2002 FORD EXPLORER SPORT Complaints

IN AUGUST 2003, REPORTED TO DEALER THAT THE TRUCK WAS GROANING WHEN TURNING. SERVICE ADVISED THAT I WAS TURNING THE WHEEL TOO FAR AND RUBBING THE TIRES ON THE WHEEL WELLS. THIS WAS NOT POSSIBLE SINCE THE TIRES WERE THE ORIGINAL FACTORY INSTALLS. BY NOVEMBER, THE TRUCK WOULD HARDLY TURN WITHOUT DRAGGING THE BACK TIRES AND THE DEALER FOUND THERE WAS NO FLUID IN THE REAR DIFFERENTIAL REQUIRING A COMPLETE OVERHAUL. THEN, IN JUNE 2004, THE "NEW" SEALS FAILED ALLOWING THE FLUID TO, AGAIN, DRAIN OUT. DEALER IS CURRENTLY REPAIRING. *AK

WHILE DRIVING 65 AND ATTEMPTING TO PASS ANOTHER VEHICLE CONSUMER'S VEHICLE FAILED TO GO INTO PASSING GEAR. ENGINE STALLED AND CONSUMER HAD TO COAST TO THE SIDE OF THE HIGHWAY. ONCE OFF THE ROAD CONSUMER RESTARTED THE VEHICLE AND CONTINUED DRIVING. *AK THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE DEALER BUT THE TECHNICIAN COULDN'T FIND ANYTHING WRONG. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN BACK TOT HE DEALER WHERE THEY REPLACED THE FUEL PUMP, GAS TANK AND AIR FLOW SENSOR. SO FAR THE VEHICLE HAS BEEN RUNNING AS IT SHOULD. THE HEAT SHIELD UNDER THE VEHICLE RATTLED. THE DEALER ADJUSTED IT. THE MULTIFUNCTION SWITCH WOULD NOT LOCK IN PLACE WHEN USING THE TURN SIGNALS. *NM

I BOUGHT A FORD EXPLORER SPORT TRAC IN AUG. OF 2002. EVER SINCE IT WAS A YEAR OLD I HAVE HAD NOTHING BUT PROBLEMS WITH IT. I HAD IT 6 TIMES FOR THE SAME ISSUE, THEY REPLACED THE SAME PART 4 TIMES, THAT DID NOT HELP. THEY FINALLY CALLED THE FORD HELP LINE AND FOUND OUT THEY NEEDED TO REPLACE THE WHOLE GAS TANK. MY TRUCK THE FIRST TIME LOST ALL POWER WHILE DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD, I SHUT IT OFF AND IT RESTARTED FINE. I TOOK INTO THE DEALERSHIP AND THEY HAD TO RE-PROGRAM THE MAIN COMPUTER CHIP. NEXT, MY TRUCK WOULDN'T START UNLESS HOLDING DOWN THE GAS PEDAL THEN FINALLY IT WOULD START AND THERE WOULD BE A BLACK SMOKE CLOUD THAT WOULD COME OUT OF THE TAIL PIPE EACH TIME. THE NEW GAS TANK FINALLY FIXED THIS PROBLEM! NOW I HAVE OTHER ISSUES WITH A NOISE IN THE ENGINE AND WHEN I FIRST START IT UP AND BACK OUT OF THE GARAGE OR PARKING SPACE IT SPUTTERS THEN ONCE IN DRIVE IT IS OK, ALSO WHEN SHIFTING AFTER 40MPH IT HAS A HARD SHIFT INSTEAD OF A SMOOTH ONE. STILL TRYING TO GET IT FIXED.*AK

WHILE DRIVING AT ANY SPEED, THE VEHICLE STALLED WITHOUT WARNING. THE CAUSE HAS YET TO BE DETERMINED. PLEASE PROVIDE ADDITIONAL INFORMATION. *LA

TO WHOM IT MAY CONCERN: I JUST READ THE ARTICLE ON THE FORD ESCAPE (4/13/04) RECALL AT CONSUMERAFFAIRS.COM. I BOUGHT MY TRUCK IN SEPTEMBER 2002. THIS ENGINE STALLING/STUTTERING AND DYING IS EXACTLY WHAT MY FORD EXPLORER SPORT TRAC HAS BEEN DOING SINCE THE 2ND DAY (30 MILES) OF OWNERSHIP. I HAVE TAKEN MY VEHICLE IN TO THE DEALERSHIP NUMEROUS TIMES, WITH DOCUMENTATION, AND THEY SAY THEY CAN FIND NOTHING WRONG. I HAVE SENT SEVERAL LETTERS TO THE FORDS DISPUTE SETTLEMENT BOARD. THEY STATED IN THEIR SUMMARY THAT I COULD NOT BE HELPED BECAUSE I HAVE NOT BEEN INCONVENIENCED ENOUGH. I HOPE I CAN GET SOME ASSISTANCE WITH THIS. FORD HAS REFUSED TO ASSIST ME. MY VEHICLE, JUST TODAY, AGAIN HESITATED AND CHUGGED FOR SOME TIME. IT IS LIKE THE FUEL IS NOT GETTING TO THE CARBURETOR. THIS VEHICLE IS DANGEROUS. LUCIUS (BUD) ANGELL

I DON'T KNOW IF THIS IS THE RIGHT PLACE TO FILE THIS COMPLAINT BUT ITS WORTH A SHOT. MY MOTHER OWNED A 2002 FORD EXPLORER SPORT. MY BROTHER WAS DRIVING IT HOME TO KANSAS CITY FROM ST. LOUIS MISSOURI. THE WEATHER WAS PERFECT, THE ROADWAYS WERE PERFECT, THERE WAS NOTHING WRONG WITH THE CAR, THE AIR BAGS DEPLOYED, HE WASN'T SPEEDING. HOWEVER, HE DROVE OFF THE SIDE OF THE HIGHWAY, OVER CORRECTED IT TO GAIN CONTROL AND FISH-TAILED. WITNESSES SAY THAT IT LOOKED LIKE HE HAD CONTROL AGAIN AND THEN IT ROLLED, KILLING HIM. HIM AND THE PASSENGER WERE BOTH WEARING SEAT BELTS; HOWEVER, THE TOP CRUSHING HIM IN IS WHAT KILLED HIM. THESE VEHICLES LIKE OTHER SUV'S HAVE A HIGH ROLL-OVER RATE YET PEOPLE KEEP BUYING THEM. SOMETHING NEEDS TO BE DONE TO PREVENT ANY OTHER FAMILIES FROM EXPERIENCING THIS TRAGEDY. NOW OBVIOUSLY WHATEVER HAPPENS WON'T BRING ME BACK MY BROTHER BUT I'D HATE TO SEE THIS HAPPEN TO SOMEONE ELSE. WHY CAN'T THE TOPS BE MADE OUT OF A DIFFERENT MATERIAL? SOMETHING THAT MAKES THEM NOT TOP HEAVY AND SOMETHING THAT WON'T BUCKLE IF IT DOES ROLL? OR WHY NOT TAKE THEM OFF THE MARKET? I KNOW THAT IS A LITTLE DRASTIC SINCE WE KNOW THE DANGER BUT WE KEEP BUYING THEM, ITS KIND OF LIKE SMOKING A CIGARETTE. I JUST WANTED TO SPEAK MY VOICE IN HOPES WE CAN PREVENT THIS FROM HAPPENING TO SOMEONE ELSE. *LA

CONSUMER COMPLAINED ABOUT A STALLING PROBLEM. VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO DEALER. HOWEVER, THE PROBLEM HAD NOT BEEN CORRECTED. ALSO, RIGHT REAR DOOR LOCKS MALFUNCTIONED, AND DOOR COULDN'T BE OPENED EXCEPT FROM THE OUTSIDE. *AK

I PURCHASED MY 2002 EXPLORER SPORT TRAC IN MARCH LAST YEAR(2003). I HAD TO WAIT AND EXTRA WEEK TO PICK UP MY VEHICLE DUE TO ELECTRICAL PROBLEM THAT THEY SWORE TO ME WAS TAKEN CARE OF. IN JANUARY 2004 MY CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON SO I CALLED MY CLOSEST FORD DEALERSHIP AND THEY TOLD ME IT WOULD TAKE 2 WEEKS FOR ME TO GET AN APPOINTMENT TO HAVE MY TRUCK CHECKED. THREE DAYS LATER MY TRANSMISSION BLEW. I CALLED FORD CUSTOMER RELATIONS AND THEY SAID THAT IT WAS NOT A PROBLEM AND THAT I WOULD HAVE TO PAY TO HAVE MY TRUCK FIXED. THREE WEEKS AND $2600.00 LATER I GOT MY TRUCK BACK. NOW THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT IS STILL ON AND MY 4 WHEEL DRIVE DOES NOT WORK. I CALLED AAMCO(THE PLACE FORD REFERRED ME TOO), AND THEY TOLD ME THAT IT WAS NOT THE TRANSMISSION BUT NOW AN ELECTRICAL PROBLEM THAT I WOULD NEED TO TAKE TO THE DEALERSHIP TO HAVE FIXED BUT I WOULD HAVE TO PAY TO HAVE THAT FIXED AS WELL. MY TRUCK HAD 39,000 MILES AND WAS LESS THAN 2 YEARS OLD AND FORD IS STATING THAT THEY ARE REFUSING TO FIX ANYTHING FOR FREE. I HAVE SEEN ALL KINDS OF REPORTS OF ELECTRICAL AND ENGINE PROBLEMS WITH THIS YEAR AND MODEL TRUCK AND I DO NOT AGREE WITH THIS.

WHILE DRIVING AT 60 MPH CONSUMER HEARD A LOUD NOISE, THE PASSENGER TIRE BLEW UP. AT THE SAME TIME CONSUMER LOST THE CONTROL AND HIT THE GUARD RAIL. UPON IMPACT, NONE OF THE AIR BAGS DEPLOYED. CONSUMER SUSTAINED ARM INJURY AND TWO FRACTURES, HAD 100 STITCHES. *AK

THE LIGHTING SYSTEM ON THE FORD EXPLORER SPORT, IS NOT GOOD FOR NIGHT DRIVING AT LONG DISTANCES, I HAVE A 98 FORD F-150 AND THE LIGHTS ARE MORE PROPER FOR THIS KIND OF DRIVING. THE NEW SYSTEM THAT IS BEING USED NOW, HAS POOR VISABILITY ON BRIGHT. THIS IS A PROBLEM SINCE I HAVE HAD THE SPORT. ALSO I HAVE NOTICED SEVERAL AUTO MANUFACTORS ARE USING THIS SYSTEM, WHICH COULD POSE A SAFETY HAZARD.*AK