148 owner complaints to NHTSA about the 2002 Ford Explorer cite visibility, 4% of all 3,613 complaints for this model year. NHTSA also lists 2 recalls on this component.
“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.”
“DRIVING ND STEERING WHEEL FELL APART BRAKE SWITCH STOPPED WORKING 3 TIMES HAD NEW TRANSMISSION PUT IN HAD TO HAVE 3 DIFFERENT SETS OF TIRE PUT ON BACK WINDOW SHATTERED WHILE SITTING AT RED LIGHT. *TR”
“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”
“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”
“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 6 of 148 reports. Read every report on NHTSA.gov.
CERTAIN CURVED TEMPERED REPLACEMENT GLASS MANUFACTURED BY HANGZHOU SAFETY GLASS LTD AND SUPPLIED TO SAFELITE BY AUTO TEMP INC., IDENTIFIED AS DOT-430, AND SOLD FOR USE ON CERTAIN DOMESTIC AND FOREIGN VEHICLES MAY NOT BREAK INTO SMALL PIECES AS EXPECTED OF TEMPERED GLASS AND FAILS TO CONFORM TO FEDERAL MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY STANDARD NO. 205, "GLAZING MATERIALS."
THIS IS NOT A SAFETY RECALL IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE SAFETY ACT. HOWEVER, IT IS DEEMED A SAFETY IMPROVEMENT CAMPAIGN BY THE AGENCY. VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: 2002 FORD EXPLORER AND MERCURY MONTAINEER SPORT UTILITY VEHICLES. THE BRACKETS CONNECTING THE LEFT CYLINDERS TO EACH SIDE OF THE LIFTGATE GLASS COULD ROTATE OUT OF POSITION IF EITHER THE URETHANE BOND OR TORQUE ARE NOT SUFFICIENT.
Complaints are unverified owner reports to NHTSA and are not normalized for sales volume. One complaint can cite several components.