Every record we hold for this vehicle, as plain tables, with nothing added. The consumer page shows the same records with the maintenance schedule, price ranges and nearby shops around them.
vehicle
2002 / ford / explorer
known issues
7 clusters (reviewed 2026-09-20)
complaints
3,622 on file (2001-04-05 → 2026-09-09)
recalls
0
investigations
0
fars
718 occupant deaths, crash years 2010-2024 (legacy-code)
Rear liftgate window glass shattering and hinge failureSTRUCTURE31 complaints2015-02 → 2025-07ford-explorer-2002-liftgate-glass-shatter
10903796 WHILE PARKED IN MY DRIVEWAY THE BACK WINDOW (LIFT GATE WINDOW) WAS RAISED TO REMOVE THINGS FROM THE BACK OF THE VEHICLE AS SOON AS THE WINDOW WAS BEING CLOSED ABOUT HALFWAY DOWN IT EXPLODED AND SENT GLASS FLYING ALL AROUND OUTSIDE AND INSIDE THE VEHICLE. THE BOTTOM PIECE OF THE
10954043 THE REAR LIFTGATE MOUNT BROKE OFF AND WINDOW FELL ON MY DAUGHTERS HEAD AND BENT THE OTHER MOUNT AND BROKE LEFT STRUT OFF. CAN'T LINE IT UP TO GET IT TO CLOSE AND LATCH SHUT. CAN'T DRIVE THE CAR OR LIFTGATE WILL FALL OFF. GOING TO GET SOME ROPE AND TRY TO TIE IT ON. IT WAS IN
11353727 TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 FORD EXPLORER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE OPENING THE REAL LIFT GATE, THE REAR LIFT GATE GLASS WINDOW SUDDENLY SHATTERED. DURING THE INCIDENT, THE PERSON SUSTAINED A FACIAL LACERATION WHICH REQUIRED MEDICAL TREATMENT. THE CAUSE OF THE FAILURE WAS
Wheel bearing, hub, and suspension component failureSUSPENSION12 complaints2015-04 → 2026-09ford-explorer-2002-wheel-bearing-suspension
10885215 I OWN A 2002 FORD EXPLORER, IT'S OUR DAILY DRIVER EVERYTHING WORKS EXCEPT THE HUBS, THIS TRUCK HAS NEVER BEEN WRECKED, AND WE FIND OURSELVES@ ABOUT EVERY 15,000 TO 20,000 MILES HAVING TO REPLACE THE WHEEL BEARINGS AND HUB ASSEMBLY'S , LAST NIGHT ON THE WAY HOME THE DRIVER SIDE
10875201 TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 FORD EXPLORER. WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS AT A LOCAL DEALER FOR ROUTINE SERVICE, THE FRONT WHEEL BEARINGS AND HUB ASSEMBLIES WERE REPLACED. AFTER THE REPAIRS, THE CONTACT HEARD AN ABNORMAL NOISE COMING FROM THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN BACK TO THE
10816783 BOTH REAR COIL SPRINGS BROKE. REPLACED FRONT AND REAR WHEEL BEARINGS REPLACED BALL JOINTS REPLACED TRANSMISSION HAS NOW FAILED AND IS NOW UNDEPENDABLE. MAY FAIL WITH OUT WARNING NO ACCIDENTS, ANY OF THE ABOVE COULD HAVE RESULTED IN AN ACCIDENT FORD IS AWARE OF ALL OF THE
Automatic transmission failure and hard shiftingPOWER TRAIN43 complaints2014-12 → 2022-06ford-explorer-2002-transmission-failure
11397933 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
10907332 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
10763399 THE TRANSMISSION OF OUR 2002 EXPLORER STARTED SLIPPING, JUMPING, JERKING' SURGING, REFUSING TO SHIFT, SHIFTING SLOWLY AND OTHER ASSOCIATED THINGS APPROXIMATELY 4 YEARS AGO. THERE IS NO CONSISTENCY, IT DOES IT WHENEVER IT WANTS, REGARDLESS OF THE SPEED, OUTSIDE TEMPERATURE,
Gear shift lever fracture at steering columnSTEERING14 complaints2015-01 → 2018-07ford-explorer-2002-shift-lever-fracture
11046319 THE SHIFT LEVER LITERALLY SNAPPED OFF AT THE STEERING COLUMN WHILE PUTTING THE CAR INTO DRIVE. CAR COULDN'T BE SHIFTED INTO PARK, STILL RUNNING. KEYS COULDN'T EVEN BE REMOVED TO TURN THE CAR OFF. VERY DANGEROUS. SEEMS LIKE A FAIRLY COMMON PROBLEM AMONG 2002 FORD EXPLORER OWNERS
10908824 THE GEAR SHIFT JUST BROKE OFF WHILE I WAS PUTTING THE CAR IN REVERSE THIS IS EXTREMELY DANGEROUS THE CAR HAD TO BE TOWED BUT WE HAD TO FIGURE OUT HOW TO SHUT OFF THE CAR, SINCE IT WOULD NOT SHUT OFF WHILE IN REVERSE. I GOT ANOTHER WHOLE STEERING COLUMN PUT IN AND WITHIN LESS
10810804 I WAS PULLING OUT OF A PARKING SPACE AND I NO MORE THAN PULLED THE GEAR SHIFT LEVER BACK AND IT BROKE OFF. I COULD NOT SHIFT AT ALL. THE KEYS GOT STUCK IN THE IGNITION, TOO. I HAD TO LEAVE MY CAR THERE OVER NIGHT UNTIL THE FOLLOWING MORNING WHEN THE TOW COMPANY CAME. I ALSO
Airbags deploying without impactAIR BAGS9 complaints2015-06 → 2026-07ford-explorer-2002-airbag-inadvertent-deploy
10916807 TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 FORD EXPLORER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE THE DRIVER WAS DRIVING AT 40 MPH, BOTH DRIVER AND PASSENGER SIDE AIR BAGS DEPLOYED WITHOUT IMPACT. AS A RESULT, THE VEHICLE FAILED TO START. THE DRIVER SUSTAINED LEFT ARM INJURIES AND THE PASSENGER
10743483 AROUND 1015AM ON SATURDAY JULY 25, 2015, I WAS IN THE PROCESS OF ATTACHING MY BOAT TRAILER TO THE HITCH. AFTER OPENING MY DRIVERS DOOR SEVERAL TIMES, CHECKING ON THE HITCH POSITION, I PUT MY VEHICLE IN PARK, GOT OUT, SHUT THE DOOR, AND THEN HEARD A LOUD SOUND THAT SOUNDED LIKE A
10871375 ON MAY 6, 2016 I WAS DRIVING ON INTERSTATE 5 BETWEEN 55-60 MPH IN THE MIDDLE LANE OF HEAVY TRAFFIC WHEN SUDDENLY THERE WAS AN EXPLOSION INSIDE MY CAR. THE RIGHT/LEFT SIDE AIRBAGS DEPLOYED WITHOUT ANY WARNING. I WAS ABLE TO GET TO THE SHOULDER AND CALL AAA. I WAS TOWED TO THE
Airbags failing to deploy in a crashAIR BAGS9 complaints2015-02 → 2019-08ford-explorer-2002-airbag-non-deploy-crash
11221054 TL* THE CONTACT COMPLAINED ABOUT A FATAL CRASH WHICH INVOLVED A 2002 FORD EXPLORER AND STATED THAT THE AIR BAGS FAILED TO DEPLOY. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VICTIM'S VEHICLE WAS FOUND THREE HOURS AFTER THE CRASH AND THE VEHICLE HAD FLIPPED UPSIDE DOWN. THE VICTIM WAS FOUND,
11169996 TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 FORD EXPLORER. WHILE DRIVING 24 MPH, A VEHICLE ON THE OPPOSITE SIDE OF THE ROAD CRASHED INTO THE DRIVER'S DOOR OF THE CONTACT'S VEHICLE. THE AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. THE CONTACT SUSTAINED LOWER AND UPPER BACK INJURIES, WHICH REQUIRED MEDICAL
10692763 REAR ENDED SEMI THAT SUDDENLY STOPPED IN FRONT OF ME. DRIVER'S AIR BAG DID NOT DEPLOY BUT PASSENGER AIR BAG DID . NO PASSENGER IN CAR. BASICALLY DRIVER AIR BAG DID NOT DEPLOY WHEN IT SHOULD. FORD SHOULD PAY! IS THERE ANY CLASS ACTION LAW SUIT FOR THIS? FIRST ACCIDENT WITH THE
Unintended acceleration and cruise control malfunctionVEHICLE SPEED CONTROL14 complaints2015-01 → 2023-07ford-explorer-2002-unintended-acceleration
11098661 VEHICLE ACCELERATED TO MAXIMUM RPM'S ON A CITY STREET AND WOULD NOT STOP, EVEN AFTER BRAKE APPLIED. TRIED DOWNSHIFTING, WOULD NOT WORK. RAN THROUGH A RED LIGHT, FORTUNATELY NO ONE WAS IN FRONT OF US OR GOING THE OTHER DIRECTION. HAD TO PUT IT INTO NEUTRAL AND TURN THE KEY OFF TO
10874221 TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 FORD EXPLORER. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 50 MPH WITH THE CRUISE CONTROL ACTIVATED, THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT DISENGAGE FROM THE CRUISE CONTROL WHILE DEPRESSING THE BRAKE PEDAL. THE VEHICLE SPONTANEOUSLY ACCELERATED TO 70 MPH, THE EMERGENCY BRAKE DID NOT
10808369 TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 FORD EXPLORER. WHILE PULLING INTO A PARKING SPACE AT A VERY LOW RATE OF SPEED, THE VEHICLE SUDDENLY EXPERIENCED UNINTENDED ACCELERATION AND SURGED FORWARD BEFORE CRASHING INTO A BUILDING. THE DRIVER SUSTAINED INJURIES TO THE LEFT ARM, HIP, HEAD, AND
FARS counts every occupant death in a fatal crash, whatever the cause — it does not mean the vehicle was at fault or defective. Counts are not adjusted for how many of each vehicle are on the road.
Cite this
Derived data is CC BY 4.0. Link back to the page you used. Text and BibTeX below.
Wrench.Pro (2026). 2002 Ford Explorer vehicle data [dataset]. https://www.wrench.pro/data/vehicles/2002/ford/explorer
@misc{wrenchpro_2002_ford_explorer_2026,
author = {Wrench.Pro},
title = {Wrench.Pro vehicle data: 2002 Ford Explorer},
year = {2026},
howpublished = {\url{https://www.wrench.pro/data/vehicles/2002/ford/explorer}},
note = {Derived from NHTSA public records. CC BY 4.0.}
}
