Quality issues

[edino]

I had to deal with several build quality issues with our 4 months old Explorer (and some previous Ford's), it has kind of taken toll on the trust I have in this car and Ford overall. Unfortunately that perception did not get any better when my friend called me today telling about a test drive he took in a 2015 XLT demo car; the AC failed after 15 minutes in 120F; it was just blowing hot air... The dealer apologized and moved it to the repair bay. My friend did not buy an Explorer; instead he went with an Escape.

My impression is that quality at Ford, has gone really has gone substandard. Together with clear evidence that Ford is not resolving known design and manufacturing issues, I think that this will likely be my last Ford purchase. That is a petty, as I have so far bought 16 Ford cars brand new, and I really like the ride of the 55K$ Explorer I purchased. But the car is just not worth the money considering the build quality.

I had to get this of my chest, do not want to moan any further... but this is my honest customer experience. I hope going forward, my Explorer will proof me wrong...

 

[dlt0028]

I had to deal with several build quality issues with our 4 months old Explorer (and some previous Ford's), it has kind of taken toll on the trust I have in this car and Ford overall. Unfortunately that perception did not get any better when my friend called me today telling about a test drive he took in a 2015 XLT demo car; the AC failed after 15 minutes in 120F; it was just blowing hot air... The dealer apologized and moved it to the repair bay. My friend did not buy an Explorer; instead he went with an Escape.

My impression is that quality at Ford, has gone really has gone substandard. Together with clear evidence that Ford is not resolving known design and manufacturing issues, I think that this will likely be my last Ford purchase. That is a petty, as I have so far bought 16 Ford cars brand new, and I really like the ride of the 55K$ Explorer I purchased. But the car is just not worth the money considering the build quality.

I had to get this of my chest, do not want to moan any further... but this is my honest customer experience. I hope going forward, my Explorer will proof me wrong...

Wait until you get the "Door Ajar" alarm that they won't fix. They just clean it and send you on your way. Only for it to happen again in 3 months. Or the brake pad issue where they wear out after 20k miles. And be prepared for performance issues when the temperature dips below 20 degrees.

 

[1995E]

I have mixed feelings about my Ford Explorer. I've been driving it since January of 2011 and it has proved to be a very tough car. Like yourself however, I've had to deal with endless problems and dealer trips. Wasted time as I've had to miss classes and time from my job to get the car taken in and then I'd either wait, or need a ride. Good thing the dealership was nice enough to give me rentals a long time ago but now they don't really provide me one. I had to basically complain to Ford about how much time I've had to waste taking in my Ford vehicles for warranty issues.

I've had everything from the A-Pillar rattle, MFT issues, APIM failures that lead to the A/C being stuck blowing cold air in my face in the winter time, ticking engine sound, transmission thumps, air bag light (twice), rear passenger door not opening, brake noise, advance trac failure, rear window exploding with glass flying everywhere, and an ongoing list with the Explorer and a growing list on the Fusion.

On the bright side, I've made several trips to New York, 1 trip to Miami ( and soon to be another one this weekend ), drifted through the snow, hit near redline many times, hit 110 MPH on a track, etc and I'm at 37K miles and I haven't really run into mechanical issues that would leave me stranded ( knock on wood ). I've towed a Volkswagen Golf with it several times with ease. Hopefully I never run into any issues like that. Ford products are definitely great mechanically, they have good tech, but they lack in reliability and build quality immensely.

The great thing is Toyota is now pushing out products that are better looking and modern, and you can never go wrong with Toyota because reliability will always be there. The next vehicle my family purchases will probably be a Toyota. However, I personally like the styling of Ford vehicles and they have good tech. I just hope the reliability goes back up because I am definitely digging the new Ford Explorer Platinum and I might reconsider. I probably won't buy a first year refreshed car.

For now, I'll be driving the Explorer until it dies on me. Give it time, have Ford Customer Care help you out, they are usually very good at that. If they don't treat you right, then don't do business with Ford which is probably a smart choice if you want reliability.

 

[bigdude2468]

Sorry about your problems, early model years certainly had issues with MFT, my 2014 has not had any MFT problems. My Ex has not had any of the issues that you refer to. I have about 24,000miles and iIrecently checked the brakes and they are good for at least another 25,000 miles. The only issue I have had is the front window shutter which was fixed. Recently took a 400 mile trip and the MPG was over 24 at 73 - 74 miles per hour. Still early but so far the vehicle has been great.

 

[Odrapnew]

Wait until you get the "Door Ajar" alarm that they won't fix. They just clean it and send you on your way. Only for it to happen again in 3 months. Or the brake pad issue where they wear out after 20k miles. And be prepared for performance issues when the temperature dips below 20 degrees.

Sounds like someone's a little riled up.

I've not had any of those issues(knock on wood) @ almost 25k miles. Also, I doubt the OP will ever see 20 degress(F) if his location is what I think it is, Dubai in the UAE.

 

[foxtemple]

I agree that it is unfortunate that ford is not remedying known flaws with their cars. I have a 2004 RX lexus and Lexus periodically sends stuff about flaws that I can go to the dealer and get fixed free of charge even though I am way way way out of the warranty coverage. You would think the company that invented the assembly line would know how to put a car together properly by now... or at least own up to their mistakes.

 

[ECinEI]

I agree that it is unfortunate that ford is not remedying known flaws with their cars. I have a 2004 RX lexus and Lexus periodically sends stuff about flaws that I can go to the dealer and get fixed free of charge even though I am way way way out of the warranty coverage. You would think the company that invented the assembly line would know how to put a car together properly by now... or at least own up to their mistakes.

So true. My wife drove a 2007 RX 350 that we traded on her '15 Sport. It the past few months prior to trading we had received extended coverage on both leaking headlights and cracking dash boards. This was a car with 98,000 miles. Of course Toyota is probably under the gun with the acceleration issues they had.

I've already decided this Sport won't be with us after the bumper to bumper expires.

Now I expect cars to have some problems, and part of what we read here is probably "internet amplification". The thing that has amazed me however is it appears some of the issues present in 2011-2012 continue through to the 2015 models.

It's just a matter of time before we read read, "Hey, my 2016 does/has....." and it will be one of the familiar issues.

 

[fwrogg]

2016 is not going to be any better if mine is any indication. I have paint flaws in the body panels due to poor prep that I have found. Luckly I have two things going for me, 1. still under warranty, 2. only leased it for two years based on previous ford experience. My 2006 explorer was just plain BAD. But my wife loves their style

 

[dlt0028]

2016 is not going to be any better if mine is any indication. I have paint flaws in the body panels due to poor prep that I have found. Luckly I have two things going for me, 1. still under warranty, 2. only leased it for two years based on previous ford experience. My 2006 explorer was just plain BAD. But my wife loves their style

I just got a bad vehicle. My coworker has the same vehicle (2013)and has never had any of my problems. The door ajar issue is just plain irritating. They are not replacing the sensor. Its being cleaned. I want it fixed right the first time. Once it gets dirty again, its back to the dealership. Which is tomorrow. 3rd time now for same issue. Apparently Ford likes paying the dealership hundreds of dollars to clean a $3 part.

 

[Ecobeast]

I had to deal with several build quality issues with our 4 months old Explorer (and some previous Ford's), it has kind of taken toll on the trust I have in this car and Ford overall. Unfortunately that perception did not get any better when my friend called me today telling about a test drive he took in a 2015 XLT demo car; the AC failed after 15 minutes in 120F; it was just blowing hot air... The dealer apologized and moved it to the repair bay. My friend did not buy an Explorer; instead he went with an Escape.

My impression is that quality at Ford, has gone really has gone substandard. Together with clear evidence that Ford is not resolving known design and manufacturing issues, I think that this will likely be my last Ford purchase. That is a petty, as I have so far bought 16 Ford cars brand new, and I really like the ride of the 55K$ Explorer I purchased. But the car is just not worth the money considering the build quality.

I had to get this of my chest, do not want to moan any further... but this is my honest customer experience. I hope going forward, my Explorer will proof me wrong...

I understand and appreciate your concerns. I would be as frustrated. With about 1,000,000 Gen 5 explorers out there, there is sure to be some issues on some vehicles. In fact, if you go to any forum on any vehicle made and you will read the exact things you hear here. I came from a Chrysler/Fiat product Dodge Durango that went through a transmission and intermittent electrical problems before dumping it for my (so far) flawless Ex Sport. The grass isn't always greener - I just know I have tried GM and Dodge and wow, talk about quality issues. At least your Explorer hasn't tried to kill you like GM ignition switches have - of course being shielded from lawsuits by judges because they are government motors.

I digress.

I hope your issues can be resolved, because they do not seem terminal. I would be sure to find a good Ford dealer (there's a lot of bad ones) and use them. There's also some great extended service plans out there for better peace of mind.

 

[fwrogg]

carcomplaints.com

unfortunately based on this sites stats and again this is only the dissatisfied owners or those with problems, the Explorer is rock bottom. http://www.carcomplaints.com/Ford/Explorer/

When you consider how many or produced, and how many complaints there are, maybe the percentage is not as bad as indicated though. Also the good news is that once you get a model year newer than 2006 the problems drop way off. with the newer models having very few issues reported.

 

[edino]

Thanks all for the input and responses. So far, most issues I had with the car have been rectified by the dealer under warranty. The only concerns left are that a window seal of the quarter window in the right rear door has developed a problem (it peals out where it joins the seal for the sliding window). The other is that at high outside temps, during start stop traffic the AC is struggling to cool down the car (120F). I think this is due to capacity limit. My previous Ford's however never had this issue.

We do love driving the car, and hope it will be reliable for the next few years.

But I hope Ford reads this forum, they need to address the build quality and work on a better way in addressing problem areas during the lifetime of a model; and as well provide extend warranty on common defects (like for instance the door panel tearing after a few years of use).

From my previous experiences, the pattern not unique. For example, I had a new 2006, 2008 and 2010 Ford Expedition, and all 3 of them developed a rattle in the roof panel at the same place shortly after delivery. Adding a piece of foam in between near the air outlets above the rear seats solved the problem. It seems that some clips would come loose when the roof gets hot. The other is that both the 2006 and 2010 had paint bubbling on the aluminium back door, near the window seal. Ford denied warranty claim for both claiming its due to environmental condition (???); my dealer fixed it at their cost after I escalated this. Seeing that these type of issues still prevail in 2015, its not encouraging on how Ford drives improvements in their design and build process. I am really interested how well the paint on the new F150 will hold up with its aluminium body... Changing a hood when the paint peals due to Aluminum contamination is one thing... but changing the whole body...?

 

[fwrogg]

Thanks all for the input and responses. So far, most issues I had with the car have been rectified by the dealer under warranty. The only concerns left are that a window seal of the quarter window in the right rear door has developed a problem (it peals out where it joins the seal for the sliding window). The other is that at high outside temps, during start stop traffic the AC is struggling to cool down the car (120F). I think this is due to capacity limit. My previous Ford's however never had this issue.

We do love driving the car, and hope it will be reliable for the next few years.

But I hope Ford reads this forum, they need to address the build quality and work on a better way in addressing problem areas during the lifetime of a model; and as well provide extend warranty on common defects (like for instance the door panel tearing after a few years of use).

From my previous experiences, the pattern not unique. For example, I had a new 2006, 2008 and 2010 Ford Expedition, and all 3 of them developed a rattle in the roof panel at the same place shortly after delivery. Adding a piece of foam in between near the air outlets above the rear seats solved the problem. It seems that some clips would come loose when the roof gets hot. The other is that both the 2006 and 2010 had paint bubbling on the aluminium back door, near the window seal. Ford denied warranty claim for both claiming its due to environmental condition (???); my dealer fixed it at their cost after I escalated this. Seeing that these type of issues still prevail in 2015, its not encouraging on how Ford drives improvements in their design and build process. I am really interested how well the paint on the new F150 will hold up with its aluminium body... Changing a hood when the paint peals due to Aluminum contamination is one thing... but changing the whole body...?

yea you would think after building vehicles that are used world wide in all climates they would have this figured out, but apparently not.

 

[scarpi]

Just thought I'd put in my opinion. I have had my new 2015 4wd XLT for a couple of weeks now. It has about 280 miles on it. I'm very picky about my vehicles. My Explorer was a very late build, March 2015. I can't see any paint flaws, misaligned panels, or any fit and finish problems. It had one defect that the dealer is fixing today. It came with a defective windshield. I noticed it after my test drive. There are what looks like snowflakes at the base of the windshield and the service department told me it was delaminating. The replacement windshield came in and today they are replacing it. The vehicle runs very smooth and shifts flawlessly. So far I am very happy with it. But like I said it is early and only has about 280 miles on it. It had 5 miles on it when I picked it up. All brands will have some problems. Some defects will be more serious than others. The 2014 Jeep Cherokee I traded in for my new Explorer was at the dealer numerous times for issues involving some minor problems and some major in only a little over a year. Bottom line, you can have problems with all brands.