Saturday, August 8, 2026
RecallGazette

Vehicle problems, recalls & safety intelligence

2003 Ford Explorer vs 2003 GMC Envoy XL

Complaints, recalls, TSBs, investigations and safety ratings side by side, from official federal data. Last verified Aug 8, 2026. Raw complaint counts are not adjusted for sales volume.

Metric2003 Ford Explorer2003 GMC Envoy XL
NHTSA complaints1,131228
Recall campaigns23
Service bulletins (TSBs)122120
Investigations36
Crash reports6011
Fire reports103
NCAP overall rating
EPA MPG (combined)15–1714–16
Median reported incident mileage74,000 mi79,900 mi

Reported problems side by side

ComponentFord ExplorerGMC Envoy XL
Structure35422
Power Train33518
Electrical System5453
Visibility5727
Engine and Engine Cooling6912
Suspension637
Air Bags5011
Wheels563

Symptoms owners describe

Stalling657
Vibration / shaking360
Rust / corrosion3113
Check engine light2514
Shifting problems220
Hesitation / surging200
Clunking / rattling180
Loss of power70

Compare all Ford Explorer vs GMC Envoy XL years →

Method. Complaints are unique NHTSA reports. A vehicle that sold more units will naturally accumulate more complaints — use shares and read the underlying reports before drawing conclusions.