Why my 03 sucks...too!

[kshebel]

Holy moley! I've had MANY of the same problems you've all had. I think I'm trading my LEMON in! I dispise it completely.
Bought an 03 Eddie Bauer, unfortunately with all the bells and whistles! Well, the bells and whistles dont work!

Anyhoo...now it's going into the shop for the 4th time in 1 1/2 years!

My list:

Brake dust is horrible!

Drivers door rattles like a tank (dealer cant duplicate) How I dont know because it rattles CONSTANTLY for me!

Sunroof rattles constantly!

Liftgate is corroding. Lotsa little bubbles under the paint.

Drivers window makes loud screech when it's put down. Like fingernails on a chalk board. Loser at shop said it was due to me using window cleaner with ammonia, cuz that dries out the rubber on the weather stripping. Well, after only 1 1/2 years??

Several light switch lights burnt out.

Front Differential leak.

Leaky liftgate. Water gets in and settles, then when you raise liftgate you get a nice dirty shower!

Liftgate strap broke.

Loud rubbing/clunk when turning sharp left.

Ticking noise in motor at idle. Cant hear it driving down the road, cuz, well..... I'm driving down the road.

Had to have drivers mirror and motor replaced due to mirrors moving at will.

Well, I think that's it.

FOR SALE: 2003 FORD EXPEDITION EDDIE BAUER, 30k miles, runs great!

 

[EXMAN]

I'll give you a brand new shiny quarter for it. Too bad you got a lemon. Sounds to me that the original owner had some fender benders or worse and had Fred's auto body repair it. I've had no major problems with my 98, with all the bells and whistles, and love it. I would get everything working and trade it in for another one before it falls apart like the Blues Brothers car.

 

[jimboh247]

I don't know, maybe I'm lucky, but I have had very few problems with my 99 EB 4x4 (knock on wood). Brake dust has never been an issue, even with factory pads. All my bells and whistles still work. I would not trade it (right now) for anything, even with the 13 MPG, and the fact that it seats 8, but holds luggage for 2. oh well, you can't have it all.

 

[monsta]

Originally posted by kshebel Anyhoo...now it's going into the shop for the 4th time in 1 1/2 years!

What for this time?

Brake dust is horrible!

Buy ceramics. They are now readily available and cost less than $70.00 Change them yourself. It is worth the effort and cost!

Drivers door rattles like a tank (dealer cant duplicate) How I dont know because it rattles CONSTANTLY for me!

Either find a new dealer of have the pnme you use now find the TSB concerning it. THERE IS ONE! It is a relatively easy fix.

Sunroof rattles constantly!

Open or closed? They can be adjusted

Liftgate is corroding. Lotsa little bubbles under the paint.

Warranty

Drivers window makes loud screech when it's put down. Like fingernails on a chalk board. Loser at shop said it was due to me using window cleaner with ammonia, cuz that dries out the rubber on the weather stripping.

Go buy some Silicone Spray and "lube" up the rubber. Problem solved.

Several light switch lights burnt out.

We're talkin' map lights here? That's odd...I don't hear much about those lights going out. Has any of them done it continuously?

Front Differential leak.

Warranty and common. Mine is leaking. I'm sure if yours is like mine, it wans't even forming a drop. Right?

Leaky liftgate. Water gets in and settles, then when you raise liftgate you get a nice dirty shower!

Does it get INTO the tailgate itself?? Mine has plastic over the drain holes on the bottom edge of the tailgate. Maybe yours is missing??

Liftgate strap broke.

Now How'd you do that?

Loud rubbing/clunk when turning sharp left.

Bad hub. Is it making this noise when in 2HI?

Ticking noise in motor at idle.

Normal. Those are the injectors firing.

Had to have drivers mirror and motor replaced due to mirrors moving at will.

Common problem with those mirrors. Can't help ya there...

It sounds as is you have a incompetant service department. Maybe locating a better one would help you feel better. I have issues with my truck (the damn rear diff) but my service department is stellar-if a bit slow.

Most of my issues have been addressed quickly.

The 03 was the first year of production, so you shoulda expected some problems. I imagine that you wouldn't even be posting had your service guys taken care of you. JMHO.

 

[rainmn]

Sorry, but I don't buy into the 1st year problems explanation. Two reasons:
For one, I've owned several first year Hondas, Nissans, and currently a first model year Porsche....no problems with any of them. It can be done right the first time, it's just that the big three can't do it. (Not the first year, second year, or any year, IMO.)
Two, I have an '04 Expedition, which is a total pile of crap. It's going to the dealer Wednesday for the 8th or 9th time in less than a year. Some of the highlights of my ownership since I got it new:
Two weeks old - completely died while on vacation. Entire fuse box was replaced.
More squeaks & rattles than I can list, most of them the dealer still can't fix. Here's a good example of one: The passenger airbag was making a horrible squeak against the dash. Turned out that one the retaining clips was never installed from the factory.
At six months old, the driver's leather seat looked like it came out of a 10 year old truck. Ours had under 10K on it at the time. Now the passenger's seat is in similar shape...and that seat is empty 90% of the time. (Wife uses the truck with the kids in back.)
Right now the front rotors are pretty well warped too. Yes, I know they are a wear item, but 10K miles?
I've given Ford more than a fair shot, as I had an Excursion before this. Had a GMC Yukon prior to that which was total garbage. I hate to say it, but I'm done with domestics for a while. When we got the Expedition, we were really consdering a Sequoia. Now I'm kicking myself for choosing the Ford.