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2002 Ford Explorer Sport Problems and Recalls
Owners filed 133 complaints with NHTSA about the 2002 Ford Explorer Sport, most often about the transmission (24% of complaints, typically around 89,000 miles). It is the 2nd most complained-about Explorer Sport model year since 2000 and has 3 recalls.
Most common 2002 Ford Explorer Sport problems
Transmission
32 complaints · 24%Half of these problems showed up before 89,000 miles. Parts named most often: automatic transmission, driveline, clutch assembly, axle hubs.
Transmission o/d light started coming on and blinking periodically with hard shifting or slipping and car lurching forward before shifting. O/d stops working after o/d light starts blinking. Had transmission solenoids adjusted last year but only helped slightly then back to slipping again. Only have 88,000 miles on…
O/d light is blinking so transmission is going bad I figured it out or I can just jam my transmission in middle of high speed traffic and result in crash.....
Body and structure
28 complaints · 21%Half of these problems showed up before 83,000 miles. Parts named most often: body.
I was opening the rear glass on my 2002 Ford Explorer Sport when the hinge broke and the glass fell on my arm. I was lucky to catch it before it hit the ground. I now have a huge bruise on my arm. I contacted Ford the said my truck was not included in the recall because of where it was built.
I noticed the rear window lift gate was slightly ajar, so I closed it, and suddenly the hinge bracket on the right side, connecting the window at the roof, popped loose, extending the window lift support, making it now impossible to close the back lift gate glass. I checked into the issue, and found a recall, campaign…
Visibility and wipers
17 complaints · 13%Half of these problems showed up before 80,000 miles. Parts named most often: glass, side/rear, power window devices and controls, defroster/defogger/hvac system, rear window wiper/washer.
The contact owns a 2002 Ford Explorer Sport. While standing behind the vehicle, the rear window exploded without any prior warnings. She sustained minor to moderate injuries. The vehicle was in the process of being towed to the dealer. The dealer advised her that the failure was caused by a defect. However she has to…
: the contact stated while opening the back window, the left side hinge fell off. The window was hanging by one hinge. An attempt was made to secure the window, but while the window was being adjusted, the right hinge fell off. The wiring from the back windshield wiper held the window in place and kept the window from…
Suspension
8 complaints · 6%Half of these problems showed up before 47,500 miles. Parts named most often: rear, front.
Dt: vehicle had to have the rear end breplaced 3 times , vehcile had to be taken back again a 4th time, dealership will not help with payment, consumer had to pay twice for repairs.
The contact owns a 2002 Ford Explorer Sport. The contact stated that the vehicle body mount bushings were corroded. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic who diagnosed that the body mount bushings needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The…
Seats
8 complaints · 6%Half of these problems showed up before 60,000 miles. Parts named most often: front assembly, mid/rear assembly.
Tl contact owns a 2002 Ford Explorer Sport. When the contact entered the vehicle, the back of the seat reclined and would not remain upright. The dealer stated that her VIN was not included in NHTSA campaign id number 03v281000 (seats: front assembly: recliner). The current mileage was 67,477 and failure mileage was…
Tl contact owns a 2002 Ford Explorer Sport. While driving at an unknown speed, the left side of the driver's seat detached from the base, causing the contact to fall back against the rear seats. Prior to the failure, he noticed that the seat would only recline in one vertical position. There was no crash involved and…
Engine
8 complaints · 6%Parts named most often: engine, cooling system, exhaust system.
Doors and locks
8 complaints · 6%Half of these problems showed up before 50,000 miles. Parts named most often: doors, hatchback/liftgate, tailgate.
The contact owns a 2002 Ford Explorer Sport. The contact stated that both rear interior child locks failed in the locked position. The vehicle was taken to the dealer for diagnostic testing. The dealer stated this was a normal occurrence. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The vehicle was not…
Rear door glass hatch hinges came off.this was my wifes vehicle driven very little until she passed away 2009.then it was driven even less. Back hatch glass was never used as far as I know. She always used the metal door. I drove it to grocery store,put groceries in back using large door. When I got home I just…
Electrical
8 complaints · 6%Parts named most often: wiring.
I was driving when my car start smoking, when I stopped it caught on fire. The car is totaled. The fire originated at the engine compartment near the spark plugs.
Was using the 4 wheel drive in when the engine started smoking and the engine compartment caught on fire, then the cab started burning and then the whole car caught on fire and exploded.
Complaints are owner reports to NHTSA, not verified defects. One complaint can name several components, so shares add up to more than 100%.
2002 Ford Explorer Sport recalls
Speed control: vehicle speed control
Risk: This could result in an underhood fire.
Fix: Dealers will install a fused wiring harness. Owners of the passenger cars included in this campaign will be instructed to return their vehicles to their dealers to have the speed control deactivation switch disconnected as an interim repair. As soon as repair parts are available (expected october 2007), owners will be instructed to return to the dealers for installation of a fused wiring harness. The recall began on august 13, 2007, and mailing completed by september 19, 2007. Owners may contact ford at 1-888-222-2751.
Full defect summary
On certain pickup trucks, passenger vehicles, sport utility vehicles, and motor homes chassis, the speed control deactivation switch may, under certain conditions, leak internally and then overheat, smoke, or burn.
Seats: recliner
Risk: The driver could potentially lose contact with the steering wheel or foot pedals during such an event, increasing the risk of a crash.
Fix: Dealers will replace the driver seat upper bolt with a metal spacer and bolt. In addition, seats with tubular back frames will have the fully threaded lower recliner bolt replaced with a partially threaded bolt. The recall began on april 10, 2006. Owners may contact ford at 1-800-392-3673. This is a supplement to a previous recall campaign (03v281).
Full defect summary
On certain sport utility vehicles equipped with high back seats, the upper bolt on the driver's side high back seat that attaches the seat recliner mechanism to the seat back frame, could fracture. If the bolt fractures, the seat back may recline until it makes contact with an object behind the seat, such as the second row seat cushion.
Seats: recliner
Risk: The driver could potentially lose contact with the steering wheel or foot pedals during such an event, increasing the risk of a crash.
Fix: Dealers will replace the driver seat upper bolt with a metal spacer and bolt. In addition, seats with tubular back frames will have the fully threaded lower recliner bolt replaced with a partially threaded bolt. Owner notification began on august 29, 2003. Owners should contact ford at 1-800-392-3673.
Full defect summary
On certain sport utility vehicles equipped with high back seats, the upper bolt on the driver's side high back seat, that attaches the seat recliner mechanism to the seat back frame, could fracture. If the bolt fractures and does not jam in the seat back frame, the seat back may recline until it makes contact with an object behind the seat, such as the second row seat cushion.
Recall repairs are free at any franchised dealer. Enter your VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls to see which recalls are still open on your car.
NHTSA defect investigations
Vehicle rollaway allegations
Summary
In response to an information request (ir) letter sent by the office of defects investigation (odi), ford stated consumer reports of higher than expected efforts when shifting into and out of park could be a result of a groove being worn into the swing arm ramp of the steering column. The swing arm is a component bolted to the steering column that assists in shifting through the transmission gears.an engineering evaluation conducted by ford of returned steering columns found the groove could be created over time if consumer shift more quickly from the drive or reverse to park than the brake shift interlock (bsi) solenoid pin retracts after the brake pedal is applied. In november of 2004, for
Spark plug ejection from cylinder head
Summary
On september 6, 2005, odi received a petition requesting that the agency investigate allegations of engine spark plug ejection in certain model year 1997 through 2004 ford vehicles with triton v-8 and v-10 engines.odi received a total of 474 non-duplicative complaints on the subject vehicles where the complainant, or the dealer repairing the vehicle, reported that a spark plug detached from the cylinder and/or ejected from the engine.as of december 8, 2005, odi is not aware of any allegations where the alleged defect resulted in a loss of vehicle control, a crash, an injury, or a fatality in any of the 10,319,810 subject vehicles.in addition, odi is aware of only two incidents where the vehi
Stuck engine throttle
Summary
On july 7, 2005, the office of defects investigation (odi) opened a preliminary evaluation to investigate alleged stuck throttle complaints in certain model year (my) 2002 ford explorer and mercury mountaineer vehicles equipped with the standard available 4.0l sohc v6 engine.at that time, odi was aware of 15 complaints that alleged stuck engine throttle causing unwanted vehicle acceleration and 1 alleged crash as a result.six complainants reported that throttle control cable replacement remedied the alleged stuck throttle condition.additionally, odi was aware of a technical service bulletin issued by the manufacturer that referred to an accelerator cable design change.odi sent a letter to th
Rear liftgate glass assembly
Summary
Complaints report failure of the rear liftgate glass support while the operator is opening or closing the glass.the falling glass can strike the operator or bystander.the injuries reported are bruises to the head, neck or back, cuts to the face, arm or hand.on september 9, 2004, ford notified the agency that it will recall approximately 955,732 my 2002 and 2003 ford explorer and mercury mountaineer vehicles to replace the liftgate glass strut brackets and/or hinges.see NHTSA recall 04v442 for details. This investigation is closed.
Front seat back recliner attachment
Summary
By letter dated august 4, 2003, ford notified the agency that it is conducting a voluntary safety recall (NHTSA recall no. 03v281) involving certain model year (my) 1998-2001 ford explorer / mercury mountaineer 4-door, my 1998-2000 ford explorer 2-door and my 2001-2002 ford explorer sport and sport trac vehicles equipped with high back seats.complaints allege that the driver's seat back reclined without warning.a bolt between the upper seat recliner attachment and the seat back frame may fracture.ford will replace the bolt that attaches the seat recliner mechanism to the seat back frame on the driver side seat.based on ford's safety recall action, this investigation is closed.
Questions about the 2002 Ford Explorer Sport
- What are the most common problems with the 2002 Ford Explorer Sport?
- By NHTSA owner complaints: transmission (32 complaints, typically around 89,000 miles); body and structure (28 complaints, typically around 83,000 miles); visibility and wipers (17 complaints, typically around 80,000 miles).
- How many recalls does the 2002 Ford Explorer Sport have?
- 3 recalls listed by NHTSA, the latest from August 3, 2007 (speed control). Check your VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls to see which ones are still open on your car.
- Is the 2002 a bad year for the Ford Explorer Sport?
- It is the 2nd most complained-about Explorer Sport model year since 2000, with 133 complaints. Complaint counts are not adjusted for how many cars were sold, so popular years collect more of them, and the newest years have had less time to.