Owner-reported complaints naming the visibility system, filed with NHTSA
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Reports naming windshields, glass, wipers, defrosters and mirrors. Every record below is an owner-reported complaint about the 2003 Ford Explorer Sport submitted to NHTSA — not a confirmed defect, not a recall and not a manufacturer bulletin. 17 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
"TAKATA RECALL" AIRBAG LIGHT KEEPS BLINKING WITH THE SEAT BELT NOISE. CHANGED THE LIGHT BULB FROM THE DASH BOARD AND NOW THE AIRBAG LIGHT STAYS ON BUT WILL NOT CONNECT WITH MILEAGE.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 FORD EXPLORER SPORT. WHILE DRIVING 50 MPH, A LOUD NOISE WAS HEARD WHEN THE SUN ROOF EXPLODED WITHOUT WARNING. THERE WERE NO INJURIES. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 130,000. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 FORD EXPLORER SPORT. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 25 MPH, A NOISE EMERGED FROM THE REAR HATCH WINDOW. THE CONTACT PULLED THE VEHICLE OVER TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD AND NOTICED THAT THE PIECE THAT HELD THE WINDOW IN PLACE WAS FRACTURED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED FOR THE SAME FAILURE IN MARCH OF 2015. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 159,149.
I HAD JUST PUT A BAG OF GROCERIES IN THE BACK, WAS CLOSING THE REAR GLASS HATCH WHEN IT EXPLODED ABOUT 1/3 OF THE WAY DOWN. VERY LOUD NOISE, AND TINY GLASS PIECES SHATTERED ACROSS 3 PARKING SPOTS, INTO AND ALL AROUND OUR VEHICLE, INCLUDING THE GROCERIES WHICH I DISCARDED. THIS CAR IS NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALL.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 FORD EXPLORER SPORT. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE LIFT GATE GLASS DETACHED FROM THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 04V442000 (STRUCTURE) DUE TO THE VEHICLE BEING A TWO DOOR AND NOT A FOUR DOOR. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 100,000.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 FORD EXPLORER SPORT. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE REAR HATCH BACK WINDOW PIN BECAME FRACTURED AND CAUSED THE SPRING AND THE WINDOW TO SEPARATE FROM THE FRAME. THE DEALER PREVIOUSLY REPLACED THE HATCH BACK PIN HOWEVER THE FAILURE WAS NOT CORRECTED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 110,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 145,000.
ON THE MORNING OF 1/29/14 I WAS AT THE MARKET ,CAME OUT TO LOAD MY ITEMS INTO THE VEHICLE , OPENED THE REAR LIFT GATE AT ABOUT THE 1/3 OPEN POINT THE GLASS EXPLODED INTO A MILLION PIECES . WHICH IN TURN SENT SHARDS OF GLASS INTO MY FACE ,HANDS , HEAD AND EYES . THEY WERE MINOR INJURIES BUT I'M STILL EXTRACTING GLASS FROM MY HEAD AND HANDS AND THERE IS STILL GLASS EMBEDDED IN MY HANDS . I HAVE AN APT WITH MY DR ONLY BECAUSE THERE IS GLASS IN MY EYES. MY MOTHER WAS WITH ME BUT SHE WAS AT THE SIDE OF THE VEHICLE SO SHE DIDN'T GET NAILED .I HAVE NEVER SEEN A WINDOW EXPLODE LIKE THIS, THIS IS A SERIOUS HAZARD AND NEEDS TO BE RECALLED ASAP BEFORE IT KILLS SOMEONE , THE POWER OF THE FLYING GLASS WAS UNREAL SOME OF IT WENT THROUGH 3 -12 PACKS OF SODA WITH EASE. ALSO I HAVE NO RESOURCES TO GET A NEW WINDOW AS THEY ARE AROUND 700 DOLLARS . SO THIS IS WHAT I GET FROM FORD FOR BEING A LOYAL CUSTOMER ? *TR
WINDOW FEEL AND SHATTERED INTO A MILLION PIECES. AFTER CONTACTING MY INSURANCE TO HAVE THE GLASS REPLACED I FOUND OUT THE REASON FOR THE INCIDENT WAS DUE TO A FAULTY HINGE. I WAS TOLD BY THE GLASS COMPANY THAT THE HINGE FAILED DUE TO ELECTROLYSIS (TWO DIFFERENT METALS REACTING WITH EACH OTHER). I FEEL THIS IS THE SAME ISSUE THAT HAPPENED WITH FORD RECALL MANUFACTURER CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 04S20, HOWEVER MY VIN DOES NOT PULL UP THIS ISSUE CODE AND THEREFORE I AM NOT RECEIVING ASSISTANCE FROM FORD WITH THIS MANNER. AFTER DOING RESEARCH ONLINE I HAVE FOUND MANY OTHER OWNERS OF MY SAME MAKE AND MODEL WHO HAVE EXPERIENCED THE SAME ISSUE. I FEEL THIS NEEDS TO BE OFFICIALLY ADDRESSED AS I WAS DRIVING WHEN MY GLASS FELL, BUT WAS FORTUNATE THAT THERE WAS NO ONE BEHIND ME WHEN IT HAPPENED. OTHERWISE I AM 100% POSITIVE IT WOULD HAVE CAUSED AN ACCIDENT. *TR
LEFT REAR LIFTGATE HINGE FAILED/BROKE; LIFTGATE GLASS ALMOST FELL OFF COMPLETELY (BUT WAS STILL PARTIALLY ATTACHED VIA RIGHT HINGE). THIS HAPPENED WHEN VEHICLE WAS PARKED. NO OBVIOUS SIGNS OF "WEAR AND TEAR"; LIFTGATE HINGE HAD BEEN USED NORMALLY FOR SEVERAL YEARS. MANY OTHER NHTSA REPORTS LIST THIS DEFECT (04V442000). FORD ISSUED A RECALL SEVERAL YEARS AGO (04S20), BUT IT ONLY COVERS A VERY SPECIFIC AND LIMITED RANGE OF VIN NUMBERS; MINE WAS EXCLUDED. MANY OTHER 2003 FORD EXPLORER SPORT OWNERS REPORT THE SAME PROBLEM, YET NOTHING HAS BEEN DONE TO REMEDY THIS PROBLEM OR COMPENSATE THE AFFECTED OWNERS FOR THEIR LOSSES. I HAD TO PAY "OUT OF POCKET" AT A LOCAL PRIVATE SHOP TO GET MY HINGE REPAIRED. *TR
AS I WAS DRIVING THE SUN VISOR DROPPED, AND STARTED TO DANGLE AND SWING TOWARDS MY FACE. IT STARTLED ME AND I SWERVED THE CAR A LITTLE, TRIED TO DODGE THE VISOR FROM HITTING ME IN THE FACE/HEAD, AND THEN PULLED INTO A PARKING AREA. I NOTICED THE SUN VISOR HINGE HAD CRACKED AND THE WIRING CAME LOOSE. I TOOK IT TO THE FORD DEALER QUICK LANE AND THEY STATED IT WOULD COST ME BETWEEN $120-$250 DEPENDING ON THE COLOR AND IT WOULD NEED TO BE REWIRED DURING INSTALLATION. THIS COULD CAUSE SOMEONE TO HAVE AN ACCIDENT OR INJURY, AND THERE IS NO REASON THIS PART SHOULD OF BROKEN LIKE THIS. *TR
WHILE PULLING OUT OF A PARKING LOT AT A SLOW SPEED THE BACK WINDOW ON MY FORD EXPLORER SPORT SHATTERED. THE GLASS WAS COMPLETELY GONE AND NUMEROUS PIECES ENDED UP INSIDE AND OUTSIDE OF THE VEHICLE. THERE WAS ABSOLUTELY NO OBJECT FROM THE OUTSIDE THAT WOULD HAVE CAUSED THIS INCIDENT. THE LIFT GATE HAD NOT BEEN OPENED PRIOR TO THIS EVENT. I BELIEVE IT WAS CAUSED BY THE HINGES AND THE MANNER IN WHICH THEY WERE DESIGNED TO ATTACH TO THE GLASS THAT TRIGGERED THIS EXPLOSION OF THE REAR WINDOW.
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 FORD EXPLORER SPORT. WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS PARKED AND UNOCCUPIED THE REAR WINDOW WINDSHIELD SHATTERED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHO STATED THAT IT DOES NOT SHATTER ON ITS OWN. THE MANUFACTURE ADVISED THE CONTACT TO FILE A COMPLAINT WITH NHTSA. THE VEHICLE WILL BE REPAIRED. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE. THE FAILURE AND THE CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 50,000.
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 FORD EXPLORER SPORT. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 45 MPH ON NORMAL ROAD CONDITIONS, AN EXCESSIVELY LOUD RATTLE AND WIND NOISE WAS COMING FROM THE INTERIOR REAR OF THE VEHICLE. THE DRIVER INSPECTED THE VEHICLE AND OBSERVED THAT THE LIFTGATE HINGE FAILED AND THE BOLTS LOOSENED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER FOR INSPECTION. THE TECHNICIAN STATED THE FAILURE WAS DUE TO THE LIFTGATE HINGE WHICH WAS A COMMON PROBLEM WITH THIS VEHICLE. NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER; 04V442000 (STRUCTURE:BODYHATCHBACK/LIFTGATE;HINGE AND ATTACHMENTS) IS A IDENTICAL TO THE FAILURE; HOWEVER, THE VEHICLE WAS EXCLUDED FROM THE RECALL SINCE IT ONLY APPLIED TO FOUR DOOR VEHICLES. THE VEHICLE WAS TEMPORARILY REPAIRED AND RESUMED OPERATION WITH CAUTION. THE CONTACT IS AWARE OF THE SAFETY RISK INVOLVED. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 65,000. UPDATED 05/18/09. *LJ THE REAR DEFROSTER WAS INOPERATIVE. UPDATED 05/20/09.*JB
MY BACK REAR WINDOW EXPLODED WHILE I WAS AT WORK. IT HAPPEN AT 400AM SO IT WAS NOT HOT. *TR
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 FORD EXPLORER SPORT. WHEN THE CONTACT ATTEMPTED TO OPEN THE REAR WINDOW, IT COMPLETELY SHATTERED. THE VEHICLE HAS NOT BEEN DIAGNOSED BY THE DEALER. THE FAILURE OCCURRED WITHOUT WARNING. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 68,843.
NHTSA SAFETY RECALL 04V-442 OF 2003 FORD EXPLORER FORD IS REFUSING TO FIX MY VEHICLE. FORD IS STATING MY VEHICLE HAS NO RECALLS AND THIS RECALL DOES NOT EFFECT MY VEHICLE. I WAS DRIVING DOWN A ROAD WITH NO OTHER CARS WHEN MY REAR WINDSHIELD EXPLODED. THIS CAUSED ME TO THINK SOMEONE WAS SHOOTING OR ATTACKING WHICH ALMOST CAUSED ME TO CRASH MY VEHICLE THINKING I WAS UNDER ATTACK. THE POLICE CAME AND WROTE A REPORT, INVESTIGATED AND FOUND NO EVIDENCE OF MALICIOUS ACTS. FORD IS REFUSING TO RESOLVE THIS AND WILL NOT SAY WHY MY VEHICLE IS NOT EFFECTED. *NM
REAR VIEW MIRROR GIVES A FALSE IMAGE, WHEN THERE ARE NO CARS BEHIND VEHICLE DRIVER CAN OT SEE IN REARVIEW WINDOW. BUT IF CARS ARE BEHIND DRIVER CAN SEE. CONSUMER WAS INVOLVED IN AN ACCIDENT AS A RESULT, DRIVER WAS INVOLVED IN AN ACCIDENT. *AK
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
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