CarComplaints.com Notes: 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.
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.
This stalling is generally around 35mph, most often when going downhill and my tach drops to 200-300 rpm. It's happened enough over the last three years that I am now a pro at dropping it into neutral to restart the engine and putting it back into gear without having to pull off the road.
I was driving on a 45 mph road and turned on the cruise control as there was little traffic or curves. A few seconds later the low oil pressure alert comes on and I lose all engine power. No power steering or power breaks! I am so lucky that nobody was around to get hurt when I took a few hundred feet to stop this car!
I'm 16 as of now, and I was driving with a friend to the local store, using cruise at 30mph since its a long road. All of the sudden, the chime goes off, and the light on the dash reads "LOW OIL LEVEL" and other things. The lights and instrument panel blink and the car experiences loss of steering, which feels like it was pulling us over. It was so scary because it's a one way street. They should start a recall!
Seems to happen only when it is raining or if the air conditioner is on. I figures an electrical connection that was getting wet, but no repairman could duplicate it or fix it. It still happens from time to time, but only when the cruise control is on.
Explorer completely stalls out when the cruise control is in while driving 30-35 mph. all the lights and gauges come on. low oil, check engine, battery, everything like when you start the car. when restarted, it works fine, but what a pain to stop with out power steering and no power brakes in the middle of traffic to re-start your car.
A D V E R T I S E M E N T S
This stalling is generally around 35mph, most often when going downhill and my tach drops to 200-300 rpm. It's happened enough over the last three years that I am now a pro at dropping it into neutral to restart the engine and putting it back into gear without having to pull off the road.
- olsonoh, Toledo, OH, US