CarComplaints.com Notes: The 2004 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 2002-2005 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.
6.4
fairly significant
Typical Repair Cost:
$460
Average Mileage:
75,350 miles
Total Complaints:
769 complaints
Most Common Solutions:
waiting for Ford to recall (296 reports)
not sure (205 reports)
replace panel (117 reports)
possible class action lawsuit (63 reports)
call Ford motor company 1-800-241-3673 (27 reports)
2004 Ford Explorer Lift Gate Applique - You can purchase the rear panel applique to fix this problem from fordpartswebsite.com, although it will still need to be painted and installed.
Cracked Ford Explores - Visit and join this Facebook group for an additional site where you can tell Ford about this annoying problem.
Ford Explorer Lift Gate Cracks - Become a part of this active Facebook page of Ford / Mercury owners who share information on dealing with the cracked trim panel that Ford would not.
My 7 year old Explorer, garage kept, washed and cleaned weekly, waxed monthly, looks like it is just off the show room floor, WITH A LARGE CRACK IN THE DECK LID by the FORD emblem, how to show off your FORD, "CRACKED"
Update from May 17, 2011: Ford Program $$$ ran out!
Update from Jun 21, 2011: I called Ford thy said they had a program out last year but the funds were used up!
What about the rest of us! I did not brake it, it cracked due to a manufacturing defect that does not stand up. If they had uses (a strange work) metal it would not have cracked!l It may have corroded, warped, plastic in our hot sun in Florida does not stand up. They should fix this eye sore! Not a good advertisement for FORD. May be a good place to plant a LEMON not wax to have a shiny cracked deck lid>
Update from Aug 8, 2011: This product is not designed for hot climates. I see most older Explores in Florida have it. 1/8 of an inch wide and getting larger!. My EDDIE BAUER is designed for Michigan Only! This is not a wear item. It is made of cheap plastic not engeneered for all climates!
My vehicle has always been kept in a garage. To find a crack in the back panel was a total SHOCK! Then I go online and see literally hundreds if not thousands have the same problem. I put a pic and a comment on Town & Country Ford's (where we bought it) Facebook page and was told to take it to the service dept. Which I will if life slows down a bit. From what I have read it will be a wasted trip but I will try. IF I get no satisfaction I will contact others and possibly try to file a class action lawsuit.
The read hatch panel cracked. I found out that because the panel was installed with no glue under the emblem and on either side the act of simply closing the hatch caused it to crack. I also had them check the hinges on the panel because I read reports about the hatch falling down. I was told that the hinges definitely needed replacing.
NOT SURE why this happened out of the blue, not only was it a pain, it took the ford dealership over a week to get the part and took them way to long to fix .
What else will go wrong with this EXPLORER! Why does an exterior panel just crack in half...Wife has started taking pictures of everyone she sees on way to work.. Picture daily..Major TRANS problem first, alternator, suspension, REAR Diff. ... This is the worst vehicle I have ever owned... What a lemon..
FORD Fix Or Repair Daily.
- jsirmg,
Warrenton, VA, US
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I am very upset about this rear panel cracking. I could not imagine how this happened . Yesterday morning as I was driving to work I stopped at a stoplight and noticed there was a Ford Explorer identical to mine with the very same crack, even the same shape and place of the crack. I am sure Ford is aware of this defect and I plan to contact them. I think this is a shame...I just finished paying for mine.
Very nice looking vehicle...has this crack in panel below rear glass on rear of vehicle. It needs to be repaired by FORD. I have a 2004 T/bird, 1994 Taurus that will be replaced this year. If FORD does not made the repairs I will NEVER purchase another product from them.
I care about how my vehicles look and the crack destroys the look of a very nice looking vehicle. No more Ford products it this is not corrected.
I live in the city that where this vehicle was manufactured.
With this rear panel crack, I think Ford should recall the defected panels and fix them ALL. I have been all over the world and you can spot out the Ford Explorers with the crack in the back, it pisses me off so bad because Ford should fix this problem. Since it is so commen. I don't know if I will ever buy a Ford again because they don't take care of there customers! Ford step up and fix these cracked panels for everyone! Admit it, it was a defect on your part and FIX it!!!
I am very disappointed in Ford. I have been a ford owner for many years and have loved every one of them and in past years Ford was great. Any issues were resolved by our local dealership, where we have been buying our cars for over 20 years. Lately Ford seems to be going to the wayside in all areas.
The quality is not as it was nor the integrity and the safety record of late is very scary as I have a niece who was involved in a a severe car accident in which she survived the driver did not! Reason, back axle broke, lost control,and from what I have been told family received recall notice AFTER the accident!
I'm in the market for a smaller vehicle as the kids are grown and no longer need such a large no so great mileage car and find myself swaying to other vehicles am sad to say. So Ford you need to make good on all and maybe more of the issues and go back to a time when Ford meant quality,safety and integrity!
This is obviously a manufacturer defect. How can Ford not have a recall for this issue when so many cars have the EXACT crack at EXACT same place on the Explorer, ironically right next to the Ford emblem.
Should be a recall item based on the similarity with others. This is definitely a manufacturing defect. Vertical crack through the panel to the left of center.
I see this is a huge problem after reading alot about this , and am very surprized to see Ford has done nothing about this. Its not coming from people miss use. Mine just was there one day and has got bigger with the days. ford should step up to the plate and show how much they ( supposedly ) cares for its customers..... Like others have said i have seen this on many others and some people may not know it broke on ITS OWN. I also just had my fuel pump go on Dec 23, and found out that it is not an easy part to get. Most parts stores dont carry it and if they do it will most likely be the wrong one. After days tracking one down it seems the one in mine is from 2003 left over from old stock and using my year of 2004 is not the same. UNREAL.
Very disappointed on this issue. I was told that there was a recall on the vehicle and I never received any information about it. It would hep if ford sold the part in the colors that they offered those years, but it only comes in primer gray and its about 200.00 to get the part painted to match. Id rather find one at a junkyard then give any more money to ford motor co.
We would like to get it fixed and feel that Ford should pay for it! It appears that it has happened to alot others and Ford should stand behind their product. We just bought a 2011 Nissan Titan because of it! It should have been a recall and they have done nothing about it!
The crack under the rear window on my Explorer happened over night. It wasn't there on Friday and Saturday it was cracked half in two. I went to the local Ford Dealer on Monday in Sherman TX and was told it would cost $250 to repair and it is a common problem with 2003 thru 2005 Explorers. This is very upsetting to a person that takes care of my automobiles. Low milage and changes oil every 5K miles and keeps in the garage. The worst part is FORD will not replace a defective car part. I even bought the extended warranty and that will not cover it. I will think twice before I but another Ford product. I have had in the past Explorers, Mustang and Lincoln with no problems, however, if this is not addressed by Ford, it will levve me no other choice but to take my business eslewhere.
I have 2 ford explorers, a 98 and an 04. Will never buy a ford anymore(seeing ford wont help fix their design mess) and can see that ford's new ads of folks selling toyotas will go no where as long as people see all them explorers riding around with cracks.
Irresponsible design and poor after sales support. Think about it, i am starting a new campaign for carbuyers at every traffic stop to check out the hatchback of the ford explorer ahead of them before deciding between a ford and any other make. Ford, spare your ad budget and fix these mobile, highly visible crack anti ford 'ads' first
MY FAILURE OCCURRED FIRST REALLY COLD NITE AFTER STARTED PARKING CAR OUTSIDE GARAGE.PROBLEM IS OBVIOUSLY A DESIGN ERROR IN THAT TWO MATERIALS ( GLASS/PLASTIC) WERE LAMINATED TOGETHER WITH 2 SIGNIFICANTLY DIFFERENT EXPANSION COEFFICIENTS---ONE WANTS TO EXPAND MORE THAN THE THAN THE OTHER FOR A GIVEN TEMP RANGE. THE RESULTANT TENSION IS MORE THAN THE PLASTIC CAN STAND, AND IT BREAKS. IT'S FORD'S FAULT, BUT IT COSTS SO MUCH TO REPAIR, AND WITH IT'S PREVALENCE (AROUND HERE, 30 TO 50 PERCENT), I CAN SEE FORD'S STANCE, SINCE IT'S COSMETIC. I KNOW SOME FOLKS, KNOWING THAT THE CRACK IS BOUND TO HAPPEN, HAVE PUT A RELIEF CRACK IN THEMSELVES SQUARELY IN THE CENTER OVER THE FORD EMBLEM---LOOKS A LOT NEATER THAN THE RANDOM CRACK. WISH I HAD DONE THAT. SURE NOT GOOD ADVERTISING FOR FORD. EXPLORER OWNERS I KNOW HAVE MADE A GAME OUT OF IT WHEN TRAVELING---COUNTING THE CRACKED ONES VERSUS UNCRACKED.
I had been seeing Ford explorer with cracks in their lift gates and thinking how dumb could they be to slam their lift gate and crack it. Untill I came out of a Restaurant and saw that mine had a small crack in it.
I have a Eddie Bauer, V6 Special Order Edition with only 46,000 miles on it that I keep it in a garage. The crack started small but now it is from the glass to the end of the panel.
I have the extended warranty but Ford said the cracked is not covered and that if I fix it may crack again after 12 months.
A D V E R T I S E M E N T S
My 7 year old Explorer, garage kept, washed and cleaned weekly, waxed monthly, looks like it is just off the show room floor, WITH A LARGE CRACK IN THE DECK LID by the FORD emblem, how to show off your FORD, "CRACKED"
Update from May 17, 2011: Ford Program $$$ ran out!
Update from Jun 21, 2011: I called Ford thy said they had a program out last year but the funds were used up!
What about the rest of us! I did not brake it, it cracked due to a manufacturing defect that does not stand up. If they had uses (a strange work) metal it would not have cracked!l It may have corroded, warped, plastic in our hot sun in Florida does not stand up. They should fix this eye sore! Not a good advertisement for FORD. May be a good place to plant a LEMON not wax to have a shiny cracked deck lid>
Update from Aug 8, 2011: This product is not designed for hot climates. I see most older Explores in Florida have it. 1/8 of an inch wide and getting larger!. My EDDIE BAUER is designed for Michigan Only! This is not a wear item. It is made of cheap plastic not engeneered for all climates!
- Tom K., Leesburg, FL, US