Owner-reported complaints naming the brake system, filed with NHTSA
Data refreshed
Reports naming service brakes, the antilock braking system, brake hoses, master cylinders or the parking brake. Every record below is an owner-reported complaint about the 2003 Ford Explorer Sport Trac submitted to NHTSA — not a confirmed defect, not a recall and not a manufacturer bulletin. 8 reports on file name it.
Complaints are reports submitted by owners and drivers to NHTSA. They are not verified and do not establish that a defect exists.
Shown in the owner’s own words, exactly as filed
drivers side rear brake line developed a hole caused by the emergency brake cable rubbing against it causing all the brake fluid to leak & the brakes failed. Fortunately my husband was driving on our rural road & not out on the main highway. We have not been able to get it repaired yet.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 FORD EXPLORER SPORT TRAC. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 34 MPH DOWN A MOUNTAIN, THE BRAKES WERE ENGAGED AND THE REAR END OF THE VEHICLE STARTED TO ABRUPTLY MOVE FROM SIDE TO SIDE. AS A RESULT, THE VEHICLE CRASHED INTO THE GUARD RAIL. THE DRIVER'S SIDE CURTAIN AIR BAG AND PASSENGER'S DASH BOARD AIR BAGS DEPLOYED. ALSO, THE CONTACT MENTIONED THAT AS THE PASSENGER'S SIDE AIR BAG DEPLOYED, FLAMES EMITTED OUT OF IT. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED AND THE CONTACT SUSTAINED NECK AND BACK INJURIES WHICH REQUIRED MEDICAL ATTENTION. THE VEHICLE WAS DESTROYED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE ISSUE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 75,000.
2003 FORD EXPLORER SPORTRAC, INTERMITTENTLY BRAKE PEDAL GOES TO FLOOR, PEDAL VIBRATES, UNABLE TO STOP. NO ACCIDENT YET BUT VERY SCARY SITUATION. SCHEDULED TO HAVE DEALER INSPECT ON 8/8/2011. THIS HAS HAPPENED SEVERAL TIMES. NO ERROR CODES ON VEHICLE DIAGNOSTICS. THIS COULD CAUSE A SERIOUS ACCIDENT!! *TT
CRUISE CONTROL DOES NOT ENGAGE MOST OF THE TIME. I POWER THE SYSTEM ON, BUT WHEN PRESSING THE SET BUTTON, THE SYSTEM POWER QUICKLY BLINKS ON AND OFF. BRAKE PEDAL IS NOT DEPRESSED, IT OCCURS AT ANY SPEED.*AK
WHILE APPLYING THE BRAKE PEDAL, THE VEHICLE JERKED AND VIBRATED. THE BRAKE PEDAL WENT TO THE FLOOR. THE DRIVER WAS ABLE TO MAINTAIN CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE AND DROVE IT TO THE DEALER FOR INSPECTION. THE MECHANIC WAS UNABLE TO DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER DETAILS. *JB
WHILE DRIVING AND ATTEMPTING TO APPLY THE BRAKES THEY FAILED INTERMITTENTLY. NO IMPACT REPORTED. *AK THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER. THE TECHNICIAN TEST DROVE THE VEHICLE BUT COULD NOT DUPLICATE THE FAILURE. THE MASTER CYLINDER WAS REPLACED BUT THE BRAKES FAILED AGAIN AFTER IT WAS REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN BACK TO THE DEALER AT LEFT FOR TWO WEEKS. DURING THAT TIME THE FAILURE COULD NOT BE DUPLICATED. THE CONSUMER FEELS THAT THE ENTIRE BRAKE SYSTEM SHOULD BE REPLACED SINCE THE DEALER IS UNABLE TO CORRECT THE PROBLEM. *NM
2003 FORD SPORT TRAC SAFETY PARKING BRAKE RELEASE MALFUNCTIONED. FIVE YEAR OLD DAUGHTER PULLED GEAR SHIFT INTO NEUTRAL WITHOUT PRESSING THE BRAKE. CAR ROLLED BACKWARDS INTO LAKE AND SUBMERGED. I WAS ABLE TO GET HER OUT BEFOR IT SANK. *AK
THE VEHICLE EXPELLED GASOLINE EVERYTIME THE CONSUMER WAS REFUELING THE TANK AND THE GAS PUMP AUTOMATICALLY SHUT OFF, AS IT IS DESIGNED TO DO. THE PROCESS OF FILLING THE TANK INCREASED FIVE FOLD, TAKING APPROXIMATELY 25-30 MINUTES, BECAUSE THE PUMP REPEATEDLY SHUT OFF AND EXPELLED GAS. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED AND WAS AWARE OF THE PROBLEM BUT THERE WAS NO CURRENT FIX FOR THE PROBLEM. THE EMERGENCY BRAKE NEEDED ADJUSTING AND THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT ILLUMINATED. *MR *SCC *NLM
Higher-selling and older vehicles accumulate more reports. Counts are not failure rates and are not directly comparable between vehicles that sold in very different numbers.
Categories with enough reports to have a page of their own
Data on this page last refreshed .