I'm the first owner of a 2002 explorer. At 30k miles, had to have the transmission rebuilt due to slipping, od light flashing and would not go into gear. At 60k miles, the exact same symptoms have re-appeared and ford is unwilling to provide any compensation. Looking on-line, many owners of this model have the same issue. Other cars I have owned and have many more miles logged have never had transmission needing replacement. Ford's is obviously a defective design/product.
2002 Ford Explorer transmission complaints
Page 27 of 51: complaints 761 to 790 of 1,502, newest first, as owners wrote them.
It started around 78,000 miles. My transmission started to slip as I was driving up a hill. The tranny was slipping between 1st and 2nd gear. I took the vehicle into the dealership - had to replace the whole transmission ($3400). Transmission again at 137,000 miles slipping between 1st and 2nd gear again - warranty expired - ford could only give me a warrant for 36,000 miles or 3 years - I'm under my 3 yrs but not mileage. Took to the dealership again, now its my transmission band ($2100) but with all the wear on the transmission and the cost. I will have to replace the transmission again. During this time that my transmission problems, I also had the right (I believe it was the right) rear axle went out twice my overdrive light came on. I think there is a correlation with the overdrive system and the tranny.
Noticed a grinding and whining noise coming from right side of my 2002 ford xlt explorer. Also thought that I needed a new exhaust the car was making such loud noise. Went to 2 different garages for pricing, I needed both front and rear bearings replaced actually the front bearing was about to fall off both garages stated. Also the loud noise from my exhaust it was missing one bolt to the cover, covering the exhaust and or catalytic converter. Also 8months prior the cars transmission was replaced. All of this expensive and costly repairs happened at 79,000 miles. This is a very dangerous vehicle and reading all of the other complaints this problem needs to be considered for recalls from ford. My family is very important to me and I use this car to travel and transport my family. I am very concerned and fords needs to investigate the problems arising with the 2002 ford xlt explorer problems and fix them. So far I have invested $5500 into this car I would not even get this for a trade in value. Please consider my complaint and the many others very important. Thank you
Bought the car used in sept. 2007. A month and a half later, had to replace rear passenger wheel bearing. A month after that, we had to replace the driver side rear wheel bearing. Driver door window motor went a week after the wheel bearings. Abs light is on. Also had to replace two coils in the electrical unit. Put approximately 3,000.00 into car since purchase in less than eight months.
1. My family was driving on a state highway and the car's o/d off light started flashing. No other warning lights were going off. It was a matter of miles before the car stopped going. It's extremely dangerous for a car to suddenly slow down on a fast moving highway. 2. After the light flashed, the car stopped going into gear. We were going down the highway with other cars when our car suddenly slowed down because it would not go into gear. We were barely able to get up a hill before coasting to the side of the road. This occurred in the middle of nowhere with other traffic going high rates of speed. 3. The entire transmission had to be replaced.
2002 ford explore xlt v6 transmission failed in the middle of traffic while my children were on board. Frightening experience and quite sad that ford did nothing. Truck was only 4 yrs old and should not have needed a rebuilt transmission. I had to get it towed to a mechanic and get transportation home. They had to rebuild it completely!
Transmission slippage, rear end clunks when the tranny finally shifts to another gear, rear end whine at 60-70mph. Hasn't been fixed but the dealership estimates $2k for the rear end and $3k for the tranny.
I purchased a pre-owned 2002 ford explorer at the end of 2007. At the time of purchase, the vehicle had just under 60,000 miles. Around 65,000 I began to hear a high pitched howling sound coming from the rear of the vehicle. I had the noise investigated and had both rear wheel bearings replaced as a result. This did not, however, solve the problem. The noise continued and intensified. Recently, the sound began to be accompanied by a low grinding sound and a definitely perceptible 'dragging' affect. This happened just shy of 80,000 miles. After extensive research, my problem has been re-diagnosed as a rear drive train/axle problem. I have also recently discovered that this is a persistent problem with this make/model, but ford is refusing to acknowledge/accept responsibility for the problem and the potential safety concerns associated with the rear axle seizing up during normal operation. This link: http://www.carcomplaints.com/ford/explorer/2002/drivetrain/rear_differential_problems.shtml represents a list of ongoing complaints relative to this particular issue.
Started as my 4 wheel drive would kick in and I would have to wait to get it out. Then my trans started slipping I hit the brake and goes out of gear. Now it just takes itself in and out when ever only have 95,000car has been driven easy.
Same as all the others. O/d light started flashing, started shifting hard, then lost all gears except first. Transmission needs replaced! Called ford they don't care.
2002 ford explorer transmission failure. During normal highway driving conditions, transmission slips, o/d light flashes, vehicle coasts to a stop. Causes traffic delays, increases chances for multi-vehicle accidents.
Check engine soon light went off , then o/d light kept blinking, failed to go into gear and locked up while driving home. Took it to shop and mech said it was a bad transmission and is now rebuilding it for 1,900 usd.
Transmission shifted hard into 2nd gear from day one, took it to dealer and they said it was normal, whining in rear end also said normal. Had to replace 2 wheel bearings, 2 more bad now, replaced wheel hub, now transmission will not shift.
Over the past month my 2002 ford explorer limited has begun to knock very hard when put into reverse and it also shifts badly once rolling forward, knocking and jerking.
2002 ford explorer no prior warning o/d lights starts to flash then service engine light soon came on now transmission will not shift into third unless I let off the accelerator only 66,000 miles and 1 day out of warranty I have seen numerous complaints on web sites about this problem ford refuses to acknowledge this problem but many mechanics across the country are aware of it ford says it is not a safety issue not a safety issue a transmission when my wife and daughter ride in this vehicle every day and god forbid they get stuck and end up in an accident then what it still isn't a safety issue!!!!
On my 2002 ford explorer SUV I have had to replace 3 of the 4 wheel bearings and hub assemblies(approx $250 each), with the 4th not far behind. I have also had to replace the 4-wheel drive module(approx $400-$500). I have had problems with the rear window motors going bad and having to replace these too. The air conditioning unit has stopped working. The passenger air bag dummy light has come on for no reason. The seat belt warning chime often comes on and will not go off, even though you have buckled your seat belt. You have to slam the buckle into place for it to go off and sometimes this does not work either. The transmission is now making a lovely clunking sound when shifting from park to drive and when you try to put it back into park, it does not want to. You have to put it up to park as far as it will go then go back to neutral and then into park from there. We have replaced the emergency brake shoes on both sides because they were completely worn off even though we do not use the e-brakes. These problems are just piling up one after another. I went to an internet site that has complaints about vehicles and found that there are hundreds of others with the same problems on their 2002 ford explorers of all kinds (xl, eddie bauer, special edition, etc.). Why hasn't ford done any recalls for these problems? Does it require multiple injuries or even death for them to take responsibility???
O/d light started to blink and car is revving and does not shift into 3rd gear.
The transmission in my 2002 ford explorer has failed. The o/d light started blinking. Took it to aamco and they said I need to replace the transmission. They said they have dealt with many 2002 ford explorers with the same problem. *tr updated 05/19/08
Drove into the carwash went to put the car in park and the gearshift got stuck and broke off in reverse, had to back car out of carwash with many cars behind me towed the car to dealership was told the steering column had to be replaced which cost $1,200.00 after research today I see that alot of explorer owners have had this happen and I consider this to be a very dangerous defect in the car that ford should have paid to have fixed and recalled so that this does not happen to others.
2002 ford explorer eddie bauer 4l v6 auto trans I had my explorer into the dealer for an oil change last january and they mentioned that my right rear wheel seal was leaking and needed to be changed but not right away. I waited for the next oil change in april and scheduled it in for a wheel seal replacement -- $190. No mention of any problems with the rear end. Not 90 miles later I hear a loud crunching sound and managed to limp back to the dealer to find out that the same right rear hub they just replaced the seal on has a bad bearing/hub. They replaced the hub and bearing at a cost of $899 ($533 parts). Given the explorers history of problems with the right rear wheel (firestone blowouts) causing rollover accidents I think ford would take this problem seriously. If having a tire fail can lead to rollover accidents imagine what happens when you lose the entire wheel!
Transmission won't go into gear sometimes when pulling away from a stop. It also slips occasionally when accelerating.
Tl*the contact owns a 2002 ford explorer. The contact stated that the overdrive light illuminates intermittently and then the vehicle accelerates without warning. When the overdrive light is blinking, it cannot be shut off with the overdrive switch unless the vehicle is shut off and then restarted. The contact also stated that the transmission was slipping gears. The failure occurs randomly while driving 10 MPH or greater. The dealer and the manufacturer have not been notified. The failure mileage was 79,000 and the current mileage was unknown.
Transmission making noise when shifting into 3rd gear. Od light blinks and check transmission message comes on.
Rear differential and also the transmission. Please do a recall on this before someone dies. You make tons of money off your loyal costumers, now do something for them and fix an obvious problem that mechanics, dealerships and owners of 2002 ford explorers know about. Thank you
Blinking o\d light, transmission will only shift into overdrive under no load, late and hard shift from 1st to 2nd (or accel to about 20 MPH then back off to minimize jar to drive line components), and 4-wheel drive will not engage. Safety issues: (1) pulling out in traffic, can't accelerate until shifts into 2nd gear (have to back off in 1st before it shifts) (2) 4-wheel traction lock does not function. From the day I bought this explorer new, the transmission shifted later and harder than I though appropriate. Then at about 80 to 85k miles the od and 4-wheel drive stopped working and shifts between 1st to 3rd became much worse. The torque converter lock up still seems to be working (can tell when it's running road speed in 3rd gear). After some research using ford shop manuals, there seems to be direct relationship between 1st to 2nd late/hard shifts and the overdrive problem but I can;t find an official ford posting or tech bulletin to provide details. Internal pressures control the shifting and there are several valves, orifices, solenoids, etc that can cause improper control pressures. Ford must know of the problem and truthfully, I think the reliability of the tranny in the irs explorer falls well below the publics expectations and should be even farther below fords acceptance criteria. Despite the premature failure, I would probably be content if ford provided their explorer owners a detailed description of the failure, developed a long term fix, provided ford owners some reasonable options to install the parts and/or make the modifications needed for a long term fix (to include self repair as an option), and establish a help desk to assist customers with this extremely high transmission failure rate.
Wheel hub and bearing bad.
2002 ford explorer, transmission failed at 69,000 miles. I am the original owner and will never buy another ford.
The service engine light would occasionally turn on along with the check transmission light at approx. 95,000 miles on my 2002 ford explorer. The shiftiing of the gears would not shift properly causing a usually high idle at certain gears. Also the o/d light would also constantly blink along with the check engine light. Currently my explorer is in a repair shop and needs to have the transmission rebuilt. The total cost of the repair is $2,300. A vehicle should not have these many complaints about a transmission problem with less than a 100k miles.
O/d light blinking; service engine light on. I brought the car in and it was hooked up to the computer. Basically was told I needed a transmission. The car only has 67,000 miles on it. I did some research online and it seems that this is more common than I thought. There is even a tsb (03-25-4).
Pulled in the drive way went to put the car in park and the shifter feel off called on the part you cant just by the part you have to by the whole column at a price of 600.00 just for the part now I am a welder and mechanic by trade and have been for 20 years and I have never seen this before the explorer they make this very important piece out of pot metal this is a very poor quality of metal die cast junk used to make toys there is no reason why I should not be able to by this part other than ford just wants to make more money and force the public into buying the whole thing this is not right or fair and to me this is a safety issue because when this happens you can not get the car back into the park position .
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