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.
7.8
pretty bad
Typical Repair Cost:
$2,140
Average Mileage:
124,850 miles
Total Complaints:
101 complaints
Most Common Solutions:
not sure (49 reports)
new or rebuilt transmission (31 reports)
replace transmission (10 reports)
push in button underneath steering wheel (2 reports)
A D V E R T I S E M E N T S
More often than not, the car is difficult to go from park to drive and usually rolls after putting the car in park.
- Tonya S., Atlanta, GA, US