2002 FORD EXPLORER Complaints

I NEVER HAVE ANY WARNING BEFORE MY TRANSMISSION SLIPS WHILE DRIVING MY 2002 FORD EXPLORER SPORT TRAC. MY TRANSMISSION SLIPS WHEN IT SHIFTS FROM 2ND GEAR INTO 3RD GEAR, AFTER THE TRANSMISSION SLIPS MY OD DASH LIGHT BEGINS FLASHING; THIS PROBLEM HAS BEEN HAPPENING SINCE THE FIRST MONTH I THAT I HAVE OWNED (APRIL 2007, WITH 77,000 MILES). I HAVE ATTEMPTED TO GET THE DEALERSHIP TO DIAGNOSE THE PROBLEM, BUT THEY WILL NOT TOUCH IT UNLESS I PAID $195. I CANNOT AFFORD TO HAVE THAT DONE UNLESS THE COST GOES TOWARDS A REPAIR. I HAVE RESEARCHED THIS PROBLEM ON THE INTERNET AND I FOUND NUMEROUS COMPLAINTS ABOUT THIS TRANSMISSION ISSUE HAPPENING. *TR

THIS COMPLAINT IS IN REGARDS TO THE 2002-2005 FORD EXPLORER/MERCURY MOUNTAINEER MODELS (4 DOORS). I OWN A 2002 FORD EXPLORER 4 DOOR XLS WITH 150,000 MILES. RECENTLY MY VEHICLE BECAME VERY DANGEROUS TO DRIVE. WHEN I ACCELERATE AND THEN RELEASE THE PEDAL THE VEHICLE WOULD "PUSH" TO ONE SIDE OR ANOTHER. ALSO GOING AROUND CURVES I WOULD GET A "DEATH WOBBLE" WHERE THE VEHICLE WOULD "PUSH" FROM SIDE TO SIDE IN ALMOST A SWINGING MOTION AND WHEN YOU ATTEMPT TO CORRECT IT, IT CONTINUES TO SWING EXCESSIVELY BACK AND FORTH. TONIGHT I WENT TO CHECK MY WHEEL BEARINGS THINKING THIS WAS THE PROBLEM, AND I FOUND 3 OUT OF THE 4 COIL SPRINGS ON THE STRUTS WERE BROKEN. BOTH REAR COILS WERE SHATTERED (EASIEST WAY TO DESCRIBE IT) AT THE TOP OF THE SPRING. I COULD LITERALLY PULL PIECES OF COIL SPRING OUT OF THE COIL. THE FRONT RIGHT SPRING WAS ALSO CRACKED ALL THE WAY THROUGH, NEAR THE BOTTOM OF THE COIL. I HAVE SPENT ALOT OF TIME WORKING ON CARS AND I HAVE NEVER SEE 3 COIL SPRINGS FAIL AT THE SAME TIME ESPECIALLY SINCE THEY ARE LESS THAN 10 YEARS OLD!!! I ALSO DID A GOOGLE SEARCH AND READ WHERE OTHER OWNERS HAVE HAD SPRING FAILURES AS LOW AS 75,000 MILES!! PLEASE LOOK INTO THIS ISSUE THERE ARE SO MANY OF THESE ON THE ROAD. I WORK IN LAW ENFORCEMENT AND THIS I FEEL IS A SIGNIFICANT SAFETY RISK AFTER EXPERIENCING THE LOSS OF CONTROL YOU HAVE WHEN DRIVING THE VEHICLE IN THIS CONDITION. IF THIS WOULD HAVE HAPPENED IN THE ILLINOIS WINTER WITH ICE ON THE ROADS IT COULD HAVE BEEN DISASTROUS. I WILL BE REPLACING THE ENTIRE STRUT/COIL SPRING ASSEMBLY SING THE REAR SPRINGS HAVE COLLAPSED IN SUCH A WAY THAT THE SPRING IS RUBBING ON THE STRUT BODIES. ONE OF THE ISSUES IS, WITH EXCEPTION OF THE HANDLING CHARACTERISTICS, THE VEHICLE SITS LEVEL AND CLOSE TO ITS NORMAL RIDE HEIGHT AND ITS IS VERY DIFFICULT TO TELL 3 SPRINGS ARE BROKEN. I WILL BE TAKING PICTURES TO DOCUMENT THIS FAILURE AND I WILL BE WILLING TO PROVIDE THIS TO YOU. I MAY ALSO SAVE THE OLD PARTS IF YOU WOULD LIKE. *TR

WAS DRIVING HOME FROM GETTING GROCERIES AND THE CAR FAILED TO ACCELERATE. WAS AT A INTERSECTION SO IT WAS A UNPLEASANT SITUATION AS THEIR WAS ONCOMING CARS. PULLED THE CAR OVER AND SHUT OFF.. CHECKED FOR TRANSMISSION FLUID.. THERE WAS NONE. STARTED CAR AND IT WOULD ONLY DRIVE ABOUT 15 MPH THE REMAINDER OF THE TRIP. THE OVERDRIVE CONTROL ON THE TRANSMISSION HAD FAILED. 2200 REPAIR.. CHECKED THE RECALLS AND THERE CURRENTLY IS NOT ONE EVEN THOUGH THIS SPECIFIC TRANSMISSION HAS THOUSANDS OF COMPLAINS (NOT OVER EXAGGERATING) THIS IS A DANGEROUS SITUATIONS CONSIDERING I COULD HAVE BEEN ON THE INTERSTATE OR A ON RAMP. THIS VEHICLE IS SITTING IN MY GARAGE AWAITING A RECALL OF WHEN MY FAMILY GETS THE FINANCIAL STABILITY TO REPAIR IT IN A NON FORD DEALERSHIP/REPAIR SHOP. THIS SUV GETS REGULAR FLUID FILLS/CHANGES AT THE CORRECT INTERVALS WITH DOCUMENTATION.. THIS TRANSMISSION IS "SEALED" WHICH MEANS IT CANNOT BE CHECKED FOR FLUID LOSS OR BAD FLUID. "BAD ENGINEERING" WHICH SHOULD REQUIRE A REPAIR AT FORDS EXPENSE. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 FORD EXPLORER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE FAILED TO START. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHERE THEY ADVISED HIM THAT THE TIMING CHAIN WAS FRACTURED AND THE ENGINE WOULD NEED REPLACING. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT CONTACTED. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE APPROXIMATELY 177,000. THE VIN WAS UNAVAILABLE.

2002 FORD EXPLORER , HAD REAR END REPAIRED AT 75000.0 MILES BY FORD DEALER AND AGAIN IT'S MAKING A GRINDING NOISE AT 101000.0...LIKE ALL OTHERS, THEY STATE OUT OF WARRANTY AND WANT CUSTOMER TO PAY. *TT

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 FORD EXPLORER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE REAR TAIL LIGHTS AND BOTH TURN SIGNALS STOPPED ILLUMINATING. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC, WHO INSPECTED THE LIGHTS AND STATED THAT THE WIRES WERE CORRODED AND NEEDED TO BE REPAIRED. THE MECHANIC PERFORMED THE REPAIRS. THE FAILURE RECURRED APPROXIMATELY THREE WEEKS LATER. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED, AND OFFERED ASSISTANCE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 111,000.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 FORD EXPLORER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT UPON SHIFTING THE VEHICLE INTO REVERSE, THE GEAR SHIFTER SEPARATED FROM THE STEERING COLUMN. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO THE DEALER TO BE DIAGNOSED. THE MANUFACTURER DENIED ASSISTANCE WITH THE REPAIR. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE AND THE CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 183,000.

2002 FORD EXPLORER-TRANSMISSION FAILURE-130,000 MILES-JULY 12, 2011 TRANSMISSION REBUILT AT 119,000 MILES ON JAN. 13, 2010 BY A LOCAL FORD DEALER- BOTH FAILURES CONSISTED OF THE TRANSMISSION SLIPPING IN AND OUT OF GEAR DURING NORMAL DRIVING. IN HEAVY TRAFFIC THIS IS A VERY DANGEROUS SITUATION. THE VEHICLE SUDDENLY LOSES SPEED AND PASSENGERS ARE SUBJECT TO REAR END IMPACT OR SUDDEN SURGES OF SPEED WHEN THE TRANSMISSION SLIPS BACK INTO GEAR, CAUSING A POSSIBLE REAR END IMPACT WITH ANOTHER VEHICLE. IN ADDITION, THE TRANSMISSION STICKS IN ONE GEAR AND WILL NOT SHIFT. FORD MOTOR COMPANY HAS BEEN AWARE OF THE PROBLEMS WITH THIS TYPE OF TRANSMISSION SINCE 2002. MY LOCAL DEALER SAYS THAT FMC FIGURES REVEALED THAT 30% OF VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH THIS TRANSMISSION EXPERIENCED FAILURE OF SOME TYPE. HOWEVER FMC OFFERED VERY LITTLE RELIEF TO ITS CUSTOMERS. I BELIEVE THAT IT IS TIME FOR AN IMMEDIATE FORCED RECALL OF THIS TRANSMISSION. *KB

2002 FORD EXPLORER TRANSMISSON SLIPPING GEARS, HARD TO SHIFT, AND NOT ACCELERATING IN APRIL 2008 AT 100K MILES. REPLACED WITH A REBUILT TRANSMISSION AND SAME THING IS HAPPENING AGAIN AFTER ONLY 40K MORE MILES AND ONLY 2 MONTHS OUT OF WARRANTY FOR THE REBUILT TRANSMISSION. THIS IS CLEARLY A DEFECTIVE TRANSMISSION AND SOMEBODY IS GOING TO GET SERIOUSLY HURT. *TT

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 FORD EXPLORER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE ATTEMPTING TO PARK THE VEHICLE, SHE NOTICED SMOKE AND FLAMES COMING FROM UNDER THE HOOD. THE FIRE DEPARTMENT WAS CALLED TO EXTINGUISH THE FIRE AND THE ORIGIN OF THE FIRE WAS UNKNOWN. A FIRE REPORT WAS FILED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO A LOCAL MECHANIC WHERE THE FAILURE WAS LOCATED AT THE MASTER CYLINDER. THE VEHICLE WAS DESTROYED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED AND A CLAIM WAS FILED. THE CONTACT WAS AWAITING FURTHER INSTRUCTION BY THE MANUFACTURER. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 68,000.