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.
8.0
pretty bad
Typical Repair Cost:
$300
Average Mileage:
101,100 miles
Total Complaints:
87 complaints
Most Common Solutions:
replace window motor (28 reports)
not sure (25 reports)
replaced faulty regulator and faulty switch (13 reports)
replace master switch (9 reports)
I won't buy Ford again (7 reports)
find break in red power wire at door hinge and add jumper (2 reports)
I bought this vehicle just 8 months ago and this is the 6th time I have had to have this problem repaired!!!!!! This is absolutely ridiculous!! And to be honest FORD can go to h*!!!! I will NEVER again purchase a FORD!!!!!! The thing that I don't understand is that FORD refuses to recall this issue because they say that it is not dangerous!!! Ok...leave me run a scenario by the FORD idiots that say this is NOT dangerous...I am involved in an accident, I am unconscious, the only way for my 4 children in the back of my Explorer to get out is to wind down their windows....BUT THEY CAN'T CAUSE I HAVE THE PLUG DISCONNECTED BECAUSE MY WINDOWS WILL NOT STOP GOING DOWN ON THEIR OWN!!!!! So say my Explorer is on fire and now my kids cannot get out because of your so called intelligent people that make this oh so great decision that this is NOT a danger to anyone (guess we should just keep forking out $100 to $300 to fix it every month or more) and now my husband and the father of my kids is now going to sue the h* out of FORD because we all died just because our windows wouldn't go down!!!!!!!!!!! SERIOUSLY I GET THAT THIS IS A LITTLE FAR FETCHED BUT THIS IS REALITY AND CAN POTENTIALLY KILL SOMEONE!!!!!!!!!!
This is the second time my driver window has refused to work. It is in the repair shop now getting a new motor and track. This has cost me $1100.00 canadian for the 2 replacements.
This was the 3rd time since I bought this vehicle in September of 2010 that this problem has occurred! The window went down and would not go back up. Yet again the switch was replaced and fixed the problem...or so I thought...AGAIN!!!!!!!!!!! This is absolutely ridiculous! I mean seriously?! Why is this such a problem!?
This is the 2nd time since I bought this vehicle in September of 2010 that the window went down and did not go back up. I replaced the switch again and it fixed the problem...or so I thought!
This is the 4th time since I bought this vehicle in September of 2010 that the window went down and would not go back up! I ended up in the hospital very ill because I had to drive home in the freezing cold over 200 miles! This is absolutely ridiculous! I will NEVER purchase a FORD again!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Window went down and didn't go up. Luckily, I was able to replace the master switch myself with part ordered online. Yet another faulty Ford component.
First the 2nd row drivers side window would not go up and it was making a terrible glass grinding noise. then it completely fell down inside of the door. I had to use two pairs of needle nose plyers to get enought out to manually pull the window closed. I then used a couple of wooden shims to keep the window closed; for the most part; it still falls down a couple of inches every time I drive. About 6 months later the other side did the same thing! Ive been searching for a way to fix them myself. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.
Forth and final power window failed. I didn't want to pay another $300 like I did for the other three so I took the door panel off, got the window cable back in the proper place so it was up and disconnected the power.
I have been a loyal Ford owner for 20 years, but this is the last vehicle I will ever purchase from Ford. Fixing the front passenger window regulator was just one of many problems I've had with this vehicle.
I've spent $6,000 repairing/maintaining this vehicle in the last 18 months. After I replaced the transmission last year, I thought I had made the most expensive repair I could face, so I wanted to keep the car a few more years to get a return on my repair investment. Well, the troubles just kept on coming.
The Ford dealership in my town was not helpful. When I told the service manager my sad story and asked if Ford would help cover the cost of my latest repairs, she told me that the repairs I needed (ABS brake module) were considered a 'maintenance' item, and Ford would not help me. In fact, when I had my car in for service at this dealership, they usually recommended repairs or maintenance that wasn't necessary.
Most companies that want to maintain a relationship with you will give you some form of compensation when they have treated you badly. Apparently, Ford does not want my business any longer. Good bye and good riddance.
Driver window switches began to work only intermittently. Then when it stopped with the window in the down position and it was raining, I really got mad.
I took a look at the wiring that passed through some metal holes near the door's hinges (from the inside of the engine compartment into the door). The black, flexible conduit hid the real problem. The red power wire to the driver door had broken completely. Only when there was some vibration (like me pounding on the damn door from the inside) did the wires briefly make electrical contact long enough for me to put the window up.
Root cause: Red power wire too short in wire harness and it was pulled around the metal edge of hole in door frame causing wire to break prematurely.
Fix: I bought same size wire AWG and spliced in a about a 6" jumper. This provided plenty of length to that wire. Never a problem since (with that wire)...plenty of other problems...
This is the SECOND issue with the drivers side power window. The first one occurred 3 months ago and I paid over 300 dollars to have the power window MOTOR replaced which was done and the window worked for two months and now the repair shop says the power window SWITCH needs to be replaced!
Problems none stop with our 2002 Ford Explorer! We have had multiple problems with our vehicle. The windows are just one of them. It started with the front passenger window. It just quit going up or down, then a year later the back passenger window and now just 2 weeks ago the other back passenger window has went out. I'm not sure why Ford has yet to fix the constant problems on these models but when I call or email, all I get is I'm sorry you are having problems but it is not under recall so take it to your local Ford dealership and they will fix it. Of course they will fix it and charge you a fortune for something that they should have already recalled anyway. I am just glad to hear that I am not the only one who will never be buying a Ford again. I have been dedicated to Ford my whole life, until now.
A D V E R T I S E M E N T S
I bought this vehicle just 8 months ago and this is the 6th time I have had to have this problem repaired!!!!!! This is absolutely ridiculous!! And to be honest FORD can go to h*!!!! I will NEVER again purchase a FORD!!!!!! The thing that I don't understand is that FORD refuses to recall this issue because they say that it is not dangerous!!! Ok...leave me run a scenario by the FORD idiots that say this is NOT dangerous...I am involved in an accident, I am unconscious, the only way for my 4 children in the back of my Explorer to get out is to wind down their windows....BUT THEY CAN'T CAUSE I HAVE THE PLUG DISCONNECTED BECAUSE MY WINDOWS WILL NOT STOP GOING DOWN ON THEIR OWN!!!!! So say my Explorer is on fire and now my kids cannot get out because of your so called intelligent people that make this oh so great decision that this is NOT a danger to anyone (guess we should just keep forking out $100 to $300 to fix it every month or more) and now my husband and the father of my kids is now going to sue the h* out of FORD because we all died just because our windows wouldn't go down!!!!!!!!!!! SERIOUSLY I GET THAT THIS IS A LITTLE FAR FETCHED BUT THIS IS REALITY AND CAN POTENTIALLY KILL SOMEONE!!!!!!!!!!
- Julie T., Altoona, PA, US