2002 FORD EXPLORER SPORT Complaints

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 FORD EXPLORER SPORT. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE REAR WINDOW HINGE WAS BROKEN. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE FAILURE OCCURRED A TOTAL OF THREE TIMES PRIOR TO THE MOST RECENT FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A DEALER WHO DIAGNOSED THAT THE WINDOW HINGE NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED WHO DID NOT OFFER ANY ASSISTANCE SINCE THE VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED IN ANY RECALLS. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 40,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 82,000.

I JUST PURCHASED A USED 2002 FORD EXPLORER SPORT ON 08/06/2011 SO THAT I HAD A VEHICLE THAT I COULD TAKE THE KIDS ON CAMPING TRIPS. ON 09/04/2011 ON OUR WAY TO DAYTONA BEACH I NOTICED THE CAR WAS PUSHING AND SWERVING IN BOTH DIRECTIONS, I HAD JUST PUT BRAND NEW TIRES ON IT AND REPLACED BOTH THE UPPER CONTROL ARMS AND ALL 4 BALL JOINTS AND HAD AN ALIGNMENT DONE, I THOUGHT THAT IT'S A BIGGER VEHICLE THAN WHAT I'M USED TO AND HAD BEEN A SLIGHTLY WINDY. ON THE WAY HOME ON MONDAY 09/05/2011 IT WAS EVEN WORSE, I COULD FEEL THE BODY ROLLING THE CAR PUSHING ECT.. I PULLED OVER AND CHECKED THE FRONT SUSPENSION. THERE APPEARED TO BE NOTHING WRONG. I CRAWLED HOME A NERVOUS WRECK. WHEN WE UNLOAD THE CAR AT HOME I NOTICED THE CAR WAS SAGGING IN THE LEFT REAR.I CRAWLED UNDER THE VEHICLE. I NOTICED 2 BIG ISSUES, 1ST THE COIL SPRING IS BROKEN WERE LUCKY IT DIDN'T POP OUT AND SHRED A TIRE, AND 2ND ALL OF THE BODY MOUNT BUSHINGS ARE COMPLETELY CRUMBLING OR JUST PLAIN GONE. TALK ABOUT DANGEROUS. I WENT ONLINE AND THERE SEEMS TO BE THOUSANDS OF COMPLAINTS FOR THE 2002 EXPLORERS ON BLOGS AND FORD FORUMS AND TONS OF SITES FOR COMPLAINTS FOR AUTOMOBILES FOR ALL MODELS OF THIS VEHICLE FOR THE EXACT SAME THINGS. I HAVE ALSO SEEN NUMEROUS OTHER COMPLAINTS ON THIS VEHICLE FOR OTHER EQUIPMENT FAILURES ONE OF THEM BEING A WHINING NOISE COMING FROM THE REAREND OF THE CAR WHICH I THOUGHT WAS THE TIRES, BUT APPARENTLY IT IS AN IMPROPERLY ENGINEERED DIFFERENTIAL THAT FORD WILL NOT FIX OR ADMIT THAT THERE IS A PROBLEM WITH ALTHOUGH THERE ARE A COUPLE OF TECHNICAL BULLETINS OUT ON IT. THEY ARE JUST LUCKY THAT MY CHILDREN WERE NOT INJURED. HOW DARE THEY NOT ACCEPT ANY RESPONSIBILITY TO TAKE CARE OF THESE VEHICLES THAT THEY ENGINEERED AND SOLD, USED OR NOT. IF YOU MANUFACTURE AN UNSAFE VEHICLE AND A DEFECTIVE VEHICLE YOU SHOULD BE RESPONSIBLE. IS IT GONNA TAKE A FATHER AND HIS CHILDREN BEING KILLED. *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.

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

I WAS OPENING THE REAR GLASS ON MY 2002 FORD EXPLORER SPORT WHEN THE HINGE BROKE AND THE GLASS FELL ON MY ARM. I WAS LUCKY TO CATCH IT BEFORE IT HIT THE GROUND. I NOW HAVE A HUGE BRUISE ON MY ARM. I CONTACTED FORD THE SAID MY TRUCK WAS NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALL BECAUSE OF WHERE IT WAS BUILT. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 FORD EXPLORER SPORT. WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS PARKED, THE CONTACT NOTICED THAT THE BOLT WHICH SECURED THE REAR HATCHBACK WINDOW HINGE FRACTURED CAUSING THE WINDOW TO SLIGHTLY DETACH. NHTSA RECALL CAMPAIGN NUMBER 04V44200(STRUCTURE:BODY:HATCHBACK/LIFTGATE:HINGE AND ATTACHMENTS) WAS RELATED TO THE FAILURE YET THE CONTACTS VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALL. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 103,000.

FORD EXPLORER SPORT-TRAC 2001-2005 THE BODY MOUNTS ARE CRUMBLING, KNOWN DEFECT ON ALL THESE VEHICLES, INFERIOR RUBBER - CAUSING EXPOSURE OF BODY TO FRAME. POTENTIAL SAFETY ISSUE - COULD VERY LIKELY CAN CAUSE ROLL-OVERS AS THE RUBBER DISINTEGRATES THERE IS NO SUPPORT BETWEEN THE BODY AND THE FRAME. FORD IS AWARE OF THIS DEFECT BUT HAS NOT DONE ANYTHING TO RECTIFY THE PROBLEM.

MY LEFT TURN SIGNAL WENT OUT. REPLACED BULB...NO CHANGE. WENT TO DEALERSHIP. THEY REPAIRED STEERING WHEEL HARNESS ISSUE. WORKED UNTIL I DROVE MY AUNT TO DET. METRO FOR A FLIGHT TO DALLAS. SPENT THE WHOLE DRIVE TRYING TO MAKE OTHER DRIVERS REMEMBER HAND SIGNALS FROM THERE TO CENTER LINE, MI ON FREEWAYS. THIS TIME THE DEALERSHIP CLAIMED THE WIRES NEEDED TO BE COVERED WITH A MELT-WRAP TO STOP THE TILT WHEEL FROM PINCHING THE WIRES. I THINK IT SHOULD HAVE BEEN RIGHT FROM DAY 1 AND FORD'S SHOULD PAY US BACK FOR BOTH THE BRAKES AND THE LIGHTS. RECALL AND FIX THIS! I HAVE NEVER HAD TO PUT THIS MUCH INTO BRAKES/LIGHTS BEFORE. I'VE BEEN DRIVING FOR 44 YEARS. ALL FORD PRODUCTS. WHAT'S THE PROBLEM WITH THIS ONE????? I NEGLECTED TO SAY THAT MY ROTORS WENT AT 12000 MILES. CAR TURNED INTO A DEATH TRAP SHORTLY AFTER. KEPT TAKING IT TO DEALERSHIP COMPLAINING THAT IT TOOK OFF AND PULLED RIGHT WHEN I BRAKED. THEY REPLACED EVERYTHING THEY COULD TALK ME INTO PAYING FOR TO THE TUNE OF $1100 AND WHEN IT DIDN'T FIX IT THEY STILL CLAIMED THAT THEIR CHARGE WAS TAKING CARE OF "OTHER" PROBLEMS. I MADE THE TECH. DRIVE WITH ME AND REPEAT WHAT CAUSED THE PROBLEM (SLOW BRAKING AS IF AT A STOP SIGN/TRAFFIC LIGHT) AND HE ACTUALLY YELPED WHEN THE TRUCK TOOK OFF AGAIN AND TURNED RIGHT ON HIM. TURNS OUT IT WAS A BAD RIGHT FRONT ANTI-LOCK SENSOR THAT COST ME A FORTUNE. TOO BAD FORD DOESN'T HAVE MORE CAPABLE TECH'S TO FIND THE PROBLEM. ALSO TOO BAD THAT THE SENSOR WASN'T WORKING WELL IN THE FIRST PLACE. BRAKE MODULE REPLACEMENT, ROTORS, PADS...STILL UNDER 30000 AND HAVE NO CONFIDENCE. ALL MY OTHER CARS/TRUCKS WENT WAY BEYOND 70000 MILES WITHOUT ROTOR PROBLEMS. I'M A "LIGHT" BRAKER. THIS IS THE FIRST TIME I EVER HAD TO DO THE BRAKES LIKE THIS. I'M BEGINNING TO THINK IT'S A CHEAP-DOWN, MORE WORK FOR THE DEALERS ISSUE. SHAME ON SOMEBODY! *TR

2002 FORD EXPLORER SPORT TRAC FUEL FILL PROBLEM.TANK WILL NOT FILL AND SPLASHES OUT EVERY TIME I TRY TO GET GAS COVERING ME WITH GAS AND SPRAYING OUT EVERY WHERE. FORUMS SHOW THIS IS VARY COMMON PROBLEM WITH THE SPORT TRAC. VARY UNSAFE. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 FORD EXPLORER SPORT. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE HINGES ON THE LIFTGATE STRUT FRACTURED CAUSING THE GLASS TO SHIFT SIMILAR TO THE FAILURE LISTED UNDER NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER: 04V442000 (STRUCTURE:BODY:HATCHBACK/LIFTGATE:HINGE AND ATTACHMENTS). THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED WHO INFORMED THE CONTACT THAT HIS VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALL AND OFFERED NO ADDITIONAL ASSISTANCE. THE DEALER WAS NOT INFORMED OF THE FAILURE NOR WAS THE VEHICLE REPAIRED. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 71,000.