2002 FORD EXPLORER Complaints

THE TRANSMISSION IS JUNK. FORD KNOWS THIS. REBUILDING OR REPLACING THE TRANSMISSION IS INEVITABLE...AND NOT JUST ONCE, BECAUSE THERE ARE KNOWN DESIGN AND MANUFACTURING ISSUES THAT WILL ONLY CAUSE THE FAILURES TO REPEAT THEMSELVES. UNLESS THESE FAILURES ARE DEALT WITH, THERE ARE MANY PEOPLE ON THE ROADS WHO ARE AT THE MERCY OF LUCK THAT THE CAR THEY ARE DRIVING OR THE CARS THAT OTHERS ARE DRIVING NEAR THEM WONT STOP DEAD, STOPPING THEM DEAD. HOW IS THIS KNOWN PROBLEM NOT A PUBLIC SAFETY ISSUE? HAVE YOU COUNTED THE NUMBER OF FORD EXPLORERS ON THE ROAD?? ITS SCARY. *TR

DUE TO A DEFECT, WE HAD TO HAVE THE TRANSMISSION REPLACED (THANK GOD IT WAS STILL UNDER WARRANTY)...THEN HAD TO HAVE THE DOOR AJAR SENSOR FIXED BECAUSE ALARM KEPT GOING OFF FOR NO REASON. ABOUT TWO YEARS AGO WE WERE ABUT TO GO OUT OF TOWN FOR THANKSGIVING. I STOP AT A RED LIGHT, AND THEN WE TRY TO PULL OFF WHEN THE LIGHT CHANGES AND HEAR THE LOUDEST POPPING NOISES...WE'RE WONDERING HOW IN THE WORLD DID THE SPARK PLUG POP OUT WITH SO MUCH FORCE THAT IT ALSO RIPS THE IGNITION COIL...(FAST FORWARD TO 1YR LATER, SAME THING HAPPENS WHILE LEAVING HOME TO GO TO WORK). ONCE AGAIN, ON MARCH 12, WHILE ON MY WAY TO WORK, SITTING AT A TRAFFIC LIGHT. LIGHT TURNS GREEN...I START TO PULL OFF AND BEGIN HEARING A POPPING NOISE...WTH...NOT AGAIN!!! (THIS IS THE THIRD TIME THIS HAS HAPPENED IN 2 YEARS). COME ON FORD...FIX THE LEMONS!!!! *TR

2002 FORD EXPLORER TRANSMISSION DIED FOR THE SECOND TIME AFTER I HAD THE DEALERSHIP REPLACE IT, 75,000 MILES AGO. I AM NOW SITTING AT 156000 AND IT IS DOING THE SAME THINGS AGAIN. THIS GIVES ME SUCH A BAD TASTE TOWARD FORD, AND I HAVE BEEN A DIE HARD FORD GUY. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 FORD EXPLORER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE TRAVELING 25 MPH, THE PASSENGER ATTEMPTED TO SECURE THEIR SEATBELT WHEN THE DRIVER AND PASSENGER SIDE AIR BAGS DEPLOYED ERRONEOUSLY AND WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHERE THE CONTACT WAS TOLD THAT THE AIR BAGS WERE NO LONGER COVERED UNDER WARRANTY AND PROVIDED NO ASSISTANCE.THE CONTACT REFERENCED NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER: 00V179000(AIR BAGS:SIDE WINDOW) BUT WAS ADVISED BY THE MANUFACTURER THAT THE RECALL WAS IRRELEVANT TO THE 2002 MODEL YEAR EXPLORER. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 144,000.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 FORD EXPLORER SPORT TRAC. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING 60 MPH, THERE SUDDEN ACCELERATION AND A JERKING MOVEMENT WHEN THE GEAR WAS SHIFTED. THE STEERING WHEEL BEGAN TO MOVE ERRATICALLY FROM SIDE TO SIDE. THE CONTACT CRASHED INTO ANOTHER VEHICLE FROM THE PASSENGER SIDE BEFORE CRASHING INTO A RETAINER WALL. THE CONTACT SUSTAINED INJURIES TO THE NECK AND BACK. THE DRIVER OF THE OTHER VEHICLE ALSO SUSTAINED HEAD AND NECK INJURIES. THE POLICE WERE CALLED AND A REPORT WAS FILED. THE INSURANCE COMPANY WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE AND THE VEHICLE WAS DESTROYED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 100,000.

REAR PASSENGER WHEEL STARTED SHAKING. STOPPED AND REMOVED WHEEL COVER AND FOUND THREE WHEEL STUDS SHEARED OFF. HAD TO HAVE VEHICLE TOWED TO TIRE STORE. REPLACED WHEEL, HUB AND ALL STUDS. *TR

I NOTICED ONE DAY THAT MY GAS GAUGE SHOWED EMPTY WHEN I KNEW I HAD GAS, THE NEXT TIME I STARTED THE ENGINE MY GAS GAUGE WORKED. FROM THAT DAY IT WORKS SOMETIMES AND SOMETIMES IT DOESN'T. I AM AFRAID THAT IT WILL GIVE OUT COMPLETELY ONE DAY AND CAN'T AFFORD TO FIX IT. I HAVE READ MANY COMPLAINTS ABOUT THIS PROBLEM AND WONDER WHY THERE IS NOT A RECALL AS I FEEL FORD SHOULD TAKE RESPONSIBILITY HERE AS IT IS CLEARLY A DEFECT. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 FORD EXPLORER. WHILE ATTEMPTING TO SHIFT FROM PARK TO THE REVERSE, THE CONTACT NOTICED THAT THE COLUMN SHIFTER HAD SEPARATED FROM THE STEERING COLUMN. THE VEHICLE HAD NOT BEEN DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE CURRENT AND THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 228,000. UPDATED 04/11/12*LJ THE HEAR SHIFTER BROKE AND THE KEY WOULD NOT COME OUT OF THE IGNITION. THE SERPENTINE BELT WAS CRACKED AND HAD TO BE REPLACED. UPDATED 04/20/12

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 FORD EXPLORER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING 70 MPH, THE OVER DRIVE WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED AS THE VEHICLE STARTED TO SKIP GEARS. THERE WAS AN ABNORMAL INCREASE IN ENGINE RPMS AND THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT SHIFT INTO GEAR. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A LOCAL MECHANIC BUT THE VEHICLE WAS NEITHER DIAGNOSED NOR REPAIRED. THE FAILURE AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS UNKNOWN.

WHEN CLOSING THE REAR HATCH GLASS, THE GLASS EXPLODED. CAR WAS PARKED INSIDE OUR GARAGE ATTACHED TO OUR HOUSE. WE WERE UNLOADING PACKAGES AND WHEN WE WERE DONE WE REACHED UP AND PULLED THE WINDOW TO CLOSE. THE GLASS SHATTERED ALL OVER. *TR