CarComplaints.com Notes: The 2002 Ford Explorer is hands-down our worst vehicle on record. "Avoid like the plague" is putting it lightly.
The 2002-2005 Explorer has a very well-established record of expensive transmission failure at under 100k miles. The Explorer has an enclosed transmission which is typically replaced with a rebuilt transmission at a cost of almost $3,000.
Another common problem for the 2002-2003 Explorer is wheel bearing failure at around 90k miles, with a typical repair bill of $500 to $1000 depending on how many wheel bearings failed.
Adding insult to injury, the 2002-2005 Explorer also has a massive problem with the rear panel cracking. While it's a minor annoyance compared to transmission failure, ironically the crack usually goes right through the Ford logo.
6.5
fairly significant
Typical Repair Cost:
$450
Average Mileage:
79,300 miles
Total Complaints:
622 complaints
Most Common Solutions:
Ford should pay for it (396 reports)
not sure (86 reports)
paid to have rear panel replaced (48 reports)
file complaint with NHTSA to get a recall issued (26 reports)
start a class action suit and get damages reimbursed (17 reports)
Cracked Ford Explores - Visit and join this Facebook Group for an additional site where you can tell Ford about this annoying problem.
Class Action Lawsuit For This Issue - Looks like there is a class action lawsuit for this problem. I would sign up to show how many of us are having this issue.
Replacement Trim Panel At Lower Cost - Save money on a replacement part at Rock Auto. Use their parts search and drill down to Ford => Your Year => Explorer => Body => Rear. You will see several options listed there.
OKAY MY REAR PANEL UNDER THE GLASS CRACKED I HAVEN'T HAD NOT MUSIC OR ACCIDENTS IN THE TRUCK EVERY TIME IT RAINS THE WATER SOME HOW HAVE THE DOOR AJAR LIGHT ON SO WHEN I TRY TO ACTIVATE MY ALARM ALL LIGHTS CONTINUES TO STAY ON SO I HAVE TO TURN ALL LIGHT OFF IN INSIDE AN JUST LOCK MY DOORS WITHOUT THE REMOTE . SO FORD CAN U PLEASE HELP ME AN FIX THIS I HAVE NO EXTRA CASH TO GET THIS FIXED
I too had the cracked rear panel issue - and then what happened because of that crack really put me thru the roof because this issue is so common and yet Ford refuses to acknowledge it! Water seeped in thru the crack and eventually caused the latch to completely rust and break off so there was no way to latch it closed and no way to reattach just the latch. It cost over $1000 to replace the panel and latch....VERY frustrating! I had thought it was mainly a cosmetic issue so wasn't planning on getting the crack repaired and I didn't think so much that water would seep in like it did and damage the latch but it did. I will attach pictures eventually but I wanted to let other people know about what happened - they might want to consider getting the panel fixed before it makes the issue worse like what happened to me!
From all I have read, this is a long standing and continuing problem. As a result of the cracking on my car, I have started observing other Explorers and find the problem to be quite common. Ford needs to issue a recall and repair and correct the problem.
The rear lift gate is cracked in 2 places under the window. At some point it will start leaking into the back of the vehicle. It is cosmetically ugly. Ford needs to establish a recall!!!
- tgschwarting,
Leesburg, VA, US
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This panel cracked once before, when the vehicle was still under warranty, and Ford replaced it. Now that the warranty is long expired they refuse to fix it, even though it is clearly a defective part. Since they already fixed it once, but it didn't last, I feel they should try again. The prior repair was when the vehicle only had 15,000 miles on it.
the first crack occurred dec.16, 2010. I parked the SUV in the garage. the next morning I noticed the crack. It was NOT there when I parked it. I complained to a FORD hotline and they acknowledged that there was a problem but apparently they did not have enough problems to warrant a recall. I could not bellieve the %%$#$% answer.
Then this past Sunday Jan. 15, 2012, a beautiful day in GA, I did wash the SUV and rinsed it. Then I went inside to get a drink and go back out to wipe it dry. That is when I saw another friggin crack on the left side of the emblem. I know it was NOT there when I started washing the vehicle. I am really pissed with FORD and their answer in the first place and I am sure I will NEVER buy another FORD again unless they tsake care and fix this problem. Thank you for listening. Now I have TWO friggin cracks, just lovely.
Update from Nov 12, 2014: well the transmission lunging is another thing that does happen, can scare the hell out of you unless you KNOW it is a FORD problem.
Then once in a while while sitting at idle at a light the engine just cuts out. Restart it and it works fine maybe for a week, a month, 3 months. Noone can find what the problem is.
I ADVOCATE A CAMPAIGN WHERE ALL AFFECTED EXPLORER OWNERS TAPE A LARGE PIECE OF BLACK (OR SILVER FOR DARKER VEHICLES) ACROSS THE CRACK IN PROTEST UNTIL FORD AGREES TO PAY FOR REPLACING THE PANEL.
I was shocked to see this crack. Vertical crack on the right side of the FORD emblem from top to bottom of the rear hatch below the window. Dealer says they've had quite a few. Ford played stupid. Spoke with Joel Mendez, Ford Motor Co Manager at (877) 785-3673. Said "keep the repair receipt in case there's a recall in the future". Yeah, right. FORD SHOULD PAY!! It is ugly and now I'm angry I bought a Ford. My Toyota 4Runner was awesome!
Only have 70K miles, and vehicle is garaged all the time. No, I didn't hit anything in the middle of the rear hatch, you Ford morons!
Since ford is aware that this seems to be a major problem with explorers between the years of 2002-2005 I feel they should step forward and do the right thing and repair their poor design instead of making their consumers pay because if they continue this practice they might not have too many consumers left!
I have experience working with a similar situation for another automotive brand where a panel on the rear tailgate was cracking similarly. In a small percentage of the cases a piece of the panel would come off of the car while in motion. This became a situation where immediate action was required and testing was needed to prove the garnish met the required FMVSS standards after the initial testing.
Has this information been requested from Ford and become public knowledge?
I understand the complaints about this being an aesthetic issue (as my explorer has the same failure), but unless this poses a hazard to the general public while in motion Ford is not required to do anything. If there are cases where the panel is breaking into pieces and coming off of the car then the NHTSA and Ford will have to act.
Didn't bother me at first until I started seeing a lot of other Explorer's with the same ugly crack running down the panel. Looks like a lot of other Ford owner's felt the expense of having it repaired out weighed the problem. Just seems like it should have been a recall since there are so many Ford Explorer's running around with what clearly is a manufacturing defect. Strike two for Ford on my part.
I have contacted Ford Customer Service and sent them piuctures. They told me this is the first time ever they hear about this kind of problem with Explorer. When I took it to the Ford dealer they said this is a pretty common problem with Explorers. 465 complains on this website prove this too. I am even more disappointed with Ford now because they not only make poor quality vehicles, but also deny and try to hide it.
We see this crack on almost all Explorers from 2001 to 2005 model years.Looks like Ford would do a replacement or good repair on this.I have seen enough of them to make a class action lawsuit but the dam lawyers would get all the money just like they did in the Firestone lawsuit.It's not fair to loyal customers to have this happen to them.I won't be buying any more Ford's in my future because of this.I have posted pictures for your viewing pleasure.I used to love my explorer until I started dealing with Ford and our dealer's owner at Jones Ford in Shallotte,N.C.Not one of them would own up to a problem.The dealer would not even fix it under warranty.They said it wasn't covered.B.S. It was covered and when it went out of warranty Ford wouldn't do anything by that time!It was all a big run around until it went out of warranty.Look at my pictures, it will look all to familiar to all of you having the same problem!
The rear panel under the rear glass cracked after five months, this was five months after I picked it up brand new in July 2002. The dealership replaced the lift door with a new one. Now eight years later it cracked again. This is obviously a design issue with the plastic panel and Ford should own up to it and replace. My '02 Explorer does not have a scratch or dent in the black paint. In the 40 years of driving I have always owned Fords and this defect is about to drive me away.
This vehicle looks and performs great and I really wasn't sure of who was at fault until my friend who has the same model showed me his and they were a carbon copy of each other. I feel that Ford should be held responsible for the repair or replacement of the problem !
A D V E R T I S E M E N T S
OKAY MY REAR PANEL UNDER THE GLASS CRACKED I HAVEN'T HAD NOT MUSIC OR ACCIDENTS IN THE TRUCK EVERY TIME IT RAINS THE WATER SOME HOW HAVE THE DOOR AJAR LIGHT ON SO WHEN I TRY TO ACTIVATE MY ALARM ALL LIGHTS CONTINUES TO STAY ON SO I HAVE TO TURN ALL LIGHT OFF IN INSIDE AN JUST LOCK MY DOORS WITHOUT THE REMOTE . SO FORD CAN U PLEASE HELP ME AN FIX THIS I HAVE NO EXTRA CASH TO GET THIS FIXED
- synterron, Alexander, AL, US