2017 Ford Explorer visibility/wiper problems

“1. Rubber is falling off the windshield and hood. This is a ford issue and they refuse to repair this. It appears to be heat related and the car was sold in an area with high summer temperatures. It is cracked and peeling at the bottom of the windshield causing rain and leaves to seep into the engine area. This could start a fire hazard if it's not repaired. Quoted me 12k to fix (more than the cost of getting another car that is less dangerous). 2. Inside auto same issue is happening with the ford installed dashcover. It is peeling back and in order to repair, they must take EVERYTHING out of the inside to repair and yes $$$$ close to 20k. Again this is a ford issue not a user issue. The dash cover is black and underneath it is white. Driver is unable to fix on own. Both of these are Ford defects that Ford should step up and repair.”

“There are 2 recalls that have not been acted on by Homer Skelton Ford of Millington, LLC. It has been almost two years and the dealership continues to state they do not have the parts to fix the recalls. The two recalls are not indicated as active, so I’m not sure if they claimed they already fixed them in their system. The recalls are for the rubber around the windshield and the panels near the windshield.”

“No warning. It was cold out. I ran into a store. Came back to my car and started it. The rear window defrost automatically turned on. I sat for a few minutes to let my car warm up and the back window exploded. I heard the loud explosion like a gun shot. Look back and the window exploded all into the vehicle. If I had a child in the 3rd row seat they would have had glass all over them. Possibly causing harm to any rear passenger. I since have had the window replaced. But after doing research about complaints. this has happened to several people. Even several times. This is a safety concern and should be thoroughly investigated!”

“I spoke to the service manager at Hub City Ford located at [XXX] about the rubber around windshield was dry rotting and had came completely off. I was told that there was a recall that would fix the issue last year and so I waited for the call. During this time the vehicle started making this very loud whistling noise once the vehicle got to 40 mph. I was contacted n October of 2025 about getting the window fixed. We scheduled an appointment and someone came to fix the issue however once they left I notice that they only fixed to left and right side and did not fix the top and bottom of window so I called the manager back. The manager insisted that this was the only parts they were going to fix and if we wanted the rest fixed we would have to pay out of pocket which would’ve cost around $800. This is very concerning to me because why would they only fix half of the problem with no explanation on why the rest would not be fixed. Since then I have called to complain about the loud whistling that is still there and now water is leaking inside of vehicle. Since the leak started we have has problems with the electrical system and windshield wipers coming on with no…”

“Issue: Rear liftgate window on my 2017 Ford Explorer Sport spontaneously shattered without any impact. Conditions: Occurred in cold weather (approx. 5 F) within 30 minutes of starting the vehicle. Description: The glass failed suddenly with an explosive sound and scattered fragments inside and outside the vehicle. There were no prior cracks, chips, or external forces. Safety Concern: Sudden loss of rear visibility, risk of injury from flying glass, and potential hazard to pedestrians or nearby vehicles. Pattern: Multiple owners of 2017 Explorers report the same issue—rear window shattering in cold weather or during defroster use—suggesting a possible systemic defect in the rear glazing or defroster system. Request: Please review this incident as part of a potential defect trend and assess whether an investigation is warranted.”

“In January of 2025 the rear windshield suddenly blew a hole in it after starting the vehicle with the remote start. I was advised that due to the cold temperatures and then the heat from the rear defrost caused this to occur. On Wednesday 12/31/25, the same exact thing happened. My vehicle was parked at my home in the garage when I remote started it. A few minutes later, my daughter and I got in, started it, then proceeded to back up when we heard a loud boom. Same thing happened as the first issue in January of 2025. No reason, no damage and it blows a hole it in near the rear wiper. This is causing glass shards to explode into the interior.”