OK, So What Do You DISLIKE About The 5th Gen?

[virtual]

Most of this is repeat but what the hell:

'14 Sport

1. Stock headlights are crap - need wider field and need to be brighter.

So I hope this doesn't upset people coming the other direction as I drive, but I did an experiment and drove down the unlit windy road we typically traverse with my fog lights on. Definitely made it brighter, AND increased the field of view. Might be a creative low tech solution.. A design feature.. What Ford intended all along (maybe not)!

The obvious concern is that it might adversely affect people coming the other way. Not sure how I'll check that out, but maybe I'll just be that jerk in the explorer always driving with his fog lights on.

 

[bburzycki]

This is turning into a sizable list of gripes and items we all think are missing:

• Fuel tank is too small
• Bad Rearward visibility
• Seat heaters are slooooowwww to heat up
• Stock headlights seem weak.
• Needs a few smart and sleek cubbies
• Larger Door Cubbies with wet pocket for umbrella (with a drain to rain channel)
• Move 2nd Row console away from floor-constantly being kicked and whacked
• Rear hatch is all 1 piece, prefer hatch glass as well as door hatch
• BUILT IN REAR BUMPER PROTECTION
• Garage door opener and 3rd row controls should NOT operate without key fob in car or when seating has weight on it either open or closed
• hate the lower seat cushion design
• Not very Offroad Capable
• Door is too far from seating to use as comfortable armrest
• Fit and Finish of many parts mainly trim on the exterior
• Paint Defects - 2 on the hood
• Interior ambient lighting has a mind of its own
• Drivers side floor pan is annoying in its design with the raised areas underfoot
• When exiting the vehicle it feels like you need to get up and out and its hard not to rub all over the main frame rails..
• Needs to be a way to exit the vehicle when running and not get alerted by the vehicle horn you are out of key range
• Rear hatch (Auto) needs to be faster
• Entertainment system for being sony - should have much more overall output
• Sync needs to have more refinement - especially in NAV commands
• Seats look like they are shedding material through the punched air holes for the seat heater cooler.. they are fuzzy...
• Heater control when going from LO to HI should be either faster or when held down should skip up or down faster...
• Dash light setting needs to be separate from Screen brightness settings
• Needs a 12v plug on the side of the console in the front or in the dash that is not behind a pop open door to access
• Locking Gas cap would be nice if it ame for free for bad areas - or locking fuel door when vehicle locked
• Stock headlights are crap - need wider field and need to be brighter.
• Gas tank size is stupid - big A$@ car, tiny tank.
• Leave key in car, with car running, get out, close door to move trash cans or whatever outside of garage (for example) ..the freagin horn chirps twice - there has GOT to be a way to defeat this - my neighbors hate me.
• Rear power hatch does seem slow.
• "The Smell"...
• Would like to be able to move the 2nd row driver side seats front/back like the passenger side seat.
• tire jack tool seems to be an overthought design. woudnt it have been easier just to have a standalone jack and wrench?
• Navigation should take direction requests in 1 bucket - I.E. Navigate to Joes Crab Shack on Embarcadero Street, CA" - instead of the 6 or 7 steps it currently takes. Same goes for all verbal commands. MS can do it, Google can do it, other manufactures do it - seems like a no brainer and makes the whole of an otherwise decent system seemed half-a@#!^% to me...
• Sunroof doesn't vent doesn't really vent much. It's barely up. Related - would be cool if the rear sunroof at least opened partially.
• Interior lighting is GARBAGE. Huge miss here Ford.
• No auto hood prop
• No Window up and/or down from keyfob - this is a simple programming deal - shouldn't even cost them to allow for this!
• Sport wheel paint chips
• Paint bumps on hood...
• Cross traffic alert system has a TON of false positives. Pretty much every day that I back out of my garage I am alerted to cars coming from left and/or right - it's never been correct. It does work out on the street fairly well BUT still a lot of false positives coming out of parking spots or parallel parking etc, makes it hard to trust.
• Blind spot monitor - not consistent on detection distance. It always WORKS but when it works the cars are sometimes already REALLY close or really far ( usually too close rather than far) which again, leads to trust issues and seeing that its nearly impossible to see whats behind you on your left due to the size of the vehicle its important that this works.
• would like option to turn side view mirrors down when in reverse
• LED DRLs should have made it on the Sport model (at least) (and Hids)
• 1 touch up/down windows for rear... I don't get why car manufactures skimp on this on nearly every car. This isn't just a Ford miss by any means...
• Would like a light factory tint on the front side windows. My previous cars were slightly tinted all around - the Ex is heavily tinted in back..why not add a light tint to the front...duh!
• Whistling sound near driver side mirror at certain speeds on freeway. Experienced this one mine and a rental limited.
• No Sport setting (Firmer shifts, firmer suspension, hold gears longer etc, RWD Bias, etc...
• It would be nice to be able to have any radio band able to save to my favorite preset instead of having to actually switch to that radio band
• High door sills - make getting in more difficult, especially since the '04 had running boards.
• One piece lift gate - loved the dual rear hatch on the earlier models, one of the reasons we bought the '04 instead of a minivan. The auto hatch is nice, but i'd much rather have a dual manual lift gate instead of the auto one piece.
• Wiper controls - Ford needs to benchmark European cars for these. My Volvo controls are much easier to use.
• Arm rests - the seat is much further from the door than before and the arm rest isn't at the right location for me. I haven't driven it on any long trips
• a switch that disables the interior lights

 

[peterk9]

This is turning into a sizable list of gripes and items we all think are missing:

Keep in mind that not all owners agree with every item. I only agree with 4 items. Some are duplicated (gas tank, one piece hatch) and some are items that should be looked at or fixed by the dealer. There are also a few items listed that I don' think are really required. That is what you are going to get with a thread topic like this one. You get personal preferences.
You also get a list of things that people 'would like to see on the vehicle' which is not really what the thread is about. I believe there is already a thread regarding what you would like to see on the Explorer.
None of vehicles that I have had disabled the garage door opener when the vehicle was turned off. I find it very handy the way it is.
The only way to get any ideas to Ford is to post them on Ford Social at http://social.ford.com/your-ideas/

Peter

 

[bburzycki]

I have a say a problem list and a wish list in many ways are the same, not specifically, but in many cases people are looking for fixes to make the vehicle what they want. It does not mean that Ford needs to supply them, but this list does help many looking for those solutions..

The list can be cleaned up - or voted on based on the duplication - example - needs bigger fuel tank - 1111111 = votes

I know links after some of these to solutions would have saved me a ton of time finding solutions..

Like - Built in rear tailgate protector - links to the aftermarket links here. sadly my experience with the aftermarket piece suggested here was well less than perfect but they replaced it and that is better now and that means in the end the experience was a good one.

Some of these issues as noted as one off issues, but then those can link to solutions, like MFT is a mess - Links to the MFT possible reset or deeper solutions to try.

Ford would be nuts not to look at a list like this - I would happily post a finished list at My Ford Social or to their page on G+ that seems to get a lot of traffic..

I look at all of these as legit gripes, they may never get solved, but they are all issues.

 

[peterk9]

I have a say a problem list and a wish list in many ways are the same, not specifically, but in many cases people are looking for fixes to make the vehicle what they want. It does not mean that Ford needs to supply them, but this list does help many looking for those solutions..

The list can be cleaned up - or voted on based on the duplication - example - needs bigger fuel tank - 1111111 = votes

I know links after some of these to solutions would have saved me a ton of time finding solutions..

Like - Built in rear tailgate protector - links to the aftermarket links here. sadly my experience with the aftermarket piece suggested here was well less than perfect but they replaced it and that is better now and that means in the end the experience was a good one.

Some of these issues as noted as one off issues, but then those can link to solutions, like MFT is a mess - Links to the MFT possible reset or deeper solutions to try.

Ford would be nuts not to look at a list like this - I would happily post a finished list at My Ford Social or to their page on G+ that seems to get a lot of traffic..

I look at all of these as legit gripes, they may never get solved, but they are all issues.

There is already a "suggestion' thread mainly to do with MFT in the 'IVT' forum. Also keep in mind that implementing some of the 'suggestions' is going to add to the bottom line cost of the vehicle, perhaps to the point that sales of certain models will fall off. I really don't want to pay any more for a Limited than I already did. I can do without everything on the list and still be a very happy owner.

Peter

 

[alexk]

My complaints..

-lack of interior storage. Most of my cars had nice cubbies everywhere to store stuff, this explorer has none!
-cupholders are terrible, actually most of the new ford products have sucky cup holders but depending on the size of my cup the drinks move around and spill.
-heated seats take forever to heat up and then they don't get very hot at all. My jeep commander got nice and sizzly.
-not sure about everyone else, but mine has far too many rattles for a vehicle that's only 9 months old with 15,000 miles on it.
-lastly, I wish they would put a light either on the tail gate or over the rear storage with the 3rd row up. Impossible to see anything back there at night.

 

[virtual]

I have to agree with Peter and suggest that there is often a lot of personal preference showing up in threads like this. Most of the items are peoples nitpicks anyway, and some of them relate to features that are only on a small percentage of the vehicles anyway. But even so I don't think it's possible to build a vehicle that everybody likes, especially if you're also trying to build one that they can afford. Reminds me of "house hunting". One house has the perfect kitchen but the bathrooms are too small. One house has the perfect back yard, but small rooms, etc. Not only would your perfect house come from picking the best feature of the different houses, but of course different people would each have different ideas of what is their view of what the best features are.

What I do find interesting is that "smell" made it in the list, but "leak" did not? Systemic problems like poor fit and finish, paint problems, and reliability issues (think MFT history) are examples of the things that Ford really need to pay attention too when they show up in peoples lists.

 

[rman66]

My gripes are:
1. The garage opener buttons are a pain in the butt to press. It is also very weak. They should have an opener atleast as effective as the one it is replacing.
2. It is a gas guzzler in city driving. It is a heavy vehicle and I badly miscalculated the mpg considerations.. everytime you stop and accelerate to try to get to that 30 or 40mph of city driving speed, you get 10-11mpg.. it performs great (20-25 mpg) on the highway because there is no stopping and no accelerating.. I guess that is expected given its weight
3. Sync could be quicker and more efficient, it should take a button input instead of making me confirm every command verbally. I say, climate set temperature 75.. it asks me, should I set temp to 75.. then, I should be able to click the button.. instead of saying "Yes"
4. it looked fantastic on day one.. starting to look a bit older and dusty into week 2 already.. is it me or does it need a wash? Same with the door sealing and dash and door interior surfaces
5. they need buttons the steering wheel to control temperature and fan speed. I find myself adjusting this often and its not easy using that touch screen to change fan speed. Also, using sync to reduce is a pain in the butt because when I say reduce fan speed, it only reduces it 5-10%.. I need it reduced 25%, not 5-10% so I dont have to repeat the command 5 times

 

[HughCares]

I have to agree with Peter and suggest that there is often a lot of personal preference showing up in threads like this. Most of the items are peoples nitpicks anyway, and some of them relate to features that are only on a small percentage of the vehicles anyway. But even so I don't think it's possible to build a vehicle that everybody likes, especially if you're also trying to build one that they can afford. Reminds me of "house hunting". One house has the perfect kitchen but the bathrooms are too small. One house has the perfect back yard, but small rooms, etc. Not only would your perfect house come from picking the best feature of the different houses, but of course different people would each have different ideas of what is their view of what the best features are.

What I do find interesting is that "smell" made it in the list, but "leak" did not? Systemic problems like poor fit and finish, paint problems, and reliability issues (think MFT history) are examples of the things that Ford really need to pay attention too when they show up in peoples lists.

I agree with Peter and Virtual as well.....most of the points in bburzycki's list are simply personal opinions and/or "wish list" items. There are certainly a lot of nit picking points in that list as well. I personally do not agree nor care about a lot of them......You can't please everyone all the time and there has to be compromises.......Makes you wonder why some folks bothered to purchase the vehicle in the first place if it doesn't exactly suit their needs or desires.....

 

[mabupa]

I agree with Peter and Virtual as well.....most of the points in bburzycki's list are simply personal opinions and/or "wish list" items. There are certainly a lot of nit picking points in that list as well. I personally do not agree nor care about a lot of them......You can't please everyone all the time and there has to be compromises.......Makes you wonder why some folks bothered to purchase the vehicle in the first place if it doesn't exactly suit their needs or desires.....

you read my mind!

 

[alexk]

My gripes are:
1. The garage opener buttons are a pain in the butt to press. It is also very weak. They should have an opener atleast as effective as the one it is replacing.
2. It is a gas guzzler in city driving. It is a heavy vehicle and I badly miscalculated the mpg considerations.. everytime you stop and accelerate to try to get to that 30 or 40mph of city driving speed, you get 10-11mpg.. it performs great (20-25 mpg) on the highway because there is no stopping and no accelerating.. I guess that is expected given its weight
3. Sync could be quicker and more efficient, it should take a button input instead of making me confirm every command verbally. I say, climate set temperature 75.. it asks me, should I set temp to 75.. then, I should be able to click the button.. instead of saying "Yes"
4. it looked fantastic on day one.. starting to look a bit older and dusty into week 2 already.. is it me or does it need a wash? Same with the door sealing and dash and door interior surfaces
5. they need buttons the steering wheel to control temperature and fan speed. I find myself adjusting this often and its not easy using that touch screen to change fan speed. Also, using sync to reduce is a pain in the butt because when I say reduce fan speed, it only reduces it 5-10%.. I need it reduced 25%, not 5-10% so I dont have to repeat the command 5 times

From 2011-2013 you had the ability to change the climate from the wheel.

 

[virtual]

5. they need buttons the steering wheel to control temperature and fan speed. I find myself adjusting this often and its not easy using that touch screen to change fan speed. Also, using sync to reduce is a pain in the butt because when I say reduce fan speed, it only reduces it 5-10%.. I need it reduced 25%, not 5-10% so I dont have to repeat the command 5 times

This seems to be a problem specific to having the upgraded Sony sound system. I have an '14 XLT and though I can't adjust it via a steering wheel button, I have a big rotary dial on the dash to control the fan speed. That seems to works fine! Looks like in their effort to avoid adding more and more buttons/knobs to the dash with the adding of more features, its a capability that got prioritized below some other options that they probably seemed to think would be used more often.

As an amusing aside, I was showing off to my wife how the voice commands worked so I increased the temperature, and then increased the fan speed all by voice. Rather than be impressed by my ability to master the technology all she did was look at me with a straight face and say "Well... If you wanted more hot air, all you had to do was keep talking..". Gotta love my better half..

 

[bburzycki]

I agree with Peter and Virtual as well.....most of the points in bburzycki's list are simply personal opinions and/or "wish list" items. There are certainly a lot of nit picking points in that list as well. I personally do not agree nor care about a lot of them......You can't please everyone all the time and there has to be compromises.......Makes you wonder why some folks bothered to purchase the vehicle in the first place if it doesn't exactly suit their needs or desires.....

That is not my list.. that is a combined list of all issues in this thread...
Only some are mine and most are the same as others...

I do believe the thread title says dislikes and all of these apply - but will more than likely never be fixed by Ford for the many reasons mentioned ...

I can almost guarantee that the fuel tank is small based on weight, vs MPG, and all of that is based on looking at the entire product line to make sure they meet the insane smog / emissions rules as a company..

Many things we have no idea about that goes into why options are what they are.

 

[rod_b]

Has anyone mentioned the size of the 2nd row center seat? Impossible to fit anyone larger than a medium sized teen without them having to sit on the other buckles. I noticed the 2nd row in general has a lot of room to be wider\closer to the doors but isn't is this an intentional safety design?

 

[peterk9]

Has anyone mentioned the size of the 2nd row center seat? Impossible to fit anyone larger than a medium sized teen without them having to sit on the other buckles. I noticed the 2nd row in general has a lot of room to be wider\closer to the doors but isn't is this an intentional safety design?

Welcome to the Forum rod_b.:wavey:
This hasn't been brought up in this particular thread but it has been mentioned in numerous posts in other threads. I think a 'medium sized teen' would even be pushing it.

Note: It would be very helpful for the members if you added the model of your 2014 to your profile so that it shows in the left margin since not all are the same.

Peter

 

[Black Bengal]

5. "The Smell"...

What exactly is the smell? I'm looking into buying a 2014 Explorer.

 

[peterk9]

What exactly is the smell? I'm looking into buying a 2014 Explorer.

Welcome to the Forum Black Bengal.:wavey:
The one that this refers to is likely this thread;
http://www.explorerforum.com/forums/showthread.php?t=323597

Some members experience that and then there is also another concerning a 'musty' or 'mouldy' smell from the A/C.

I suggest that you scroll through the threads here and check them out if you are concerned. I have a 2011 and not had either issue and neither have the majority of owner's.

Peter

 

[Black Bengal]

Thanks Peter! I know this is off topic but...

I had a severe musty smell problem with my 2005 T-bird until I got the BG ventilation service done. The difference was night & day.

http://www.bgfindashop.com/bgservices/climate.htm

Hopefully my new Explorer won't have that characteristic!

 

[mabupa]

My only complaint in my short 5k miles ownership is the rattling and that hood prop rod is a JOKE!! I couldn't believe it.! My '94 and '07 camrys even have it and they cost less than half what I paid for this SUV. This is is my first ford vehicle. My family has always been toyota and honda fans. I really hope this turns out to be a great truck or they will make my life miserable. :rofl:

 

[peterk9]

My only complaint in my short 5k miles ownership is the rattling and that hood prop rod is a JOKE!! I couldn't believe it.! My '94 and '07 camrys even have it and they cost less than half what I paid for this SUV. This is is my first ford vehicle. My family has always been toyota and honda fans. I really hope this turns out to be a great truck or they will make my life miserable. :rofl:

Although I can't be 100% sure, I believe my '09 Highlander Limited which was about the same price as my Explorer, also had the hood prop. I don't think it is really a big deal.

Peter