general problems of the 2002 Ford Explorer - part 1

The contact owns a 2002 Ford Explorer. The contact stated while driving 45 mph, the vehicle shut off. The contact was able to coast off the freeway. There were no warning lights illuminated. The contact called an independent mechanic, but the mechanic declined to service the vehicle. The local dealer was not contacted. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was notified about the failure and opened a case. The approximate failure mileage was 88,000.

The contact owns a 2002 Ford Explorer. The contact stated that the steering wheel intermittently seized while driving at various speeds without warning. After finding a replacement part at a salvage yard, the contact had the steering wheel replaced by an independent mechanic; however, the failure persisted. The contact also stated that an abnormal ticking noise was coming from the engine with the abs warning light illuminated. The vehicle was taken back to the same independent mechanic and the contact was informed that the engine needed to be replaced. Neither the dealer nor the manufacturer was notified of the failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was unknown.

Motor is over heating after driving for about 30 mins on highway.

I was driving down the highway I went to make a left hand turn when smoke started coming out of the grill, so I pulled over to check under the hood, smoke started boiling out from under the hood.

Transmission out for 3rd time.

Transmission failure.

I was driving my Ford on the highway and the next thing I know my feet were really hot and black smoke started coming up. Then the black smoke started coming from the engine and I nearly crashed trying to get to the edge of the highway before the fire took over the whole front of the car. Luckily the fire department was right there for another accident. It was incredibly disturbing experience. Luckily my 3 small children were not in the car.

Bought an Explorer we thought was a private owner on craiglist in chicago, and found out he was a dealer from indiana. He signed the title as first auto inc. 2620 165th in hammond in 46323. The name of seller is jose perez. The dmv file a complaint on our behalf and stated what he did was illegal. We did not know he was a dealer til when we tried to transfer our plates the next day. We took the truck in for service and my mechanic stated that carfax has the miles almost 80,000 more than what is on the odometer. The odometer listed 110,000 and carfax was far past that amount. The dealer rolled back the miles of Explorer.

Overdrive light came on. Check transmission light came on. The truck suddenly started screeching loudly, nearly caused an accident while going to the airport on an expressway.

Timing chain problems; back chain 'plastic' tensor broke and affected critically entire engine. Many people with the same problem. Transmission solenoid problems; shift rough from 1st to 2nd. Put new solenoid block, problem still there. Ford does not know what the problem is. Many people with the same problem.

Explorer o/d light blinks and shifts rough from 1st to 2nd.

When driving to work three blocks away from my house I stopped at a stop light. I started to take off again once the light turned green and a sound from the engine scared me. The truck started to sound like a lawn mower. I then had the truck towed and taken to the garage where the mechanic showed me that the spark plug blow out the engine. He said that with Fords it happens alot and if you search online there are so many people that it happens to. He then told me once he fixes it I should sell it right away unless I am willing to spend what the car is worth on replacing heads. If Ford knows about the problem why isn't there a recall on this already.

I was driving home from work thank god I was almost home at this time, my Ford explore was driving fine all of a sudden I herd a pop and a bang and then the motor started stumbling and shaking. As it was running the motor kept on popping I got out and seen a spark plug next to driver side fender under the hood also the coil that was plugged on to the plug was there too. I tried to grab the coil but got shocked because the rubber on the coil was broke from the plug flying out like a bullet and hitting the coil braking it in four or five places thats y I got shocked so much. The hole point is that the plug striped out of the head and did all this damage. Now I have no way to fix this issue one of the ways to fix it can be to replace the heads on the motor witch will cost lots of money. What can I do im desperate so it would be nice to have a helping hand by the dealer but thay clam it's not there folt but this has happened to so many Fords because of the heads thay have used on this motor please make a recall for this issue it is a defect I do believe it is. I found over 50 people online having trouble with the same issues as me. Please help us. . . . .

" check engine soon" sign is on. " o/d" sign is on.

It is having trouble shifting from 2nd to 3rd gear. Engine revs up to and over 4,000rpms and slams into the gears.

My 2002 Ford Explorer, since 2013 have blew out sparks plugs three times. The threats of the head are damage .

I bought a used 2002 Ford Explorer in April of this year at a used car lot. It was a beautiful blue SUV in remarkable good condition. I had it four months, and it caught on fire while at a stop sight on my way home from a shopping strip twenty miles from my home. It started smoking and while I was fumbling for my purse to get my cell phone to call for help, it caught fire and bystanders on the thoroughfare pulled me forcefully from the car, and then called the fire department. It was a total loss when the entire hood caught fire and melted. My garage mechanic, who had just seen the car, told me that he could see no reason why it would have caught fire. Can you help me?.

The contact owns a 2002 Ford Explorer. The contact stated that while driving 45 mph, the vehicle burst into flames and the contact crashed into an embankment. The contact suffered injuries to the back. The vehicle was destroyed during the crash. The fire department was called to extinguish the fire. The fire department stated that the fire had started from the engine. The contact did not call the manufacturer. The failure mileage was 180,000. The VIN was not available.

While coming off a freeway my car suddenly jerked and the transmission failed. Causing my vehicle to stop. When trying to move forward the car began to try to roll backwards into the car behind me. I was lucky I was coming to a stop rather then going full speed on the freeway. After much research I have found that this is an all too common problem with this make model and year. The transmission now needs to be completly rebuilt according to 2 mechanics.

Transmission failed on the highway at 70mph pulled off exit and continued on city roads to our jobs parking lot and is no longer drive able.

When accelerating on a start, car doesn't shift into 2nd and 3rd gear. . . . Unless there is a push or jump into it.

While driving car would not shift passed 3rd gear. I had to pull over on a busy highway because I was afraid the engine would explode. I later found out, after researching, that the risk of it shifting into reverse is a common problem with the po745 error code in 2002 Explorers.

As I was driving home from work my fuel gauge went from full to empty and the check gauge light came on then the vehicle died and I lost power steering and the power brakes.

The contact owns a 2002 Ford Explorer. The contact stated that the vehicle failed to start. The vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic where they advised him that the timing chain was fractured and the engine would need replacing. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not contacted. The failure and current mileages were approximately 177,000. The VIN was unavailable.

The contact owns a 2002 Ford Explorer. The contact stated that after shifting into reverse, there was an explosion under the hood. The air bags deployed and the engine caught fire. The fire department was present. The vehicle was not taken to the dealer. The contact also mentioned that the vehicle was taken to the dealer several times for the gears slipping where the transmission was rebuilt but the failure was not corrected. The contact and two passengers suffered injuries but they were unknown. The vehicle failure and current mileage was 291,000.

Tl- the contact owns a 2002 Ford Explorer. The contact stated that while driving 40 mph, the engine temperature gauge fluctuated intermittently. The vehicle was taken to the dealer for diagnosis where it was stated that the thermostat needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired and the manufacturer was not notified. The approximate failure mileage was 69,000. Kmj.

Spark plug blown out of 2002 Ford Explorer.

My wife was driving her 2002 Ford Explorer to church Sunday morning 4-18-10 when the engine blew without warning !! bits of a piston and rod came right thru the block, leaving a hole big enough to put your fist in ! this Explorer only has 63,000 miles on it, and has always been serviced regularly since I bought it with only 25,000 miles on it from a Ford dealer. With all the problems this year and model have had, why has Ford not had a recall??? it is absolutely a lemon - and I feel like suing them !! can you help me??.

The contact owns a 2002 Ford Explorer. While driving his vehicle caught on fire without warning. The fire department extinguished the fire. A fire report was available. The vehicle was completely destroyed. The Ford manufacturer has not been notified. The failure mileage was 160,000.

August 10,2009 while driving notice smoke wasn't sure if it was me then pull over to notice when hood was lift up their was fire. I then call fire department along with police. My insurance nationwide then had it place in to auto body shop which it couldn't be fixed.

In 2009 on the way to our family vacation our transmission failed. We had it towed and the transmission replaced with a Ford rebuilt transmission with a warranty purchase. In 2012 this rebuilt transmission failed and we had it taken to a Ford dealer and the transmission replaced with another transmission. This current transmission is exhibiting the same symptoms as the last two did prior to failure.

My 2002 Ford Explorer burst into flames while we were moving, in it were some belongings.

I was driving home from a friends came to a stop sign. Began to accelerate, I was going 25 mph and all of a sudden my 2002 Ford Explorer sounded like my 4 wheeler. My spark plug had shot out of its threads and blew the coil to pieces. This is the second time this has happened in the last 6 months.

3/4/08 motor sized no steering no brakes at 62000 mi. Bht rebuilt motor from Ford 3yr/75000mi warranty 2/8/09 motor sized no steering no brakes at 71000mi -11mos /9000mi later 2/16/09 towed to malouf Ford s. B. Nj need other motor no rebuilt motors available from Ford I have no car-Ford will not give loaner or rental.

The contact owns a 2002 Ford Explorer. While approaching a stop at approximately 35 mph on normal road conditions, the brake pedal extended to the floor when it was depressed. The engine idled roughly and the check engine warning indicator illuminated on the instrument panel. The indicator remained lit until the engine was turned off. When the ignition was started, the engine would automatically idle without acceleration. The failures occurred on a separate occasion. The vehicle has not been repaired and cannot be driven. The contact was concerned of the safety risk involved. The VIN was unknown. The failure mileage was 111,000 and current mileage was 114,000.