2003 Ford Explorer consumer reviews

GREAT 4x4 suv never any prob's never got stuck in the snow like others.strong and tough.......................

I have had this car since buying it in October of 2003. So far, it has been reliable and gets me where I want to go. Mileage is okay, but going to the city takes me 1/2 tank of gas.

Explorers, no matter what year, have seemed to be a great reliable car. I have had 3 Explorers ranging from 1997-2004 and they all have handled beautifully. Ford knows how to make a SUV luxurious.

This is my favorite suv ever!!!!!!! I have an Eddie Bauer and it is an amazing car!Very roomy,and saying I only payed $37,000 this is amazing! My wifes Town and country,is a piece of lemon!This is lemon on opposite day! My wife doesn't like it but I do! I would totally reccomend it,and Go Ford!:)

2003 Exp. XLT has 28,000 mi. and it cost me $100 to have the transfer case tightened. I guess they ran out of lock washers upon assembly. Now it sits in the shop because twice in the last month it wouldn't start without cranking like crazy. I'll bet they won't be able to locate the problem. The first time I was 75 mi. from home and had it towed to a Ford dealer. They don't have a clue. Car was warmed up each time.

we bought our 03 exploerer XLT loaded with everything except leather. dvd is great, but honda pilot screen is bigger and better. the air conditioner was replaced twice!!! the 4.6 liter eight cylinder it very powerfull and fast but it gets about 14 city and 17 hwy. very cramped third row and unconforable seats.

In October of 2003 I purchased a 2003 Explorer XLS V-6 with 9000 miles. After looking at several competing models, the decision ultimately came down to price. This model was close to $5k cheaper than comparable Honda and Toyota models. Almost five years later, I couldn't be happier with this selection. I have driven this SUV daily and average between 15 to 20K miles per year. I originally worried the V-6 would be low on power, but more MPG outweighed this fear. Ford certainly did a great job of making this V-6 stout. The horses in this engine have been more than enough for my needs. There have been no major problems. Minor problems included a lift gate recall and in 2007 a bad sensor on the brake pedal had to be replaced along with the wire harness at a cost of about $100. Otherwise, this vehicle has been very dependable. Also, the interior is very roomy and lots of hauling capacity in the rear. I have moved three times using this vehicle and have packed lots of items in the back. I can't recommend this vehicle more highly. It is my intention to purchase another Explorer when this one is finally ready to retire.

vehicle handles well, good power, smooth shifting transmision, very roomy, and if maintained well should last long...

My husband and son were in a wreck in our 2003 Explorer 2 weeks ago (10/2007). The Explorer was totaled, as was the vehicle they hit. I'm so happy to report that my husband and my son didn't have any injuries! We were the original owners of this Explorer. It has 93,000 miles on it when it was totaled. It had moved us across the country (twice) from coast to coast. We never had any reliability problems, or maintenance issues. (Just had to have the recall repair for the back lift gate.) Since we're not in the position to buy a new vehicle, we are purchasing another 2003 Explorer.

Haven't had mine too long, but so far it is everything I was hoping it would be. Owned a '02 Escape 2WD before this. I really wanted a little bigger SUV w/4WD without going "gigantic", ie. Expedition, Navigator, etc. Recently rented a '06 Navigator for a week and was not overly impressed considering the price they go for. My biggest compliment of the '03 Explorer is that the ride reminds me of the Navigator, which was also it's best feature. I feel more secure with the extra weight. The layout of the controls and gauges is very well done. My only complaint so far is the fact that the Explorer only has 9hp more than my Escape, 210hp vs 201hp, but out-weights it by over 1,000lbs. That doesn't make sense. Gas mileage is really going to suffer. Other than that I'm extremely pleased with my purchase. I stayed with an older model as opposed to a'06-'07 for two reasons, price and I wasn't crazy about the re-styling. I much prefer the styling of the '02-'05 model years. I would definately recommend the Explorer to my friends.