just belw back windshield cracked right down the middle, other people have had this same problem, needs to be fixed, it has to be a defect in the panel
- Kathy H., Clover, SC, US