Window & Wiper complaints by model year
Which parts fail
Components named in complaints (power windows, windshield, wipers, mirrors, sunroof).
Mileage when the problem started
What owners report
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.
Tl* the contact owns a 2003 Ford Explorer Sport. While driving 50 MPH, a loud noise was heard when the sun roof exploded without warning. There were no injuries. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 130,000. The VIN was not available.
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.
My husband and I own a 2002 Ford Explorer Sport. Friday, oct. 24th, 2008 we had traveled out of town about 2 hours away from our home. We were on our way home and we were completely stopped at a red light. All of a sudden we heard a huge boom and the rear liftgate glass shattered. We did have the police come out and inspect the vehicle for any indications as to what May have caused the glass to shatter. They did not find anything that would have caused the problem. When my husband and I got home we did some research online to find out if there was a recall on this type of problem. We did find that in 2001 Ford recalled thousands of Ford explorers for a similar issue. We contacted Ford and were told that our vehicle was not part of that recall. They directed us to NHTSA to file a complaint due to our issue being almost identical to this recall. …
I was driving and heard loud noise. Sounded like the back window hatch was open and vibrating with every bump in the road. The hatch was closed, so I looked under the vehicle to find the body mounts had completely crumbled away. The body of the vehicle was riding on the frame with no cushion. The body of the vehicle was very hard to handle and felt as if it May shift off the frame at anytime.
Tl contact owns a 2001 Ford Explorer Sport. The contact stated that the driver side window fell inside the door. The dealer was contacted and advised the contact the he will be responsible for paying for the repairs. There were no related recalls or warranties. The failure mileage was 8,000. Updated 02/02/10 updated 02/05/10.
Tl* the contact owns a 1999 Ford Explorer Sport. The contact was driving approximately 35 MPH in rainy weather conditions and the windshield wipers failed to operate during activation. The windshield wipers would operate whenever the windshield washer control device was engaged. Also, the windshield wipers operated when manually turning the control lever. On numerous occasions, the windshield wipers activated while in the off mode. In addition, the hood support arm would not remain in an upward position. The vehicle had not been diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 76,500. Updated 02/22/12 the consumer stated the wipers would activate, when the defroster was on. Updated 03/01/12
Recall 00V072000 concerning electronic functions. Windshield wipers were inoperative. Also, interior lights, and the 4x4 control worked intermittently. Dealer was notified. Dealer informed the consumer that this vehicle was not covered under the recall.
Frequently asked questions
Which Ford Explorer Sport years have window & wiper problems?
By NHTSA complaints, the 2003 (16), 2002 (15), 1999 (9) and 2001 (7) model years. Window & Wiper complaints make up 25% of all complaints for the 2003.
Is there a recall for Ford Explorer Sport window & wiper problems?
No. NHTSA lists no windows, wipers & sunroof recall for any Ford Explorer Sport model year. A widespread problem may still be covered by an extended warranty or a manufacturer service bulletin, so ask a dealer.
At what mileage do Ford Explorer Sport window & wiper problems start?
Across all years, half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 97,000 miles; 21% happened before 50,000 miles.
What part fails most often?
Owners most often name the glass, side/rear (14 mentions), followed by the windshield wiper/washer (6).
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.