2002 Ford Explorer Power Train Problems
- 283
- Owner complaint records in our dataset
Records are owner complaints, not a measured failure rate.
Owner complaint recordsComplaint records reflect reports in our dataset and do not measure how frequently the problem occurs across all vehicles.
Among these 283 stored complaint records:
- 5 indicate a crash
- 3 indicate injury
- 1 indicate fire
What owners report
- Automatic Transmission · 6 records
Mileage in stored records
| Band | Records |
|---|---|
| 100–150k mi | 108 |
| 60–100k mi | 59 |
| 150–400k mi | 54 |
| 30–60k mi | 12 |
| 1–30k mi | 8 |
Complaint records
Owner-submitted complaint content, presented as stored.
Power Train
Purchased this vehicle today and on way home the transmission "od off" light started flashing. Research shows this is a major common problem with a failed transmission in this model. I am on social security disability and cannot afford the $3,000 plus to fix. *tr
ODI 10430740
Electrical System · Power Train
The transmission started to slip in may of 2011. I had the transmission serviced and it did not correct the problem. I am unable to check the transmission fluid as it is a sealed unit no dip stick. We drove the vehicle until it no longer moves. The cost to replace the transmission is 2800.00 plus... There was no reason why this should have happened. *tt
ODI 10433062
Power Train
Tl* the contact owns a 2002 ford explorer. The contact stated that while driving 50 mph, the overdrive warning light illuminated as the vehicle began to loose power. The contact took the vehicle to the dealer for inspection where they stated that the transmission needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired but the failure recurred three times. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was…
ODI 10560935
Power Train
I was driving in town when i accelerated from a stop light and the transmission would not engage into 3rd gear. The engine revved highly and then suddenly the transmission kicked into gear with a sudden jolt forward. *tr
ODI 10480776
Power Train · Steering
[xxx] got behind the wheel of her 2002 ford explorer, intending to pick up her son from school. When she tried to shift the car into reverse, she says the entire gear selector broke off and fell in her lap. It turns out she's not alone. Team 4 investigator jim parsons reported that the national highway transportation safety administration has been investigating similar complaints around the country -- some of which…
ODI 10428138
Power Train
Tl* the contact owns a 2002 ford explorer. While the contact shifted into reverse the gear shift lever completely disengaged from the housing area. The vehicle was towed to the dealer and currently being repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the defect. The approximate failure mileage was 130,000. The vin was unavailable.
ODI 10428338
Power Train
GEAR SHIFT BROKE OFF IN MY HANDS. *TR
ODI 10427026
Power Train
Tl* the contact owns a 2002 ford explorer. The contact was driving 50 mph uphill when the vehicle began to stall. The contact pulled over to the side of the road and was unable to shift into park. The vehicle was towed to a local mechanic where it was diagnosed that the transmission would need replacing. The contact called the manufacturer and was told that a possible brake fluid leak caused the transmission to…
ODI 10424307
Power Train
TRANSMISSION FAILURE. *TR
ODI 10424203
Power Train
The transmission is junk. Ford knows this. Rebuilding or replacing the transmission is inevitable...and not just once, because there are known design and manufacturing issues that will only cause the failures to repeat themselves. Unless these failures are dealt with, there are many people on the roads who are at the mercy of luck that the car they are driving or the cars that others are driving near them wont stop…
ODI 10451811
Power Train
I have a 2002 ford explorer xlt, my transmission just recently went out. It has about 142,000 miles. I took it to a transmission specialist, to get it fixed, they took it apart, and told me it was costing $3,786.60 to get it fixed/rebuilt! As of right now my truck is still in the shop, it has been there for 2 weeks now. There is no way can afford to pay that, i"m just a student. I did some research online and it…
ODI 10424539
Electrical System · Power Train
My gear shift broke as i was putting into gear and it just fell into my hands it broke into two half a piece that should not broke and as i was going somewhere the truck just starting going crazy the lights was flashing on and off the alarms was going of the lights flashin,sometimes in the middle of the night the alarm just goes off on it on we see all this happen and no one is by the truck no cats dogs nothing. *tr
ODI 10608330
Power Train · Steering
While my wife was backing up in my son's driveway, the gear shift broke on my 2002 ford explorer. The charge to repair by a ford dealer was roughly $2,000.00 (including tow charges). After doing research on this issue, it apparently is way too common, however ford refuses to acknowledge responsibility or issue a recall. *tr
ODI 10408581
Power Train
Today i drove my 2002 ford explorer out and upon returning home i could not shift it into park. I switched it off thinking that if i crank it up and turn the wheels it would go into park but i couldn't even crank it up because i was not in the park gear. I played with it for 20 minutes and it finally went into park. I let it sit for a couple hours and went back out and cranked it, it went into gear. I drove it…
ODI 10404352
Latches/Locks/Linkages · Power Train
This requested recall involves a 2002 ford explorer having an automatic transmission. During normal use, the shift lever breaks off at a cast rotating cylinder that transmits the torque from the gear shifter to push and pull the cable that puts the vehicle in park, drive, neutral, and reverse. The vehicle also had a tendency to jump out of park even before the part broke which caused the vehicle to roll back and…
Crash reported
ODI 10403817
Power Train
TRANSMISSION FAILED. *TR
ODI 10436062
Power Train
Transmission gear shift broke off steering column as the vehicle was put in park. Could have been a major safety issue had i been anywhere other than my home and shifting into any other gear than park. Thought this was an isolated incident only to find information online that this is a common occurrence with the 2002 explorers (over 100 reported on one website alone). Other issues i've experienced since day 1 of…
ODI 10405095
Power Train
My wife was preparing to take our 3 children to school. She put our 2002 ford explorer in reverse and backed out of our driveway. After stopping, she attempted to shift into drive. The gear shift lever broke, leaving her with a car stuck in neutral. The keys are locked in the ignition and cannot be removed. After researching this online, i was very surprised to discover this is not a recall item and that ford motor…
ODI 10395962
Power Train
Tl* the contact owns a 2002 ford explorer. The contact was driving 10 mph when the vehicle failed to shift gears properly. The over drive warning light illuminated during the failure. The vehicle was taken to the dealer where it was confirmed that the first and second gears of the transmission failed and needed to be replaced. The manufacturer was contacted. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was…
ODI 10455207
Power Train · Steering
Please do something about this !!!! The explorer gear shifter is defective and unsafe. There is a common thread with gearshift selector breakage on ford explorers which indicates that recall is urgently needed. After parking, i tried to move the gear shifter from drive to park to exit the vehicle. To my absolute astonishment the gear shifter broke like a dangling broken arm in the reverse position. The vehicle was…
ODI 10396044
Power Train
I have a 2002 ford explorer eb and this car is a piece of crap after i bought the car the tranny is slipping like crazy and its hard to change from park to drive. I have looked it up and there are many people with the same issue and it is a closed tranny so i cant even check the fluid in it but ford is not doing anything about the issue i will never own a ford again. *tr
ODI 10453828
Power Train · Vehicle Speed Control
2002 ford explorer transmission died for the second time after i had the dealership replace it, 75,000 miles ago. I am now sitting at 156000 and it is doing the same things again. This gives me such a bad taste toward ford, and i have been a die hard ford guy. *tr
ODI 10451703
Power Train · Steering
When putting car into park or reverse, car would sometime still be in drive for seconds after putting car in gear. Several times now, occasionally car will simply shut off. Recently, the car would not go into park and shifter separated from steering column. *tr
ODI 10402007
Power Train
Gear shift in my 2002 ford explorer broke off while trying to put my car in gear. I have been informed by the local dealer that the part is part of the steering column and it would cost approx. $1200.00 to replace. The part that broke is made of aluminum and is only about 4-5 inches long. This was a danger to me because my driveway is on a slight incline. In addition if the vehicle went into reverse, i could of had…
ODI 10390301
Power Train
My 2002 ford explorer has a rear end noise it is really loud i've noticed many explorers have the same problem. I have replace rear axle the whole rear end and the noise comes back i think its ridiculous that i have to pay all this money to fix it when its a wide spread problem for ford explorers. Ford should have a solution by now and should fix it for free.the noise is a constant when driving. *tr
ODI 10398080