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.
The vanity (plastic) cover snapped off when I opened it. Now, I cannot use my visor to block the sun because the mirror is exposed & this causes even more glare while driving. I tried to get this corrected by a local dealer that was not willing to help. I pursured throught Ford Warranty - they were not willing to help.
A D V E R T I S E M E N T S
The vanity (plastic) cover snapped off when I opened it. Now, I cannot use my visor to block the sun because the mirror is exposed & this causes even more glare while driving. I tried to get this corrected by a local dealer that was not willing to help. I pursured throught Ford Warranty - they were not willing to help.
- wmelissa, Zeeland, MI, US