2003 Ford Explorer Automatic Transmission Problems
- 141
- Owner complaint records in our dataset
Records are owner complaints, not a measured failure rate.
Owner complaint recordsComplaint records reflect reports in our dataset and do not measure how frequently the problem occurs across all vehicles.
Among these 141 stored complaint records:
- 3 indicate a crash
- 1 indicate injury
- 1 indicate fire
What owners report
- Torque Converter · 2 records
Mileage in stored records
| Band | Records |
|---|---|
| 60–100k mi | 47 |
| 30–60k mi | 30 |
| 100–150k mi | 24 |
| 1–30k mi | 23 |
| 150–400k mi | 5 |
Complaint records
Owner-submitted complaint content, presented as stored.
Automatic Transmission · Door · Suspension
I went to leave for work one morning & i noticed the rear panel was cracked. It wasn't like that the night before, so it literally happened overnight. My mechanic said it was cosmetic & common problem with these trucks. I was told the window would be fine, but there is a chance of the panel piece falling off. I haven't had it fixed yet due to the expense, but i am afraid a piece may fall off while driving which…
ODI 10437913
Automatic Transmission
Tl* the contact owns a 2003 ford explorer eddie bauer edition. The contact was driving 30 mph when the overdrive warning light illuminated and the vehicle became hard to shift. The vehicle was taken to the dealer for diagnostic testing where it was diagnosed that the overdrive band was fractured and possibly had caused damage to the torque converter. The manufacturer was contacted but the vehicle was not repaired.…
ODI 10424147
Automatic Transmission
THE TRANSMISSION ON MY 2003 FORD EXPLORER IS GONE. *KB
ODI 10419681
Automatic Transmission
Transmission failure....o/d light flashes and service engine light stays on. *tr
ODI 10422697
Automatic Transmission · Torque Converter
My 2003 ford explorer had a "thunk" noise from day one. Ford dealership "could not duplicate" the complaint even though i took it back multiple times. Had to replace the torque converter at 70k miles and now at 135k miles the whole transmission and another torque converter for rattling again. Od/off blinking light and check transmission notice came on with erratic shifting and loss of 2nd and 5th gears. Replacement…
ODI 10413349
Automatic Transmission · Electrical · Equipment
O/d light spontaneously came on. Can not be turned off. Transmission takes off slow. First gear slams into second, with slow takeoff causes cars behind me to stop short because my takeoff is very slow. *tr
ODI 10419427
Automatic Transmission
Tl*the contact owns a 2003 ford explorer. The contact stated while driving approximately 35 mph the over drive light began illuminating on the instrument panel and the vehicle began to shift into a higher gear. The contact turned the vehicle off and upon restarting it, the vehicle began to function normally. After driving for a few miles, the failure recurred. The vehicle was not taken to a dealer to have the…
ODI 10401403
Automatic Transmission · Latches/Locks/Linkages
My 2003 ford explorer was parked in my driveway and it somehow rolled down approx 150 feet and smashed into a tree. There was no one in the vehicle it was parked and the keys were in the house. I immediately called my insurance (state farm) and they had me call a collision garage to come out and they came within the hour. They have stated that the vehicle is a total loss. The next morning i called ford and they…
Crash reported
ODI 10399398
Automatic Transmission
Vehicle transmission slips out of gear and sometimes wont engage. Frequently occurs at stop/start movements. Ocurrs in forward and reverse. "o/d off" light is frequently displayed. Unsafe to drive anywhere!!! *tr
ODI 10398071
Automatic Transmission
I have a 2003 ford explorer and my o/d light keeps flashing i took it to the dealer to get it checked and they said i need a new transmission because i have no 2nd or 5th gear they also said this is a common problem with that year. They said the shift sealnoid went out so now i cant drive my truck tell i can afford 3400 dollars to get it fixed so that has made it harder for me to get to work and to get my family…
ODI 10395317
Automatic Transmission
The transmission on our 2003 ford explorer had to be replaced. It could have left us stranded on the road. Ford knew of this problem with the transmissions on the 2003-2004 explorers. I think they should make an adjustment on the cost of the repairs. Transmission are supposed to last longer than 71,000 miles. We did not mistreat this vehicle in any way. *tr
ODI 10407100
Automatic Transmission
TRANSMISSION WENT OUT. *TR
ODI 10393791
Automatic Transmission
Well this will be the 2nd transmission for my 2003 ford explorer, the first was at 88700 miles about 4 years ago. It took the dealership almost 2 weeks to figure out what was wrong. Then 2 weeks after that heard a loud ping while driving home, at 9:00 at night, took in to dealer and the drive shaft had water in it. Now i am the original owner, truck has never been off road, never towed anything, highway miles. So, i…
ODI 10390232
Automatic Transmission
Tl*the contact owns a 2003 ford explorer. While driving approximately 35 mph, the over-drive and engine service warning indicators illuminated. The warning indicators remained illuminated until the engine was turned off. The vehicle was taken to an authorized dealer where a diagnostic test was performed which detected that the gear ratio and pressure control solenoid were defective within the transmission. The…
ODI 10384287
Automatic Transmission
I was driving my 2003 ford explorer xlt v6 4.0l on i40w, when all of a sudden the vehicle began to decelerate while the rpms were constantly going up. This put me in the interstate with no power as the gears weren't shifting. I took it to my local ford dealership and they put it on the diagnostic machine and told me they really didn't know what was wrong with it and that they would have to break the transmission…
ODI 10383326
Automatic Transmission
Tl* the contact owns a 2003 ford explorer. The contact was traveling 45 mph when the over drive warning light illuminated and the transmission failed. The contact took the vehicle to the dealer and was told that the torque converter, servo pack and clutch would need replacing. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure and current mileage was 100,000.
ODI 10384528
Automatic Transmission
Like every other day, i started the suv a few minutes before i had to leave to let it warm up because ny is cold, and then left to run some errands. I realized right away that the truck sounded a little funny when accelerating, so the radio went off so i could listen. I found that when shifting from first to second, in this automatic vehicle, the overdrive was kicking on prematurely. Then the o/d light started…
ODI 10380183
Automatic Transmission
I recently encountered problems with my vehicle's acceleration. The vehicle then began to buck, make loud noises, the check engine light came on and then the o/d light began to flash. I took my vehicle to the dealer to have a diagnostics test performed which determined that my transmission needed to be replaced. The vehicle that i am referencing is a 2003 ford explorer with 73,859 miles (at the time of the…
ODI 10384841
Automatic Transmission
I own a 2003 ford explorer and have never had any problem with my vehicle. I do not drive it hard and make sure that it gets the proper upkeep. As i was driving down the road one day my check engine light came on. The next day on my way to work i noticed that the transmission was having trouble shifting and the time i got home that evening the transmission was shifting very hard if it would even shift at all. My o/d…
ODI 10379868
Automatic Transmission
Some sort of transmission failure dealing with the shifting solenoid. This leads to sporadic shifting between the lower gears. This lead to very hard driving in slow and icy conditions. The car would be at such high rpms at slow speeds such as 20-30 mph that the car would loose traction, so far i have had no accidents with this problem but the potential is very apparent. *tr
ODI 10376972
Automatic Transmission
Service engine light appeared, then the od (overdrive) light began flashing. Then the explorer had difficulty accelerating. The engine was running higher rpms than usual, especially when accelerating from 0 to 30mph. I took the explorer to the ford dealer where the explorer was purchased and exclusively serviced since when i bought it new in july 2003. They would not acknowledge that this is a persistent problem…
ODI 10376298
Automatic Transmission
My 2003 ford explorer xlt only has 70000k and the transmission is completely in need of rebuild. It doesn't drive in reverse and doesn't go faster than 25mph without sounding as if the engine is going to fall off. It kicks back while attempting to change gears and the rpm is working hard with the truck going nowhere fast. I cant afford to repair the problem as im still making monthly payments on it. This should not…
ODI 10375337
Automatic Transmission
Od (overdrive) light blinking in dash. Then "service engine soon" light on 12-31-10. Higher rpm's in engine then usual, to shift gears in automatic transmission. Trans having thumping sounding when placed into park, drive or reverse. Broken servo sidearm inside transmission.. Vehicle only has 62,000 miles on it. Taken to local transmission shop. Estimate of $1,475 to fix. *tr
ODI 10374819
Automatic Transmission
O/d off light blinks on dashboard and vehicle shifts hard. Was advised that transmission rebuild was necessary. *tr
ODI 10369677
Automatic Transmission
2003 ford explorer 5r55-w transmission failure wherein the internal linkages, servo valve and bearings failed at startup, rendering the vehicle unmovable under it's own power and stranding the driver. *tr
ODI 10369276