1,284 complaints reported

2002 Ford Explorer Power Train

Owner-reported problems and safety issues filed with NHTSA. Review common failures, severity levels, and complaint trends over time.

Reports
1,284
Crashes
21
Fires
2
Injuries
9

Complaint Timeline

Chronological view of owner reports

Jun 2022

Overdrive light flashes after driving a little bit hard shifting doesn't shift into overdrive 4x4 lights indicate that it's working when the buttons are pushed but doesn't go into 4x4

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2002 FORD EXPLORER, Manufacturer: Ford Motor Company
Incident: Jun 2022
Feb 2021

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 FORD EXPLORER. THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING AT VARIOUS SPEEDS, THE TRANSMISSION EXPERIENCED HARD SHIFTING WITH A CLUNKING NOISE PRESENT COMING FROM THE TRANSMISSION. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHO DIAGNOSED THAT THE TRANSMISSION GEAR RATIO WAS FAULTY. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE LOCAL DEALER JACOB GEORGE FORD LOCATED AT 125 SPRING ST, HOUTZDALE, PA 16651 AND THE MANUFACTURER WERE NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 100,000.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2002 FORD EXPLORER, Manufacturer: Ford Motor Company
Incident: Feb 2021
Sep 2019

THE CAR GETS STUCK IN PARK AND WILL NOT INTO REVERSE, NEUTRAL OR DRIVE. IT DOESN'T HAPPEN OFTEN BUT HAS BEEN HAPPENING AT INFREQUENT PERIODS SINCE 2007. IT'S A NUISANCE WHEN IT DOES HAPPEN BUT AFTER MULTIPLE ATTEMPTS, DEPRESSING THE BRAKE AND REPEATEDLY ATTEMPTING TO SHIFT; SHUTTING DOWN THE ENGINE AND RESTARTING AND REPEATING THE PROCESS; USUALLY DOES SHIFT INTO GEAR. THE LAST INCIDENT WAS MORE THAN 4 YEARS AGO. NOW SINCE SATURDAY, 9/28/19; CAN'T SHIFT OUT OF PARK. I NEVER REPORTED THE PROBLEM BECAUSE IT WAS ALWAYS RESOLVED AND I FORGOT TO REPORT IT TO THE DEALERSHIP BECAUSE I WAS ALWAYS IN A RUSH TO GET TO MY DESTINATION. MY CAR IS IN GOOD RUNNING CONDITION. ORIGINAL OWNER. 93964MI. ALWAYS SERVICED AT DEALERSHIP.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2002 FORD EXPLORER, Manufacturer: Ford Motor Company
Incident: Sep 2019
Jul 2018

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 FORD EXPLORER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE ROLLED FORWARD AFTER IT WAS PARKED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO A DEALER TO BE DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 232,160.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2002 FORD EXPLORER, Manufacturer: Ford Motor Company
Incident: Jul 2018
Aug 2017

TRANSMISSION FAILED ON A MAJOR HIGHWAY

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2002 FORD EXPLORER, Manufacturer: Ford Motor Company
Incident: Aug 2017
Aug 2017

TRANSMISSIONS GOING OUT IT STARTED ALL OF A SUDDEN WITH A VIBRATION IN TRANSMISSION AFTER DRIVING IT FOR A AWHILE IN THE HIGHER GEARS THE OD LIGHT CAME ON AN FLASHED FOR AWHILE CAN U HELP ME

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2002 FORD EXPLORER, Manufacturer: Ford Motor Company
Incident: Jul 2017
Jun 2017

TRANSMISSION NEEDS TO BE REBUILT WITH ONLY 88000 MILES ON ENGINE.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2002 FORD EXPLORER, Manufacturer: Ford Motor Company
Incident: Dec 2017
May 2017

UPON BEGINNING TO DRIVE HOME FROM WORK THE TRANSMISSION FAILED WHEN SHIFTING FROM SECOND TO THIRD GEAR. THERE IS NO LONGER A THIRD GEAR IN MY AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION. IN ORDER TO GET HOME I HAD TO MANUALLY SHIFT WITH GEAR SHIFTER AND ATTEMPT TO SKIP OVER THIRD GEAR. WAS DRIVING ON CITY STREETS. VEHICLE HAS 174000 MILES ON IT.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2002 FORD EXPLORER, Manufacturer: Ford Motor Company
Incident: May 2017
Dec 2016

VEHICLE LUNGES AT RED LIGHTS OR WHEN I PUT IT IN PARK OR TAKE IT OUT OF PARK. RPMS GO UP TO 4000 RPMS AND WONT SHIFT. OD LIGHT STAYS ON AND FLASHES WHILE DRIVING AND SHIFTS UP AND DOWN WHILE DRIVING. ALMOST RAN THROUGH A STORE FRONT ONE DAY AS I PULLED UP BECAUSE THE RPMS WERE SO HIGH. IF RPMS ARE UP SITTING AT RED LIGHT IT CRUISES BY ITSELF WHEN I LET OFF BRAKE AT 30MPH BUT WONT GO ANY FASTER WHEN I GIVE IT GAS UNTIL RPMS COME DOWN. THIS HAS BEEN HAPPENING FOR A YEAR NOW. I DON'T HAVE THE MONEY TO KEEP REPLACING TRANSMISSIONS THIS IS THE SECOND ONE NOW IN 4 YEARS.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2002 FORD EXPLORER, Manufacturer: Ford Motor Company
Incident: May 2015
Nov 2016

TRANSMISSION FAILURE BEFORE 100000 MILES WHILE ON FREEWAY

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2002 FORD EXPLORER, Manufacturer: Ford Motor Company
Incident: Sep 2014
Oct 2016

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 FORD EXPLORER. WHILE DRIVING AT ANY SPEED, THE GEAR WOULD NOT ENGAGE WHEN SHIFTED. THERE WERE NO WARNING INDICATORS ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A LOCAL DEALER WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE TRANSMISSION BAND DID NOT CONNECT. THE TECHNICIAN RECOMMENDED THAT THE TRANSMISSION BE REPLACED OR REBUILT. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE AND STATED THAT THERE WAS NO RECALL. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE CONTACT RECEIVED NOTIFICATION OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBERS: 04V442000 (STRUCTURE) AND 09V399000 (VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL). THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 81,000.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2002 FORD EXPLORER, Manufacturer: Ford Motor Company
Incident: Sep 2004
Sep 2016

TRANSMISSION, JERKED, STALLED AND HAD DIFFICULTY SHIFTING WHILE DRIVING ON FREEWAY/ HIGHWAY. ADDITIONALLY, THE O/D (OVERDRIVE) LIGHT CAME ON AND CONTINUALLY FLASHED PRIOR TO THE TRANSMISSION STARTING TO NOISILY GRIND WITH A BURNING SMELL. I'VE HAD 5 PROFESSIONAL DIAGNOSIS ALL STATING IT'S A DIFFERENT TRANSMISSION PROBLEM. A CLASS ACTION LAWSUIT AND FORD MOTOR COMPANY RECALL IS NEEDED ON THE TRANSMISSIONS, THIS IS A WIDESPREAD PROBLEM AND ISSUE FOR NEARLY 20 YEARS.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2002 FORD EXPLORER, Manufacturer: Ford Motor Company
Incident: Sep 2016
Aug 2016

MY 2002 FORD EXPLORER EDDIE BAUER IS ON ITS 3RD TRANSMISSION. IT HAS 78K MILES ON IT. HELP

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2002 FORD EXPLORER, Manufacturer: Ford Motor Company
Incident: Aug 2016
Aug 2016

AT FIRST WHEN SHIFTING THE TRANSMISSION WOULDN'T GO INTO ANY GEAR. WE HAD THE TRANSMISSION REPLACED. WHEN GOT VEHICLE BACK STILL HAD SAME PROBLEM TOOK IT TO TRANSMISSION SPECIALIST PUT ON COMPUTER FIXED THE INITIAL PROBLEM. THE TRANSMISSION WE HAD PUT IN HAD MUCH MORE PROBLEMS. OVERDRIVE STARTED BLINKING THEN LOST 2ND AND 5TH GEAR

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2002 FORD EXPLORER, Manufacturer: Ford Motor Company
Incident: Jan 2014
Jul 2016

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 FORD EXPLORER. WHILE PARKING THE VEHICLE, THE GEAR SHIFT LEVER FRACTURED AND SEPARATED FROM THE STEERING COLUMN. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER TO BE DIAGNOSED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 144,000.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2002 FORD EXPLORER, Manufacturer: Ford Motor Company
Incident: Jul 2016
Jun 2016

TRANSMISSION DON'T WORK, GEAR SLIP AFTER 10 MINUTES DRIVE THEN STOP WORKING WON'T GO BACK OR FOWARD

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2002 FORD EXPLORER, Manufacturer: Ford Motor Company
Incident: Dec 2016
May 2016

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 FORD EXPLORER. WHILE THE GEAR SHIFTER WAS SHIFTED INTO THE PARK POSITION, THE FOUR WHEEL DRIVE SHIFTED. WHILE DRIVING 10 MPH, THE FOUR WHEEL GEARS SHIFTED AGAIN. THE CONTACT ACTIVATED THE GEAR BUTTONM BUT IT DID NOT WORK. THE VEHICLE MANAGED TO PLACE ITSELF BACK INTO DRIVE GEAR. THE WARNING LIGHTS DID NOT ILLUMINATE. THE FAILURE OCCURRED NUMEROUS TIMES. THE DEALER WAS NOT NOTIFIED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED. THE VIN WAS UNKNOWN. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 145,819.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2002 FORD EXPLORER, Manufacturer: Ford Motor Company
Incident: Feb 2016
May 2016

AS I WAS OUT DRIVING ONE DAY, I PULLED OFF FROM A GREEN LIGHT AND OUT OF NOWHERE THE "SERVICE ENGINE LIGHT" AND THE "O/D LIGHT" BOTH TURNED ON AT THE SAME TIME. AT THE SAME TIME I NOTICED THAT THE TRUCK BEGAN TO SHIFT VERY POORLY COMING OUT OF 1ST AND 2ND GEAR. IT IS NOW TO THE POINT WHERE THERE IS A REALLY LOUD "CLUNK" EVERY TIME THE TRUCK SHIFTS, ESPECIALLY IN THE LOWER GEARS AND WHEN PUTTING THE TRUCK IN REVERSE. I PULLED OVER TO ENSURE THAT IT WASN'T SOMETHING I HAD DONE AND IT WASN'T! I LET THE CAR SIT FOR A FEW HOURS HOPING THAT WOULD CLEAR THE ISSUE, BUT NO LUCK! AFTER MUCH RESEARCH ON THE PROBLEM THIS IS A VERY WELL KNOWN PROBLEM BY FORD MOTOR COMPANY AND NOTHING HAS BEEN DONE TO RESOLVE IT FOR THEIR CUSTOMERS. I PURCHASED THIS VEHICLE JUST UNDER A MONTH AGO AND ALREADY I'M LOOKING AT $2,000 TO PUT IN A NEW TRANSMISSION. WELL AFTER PURCHASING THE VEHICLE I CAN NOT AFFORD TO FIX FORD'S MISTAKE!!! THIS IS A CLEAR DEFECT OF A FORD PRODUCT AND AFTER SPENDING MY HARD EARNED MONEY ON ONE OF THEIR PRODUCTS I EXPECT MUCH BETTER FROM THEM! EVEN AFTER SPENDING $2,000 ON ANOTHER TRANSMISSION, IT IS A SURE FACT THAT IT IS ONLY INEVITABLE THAT THIS PROBLEM WILL HAPPEN AGAIN AND AGAIN AND AGAIN TO ANYONE WHO PURCHASES A 2003 FORD EXPLORER! IF I AND I'M SURE ANYONE ELSE WOULD'VE KNOWN THIS FACT, I'M POSITIVE; FORD WOULD HAVE NOT SOLD AS MANY MODELS. CAN WE SAY BAMBOOZLED AND TAKEN FOR MY MONEY BY FORD MOTOR COMPANY! PLEASE HELP US CUSTOMERS OUT AND DEMAND A RECALL ON THESE POORLY BUILT COMPONENTS THEY MASS PRODUCED AND STUCK INSIDE A WIDELY MARKETED AND SOLD VEHICLE. HOW WOULD YOU FEEL IF YOU AND YOUR INFANT CHILD WAS DRIVING AND OUT OF NOWHERE...BOOM...ANOTHER $2,000 YOU DO NOT HAVE FOR ANOTHER POORLY BUILT FORD TRANSMISSION SMH... ## VIN FAILED ## [XXX] ## INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2002 FORD EXPLORER, Manufacturer: Ford Motor Company
Incident: Mar 2016
Apr 2016

02 EXPLORER STOP SHIFTING FROM 2ND TO 3RD GEAR, AFTER 2ND GEAR WHEN IT'S TIME TO SHIFT IT SOUNDS LIKE IT GOES IN NEUTRAL, WHEN I LET OFF IT FINALLY SHIFTS (HARD) IT'S VERY DANGEROUS WHEN DRIVING IN FRONT OF TRAFFIC I'M AFRAID FOR MYSELF AND MY CHILDREN, THIS IS AN ISSUE FOR ALOT OF PEOPLE, PLEASE HELP US WITH THIS ISSUE, THIS REALLY NEEDS TO BE RECALLED THANK YOU *TR

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2002 FORD EXPLORER, Manufacturer: Ford Motor Company
Incident: Apr 2016
Mar 2016

"TAKATA RECALL" I HAVE HAD TO HAVE THE TRANSMISSION REBUILT IN MY 2002 FORD EXPLORER 3 TIMES. THE FIRST TIME IN 2008 WITH 107,262, SECOND TIME JUNE 2012 WITH 136671 MILES AND THE 3RD TIME IN SEPTEMBER 2015 WITH 184,086 MILES ON IT. I WOULD SAY THAT ANYTIME YOU HAVE TO REPLACE YOUR TRANSMISSION THAT MANY TIMES THERE IS DEFINITELY A DEFECT IN THE TRANSMISSION OF THE EXPLORER.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2002 FORD EXPLORER, Manufacturer: Ford Motor Company
Incident: Dec 2008
Feb 2016

ON FEB.12 2016 STILL NO DASH WARNING LIGHTS MY FORD TRAC..I LEFT MY HOME IN DRIVE MOVED ONTO HIGHWAY 66, THE TRUCK WOULD NOT SHIFT AS I TRIED TO INCREASE MY SPEED UP ONTO THE 66 HIGHWAY THE RPM RAN UP ONLY, I HAD TO SHIFT INTO SECOND GEAR TO GET OFF ROAD DROVE BACK HOME. NOW THE TRUCK WILL NOT MOVE WHEN SHIFTED INTO DRIVE OR REVERSE. I ONLY HAD IN 2ND GEAR THIS IS A AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION.FLUID IS STILL OKAY. WHAT IS WRONG WITH THIS TRUCK?.MILAGE IS 123242

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2002 FORD EXPLORER SPORT TRAC, Manufacturer: Ford Motor Company
Incident: Dec 2016
Dec 2015

WHILE DRIVING THE VEHICLE MADE A LOUD "BUMP" AND THEN I LOST ALL ACCELERATION. THIS PROBLEM NEEDS TO BE ADDRESSED BY FORD, THIS IS VERY DANGEROUS TO ALL OF THE SUDDEN LOSE A TRANSMISSION WHILE DRIVING. I HAVE SEEN NUMEROUS COMPLAINTS ON THE TRANSMISSION OF THIS YEAR OF VEHICLE, SO THERE IS OBVIOUSLY A PROBLEM. TRANSMISSIONS ARE NOT CHEAP BY ANY MEANS, I DON'T KNOW HOW I'M GOING TO GET THE MONEY TO FIX MINE. I CURRENTLY HAVE NO VEHICLE AND HAVE HAD TO RESORT TO BUMMING RIDES FROM PEOPLE JUST TO GET TO WORK. THIS VEHICLE NEEDS TO BE RECALLED!!! *TR

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2002 FORD EXPLORER, Manufacturer: Ford Motor Company
Incident: Feb 2015
Nov 2015

GEAR SHIFTER BROKE OFF WHILE PUTTING THE CAR IN PARK.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2002 FORD EXPLORER, Manufacturer: Ford Motor Company
Incident: Nov 2015
Oct 2015

1ST TRANSMISSION TOTAL FAILURE AT 87K MILES 2ND TRANSMISSION TOTAL FAILURE AT 156K MILES VEHICLE IS DRIVEN VERY LIGHT DUTY USAGE BY A MATURE WOMAN (NOW 86 YEARS OLD AT THE TIME OF THE 2ND FAILURE). FROM RESEARCHING ON THE INTERNET I HAVE FOUND THAT FORD MANY ISSUES WITH EARLY MILEAGE TRANSMISSION FAILURES AND NEVER A RECALL FOR THIS ISSUE. I'M FILING THIS ON BEHALF OF MY MOTHER

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2002 FORD EXPLORER, Manufacturer: Ford Motor Company
Incident: Oct 2015
Oct 2015

NEEDED A NEW TRANNY AT 118,000 MILES THEN NEEDED ANOTHER ONE

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2002 FORD EXPLORER, Manufacturer: Ford Motor Company
Incident: Jan 2013

Trend Over Time

Complaints by year

Quick Summary

The 2002 Ford Explorer has 1,284 Power Train complaints on file. 21 crashes have been reported. Review the timeline above for detailed owner experiences.