2002 FORD EXPLORER Complaints

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 FORD EXPLORER. THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING 55 MPH SHE NOTICED SMOKING IN THE REAR OF THE VEHICLE. THE CONTACT TOOK THE VEHICLE TO A LOCAL MECHANIC WHO STATED THERE WAS A MINOR DEFECT IN THE TRANSMISSION. THE MECHANIC REPAIRED THE DEFECT AND WITHIN TWO WEEKS THE TRANSMISSION FAILED. THE CONTACT TOWED THE VEHICLE TO HER HOME AND NOTIFIED THE MANUFACTURER REGARDING THE TRANSMISSION FAILURE. THE MANUFACTURER STATED THERE WAS NOTHING THEY COULD SINCE THERE WERE NO RELATED RECALLS. THE CONTACT STATED IF THE TRANSMISSION FAILED WHILE DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY, A CRASH COULD OCCUR. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 150,000.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 FORD EXPLORER. WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS PARKED THE CONTACT NOTICED THE REAR LIFT GATE AND WINDOW WOULD NOT ENGAGE PROPERLY AND IT WOULD ALSO WOBBLE. THE ELECTRONIC POWER DOOR LOCKS WOULD NOT WORK BECAUSE THEY WOULD DETECT THE LIFT GATE WAS NOT CLOSED ENGAGING AND A WARNING SOUND ACTIVATED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR A DIAGNOSTIC TEST. THERE WAS A RECALL UNDER NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER: 04V442000 (STRUCTURE:BODY:HATCHBACK/LIFTGATE:HINGE AND ATTACHMENTS) THAT MAY BE RELATED TO THE FAILURE; HOWEVER, THE DEALER STATED THE VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALL. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 65,000.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 FORD EXPLORER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT SHE WAS UNABLE TO SHIFT THE VEHICLE INTO REVERSE. THE DEALER INSPECTED THE VEHICLE AND INFORMED THE CONTACT THAT SHE NEEDED TO REPLACE THE TRANSMISSION. THE MANUFACTURER WAS AWARE OF THE FAILURE. NO REPAIRS WERE PERFORMED. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 131,000.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 FORD EXPLORER. WHILE MOVING THE GEAR SHIFTER FROM PARK TO REVERSE, THE GEAR SHIFTER FRACTURED AND DETACHED FROM THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE DEALER. THE TECHNICIANS STATED THE STEERING COLUMN HAD TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 86,000.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 FORD EXPLORER. WHILE DRIVING AT APPROXIMATELY 45 MPH, THE FUEL GAUGE READING BEGAN TO FLUCTUATE ERRATICALLY . THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR DIAGNOSTICS. THE TECHNICIANS STATED SUGAR WAS FOUND IN THE FUEL SYSTEM. THE TECHNICIANS REPLACED THE FUEL PUMP,CLEANED THE FUEL TANK, AND REPLACED THE FUEL FILTER. AFTER THE REPAIRS, THE FUEL GAUGE CONTINUED TO READ EMPTY CONSTANTLY. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 74,000. UPDATED 09/20/2011 *LN *TR

2002 FORD EXPLORER HAD ALL COIL SPRINGS BROKEN AND SOME MAY HAVE BEEN FOR QUITE SOME TIME. THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM THAT FORD WILL NOT ACKNOWLEDGE. I PULLED INTO MY DRIVEWAY AND I HEARD SOMETHING CLUNK IN THE BACK AND SURE ENOUGH IT WAS COMPLETELY CRACKED. TOOK IT INTO GET REPAIRED ALONG WITH STRUTS AND BALL BEARING PLATE. TOTAL COST FOR THE FAILURE OF THESE SPRINGS = $1750! *TR

OVERDRIVE LIGHT BEGAN TO FLICKER ON AND OFF, AND THE TRANSMISSION WOULD NOT SHIFT PROPERLY. WOULD STAY IN A LOWER GEAR DURING ACCELERATION AS THE RPM CONTINUED TO CLIMB. HAD STORED CODES DIAGNOSED WITH THE FOLLOWING: P0732 (GEAR 2 INCORRECT RATIO), P0733 (GEAR 3 INCORRECT RATIO), P0734 (GEAR 4 INCORRECT RATIO). WAS ADVISED NOT TO CONTINUE TO DRIVE VEHICLE. REQUIRED COMPLETE TRANSMISSION REBUILD (BY AN INDEPENDENT INCLUDING UPGRADES) INCLUDING THE REPLACEMENT OF THE TORQUE CONVERTER DUE TO EXCESSIVE METAL FILINGS THROUGHOUT. TOTAL COST $2581.60. THE VEHICLE HAS NEVER BEEN USED FOR TOWING (NO HITCH) AND IS NOT ABUSED. . INVESTIGATION ON THE WEB REVEALS THIS TRANSMISSION FAILURE TO BE QUITE COMMON, CITING WEAKNESSES IN THE ORIGINAL DESIGN. CREATES A POTENTIALLY HAZARDOUS DRIVING CONDITION BECAUSE THE FAILURE CAN OCCUR AT ANY TIME AT WHICH POINT THE ERRATIC BEHAVIOR COULD LEAD TO AN ACCIDENT.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 FORD EXPLORER. WHILE DRIVING 55 MPH THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL WOULD NOT DISENGAGE. THE DRIVER ATTEMPTED TO PULL THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL UP WITH HER FOOT BUT WAS UNSUCCESSFUL BRAKE PEDAL WAS DEPRESSED AND THE VEHICLE SLOWED DOWN. THE DRIVER WAS ABLE TO MANEUVER THE VEHICLE OFF OF THE ROAD AND CRASHED INTO A FEW SMALL TREES IN A WOODED AREA. THE DRIVER PREVIOUSLY SUFFERED FROM SPINAL INJURIES AND EXPERIENCED BACK AND HIP PAIN. THE DRIVER WAS TREATED BY A DOCTOR FOR THE INJURIES. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THE INSURANCE COMPANY HAD THE VEHICLE TOWED TO AN INDEPENDENT REPAIR SHOP FOR INSPECTION. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 140,000. UPDATED 09/21/11*LJ UPDATED 10/05/11

2002 FORD EXPLORER LF SEATBELT BUCKLE PRETENSIONER BAD. AIRBAG LIGHT CONTINUED TO ILLUMINATE AFTER TWO REPLACEMENTS OF OVER 300.00 EA. SAFETY ISSUE? *TR

BOTH REAR COIL SPRINGS (STRUT ASSEMBILES) BROKEN ON 2002 FORD EXPLORER XLT. BREAKS IN STEEL COIL SPRINGS DISCOVERED DURING DEALER INSPECTION IN 2010. VEHICLE IS USED FOR STANDARD DAILY DRIVING ON PAVED ROADS. RESULTED IN SAGGING REAR OF VEHICLE AND DEGRADED VEHICLE CONTROL IN BUMPY TERRAIN. PARTS LIKELY BROKEN FOR SOME TIME BEFORE DETECTION. REPLACEMENT PARTS HAVE BEEN INSTALLED TO CORRECT PROBLEM. PHOTOS OF BROKEN PARTS AVAILABLE. *TR