Tl* the contact owns a 2004 ford explorer. The contact stated that after opening the rear glass lift gate window, the two plastic hinges attached to the window fractured causing the window to fall and separate from the vehicle. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 141,500.
2004 Ford Explorer body complaints
Page 3 of 15: complaints 41 to 70 of 426, newest first, as owners wrote them.
The car was parked in a grocery store lot. I used the remote to open the back latch to store my groceries. It did not open. I tried again. Suddenly the back window exploded and the back hatch came off it hinges. I am unable to drive the car until it is repaired. I found many stories online that said the same thing has happened to other 2004 explorers and ford has not done anything with the complaints. This episode could have been very serious had it occurred while driving or if someone had been hit by the flying glass debris.
The rear hatch door cracked and noticed so took to auto body shop and they told us it was a ford defect and if fixed it would crack again due to the make of this car.
Upon opening the rear glass hatch, the passenger side of the hinge broke when fully open and the window fell down, hitting me in the head. The panel below on this same window to the left of the ford logo plate had also cracked about 6 months ago.
The back hatch window doesn't seem to line up with the latch. The back hatch also cracked right near the ford logo. I have seen many of the explorers that this has happened to. Its time ford fixes this defect. Also while doing around 60-65 MPH my timing chains broke, all 3 of them at the same time. I could understand 1 maybe but all 3 ? This to has to be a manufacturer defect.
Tl* the contact owns a 2004 ford explorer. The contact stated that the rear wheel wells and frame were rusted. And the rear hatch was fractured. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The failure mileage was 40,000 and the current mileage was 100,000. Updated 09/30/14*lj the consumers stated the transmission jerks into gear. Updated 02/25/2015
When closing rear panel, the panel cracked.
Rear glass lift gate: cracks appeared in the rear hatch on both sides of the rear ford logo.( I now notice many ford explorers with same cracks). Top right glass hinge twisted significantly and top left glass hinge twisted slightly. The fastening bolts for both glass hinges are rusted through. This resulted in the rear glass window shifting, apparently causing the cracks in the tail gate. I contacted sunshine ford's service dept. In newburgh, ny and was told ford is not responsible for fixing/replacing this defect. They chose their words carefully. They emphasized that "my model year" was not recalled for this defect. I asked if "any" explorers had a recall for this defect. They would not say; but instead repeated,"my model year" was not recalled for this defect. The federal safety agency has already received consumer complaints of injuries from owners whose lift gate glass broke off its mounting hinge while open, and caused head injuries. It is only a matter of time before a rear lift glass panel detaches from an explorer in motion on a highway. That could easily lead to a multi vehicle accident along with multiple fatalities. I checked and ford had a similar part recall for 2002 & 2003 explorers. Ford changed the part then and has not met the # of complaints to be forced to recall 2004 and up explorers. Unfortunately, I think many explorer owners check with the dealer as to whether or not there was/is a recall and give up upon hearing no. We need to get anyone we know with this problem to file a complaint with the federal safety agency. It is only a matter of time before some innocent person dies as a result of this "known" defect! As I understand it, this is a known defect for which ford is not willing to take responsibility. Ford should fix this problem at no cost.
Tl* the contact owns a 2004 ford explorer. The contact stated that the rear lift gate was fractured directly on the logo where the lift gate lock was located. The defect could have caused the rear lift gate to open while driving. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was 14,000 and the current mileage was 16,000.
Cracked panel below rear window, went to garage and found this, cracked all the way thru.
Rear lift gate plastic cracked through ford logo with no contact. Third row seatbelt stuck and hard to release.
Crack in rear hatch below rear window. As I understand it, this is a known fault for which ford is not willing to take responsibility. Ford should fix problem at no cost.
Tl* the contact owns a 2004 ford explorer. The contact stated that the rear liftgate was cracked. The vehicle was not taken to a dealer or an independent mechanic for repairs. The manufacturer was notified of the issue. The approximate failure mileage was 89,846.
Tl* the contact owns a 2004 ford ford explorer. The contact stated there was a crack underneath the window of the tailgate. The vehicle was not taken to a dealer or an independent mechanic for diagnostic testing or to be repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the problem. The approximate failure mileage was 8,627. ..updated 03/25/14
My car was parked outside of the grocery store. I opened the rear hatch to load my groceries. As I reached up to close the hatch the right side of it collapsed and fell right on my head leaving a large lump. Upon investigation I found that the hinge on the right side of the hatch had snapped and the weight of the hatch has twisted the hinge on the left side. Luckily, I broke the fall of the hatch or there would have been shattered glass everywhere. Definitely a safety issue.
Tl* the contact owns a 2004 ford explorer. The contact noticed a crack on the lift gate near the manufacturer's emblem. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the problem. The approximate failure mileage was 147,000.
The rear liftgate panel cracked for no apparent reason.
Tl* the contact owns a 2004 ford explorer xlt. The contact stated that upon inspection, the left hinge that held the trunk window snapped unexpectedly. The window was held by the contact while another person latched the window back into place. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was notified. The failure mileage was 25,000.
The ford motor company is well aware of the problem with its ford explorers produced 2002-2008. The back door panel cracks all the way through just under the window. There are thousands of owners with this problem and many documented who have been driving the vehicle and had the back window completely explode. There is no telling when this is going to happen only to alarm the driver and cause a major freeway accident. Right now there is a class action lawsuit moving to get the ford company to repair this problem. But they are waiting for a major accident, injury or loss of life to do the right thing.
Tl* the contact owns a 2004 ford explorer. The contact stated that he opened the rear trunk window and the left hinge became fractured. The window fell onto the contact unexpectedly, which saved the window from falling and shattering. The vehicle was taken to a dealer where the mechanic stated that the hinge would need to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired. The manufacturer was notified. The failure mileage was 80,602.
On the body the tailgate panel keeps cracking this makes my truck look bad compared to the money I put into it. My engine or transmission acts as if something is wrong it is not shifting gear right. On the electrical tire pressure light keeps coming on and it also keeps leaking water from somewhere. Ford needs to go out of business for selling these pieces of junk. It makes no sense.
Rear lift gate hinges cracking at pin causing rear gate glass to shift down and tailgate not to latch correctly.
I opened the lift gate window to load groceries when the right side of the window suddenly let go up near the hinge. This caused the right side of the window to drop and then the left hinge broke, causing the entire rear window to drop. I was able to catch it so it didn't break and eventually release the support struts so I could get it into the back of the vehicle. It appears that the fastener near the hinge was corroded through and when I tried to open the window the weight was finally too much for it so it snapped, releasing the window on that side. Fortunately this fastener failed in a parking lot and not on a freeway or the whole rear window may have come off and posed a danger to the cars behind. Ford has already issued a recall for 2002 and 2003 models which used the same hinge assembly, don't know why 2004 was not included.
Tl* the contact owns a 2004 ford explorer. The contact stated that the rear hatch was defective and the plastic that covered the license plate area on the hatch became fractured. As a result, when the hatch was opened, the contact and two children sustained lacerations to the hands. The vehicle was not taken to the dealer. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was 35,000 and the current mileage was 114,000.
Tl* the contact owns a 2004 ford explorer. The contact stated that the horizontal panel under the rear lift gate was fractured. The vehicle was not taken to a dealer. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The approximate failure and current mileage was 99,000.
The right hinge on the rear window lift gate is corroded and as a result is half broken off. The window rattles due to it being loose. The left hinge is now starting to do the exact same thing. There have been times when I turn the vehicle on and the message center will indicate 'rear liftgate ajar' and it is the window hatch that is ajar. I feel this issue w/the hinge will ajar from the latch. I called a local dealership to see if this was a recall and he stated not on my specific vehicle after giving him my VIN. I feel this is a huge safety issue. I refrain use of the window in the fear it will fall on me. Now my fear is the window will fall completely off while driving.
Tl* the contact owns a 2004 ford explorer. The contact stated that the horizontal panel under the rear lift gate was fractured. The vehicle was not taken to a dealer. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The approximate failure and current mileage was 85,000.
My daughter weighs 99 lbs she opened hatch at gas station and the window portion of the entire hatchback fell off also there is a crack in the plastic down the hatch which I see on every old explorer.
Purchased this vehicle as used on 4-19-13 and had noticed the crack to the left of the ford emblem. Upon closer look today there is a second crack about 8 inches to the right of the emblem.
I was closing the upper door on the back of my SUV when the right hinge broke and the door almost dropped to the ground. I managed to wrestle it back up but the hydraulic shock on the door broke and leaked fluid all over the car. I cannot get it back into the window opening properly it is open about an inch. I am afraid to drive the car in case the window falls out.
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