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
Since this happened I have noticed several other explores with the same issue. I just became aware of the huge problem.
- Tom L., Rancho Cucamonga, CA, US
2004 Ford Explorer rear hatch was cracked below rear widnow had dealer fix before buying the vehicle used with 14000 mi on it. It broke again sometime soon after buying vehicle. I see many Ford Explorers with same defect on the road. Have not seen any recalls regarding this vehicle. Have not had repaired.
- rosetexas, Watauga, TX, US
on my wayback from the mail box, I noticed what seemed like a string hanging from the the glass part of my lift gate ,acloser look confirmed a crack in the panel below the glass.When I took the truck back to yhe dealer, I was told my warranty would not cover the replacement. When I , called FoMoCo and Ford Credit ,I was told the same thing. After all that disappointment, I went to the dealership body shop to find out it would find out the cost of replacement. Thinking it would only replacing onr plasttc panel with another, imagine my surprise when I was told it would would cost about $600.00 and included in that was more than $100.00 for that dang Ford logo. But that was not the end. The first crack was on the left side of the oval, then about eight months later I return from getting the newspaper from the driveway and find there is another crack on the other side of the oval. There should be no doubt that all these incidents are a result of material / design flaws. Ford should fess up and do the right by offering some form of compensation and "loyalty" to their loyal customers. As I type this, there are three Fords in my driveway: two Explorers and one Edge.
- Randolph M., Memphis, TN, US
Extremely disappointed to see this occur after I've tried to take such good care of the exterior.
- ddenny, Columbus, MI, US
click to see larger images
This problem is definitely a Ford problem!!!!! When I brought it to the attention of the Ford body shop they were aware of the problems with this panel. They said the Ford dealership has not received a recall notice, this was in 2010. An independent body shop said this was a result of the adhesive that Ford used which didn't allow the expansion of the body panel to the glass in heat and cold weather periods.
I have owned Ford's most of my adult life, WOW what support the customer gets? Still waiting to see if Ford will do a recall?
- Jim W., Asheville, NC, US
Purchased this explorer used on 4-19-13 and had noticed 1 crack left of the Ford emblem. This morning at a closer look there is one also about 8 inches from emblem to the right. Both cracks top to bottom of panel.
- Doug S., Whittier, CA, US
Just bought the Explorer today. The same day, the panel cracked under the back window, just to the left of the Ford emblem.
FORD needs to recall these panels. WE SHOULD NOT HAVE TO PAY OUT OF POCKET TO FIX FORD'S PROBLEM.
- John W., Fayetteville, NC, US
If this is such a problem that a class action lawsuit has been filed I think ford should pay for the repairs.
- robasmith1, York, PA, US
I pay the loan off on my Explorer and two days later I come out from the store and I'm greeted by this big ugly crack under the glass on the plastic panel of my Explorer. I knew that by the end of the year I would trade it off so at that point I did nothing. In fact when I went to trade it off the dealership was glad to see it there since it is such a common problem. He said had it been missing he would have suspected the back end of the car was in an accident and had recently been repaired. I now see this crack on just about every Explorer I drive up behind on a stop light. It is almost a laughing matter.
- rohnerj78, Bettendorf, IA, US
As many others have experienced the panel below the back window cracked around 90,000 on my exploder. I haven't bothered to have it fixed as it will most likely just re-occur...
- Bill K., Wauwatosa, WI, US
I think ford should fix the problem, there are many ford explorers with same problem.
- lindacollins, Norwalk, CA, US
THIS IS AN NBX THE OFFROAD VERSION,(NEVER OFF ROAD,NOT ONCE).WHAT GRIPES ME IS FORD AND ITS SALESMEN KNEW IT .WHEN I BOUGHT IT NEW OFF THE LOT. THE DEALERSHIP SHOULD BE LIABLE AS WELL AS FORD. SINCE THIS HAPPENED TO ME I'VE SEE 9 OTHERS AND COUNTING IN THE LAST 2 MONTHS. IF FORD WONT STAND BEHIND THIS THEY SHOULD BE BOUGHT BY TOYOTA. .CLOSE IT UP,.PRETTY BAD WHEN YOU HAVE TO BUY A KIA OR TOYOTA TO GET QUALITY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! EVERYONE OF US SHOULD EMAIL EVERYONE IN YOUR INDEX TELL THEM NOT TO BUY FORD !!! DCX
- dcx, Clackamas, OR, US
Cracked panel occurred during cold weather. Crack goes down right side from window to bottom.
- Christopher G., Miamisburg, OH, US
Vehicle was parked under the carport in my driveway for 2 or 3 days and the crack appeared.
- Margaret G., Houston, TX, US
Never buy a ford!! They are junk, need to buy a new car and will not look at ANY FORDS.
- Lina T., Delmont, PA, US
I checked with my dealer, and since the car is out of warranty, he said I would have to replace the entire window at a cos t of $1200! I have had a few Ford products, this is the only one with multiple problems,which I feel are design-related.The dealer's solution sounds funky to me...there must be a less expensive solution...like Ford paying for repairs.
- fordiani, Costa Mesa, CA, US
Every explorer you will ever see with either have this Panel with the Crack or it's been repaired by buying the panel for at least $245.00 Painting to Match 125 Labor to remove and reaffix 200.00 and put the nice Ford Blue Oval back on the Panel. Have fun because POS Ford will never fix this under or out of Warranty. Life's a Beach
- Duane M., Tucson, AZ, US
Rear panel cracked right through ford logo, doesn't look too bad but definitely annoying.
- streetdoc20, Hammond, IN, US
Bought this car 3 weeks ago..105,000 miles. Have only had the tailgate open 3 times, today being the third. Today while the gate was lifted and no one was touching it, the tailgate cracked downward right next to the Ford emblem. Upset that, to me, this car is only 3 weeks old..I wanted to have it fixed. So after reading up on this problem on the internet, I realized it wasn't just me. This is quite a common problem and nearly a $500 fix. How ridiculous. Ford needs to recall this. If there is no resolve, I will not buy another Ford.
- Meggan C., Edgewood, MD, US
This is really irritating because the dealership told us that if we get it fixed, it will be expensive and will just crack again. This car has been with us for nearly ten years so we won't bother to fight the fight - on top of the peeling paint problem and all the other issues with this car over the years, we plan to vote with our feet when it's time to replace this Explorer.
One day, we just came out and found the car sitting in the driveway with the cracked panel. The car had not been out and we didn't understand it, until we started seeing matching Explorers on the road with the same peeling paint and cracked rear panel.
Come on, Ford! Own up to your mistakes.
- janev115, Lincroft, NJ, US