2003 Ford Explorer Sport Trac complaints

ISSUE IS NON SAFETY RELATED. ISSUE WITH KNOWN MANUFACTURERS DEFECT COVERED UNDER WARRANTY THAT CANNOT BE REPAIRED AND WILL NOT BE REPLACED. PURCHASED VEHICLE NEW IN SEPTEMBER OF 2003. DESIRED FEATURE WAS HARD TONNEAU COVER TO KEEP BED DRY AND SECURE. COVER LEAKED. TOOK BACK TO DEALER AFTER APPROXIMATELY A YEAR AND A HALF TO GET REPAIRED AND WAS TOLD THAT "LEAKING" WAS NOT A COVERED ITEM PER FORD WARRANTY GROUP AND THAT IT WAS EXPECTED. TOLD TO RESOLVE WITH CUSTOMER SERVICE IF HAD FURTHER QUESTIONS. CALLED CUSTOMER SERVICE TO CLARIFY WHY THEY DIDN'T CONSIDER LEAKING A COVERED ITEM AND WAS TOLD IT WAS COVERED AND THEY WOULD WORK WITH DEALER TO UNDERSTAND WHY NOT FIXED. GOT CALL BACK NEXT DAY STATING THAT FORD WAS AWARE OF LEAKING ISSUES AND WHILE SHOULD BE A WARRANTY COVERED ITEM, THEY DID NOT KNOW HOW TO FIX OR IF THEY EVER WOULD. WAS TOLD TO CHECK BACK PERIODICALLY TO SEE IF ANY FIX HAD BEEN ISSUED. FORD IS NOT HONORING THEIR STATED WARRANTY. IT HAS BEEN 2 YEARS SINCE MY 2003 WAS PUT ON THE MARKET AND STILL NO FIX FOR THE ISSUE WHICH FORD SAYS THEY HAVE BEEN AWARE OF. MY $600 SPENT ON A TONNEAU COVER TO KEEP THE BED DRY IS WASTED AND FORD IS STILL SELLING THIS TONNEAU COVER TO OTHER CONSUMERS.

WHILE DRIVING 50 MPH DRIVER HEAR A LOUD KNOCKING NOISE COMING FROM THE REAR. SUDDENLY, THE VEHICLE VIBRATED UNCONTROLLABLY. DRIVER PULLED OVER, AND NOTICED THAT THE REAR LEFT TIRE BLEW OUT. DRIVER WILL CONTACT THE DEALER IN THE NEAR FUTURE. *AK

MY AUNT'S VEHICLE WAS INVOLVED IN AN ACCIDENT WHERE THE VEHICLE ROLLED SEVERAL TIMES. THE FRONT PILLAR ON THE DRIVER'S SIDE COLLAPSED ALLOWING THE ROOF TO COLLAPSE ALMOST DOWN TO THE LEVEL OF THE STEERING WHEEL. THERE WAS ALSO A LACK OF AVAILABILITY OF SIDE CURTAIN AIRBAGS ON THE VEHICLE. THE ACCIDENT RESULTED IN THE DEATH OF THE DRIVER OF THE VEHICLE. *JB

CRUISE CONTROL DOES NOT ENGAGE MOST OF THE TIME. I POWER THE SYSTEM ON, BUT WHEN PRESSING THE SET BUTTON, THE SYSTEM POWER QUICKLY BLINKS ON AND OFF. BRAKE PEDAL IS NOT DEPRESSED, IT OCCURS AT ANY SPEED.*AK

WHILE DRIVING, THE PASSENGER SIDE AND DRIVER SIDE AIR BAGS UNEXPECTEDLY DEPLOYED. VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR INSPECTION AND THE MECHANIC COULD NOT DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM. *AK THE CONSUMER RECEIVED A CALL FROM THE ENGINEERING DEPARTMENT WHO INFORMED THE CONSUMER THE AIR BAG DEPLOYED BECAUSE THE RESTRAINT MODULE HAD RECEIVED A SIGNAL FROM THE CRASH SENSORS INDICATING AN EXCESSIVE LATERAL FORCE THAT EXCEEDED THE THRESHOLD OF ITS DESIGN FOR DEPLOYMENT. *JB

WHILE DRIVING ON THE FREEWAY VEHICLE DECELERATED 5 MPH BEFORE REGULATING SPEED. AFTER EXITING FREEWAY, VEHICLE DIED AT STOP LIGHT. VEHICLE TOWED TO DEALERSHIP WHERE THEY INFORMED ME THE INERTIA SWITCH, LOCATED UNDER KICK PLATE ON PASSENGER SIDE, WAS DAMAGED AND THUS CUT OFF THE FUEL PUMP. ONCE FIXED, VEHICLE RAN FINE. THIS IS A SAFETY DEVICE IN CASE OF AN ACCIDENT, BUT IT IS LOCATED IN A VERY BAD LOCATION.*AK

WHILE APPLYING THE BRAKE PEDAL, THE VEHICLE JERKED AND VIBRATED. THE BRAKE PEDAL WENT TO THE FLOOR. THE DRIVER WAS ABLE TO MAINTAIN CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE AND DROVE IT TO THE DEALER FOR INSPECTION. THE MECHANIC WAS UNABLE TO DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER DETAILS. *JB

PROBLEMS WITH TIRES ON 2003 FORD EXPLORER. *MR THERE WAS A VIBRATION IN THE FRONT END, THE TIRE WERE NOTICED WORN ON THE INSIDE, THERE WAS ALSO A PROBLEM WITH THE REAR END WHICH WAS TILTED DUE TO A BENT FRAME, THE REAR END LEAKED AS WELL. THE DEALER CLAIMED THAT THEY COULDN'T FIND ANYTHING WRONG. (THREE SETS OF TIRES IN 20K MILES AND ABOUT TWO WEEKS LATER, THEY HAD TO REPLACED ONE OF THE BACK TIRES AGAIN) THE NOISE AND VIBRATION REMAINED. *SC *JB

THIS FORD EXPLORER SPORT TRACK WAS BOUGHT NEW. I PREVIOUSLY HAD A FORD EXPLORER. THE REASON I TRADED WAS BECAUSE OF THE ROLL OVER RATE. THE DEALERSHIP WHERE I PURCHASED THIS VEHICLE GAVE ME A RUN DOWN ON THE NEWLY DESIGNED EXPLORER TELLIN ME THAT THE NEW DESIGN HAD CORRECTED THE ROLL OVER PROBLEM IN WHICK FORD MOTOR COMPANY HAS HAD SEVERAL LAW SUITS. I HAVE TWO GRANDCHILDEN WE ARE RAISING AND I MOST CURTAINLY DON'T FEEL SAFE IN THIS VEHICLE AFTER READING THE ARTICLES ON THIS SITE AND THE ARTICLE IN THE FORT WORTH STAR TELEGRAM. I HAVE HAD THIS VEHICLE IN THE SHOP TWICE FOR TRANSMISSION PROBLEMS AND POWERSTEERING PROBLEMS. BOTH TIMES THEY SAID THEY FOUND NOTHING. PLEASE ADVISE ME IN WHAT I SHOULD DO.

WHILE DRIVING AND ATTEMPTING TO APPLY THE BRAKES THEY FAILED INTERMITTENTLY. NO IMPACT REPORTED. *AK THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER. THE TECHNICIAN TEST DROVE THE VEHICLE BUT COULD NOT DUPLICATE THE FAILURE. THE MASTER CYLINDER WAS REPLACED BUT THE BRAKES FAILED AGAIN AFTER IT WAS REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN BACK TO THE DEALER AT LEFT FOR TWO WEEKS. DURING THAT TIME THE FAILURE COULD NOT BE DUPLICATED. THE CONSUMER FEELS THAT THE ENTIRE BRAKE SYSTEM SHOULD BE REPLACED SINCE THE DEALER IS UNABLE TO CORRECT THE PROBLEM. *NM

VEHICLE WILL STALL AFTER SITTING OVERNIGHT AND THE ENGINE HAS NOT REACH NORMAL OPERATING TEMPERATURE, FUEL TANK FULL AND THE VEHICLE IS PROCEEDING UP AN INCLINE. WHEN VEHICLE STALLS YOU CAN START THE VEHICLE AND PROCEED. AFTER REACHING NORMAL OPERATING TEMPERATURE OR THE VEHICLE HAVE TRAVEL FORTY TO EIGHTY MILES ON THE TANK OF GAS IT WILL NOT DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM UNTIL YOU REFILL THE TANK AGAIN. IF THE TANK IS KEPT FULL OR NO MORE THAN ONE OR TWO GALLONS ARE USED UP. IT WILL NOT STALL. I HAVE HAD IT BACK FOR REPAIR FIVE OR SIX TIMES BUT NO LUCK. THE LAST VISIT TO THE DEALER THEY PUT A RECORDER ON THE VEHICLE WHICH I KEPT FOR THREE WEEKS AND IT RECORDED THE STALL. THE DEALER STATED THAT IT WAS BEING OVERFILLED BUT I NEVER OVERFILL THE VEHICLE AND I EXPLAINED THAT TO THEM. I PURCHASE THE VEHICLE NEW ON 7/31/03 AND DROVE IT HOME ON THE TANK OF GAS THE DEALER PUT IN IT. THE VEHICLE SAT FOR TEN DAYS WHILE I WAS ON VACATION AND WHEN I RETURNED I DROVE IT THE NEXT DAY AND IT STALLED AND IT HAD NOT BEEN REFUELED. THE TANK WAS STILL FULL FROM THE DEARLER'S ORIGINAL FILL-UP. I TOOK IT BACK THE FIRST TIME 8/19/03 AND THE DEALER REPLACE A PART(VALVE) THAT THEY INDICATED MAY HAVE BEEN DEFECTIVE BUT IT DID NOT FIX THE PROBLEM. *LA

THE VEHICLE WAS PURCHASED NEW WITH A BENT FRAME AND A BENT REAR AXLE. THE VEHICLE WAS DIFFICULT TO STEER. 6 SETS OF TIRES WERE USED AND REPLACED DURING THIS DEFECT. THE CONSUMER TOOK THE VEHICLE TO DEALER WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED AS A BENT FRAME. HOWEVER, THE DEALER WILL DO NOTHING ABOUT THE PROBLEM. *AK THERE WAS A VIBRATION IN THE FRONT OF THE VEHICLE, THE DEALERS DIDN'T FIND A PROBLEM. A COUPLE OF WEEKS LATER, THE CONSUMER NOTICED THAT THE TIRES WERE WORN ON THE INSIDE. THE CONSUMER WAS INFORMED THAT THE REAR END WAS TILTED AND THERE WAS NO ADJUSTMENT FOR THIS. THE CONSUMER WAS INFORMED THAT THE FRAME WAS BENT. THREE SETS OF TIRES IN 20K MILES AND ABOUT 2 WEEKS LATER, THEY HAD TO REPLACE 1 OF THE BACK TIRES AGAIN. THE NOISE AND VIBRATION REMAINED THE SAME. THE CONSUMER REQUESTED TO BE COMPENSATED FOR THE BENT FRAME. THE REAR DIFFERENTIAL COVER LEAKED. *SC

TIRE ALIGNMENT FAILURE. *AK

2003 FORD SPORT TRAC SAFETY PARKING BRAKE RELEASE MALFUNCTIONED. FIVE YEAR OLD DAUGHTER PULLED GEAR SHIFT INTO NEUTRAL WITHOUT PRESSING THE BRAKE. CAR ROLLED BACKWARDS INTO LAKE AND SUBMERGED. I WAS ABLE TO GET HER OUT BEFOR IT SANK. *AK

IF THE REMOVABLE LIFTGATE HAS ANY PRESSURE ON THE BOTTOM, IT WILL RELEASE. WHEN IT RELEASES, IT IS HEAVY ENOUGH TO CAUSE HARM OR INJURY TO A PERSON. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER DETAILS. *JB *JB

ON NUMEROUS OCCASIONS WHILE PARKING WHEN PRESSING BRAKE PEDAL MY FOOT HAS PRESSED DOWN ON THE ACCELERATOR LINKAGE CAUSING THE ENGINE TO RACE AND THE VEHICLE TO CRIP FORWARD. THE HARDER I PRESS THE BRAKE THE MORE THE ENGINE REVS. ON JUN 6TH 2003 MY SON HAD AN ACCIDENT WHERE THE VEHICLE WENT OFF THE ROAD AND TRAVELED APPROX. 700 FEET BEFORE HE WAS ABLE TO STOP THE VEHICLE. HIS ONLY COMMENT WAS HE COULD NOT STOP. I BELIEVE IT WAS BECAUSE HIS FOOT WAS PRESSING ON THE ACCELERATOR LINKAGE. MY SON WEARS A SIZE 12 SHOE AND I WEAR A SIZE 14. THE PEDALS HAV ELESS THAN 4" HORIZONAL SEPERATION.THERE IS LESS THAN 1/2" VERTICAL CLEARANCE BETWEEN BRAKE PEDAL AND ACCELERATOR LINKAGE.

STEERING WHEEL BINDS WHILE TRYING TO MERGE ONTO THE INTERSTATE. THIS BINDING DOES NOT ALLOW THE VEHICLE TO BE TURNED.

I WAS HIT FROM BEHIND AND PUSHED INTO A VEHICLE IN FRONT OF ME. DURING THE IMPACT, MY SEATBACK (DRIVER'S) MOVED BACK SLIGHTLY AND THE CENTER OF THE SEAT BACK COLLAPSED, CAUSING ME TO INJURE MY BACK.*AK

I PURCHASED MY 2003 SPORTRACK IN DECEMBER OF 2002 FROM SUNRISE FORD. I DROVE MY SUV HOME, PARKED IT AND WENT INSIDE FOR LESS THAN 20 MINUTES. WHEN I CAME OUT TO DRIVE DRIVE MY GUESTS AROUND THE BLOCK, THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT START. I CALLED SUNRISE FORD AND SPOKE WITH THE SERVICE DEPARTMENT. THEY SENT THE SALES PERSON TO MY PLACE RATHER THAN A MECHANIC. HE BASICALLY BELITTLED ME INFRONT OF MY GUESTS BY TELLING ME I DID SOMETHING TO MY CAR. IT WAS EMBARASSING ENOUGH THAT THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT START NOW I HAD TO DEAL WITH THE SALES PERSON, WHO AS IT TURNS OUT KNEW ABSOLUTELY NOTHING ABOUT THE SPORTRACK, TELLING ME I DID SOMETHING WRONG TO MY VEHICLE TO MAKE IT NOT WANT TO START. HE FINALLY CALLED THE SERVICE DEPARTMENT, HAD A MECHANIC COME OUT AND THEY TRIED TO START IT. NO LUCK. LONG STORY SHORT I FOUND SUNRISE FORD'S SALES AND SUPPORT STAFF WERE VERY HARD TO WORK WITH RIGHT AFTER MY SALE. I FELT MISLEADED. FROM ARRANGING A LOANER BECAUSE OF THIS PROBLEM TO GETTING A QUALIFIED PERSON TO DIAGNOSE MY VEHICLE. I HAD HAD THE CAR NEARLY 1 WEEK BEFORE THE PROBLEM COULD BE COMPLETELY SOLVED. MY NEXT PROBLEM BEGAN IN AUGUST OF 2003, ROUGHLY 9 MONTHS LATER. IT IS NOW STALLING. MOST CASES HAVE BEEN WHILE STOPPING FOR A STOP SIGN OR LIGHT. OTHER TIMES JUST AFTER LEAVING THE STOP LIGHT OR SIGN, IT USUALLY STALLS IMMEDIATELY WHEN I ACCECELERATE. THE WORST CASE HAS BEEN WHILE ON THE ON RAMP TO THE FREEWAY. IN ALL CASES I LOST ALL POWER, EXCEPT FOR THE RADIO, AND WAS ABLE TO RESTART THE ENGINE

GASOLINE IS EXPELLED FROM THE FILLER PIPE EVERYTIME I TRY TO REFUEL THE TANK. THE PROBLEM WORSENS WITH EACH ATTEMPT TO REFUEL BECAUSE THE GAS PUMPS CONTINUOUSLY SHUT OFF FOR SAFETY REASONS. DEALER HAS REPLACED A SAFETY VALVE TO THE TANK WHICH TEMPORARILY HELPED BUT THE PROBLEM IS NOW WORSE THAN EVER. THERE IS CURRENTLY NO MANUFACTURER'S RECALL FOR THIS PROBLEM.*AK

STEERING WHEEL SHAKES WHILE MAKING SHARP, SLOW RIGHT OR LEFT TURNS. DEALER NOT SURE WHAT THE PROBLEM IS, SAYS ALL SPORT TRACKS DO THAT, HOWEVER WHEN I BOUGHT IT, IT DIDN'T. I DROVE ANOTHER NEW ONE FROM THE DEALER WHILE MINE WAS IN SERVICE...AND THE STEERING WAS FINE. ALSO, THE A/C COMPRESSOR IS OUT AND BEING REPLACED AND I'VE ONLY MADE ONE PAYMENT.*AK

ON JULY 28 WHILE MY WIFE WAS DRIVING OUR NEW EXPLORER SPORT TRAC IT JUST STOP RUNNING. SHE STARTED IT UP AND IT RAN FOR ABOUT 1MIN THEN CUT OFF AGAIN STRANDING HER IN THE MIDDLE OF A HIGHWAY IN A TURN LANE WE REPORTED IT TO FORD IT TOOK OVER 2 HRS FOR THEM TO GET A TOW TRUCK TO TOW THE TRUCK TO THE DEALER IT ALSO HAPPENED ON THE 27TH. ALSO THE OWNERS MANUAL PAGES ARE NOT RIGHT WHEN YOU LOOK AT ABOUT HOW TO CHANGE A TIRE IT GIVE YOU A PAGE NUMBER AND IT SHOWS SOMETHING ELSE LIKE HOW TO CHANGE OIL.*AK

WHEN REFUELING GAS SHOOTS BACK UP THROUGH FILLER PIPE ONTO CONSUMER.*AK

VEHICLE ENGINE MISSING AND LOST POWER WHILE ATTEMPTING TO ACCELERATE ONTO ON-RAMP. ATTEMPT TO RESTART FAILED. HAD TO CALL FOR TOW. DEALERSHIP COULDN'T FIND ANYTHING WRONG. *NLM

JUNE 2, 2003 6:40 PM PICKED UP THE BRAND NEW EXPLORER SPORT TRAC FROM TREADWELL FORD AND DROVE HOME TO WEST MOBILE. JUNE 3, 2003 7:20 AM DROVE THE NEARLY 30 MILE COMMUTE TO WORK IN NORTH MOBILE COUNTY. UPON PARKING THE VEHICLE, IT SMELLED HOT, WITH A NEARLY BURNT ELECTRICAL SMELL. JUNE 3, 2003 ~8:40 PM LEFT WORK AFTER LONG DAY. DROVE APPROXIMATELY 3 MILES, WHEN RADIO CONSOLE WENT BLACK. SHORTLY THEREAFTER, ENTIRE DASHBOARD PANEL LIGHTING, HEADLIGHTS, AND ELECTRICAL SYSTEM STARTED TO ACT ERRATICALLY. PULLED INTO BP GAS STATION, AND VEHICLE COMBUSTION SYSTEM BEGAN TO SPUTTER. BRAKED TO STOP VEHICLE MOTION TEMPORARILY, AND VEHICLE SEEMED TO ACT DRIVABLE AGAIN. ATTEMPTED TO LEAVE BP STATION, BUT VEHICLE STOPPED AND WOULD NOT RESTART. NEEDED ASSISTANCE TO PUSH VEHICLE OUT OF ENTRANCE TO HIGHWAY 43. CREOLA POLICE OFFICER AND ANOTHER MAN WHO BOTH ASSISTED WITH PUSHING THE VEHICLE WHILE I STEERED IT STATED BRAKE LIGHTS WERE ACTING ERRATICALLY. JUNE 4, 2003 ~8:50 AM TALKED WITH DON DAVIS IN TREADWELL FORD SERVICE AND EXPLAINED WHAT HAD HAPPENED LAST NIGHT. JUNE 4, 2003 ~5:30 PM DON DAVIS LEFT A MESSAGE AT MY HOME THAT THEY WERE WORKING ON THE VEHICLE BUT COULD NOT FIND ANY PROBLEM. JUNE 5, 2003 ~11:30 AM DON DAVIS LEFT A MESSAGE AT MY HOME THAT BY DRIVING THE VEHICLE AROUND, HE WAS ABLE TO REPRODUCE WHAT HAPPENED TO ME THE EVENING OF JUNE 3. JUNE 5, 2003 ~5:30 PM DON DAVIS LEFT A MESSAGE THAT THE VEHICLE WAS READY TO BE PICKED UP AS THE ALTERNATOR HAD BEEN REPLACED. *NLM

I PURCHASED A NEW 2003 FORD EXPLORER SPORT TRAC THIS YEAR AND THE HEADLIGHTS ARE MADE SO THAT YOU CANNOT ADJUST THEM FOR SIDE VISION. I HAVE HAD THE TRUCK TO TWO DIFFERENT DEALERS AND THE TECHNICIANS SAY THAT IT IS A DESIGN FAULT. DRIVING THIS VEHICLE AT NIGHT IS COMPARABLE TO HAVING TUNNEL VISION. MY TRUCK IS EQUIPPED WITH FOG LIGHTS AND THEY DO HELP WITH THE SIDE VISION BUT THEY ONLY WORK ON LOW BEAM. EVEN WITH THE FOG LIGHTS THE AREA TO THE SIDE OF THE TRUCK ARE BLACKED OUT. IN THE MONTHS THAT I HAVE HAD THIS VEHICLE I HAVE ONLY DRIVEN ABOUT SIX TIMES AT NIGHT. I DO NOT KNOW ANYONE ELSE THAT OWNS A SIMILAR TRUCK SO I HAVEN'T BEEN ABLE TO FIND OUT IF EVERYONE HAS THIS PROBLEM OR JUST ME.*AK

THE VEHICLE EXPELLED GASOLINE EVERYTIME THE CONSUMER WAS REFUELING THE TANK AND THE GAS PUMP AUTOMATICALLY SHUT OFF, AS IT IS DESIGNED TO DO. THE PROCESS OF FILLING THE TANK INCREASED FIVE FOLD, TAKING APPROXIMATELY 25-30 MINUTES, BECAUSE THE PUMP REPEATEDLY SHUT OFF AND EXPELLED GAS. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED AND WAS AWARE OF THE PROBLEM BUT THERE WAS NO CURRENT FIX FOR THE PROBLEM. THE EMERGENCY BRAKE NEEDED ADJUSTING AND THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT ILLUMINATED. *MR *SCC *NLM

WHILE DRIVING THE VEHICLE SHUT OFF. *NLM