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.
My 2002 Explorer is not a bad car, in the 14 years of me having this car all I've really ever done is change the oil, the ball joints, sway bars, torque arms which is pretty much regular wear and tear. now that the fuel pump is supposedly bad.. If I drive my vehicle around for about 30 minutes it will not restart but if I let it sit for about 5 to 6 hours it will start like a champ.. it has happened around 6 times so I just took it to the shop and they're telling me that it's the fuel pump which makes sense after all the troubleshooting I've been doing.. if it' works I'll let everyone know..
REPLACED THE ENTIRE COMPUTER SYSTEM 6 WEEKS AGO BECAUSE THE CAR WOULD NOT START. NOW IT WOULD NOT START AGAIN. THIS TIME I AM TOLD IT WILL BE ANOTHER $1,000.00. I AM TOTALLY CONFUSED WONDERING DID IT REALLY NEED A COMPUTER SYSTEM OR WAS IT THE FUEL PUMP 6 WEEKS AGO? COVERT FORD AGREED TO CUT ME DEAL ON THE REPLACEMENT OF THE FUEL PUMP.
FROM NOW ON I AM REQUESTING ALL OLD PARTS BE GIVEN TO ME, HOW DO YOU REALLY KNOW WHAT THEY DO. IF IN FACT IT IS ALL ABOVE BOARD WHY DID THEY NOT KNOW THAT THE FUEL PUMP WAS GOING BAD 6 WEEKS AGO. I HATE FORD'S. I WILL NEVER BUY ANOTHER FORD PRODUCT AGAIN EVER, EVER, EVER.
Fuel Pump failed, towed it to a mechanic and thought it was fixed but then it wouldn't allow you to pump gas with out taking all day.
There is a filter right where you put gas in before it goes down into the tank, not shown on the diagram as the mechanic gave me a copy of the specs, but he couldn't find the problem after 3 attempts. Had to take it to another mechanic to finally get the gas to flow right as the Screen/Filter wasn't known about so therefore wasn't cleaned properly after replacing the fuel pump.
Experiment fine then keep parts handy Ford and print proper diagrams for the mechanics to work on as both
of these simple repairs have cost me twice as much money and this isn't my first rodeo with car problems from you. Maybe the next time I will think about a different Manufacturer.
THIS VEHICLE IS NOTHING BUT A LEMON VERY SOUR THIS SUCKS EVERY TIME I TURN AROUND SOMETHING ELSE GOES WRONG. NONE OF THE WINDOWS ROLL UYP THEY JUST FALL DOWN.
SINCE FEB. 2011 WE'VE HAD 2 FUEL PUMPS INSTALLED. FIRST INSTALL COST 620.00 IN FEB. IN JULY 2011 2ND FUEL PUMP COVERED BY WARRANTY, COST WAS LABOR TO PUT ON. NOW NOVEMBER 7, 2011 WONT START SHOWING SAME SYSTEMS AS BEFORE AND HAVING DISPUTES WITH GARDENERS AUTO AND TRUCK IN HILLSBORO, MO. 63050. HE TOLD ME HE'D TOW IT FOR FREE, TURNED OUT HES CHARGING ME 60.00 FOR TOW , WHEN I HAVE FREE TOWING WITH MY INSURANCE, HE SAYS THE FUEL PUMP IS STILL UNDER WARRANTY, BUT WILL NOT ANSWER HIS BUSINESS PHONE. THE WARRANTY IS UNDER HIS NAME NOT OURS, HE NEEDS TO FIX IT RIGHT, OR GIVE US INFO ON WHO ITS WARRANTED THRU SO WE CAN TAKE IT ELSE WHERE. I'M CALLING THE LOCAL NEWS AND BBB IF HE DOESN'T COME TO HIS SENSES AND BE PROFESSIONAL, AND HELP RESOLVE THIS ISSUE, BECAUSE WE ARE WITHOUT OUR VEHICLE RIGHT NOW. SO IN DISBELIEF DCAIN
- Debbie C.,
Pevely, MO, US
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SINCE FEB. 2011 WE'VE HAD 2 FUEL PUMPS INSTALLED. FIRST INSTALL COST 620.00 IN FEB. IN JULY 2011 2ND FUEL PUMP COVERED BY WARRANTY, COST WAS LABOR TO PUT ON. NOW NOVEMBER 7, 2011 WONT START SHOWING SAME SYSTEMS AS BEFORE.. THE WARRANTY IS UNDER HIS NAME NOT OURS, HE NEEDS TO FIX IT RIGHT, OR GIVE US INFO ON WHO ITS WARRANTED THRU SO WE CAN TAKE IT ELSE WHERE. I'M CALLING THE LOCAL NEWS AND BBB IF HE DOESN'T COME TO HIS SENSES AND BE PROFESSIONAL, AND HELP RESOLVE THIS ISSUE, BECAUSE WE ARE WITHOUT OUR VEHICLE RIGHT NOW. SO IN DISBELIEF DCAIN
Update from Nov 12, 2014: fuel pump replaced 3 times, cracked rear panel ! ended up taking to another mechanic and he replaced the fuel pump another cost of 680.00 i wrote ford a letter... ford responded back in a letter they are not responsable for either and closed the case !!! thet were not interested in helping us at all !
I had issues with starting vehicle when I would open gas tank to add fuel for the last 3 months but did not pay to much attention, I do not know if this was a sign that the fuel pump was going bad or not, I did not start the vehicle for 1 week and when i going to use it again it would not start I checked all the fuses relays all are good then i had It checked out and was informed that I needed a new fuel pump ! needles to say that I will not be buying a Ford again to many issues A.C system, belt idlers, power windows, fractures on back door which are dam annoying,Interior blowers coming on when Im LUCKY etc.......
known defect from Ford! My dealer said that Ford changed the design 4 times on the 2002 Explorer and they couldn't tell me the cost of repair until they dropped the tank and see which pump I had. I guess it depends on how many electrical leads go to the pump.
A year after the rear glass window fell out and was replaced and this time it was the fuel gauge that acted up. Dealer looked at it and had to replace the fuel pump assembly which was still under warranty.
Ford's moto is "Quality is Job 1". But back in 2001-2002, Quality was job 141. They are doing well today, but its stuff like this that gives them a black eye and makes me weary of buying another Ford. In October I bought a 2010 Hyundai Sonata and was considering a Fusion. Then I remembered all the problems I had with this truck and my prior 1999 Ford Explorer Sport. The Sonata is awesome!
car has run rough for 4 years, has bad smell from engine, check engine light has been turned off several times.....computer dialysis says egr....replaced egr solenoid and egr sensor, replaced o rings, still no improvement....changed oil, transmission fluid and all filters pvc/fuel/air....no improvement....
car died in driveway last week...got towed, replaced fuel filter.....smell went away, runs so smooth i check to see if it is on.....i hope this is it!!
check engine light is off!! (has been on for 4 years, checked and turned off 14 times!!)
can not belive how bad is ford customer service not only 100 dollars per hour but it took them 5 days to fix it, they made me go 5 times telling me the car is ready and every time all they said was i am zorry it was a mistake.... ok what happened, my car would not start so i took it to the professionals "diblassy ford in queens NY" OF COURSE they took advantage of people like me who are not mechanics charging me for 12 hors of labor with a total check of almost $1500 dollars. well a year after guess what same problem but this time i took it to a regular mechanic and i paid 350 dollars. well after other problems with fuel system and paying around 5000 dollars with in 2 years i sold that problem because thats not a car its a problem to another victim. well now i am driving a real car a Nissan pathfinder a had it for 3 year and guess what not problem zorry for American cars because no boby trust them any more but we the consumers know why. SEE YOU NEVER FORD HOPE YOU DO BETTER . AND DONT FORGET WE ARE AMERICA AND WE MAKE ONLY THE BEST, DONT MAKE US LOOK BAD SO THE JAPANISE INDUSTRY TAKE OVER OUR COUNTRY
Ford Explorer 2002, 47,000 miles and the fuel pump dies. Car has not been running well for the last 2 years. Thought it might be the injectors, fuel filter some kind of ignition problem. Decided to just live with the problem. Had fuel pump replaced today after car died. Mechanic said Ford sent out a bulletin concerning fuel pump and I am he will provide me with it this week. Also drive a 2004 Ford F-150 with 48,000 miles. Last month alternator died, 57,000 miles! I have always bought American. After driving a 1988 Chevy Celebrity that was a piece of junk and then a 1997 Chevy Lumina which was an even bigger piece of junk, I decided to try Ford products. It looks like another big mistake. My son is driving a 1990 Honda Accord with 157,000 miles and has not has one of the previous problems I have had with the Chevy's and Ford's. I work way to hard for my money to spend it on junk. Sorry American automakers I am done with your sh**.
The fuel system needs to be replaced at 40,000 miles which is unheard of. Ford wants over $1,000 to fix and will not negotiate. This should be considered a defect on Ford's part for the fuel system to fail at such low mileage. Ford does not stand by their customers. I will never buy a Ford again!!!! Also, the black panels on the windows are discolored and the trim is discolored. Makes the car look horrible. DO NOT BUY A FORD!!!!!!!
At 32000 miles our 2000r Ford explorer completely DIED without ANY WARNING at all! Thank God I did not have my 3 young children in the car at the time, as I can't imagine what would have happened if we would have been hit from behind. After they "fixed it", saying that the fuel pump went, 6 weeks later the exact same thing happened again to my husband, No warning, nothing. He was just driving along and within 2 seconds the car died, no power to even get to the side of the road. We're currently waiting for the piece of junk to be fixed. I WILL NEVER BUY ANOTHER FORD AGAIN. Please if anyone else has had this probe, please post it!!
A D V E R T I S E M E N T S
My 2002 Explorer is not a bad car, in the 14 years of me having this car all I've really ever done is change the oil, the ball joints, sway bars, torque arms which is pretty much regular wear and tear. now that the fuel pump is supposedly bad.. If I drive my vehicle around for about 30 minutes it will not restart but if I let it sit for about 5 to 6 hours it will start like a champ.. it has happened around 6 times so I just took it to the shop and they're telling me that it's the fuel pump which makes sense after all the troubleshooting I've been doing.. if it' works I'll let everyone know..
- peebz, Virginia Beach, VA, US