CarComplaints.com Notes: The 2003 Ford Explorer one of our worst vehicles on record. "Avoid like the plague" is putting it lightly.
The 2002-2005 Explorer has a very well-established record of expensive transmission failure at under 100k miles. The Explorer has an enclosed transmission which is typically replaced with a rebuilt transmission at a cost of almost $3,000.
Another common problem for the 2002-2003 Explorer is wheel bearing failure at around 90k miles, with a typical repair bill of $500 to $1000 depending on how many wheel bearings failed.
Adding insult to injury, the 2002-2005 Explorer also has a massive problem with the rear panel cracking. While it's a minor annoyance compared to transmission failure, ironically the crack usually goes right through the Ford logo.
On 23 November,2015, I was driving up my driveway to enter the garage and was about 20ft in front of garage (driving approx 10 miles per hour) when suddenly the car accelerated on its own and lunged into the right side of the garage sending a rain of bricks, framework, glass and contents of garage onto the car. I exited the car and saw that my feet were bleeding. Fortunately, the cuts weren't serious, just small cuts from the windshield glass. I was really in shock (no one was home at the time). After cleaning myself up, I called family members and ultimately my car insurance company (Allstate) and this is where my nightmare got worse.
The next morning the local Fire Dept, Police Dept were knocking on my door at 0645 to check to see if someone was still in the car. They shored up the garage so that the roof wouldn't cave in. They condemned the garage and turned off the power to garage. I called Allstate again.......and again and again over the next 11 days. Allstate did send out an adjuster on day 2. They wanted me to MEET an adjuster on day 11 to pick up a check at a garage where she was adjusting other cases. And the fun goes on, she didn't show up at the garage so we called the POC at Allstate to complain (this POC was POC one of 15 POCs that we were referred to). In the meantime our Explorer is still lodged in my garage wall on day 12. I called a lawyer to see if they would take our case against Ford Motor Co., and they said they wouldn't take the case (even though they handle litigation). Allstate aside, this is a problem that Ford Motor Co. needs to address.
Sorry for the rambling, but I am really stressed and frustrated.
A D V E R T I S E M E N T S
On 23 November,2015, I was driving up my driveway to enter the garage and was about 20ft in front of garage (driving approx 10 miles per hour) when suddenly the car accelerated on its own and lunged into the right side of the garage sending a rain of bricks, framework, glass and contents of garage onto the car. I exited the car and saw that my feet were bleeding. Fortunately, the cuts weren't serious, just small cuts from the windshield glass. I was really in shock (no one was home at the time). After cleaning myself up, I called family members and ultimately my car insurance company (Allstate) and this is where my nightmare got worse.
The next morning the local Fire Dept, Police Dept were knocking on my door at 0645 to check to see if someone was still in the car. They shored up the garage so that the roof wouldn't cave in. They condemned the garage and turned off the power to garage. I called Allstate again.......and again and again over the next 11 days. Allstate did send out an adjuster on day 2. They wanted me to MEET an adjuster on day 11 to pick up a check at a garage where she was adjusting other cases. And the fun goes on, she didn't show up at the garage so we called the POC at Allstate to complain (this POC was POC one of 15 POCs that we were referred to). In the meantime our Explorer is still lodged in my garage wall on day 12. I called a lawyer to see if they would take our case against Ford Motor Co., and they said they wouldn't take the case (even though they handle litigation). Allstate aside, this is a problem that Ford Motor Co. needs to address.
Sorry for the rambling, but I am really stressed and frustrated.
- Donna S., Stafford, VA, US