NHTSA Complaint #10217738 — 2003 FORD EXPLORER

I OWN A 2003 FORD EXPLORER XLT 4WD. APPROXIMATELY 12 MONTHS AGO, THE REAR TRIM PANEL BENEATH THE REAR WINDOW CRACK DOWN THE MIDDLE. I CONTACTED MY NEAREST DEALER WHO INFORMED ME THAT WHILE FORD HAD RECOGNIZED THAT IT WAS A PROBLEM, THEY DID NOT PLAN TO ISSUE A TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN OR RECALL. THE DEALER SERVICE REPS EVEN AGREED THAT THERE IS A SIGNIFICANT PROBLEM WITH EXPLORERS AND MOUNTAINEERS. I HAVE SEEN MANY OTHER EXPLORERS AND MOUNTAINEERS WITH THE SAME PROBLEM AS WELL AS MANY COMPLAINTS ON-LINE. TODAY THE REAR HATCH LEFT LATCH BROKE OFF CAUSING THE ENTIRE REAR LIFT GATE WINDOW TO NEARLY FALL OFF. THE PROBLEM COULD POSSIBLY BE RELATED DUE TO THE EARLIER CRACK CAUSING THE WEIGHT OF THE REAR GLASS TO SHIFT, PLACE TOO MUCH STRAIN ON THE LEFT LATCH. THE DEALER IS REPAIRING THE BROKEN LATCH, WINDOW MOLDING AND REAR HATCH STRUTS, UNDER AN EXTENDED SERVICE PLAN BUT STILL WILL NOT REPAIR THE PREVIOUS CRACKED TRIM PANEL. THIS IS INDICATIVE OF FORD'S FAILURE TO BACK UP THEIR PRODUCT AND THEY HAVE LOST A LONG TERM CUSTOMER. *TR