There are 50 owner-reported engine complaints for the 2002 Ford Explorerin NHTSA's database. These are unverified consumer reports and may not reflect confirmed defects.
The contact owns a 2002 Ford Explorer. The contact stated while driving 45 MPH, the vehicle shut off. The contact was able to coast off the freeway. There were no warning lights illuminated. The contact called an independent mechanic, but the mechanic declined to service the vehicle. The local dealer was not contacted. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was notified about the failure and opened a case. The approximate failure mileage was 88,000.
MOTOR IS OVER HEATING AFTER DRIVING FOR ABOUT 30 MINS ON HIGHWAY
THE TIMING BELTS BROKE AND DAMAGE THE ENGINE. TRUCK HAS LESS THAN 100,000 MILES.
TRANSMISSION OUT FOR 3RD TIME
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 FORD EXPLORER. WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS PARKED, THE CONTACT NOTICED AN ABNORMAL NOISE COMING FROM THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHO DIAGNOSED THAT THE ENGINE NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 120,000. THE VIN WAS UNAVAILABLE.
TRANSMISSION FAILURE.
TURNED CAR ON TO DRIVE IT WOULD NOT START AFTER SEVER RAINFALLS UNTIL FINALLY WHEN I DID THE LAST TIME AFTER A JUMP, BATTERY NEW. IT STARTED TO MAKE THIS AWFUL NOISE LIKE A CLANKING SOUND LIKE A CHAIN SOUND. I TOOK IT TO A MECHANIC AND HE DID NOT KNOW WHAT THE PROBLEM WAS, CALLED A MOBILE MECHANIC AND HE SAID THE SAME THING SAID IT COULD BE A VALVE OR PISTON PROBLEM. FROM WHAT I HEAR SOUNDS LIKE A CHAIN. BEFORE THIS HAPPENING THE REAR WINDOW REGULATORS FOR THE REAR PASSENGER WINDOWS RIGHT AND LEFT SIDES BROKE. HAD LEFT SIDE FIXED RIGHT SIDE NOT FIXED, GLASS STILL HELD WITH A BOARD INSIDE DOOR.
CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON WENT TO A AUTO REPAIR SHOP AND WAS GIVEN OEM CODE P0442 (EVAPORATIVE EMISSION SYSTEM). THE SCENT OF GAS WAS PRESENT. I CHANGED THE FUEL CAP AND ISSUE STILL REMAINS. GAS FUEL TANK VAPOR VENT CHECK VALVE IS DEFECTIVE AND MUST BE REPLACED.
MY TRUCK BEGAN TO SHAKE WHEN I STOP AT STOP SIGNS AND LIGHTS. THE SERVICE ENGINE SOON LIGHT CAME ON AND WOULD NOT GO OUT. I GOT A CODE READING, THERE WERE MANY FUEL EJECTION ISSUES. I GOT A DIAGNOSTIC TEST TODAY, AND WAS TOLD IT COULD BE THE FUEL PUMP. WHEN I PUT GAS IN, THE GAS PUMP GETS STUCK INSIDE SOMETIMES. DOES NOT COME OUT SMOOTHLY. WHAT IS GOING ON? *TR
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 FORD EXPLORER. THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 70 MPH, THE TEMPERATURE GAUGE DISPLAYED SIGNS THAT THE VEHICLE WAS OVERHEATING. THE CONTACT SHUT THE VEHICLE OFF, AND RESTARTED IT BUT THE FAILURE PERSISTED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC FOR DIAGNOSTIC TESTING. THE TECHNICIAN DIAGNOSED THAT THERE WAS A CRACK ON THE INTAKE MANIFOLD. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE WAS 191,000.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 FORD EXPLORER SPORT. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING 40 MPH, THE ENGINE LIGHT ILLUMINATED AS THE VEHICLE STARTED TO OVERHEAT AND STALLED. THE FAILURE RECURRED NUMEROUS TIMES. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE DEALER FOR DIAGNOSTIC TESTING. THE TECHNICIAN DIAGNOSED THAT THE WATER PUMP AND HEATING CORE NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 183,000. UPDATED 1/16/15*CN UPDATED 9/7/2017*CN
WHEN DRIVING TO WORK THREE BLOCKS AWAY FROM MY HOUSE I STOPPED AT A STOP LIGHT. I STARTED TO TAKE OFF AGAIN ONCE THE LIGHT TURNED GREEN AND A SOUND FROM THE ENGINE SCARED ME. THE TRUCK STARTED TO SOUND LIKE A LAWN MOWER. I THEN HAD THE TRUCK TOWED AND TAKEN TO THE GARAGE WHERE THE MECHANIC SHOWED ME THAT THE SPARK PLUG BLOW OUT THE ENGINE. HE SAID THAT WITH FORDS IT HAPPENS ALOT AND IF YOU SEARCH ONLINE THERE ARE SO MANY PEOPLE THAT IT HAPPENS TO. HE THEN TOLD ME ONCE HE FIXES IT I SHOULD SELL IT RIGHT AWAY UNLESS I AM WILLING TO SPEND WHAT THE CAR IS WORTH ON REPLACING HEADS. IF FORD KNOWS ABOUT THE PROBLEM WHY ISN'T THERE A RECALL ON THIS ALREADY. *TR
" CHECK ENGINE SOON" SIGN IS ON. " O/D" SIGN IS ON. *TR
MY 2002 FORD EXPLORER, SINCE 2013 HAVE BLEW OUT SPARKS PLUGS THREE TIMES. THE THREATS OF THE HEAD ARE DAMAGE . *TR
HEARD A KNOCKING NOISE WENT TO MECHANIC. WAS TOLD I BLEW A TWO HOLES THROUGH TIMING CHAIN COVER. WENT ONLINE FOUND THAT IT IS A RECURRING PROBLEM FOR THAT YEAR OF FORD. VERY UPSET THERE IS NO RECALL. WAS TOLD IT WOULD COST AT LEAST 2000 TO FIX. FORD NEEDS TO DO SOMETHING ABOUT THIS. I WANT TO GO TO MEDIA TO LET EVERYONE THAT HAS THIS PROBLEM KNOW THAT FORD KNOWS ABOUT IT AND WILL NOT DO ANYTHING. APPARENTLY EVERYONE HAS TO PAY OUT THE [XXX] TO HAVE THIS FIXED. I'M NOT ONE OF THEM. I WANT MY CAR FIXED!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 FORD EXPLORER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING 45 MPH, THE VEHICLE BURST INTO FLAMES AND THE CONTACT CRASHED INTO AN EMBANKMENT. THE CONTACT SUFFERED INJURIES TO THE BACK. THE VEHICLE WAS DESTROYED DURING THE CRASH. THE FIRE DEPARTMENT WAS CALLED TO EXTINGUISH THE FIRE. THE FIRE DEPARTMENT STATED THAT THE FIRE HAD STARTED FROM THE ENGINE. THE CONTACT DID NOT CALL THE MANUFACTURER. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 180,000. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 FORD EXPLORER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE ENGINE INTAKE MANIFOLD FAILED DUE TO DEFECTIVE PLASTIC THAT FRACTURED AND CAUSED FLUID TO LEAK. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A MECHANIC FOR INSPECTION WHERE THE INTAKE MANIFOLD WAS REPLACED WITH A STEEL MANIFOLD. IN ADDITION, THE SPARK PLUGS RUBBER AND GASKET WAS REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 180,000. UPDATED 10/17/13*CN THE CONSUMER STATED WHEN HE RETURNED TO THE DEALER, HE LEARNED WHEN THE FIVE SPARK PLUGS WERE FLOODED THEY RUINED TWO COILS THAT SENT ELECTRICITY TO THE SPARK PLUGS. UPDATED THE CONSUMER BELIEVED FORD HID THE PLASTIC INTAKE MANIFOLD PROBLEM, RE-ENGINEERED THE PART TO INCLUDE 1/3 METAL AND THEN EQUIPPED ALL SUBSEQUENT MODELS WITH 1/3 METAL AS STANDARD EQUIPMENT IN AN EFFORT TO AVOID RESPONSIBILITY FOR THEIR DEFECTIVE DESIGN. UPDATED 04/17/14
WHILE DRIVING MY 2002 FORD SPORT TRAC AT ABOUT 40 MPH,ENGINE SHUT OFF WITHOUT ANY WARNING,JUST A SHAKING FEELING,THEN COMPLETELY SHUT OFF,WHILE IN MOTION. VERY DANGEROUS SITUATION! NO CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON AND NO CODES WERE PRESENT. I WAS ABLE TO GET OUT OF TRAFFIC AND AVOID BEING HIT. HAD TO CRANK FOR ABOUT HALF A MINUTE AND IT RESTARTED. HAVE DRIVEN ON A DAILY BASIS ABOUT 200 MILES SINCE AND PROBLEM HAS NOT RECURRED AS OF YET.VEHICLE IS WELL MAINTAINED AND UP TO DATE ON FILTERS,ETC... *TR
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 FORD EXPLORER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THERE WAS A RATTLING NOISE HEARD FROM THE ENGINE AS SOON AS THE VEHICLE WAS STARTED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC, WHO STATED THAT THE TIMING CHAIN PLASTIC TENSIONER WAS FRACTURED. THE VEHICLE WAS IN THE PROCESS OF BEING REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE PROBLEM. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 80,000. THE VIN WAS UNAVAILABLE.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 FORD EXPLORER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE TRAVELING 45 MPH, THE VEHICLE MADE A LOUD POPPING NOISE AND THE VEHICLE SHOOK. THE ALSO CONTACT STATED THAT THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT, OVER DRIVE, AND MESSAGE CENTERS LIGHTS ILLUMINATED. THE CONTACT STATED THE VEHICLE HAD NOT BEEN TO THE DEALER OR A MECHANIC. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 126,000.
Showing 1–20 of 50 complaints
Complaints are unverified consumer reports submitted to NHTSA. A high complaint count may reflect vehicle popularity, not defect severity. Data sourced from NHTSA public records.
Data synced from NHTSA on Apr 25, 2026