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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.
6.6
fairly significant- Typical Repair Cost:
- $20
- Average Mileage:
- 81,600 miles
- Total Complaints:
- 53 complaints
Most Common Solutions:
- not sure (39 reports)
- wd-40 (3 reports)
- crack on hatchback window seems to cause sensor problem, (2 reports)
- use brake cleaner or lubricant (2 reports)
- just cut out the wires (1 reports)
- lubricate latches (1 reports)
accessories - interior problem
Helpful websites
- 2003 Ford Explorer Dome Light Stays On - Fix - 2003 Ford Explorer Dome Light Stays On - Fix
A D V E R T I S E M E N T S
Seriously haven't been able to lock my doors in a YEAR AND A HALF. Started after having the car for about a year. Bought used with insurance money. Locking the doors arms the alarm, and because the "door ajar" sensor is malfunctioning, it triggers the alarm, thinking that someone has forced the door open. Always seems to happen in the middle of the night. Even manually locking the doors will trigger the alarm later. Problem seems more frequent after heavy rain. At this point, I don't bother with keeping anything valuable in the car. Multiple tries with WD-40 and lubricant did not fix it.
- Amber W., Gainesville, US