Interior Door panel issue / separation | Ford Explorer Forums - Serious Explorations

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Interior Door panel issue / separation

Heavens1st

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Year, Model & Trim Level
2011 Exporer
Anyone know why 2011 Explorers have issues with interior door panels? Ive had issues with my 2011 limited Stone interior door panels from day one. Had 2 panels replaced when purchased because of a blister like bubble & whitish like creasing around cup holders. 3 years later it’s happened again and i'm out of warranty. Anyone know if new door panels manufactured today from Ford have these issues? Or are the updated by chance?
 



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Welcome to the Forum Heavens1st.:wavey:
I've been on here for 3.5+ years and don't recall this issue being a problem. I believe there was one post about a blemish on a door panel quite a while ago. There is a thread about tears in the armrest but nothing like you described. No such problem on the 2011 Ltd I had with the light stone interior.

Peter
 






Anyone know why 2011 Explorers have issues with interior door panels? Ive had issues with my 2011 limited Stone interior door panels from day one. Had 2 panels replaced when purchased because of a blister like bubble & whitish like creasing around cup holders. 3 years later it’s happened again and i'm out of warranty. Anyone know if new door panels manufactured today from Ford have these issues? Or are the updated by chance?

Its a known issue, same as the door handle seam separating.

Since you identified the issue during warranty they should continue the coverage even if your out now.

I would use the reps here to assist.
 






Hello, new member here and need everyone's opinion on an issue I'm having.

I have 2014 Explorer Limited that I purchased in 2015, the vehicle is a few months short of 2 years old, 40k miles, and a extended warranty.

I noticed a couple weeks ago that the top part of the door panel, right were the glass and top of the panel meet is separating. Both the drivers and passenger side. Think of when you have the window rolled all the way down, right were you would rest your arm.

So I take the vehicle in to be looked at and hopefully get a warranty fix and unfortunately I'm told its out of warranty. The cost to fix would be a few hundred dollars.

I made a call into corporate to open a claim and to see if the dealer will fix as a warranty issue. With this vehicle still under 2 yrs. and just over the 36k miles the door panels shouldn't be swelling and separating. After opening the claim and talking to the dealer they would give me a "discount" and would get back to me. No corporate help and left to the dealer to make decision.

Am I asking too much for a car this new to be repaired as what seems to be a defect?
 






Welcome to the Forum BlindPerro. :wave:
It isn't always easy to get some help when your factory warranty has just run out. Since at this point you really don't have anything to lose, why not contact the FordService reps that monitor this forum. Their job is to pass along the issue to the Regional Customer Service Manager who may or may not be able to lend a hand. You can use this link;
http://www.explorerforum.com/forums/index.php?conversations/add&to=FordService
Be sure to include your full name, best daytime phone number, VIN, mileage, and servicing dealership in your message.
Good luck.

Peter
 






I also have this issue with my 2014 explorer sport. I tried the dealer and Ford customer service which was no help. It most indeed a defect from the factory. The problem is that from the factory no adhesive was use to fasten the soft touch vinyl and the vynil shrinks pulling it from the little plastic clips that are supposed to hold it up. When I contacted Ford customer service they told me to take it in to dealer and have them submit pictures of problem, but after dealer took pictures they could not even submit them because my car was out of warranty. Seems to me that Ford does not care what happens to the car after warranty if they won't even allow a dealer to submit pictures to inform them of a possible defect.
 






Welcome to the Forum Brinson1.:wave:
As mentioned in my previous post, I suggest contacting FordService using the link provided and including the requested info.

Peter
 






Welcome to the Forum Brinson1.:wave:
As mentioned in my previous post, I suggest contacting FordService using the link provided and including the requested info.

Peter

Thank you Peter, I will take your advice and try the FordService link.
 


















Been a while. The wife's 2014 Limited has an issue with the door panel separating / peeling at the top. It's like the glue has given out. She only has 200 miles left on the original 36,000 warranty, so I stopped in this morning to get it looked at. My usual dealership said that "yes, we've heard of that." This local, closer, dealership said "We haven't seen that." I did a search, but didn't find anything really relevant to this.

So, the question really is - Is this a common issue? What was the fix?
 






I don't recall any other posts mentioning a similar issue. Are yo referring to the top of the inside panel just below the window? It might help if you are able to post a picture of the exact problem.

Peter
 






Yes, right at the top on the inside. I don't have a pic at the moment, left the car at the wife's work and picked up my truck. I'll see if I can get one later. But the skin has basically just come loose from the underlying structure of the panel.
I don't recall any other posts mentioning a similar issue. Are yo referring to the top of the inside panel just below the window? It might help if you are able to post a picture of the exact problem.

Peter
 






Yes, right at the top on the inside. I don't have a pic at the moment, left the car at the wife's work and picked up my truck. I'll see if I can get one later. But the skin has basically just come loose from the underlying structure of the panel.
Okay, I now recall that issue happening and merged your thread with this one. I was initially thinking it was an exterior issue. Good luck.

Peter
 






PeterK9, I'm not sure what this forum would be without you. I did a search and didn't find his thread in the results, but then it could be change of terms.

Anyhow, thank you. I hope it doesn't happen on the other doors, but if it does, I'm going to point out that this isn't just an issue with my vehicle alone.


Okay, I now recall that issue happening and merged your thread with this one. I was initially thinking it was an exterior issue. Good luck.

Peter
 






Yes, right at the top on the inside. I don't have a pic at the moment, left the car at the wife's work and picked up my truck. I'll see if I can get one later. But the skin has basically just come loose from the underlying structure of the panel.

Ford should be absolutely embarrassed by these cosmetic issues. Between this, the paint problems, horrible halogen headlights and junk door speakers these trip ups kill their customer loyalty.
On this door panel is there a interior color it seems to be following and is it only in southern climates??
 






Ford should be absolutely embarrassed by these cosmetic issues. Between this, the paint problems, horrible halogen headlights and junk door speakers these trip ups kill their customer loyalty.
On this door panel is there a interior color it seems to be following and is it only in southern climates??


I can't be sure. Ours is black, and we're definitely in the south.

Ford is going to warranty the issue. The panel is at the dealer, I'll have it installed tomorrow.
 






Hello all,
I feel fortunate to have found this site! I purchased a used (33,000 mi) 2014 Ford Explorer Limited in Oct 2015 here in Northern CA and recently had the pleasant experience of having both passenger and driver side door panel begin lifting away from the door frame. The photo shows the passenger side which is significantly worse than the driver side.

While we do have 52,000 on it at this point, we also paid a significant amount of additional money at the time of purchase for a Portfolio Elite Protection Plan (left the dealership feeling quite secure- though false sense of security as we didn't carefully read the protection plan).

When we went to Ford Dealership to schedule a time to have repairs made (naïve) we were informed the interior "trim" is not covered, and cost of panel replacement around $1200-$1400.

Quite a sickening feeling :(

Given minimal wear (kids are all older and in their own cars, and the fact that "both" doors are showing the same symptom) we knew that had to be happening on a much bigger scale than just us.

We will see where it goes, as the Customer Service Rep assured us that he would file _____ (I forgot the name of the document/form) with Ford to see if they would help.

Very discouraging
JP
 






Hello all,
I feel fortunate to have found this site! I purchased a used (33,000 mi) 2014 Ford Explorer Limited in Oct 2015 here in Northern CA and recently had the pleasant experience of having both passenger and driver side door panel begin lifting away from the door frame. The photo shows the passenger side which is significantly worse than the driver side.

While we do have 52,000 on it at this point, we also paid a significant amount of additional money at the time of purchase for a Portfolio Elite Protection Plan (left the dealership feeling quite secure- though false sense of security as we didn't carefully read the protection plan).

When we went to Ford Dealership to schedule a time to have repairs made (naïve) we were informed the interior "trim" is not covered, and cost of panel replacement around $1200-$1400.

Quite a sickening feeling :(

Given minimal wear (kids are all older and in their own cars, and the fact that "both" doors are showing the same symptom) we knew that had to be happening on a much bigger scale than just us.

We will see where it goes, as the Customer Service Rep assured us that he would file _____ (I forgot the name of the document/form) with Ford to see if they would help.

Very discouraging
JP


You may be able to get them repaired through a local interior shop. I'm sure our other panels will start peeling back in the future. It's frustrating because they won't be covered under warranty EVEN THOUGH IT'S A KNOWN DEFECT. If my wife didn't love her car so much we'd have been out of Explorers a year ago.
 



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Welcome to the Forum JP. :wave:
I don't see any photo that you referred to. Have never heard of that particular protection plan but even Ford's ESP does not cover trim
Also, please add the trim level (Limited) to your profile so it shows in the margin. Can be very useful info at times.

Peter
 






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