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.
10.0
really awful
Crashes / Fires:
12 / 0
Injuries / Deaths:
14 / 0
Average Mileage:
127,294 miles
About These NHTSA Complaints:
This data is from the NHTSA — the US gov't agency tasked with vehicle safety. Complaints are spread across multiple & redundant categories, & are not organized by problem.
So how do you find out what problems are occurring? For this NHTSA complaint data, the only way is to read through the comments below. Any duplicates or errors? It's not us.
All side airbags deployed without accident. Deployment happend while my wife and 4 year old son was in the vehicle driving approximately 30-40 miles per hour down a straight road in long valley New Jersey. This road is smooth, level and free of pot holes etc. Unable to see because of the downed airbags and smokey dust like material from the airbags she pulled off the road as best she could.
The contact owned a 2003 Ford Explorer. While driving approximately 10 mph, the vehicle suddenly accelerated and the passenger side air bag immediately deployed without warning. The contact stated that the powdery dust from the deployed air bag clouded his vision and caused the vehicle to rear end the preceding vehicle. The crash caused a chain reaction that involved four vehicles. A police report was filed. The contact sustained minor cuts and pains that required medical attention. The vehicle was destroyed and towed to a tow yard, from where it was later picked retrieved by the insurance company. The failure mileage was approximately 73,700....updated 02/22/17
The contact owned a 2003 Ford Explorer. While driving at an unknown rate of speed on a highway, the contact was involved in a head on collision with another vehicle. The air bags did not deploy. The other vehicle rolled over and the contact's vehicle stopped at the median. A police report was filed. The contact sustained a mild concussion, a bruised sternum, back and neck pains. The contact received medical treatment. The vehicle was towed to a yard and destroyed. The vehicle was not diagnosed by a dealer or mechanic. The approximate failure mileage was 319,000.
"takata recall"I brought the truck and the airbag light was flashing 4X4 lights flashing also, smelling oil coming from the deferential on the back axle. Now, the transmission started slipping and he changed a part. Then, the transmission started to slip again. Also, I wanted to switch to another vehicle but he declined it. He said " he put to much work into the truck and all the parts are new in which only the tires and muffler was revolved ".
- Albany, NY, USA
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The contact owned a 2003 Ford Explorer. While driving 35 mph, another vehicle crashed into the front end of the contact's vehicle. The front driver side air bag failed to deploy. The contact sustained injuries to the head, back, and knees that required medical attention. A police report was filed. The vehicle was destroyed. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 95,404. Updated 09/27/16
I lost control around a ben going 35mph after it got done raining and got in an accident hit a telephone pole and farm post after spinning about 4xs car is totaled air bags never went off
I was driving in minus 20 degree celsius to take highway 15 North from just after panama bus station. In the entrance, my car start to slow down to the 5 kmph. In the back of my cars were all on their hazard light and being mad at me. So I drive back to my home taking the next exit. I wish somebody could take the videos and sent to the Ford company to let them know my situation.
The contact owned a 2003 Ford Explorer. While driving at 50 mph, the front and rear driver side tires blew out, which caused the vehicle to flip over several times. The air bags failed to deploy. A police report was filed. The contact suffered injuries to the lower back, arm, and knees. The passenger suffered an inflammation of the lower back. The driver and passenger both required medical attention. The vehicle was towed to an independent facility. The vehicle was destroyed. The approximate failure mileage was 100,000.
My daughter and her fianc and put their 10 month old and their 8 year old in the seatbelts and my daughter got in the car (she is pregnant) and shut her door and her fianc got in and shut his door and the curtain airbags went off and the back airbags. They were in park at the time. There was not reason for the airbags to deploy. They only had liability insurance so they won't pay anything. I called the Ford dealer (who I just bought a $50,000 2015 Ford Explorer from him January 2015) and he said I could call the service desk who was no help. Stated there is no recall. Anyone I can call? this is crazy and dangerous!!!!
My fianc and I put our 10 month old and our 8 year old in the seatbelts and I got in the car (I am pregnant) and shut my door and my fianc got in and shut his door and the curtain airbags went off and the back airbags. We were in park at the time. There was not reason for the airbags to deploy. I only had liability insurance so they won't pay anything. I called the Ford dealer (who I just bought a $50,000 2015 Ford Explorer from him January 2015) and he said I could call the service desk who was no help. Stated there is no recall. Anyone I can call? this is crazy and dangerous!!!!
The contact owned a 2003 Ford Explorer. While driving 45 mph, the contact lost control of the vehicle and crashed into a guardrail. The air bags did not deploy. The driver suffered lacerations to the left arm and required medical attention. A police report was filed. The vehicle was destroyed. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was 260,000. The VIN was unavailable.
Air bag light blinks when started and then remains on. I haven't had it checked out yet but I was seeing if there was a recall on this to see if it would cover the cost to fix.
In the early morning hours of December 11, I was driving to work when without warning both side curtain air bags deployed. There were no cars behind me and there were no oncoming traffic so I was able to pull off the road without incident. Upon inspection there was no damage anywhere to the vehicle. As of now there is no reason why they deployed.
The contact owns a 2003 Ford Explorer. The contact stated that while driving 40 mph in heavy rain, the vehicle hydroplaned, flipped over, and crashed into a rail. The air bags failed to deploy. A police report was filed and one injury was reported that required medical attention. The vehicle was destroyed. The VIN was unavailable. The manufacturer was not notified of the issue. The failure mileage was 189,000.
The contact owns a 2003 Ford Explorer. The contact stated that while driving approximately 20 mph, the air bag warning indicator remained illuminated. The failure recurred whenever the engine was in operation. The vehicle was taken to a private mechanic for diagnosis, who was unable to locate a trouble code. The failure persisted. The manufacturer had not been notified of the defect. The approximate failure mileage was 112,000.
Traveling North bound on highway 99 in chico ca, between exits 385 and 386, the side air bags deployed. This was in the middle of a construction zone but there was little in the way of debris on the road or bumps to have caused the air bag deployment. My head was violently thrown toward the center of the vehicle but I managed to maintain control and so there was no subsequent accident. I noted the little orange light glowing on the dash telling me the air bags had deployed. I suffered from a sore / stiff neck and a recurrence of major tendonitis symptoms in my left ear. The local Ford dealer could not isolate the exact cause of the un-commanded air bag deployment and the matter is still with our auto insurance company.
The contact owns a 2003 Ford Explorer. The contact stated that while traveling 5 mph, the side curtain air bags deployed inadvertently. The vehicle was taken to the dealer however, the dealer was unable to determine what caused the air bag deployment. The manufacturer stated would provide no assistance. The failure and current mileage was 125,000.
Travel approximately 55 miles per hour southbound on sr-99 both the left and right side head curtain airbags deployed for no reason while I was driving with my 2 year old daughter and 3 month old son, both in appropriate child safety seats. The vehicle was not hit, I did not swerve, nor step on the breaks. Nothing occurred in the vehicle to warrant or cause the airbags to deploy. The force of the airbags struck my head causing head and neck pain, but more importantly it could have caused an accident or even death had I swerved and it caused an accident with another vehicle or caused my vehicle to crash out of control.
A D V E R T I S E M E N T S
- Arlington, TX, USA