6.4
fairly significant- Typical Repair Cost:
- $460
- Average Mileage:
- 75,350 miles
- Total Complaints:
- 769 complaints
Most common solutions:
- waiting for Ford to recall (296 reports)
- not sure (205 reports)
- replace panel (117 reports)
- possible class action lawsuit (63 reports)
- call Ford motor company 1-800-241-3673 (27 reports)
- do not buy Ford again (25 reports)
This problem may be covered under warranty. Ask your Ford dealer.
« Read the previous 20 complaints
crack below rear window.i have learned that most ford 2004 explorers have the same problems.is it a manufacturer defect,so what do i do?
- Robins M., Phoenix, AZ, US
need ford to fix my problem i am a ford retire and i try to sell a ford product. to everyone i talk to they really need to fix problems. no matter how small i love my ford. all my family have had fords. thank you . hope i get a positive response.
- Everette J. T., Paris, KY, US
My wife and I take very good care of our cars and can't believe the plastic panel below the rear window cracked for absolutely no reason. My wife noticed a large crack in the painted plastic trim below the rear window as she was ready to pull out of the garage that was not there the night before coming home from work. The crack is all the way through the trim piece from top to bottom in the middle, and it's noticeable. I would like ford to offer to fix this issue. I have noticed other explorers of darker colors having the same crack. I believe this is a manufacturing defect and not damage caused by the vehicle owners.
- rodfel69, Hope Mills, NC, US
After reading the other complants I think I will use some clear Acrylic Latex Caulk Plus Silicone clear DAP Caulking to seal the crack from the weather for the time being. I did stop by an Auto Parts Store but they reccomended a body shop. To gripe. rant and yell seems to be a lost cause after reading the other complants. After three Fords to say the least I am extremely disappointed at Ford's reaction. Sounds like another Toyota deal, they did come across, maybe a Toyota SUV the next time.
- Walter H., North Little Rock, AR, US
Crack in real panel appeared overnight. One evening it was fine and the next morning it was cracked,
- Wanda V., Palmetto, GA, US
I park my car in the garage every night. I keep the maintenance up on my vehicle. My car is kept in good condition. I used my rear hatch on Sunday, everything was fine. I went to open it up on Tuesday night and there was the crack!! This was out of no where. What really makes me angry is I was just telling my daughter last week that i have noticed several Ford Explorer's with the crack in them in the EXACT same spot. I thought it was a defect in the newer Explorer's and now it has finally happened to mine. I cannot beleive Ford has not done a recall on this because it is obviously a HUGE issue for all the cracks to be in the exact same location.
- slaroche, Cocoa, FL, US
click to see larger images
I took my kids to the rec center late Sunday afternoon. When I came out the back of my car was fine. I walked to my car from the back to the driver door. No problem. We went to the local Walmart. When I came out my back panel was cracked from my back window beside the Ford emblem down that part of the door. I went back into Walmart to ask them to look at the video to see who hit my car. I have a big W on the back windshield so my car is easy to identify. They looked at the video and told me that they could see where I pulled in to my parking spot. They watched until we came out and discovered the crack. They saw no one hit my car or touch my car in any way. After looking on the internet and discovering that this is a problem in 2002, 2003 and my car a 2004 model. Ford has chosen not to do a recall because it is not a safety defect. But I choose to look at it as what type of character Ford shows in the defects of its vehicles. It makes my resale value drop. It also makes me think I won't be a repeat Ford customer if this is the way it deals with defects.
- Karen S., Wynnewood, OK, US
My Wife and I noticed a large vertical crack on the panel under the back window glass which opens and closes.We think the extremely cold weather over night caused it to crack but we're not 100% sure if that was the cause.What ever the cause might be We feel that Ford should recall all 04 Explorers with this problem and fix them free of charge.I was driving through town in my Ford Ranger and could have sworn my Wife passed me in her Explorer with that crack on the back,it turns out it was some body else with the same problem.I still believe that Ford makes the best American made vehicle and hope that they will recall this problem,also the heater blend door went bad and my poor wife has been toughing out the cold weather when she has to go to work.Ford can do better I know this for a fact,my 1995 Ford Ranger that I own and have been driving for over ten years has had no major problems.I'm going to send Ford a formal letter with these complaints!
- j.tullo, Tifton, --select--, US
Ford knew about problem, never informed public, now I am stuck with repair cost, that just adds to why I am not buying another Ford Explorer, already had rear clutches replaced, Fork knew about this too, and heater fan also replace, what else is Ford not telling us?
- Mary L., Hildebran, NC, US
I notice when I was washing my car and I thought it was something I did wrong then I saw other explores had it too so I notice its a defect. Ford should step up and fix this mess.
- almadelacruz37, Santa Ana, CA, US
I think that Ford needs to take care of this, it is a great vehicle and there is definitely a flaw. I would appreciate any help to get it repaired, discounted materials and labor would be nice.
- rossga5, Newnan, GA, US
I came out of Walmart one day and was about to load my groceries when I noticed that the rear panel on the window section that flips up was cracked in two places above the Ford logo and below the logo. In doing research this seems to be a very common problem. I had to pay $369 out of my own pocket to replace this. I called and reported it to Ford and it will be monitored, but I feel they owe it to the public to reimburse us because this is a manufacturing defect. They need to honor the public and maintain a good reputation by owning up to this defect and pay back all money to their customers for this repair.
- talloaksfarm, Westminster, MD, US
Have noticed a lot of Ford Explorer's around Spartanburg with this issue. I don't believe the general public realizes the extreme number's of vehicles that has this problem. I do believe if Ford Motor Co. doesn't step up and take responsibility for this problem there should be a class action law suit. My family has alway's been very loyal to Ford over the year's owning five different vehicles. This same Explorer has a heater problem what's up. How about some help Ford. C.Lacey Spartanburg S.C.
- charleslacey, Spartanburg, SC, US
Very disappointed... will remember this when I go for my next SUV.
- jurewicz, Norfolk, VA, US
I was wondering when the back panel was going to break on mine. It did today after owning the car two years. How do we get a class action suit going against Ford for this obvious defect?
- spencenj, Vineland, NJ, US
Cracked panel by Ford emblem below rear window. How is this not being recognized as a defect? Ford needs to step up and offer to fix with no charge to vehicle owners. Have driven Fords for many years and am seriously thinking this may be my last if this is not handled properly.
- Anita G., Seminole, FL, US
I have noticed a number of cracked rear panel on late model Ford Explorer- Ford has refused to fix or address the problem. I WILL NOT BUY ANOTHER VEHICLE-NOR WILL I RECOMMEND ANY FORD PRODUCTS TO ANY OF MY FAMILY OR ASSOCIATES.
- Curtis M., Greensboro, NC, US
I think it stinks that Ford knows this is a BIG problem with it's cars yet they are not offering a recall to fix the problem! I now can't wash my car because the rear hatch door will fill with water.
- Charlotte B., Naples, FL, US
Adding my complaint to the several already here. Came out of store today and was approaching back of vehicle and seen the crack from a few feet away. Thought I had the wrong car at first. Ford needs to make this right.
Update from Jan 22, 2011: Just wanted to let people know that there is a lawsuit filled, all I can say is it is about time. I went to search for a fix about a month ago and found all the complaints on several sights all the pictures the same as mine. My whole family has owned nothing but Fords for over 30 years. No loyalty from Ford, not Ford tough. A couple of days after showing my father, (who resides in another state) my tailgate, he called me telling me he had left the bowling alley with a friend, and he had seen an Explorer on the road, tailgate area cracked like mine. My husband has now been seeing a few Explorers on the road with the tailgate cracked in the same area. When I spoke to the auto body guy from the Ford dealer, he told he was surprised they had not been recalled. He also told me that’s how you could tell what year they where. He said not only has he repaired several he said he also seen them when he was driving around. I haven’t fixed it yet don’t really want to spend the money, neither does Ford they where only there to take my money when I purchased it.
http://classactionlawsuitsinthenews.com/class-action-lawsuit-complaints/ford-explorer-mercury-mountainer-lincoln-aviator-cracked-rear-tailgate-class-action-lawsuit-complaint/
http://www.courthousenews.com/2010/12/23/Ford.pdf
- chawkins, Kansas City, MO, US
I parked my car in the driveway for the night, when I left for work the next morning I noticed the crack on the rear hatch just below the window and to the left side of the ford emblem. I went to my ford dealer to see if this was a reoccurring problem and they said it was a design problem but ford company would not fix it, without my paying for it. Now this is the only company that wasn't bailed out by the government and has been doing so great. Now I know this is their problem and I think it should be on a recall for when and if this problem occurs. Granted this problem isn;t a very big deal to everyone but I love my explorer, my last 4 vehicles have been fords and my next one will probably be one too. I just think that a company as big as ford should take care of their customers when a problem happens and they know it's their fault and not stick it to their ford lovers. I hope that ford sees the problem as their fault and steps up to correct the problem and be the great motor company that we thought they were.
- George B., Norfolk, VA, US