2002 FORD EXPEDITION Complaints

MY 2002 FORD EXPEDITION EXPERIENCED AN ELECTRICAL MALFUNCTION DUE TO A LIQUID BUILD UP IN ITS SYSTEM. THE DEALERSHIP SAID THEY COULD NOT DETERMINE HOW THE MOISTURE WAS ENTERING THE VEHICLE. THE AUDIO SYSTEM AND WINDSHIELD WIPERS WOULD NOT OPERATE IN THE REVERSE OR DRIVE POSITIONS. THE VEHICLE WAS RETURNED TO THE DEALERSHIP TWICE, ON THE LAST OCCASION, A SMALL FIRE STARTED, RESULTING IN THE STARTER BEING BURNED UP. NO INJURIES OCCURRED, BUT THE DEALERSHIP CHARGED ME $1065.70 ON THE FIRST REPAIR BILL, AND 335.00 ON THE SECOND REPAIR BILL. AN EXPLANATION OR SENSIBLE SOLUTION WAS NOT GIVEN FOR CORRECTING THE PROBLEM. *JB

MY REPAIR IS AS DESCRIBED IN SERVICE BULLETIN # 041601 AND NHTSA # 10018745. MY COIL WAS REPLACED. *JB

STARTED AS SMALL OIL LEAK. AFTER PLACING DYE IN CRANKCASE FOUND DRIVERS SIDE HEAD GASKET LEAKING. I AM HAVING BOTH HEAD GASKETS REPLACED FOR 17K. THERE IS ONLY 49K ON THIS TRUCK WITH ALL NORMAL DRIVING. FROM OTHER COMPLAINTS THAT HAVE BEEN POSTED I DO NOT UNDERSTAND WHY FORD HAS NOT BEEN MADE TO RESPOND TO THE PROBLEMS WITH THEIR PRODUCT LINE. THIS PROBLEM HAS BEEN IN COMPLAINTS SINCE '98. ISN'T TIME THAT SOME ACCOUNTABILITY BE TAKEN BY THE MANUFACTURER? *JB

2002 FORD EXPEDITION EXPLODED IN GARAGE RESULTING IN A TOTAL LOSS OF THE VEHICLE AND HOME. *NM

I CURRENTLY OWN A 2002 FORD EXPEDITION. A RECALL WAS PERFORMED (AT AN AUTHORIZED FORD DEALER) TO CORRECT AN ISSUE WITH THE CRUISE CONTROL SWITCH POSSIBLY OVERHEATING AND CAUSING A VEHICLE FIRE. ON DECEMBER 30TH 2005, MY EXPEDITION BECAME ENGULFED IN FLAMES WHILE PARKED. THE VEHICLE WAS A TOTAL LOSS. *NM

DT: THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING AT APPROXIMATELY 25 MPH HEARD A LOUD BOOM. THE VEHICLE SPUTTERED AND JERKED. HE PULLED THE VEHICLE TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO A DEALERSHIP, WHERE THEY FOUND THE PROBLEM TO BE A BLOWN OUT SPARK PLUG. NO REPAIRS WERE MADE. *AK

2002 FORD EXPEDITION (EDDIE BAUER) WITH 63000 MILES ON 12/24/05, AT APPROXIMATELY 1530 HOURS, WE LOADED UP OUR INFANT AND TODDLER INTO THEIR CAR SEATS. I STARTED THE ENGINE AND IMMEDIATELY HEARD A LOUD THUMPING NOISE FROM UNDER THE HOOD AND COULD SMELL GASOLINE. I IMMEDIATELY SHUT OFF THE ENGINE AND LOOKED UNDER THE HOOD AND NOTICED THAT A SPARK PLUG COIL PACK WAS MOVED OUT OF PLACE AND THE RETAINING SCREW BRACKET WAS BROKEN OFF THE COIL PACK ON THE PASSENGER SIDE OF THE ENGINE. I PULLED THE COIL PACK OUT AND REALIZED THAT THE SPARK PLUG WAS NO LONGER SCREWED INTO THE HEAD. THERE WAS NO DAMAGE TO THE THREADS ON THE SPARK PLUG. IT WAS OBVIOUS THAT THE SPARK PLUG HAD BLOWN-OUT OF THE HEAD. I DID A GOOGLE SEARCH AND FOUND THAT THERE ARE NUMEROUS COMPLAINTS OF THE SAME PROBLEM FOR THE TRITON ENGINE FOR 1998-2002 MODEL YEARS. I ALSO FOUND THAT FORD IS NOT PAYING FOR ANY REPAIRS. TO REPAIR THE PROBLEM, THE HEAD AND HEAD GASKET WILL NEED TO BE REPLACED. I GOT A PRICE QUOTE OF $2954.10 (INCLUDING TAX, PARTS, AND LABOR). HAD I LEFT THE ENGINE RUN LONGER, THE SPARK PLUG WILL STILL BE FIRING WITH GASOLINE BEING DISCHARGED INTO THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT, A SEVERE FIRE HAZARD. *NM

PROBLEM: AFTER ONLY 54943 MILES ON MY 2002 FORD EXPEDITION, I COULD NOT MOVED MY AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION GEAR POSITION INDICATOR LEVER, AFTER INSPECTION, I FOUND OUT THAT THE SHIFTING CABLE FOR TRANSMISSION WAS BROKEN INTO TWO PIECES INSIDE THE PROTECTIVE ASSEMBLY: THIS PROBLEM PREVENT ME FROM SHIFTING FROM ANY GEAR POSITION. IT SO HAPPEN IT BROKE IN ''PARK'' POSITION. IDENTICAL PROBLEM AS NHTSA RECALL NO. 97V147000 AND 97V171000. RESULT: THIS CONDITION WOULD NOT ALLOW A DISENGAGEMENT OF THE TRANSMISSION FROM THE PARK POSITION OR ANY OTHER GEAR POSITION WHEN THE CABLE BREAK ON CERTAIN POSITION. UNINTENDED VEHICLE MOVEMENT COULD OCCUR. CORRECTIVE ACTION: FORD CO. OR FORD DEALER SHOULD MAKE NECESSARY AND PROPER OPERATION INSPECTION OF THE TRANSMISSION SHIFT CONTROL LEVER FOR PROPER NORMAL OPERATION AND ITS SUPPORTS. REPLACED COMPONENTS IF ABNORMALITY IS FOUND IN COMPONENT OPERATIONAL TEST. SYMPTOMS ENCOUNTER OR ABNORMALITIES: HARDSHIP ON CHANGING GEAR POSITION FROM PARK POSITION TO ANY OTHER GEAR POSITION. REALLY HAD TO APPLY FORCE TO MOVE LEVER. AFTER FORD DEALER REPLACED THE BROKEN SHIFTING CABLE ASSEMBLY, I NOTICED THAT CHANGING GEAR POSITION WOULD ONLY REQUIRE VERY LIGHT EFFORT, RELATIVELY EASY AND SMOOTH MOVEMENT OF THE LEVER. I COULD CHANGE THE GEAR POSITION WITH ONLY FINGER MOVEMENT COMPARE WITH REALLY VERY HARD HAND MOVEMENT BEFORE. SUGGESTIONS: I BELIEVE THIS PROBLEM ISSUES WAS RELATED TO PREVIOUS NHTSA RECALL 97V147000 AND 97V17100 AND FORD CO AND ITS DEALERSHIP SHOULD PROVIDE CUSTOMER ASSISTANCE OF CHECKING THIS CABLE ASSEMBLY INTENDED OPERATION: REPLACED/REPAIR ASSEMBLY IF FOUND ANY ABNORMALITY. REIMBURSED CUSTOMER WHEN THEY PAY FOR THIS KIND OF AVOIDABLE REPAIR. IN MY CASE, I HAVE TO PAY $368 FOR REPAIR/REPLACEMENT AND ANOTHER$108 FOR TOWING. TOTAL OF MY OUT POCKET COST $476, WHICH IS PREVENTABLE IF ONLY FORD MANUFACTURER AND ITS DEALERSHIP INSPECT FOR PROPER OPERATION OF THIS COMPONENT WHICH IS EASILY DETECTABLE. *JB

MY TRANSMISSION SHIFT LEVER WOULD NOT MOVE. I CALLED FOR AN ASSISTANCE, I WAS TOLD MY SHIFTING CABLE WOULD NOT MOVED AND PROBABLY THE CABLE WAS BROKE. I'D ASKED THE TOWING PERSON TO BRING MY FORD EXPEDITION FORD DEALER IN BELLFLOWER. I SEARCH THE INTERNET FOR RELATIVE ISSUES REGARDING MY PROBLEM WAS IDENTICAL TO NHSTA RECALL ID # 97V17100 AND 97V14700. I BELIEVE THAT THIS IS STILL ON GOING PROBLEM WITH FORD EXPEDITION SINCE 1997 AS INDICATED TO THE RECALL NUMBER DATE. I ASKED FOR THE OLD PART (SHIFTING CABLE ASSEMBLY SO I COULD EVALUATE WHAT WHEN WRONG. I'VE NOTICED THAT STEEL BRAIDED CABLE WAS USED AND IT WAS ENCLOSED IN A VERY STRONG PLASTIC PROTECTION. BUT THE CABLE BREAK INSIDE THE CASING. I ONLY HAVE 55,000 MILES. I'D ALSO NOTICED THAT I COULD NOW EASILY CHANGED OR SHIFT THE SHIFTING LEVER WITH VERY LIGHT MOVEMENT OF MY HAND UNLIKE WHEN I'D FIRST GOT MY EXPEDITION BACK IN APRIL 2002. I'D REMEMBER THAT MOST OF THE TIME I HAVE TO REALLY PULLED IT HARD JUST TO SHIFT THE LEVER, BACK THEN I THOUGHT THAT WAS NORMAL BUT AFTER THE SHIFTING CABLE WAS REPLACED I COULD CHANGED THE GEAR POSITION WITH JUST MY FINGER AND REALLY VERY LIGHT PRESSURE. SO. MY CONCLUSIVE TO THE ISSUE WAS 1) FORD PERSONNEL DOES NOT PAY ATTENTION ON PROPER INSTALLATION OF THIS SHIFTING CABLE 2) FORD USE INFERIOR OR SUBSTANDARD PART. THE MOVEMENT OF THE SLEEVE AND THE LOCATION OF THE BRACKET THAT HOLDS THE ASSEMBLY CLOSE TO THE SHIFTING LEVEL WILL CONTRIBUTE TO THE PROBLEM. I BELIEVED FORD SHOULD LOOK FURTHER ON THIS PROBLEM BECAUSE THEY HAVE THIS SINCE 1997 I STILL HAVE THE OLD PART AND IT WILL BE AVAILABLE FOR FURTHER INVESTIGATION. THE NEWLY INSTALLED CABLE SEEMS TO BE DOING ITS PURPOSE BECAUSE WITH JUST A LIGHT PRESSURE I COULD CHANGE THE GEAR POSITION UNLIKE THE ORIGINAL CABLE ASSEMBLY THAT I REALLY HAVE TO PULL HARD AND PUSH HARD TO CHANGE GEAR POSITION. *JB

DT: THE CONTACT STATED THE INSIDE OF THE VEHICLE OCCASIONALLY HAD A STRONG SMELL OF GASOLINE WHEN DRIVING AT 75 MPH. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A MECHANIC, BUT THE MECHANIC COULD NOT DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM. THE CONTACT ONLY USED THE VEHICLE FOR DRIVING HER CHILDREN TO SCHOOL, WHICH WAS ABOUT 5 OR 6 BLOCKS AWAY. DUE TO HER FEARS ABOUT THE SMELL SHE TRIED TO EXCHANGE THE VEHICLE FOR ANOTHER BUT THE DEALER DENIED HER REQUEST.*AK