NHTSA Complaint #10180773 — 2002 FORD EXPLORER

THE MIDDLE PANEL UNDER THE GLASS IN THE BACK OF THE CAR HAS CRACKED. I SUSPECT IT WAS DUE TO COLD WEATHER. I HAVE SINCE SEEN OTHER EXPLORERS WITH THIS PROBLEM AND NOTICE THAT THERE ARE A LOT OF COMPLAINTS ONLINE ABOUT THIS. IN ADDITION, THIS PAST SUMMER MY SHIFTER SNAPPED OFF THE BARREL. I HAD 4 KIDS IN THE CAR AT THE TIME. FORD RESPONDED BY TELLING ME THAT I HAD 75K MILES AND NO WARRANTY AND I DIDN'T TYPICALLY GET MY CAR SERVICED THERE SO THEY WEREN'T GOING TO BE WILLING TO "WORK WITH ME" TO GET IT RESOLVED. WHEN I TOLD HIM I HAD MY 'REGULAR' MECHANIC LOOK AT IT HE SAID THAT THE LABOR RATE WAS PROBABLY CHEAPER WITH HIM THAN AT FORD. WELL - NOW TELL ME WHY I WOULD SERVICE MY CAR AT A FORD DEALERSHIP? OH YEAH...IN CASE I GET CRACKS OR SHIFTERS FALL OFF AND MAYBE THEY'LL 'WORK WITH ME' ON THE PRICE. BIG INCENTIVE. OH YEAH, MY FUEL GAUGE DOESN'T WORK - ANOTHER COMMON PROBLEM. MY PREVIOUS EXPLORER (ABOUT 10 YEARS BACK) HAD THE SAME PROBLEM . THE GUY UP THE STREET HAS AN EXPLORER (2003) AND IT DOESN'T WORK EITHER. *JB