Body complaints by model year
Which parts fail
Components named in complaints (doors, hood, frame, rust, paint and trim).
Mileage when the problem started
What owners report
Noticed that the back panel of tailgate is cracked on Friday, February 22, 2008. The crack runs from underneath the rear windshield to the Ford emblem and the continues to the handle of the tailgate. The crack is open, and I have cut my finger on it when closing the tailgate. I'm trying to close it another way, but there's no other place to put your hand to close the tailgate because the crack comes down to the middle of the handle. I am afraid that the panel will fall completely off or the rear glass will dislodge and fall out. I am taking the vehicle to the dealership this week to determine how to get it fixed.
The rear lift gate on my Explorer cracked on the left side of the Ford emblem. The gate cracked during normal operation of the vehicle. I have a habit of looking over my vehicle. The crack was discovered when I inspected my vehicle before going into my home. On my next service visit I asked my Ford dealer if there had been a recall for this defect. I was told that Ford had not generated a recall for this defect. There May be thousands of explorers with this defect, I see them every day. I am very disappointed with the Ford company for not taking care of this defect. I have purchased my last Ford.
Was driving the vehicle when I noticed smoke coming out from under the hood. I pulled over as quick as possible into a strip mall parking lot. Before I got out flames were coming out of the engine compartment. I ran into a store and got a fire extinguisher to try and put out the fire. I failed, as the whole front of the Explorer was in flames as well as the interior. The vehicle is a total loss. The fire department put it out. I had the vehicle for 7 weeks. The used dealer will not take any responsibility. Should they? I purchased the vehicle on mar. 3,2014 at oc auto expo in westminster, ca.
Tl* the contact owns a 2003 Ford Explorer Sport. While driving approximately 25 MPH, a noise emerged from the rear hatch window. The contact pulled the vehicle over to the side of the road and noticed that the piece that held the window in place was fractured. The vehicle was repaired for the same failure in March of 2015. The manufacturer was notified. The failure mileage was 159,149.
I noticed the rear window lift gate was slightly ajar, so I closed it, and suddenly the hinge bracket on the right side, connecting the window at the roof, popped loose, extending the window lift support, making it now impossible to close the back lift gate glass. I checked into the issue, and found a recall, campaign # 04V442000. This hinge has never been replaced. I want to have this fixed under recall.
This is the second time this has happened. My rear tailgate window exploded. The car had been on for about ten minutes, warming up. I loaded my items into the car through the tailgate window. When I was done, I closed the window. Before it was even closed, the window exploded into thousands of pieces. There was glass all over. The window was recently replaced at the Ford dealership.
On November 29th my mother was driving her 2001 Ford Explorer 2dr 4x4 to work. She hit an ice patch going approx. 30 MPH and lost control of her vehicle because the rear end swung sideways. Her Ford then flipped on it's passenger side and hit a tree. My mother could not get her seat belt undone so she called 911 while hanging in her vehicle. A man and woman stopped to help her out because they noticed that her Ford was on fire. They had to break into the back window and the woman climbed in to release her and pull her out. If those people would not of stopped, my mother would not be here today. There is nothing left of the interior of my mom's Explorer. ( no seats. Steering wheel & column, glass, nothing) I have e-mailed Ford and spoke with them regarding this matter and they say that if my mom's insurance company settled then they claim nothing was wrong with the vehicle. …
I was involved in an unexplained roll over involving a 2001 Ford Explorer Sport, a 2 door vehicle. I did not have Firestone tires on the vehicle in question. My Goodyear tires were intact after the accident. I have reviewed the test data and I am convinced this is a faulty vehicle design. I nearly loss my life. It has changed my life. It seems as though your organization has cleared Ford indirectly by focusing attention on Firestone tires and not testing all Ford SUV's.
Related recalls (1)
Structure › Body › Hood › Hinge and attachments
Vehicle description: sport utility vehicles with steel hoods and certain pickup trucks equipped with sheet molding compound hoods. A wire formed hood striker could be susceptible to fatigue fractures. If the hood striker fractures, the hood could fly open while the vehicle is being driven.
Remedy: Dealers will replace the hood striker.
NHTSA investigations
Rear liftgate glass assembly
Complaints report failure of the rear liftgate glass support while the operator is opening or closing the glass.the falling glass can strike the operator or bystander.the injuries reported are bruises to the head, neck or back, cuts to the face, arm or hand.on September 9, 2004, Ford notified the agency that it will recall approximately 955,732 my 2002 and 2003 Ford explorer and Mercury mountaineer vehicles to…
Rear liftgate glass hatch failure
This investigation was opened on June 23, 2008, based on 34 complaints involving eight injuries in which the rear liftgate glass hatch on model year 2004 Ford explorers or Mercury mountaineers broke off and fell, usually while individuals were operating the glass hatch or loading or unloading items from the rear of the vehicle.Ford conducted recall 04v-442 in 2004 to address similar problems on model year 2002 and…
Frequently asked questions
Which Ford Explorer Sport years have body problems?
By NHTSA complaints, the 2001 (30), 2002 (28), 2003 (25), 2004 (11) and 1999 (7) model years. Body complaints make up 16% of all complaints for the 2001.
Is there a recall for Ford Explorer Sport body problems?
Yes — 1 recall, including 00V-394 (hinge and attachments, Nov 28, 2000). Recall repairs are free at authorized dealers; check a specific car with the VIN recall check.
At what mileage do Ford Explorer Sport body problems start?
Across all years, half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 84,000 miles; 18% happened before 50,000 miles.
What part fails most often?
Owners most often name the body (41 mentions), followed by the body › hatchback/liftgate › hinge and attachments (23).
Source: U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) — owner complaints through October 20, 2026, recalls and defect investigations; fuel economy from the EPA. Complaints are unverified reports and are not proof of a defect. How we rate model years.