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.
6.0
fairly significant
Typical Repair Cost:
$730
Average Mileage:
116,000 miles
Total Complaints:
1 complaints
Most Common Solutions:
install helicoil because the spark plug stripped the threads (1 reports)
Car repairs suck. Of course this can never happen at a convenient time. I was on my way home from working late, about 7:30pm on a cold December Friday night. I was on the highway doing about 65mph and I hear a loud thud from under the hood, followed by a hissing noise, followed by my service engine soon light coming on. I was probably about 5 miles from home so I decided to make it to my house. At every light the car just seem to have no power and was idling poorly. I called around to see if Ford had any service hours on Saturday. I found a Lincoln Mercury dealer that had service hours on Saturday. I drove it up to the dealership and as soon as I started the car for the guy he said its a spark plug. I told him to replace all 8 plugs. He quoted me a price of 225.00 to replace the plugs. He did tell me that if the spark plug had done more than just break off that it would be more. When the dealership finally got to my car of course it was more than a broken plug. The spark plug had been ejected from the engine block and in the process had stripped the threads in the head. The only two options is to install a helicoil bringing my repair estimate to 750.00 or replace the head.3,000.00+. Of course I chose the helicoil. In talking with a friend he recommended that I check the internet to see if a technical service bulletin had been issued for this problem. I found a lot of articles on the internet that suggested that this is a common problem with this particular Ford engine. Ford suggests that it is an after market problem, that mechanics are not properly torquing the spark plugs. These were the factory plugs. I am fortunate because a couple of stories resulted in the car catching on fire. Ford acts like they have no idea that this is a problem. Mechanics seem to think its in the material used for the block. The bottom line is it has cost me a bunch of money to get fixed. I am not sure if I will buy another Ford because of this. I just feel like I am being screwed by FORD.
A D V E R T I S E M E N T S
Car repairs suck. Of course this can never happen at a convenient time. I was on my way home from working late, about 7:30pm on a cold December Friday night. I was on the highway doing about 65mph and I hear a loud thud from under the hood, followed by a hissing noise, followed by my service engine soon light coming on. I was probably about 5 miles from home so I decided to make it to my house. At every light the car just seem to have no power and was idling poorly. I called around to see if Ford had any service hours on Saturday. I found a Lincoln Mercury dealer that had service hours on Saturday. I drove it up to the dealership and as soon as I started the car for the guy he said its a spark plug. I told him to replace all 8 plugs. He quoted me a price of 225.00 to replace the plugs. He did tell me that if the spark plug had done more than just break off that it would be more. When the dealership finally got to my car of course it was more than a broken plug. The spark plug had been ejected from the engine block and in the process had stripped the threads in the head. The only two options is to install a helicoil bringing my repair estimate to 750.00 or replace the head.3,000.00+. Of course I chose the helicoil. In talking with a friend he recommended that I check the internet to see if a technical service bulletin had been issued for this problem. I found a lot of articles on the internet that suggested that this is a common problem with this particular Ford engine. Ford suggests that it is an after market problem, that mechanics are not properly torquing the spark plugs. These were the factory plugs. I am fortunate because a couple of stories resulted in the car catching on fire. Ford acts like they have no idea that this is a problem. Mechanics seem to think its in the material used for the block. The bottom line is it has cost me a bunch of money to get fixed. I am not sure if I will buy another Ford because of this. I just feel like I am being screwed by FORD.
- Lisa R., St. Louis, MO, US