2002 FORD EXPEDITION Complaints

I BOUGHT MY FORD EXPEDITION (2002) BRAND NEW, HAVE ALWAYS BEEN THE REGISTERED OWNER AND HAVE NEVER RECEIVED A RECALL NOTICE FOR THE VEHICLE. MY FORD EXPEDITION CAUGHT FIRE AT OUR FAMILY MEDICAL FACILITY (RANCHO BERNARDO) AFTER AN HOUR OF BEING OFF AND PARKED. THE MEDICAL FACILITY ANNOUNCED A CAR ON FIRE WITH DESCRIPTION AND I RAN OUTSIDE AND CALLED 911 BUT FIRE DEPARTMENT RESPONDED AS I WAS STILL ON THE PHONE. THANKS TO THE LIGHTNING SPEED OF RB FIRE THERE WAS NO DAMAGE TO ANYTHING EXCEPT MY VEHICLE. THE FIREFIGHTERS ON THE SCENE TOLD ME THAT THEY SUSPECTED THE CRUISE CONTROL SWITCH. IT ONLY BURNED INSIDE THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT - IN FRONT OF THE DRIVER SIDE. AN INDEPENDENT FIRE INVESTIGATOR DETERMINED AFTER COMPLETING HIS INVESTIGATION THAT THE VEHICLE FIRE WAS DUE TO A FAULTY CRUISE CONTROL SWITCH AND BRAKE FLUID HAD LEAKED INTO THE ELECTRICAL CIRCUIT THAT IS ALWAYS ON FOR THE CRUISE CONTROL. THE VEHICLE WAS STILL DECLARED A TOTAL LOSS BY MY INSURANCE COMPANY DUE TO HIGH REPAIR ESTIMATES. ON 8/5/2008 MY INSURANCE COMPANY PURCHASED THE VEHICLE FROM ME FOR A LITTLE OVER THE KBB PRIVATE PARTY VALUE DUE TO RECENT VEHICLE ADD-ONS I PROVIDED RECEIPTS FOR. MY INSURANCE COMPANY WAIVED THE DEDUCTIBLE. MY FAMILY (3 PEOPLE) WAS DOWN TO 1 CAR FOR A LITTLE OVER A MONTH AND WE ALL WORK AND GO TO SCHOOL. ON SEVERAL DAYS I HAD TO GET A RENTAL CAR AND DID NOT HAVE INSURANCE TO COVER THESE COSTS AND HAVE NOT BEEN REIMBURSED FOR THE DAYS I HAD TO RENT A CAR.

MY 2002 FORD EXPEDITION THREW OUT A SPARK PLUG(#3) AFTER I STARTED IT. THE CAR SHOWED NO SIGNS OF ANY PROBLEMS PRIOR TO THE EVENT. FROM THE NUMBER OF COMPLAINTS I'VE SEEN ONLINE, THIS IS NOT AN ISOLATED INCIDENT. THE DEALER RECOMMENDED A HEAD REPLACEMENT BUT I COULD NOT AFFORD THE $3,700 THEY WANTED. I HAD TO CHOOSE THE HELICOIL FOX AT $600 AND WAS INFORMED THAT THERE WOULD NOT BE ANY GUARANTEE ON THIS FIX OR HOW LONG IT WOULD LAST. *TR UPDATED 07/17/08

ENGINE BACKFIRED BLOWING OUT NO. 7 SPARK PLUG STRIPPING OUT CYLINDER HEAD. HAS BACKFIRED BEFORE SPLITTING NO. 3 SPARK PLUG. CAUSING THE VEHILCLE TO BE UNUSABLE UNTIL REPAIRD. *TR

2002 FORD EXPEDITION - OUT OF THE BLUE, THE CAR BLEW A SPARK PLUG. IT WAS TOWED, DID FULL TUNE UP AND NEW SPARK PLUG. WAS INFORMED THAT THERE HAVE BEEN MANY PROBLEMS WITH BLOWN PLUGS AND FAULTY ALUMINUM HEADS IN MY YEAR AND MAKE. IT WAS $500.00. 2 WEEKS LATER SAME PLUG BLEW OUT. HAD TO TOW AGAIN. MY CHOICE WAS EITHER NEW CAR OR DROP A NEW ENGINE IN THE CAR. A NEW HEAD WOULD HAVE BEEN A BAND-AID. I HAD TO PUT A NEW ENGINE IN, THE ENGINE AND THE LABOR WERE $6,000.00. I SHOULD HAVE NEVER HAD TO DO THIS FOR A 2002 THAT I PAID OVER 30,000.00 FOR. SEVERAL MECANICS SAID THEY ARE SEEING MORE AND MORE OF THESE COMING IN THEIR SHOPS FROM YEARS 2000-2002 IN DIFFERENT FORDS. *TR

SPARK PLUG EJECTED FROM ENGINE. ORIGINAL SPARK PLUGS IN THE VEHICLE. EJECTED AT START UP OF ENGINE. HEADS WILL NEED TO BE REMOVED AND HELI COIL INSERTS INSTALLED. *TR

ELECTRICAL PROBLEMS FROM WINDSHIELD LEAK. THOUGHT IT WAS MOONROOF DRAINS, HAD THEM CHECKED & CLEANED AT DEALER. STILL LEAKING. KEEP HEARING ELECTRICAL CLICKING NOISES FROM UNDER DASH AND SOMEWHERE IN BACKSEAT WHENEVER IT RAINS. DRIVER'S SEAT HEATER NO LONGER WORKING, REAR HEAT/AC BLOWERS INTERMITTENTLY NOT WORKING. *TR

I HAVE RECEIVED LETTERS FROM FORD STATING THAT THERE IS A DEFECT IN MY CRUISE CONTROL SYSTEM ON MY 2002 FORD EXPEDITION. I HAVE BEEN RECEIVING SUCH LETTERS FOR OVER TWO YEARS. I HAVE ON AT LEAST SIX OCCASIONS ATTEMPTED TO SCHEDULE AN APPOINTMENT TO GET THIS REPAIRED AT ONE OF SEVERAL LOCAL FORD DEALERSHIPS. I AM CONSTANTLY INFORMED THAT THERE IS A SHORTAGE OF PARTS AND THEY CANNOT SCHEDULE THE REPAIRS. IF THIS IS A SERIOUS SAFETY CONCERN, FORD NEEDS TO MAKE IT A PRIORITY TO MAKE THE PARTS AVAILABLE. MY MOST RECENT LETTER IS DATED MAY 20TH, 2008.

OTHER VEHICLE RAN A RED LIGHT AND I STRUCK HIS VEHICLE BROADSIDE WITH THE FRONT OF MY CAR. CAR IS TOTALED. *TR

WHILE DRIVING TO WORK, HEARD "POP" UNDER DASHBOARD (FUSE PANEL) AND RADIO WENT OFF. REPLACEMENT FUSE BLEW IMMEDIATELY UPON REPLACEMENT. REMOVED RADIO AND REPLACEMENT FUSE IMMEDIATELY BLEW AGAIN. SUSPECTED GROUND IN POWER CIRCUIT TO FACTORY STEREO, VERIFIED WITH TEST LIGHT. SHORTED CIRCUIT, 797 IN THIS VEHICLE, IS HOT AT ALL TIMES (NOT SWITCHED THROUGH IGNITION). SUBSEQUENT INVESTIGATION BY OWNER SHOWS THAT MAIN WIRING HARNESS BEHIND DASHBOARD WAS NOT CORRECTLY INSTALLED WHEN THE VEHICLE WAS ASSEMBLED AT FACTORY. THE MOUNTING POINTS INSTALLED IN THE HARNESS WERE NEVER INSTALLED IN THE CORRESPONDING HOLES IN THE BODY, ALLOWING THE HARNESS TO SAG APPROXIMATELY 2 INCHES BELOW ITS CORRECT POSITION (AND PRESUMABLY RUB AGAINST METAL PARTS BEHIND THE DASHBOARD). DUE TO THE FAULTY FACTORY INSTALLATION, THE HARNESS CAN NOT BE RAISED FAR ENOUGH TO BE PROPERLY INSTALLED WITHOUT REMOVING AT LEAST PART OF THE DASHBOARD AND PASSENGER SIDE AIRBAG (DEALER SAYS ENTIRE DASHBOARD MUST BE REMOVED, A SIGNIFICANT COST ITEM). DEALER MECHANIC HAS VIEWED HARNESS AND AGREES HARNESS WAS NOT CORRECTLY INSTALLED. SUBJECT HARNESS ALSO CONTAINS WIRING FOR AIRBAGS, INSTRUMENT PANEL, TRANSMISSION CONTROL, REAR LIGHTING, TRAILER CONTROLS; BASICALLY EVERY CIRCUIT IN THE VEHICLE WHICH IS CONTROLLED FROM OR HAS INDICATION IN THE DASHBOARD. OWNER IS STILL TROUBLESHOOTING AND ATTEMPTING TO REPAIR. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 FORD EXPEDITION. WHILE ATTEMPTING TO PARK THE VEHICLE, IT ACCELERATED TO A HIGH RATE OF SPEED AND CRASHED INTO A WALL. NONE OF THE AIR BAGS DEPLOYED. THE CONTACT WAS INJURED AND THE INSURANCE COMPANY RECOMMENDED THAT THE DEALER SERVICE THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS AT THE DEALER FOR 32 DAYS WHILE THE REPAIRS WERE MADE. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 31000.