2002 FORD EXPLORER SPORT TRAC Complaints

ENGINE STALLED AT 4683 MILES ON THE ODOMETER. DATE: 7 OCTOBER 2002. I NOTED THAT IT NOW IDLES AT 600 RPM. I DON'T KNOW WHAT THAT MEANS. *JB

FORD EXPLORER SPORT TRAC, 2002. AT 4,122 MI BATTERY LIGHT FLASHED THREE TIMES, AND TRUCK NEARLY STALLED. *JB

WHILE DRIVING VEHICLE DIES OUT, BUT WILL RESTART. TOOK VEHICLE TO DEALER, AND THE DEALER REPROGRAMMED THE FUEL SYSTEM. *AK THE FIRST TWO FAILURE, THE VEHICLE STARTED UP IN 3 TO 5 MIN. THE THIRD FAILURE, THE MOST SERIOUS, IT TOOK APPROX. 10 MIN. TO START IN HEAVY TRAFFIC. CONSUMER TOOK TO DEALER. TWO MONTHS LATER, VEHICLE QUIT RUNNING AT 45 MPH. CONSUMER LIMPED HOME AT 5 MPH, LET IDLE FOR 10 MIN. THEN IT RAN FINE AGAIN. *PH

BOUGHT FROM DEALER, USED WITH 15000 MILES. AFTER 300 MILES HAD TO HAVE TRANSMISSION REBUILT (TRANNY WARNING LIGHT AND VIBRATION UNDER ACCELERATION, UPSHIFT 1ST TO 2ND OR 2ND TO 3RD). ONLY HAPPENED OCCASIONALLY. THREE WEEKS AFTER REBUILD NOTICED VIBRATION AT SLOW SPEEDS, BUT COULD NOT REPLICATE ON DEMAND. DEALER COULD NOT REPEAT VIBRATION AND RETURNED IT WITH NO ACTION. ONE WEEK LATER TRANSMISSION WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED ON 2 DIFFERENT DAYS. TAKEN TO DEALER FOR EVALUATION TODAY. I'M CONCERNED THAT THERE MAY BE AN INHERENT PROBLEM WITH THE TRANSMISSION

I OWN A 2002 SPORT TRAC, AT ABOUT 46000 MILES MI TRANSMISSION STARTED TO MISS SHIFTS FROM 2ND TO 3RD GEAR, IT TOOK ABOUT 3 TO 4 SECONDS FOR THE TRANSMISSION TO GET INTO THE NEXT GEAR, SO I TOOK IT TO THE DEALER WHERE I USUALLY HAVE THE TRUCK SERVICED THINKING THAT IT JUST NEEDED A FLUID CHECK DUE TO THE FACT THEY PERFORMED A TRANSMISSION FLUID CHANGE AT ABOUT 30000. WHEN I WENT BACK TO THE DEALER I WAS ADVISED THAT THE TRANSMISSION HAD A PROBLEM ON THE FLUID LINES AND THE TRANSMISSION HAD TO BE TAKEN OUT TO BE REBUILT, SO I ASKED WHY WAS THIS HAPPENING AND THEY STATED THAT THERE WAS A PROBLEM WITH THE GASKETS BEEN WORN OUT INSIDE THE TRANSMISSION. BUT THEY COULDN'T SPECIFY IF THIS WAS A FACTORY PROBLEM OR A OWNER ABUSE PROBLEM, SO WHEN I ASKED IF THERE WAS A TRANSMISSION RECALL BY THE MANUFACTURER (FORD) ON THIS TYPE OF TRUCKS THE ANSWER WAS NO. THEN I WAS ADVISED THAT MY TRUCK WAS OUT OF FACTORY WARRANTY WHICH IS 3 YEARS OR 36000 MILES AND IF I WANTED TO HAVE THE JOB DONE IT HAD TO BE SELF FINANCED, SO I ASKED FOR AN ESTIMATE WHICH WAS ABOUT 18 HOURS LABOR @ $100 P/H AND $500 IN PARTS TOTALING $2300 AND FINALLY AFTER CALLING FORD AND COMPLAINING ABOUT THIS $30000 TRUCK HAVING A FAULTY TRANSMISSION AND GETTING A "YOUR TRUCK IS OUT OF WARRANTY, AND WE DON'T HAVE ANY OTHER TRUCKS WITH THE SAME PROBLEM" I FINALLY PAID THE REPAIRS OUT OF MY POCKET WHICH I PERSONALLY THINK SHOULD NOT BE HAPPENING ON A ALMOST BRAND NEW TRUCK. *JB

I'VE HAD TWO INCIDENTS WHERE THE LEFT REAR BRAKES HAS LOCKED UP: FIRST, AFTER ENTERING PARKING GARAGE FROM SNOW COVERED STREETS 02/21/03. SECOND, MAKING A LEFT TURN FROM A COMPLETE STOP WHILE RAINING. LOSES TRACTION OVER BUMPY ROAD ARES AND DIPS.

THE ENGINEERING OF THE SUSPENSION IS SUCH THAT THE TRUCK IS UNSAFE TO DRIVE ON ANYTHING BUT A STRAIGHT PERFECTLY SMOOTH ROAD. ANY DIPS, BUMPS, OR CURVES MAY CAUSE LOSS OF CONTROL.*JB

I HAVE EXPERIENCED THE SAME PROBLEM WITH GAS SPEWING OUT OF TANK WHEN REFUELING. THIS IS MY SECOND SPORT TRAC. FORD BOUGHT BACK MY FIRST ONE BECAUSE THEY COULDN'T FIX ONGOING ENGINE PROBLEMS THAT STARTED OFF AS A ROUGH IDLE PROBLEM. THEY EVEN REPLACED THE ENGINE, AND SURPRISINGLY THAT MADE THINGS WORSE. I HAVE HAD MY NEW VEHICLE SINCE THE END OF JULY AND HAVE EXPERIENCED SIMILAR ROUGH IDLE PROBLEMS RECENTLY.*JB

DRIVING IN THE RAIN CAUSES DEBRIS AND WATER TO GET INTO THE FUEL TANK WHICH LEADS TO A FUELING PROBLEM. IF YOU TRY TO FUEL THE CAR AT ANY SPEED OF THE GAS PUMP, GASOLINE SPITS BACK AT TREMENDOUS PRESSURE. IT COVERS THE CAR, THE FUELING PERSON AND FORD IS NOT LETTING THIS SECRET OUT TO THE PUBLIC. I TALKED TO TWO MECHANICS AT THE DEALERSHIP MY CAR IS IN (THE CAR HAS BEEN THERE FOR A MONTH, THIS TIME) AND THEY SAID IT'S A FACTORY DEFECT CAUSED BY TWO CANISTERS THAT ARE TO KEEP RAIN AND FEUL OUT. THIS IS A DANGEROUS CONDITION!!!!!!!!!!! I'VE SEEN PEOPLE WITH CIGARETTES IN THEIR HAND WHILE REFUELING. IF THIS HAPPENS TO THEM THEY ARE GOING TO DIE BECAUSE OF THE AMOUT OF FUEL THAT SPITS BACK. I'VE FILED FOR THE LEMON LAW BECAUSE I DON'T WANT A CAR THAT DOES THIS BECAUSE THEY ARE NOT ADDRESSING THE ISSUE ONLY REPLACING THE SAME PART.*JB

SPITS OUT GAS WHEN I START TO FILL IT UP. IT HAS BEEN IN THE SHOP 7 TIMES BETWEEN 8/02-2/03 FOR A CUMLATIVE TOTAL OF 35 DAYS! IT'S RUNNING NOW, BUT FOR HOW LONG BEFORE IT GOES BACK IN THE SHOP IS ANYBODY'S GUESS. I ASKED ONE OF THE SERVICE ADVISORS IF THERE WERE ANY OTHER SPORT TRACS WITH THE SAME PROBLEM, HE SAID NO. IF THAT WAS THE CASE, WHY WAS THE PART HE NEEDED TO FIX MY TRUCK ON NATIONAL BACKORDER? THIS NEEDS TO BE BROUGHT TO EVERYONES ATTENTION THAT HAS A SPORT TRAC. GAS SPITTING OUT IS A MAJOR SAFETY CONCERN THAT NEEDS TO BE LOOKED IN TO BEFORE SOMEONE IS SERIOUSLY HURT OR KILLED! *JB