2002 FORD EXPLORER Complaints

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 FORD EXPLORER. WHILE THE CONTACT SHIFTED INTO REVERSE THE GEAR SHIFT LEVER COMPLETELY DISENGAGED FROM THE HOUSING AREA. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE DEALER AND CURRENTLY BEING REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE DEFECT. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 130,000. THE VIN WAS UNAVAILABLE.

[XXX] GOT BEHIND THE WHEEL OF HER 2002 FORD EXPLORER, INTENDING TO PICK UP HER SON FROM SCHOOL. WHEN SHE TRIED TO SHIFT THE CAR INTO REVERSE, SHE SAYS THE ENTIRE GEAR SELECTOR BROKE OFF AND FELL IN HER LAP. IT TURNS OUT SHE'S NOT ALONE. TEAM 4 INVESTIGATOR JIM PARSONS REPORTED THAT THE NATIONAL HIGHWAY TRANSPORTATION SAFETY ADMINISTRATION HAS BEEN INVESTIGATING SIMILAR COMPLAINTS AROUND THE COUNTRY -- SOME OF WHICH INVOLVED VEHICLES SLIPPING INTO GEAR AND CRASHING -- FOR MORE THAN TWO YEARS. NHTSA'S OFFICE OF DEFECTS INVESTIGATION SAYS IT HAS IDENTIFIED 200 ALLEGED INCIDENTS OF UNINTENDED VEHICLE MOVEMENT AFTER CONSUMERS BELIEVED THEY HAD SHIFTED THE SUVS INTO PARK, RESULTING IN 85 ALLEGED CRASHES AND 32 ALLEGED INJURIES. EARLIER THIS YEAR, NHTSA UPGRADED ITS INVESTIGATION TO AN ENGINEERING ANALYSIS FOR 2002-2005 FORD EXPLORERS AND MERCURY MOUNTAINEERS. [XXX] SAYS FORD TOLD HER SHE WOULD NEED TO REPLACE HER ENTIRE STEERING COLUMN TO FIX THE BROKEN GEAR SELECTOR AT A COST OF MORE THAN $1,500. INSTEAD, SHE WORKED WITH HER LOCAL MECHANIC TO FIND AN AFTER-MARKET REPLACEMENT PART THAT RETAILS FOR $30. SO FAR, FORD MOTOR COMPANY HAS NOT ISSUED A RECALL ON THE GEAR SELECTOR. MORE INFORMATION: NHTSA WEBSITE DETAILS ON EXPLORER INVESTIGATION (TYPE IN ACTION NUMBER EA09013) READ MORE: HTTP://WWW.WTAE.COM/NEWS/29353127/DETAIL.HTML#IXZZ1ZYUBPJEG INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR

I RECENTLY HAD THE DEALER INSTALL 2 NEW REAR WHEEL BEARINGS (2ND TIME IN 2 YEARS) AND WAS TOLD THAT BOTH REAR SPRINGS ARE BROKEN. I WAS TOLD THAT THE BROKEN PIECES CAN COME OUT WHILE DRIVING AND PUNCTURE THE TIRE. I DID AN INTERNET SEARCH AND FOUND OVER 100 COMPLAINTS OF THE SAME BROKEN SPRINGS ON OTHER EXPLORERS. *TR

THE TRANSMISSION HAS A 5 SECOND DELAY WHEN GOING INTO REVERSE OR DRIVE. THE CAR TRANSMISSION JERKS FORWARD SUDDENLY AND RANDOMLY SHIFTS INTO A HIGHER OR LOWER GEAR WHILE DRIVING. THERE IS A LOUD GRINDING NOISE WHILE THE CAR IS RUNNING AND WHILE THE GEARS ARE SHIFTING. *TT

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 FORD EXPLORER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE SHIFTING INTO PARK, THE GEAR SHIFTER FRACTURED. THE CONTACT WAS UNABLE TO MANEUVER THE SHIFTER SO THE CONTACT TOWED THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER WHERE THE DEALER REPLACED THE ENTIRE STEERING COLUMN. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 151,957. UPDATED 11/03/11 *BF THE CONSUMER STATED THE SHIFT LEVER BROKE OFF. THE DEALER STATED THE STEERING COLUMN WHERE THE SHIFTER ATTACHED AND IGNITION LOCK CYLINDER CAME APART. THE STEERING COLUMN HAD TO BE REPLACED. UPDATED 03/08/12

#3 CYCLINDER PLUB BLEW. HAD TOWED TO DEALER. DEALER SAID THEY COULD FIX EASILY BY INSTALLING A HELIX COIL ADAPTER & COULD HAVE CAR READY NEXT DAY. DEALER CALLS BACK AND SAYS THEY FIXED IT BUT IT WAS REALLY RUNNING BAD AND THAT THEY WOULD NOT RECOMMEND DRIVING IT. I ASKED WHAT THE SOLUTION WAS AND THEY SAID THEY COULD PULL THE HEAD AND REFINISH IT BUT THAT THEY WOULD NOT RECOMMEND DOING SUCH. I ASKED ABOUT A JASPER AND THEY SAID THEY WOULD NOT RECOMMEND AS JASPER HAS A POOR WARRANTY (12 MONTHS+LIMITED MILEAGE & NO LABOR) WHILE A NEW FORD ENGINE WOULD HAVE 3 YEARS, NO MILEAGE LIMIT & BE WARRANTED FOR BOTH LABOR AND PARTS. AS I NEEDED THE VEHICLE - AS IT IS I HAD TO RENT A VEHICLE. AFTER GETTING THE VEHICLE BACK AND TALKING WITH SEVERAL OTHER FORD DEALERS - IT WOULD SEEM THAT THERE IS A STRONG POSSIBILITY THAT THE FORD DEALER INSTALLING THE HELIX COIL MAY HAVE DROPPED DEBRIS INTO THE ENGINE - AS NONE OF THE OTHER DEALERS SAID THEY HAVE EVER HAD TO REPLACE AN ENGINE FOR A BLOWN SPARK PLUG. PS: THE PLUGS WERE THE ORIGINALS FROM THE FACTORY. I HAVE TRIED TO WORK WITH THE DEALER TO GET SOME SORT OF REDUCTION IN WHAT I HAD TO PAY BUT THEY HAVE BEEN LESS THAN INTERESTED IN TALKING WITH ME. SO AM TRYING FIGURE OUT WHAT MY NEXT STEP SHOULD BE. ALL ADVISE WOULD BE APPRECIATED AS APPARENTLY THE PLUG BLOWING PROBLEM IS COMMON! THIS IS A SERIOUS SAFETY HAZARD - THERE COULD HAVE BEEN A FIRE. *KB

THE TRANSMISSION ON MY 2002 FORD EXPLORER FAILED AT ABOUT 86,000 MILES AND REQUIRED $3000.00 TO REPAIR. FORD ACKNOWLEDGED THAT IT WAS A DESIGN FLAW BUT WOULD DO NOTHING TO COVER ANY OF THE REPAIR COSTS. AFTER RESEARCHING THIS ONLINE AND TALKING TO MECHANICS THERE ARE THOUSANDS OF 2002 FORD EXPLORER TRANSMISSIONS THAT HAVE FAILED. THIS IS A TEXTBOOK CASE OF THE NEED FOR A RECALL REQUIRING FORD TO REPLACE THE DEFECTIVE TRANSMISSIONS AT NO COST TO THE CONSUMER. *TT

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 FORD EXPLORER. WHILE PARKED, THE CONTACT NOTICED FLAMES AROUND THE RADIO CONSOLE AND THE DASHBOARD. THE FIRE DEPARTMENT REPORTED TO THE SCENE AND A REPORT WAS FILED. THE CAUSE OF THE FIRE WAS DETERMINED TO BE A FAILURE WITHIN THE RADIO CONSOLE WIRES. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR REPAIRS. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS UNKNOWN.

I HAVE A 2002 FORD EXPLORER XLT, MY TRANSMISSION JUST RECENTLY WENT OUT. IT HAS ABOUT 142,000 MILES. I TOOK IT TO A TRANSMISSION SPECIALIST, TO GET IT FIXED, THEY TOOK IT APART, AND TOLD ME IT WAS COSTING $3,786.60 TO GET IT FIXED/REBUILT! AS OF RIGHT NOW MY TRUCK IS STILL IN THE SHOP, IT HAS BEEN THERE FOR 2 WEEKS NOW. THERE IS NO WAY CAN AFFORD TO PAY THAT, I"M JUST A STUDENT. I DID SOME RESEARCH ONLINE AND IT TURNS OUT THAT THERE IS THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE WITH THE SAME PROBLEM; TRANSMISSIONS GO OUT AND THE MAJORITY ON THE 2002 MODEL. THEY REBUILD THE TRANSMISSION, ONLY FOR IT TO GO OUT AGAIN. SOME PEOPLE HAVE REPLACED/REBUILT THEIR TRANSMISSIONS 4 OR 5 TIMES. I ALSO READ THAT THESE TRUCKS CAN STOP AT ANY MOMENT; ANYWHERE. THIS IS VERY DANGEROUS, ESPECIALLY IF ON THE FREEWAY. I DON'T SEE WHY FORD, DIDN'T RECALL THIS TRUCK OR THIS TRANSMISSION. THEY NEED TO TAKE RESPONSIBILITY AND FIX THE PROBLEM. I HAVE NO IDEA, WHAT I AM GOING TO DO TO GET MY TRUCK FIXED.. OR MAYBE EVEN REPLACED. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 FORD EXPLORER. THE CONTACT WAS DRIVING 50 MPH UPHILL WHEN THE VEHICLE BEGAN TO STALL. THE CONTACT PULLED OVER TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD AND WAS UNABLE TO SHIFT INTO PARK. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO A LOCAL MECHANIC WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE TRANSMISSION WOULD NEED REPLACING. THE CONTACT CALLED THE MANUFACTURER AND WAS TOLD THAT A POSSIBLE BRAKE FLUID LEAK CAUSED THE TRANSMISSION TO MALFUNCTION. THE CONTACT DID NOT HAVE THE TRANSMISSION REPLACED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 129,000.