Ford Explorer Complaints (2002)

3,572 consumer complaints on file.

#10129771July 22, 2005
POWER TRAIN:AXLE HUBS
VEHICLE MADE INCREASINGLY LOUD NOISE AT RIGHT REAR WHEEL AREA. SOUNDED LIKE AIRPLANE TAKE-OFF OR TUNNEL SOUND AT REAR WHILE DRIVING. NOISE INCREASED ON WIDE TURNING ROADS AS IF SOME KIND OF PRESSURE EXERTED ON RIGHT REAR WHEEL. THOUGHT IT MIGHT BE TIRE PRESSURE PROBLEM. BEFORE HAVING TIRE CHECKED THE VEHICLE BECAME NEARLY IMPOSSIBLE TO DRIVE ON A STRAIGHT-AWAY AT 25 MPH WITH SERIOUS NOISE IN THE REAR THAT SOUNDED LIKE SOMETHING WOULD FALL APART SOON. FORTUNATELY I WAS VERY CLOSE TO A AUTO SERVICE CENTER IN A 25 MPH AREA. CAR COULD NO LONGER BE USED. THE RIGHT REAR HUB BEARING ASSEMBLY WAS REPLACED. THE OTHER 3 WERE CHECKED AND WERE FINE. I DO NOT HAVE ANY OF THE PARTS.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10130243July 22, 2005
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL
2002 FORD EXPLORER ACCELERATOR BECAME STUCK OPEN.*MR THE CONSUMER STATED THE VEHICLE WENT OUT OF CONTROL. THE CONSUMER WAS ABLE TO PLACE THE VEHICLE IN NEUTRAL TO TURN OFF THE ENGINE. *JB
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10129394July 19, 2005
POWER TRAIN:AXLE ASSEMBLY:AXLE SHAFT:SEAL
REAR AXLE HAS HAD RECURRENT LEAKS. THESE WERE REPAIRED 3 TIMES UNDER WARRANTY. ON THE FOURTH OCCASSION THE DEALER REPLACED THE AXLE. THIS WAS ALSO DONE UNDER WARRANTY. PROBLEM WAS FIRSTED NOTED AT JUST UNDER 30,000 MILES. AXLE REPLACEMENT WAS AT 58,OOO MILES
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10129073July 18, 2005
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL
DT: CONTACT STATES WHEN TAKING FOOT OFF OF THE THROTTLE IT CONTINUED TO ACCELERATE. THIS HAPPENED THREE TIMES. THE LAST TIME WAS LESS THAN 30 DAYS AGO. IT HAS ONLY BEEN HAPPENING FOR THE LAST THREE MONTHS. IT HAS HAPPENING MORE FREQUENTLY. IT DOES NOT HAPPEN AT A LOW SPEEDS; BUT AT OTHER SPEEDS ABOVE 35 MPH. ROAD CONDITIONS HAVE BEEN PERFECT AT EVERY INCIDENT.*AK
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10129174July 18, 2005
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
DT: THE CONSUMER STATES 2002 FORD EXPLORER QUIT WHILE GOING 60 MPH. STARTEDS BACK UP. VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE DEALERSHIP. THIS OCCURRED ON JULY 2, 2005. THE VEHICLE HAD BEEN RUNNING FINE ALTHOUGH CONSUMER TOOK IT BACK AFTER HE PURCHASED IT TO HAVE THE IDLE LOOKED AT. HE NEVER THOUGHT IT RAN QUITE RIGHT. DEALERSHIP STATED THE PMC, MAIN COMPUTER, WAS THE PROBLEM. THIS WAS REPLACED BUT, THE MANUFACTURER HAD TO BE CALLED TO GET IT PROGRAMMED CORRECTLY. CONSUMER STATED THAT IT LOOKED LIKE THEY HAD TO TRY TWO DIFFERENT COMPUTERS IN THE VEHICLE, AND FORD HAD TO BE CALLED 3 TIMES.*AK
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10128967July 16, 2005
UNKNOWN OR OTHER
FRONT PASSENGER WINDOW (AUTOMATIC WINDOWS) STOPPED WORKING. MY EXPLORER WAS JUST A LITTLE OVER THE MILEAGE LIMIT ON THE WARRANTY. I TOOK IT TO THE LOCAL FORD DEALER AND WAS TOLD THAT IT WOULD COST OVER $300 TO REPAIR. THE MODULATOR IN THE WINDOW HAD FAILED. I CALLED FORD AND THEY AGREED TO THE REPAIR FOR $100. THAT SATISFIED ME. NOW, THE SAME THING HAS HAPPENED WITH THE REAR PASSENGER WINDOW. IF I USED THESE TWO WINDOWS EXCESSIVELY, I COULD SEE SOMETHING POSSIBLY HAPPENING. BUT, I DON'T - I'M THE ONLY OCCUPANT OF THIS VEHICLE 98% OF THE TIME. IS THERE ANYTHING THAT I CAN DO TO GET FORD TO REPAIR THIS OBVIOUSLY DEFECTIVE PART?
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10128861July 15, 2005
UNKNOWN OR OTHER
I BOUGHT A USED 2002 FORD EXPLORER (USED) ON 2/8/03, WITH @43,000 MILES, AND AT TIMES, I EXPERIENCED A LURCHING IN MY CAR, WITH BANGING BETWEEN SHIFTS MOST OFTEN WHEN SWITCHING FROM DRIVE TO REVERSE, BUT SOMETIMES WHEN STRICTLY IN DRIVE, EVEN AT COMPLETE STOPS, SUCH AS RED LIGHTS. AS IT WAS BECOMING REPETITIVE, I BROUGHT THE CAR IN FOR SERVICE WITH THE DEALER I PURCHASED IT FROM - LARSON FORD IN LAKEWOOD, NJ. THE FIRST SERVICE WAS ON 5/24/04, IN WHICH THEY SAID IT WAS A TRANSMISSION PROBLEM, AND REPLACED THE DRIVESHAFT AND YOLK, WITH A COST OF $879.75 TO ME. AS THE PROBLEM WAS NOT CORRECTED, I BROUGHT MY CAR BACK ON 8/2/04, AT WHICH TIME THEY TOLD ME THAT THE SOLENOID WAS NOT RESPONDING, THEY REPLACED IT, AND TRIED TO CHARGE ME ANOTHER $900.00, WHICH I REFUTED, BECAUSE I HAD ALREADY PAID FOR THIS TO BE "FIXED". UNFORTUNATELY, THE LURCHING WHEN SWITCHING FROM DRIVE TO REVERSE (WITH BRAKE ON)STILL OCCURS, ALTHOUGH NOT AS VIOLENTLY; HOWEVER, I HAVE EXPERIENCED SUDDEN RISES IN RPM FOR NO APPARENT REASON, EVEN AT COMPLETE STOPS WITH MY FOOT ON THE BRAKE. THIS HAPPENED AS RECENTLY AS LAST WEEK, BUT SINCE IT DOES NOT HAPPEN EVERY TIME I AM STOPPED, I AM HESITANT TO BRING IT FOR SERVICE, BECAUSE IT WILL PROBABLY NOT BE APPARENT DURING A TEST DRIVE SINCE IT IS A SPORADIC OCCURRENCE. THE CAR IS A 2002 FORD EXLPORER, 4.0 LITER, V6 ENGINE, AUTOMATIC WITH O/D.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10128890July 15, 2005
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL:ACCELERATOR PEDAL
DT: CONTACT STATES SHE PREVIOUSLY OWNED A 2002 FORD EXPLORER SPORT THAT WAS IN AN ACCIDENT DUE TO THE SUDDEN ACCELERATION OF THE VEHICLE. WHEN THE CONSUMER PLACED THE VEHICLE IN REVERSE THERE WAS SUDDEN ACCELERATION, CAUSING VEHICLE TO HIT A TELEPHONE POLE. THE CONSUMER THEN PLACED THE VEHICLE INTO DRIVE, AND IT STAYED IN FULL THROTTLE, CAUSING THE CONTACT'S VEHICLE TO HIT ANOTHER VEHICLE. THE DAY THAT THE ACCIDENT OCCURRED IT WAS SLIGHTLY RAINING. THE CONSUMER NO LONGER HAS THE VEHICLE, SO SHE DOES NOT HAVE ANY INFORMATION ABOUT THE VEHICLE AVAILABLE.*AK
Crash:
Yes
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10128893July 15, 2005
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:DISC:ROTOR
DT: CALLER HAS HAD TO REPLACE THE ROTORS ON HER VEHICLE TWICE. THE FIRST TIME WAS AT 26000 MILES AND THE SECOND TIME WAS AT 53000 MILES. THIS HAPPENED WITHOUT WARNING BOTH TIMES. DEALER FIXED THEM THE FIRST TIME. CALLER SAID YESTERDAY SHE HEARD A NOISE AND TOOK IT IN AND WAS TOLD IT WAS THE ROTOR. TODAY BELL TIRE CO. IS FIXING THE SECOND MISHAP. MANUFACTURER HAS NOT BEEN CONTACTED YET. CALLER DOES NOT REMEMBER WHEN THE FIRST TIME WAS. *AK
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10128747July 14, 2005
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL:ACCELERATOR PEDAL
AT HIGHWAY SPEED OF APPROXIMATELY 65 MPH, I APPLIED THE ACCELORATOR AND IT STUCK IN THE INCREASED ACCELERATION POSITION. AFTER A FEW FRANTIC SECONDS (10 - 15 APPROX), I MANAGED TO RELEASE IT BY KICKING IT. AT THE TIME, I FELT THAT IT WAS POSSIBLE THAT THE FLOORMAT OR CARPETING MAY HAVE BEEN INVOLVED IN THE PROBLEM, BUT WAS NOT SURE. I HAVE NOT TAKEN IT TO A SHOP BECAUSE OF THAT UNCERTAINTY. HOWEVER, THE CURRENT ODI INVESTIGATION CONVINCED ME OF THE STRONG POSSIBILITY THAT THIS IS A MANUFACTURING DEFECT.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10128766July 14, 2005
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL
WHILE STARTING TO MOVE FORWARD, THE ACCELERATOR STUCK TWICE IN THE LAST MONTH. ONCE I NEARLY WENT THROUGH A CLOSED GARAGE DOOR. UNTIL NOW I THOUGHT SOMETING GOT IN THE WAY OF THE ACCELERATOR. HEARD THAT THIS WAS AN EQUIPMENT PROBLEM. NOW I WILL SEEK TO HAVE THE DEFECT REPAIRED.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10128797July 14, 2005
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL:ACCELERATOR PEDAL
DT: THE CONSUMER STATES THAT ON 2002 FORD EXPLORER THE THROTTLE STUCK. HE HAD A HARD TIME STOPPING THE VEHICLE IN A WORK ZONE. CONSUMER APPLIED THE BRAKE EXTREMELY HARD AND PUT THE PARKING BRAKE ON AND ENGINE CONTINUED TO ROAR. DEALERSHIP STATED THAT HE HAD NEVER HEARD OF THIS HAPPENING. THIS OCCURRED IN SEPTEMBER 2, 2004, AND HAS NOT HAPPENED SINCE. HE READ AN ARTICLE IN THE JULY 13, 2005 WASHINGTON POST STATING THAT OTHER CONSUMERS WERE HAVING A SIMILAR PROBLEM. WHEN HE STARTED VEHICLE AGAIN THE ROAR STOPPED, AND HE PUSHED ON THE THROTTLE, WHICH CAUSED IT TO OPERATE AGAIN. CONSUMER HAD LEFT FOOT ON THE BRAKE AND TAPPED THE ACCELERATOR.*AK
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10128595July 13, 2005
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL:ACCELERATOR PEDAL
TWO DIFFERENT TIMES, BOTH STOPPING AT A TRAFFIC LIGHT, THE ACCELERATOR KEPT GOING. STOMPED ON THE BRAKE AS HARD AS POSSIBLE, FINALLY HAD TO TURN OFF THE KEY. TOOK THE 2002 FORD EXPLORER TO THE DEALERSHIP AND THEY COULD NOT FIND ANYTHING WRONG.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10128596July 13, 2005
AIR BAGS
DT: THE CONSUMER'S FATHER WAS IN ACCIDENT YESTERDAY, JULY 12, 2005 AT ABOUT 10:00 AM. CONSUMER SAYS THAT VEHICLE WAS STRUCK ON THE DRIVER'S REAR CORNER PANEL BREAKING OFF THE REAR WHEEL ON THE DRIVER'S SIDE. THE AIR BAG DID NOT DEPLOY. *JB
Crash:
Yes
Fire:
No
Injuries:
1
Deaths:
0
#10128631July 13, 2005
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL
DT: CONSUMER STATES HER 2002 FORD EXPLORER HAD THE THROTTLE STICK LAST WEEK. THE DEALERSHIP TOLD HER THEY COULD NOT DO ANYTHING ABOUT IT. THE DEALERSHIP REFUSED TO INSPECT THE VEHICLE UNTIL FORD ORDERED THEM TO OR THEY HEARD FROM THE NHTSA. THE VEHICLE ACCELERATED ON IT S OWN AND SHE HAD TO TURN THE VEHICLE OFF AND TAKE THE KEY OUT. *JB
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10128350July 11, 2005
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
RIGHT, REAR ELECTRIC WINDOW FAILED FOR NO APPARENT REASON AFTER OWNING VEHICLE FOR 42 MONTHS AND 37,000 MILES. WINDOW WILL NOT RISE. VEHICLE TAKEN TO MECHANIC FOR REPAIR.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10128351July 11, 2005
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM NEAR LEFT REAR WHEELWELL BEGAN CLICKING FOR NO APPARENT REASON AFTER 42 MONTHS AND ABOUT 37,000 MILES OF OWNERSHIP. CONSTANT LOUD CLICK MAKES IT IMPRACTICAL TO DRIVE VEHICLE OR RIDE IN VEHICLE. VEHICLE TAKEN TO MECHANIC WHO DETERMINED IT IS AN ELECTRICAL FAILURE IN THE AIR CONDITIONING SYSTEM. MECHANIC HAS BEEN UNABLE TO FIX THE PROBLEM.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10128225July 10, 2005
SUSPENSION:REAR:SPRINGS:COIL SPRINGS
1. INSPECTION OF VEHICLE 2. REAR COILS SPRINGS BROKEN 3. REPALCEMENT
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10128190July 9, 2005
AIR BAGS:ON-OFF SWITCH ASSEMBLY
AIRBAG LIGHT LIGHTS UP OFF AND ON WITH NO REASON. DEALERSHIP WAS NO HELP.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10128203July 9, 2005
POWER TRAIN:AXLE ASSEMBLY
TWO INSTANCES OF WHINING NOISE AT 50+ MPH AND FLUID LEAKAGE FROM REAR AXLE SEAL 2002 FORD EXPLORER LIMITED. THE FIRST ONE CAUSED LOSS OF CONTROL WHEN ACCELERATING ON HIGHWAY; RESULTING IN COMING TO REST WITHIN INCHES OF CONCRETE BARRIER AFTER JERKING ACROSS SEVERAL LANES. DIFFICULT TO DETERMINE SINCE REAR TRANSAXLE FLUID LEAKS DOWN DRIVE SHAFT TO BRAKE ASSEMBLY. I ONLY NOTICE BECAUSE I PERFORM A MONTHLY INSPECTION OF THE UNDERCARRIAGE. NOTICED SIGNIFICANT CORROSION OF BRAKE ASSEMBLY WHERE FLUID IS RUNNING INTO THE WHEEL ASSEMBLY. ONLY WHEN LEAK IS SIGNIFICANT WILL FLUID DRIP ONTO SURFACE BELOW REAR AXLE. DEALER NOTED FORD ENGINEERS ARE AWARE OF PROBLEM BUT EXPECT THE CONSUMER TO PAY FOR REPAIRS. FIRST REPLACEMENT OF REAR AXLE SEALS AT 39000 MILES; SECOND AT 50000 MILES. THESE SEALS SHOULD LAST LONGER. SECOND INSTANCE HAD VIBRATION WHEN ENGAGING THE VEHICLE IN REVERSE AND OUD WHINING NOISE/ VIBRATION FROM REAR; THEN FLUID LEAKAGE. THIS IS A MAJOR SAFETY ISSUE FOR THE FORD EXPLORER. SEVERAL WORK COLLEAGUES HAD THE REAR AXLE SIEZE DUE TO LUBRICANT LOSS WITH SIMILIAR SYMPTOMS, ALMOST CAUSING SERIOUS ACCIDENT. MY DEALER ACKNOWLEDGES (BILL ESTES, BROWNSBURG, IN) THAT MANY EXPLORERS (2002-2005) HAVE THIS PROBLEM AND FORD MOTOR COMPANY ENGINEERS ARE EVALUATING; AS A DEALER THERE IS NOTHING THEY CAN DO. FORD HAS NOT INDICATED A FIX OTHER THAN TO CHECK FLUID LEVEL, REPLACE REAR AXLE SEALS, AND/OR THE REAR UNIT. THIS IS A SIGNIFICANT HAZARD SINCE IN MOST CASES THE VEHICLE OWNER WILL NOT KNOW THERE IS A PENDING FAILURE DUE TO THE FLUID LEAKING DOWN THE REAR AXLE DRIVE SHAFT TOWARD THE BRAKE/WHEEL ASSEMBLY. THE WHINING NOISE WILL INCREASE AS FLUID LEVEL DECREASES WITH RISK FAILURE AND LOSS OF CONTROL. THIS PROBLEM IS FAR MORE COMMON THAN REPORTED DUE TO THE DIFFICULT NATURE OF OBSERVATION OF LEAKAGE. ONE HAS TO CRAWL UNDER THE REAR TRANSAXLE AND CAREFULLY INSPECT THE TWO AXLE SEALS TO LOOK FOR SIGNS OF CORROSION AND FLUID LEAKAGE.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
1
Deaths:
0

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