There are 50 owner-reported visibility & wipers complaints for the 2002 Ford Explorerin NHTSA's database. These are unverified consumer reports and may not reflect confirmed defects.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 FORD EXPLORER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THERE WAS A LOUD ABNORMAL NOISE AND NOTICED THAT THE SUN ROOF WAS DETACHED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN UNKNOWN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHO STATED THAT THE MANUFACTURER DISCONTINUED THE PART. THE DEALER WAS NOT CONTACTED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE AND CONFIRMED THAT THE SUN ROOFS WERE DISCONTINUED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 160,000.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 FORD EXPLORER. WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS PARKED, THE REAR WINDSHIELD SHATTERED WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE ISSUE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 80,000.
"EXPLODING REAR WINDOW" - MY TRUCK WAS PARKED IN FRONT OF MY HOUSE AND I WENT OUT TO GET SOMETHING OUT OF IT. I SIMPLY OPENED THE HATCH AND THE REAR WINDOW EXPLODED IN MY FACE.
WHILE PARKED IN MY DRIVEWAY THE BACK WINDOW (LIFT GATE WINDOW) WAS RAISED TO REMOVE THINGS FROM THE BACK OF THE VEHICLE AS SOON AS THE WINDOW WAS BEING CLOSED ABOUT HALFWAY DOWN IT EXPLODED AND SENT GLASS FLYING ALL AROUND OUTSIDE AND INSIDE THE VEHICLE. THE BOTTOM PIECE OF THE WINDOW WITH THE WIPER WAS HANGING FROM THE ELECTRICAL CORD EVERYTHING ELSE WAS GONE. THERE WAS NO FORCE ON THE WINDOW AND NOTHING OBSTRUCTING IT THE WHOLE THING JUST EXPLODED FOR NO APPARENT REASON. IT WAS VERY SCARY AND COULD HAVE CAUSED SERIOUS INJURIES. LUCKILY NO ONE IN THIS SITUATION WAS INJURED. MY FAMILY HAVE SPENT HOURS REMOVING ALL OF THE SHATTERED GLASS FROM THE DRIVEWAY AND YARD. IT SENT GLASS FLYING AS FAR AS TO THE FRONT OF THE VEHICLE.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 FORD EXPLORER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE PARKED, THE REAR HATCH WINDOW WAS CLOSED AND IT SHATTERED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO A DEALER OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 91,000. THE CONSUMER STATED AFTER THE WINDOW WAS REPLACED, SHE RECEIVED A RECALL LETTER FOR THE EXACT ISSUE. UPDATED 03/21/16.*JB
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 FORD EXPLORER. UPON OPENING AND CLOSING THE REAR HATCH, THE ROD ON THE DRIVER SIDE FRACTURED WHICH CAUSED THE GLASS TO SHATTER. THE VEHICLE WAS PARKED AT THE CONTACT'S RESIDENCE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 111,043. UPDATED 1/15/16 *CN
THE REAR WINDOW SHUTTERED INTO 100 PIECES DURING THE DRIVING. THE REAR PANEL HAS CRACKED. *TR
WHILE PUSHING UP ON THE REAR PANEL THE GLASS MAKING UP THE REAR WINDOW EXPLODED - SHATTERED. *TR
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. *TR
BACK TAILGATE PANEL WAS CRACKED (DEFECT) AND THE BACK WINDOW JUST EXPLODED WHEN THE TAILGATE WAS OPEN. *TR
WHEN I OPEN THE BACK GLASS WINDOW, ONE HINGE BROKE OFF. I TRY TO SET THE WINDOW, THE OTHER HINGE BROKE. I HAVE TO TIE A ROPE TO KEEP THE GLASS FROM FALLING OFF. *TR I FIND ON LINE THERE IS A RECALL FOR 2002 - 2003 FORD EXPLORER LIFTGATE GLASS HINGE AND STRUT BRACKETS, NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER: 04V442000. WHEN I CONTACTED FORD DEALER AND FORD COMPANY, THEY SAY MY VEHICLE VIN IS NOT COVERED BY THE RECALL. IF OTHER FORD EXPOLORERS ARE COVERED, WHY MY VIN IS NOT COVERED? IS IT BECAUSE THERE ARE FEWER FORD EXPLORER SPORT BUILT, AND LESS PEOPLE COMPLAIN ABOUT THE PROBLEM? I THINK THE RECALL SHOULD EXPAND TO COVER ALL EXPLORER BUILD IN 2002 - 2003.
WHILE UNLOADING ITEMS FROM BACK I HAD THE HALF GLASS OPEN, AS I WALKED AWAY THE BACK GLASS JUST SLAMMED DOWN AND SHATTERED EVERYWHERE. *TR
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 FORD EXPLORER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT HE ATTEMPTED TO ENGAGE THE HEATER HOWEVER, THE VEHICLE EXHIBITED AN ABNORMAL NOISE AND THE HEATER WOULD NOT ENGAGE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHO ADVISED THE CONTACT THAT THE HEATER BOX NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS UNKNOWN.
WHEN CLOSING THE REAR HATCH GLASS, THE GLASS EXPLODED. CAR WAS PARKED INSIDE OUR GARAGE ATTACHED TO OUR HOUSE. WE WERE UNLOADING PACKAGES AND WHEN WE WERE DONE WE REACHED UP AND PULLED THE WINDOW TO CLOSE. THE GLASS SHATTERED ALL OVER. *TR
THE REAR HINGES GAVE WAY, AND THE BACK HALF GLASS EXPLODED. *TR
I WAS OPENING THE REAR GLASS ON MY 2002 FORD EXPLORER SPORT WHEN THE HINGE BROKE AND THE GLASS FELL ON MY ARM. I WAS LUCKY TO CATCH IT BEFORE IT HIT THE GROUND. I NOW HAVE A HUGE BRUISE ON MY ARM. I CONTACTED FORD THE SAID MY TRUCK WAS NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALL BECAUSE OF WHERE IT WAS BUILT. *TR
I HAVE A 2002 FORD EXPLORER THAT I PURCHASED 8 MONTHS AGO. I HAVE HAD TO REPLACE THE SWITCH THAT CONTROLS THE WINDOWS 8 TIMES NOW. THE DRIVER SIDE WINDOW GOES DOWN WHILE NOONE IS TOUCHING IT AND WILL NOT GO BACK UP. I HAVE JUMPED THE WINDOW UP AND DISCONNECTED THE PLUG UNTIL I COULD AFFORD IT EVERY TIME THAT THIS HAS HAPPENED. THE COST IS ABOUT $200 TO REPAIR. I FEEL THAT THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUE BECAUSE IT IS SO FREQUENT AND UNTIL A PERSON CAN AFFORD TO FIX THE PROBLEM YOU HAVE TO JUMP YOUR WINDOW AND DISCONNECT THE PLUG, ALLOWING NONE OF THE WINDOWS TO GO DOWN. WHAT IF THERE WAS AN ACCIDENT AND PUTTING A WINDOW DOWN WAS THE ONLY WAY FOR AN ADULT OR A CHILD TO GET OUT OF THIS VEHICLE? TO ME THAT IS DANGEROUS! AND TERRIFYING! IN 8 MONTHS OF OWNING A VEHICLE THAT I PAID $6,500 FOR I HAVE NOW PUT $1,600 INTO ON TOP OF IT! AND I WILL CONTINUE TO HAVE TO DO SO IF THIS PROBLEM IS NOT RECALLED. I HAVE TAKEN THE VEHICLE TO 4 DIFFERENT GARAGES AND THE ONLY "FIX" OPTION I AM GETTING IS TO REPLACE THE SWITCH! THERE HAS TO BE SOMETHING MORE THAN THIS IF THE SWITCH IS GOING BAD EVERY MONTH OR MORE! THIS LAST TIME IT TOOK A WHOLE 3 DAYS FOR THE SWITCH TO GO BAD AGAIN! I UNDERSTAND THAT SOME PEOPLE MAY FEEL AS THOUGH THIS IS NOT DANGEROUS OR IS NOT A SAFETY ISSUE, BUT LETS BE REAL HERE.....IF THE PLUG IS NOT CONNECTED THE WINDOWS CANNOT GOT DOWN. SO IF THERE IS A FIRE OR AN ACCIDENT AND THIS IS THE ONLY WAY OUT PEOPLE MAY DIE!! SOME PEOPLE MAY SAY TO JUST KEEP PAYING TO HAVE THE PROBLEM FIXED, HOWEVER IT IS GETTING EXPENSIVE AND IT IS NOT TRULY FIXING WHATEVER THE PROBLEM IS! FORD MADE THIS VEHICLE AND SHOULD HAVE TO FIX THIS ISSUE!! *TR
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 FORD EXPLORER. WHILE PARKED, THE CONTACT WAS STANDING UNDER THE REAR LIFT GATE WHEN IT CLOSED ON ITS OWN AND THE GLASS SHATTERED. THE CONTACT DID NOT HAVE SEVERE INJURIES BUT SUSTAINED A HEADACHE AND CUTS ON HER HEAD. THE CONTACT STATED THERE WAS A RECALL NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER: 07E104000 (COMPONENT: VISIBILITY: GLASS, SIDE/REAR) ON THE VEHICLE. THE RECALL REPAIRS WERE PERFORMED ON THE VEHICLE PRIOR TO THE FAILURE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED AND STATED THE VEHICLE COULD BE TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR INSPECTION AND IF THE TECHNICIANS DETERMINED THE REPAIRS WERE NOT PERFORMED CORRECTLY, THEY WOULD COVER THE COSTS OF THE GLASS BUT IF THEY WERE DONE CORRECTLY, THE CONTACT WOULD HAVE TO COVER THE REPAIR COSTS. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 58,263.
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 FORD EXPLORER. WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS PARKED, THE REAR HATCH WINDOW EXPLODED WITHOUT WARNING. THE DEALER REPAIRED THE WINDOW ACCORDING TO RECALL 01I010000 (VISIBILITY: GLASS, SIDE/REAR) BUT THE FAILURE OCCURRED AGAIN. THE VEHICLE HAD NOT BEEN REPAIRED. THE VIN WAS UNAVAILABLE. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE UNKNOWN.
THE FORD EXPLORER SPORT HAS A REAR HATCH THAT INCLUDES A GLASS SECTION THAT HAS THE ABILITY TO BE OPENED TO LOAD ITEMS INTO THE TRUNK AREA OF THE VEHICLE. THREE SEPARATE TIMES THE REAR WINDSHIELD HAS BLOWN OUT AS IT HAS BEEN OPENED / CLOSED. THE REAR WINDSHIELD IS MADE OF TEMPERED GLASS AND WHEN IT BREAKS IT EXPLODES INTO THE PERSON OPERATING THE WINDOW. THERE HAS NOT BEEN ANY INJURIES BESIDES A FEW SMALL CUTS, BUT HAVING GLASS EXPLODE INTO A PERSON IS DANGEROUS. AFTER THE FIRST FAILURE THE GLASS WAS SIMPLY REPLACED. THE FIRST FAILURE OCCURRED AS THE REAR GLASS WAS OPENED. AFTER THE SECOND FAILURE, THE CAR WAS BROUGHT TO A FORD DEALERSHIP TO FIX THE ISSUE. THE SECOND FAILURE OCCURRED AS THE GLASS WAS CLOSED. THE THIRD FAILURE OCCURRED 12/1/2013, IT HAS YET TO BE FIXED. THIS MOST RECENT FAILURE OCCURRED AS THE GLASS WAS CLOSED. *TR
Showing 1–20 of 50 complaints
Complaints are unverified consumer reports submitted to NHTSA. A high complaint count may reflect vehicle popularity, not defect severity. Data sourced from NHTSA public records.
Data synced from NHTSA on Apr 26, 2026