49 owner complaints to NHTSA about the 2000 Ford Explorer cite seats, 5% of all 1,078 complaints for this model year. NHTSA also lists 1 recall on this component.
“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2000 FORD EXPLORER. WHILE DRIVING 55 MPH, THE SEAT FRACTURED AND ROTATED BACKWARDS. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A DEALER, BUT WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE VIN WAS INCLUDED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 03V281000 (SEATS). THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 153,000.”
“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2000 FORD EXPLORER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING AT APPROXIMATELY 45 MPH, THE DRIVER SIDE SEAT COLLAPSED TO THE REAR SEAT. THE CONTACT DISCOVERED THAT THE DRIVER SIDE SEAT BECAME UNSTABLE. THE CONTACT SUSTAINED UNKNOWN INJURIES THAT DID NOT REQUIRE MEDICAL ATTENTION. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 03V281000 (SEATS). THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 149,199. UPDATED 4/15/15*CN UPDATED 9/11/17*CN”
“2000 FORD EXPLORER WENT UP IN FLAMES. REPORTED IT RIGHT AWAY TO FORD AND WAS GIVEN A CASE NUMBER. THEY TOLD US TO TAKE IT TO A FORD DEALER IN THE AREA. AFTER MONTHS AND MONTHS AND MONTHS OF GETTING NO RESPONSE WE KEPT GETTING THE RUN AROUND THEN TOLD THAT IT HAD NOTHING TO DO WITH ANY DEFECT. WE RECENTLY GOT A RECALL LETTER FROM FORD FOR THE EXACT THING THAT HAPPENED TO THIS CAR CAUSING IT TO GO ON FIRE AND FORD WILL NOT RESPOND. THEY SAY THAT THE CLAIM HAS BEEN CLOSED AND THAT THE ORIGINAL DECISION (WHICH WE NEVER RECEIVED) STANDS AND THEY WILL NOT RESPOND TO US ANY LONGER. HOW CAN THIS BE ACCEPTABLE. SEE FORD SAFETY RECALL #05S28 IT IS EXACTLY WHAT HAPPENED TO THE EXPLORER. *TR”
“I GOT INTO MY CAR TO GO TO LUNCH FROM MY PLACE OF EMPLOYMENT WITH MY CEO. WHEN I SAT DOWN THE SEAT FELL BACK AND THE SEAT BACK WOULD NOT CATCH AGAIN. I TOOK MY LIFE INTO MY HANDS DRIVING HOME THAT EVENING. CONTACTED OUR LOCAL FORD DEALER WHERE WE PURCHASED THE CAR, THEY SAID THE PART WAS NO LONGER AVAILABLE AND THEY COULD NOT FIX IT. THEY NEVER INFORMED US OF A RECALL. UNTIL EXPLORING THE INTERNET TODAY 10-25-2013 WE DID NOT REALIZE THERE WAS A RECALL AT ALL. NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID # 03V281000/NHTSA ACTION #PE03020 OF AUGUST 5-2013. NOW WE CAN NOT LOCATE THE PART. *TR”
“THE DRIVER'S SIDE FRONT SEAT, WITHOUT WARNING, RECLINED COMPLETELY. MECHANIC BELIEVES THAT THE BOLT HOLDING THE RECLINER MECHANISM TO THE SEAT FRAME IS BROKEN. CURRENTLY USING THE REAR SEAT TO PROP UP THE DRIVER'S SEAT UNTIL A REPLACEMENT SEAT CAN BE FOUND. *TR”
“TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2000 FORD EXPLORER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE DRIVER'S SEAT WAS RECLINING FARTHER THAN NORMAL. WHEN THE CONTACT ENTERED THE VEHICLE AND SAT BACK, THE SEAT FAILED. THE MANUFACTURER STATED THAT THIS WAS NORMAL WEAR ON THE SEAT AND IT CANNOT BE REPAIRED. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 93,924.”
Showing 6 of 49 reports. Read every report on NHTSA.gov.
ON CERTAIN SPORT UTILITY VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH HIGH BACK SEATS, THE UPPER BOLT ON THE DRIVER'S SIDE HIGH BACK SEAT, THAT ATTACHES THE SEAT RECLINER MECHANISM TO THE SEAT BACK FRAME, COULD FRACTURE. IF THE BOLT FRACTURES AND DOES NOT JAM IN THE SEAT BACK FRAME, THE SEAT BACK MAY RECLINE UNTIL IT MAKES CONTACT WITH AN OBJECT BEHIND THE SEAT, SUCH AS THE SECOND ROW SEAT CUSHION.
Complaints are unverified owner reports to NHTSA and are not normalized for sales volume. One complaint can cite several components.