2003 Ford Expedition Visibility & Wipers Problems

REAR HEATING/AC AIR BLEND DOOR ACTUATOR HAS FAILED. A DRIVE GEAR INSIDE THE ACTUATOR HAS STRIPPED AND IS MISSING TWO TEETH. UPON FURTHER INVESTIGATION IT APPEARS THAT THE MANUAL TEMPERATURE CONTROL CAUSES THE ACTUATOR TO REACH ONE END OF IT'S INTERNAL TRAVEL LIMIT PREMATURELY, STRAINING THE INTERNAL GEAR DRIVE. ALSO, THE AIR BLEND DOOR TRAVEL LIMITS ARE REACHED BEFORE THE ACTUATOR LIMITS, STRAINING THE INTERNAL GEAR DRIVE FURTHER AT BOTH ENDS OF TRAVEL. THE TWO ISSUES CAUSE THE EFFECTIVE ROTATION RANGE OF THE MANUAL TEMPERATURE CONTROL TO BE REDUCED FROM 300 DEGREES OF ROTATION TO 135 DEGREES OF ROTATION, AND ANY POSITIONING OF THE CONTROL OUTSIDE THE EFFECTIVE RANGE STRAINS AND STRIPS THE GEARS OF THE BLEND DOOR ACTUATOR.

I HAVE A 2003 FORD EXPEDITION AND I HAVE THE AUTOMATIC MIRRORS THAT ROTATE IN AND DOWN WHEN THE VEHICLE IS PUT INTO REVERSE. WHEN I PURCHASED THE VEHICLE, THE RIGHT MIRROR WOULD CONTINUE TO MOVE IN AND DOWN WHEN THE VEHICLE WAS PUT INTO REVERSE. WHEN THE VEHICLE WAS PLACED IN DRIVE THE MIRROR WAS SUPPOSE TO GO BACK TO THE PRE-SERT POSITION BUT IT WOULD NOT. THE PROBLEM WAS FIXED WHEN I PICKED UP THE VEHICLE. ABOUT A YEAR LATER THE SAME PROBLEM RECURRED AND THE DEALER REPLACED BOTH LT AND RT MIRROR MOTORS. NOW THE PROBLEM HAS RECURRED AGAIN WITH A LITTLE DIFFERENCE. NOW WHEN I UNLOCK THE DOORS WITH THE REMOTE BOTH THE LEFT AND RIGHT SIDE MIRRORS ROTATE IN AND DOWN AS IF THE VEHICLE IS IN REVERSE BUT THAT IS EVEN BEFORE THE DOORS AR OPEN. WHEN THE VEHICLE IS STARTED NEITHER MIRROR WILL GO BACK TO THE PRE-SET POSITIONS. SO NOW BEFORE I CAN DRIVE THE VEHICLE I HAVE TO ADJUST EACH MIRROR. THIS PROBLEM HAPPENS EACH TIME THE VEHICLE IS UNLOCKED WITH THE REMOTE. IF I USE THE KEY TO UNLOCK THE LEFT DOOR THE MIRRORS STAY AT THE PRE=SET POSITION UNTIL I PLACE THE VEHICLE IN REVERSE BUT THE MIRRORS WILL NOT MOVE BACK TO THE PRE-SET POSITION AFTER GOING TO THE DRIVE POSITION. WITH THE MIRRORS IN THE AUTOMATIC REVERSE POSITION, NEITHER WILL GO BACK TO THE PRE-SET POSITION. AFTER TURNING OFF THE AUTOMATIC REVERSE ON THE MESSAGE CENTER COMPUTER, BOTH MIRRORS WILL STILL DRIVE TO THE IN AND DOWN POSITION WHEN THE VEHICLE IS UNLOCKED AND BOTH HAVE TO BE SET AGAIN BEFORE DRIVING. *JB

I HAVE A 2003 FORD EXPEDITION AND I HAVE THE AUTOMATIC MIRRORS THAT ROTATE IN AND DOWN WHEN THE VEHICLE IS PUT INTO REVERSE. WHEN I PURCHASED THE VEHICLE, THE RIGHT MIRROR WOULD CONTINUE TO MOVE IN AND DOWN WHEN THE VEHICLE WAS PUT INTO REVERSE. WHEN THE VEHICLE WAS PLACED IN DRIVE THE MIRROR WAS SUPPOSE TO GO BACK TO THE PRE-SERT POSITION BUT IT WOULD NOT. THE PROBLEM WAS FIXED WHEN I PICKED UP THE VEHICLE. ABOUT A YEAR LATER THE SAME PROBLEM RECURRED AND THE DEALER REPLACED BOTH LT AND RT MIRROR MOTORS. NOW THE PROBLEM HAS RECURRED AGAIN WITH LITTLE DIFFERENCE. NOW WHEN I UNLOCK THE DOORS WITH THE REMOTE BOTH THE LEFT AND RIGHT SIDE MIRRORS ROTATE IN AND DOWN AS IF THE VEHICLE IS IN REVERSE BUT THAT IS EVEN BEFORE THE DOORS AR OPEN. WHEN THE VEHICLE IS STARTED NEITHER MIRROR WILL GO BACK TO THE PRE-SET POSITIONS. SO NOW BEFORE I CAN DRIVE THE VEHICLE I HAVE TO ADJUST EACH MIRROR. THIS PROBLEM HAPPENS EACH TIME THE VEHICLE IS UNLOCKED WITH THE REMOTE. IF I USE THE KEY TO UNLOCK THE LEFT DOOR THE MIRRORS STAY AT THE PRE-SET POSITION UNTIL I PLACE THE VEHICLE IN REVERSE BUT THE MIRRORS WILL NOT MOVE BACK TO THE PRE-SET POSITION AFTER GOING TO THE DRIVE POSITION. WITH THE MIRRORS IN THE AUTOMATIC REVERSE POSITION, NEITHER WILL GO BACK TO THE PRE-SET POSITION. AFTER TURNING OFF THE AUTOMATIC REVERSE ON THE MESSAGE CENTER COMPUTER, BOTH MIRRORS WILL STILL DRIVE TO THE IN AND DOWN POSITION WHEN THE VEHICLE IS UNLOCKED AND BOTH HAVE TO BE SET AGAIN BEFORE DRIVING. *JB

PURCHASED A 2003 FORD EXPEDITION ABOUT 2 MONTHS AGO, SINCE THEN DRIVERS SIDE WINDOW REGULATOR WAS REPLACED. WEEK AND HALF AGO, PASSENGERS FWD INOPERATIVE, YESTERDAY, DRIVERS SIDE INOPERATIVE. WHEN FIRST ONE WAS FIXED. TECHNICIAN SAID IT WAS A BIG PROBLEM. THE REGULATOR CABLES BIND UP. HE SAID BAD DESIGN. STILL WAITING FOR MY APPOINTMENT TO REPAIR THE OTHER 2 WINDOWS. WHEN THESE WINDOWS FAIL. THEY ARE EITHER STUCK UP, OR DOWN. RESULTING IN A SAFETY ISSUE IN FLOODS OR WATER, OR HEAT ISSUES IF THE WINDOWS CANNOT BE ROLLED DOWN. NOT TO MENTION, EMERGENCY ESCAPE ISSUES. LOOKING ON THE INTERNET, I HAVE FOUND MANY WEBSITES WITH ARCHIVED FORUMS WITH MANY PEOPLE COMPLAINING OF THE SAME SITUATION. *NM

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED THE ELECTRIC WINDOWS IN THE VEHICLE WORK INTERMITTENTLY. THE VEHICLE HAS NOT BEEN TAKEN TO THE DEALERSHIP FOR INSPECTION. *NM UPDATED 2/9/2006 - *NM

SIDE VIEW MIRRORS FAIL TO RETURN TO PROPER POSITION AFTER USING REVERSE AID. MIRRORS OFTEN TILT TOO HIGH, TOO LOW, ETC. AND MAX OUT CREATING BAD CLICKING AS IF THEY ARE STILL TRYING TO TILT PAST FURTHEST POINT. HAVE TO RESET MANUALLY ON EACH SIDE EVERY TIME. HAPPENS 9 OUT OF 10 TIMES USED, AND HAS BEEN HAPPENING SINCE PURCHASE. FORD SAYS THERE IS NO FIX TO THIS PROBLEM, AND HAS NOT HEARD OF THE ISSUE MUCH, EVEN THOUGH YOU CAN FIND HUNDREDS OR THOUSANDS OF THIS TYPE OF COMPLAINT ON WEBSITES SUCH AS THIS AND OTHERS. *TR

I TURNED THE CORNER AND THE WHOLE BACK WINDOW SHATTERED. I STOPPED RIGHT AWAY AND LOOKED AROUND. MOST OF THE GLASS HAD SHATTERED OUTSIDE THE EXPEDITION. THERE WAS NO ROCK OR ANYTHING ELSE THAT HIT IT. AS A MATTER OF FACT, THE CORNER I TURNED AT, THERE WAS A METRO POLICE OFFICER THERE BECAUSE THERE WAS AN ACCIDENT IN THE MIDDLE THERE. MY CHILDREN WHERE SCARED AND CRYING BUT THERE WAS NO GLASS ON THEM. THE NEXT MORNING I TOOK THE 2003 FORD EXPEDITION DOWN TO FRIENDLY FORD AND THEY SAID IT IS NOT COVERED.

MY 2003 FORD EXPEDITION XLT WAS PARKED IN MY GARAGE. I OPENED THE DRIVER'S SIDE DOOR AND GOT IN. I STARTED THE CAR AND THEN TRIED TO ROLL DOWN THE ELCTRIC WIDOW ON THE DRIVER'S SIDE. AS SOON AS THE BUTTON WAS PUSHED, THE WINDOW EXPLODED, COVERING ME WITH GLASS PIECES.*AK

WHILE DRIVING AT ANY SPEED CONSUMER HEARD A FLAPPING SOUND COMING FROM THE WINDSHIELD. CONSUMER DISCOVERED THAT THE WEATHER STRIPPING AROUND THE WINDSHIELD WAS COMING APART. DEALER TRIED TO GLUE THE STRIP DOWN ON FOUR OCCASIONS, BUT TO NO AVAIL. *AK

WHEN EVER I UNLOCK MY 2003 FORD EXPEDITION WITH THE KEY RING CLICKER, THE EXTERIOR SIDE MIRROR ERRATICALLY ADJUST ITSELF TO AN UNKNOWN POSITION. THIS OCCURS FREQUENTLY AND IS A HUGE INCONVENIENCE FOR ME BECAUSE I HAVE TO ALWAYS READJUST THE MIRRORS.*AK

ATTEMPTED TO BUY WIPER BLADES FROM FORD DEALER FOR MY EXPEDITION. THE BLADES THEY GAVE ME FIT BUT WOULD NOT LOCK IN PLACE. WAS TOLD BY THE SERVICE PERSONNEL THAT FORD HAD CHANGED THE ARMS ON ALL 2003 MODELS BUILT BEFORE JUNE OF 2003 AND THE REMEDY WAS TO REPLACE THE ARMS ON BOTH WIPERS. THE PRICE OF EACH ARM IS $178. THEY TOLD ME TO CONTACT FORD ABOUT PAYING FOR THE REPLACEMENT. HAVE DONE SO AND AWAITING DECISION. *LA

CONSUMER WAS HAVING PROBLEMS WITH SIDE VIEW MIRROR, AND HORN. SIDE VIEW MIRROR MOVED AT WILL. WHEN HE SET IT, SIDE VIEW MIRROR DID NOT STAY, BUT WONDERED ALL OVER. VEHICLE HAD A COUPLE OF NEAR MISSES BECAUSE OF NOT BEING ABLE TO SEE FROM THE SIDE VIEW MIRROR. ALSO, HORN DID NOT OPERATE. THIS WAS A SAFETY ISSUE BECAUSE DRIVER NEEDED A WAY TO ANNOUNCE THAT HE WAS NEAR ANOTHER VEHICLE TO AVOID ANY ACCIDENT.*AK

PURCHASED 2003 EXPEDITION XLT IN 9/03 AND HAD THE FOLLOWING PROBLEMS WITHIN ONE WEEK OF PURCHASE: A/C NOISE & DECREASED VOLUME WHEN MAX A/C IS ON; RATTLING NOISE FROM SIDE PANELS (WHICH ALSO SHOWED FADING WITHIN 3 MONTHS AND WERE REPLACED); WASHER FLUID LIGHT SHOWED LOW WHEN FULL; FOAM LOOSE AROUND DEFROSTER. BY 12/03, STEREO SYSTEM REPLACED DUE TO LOUD WHINING NOISE; HAS BEEN REPLACED 3 TIMES (PROBLEM STILL RECURRING); 2/04 SUN ROOF LEAKING PROFUSELY INTO 2ND ROW SEAT AREA (SAME PROBLEM OCCURRED A MONTH LATER THOUGH REPAIRED). WHEN DEALER'S SUBCONTRACTOR REPAIRED MOONROOF THE SECOND TIME, THE TECHNICAN NEGLECTED TO SCREW REAR SEATBELT BOLT TIGHTLY BACK TO SIDE PANEL. SEATBELT BOLT BROKE AWAY FROM SIDE PANEL WHILE CHILD WAS SITTING IN SEAT! DEALER REPAIRED AND CHECKED ALL SEAT BELT ATTACHMENTS AT MY REQUEST BUT DID NOT OFFER TO DETERMINE SOURCE OF PROBLEM UNTIL I INSISTED. SERVICE MGR INITIALLY REPORTED HE THOUGHT IT WAS A FACTORY DEFECT, UNTIL THEY RESEARCHED THE PROBLEM IN DETAIL. I STRONGLY RECOMMEND THAT FORD HAVE A POLICY THAT ANY SAFETY DEVICES REMOVED OR TAMPERED WITH DURING ANY REPAIR SHOULD BE DOUBLE CHECKED FOR PROPER OPERATION PRIOR TO RETURNING VEHICLE TO OWNER. *AK

THE SIDE MIRRORS ERRATICALLY REPOSITIONED THEMSELVES EACH TIME THE DOORS WERE UNLOCKED OR IF THE VEHICLE WAS PUT INTO REVERSE. ALSO, THE REVERSE SENSOR DID NOT WORK PROPERLY. *JB

ACCORDING TO DEALERSHIP AND MANUFACTURER REPS, THE PROBLEM WITH THE SIDE MIRRORS AND THEIR PROPENSITY TO MOVE WITHOUT WARNING OR "POP" WHEN USING THE VEHICLES' REVERSE MIRROR FUNCTION, IS DUE TO POOR DESIGN FROM FORD MOTOR COMPANY. I HAVE BEEN TOLD THAT I AM JUST TOO TALL (6'3"), AND THAT THE LOCATION THAT I HAVE THE MIRRORS ADJUSTED IN, CAUSES THE HOUSING TO MAKE CONTACT WITH THE TILTING ASSEMBLY! I FIND IT HARD TO BELIEVE THAT FORD WOULD PRODUCE A VEHICLE THAT WILL NOT ALLOW YOU TO ADJUST THE MIRROS PROPERLY SO THAT YOU CAN SEE TRAFFIC BEHIND YOU, AND STILL BE ABLE TO USE A FUNCTION THAT WAS DESIGNED INTO THE VEHICLE! THE MIRROS MODULES HAVE BEEN REPLACED TWICE ON BOTH SIDES AS WELL AS THE MOTORS. I HAVE FILED A COMPLAINT WITH FORD AND HAVE BEEN TOLD THAT DUE TO THE DESIGN FLAW, THE VEHICLE IS AS IT WAS DESIGNED AND THEY HAVE NO INTENT TO REPAIR. GOOD LUCK SEEING TRAFFIC ON EITHER SIDE.*AK

I HAVE A 2003 FORD EXPEDITION WITH A LEAKING WINDSHIELD/MOON ROOF. I HAVE TAKEN IT TO MAROONE FORD IN DELRAY BEACH FLORIDA 3 TIMES AND EACH TIME THEY KEPT IT FOR 2 DAYS AND PERFORMED WATER SPRINKLER TESTS. THEN CLAIMED TO HAVE REPAIRED IT. I JUST GOT IT BACK AGAIN ON AUG. 7, 2003 AND AM WAITING FOR THE NEXT BIG RAIN. THE DEALER DOES NOT SEEM TO KNOW WHY THIS IS HAPPENING. I ALSO HAVE THE POSSESSED SIDE MIRROR PROBLEM. THEY JUST DO THEIR OWN THING WHEN I REVERSE THEN DRIVE. THIS IS ANOTHER ISSUE THE DEALER HAS YET TO FIGURE OUT. FORTUNATELY, FLORIDA HAS A LEMON LAW AND I PLAN TO EXERCISE IT AS SOON AS THE NEXT LEAK APPEARS. YOU WOULD THINK THAT A PERSON WOULD NOT HAVE TO WORRY ABOUT SUCH SIGNIFICANT PROBLEMS WHEN PAYING A HIGH PRICE FOR A VEHICLE OR AT LEAST BE ABLE TO GET THE PROBLEM FIXED THE FIRST TIME.

EXTERIOR MIRRORS SHAKE WHILE DRIVING. ONE MIRROR HAS ALREADY BEEN REPLACED BY THE DEALER, BUT IT STILL SHAKES. IT IS VIRTUALLY IMPOSSIBLE TO GET A CLEAR VIEW OF TRAFFIC BEHIND YOU. THIS POSES A VERY DANGEROUS SITUATION. DEALER SAID "THEY ARE ALL LIKE THAT, EVEN ON THE BRAND NEW VEHICLES". SOUNDS LIKE FORD NEEDS TO FIND A SUPPLIER WITH A BETTER QUALITY PRODUCT BEFORE THESE MIRRORS CAUSE AN ACCIDENT - WHETHER WITH MY VEHICLE OR SOMEONE ELSE'S.*AK

THE SIDE MIRRORS MOVED AT THEIR OWN FREE WILL WHILE DRIVING . THE REVERSE SENSOR DID NOT WORK PROPERLY. THE MIRRORS MOVED IN REVERSE NOT UP AND DOWN. WHICH MADE IT DIFFICULT TO SEE WHEN DRIVING. *JB *CB *JB

SIDEVIEW MIRRORS FAIL TO RETURN TO THEIR 'UPRIGHT' POSITION AFTER REVERSING. *AK

REAR QUARTER PANEL (DRIVE SIDE)GLASS WINDOW WAS BLOWN OUT. NO APPARENT VANDALISM WAS DETECTED. 90% OF GLASS WAS DISCOVERED OUTSIDE OF THE VEHICLE INDICATING THAT THE WINDOW "EXPLODED" OUTWARD FROM INSIDE THE VEHICLE.*JB