Owner-reported complaints naming the interior system, filed with NHTSA
Data refreshed
Reports naming seats, latches, locks, linkages and interior fittings. Every record below is an owner-reported complaint about the 2005 Ford Explorer submitted to NHTSA — not a confirmed defect, not a recall and not a manufacturer bulletin. 12 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
METAL SEAT FRAME BAR COMING THROUGH OUTSIDE OF DRIVERS SEAT.. I AM 5' 3" TALL, 125 LBS...NOT FROM OVER WEIGHT DRIVER.. VERY PROMINENT METAL BAR MAKES SEAT ALMOST IMPOSSIBLE TO SIT ON. LUMBAR SUPPORT DIDNT LAST 5 YEARS...SEAT DANGEROUS TO ANYONE SITTING ON IT.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 FORD EXPLORER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE DID NOT COME EQUIPPED WITH CHILD SAFE LOCKS AND THE CONTACT WAS CONCERNED WITH THE LACK OF HAVING THE SAFETY FEATURE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED AND A COMPLAINT WAS FILED. THE CONTACT HAD NOT EXPERIENCED A FAILURE. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 66,000.
THE ACTIVHEAT HEATED CAR SEAT COVER MODEL # 6HCSCBL24 WAS RECALLED BECAUSE THE SEAT COVER COULD OVERHEAT AND BURN ME. ON AUGUST 12, 2011 I MAILED IN MY REQUEST FOR A NEW SEAT COVER ALONG WITH A 3" X 5" SECTION OF THE FRONT MESH FABRIC OF THE SEAT COVER TO ACTIVHEAT SEAT RECALL, C/O ATLAS NORTH, PO BOX 873, WOODBURY, NJ 08096. THE RECALL LETTER STATED THAT I WOULD RECEIVE THE NEW SEAT COVER IN 30 DAYS. IT HAS BEEN OVER 60 DAYS AND I HAVE NOT RECEIVED THE REPLACEMENT SEAT COVER. I HAVE CALLED 800-541-3722 TWICE TO INQUIRE ABOUT THE RECALL. THE ANSWERING SERVICE HAS TAKEN MY NAME AND PHONE # AND SAID THEY WOULD CALL ME. I HAVE NOT RECEIVED A CALL. PLEASE HELP ME OBTAIN THE NEW SEAT COVER.
THIS PROBLEM IS VERY STRESSFUL ON A SENIOR CITIZEN WITH A HEART CONDITION WHO'S HEART IS FUNCTIONING AT 60% AND ON MEDICATION EVERYDAY. UPPER BACK HATCH HAS FACTORY DEFECT CRACK NEXT TO THE LOCK, IN THE LAST COUPLE OF MONTHS IT HAS BEEN UNLOCKING ITSELF AT RANDOM, WHILE SITTING STILL OR DRIVING. NO INJURIES, MUGGINGS ,THEFT,KIDNAPPING OF GRANDCHILDREN AND/ OR ESCAPE OR THEFT OF FOUR CHILDREN YET!!!. I DO NOT HAVE THE EXTRA MONIES TO FIX..IT IS FORDS FACTORY DEFECT THAT I SEE ON EXPLORERS EVERYWHERE. I HAVE CONTACTED THEM , AND THEY STILL CLAIM NO SAFETY ISSUE. *TR
WHILE TRYING TO PUT MY 2005 FORD EXPLORER IN REVERSE, THE GEAR SHIFT BROKE WITHIN THE STEERING COLUMN. AFTER LOOKING ONLINE, I FOUND THIS TO BE A COMMON PROBLEM. *TR
LOCKING MECHANISM ON THE INSIDE OF THE DRIVER DOOR STOPPED WORKING AFTER ONLY 41 THOUSAND MILES. WHEN VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR THE PROBLEM TO BE ADDRESSED, THEY ADVISED THAT THE WIRES FOR THE LOCK MECHANISM WERE CAUGHT INSIDE THE DOOR JAM, AND HAD TO BE REPLACED. THE LOCKING AND UNLOCKING BUTTON ON THE INSIDE DRIVERS DOOR WOULD NOT UNLOCK OR LOCK THE CAR. THIS IS OBVIOUSLY A SAFETY HAZARD AS IF THERE IS AN ACCIDENT THE BUTTON WOULD NOT WORK TO UNLOCK THE DOOR AND ALLOW THE PASSENGER TO GET OUT OF THE CAR. I CONTACTED FORD MOTOR COMPANY AND THEY ADVISED THIS IS NOT CURRENTLY A RECALL, THEREFORE I AM SUBMITTING THIS REQUEST FOR REVIEW AND FOLLOW-UP FOR POTENTIAL SAFETY DEFECTS. NO ACCIDENTS LED UP TO THIS EVENT, IT WAS JUST A SUDDEN ONSET WHERE THE LOCKING MECHANISM FAILED AFTER VERY LITTLE USE. THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR YOUR TIME AND ASSISTANCE. *TR
2005 FORD EXPLORER, REAR LIFTGATE GLASS WILL OPEN BY ITSELF WHILE I AM DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD. IT HAS HAPPENED MULTIPLE TIMES SINCE WE HAVE PURCHASED THE VEHICLE. I CAN BE GOING 30 MPH OR 60 MPH, DOESN'T MATTER. DOES NOT APPEAR TO BE ANY PATTERN AS TO WHEN IT HAPPENS, SO IS UNPREDICTABLE. THIS CREATES A VERY DANGEROUS SITUATION IF IT HAPPENS WHEN I AM ON A 6 LANE EXCHANGE. ALSO, IF I HAVE MY DOGS IN THE BACK OR ANYONE SITTING IN THE 3RD ROW, ANOTHER DANGEROUS SITUATION IS CREATED. THERE IS NO WAY TO "BUNGEE" THE GLASS PORTION TO SECURE IT. YOU CAN ONLY BUNGEE THE LOWER PORTION OF THE HATCH- NOT THE GLASS PORTION. LIVING WHERE WE CAN HAVE A HIGH WIND GUST AT ANY MOMENT CREATES YET ANOTHER PROBLEM SHOULD IT POP OPEN AND I CANT GET PULLED OVER FAST ENOUGH. THE VEHICLE IS NOW AT THE DEALER FOR THE 3RD TIME FOR THIS PROBLEM. I HAVE EVEN CALLED THE FORD COMPANY ITSELF, AND THEY HAVE OPENED A FILE. (FOR WHAT GOOD THAT HAS DONE ME) THEY CAN NOT IDENTIFY A PROBLEM, SO THEY TELL ME THERE IS NOTHING FOR THEM TO FIX. WILL THE VEHICLE CONTINUE TO BE RETURNED TO ME "UNFIXED" UNTIL MY WARRANTY PERIOD IS UP, AND THEN IT TRULY BECOMES "MY" FINANCIAL PROBLEM? THESE VEHICLES ARE TOO EXPENSIVE TO HAVE THIS TYPE OF PROBLEM CONTINUE. WILL IT TAKE A DISASTER AND SOMEONE BEING INJURED BECAUSE OF THIS FAILURE, FOR CORRECTIVE ACTION TO BE TAKEN? *JB
DT*: THE CONTACT STATED THE REAR HATCH LIFTGATE GLASS OPENED WITHOUT WARNING WHILE DRIVING VARIOUS SPEEDS. THE VEHICLE WAS INSPECTED BY A DEALER WHO DETERMINED THE LATCH LOCK ON THE LIFTGATE HATCH DOOR GLASS NEEDED REPLACED. THE PROBLEM PERSISTED AND THE VEHICLE WAS RETURNED TO THE DEALER. THE DEALER REPLACED THE LATCH SWITCH FOR THE REAR HATCH GLASS WHICH CORRECTED THE PROBLEM.
BOTH THE REAR LIFT-GATE AND BACK DOOR HAS OPENED ON ME, WHILE DRIVING ON THE EXPRESSWAY AND RESIDENTIAL ROADS, 6 TIMES ON MY 2005 EDDIE BAUER EXPLORER. THE VEHICLE HAS ONLY 6,500 MILES ON IT AND I'M VERY CONCERNED THAT ONE DAY I'LL BE TRANSPORTING SOMETHING AND THE BACK DOOR WILL FLY OPEN AND CAUSE AN ACCIDENT BECAUSE MY PERSONAL BELONGINGS HAVE FLOWN OUT THE BACK INTO TRAFFIC. THERE IS NO PATTERN TO WHEN THIS OCCURS - IT'S VERY SPORADIC. THE MESSAGE CENTER DOES WARN ME THE LIFTGATE IS AJAR (TOO BAD I'M ALREADY DRIVING AND IT'S TOO LATE), AND THEN THE BACK HATCH OR BACK DOOR WILL OPEN UP. I HAVE TAKEN THE SUV TO THE DEALERSHIP TO HAVE IT REPAIRED, BUT THEY REFUSE TO DO ANYTHING ABOUT IT AND CLAIM THAT THEY CANNOT IDENTIFY A PROBLEM - THEREFORE ARE UNABLE TO DO ANYTHING ABOUT IT. *JB
WHILE DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD, THE LIFTGATE (GLASS PORTION) OF MY 2005 EXPLORER WILL POP OPEN. THERE ARE NO PATTERNS (I.E. HITTING A BUMP) TO WHEN IT WILL OPEN. MY FEAR IS I WILL BE HAULING SOMETHING - THE BACK WILL COME OPEN AND EVERYTHING WILL FALL OUT ONTO THE RAOD. MY DOGS TRAVEL BACK THERE TO AND FROM DOG SHOWS. I TOOK IT TO THE DEALER, THEY ADJUSTED THE STRIKE PLATE. IT STOPPED FOR A WHILE BUT NOW IT IS HAPPENING AGAIN. THE DEALER CAN'T DEFINE THE PROBLEM SO THEY REFUSE TO WORK ON IT.
REAR LIFTGATE (GLASS DOOR SECTION) OPENS BY ITSELF WHEN THE CAR IS BEING DRIVEN. FIRST A WARNING SENSOR LIGHTS "LIFTGAGE AJAR" THEN THE DOOR OPENS. THIS HAS HAPPENED MULTIPLE TIMES. THE VEHICLE WHICH IS A 2005 WITH 3,500 MILES HAS BEEN TO THE DEALER 3 TIMES & THEY CANNOT IDENTIFY THE PROBLEM OR FIX IT.
BACK DOOR LATCH ON MY FORD EXPLORER 2005 HAS COME OPEN TWICE WHILE I WAS DRIVING. *JB
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 .