2003 Ford Ford Truck Problems

I WAS DRIVING MY 2003 FORD EXPEDITION TO MY CHILDREN'S SCHOOL ON FRIDAY, SEPT 30, 2005, AT 8 AM. WHILE DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD, THE DRIVER'S AIRBAG DEPLOYED. THE TRUCK HAS NOT BEEN WRECKED, HIT, OR IN ANY KIND OF ACCIDENT. THERE WAS NO REASON FOR THE AIRBAG TO SUDDENLY & UNEXPECTEDLY DEPLOY WHILE I WAS DRIVING. FORD HAS TAKEN NO RESPONSIBILITY. IN FACT, CONSUMER AFFAIRS HAS NOT YET CALLED US BACK (AFTER THEY TOLD US THEY WOULD CALL IN 2 DAY, THEN 7 DAYS, BUT NO RESPONSE YET.) THE FORD DEALERSHIP (WHO HAS THE TRUCK) HAS NOT TAKEN ANY ACTION EITHER. THE "REP" HAS STILL NOT SHOWN UP FROM MEMPHIS. FORD WILL NOT PROVIDE US A RENTAL CAR, DEMO, LOANER, ETC. WE ARE PAYING FOR THAT OUT OF POCKET. I ALSO PAID FOR MEDICAL BILLS OUT OF POCKET BECAUSE MY ARM WAS BURNED & BRUISED. FORD HAS BEEN TERRIBLE TO WORK WITH. THEY WILL NOT RESPOND, EVEN THOUGH MY VEHICLE IS SITTING IN ONE OF THEIR DEALERSHIPS. *NM

ON JULY 30, 2005,WE WERE TOTALLY STOPPED, WAITING TO MAKE A LEFT TURN WHEN WE WERE STRUCK FROM BEHIND BY A DRIVER GOING ABOUT 50 MPH (IN A 30 MPH ZONE). WE WERE IN A 2003 FORD WINDSTAR SPORT VAN WITH QUAD-CAPTIAN SEATS. OUR FRONT SEATS BOTH COLLAPSED BACKWARD AND MINE ON THE PASSENGER STRUCK OUR 9-YR OLD SON WHO WAS DIRECTLY BEHIND ME. HE IS SMALL FOR HIS AGE. HE HAD A BUMP ON HIS FOREHEAD, AND HIS KNEE, AND STILL HAS MUSCLE PAIN IN THE THIGH OF THIS LEG. IF THERE HAD BEEN A FULL-SIZE ADULT SITTING BEHIND EITHER FRONT SEAT, THERE COULD HAVE BEEN VERY SERIOUS INJURIES. AS IT IS, WE ALL THREE HAVE WHIPLASH AND ARE DEALING WITH A LOT OF PAIN. OUR AIRBAGS DID NOT DEPLOY, WHICH IS NO GOOD SINCE THE SEATS COLLAPSED. AND, OF COURSE, EVEN THOUGH WE WERE SEAT-BELTED, OUR SHOULDER STRAP WAS STILL IN AN UPRIGHT POSITION WHEN WE WERE IN A PRONE POSITION WITH THE STOMACH PORTION OF THE STRAP STILL ACROSS US. I CALLED THE FORD COMPANY AND SPOKE WITH A CUSTOMER SERVICE REPRESENTATIVE THAT ONLY SAID SHE HAD NEVER HEARD OF SUCH A THING, AND THAT THE LOCAL FORD GARAGE WOULD MORE THAN LIKELY BE SENDING THEM A REPORT SINCE THEY ARE FIXING IT.

I HAVE A 2003 FORD EXPLORER THAT LIKE SO MANY OTHERS HAS A CRACK(S) ON THE BACK TAILGATE RIGHT BELOW THE BACK GLASS. FORD MOTOR HAS TOLD ME THAT BECAUSE MY CAR IS OUT OF WARRANTY THAT THEY WILL NOT FIX IT. THERE ARE A LOT OF EXPLORERS WITH THE SAME PROBLEM AND FORD KNOWS OF THIS PROBLEM BUT WILL NOT EXTEND A RECALL ON IT. ISN'T THERE A SAFETY CONCERN THAT IF THE CRACKS KEEP GETTING LARGER (WHICH THEY WILL) THAT THERE IS A POSSIBILITY OF THE BACK GLASS BREAKING OR THE TAILGATE SPLITTING INTO? I, LIKE MANY OTHERS NEED SOME HELP FROM SOMEBODY IN ORDER TO MAKE FORD RESPONSIBLE FOR THEIR DEFECTS AND CORRECT THEM. THANKS *TR

ON JULY 30, 2005,WE WERE TOTALLY STOPPED, WAITING TO MAKE A LEFT TURN WHEN WE WERE STRUCK FROM BEHIND BY A DRIVER GOING ABOUT 50 MPH (IN A 30 MPH ZONE). WE WERE IN A 2003 FORD WINDSTAR SPORT VAN WITH QUAD-CAPTIAN SEATS. OUR FRONT SEATS BOTH COLLAPSED BACKWARD AND MINE ON THE PASSENGER STRUCK OUR 9-YR OLD SON WHO WAS DIRECTLY BEHIND ME. HE IS SMALL FOR HIS AGE. HE HAD A BUMP ON HIS FOREHEAD, AND HIS KNEE, AND STILL HAS MUSCLE PAIN IN THE THIGH OF THIS LEG. IF THERE HAD BEEN A FULL-SIZE ADULT SITTING BEHIND EITHER FRONT SEAT, THERE COULD HAVE BEEN VERY SERIOUS INJURIES. AS IT IS, WE ALL THREE HAVE WHIPLASH AND ARE DEALING WITH A LOT OF PAIN. OUR AIRBAGS DID NOT DEPLOY, WHICH IS NO GOOD SINCE THE SEATS COLLAPSED. AND, OF COURSE, EVEN THOUGH WE WERE SEAT-BELTED, OUR SHOULDER STRAP WAS STILL IN AN UPRIGHT POSITION WHEN WE WERE IN A PRONE POSITION WITH THE STOMACH PORTION OF THE STRAP STILL ACROSS US. I CALLED THE FORD COMPANY AND SPOKE WITH A CUSTOMER SERVICE REPRESENTATIVE THAT ONLY SAID SHE HAD NEVER HEARD OF SUCH A THING, AND THAT THE LOCAL FORD GARAGE WOULD MORE THAN LIKELY BE SENDING THEM A REPORT SINCE THEY ARE FIXING IT.

MY 2003 FORD EXPEDITION WAS PARKED ON AN INCLINE WITH THE PARKING BRAKE SET. THE VEHICLE ROLLED DOWN THE HILL AND HIT A BUILDING. IT DAMAGED THE BUILDING AND THE VEHICLE(YET TO BE DETERMINED IN AMOUNT). TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE FORD DEALERSHIP TO HAVE IT FIXED AND THEY FOUND NOTHING WRONG. CALLED THE FORD SATISFACTION LINE AND THEY ARE LOOKING INTO IT. THE TRUCK SHOULD NOT ROLL DOWN AN INCLINE IN PARK. I WATCHED THE VEHICLE ROLL. I REFUSE TO PLACE MY 3 CHILDREN BACK IN THE VEHICLE UNTIL THE TRANSMISSION CAN BE FIXED. I BELIEVE THERE IS A DEFECT IN THE TRANSMISSION THAT IT WOULD ALLOW THE VEHICLE TO ROLL.

WHILE THE CONSUMER WAS TRAVELING, THE TRANSMISSION FAILED CAUSING THE CONSUMER TO LOOSE CONTROL AND STRICK A GUARDRAIL (FORD DAYBRAKE 2003, OHIO TRAFFIC CRASH REPORT). *YH

WATER LEAK WITNESSED BY SVC MGR & SERVICE WRITER, BUT THEY SAID THEIR SERVICE DEPT CANNOT FIND LEAK, THEREFORE THEY CANNOT REPAIR. $41K TRUCK IS BARELY 2 YRS OLD AND THIS IS THE 3RD TIME I BROUGHT TRUCK THERE BECAUSE OF LEAK. IN THE 2 YRS I OWNED IT, I'VE HAD 4 OTHER REPAIRS MADE ON OTHER ITEMS WHICH "WENT". THE A/C HAS BEEN REPAIRED TWICE, ALTHOUGH I BROUGHT IT IN FOR REPAIR 3 TIMES. *JB

2003 FORD EXPEDITION BLEW THE SPARK PLUG AND COIL. *TR

DT: WHILE DRIVING THE FUEL PUMP SHUT-OFF SWITCH KEPT DISCONNECTING .. THE POWER STEERING AND POWER BRAKES, AND EVERYTHING WENT OUT, AND VEHICLE BARLEY GOT OFF ONTO THE SIDE OF ROAD. THIS HAPPENED WITHOUT WARNING. DEALER CHECKED THE SWITCH, CONNECTED IT, AND IT RAN FINE. THEN, IT HAPPENED AGAIN. MANUFACTURER SAID THEY WOULD FIX IT IF IT WAS A FAULTY SWITCH.*AK

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 FORD F-150 EQUIPPED WITH COOPER TIRES, TIRE LINE: DISCOVER AT3, TIRE SIZE: 275/65/R18, DOT NUMBER: UTYJIM62518. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHEN THE FRONT PASSENGER'S SIDE TIRE WAS REPLACED, HE NOTICED A 2-INCH BLISTER ON THE INSIDE OF THE TIRE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC TO BE DIAGNOSED. THE TIRES WERE REPLACED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 140,000. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE.

ALL 4 RIMS ON MY 2003 FORD EXPLORER LIMITED HAD SEVERE CORROSION AROUND THE LUGS: NUTS AREA. CLEARLY A MAJOR DESIGN / QUALITY ISSUE THAT COULD LEAD TO RIM PERFORMANCE ISSUES. FORD REPLACED THE RIMS UNDER MY BUMPER TO BUMPER WARRENTY, HOWEVER THE EXACT RIMS WERE PLACED BACK ON THE VEHICLE. FORD USES A NEWER RIM ON LATER MODEL EXPLORER LIMITED MODELS, CLEARLY THEY CHANGED VENDORS.*AK

AS A SAFETY MGR FOR 23 YEARS, & DEFENSIVE DRIVING INSTRUCTOR, I FEEL THERE IS A SERIOUS PROBLEM WITH MANUFACTURING TRUCKS WITH SHINY, NON TEXTURED METAL FENDERS, BUMPERS, OR MUD FLAPS. WITH MOST TRUCKS SITTING HIGHER THAN THE AVERAGE CAR, THESE BUMPERS, FENDERS, AND SOME MUD FLAPS ACT LIKE MIRRORS, REFLECTING HEADLIGHTS DIRECTLY BACK INTO THE EYES OF FOLLOWING CARS, USUALLY AT DIRECT EYE LEVEL. THERE IS NO SAFE DISTANCE TO BACK AWAY SUFFICIENTLY TO STOP THIS BLINDING GLARE. THE ONLY OPTION I HAVE FOUND IS TO PULL OFF THE ROAD TO LET THEM GET SUFFICIENTLY FAR ENOUGH AHEAD AND PRAY ANOTHER TRUCK DOES NOT TURN IN FRONT OF YOU. I LIVE IN UTAH WHERE EVERY OTHER VEHICLE IS A TRUCK AND MANY OF THEM RAISED HIGH OFF THE GROUND. I FEEL STRONGLY THESE MIRRORED BUMPERS SHOULD BE PROHIBITED. THERE IS NO VALUE ADDED TO MIRRORING SUCH VEHICLE ACCESSORIES, HOWEVER THERE IS A SIGNIFICANT SAFETY HAZARD TO ALL OTHER DRIVERS WHO MUST DRIVE BEHIND THESE TRUCKS. PLEASE TAKE ACTION TO RECALL, OR OTHERWISE OUTLAW MIRRORED ACCESSORIES!!! THANK YOU FOR YOUR CONSIDERATION ON THIS MATTER. *AK

WITH LESS THAN 23,000 MILES ON MY 2003 FORD EXPEDITION, I HAD TO REPLACE THE FRONT BRAKE PADS AND ROTORS TO THE TUNE OF ABOUT $500.00. MY BRAKES HAD RECENTLY BEGUN THE INFAMOUS SQUEALING SOUND, SO I BROUGHT IT IN FOR A LOOK. THE SERVICE ADVISOR AT COURTESY FORD IN LITTLETON, COLORADO WOULD ONLY SAY THAT IT SEEMED KIND OF "EARLY" TO HAVE TO PERFORM THIS DEGREE OF MAINTENANCE ON MY BRAKE SYSTEM. HE WOULD ADMIT NO TREND WITH BRAKE PROBLEMS FOR FORD EXPEDITIONS. HOWEVER, I HAVE SINCE HAD A CONVERSATION WITH ANOTHER INDIVIDUAL THAT INCLUDED HER TELLING ME THAT SHE HAD A 2003 FORD EXPEDITION THAT NEEDED THE SAME SERVICE AT 15,000 MILES. I JUST BELIEVE THAT, AS WITNESSED BY THE LEVEL OF BRAKE DUST THAT THIS MODEL RELEASES ON AN ONGOING BASIS, SOMETHING IS OBVIOUSLY VERY SUSPICIOUS. I DO HOPE THAT NO ONE IS SERIOUSLY INJURED DUE TO BRAKE FAILURE, ETC. AND, BECAUSE I REMEMBER WELL FORD'S ACTIONS (OR LACK THEREOF) MANY YEARS AGO REGARDING THE FORD PINTO, I THOUGHT I'D BETTER DO MY BEST TO CREATE A RECORD OF MY CONCERN. *NM