2002 FORD EXPLORER Complaints

UTAH I-15 SOUTH BOUND, INSIDE LANE NEXT TO CONCRETE BARRIER WITH TOUR BUS IN LANE ON MY RIGHT. MY VEHICLE BEGAN TO DRIFT TO THE RIGHT AS I WAS PASSING THE BUS. I CORRECTED BY SLOWLY TURNING THE STEERING WHEEL TO THE LEFT; NOT HARD OR FAST BUT SLOWLY AND EVENLY. THE EXPLORER (4-DOOR, 2002, XLT) BEGAN TO WHIP BACK AND FOURTH VIOLENTLY. IT TOOK ME SEVERAL HUNDRED YARDS TO GET THE CAR UNDER CONTROL AFTER COMING WITHIN AN INCH OR TWO OF BOTH THE BARRIER AND THE BUS. THIS IS NOT THE FIRST TIME THE WHIPPING PROBLEM HAS HAPPENED. I BOUGHT THE VEHICLE FOUR MONTHS AGO FROM A PRIVATE SELLER. I PUT NEW "BIG-O" BIGFOOT TIRES ON IT AND HAD THE FRONT END ALIGNMENT CHECKED; IT WAS FINE. IF I HADN'T DONE SOME FANCY DRIVING THE VEHICLE WOULD HAVE ROLLED (AT 80MPH) AND I PROBABLY WOULD HAVE BEEN KILLED. I AM GETTING RID OF THE EXPLORER AND NEVER BUYING ANOTHER FORD PRODUCT AGAIN. *TR

REAR LIFT GATE FIBERGLASS TRIM BELOW WINDOW CRACKED FOR NO APPARENT REASON. VEHICLE WAS SITTING STILL IN DRIVEWAY AND WHEN I WENT OUT TO START IT THIS IS WHEN I NOTICED THE CRACK. *TR

THIS IS THE THIRD TIME I HAVE TO REPLACE BRAKES (FULL JOB) WITH ABS CONCERNS. *TR

THIS IS THE SECOND TIME I HAD TO REPLACE BRAKE PADS AND OTHER BRAKE PARTS ON THIS CAR WITHIN THE SAME YEAR (2012-13). *TR

THE ENGINE OVERHEATED WITHOUT ANY WARNING FROM THE DASHBOARD. I BOUGHT THIS CAR WITH 18,000 MILES. THE ENGINE OVERHEATED WHEN IT HAD APPROXIMATELY 25,000 MILES. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 FORD EXPLORER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE GEAR SHIFT LEVER FRACTURED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED ABOUT THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 107,000.

I WAS TRAVELING IN STOP AND GO TRAFFIC. AS SOON AS SPACE OPENED BETWEEN ME AND THE VEHICLE IN FRONT OF ME, I ACCELERATED. WHILE GAINING SPEED I LOOKED IN MY RIGHT REAR VIEW MIRROR TO SEE IF I COULD CHANGE LANES. WHILE LOOKING IN MY MIRROR THE VEHICLE IN FRONT OF ME STOPPED. I HIT THE BACK OF HIS VEHICLE WITH THE FRONT OF MINE. THE PROBLEM I HAVE IS THAT MY AIRBAG(S) FIRED BUT DID NO DEPLOY. YOU COULD CLEARLY SMELL THAT THEY FIRED AND MY AIRBAG LIGHT IS NOW ON. MY SEAT BELT DID NOT CINCH UP AND RESTRAIN ME EITHER. THIS CAR HAD BEEN WELL MAINTAINED AND WAS NEVER IN AN ACCIDENT BEFORE THIS ONE. AS I SEE IT, IT WAS A TOTAL FAILURE OF THE SRS. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 FORD EXPLORER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING 50 MPH, THE OVERDRIVE WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED AS THE VEHICLE BEGAN TO LOOSE POWER. THE CONTACT TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER FOR INSPECTION WHERE THEY STATED THAT THE TRANSMISSION NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED BUT THE FAILURE RECURRED THREE TIMES. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 114,000. *TR

THIS 5R55W TRANSMISSION HAD TO BE REPLACED AT 108,890 MILES FOR $3500 WHILE MY DAUGHTER LIVED AT COLLEGE. I PURCHASED A 3-YEAR 36,000 MILE FORD WARRANTY AS I WAS CONFOUNDED THAT A TRUCK TRANSMISSION MIGHT FAIL AT SUCH AN EARLY AGE. 3-YEARS 16-DAYS 35,652 MILES LATER THIS FORD REMAN FORD INSTALLED TRANS ALSO FAILED AND FORD IS UNWILLING TO ACCEPT ANY RESPONSIBILITY FOR COST OF REPAIR REPLACE, 16-DAYS BEYOND A 100% FREE REPLACEMENT. THE LOCAL DEALER QUOTED $4500 AND THE PREVIOUS DEALER (100 MILES AWAY) QUOTED THE SAME $3500. I OPTED FOR AAMCO AT $2500 AND 3-YEAR 36,000 MILE WARRANTY, SINCE FORD CAN'T RE-ENGINEER THEIR OWN TRANSMISSION TO LAST A REASONABLE AMOUNT OF TIME, THERE ARE HUNDREDS OF COMPLAINTS JUST ON THE 2002 EXPLORER TRANSMISSION, AND THERE ARE THOUSANDS FOR 5R55W TRANSMISSION. IT IS UNCONSCIONABLE THAT FORD IS UNWILLING TO ACCEPT ANY LIABILITY. *TR

I HAVE REPLACED 8 WHEEL BEARINGS ON THIS AUTO. 4-21-12 I WAS ON THE HWY TO THE NEAREST BIG CITY TOWING A BORROWED UTILITY TRAILER, WHICH IS 90 MILES FROM MY HOME, AND I AM SO FORTUNATE THAT I DID NOT LOOSE MY WHEEL. AT THE TIME, I THOUGHT IT WAS MY NEW TIRES BUT WHEN I WENT TO THE DEALER OF MY TIRES HE SHOWED ME THE PLAY THAT MY BACK WHEEL HAD AND TOLD ME I WAS A VERY LUCKY GIRL THAT MY TIRE DIDN'T SNAP OFF. FAST FORWARD AND I HAVE JUST REPLACED BOTH BACK WHEEL BEARING AGAIN WITH ONLY 23,000 MILES ON THE PREVIOUS REPLACED BEARING. 14,000 ON THE ONE BEFORE THAT! FORD YOU HAVE A PROBLEM!! *TR