Bulletins

BulletinBulletin dateReplacement BulletinItem no.SummaryAdded
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING
04160111/14/20050522810018745Wds cop kit diagnostic tip - coil on plug (cop) ignition systems - engine misfire or rough running. *tt01/12/2006
1857204/01/200510017881No start/hard start n hot soak restart. *tt12/06/2005
036103/31/200310001855Malfunction indicator lamp on with or without rough running, lack of power, surge or poor fuel economy with diagnostic trouble codes p0401, p0402, p1400, p1401. *tt *jb07/23/2003
022202/04/2002630628Some vehicles may exhibit an intake manifold crossover (first runner) coolant seepage condition. *tt04/19/2002
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING - COOLING SYSTEM - FAN
1716309/01/200310004057Excessive engine cooling fan noise. *tt11/17/2003
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING - ENGINE
0721210/01/200710023943Some 1997-2008 vehicles equipped with a 4.6l 2v, 5.4l 2v, or 6.8l 2v engine--spark plug thread repair procedure--not covered under new vehicle limited warranty. *nj this includes f-53 motorhome chassis. updated 2/23/10. *pe02/20/2008
05131301/01/200510016798Hard start/no start condition during cold ambeint temperatures after short hot soak period-4.0l engine. *sc10/07/2005
03140408/23/20040416110011162Engine misfire or running - coil on plug (cop) ignition systems - wds cop kit diagnostic tips. to include various 2005 models. * ar this article 04161 supersedes tsb 03-14-04.01/06/2005
02080108/09/20040415410011150Rattle noise from primary chain drive area 2000-3000 rpm - 4.0l sohc engine. *tt01/04/2005
0325612/22/200310008278Engine-romeo built 4.6l 2v-tick noise from engine-engines built before 9/17/2003. *mj07/26/2004
1754402/01/200410008115Generator noise in cold ambient temperatures. *mj07/22/2004
1650801/01/200310005087Vibration condition. contact request st. louis region. oasis. *tt01/29/2004
1716709/01/200310004060Multiple vehicles with 3.0l or 4.0l engines lacks power/runs rough/black smoke. 2004 sport trac included. *tt11/17/2003
1696807/01/200310003844Driveability conditions due to calibration vehicles equipped with the 4.0l sohc engine. idle air control (iac) valve replacement for these symptoms is typically not effective. *tt11/04/2003
0314407/21/200310003744Engine misfire or rough running condition with coil on plug (cop) ignition systems may be more accurately diagnosed using the optional worldwide diagnostic system (wds) coil on plug (cop) kit. 2003 super duty f series included. *tt10/29/2003
1704908/01/200310003162Rough idle / engine shake. *tt10/09/2003
1706908/01/200310003176Rough/rolling idle or hesitation after first startup or a rough/rolling engine speed when returning to idle after a short trip. *tt10/09/2003
0316408/18/200310003118Some vehicles, equipped with the 4.6l 2v engine, with an engine build date prior to 8/29/03 may exhibit an engine tick noise that is present at all temperatures during idle. 2004 models included. *tt10/08/2003
0310605/26/200310002769Throttle cable routing and splash shield modification when replacing throttle cable during normal service. *tt09/16/2003
1677104/01/200310002658Rough / rolling idle and hesitation on acceleration after a first cold startup. *tt09/10/2003
032202/03/200310002472Streamlined diagnostic procedure for vehicles with malfunction indicator lamp (mil) on and diagnostic trouble codes (dtcs) p0401, p0402, p1400 or p1401, or runs rough, lacks power, surge, poor fuel economy, and the above listed dtcs without09/03/2003
033502/17/200310002482Idle air control (iac) valve diagnostic service tips. *tt09/03/2003
87019710/22/200210000592Incorrectly installed gear driven camshaft position (cmp) sensor synchronizer assemblies causing surge, lost of power, malfunction indicator lamp on and diagnostic trouble codes p1336, p1309 and p0340. *tt03/25/2003
1529010/01/2001630190Some 4.0l sohc may exhibit an engine oil leak condition, coming from the oil pan or ladder frame area. *tt04/15/2002
1472603/01/2001619455Information on the intake manifold valley stuffer bag. *tt05/31/2001
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING - ENGINE - GASOLINE
028104/29/2002637920Some vehicles equipped with the 4.0 sohc (single over-head cam) engine may exhibit a primary timing chain rattle noise. *tt12/09/2002
1585305/01/2002637700Subject regarding intermittent engine quit during transmission engagements or parking maneuvers. *tt12/04/2002
1580404/01/2002637528Some vehicles built since october 1, 2001 may exhibit a no start condition or an intermittent no start condition, and / or possibly no communication from the powertrain electronic controller with the wds / ngs diagnostic equipment. *tt12/02/2002
027604/15/2002636013Information on diagnosing engine rattle noise from primary chain drive area between 2000-3000 rpm on cold engine operation only. *tt11/04/2002
0124612/10/2001630515Engine oil system priming procedures, service tips for reports of premature engine failure. *tt04/18/2002
1548912/01/2001630600Some vehicles equipped with 4.6l engines may exhibit a high frequency whine noise (hair dryer type noise), that lasts for 30-60 seconds after cold start. *tt04/18/2002
1547012/01/2001630576Concerns with spark knock noise or chain rattle noise between 2000-3000 rpm, during cold engine operation only. *tt04/18/2002
1537811/01/2001630388Some vehicles with the 4.0l engine may exhibit an engine flutter noise. *tt04/16/2002
1538311/01/2001630395Some vehicles may exhibit an intermittent no crank condition and no communication from the powertrain electronic controller with the wds/ngs diagnostic equipment. *tt04/16/2002
1528610/01/2001630184Some vehicles may exhibit an intermittent no crank condition and no communication from the powertrain electronic controller (ptec) with the wds / ngs diagnostic equipment. *tt04/15/2002
1554001/01/2002630072Information regarding engine wind noise.*yh04/12/2002
021401/21/2002630001Some engine assemblies with aluminum cylinder heads repaired in-vehile have been found to leak coolant and/or oil from the cylinder head gasket area. *tt04/11/2002
0120510/15/2001627927Some vehicles may exhibit vacuum or air leaks in the intake manifold and / or engine system causing diagnostic trouble codes p0171 and or p0174. *tt02/26/2002
1505807/01/2001621057Some vehicles equipped with a 5r55w automatic transmission may exhibit a tick noise while at idle in park and neutral. *tt09/06/2001
1486804/01/2001619337Some vehicles equipped with the 4.0 sohc engine may exhibit a primary chain rattle noise (sometimes described as a spark knock-type noise). *tt05/23/2001
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING - ENGINE - GASOLINE - BELTS AND ASSOCIATED PULLEYS
1773504/01/200410008235Belt slippage. *tt07/23/2004
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING - EXHAUST SYSTEM
0221610/28/200210013064Excessive sulfur smell from exhaust. *eh04/07/2005
1578304/01/2002637476Some vehicles may exhibit excessive sulphur smeel from the exhaust under certain drive modes. *tt11/26/2002
1521009/01/2001625737Some vehicles equpped with 4.0l engine may exhibit excessive sulphur smell fromthe exhaust system while operating under certain drive modes related to calibration. *tt11/30/2001
1498306/01/2001622789Some vehicles equipped with 4.0l engine may exhibit excessive sulphur smell from the exhaust system while oeprating under drive modes. *tt10/22/2001
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING - EXHAUST SYSTEM - EMISSION CONTROL
1609408/01/2002636110Some vehicles may exhibit fuel diagnostic trouble codes p0171, p0172, p0174, p0175 or mass air flow diagnostic trouble codes p0102, p0103, p0112, p0113. *tt11/05/2002
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING - EXHAUST SYSTEM - EMISSION CONTROL - CATALYTIC CONVERTOR
1551901/01/2002630047Some vehicles may experienced a strong sulphur odor during certain drive modes.*yd04/12/2002
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING - EXHAUST SYSTEM - EMISSION CONTROL - GAS RECIRCULATION VALVE (EGR VALVE)
02M0106/01/200402M0110007207Customer satisfaction program 02m01 supplement #4. certain ford 2000 through 2003 vehicles equipped with a tube-mounted egr pressure sensor - additional egr pressure sensor warranty coverage. *tt supplement #3. *mj supplement #606/03/2004
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING - EXHAUST SYSTEM - MANIFOLD/HEADER/MUFFLER/TAIL PIPE
05N0412/14/200510018959Extended coverage program 05n04 - extended coverage for composite intake manifold. this program is being provided as a settlement to a class action lawsuit. the terms of the settlement extend the coverage of the all-composite intake manif01/25/2006

Investigations

NHTSA IDManufacturerDate openDate closeSubjectRecall campaign
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING
DP05005FORD MOTOR COMPANY09/22/200501/04/2006SPARK PLUG EJECTION FROM CYLINDER HEAD
 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 vehicle stalled without restart.information contained in the odi consumer complaints and obtained from 72 telephone interviews with complainants showed the following:(1) 99% of the complaints were on my 1997 to 2002 subject vehicles.(2) most the complainants reported hearing a loud pop while driving or upon starting up the vehicle followed by a loud, repetitive clicking or popping sound.(3) many of the complainants reported that the popping sound was accompanied by some loss of vehicle power; however, in 99% of the incidents reported, the vehicle did not stall.in the very few incidents where the vehicle did stall, most vehicles could be restarted.(4) only a small percentage of the complainants cited that they smelled gas or a slight burning smell when the incident occurred.(5) in all but a very few incidents, vehicle damage was limited to the engine.in one incident, the complaint reported that the fuel rail was damaged and replaced after one of the spark plugs ejected from the engine; however, the complainant reported that the damage did not result in any type of fuel leak or fire.in another incident, the only incident where a fire was alleged, the complainant reported that no fluid leak was observed, but that a fire resulted after the spark plug had ejected from the engine and he had restarted the vehicle and driven to another location.none of the complainants reported any damage to the vehicle hood.(6) only two complainants reported that they observed what appeared to be some drops of fuel coming from the cylinder where the spark plug had failed or on the spark plug itself; however, each of these complainants reported that there was no smoke or flames as a result of his incident.as the petitioner noted, and odi
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING - ENGINE
DP05005FORD MOTOR COMPANY09/22/200501/04/2006SPARK PLUG EJECTION FROM CYLINDER HEAD
 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 vehicle stalled without restart.information contained in the odi consumer complaints and obtained from 72 telephone interviews with complainants showed the following:(1) 99% of the complaints were on my 1997 to 2002 subject vehicles.(2) most the complainants reported hearing a loud pop while driving or upon starting up the vehicle followed by a loud, repetitive clicking or popping sound.(3) many of the complainants reported that the popping sound was accompanied by some loss of vehicle power; however, in 99% of the incidents reported, the vehicle did not stall.in the very few incidents where the vehicle did stall, most vehicles could be restarted.(4) only a small percentage of the complainants cited that they smelled gas or a slight burning smell when the incident occurred.(5) in all but a very few incidents, vehicle damage was limited to the engine.in one incident, the complaint reported that the fuel rail was damaged and replaced after one of the spark plugs ejected from the engine; however, the complainant reported that the damage did not result in any type of fuel leak or fire.in another incident, the only incident where a fire was alleged, the complainant reported that no fluid leak was observed, but that a fire resulted after the spark plug had ejected from the engine and he had restarted the vehicle and driven to another location.none of the complainants reported any damage to the vehicle hood.(6) only two complainants reported that they observed what appeared to be some drops of fuel coming from the cylinder where the spark plug had failed or on the spark plug itself; however, each of these complainants reported that there was no smoke or flames as a result of his incident.as the petitioner noted, and odi
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING - ENGINE - GASOLINE
DP05005FORD MOTOR COMPANY09/22/200501/04/2006SPARK PLUG EJECTION FROM CYLINDER HEAD
 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 vehicle stalled without restart.information contained in the odi consumer complaints and obtained from 72 telephone interviews with complainants showed the following:(1) 99% of the complaints were on my 1997 to 2002 subject vehicles.(2) most the complainants reported hearing a loud pop while driving or upon starting up the vehicle followed by a loud, repetitive clicking or popping sound.(3) many of the complainants reported that the popping sound was accompanied by some loss of vehicle power; however, in 99% of the incidents reported, the vehicle did not stall.in the very few incidents where the vehicle did stall, most vehicles could be restarted.(4) only a small percentage of the complainants cited that they smelled gas or a slight burning smell when the incident occurred.(5) in all but a very few incidents, vehicle damage was limited to the engine.in one incident, the complaint reported that the fuel rail was damaged and replaced after one of the spark plugs ejected from the engine; however, the complainant reported that the damage did not result in any type of fuel leak or fire.in another incident, the only incident where a fire was alleged, the complainant reported that no fluid leak was observed, but that a fire resulted after the spark plug had ejected from the engine and he had restarted the vehicle and driven to another location.none of the complainants reported any damage to the vehicle hood.(6) only two complainants reported that they observed what appeared to be some drops of fuel coming from the cylinder where the spark plug had failed or on the spark plug itself; however, each of these complainants reported that there was no smoke or flames as a result of his incident.as the petitioner noted, and odi

Consumer Complaints

Fail datemilesoccurencesPurchase date
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING
02/01/2012189000
 The problem is a sudden cracking of the intake manifold causing slow coolant loss. when the intake fails the engine coolant pours out and the engine quickly overheats.
03/12/2012
 Due to a defect, we had to have the transmission replaced (thank god it was still under warranty)...then had to have the door ajar sensor fixed because alarm kept going off for no reason. about two years ago we were abut to go out of town for thanksgiving. i stop at a red light, and then we try to pull off when the light changes and hear the loudest popping noises...we're wondering how in the world did the spark plug pop out with so much force that it also rips the ignition coil...(fast forward to 1yr later, same thing happens while leaving home to go to work). once again, on march 12, while on my way to work, sitting at a traffic light. light turns green...i start to pull off and begin hearing a popping noise...wth...not again!!! (this is the third time this has happened in 2 years). come on ford...fix the lemons!!!!
02/01/2012189000
 The problem is a sudden cracking of the intake manifold causing slow coolant loss. when the intake fails the engine coolant pours out and the engine quickly overheats.
03/12/2012
 Due to a defect, we had to have the transmission replaced (thank god it was still under warranty)...then had to have the door ajar sensor fixed because alarm kept going off for no reason. about two years ago we were abut to go out of town for thanksgiving. i stop at a red light, and then we try to pull off when the light changes and hear the loudest popping noises...we're wondering how in the world did the spark plug pop out with so much force that it also rips the ignition coil...(fast forward to 1yr later, same thing happens while leaving home to go to work). once again, on march 12, while on my way to work, sitting at a traffic light. light turns green...i start to pull off and begin hearing a popping noise...wth...not again!!! (this is the third time this has happened in 2 years). come on ford...fix the lemons!!!!
02/01/2012189000
 The problem is a sudden cracking of the intake manifold causing slow coolant loss. when the intake fails the engine coolant pours out and the engine quickly overheats.
03/12/2012
 Due to a defect, we had to have the transmission replaced (thank god it was still under warranty)...then had to have the door ajar sensor fixed because alarm kept going off for no reason. about two years ago we were abut to go out of town for thanksgiving. i stop at a red light, and then we try to pull off when the light changes and hear the loudest popping noises...we're wondering how in the world did the spark plug pop out with so much force that it also rips the ignition coil...(fast forward to 1yr later, same thing happens while leaving home to go to work). once again, on march 12, while on my way to work, sitting at a traffic light. light turns green...i start to pull off and begin hearing a popping noise...wth...not again!!! (this is the third time this has happened in 2 years). come on ford...fix the lemons!!!!
01/02/2012122000
 I have a 2002 ford explorer that is in the shop right now with a torn down engine. i went out to start it one morning and it had a hard start then it started ticking. come to find out it the timing chain. from what i have read online it is a very common complaint and i am really surprised that this truck has not been recalled again for this problem. i am having to pay for something that ford made a mistake on. the pulley on the truck is plastic, and it is failing. i also have problems with my electrical parts on it. the lights inside will stay on after i turn it off and get out and if i turn on my rear defrost my truck dings and says door adjar..... this truck is awful.
08/10/2011100105
 #3 cyclinder plub blew. had towed to dealer. dealer said they could fix easliy by installing a helix coil adapter & could have car ready next day. dealer calls back and says they fixed it but it was really running bad and that they would not recommend driving it. i asked what the solution was and they said they could pull the head and refinish it but that they would not recommend doing such. i asked about a jasper and they said they would not recommend as jasper has a poor warrenty (12 months+limited mileage & no labor) while a new ford engine would have 3 years, no mileage limit & be warrented for both labor and parts. as i needed the vehilce - as it is i had to rent a vehicle. after getting the vehicle back and talking with several other ford dealers - it would seem that there is a strong possibility that the ford dealer installing the helix coil may have dropped debris into the engine - as none of the other dealers said they have ever had to replace an engine for a blown spark plug. ps: the plugs were the originals from the factory. i have tried to work with the dealer to get some sort of reduction in what i had to pay but they have been less than interested in talking with me. so am trying figure out what my next step should be.all advise would be appreciated as apparently the plug blowing problem is common! this is a serious safety hazzard - there could have been a fire.
07/11/2011177000
 Tl-the contact owns a 2002 ford explorer. the contact stated that after returning to his vehicle, he noticed that it wouldn't start. the vehicle was towed to a independent mechanic and they advised him that the timing chain had fractured and needed to replace the engine. the vehicle has not been repaired. the manufacturer has not been contacted. the failure and current mileages were approximately 177,000. the vin was unavailable. tb
02/22/2011181457
 I own a 2002 ford explorer with the towing package and 4.6l v-8 motor. i have 181,457 miles on it and have maintained it well. the motor does not burn any oil and has not given me any trouble until this morning, when i started my car. this morning when i started my car, i heard a loud bang and my car engine was loud and running very rough. upon inspection, i noticed that one of the spark plugs had been blown out of the right side cylinder head, breaking the mounting harness off of the coil for this cylinder. i tried to screw the spark plug back into the cylinder, but the threads were stripped out. after looking this up on-line, i learned that this is a common problem with ford v-8 motors used in f-150's, expeditions, explorers, etc. i have heard mechanics call explorers exploders before, and now i know why. i have never had a spark plug blown out of a cylinder head before and after reading all of the information on-line, speaking to the auto repair manager where i have my cars serviced, this is a common problem that they have seen frequently with ford v-8 motors. when i mentioned this to the tow truck driver today, he said that he has towed alot of fords that had the same issue. i feel that this is a maufacturing defect and the ford motor company should stand behind their product and do what is right. issue a recall and/or offer assistance with vehicle repairs of this nature.
10/10/201083000
 O/d light flashes for a few days then at around 25 mph the gear switches into neutral and runs very rough then the car is thrown forward. had a rebuilt transmission (we were told we were getting a brand new transmission and paid extra for it!) at 83k miles on oct 15, 2010 then feb 5, 2011 the same exact thing happens. the dealer cannot take the truck for another 5 days and refused to give me a loner car because it is not under the warrantee. please note: below i put in the first incident date, feb 2011 is the second incident date. in may of 2009 i was told my engine failed at about 76,000 miles. we did buy the extended warantee and we were covered. the ford dealership told us we were not covered. they had our truck for 3 weeks until the warentee people called the dealership and let them know it should be fixed. we also had a rental car or a loner car under the warentee. they refused to pay for a rental car and said they did not have a loaner car available. it took 4 more weeks (in total 7 weeks) to get the truck back and never paid for the rental.
05/12/2010145000
 Tl-the contact owns a 2002 ford explorer. while driving approximately 30 mph the vehicle stalled. she pulled the vehicle over to the side of the road and the vehicle started smoking. the vehicle then caught on fire, the fire started under the hood. the vehicle was destroyed. the police and fire department was at the scene, she was not sure if any reports were filed. th failure and current mileage were 145,000. vwb
04/18/201063249
 My wife was driving her 2002 ford explorer to church sunday morning 4-18-10 when the engine blew without warning !! bits of a piston and rod came right thru the block, leaving a hole big enough to put your fist in ! this explorer only has 63,000 miles on it, and has always been serviced regularly since i bought it with only 25,000 miles on it from a ford dealer. with all the problems this year and model have had, why has ford not had a recall??? it is absolutely a lemon - and i feel like suing them !! can you help me??
12/12/2009160000
 Tl* the contact owns a 2002 ford explorer. while driving his vehicle caught on fire without warning. the fire department extinguished the fire. a fire report was available. the vehicle was completely destroyed. the ford manufacturer has not been notified. the failure mileage was 160,000.
12/15/20081
 There is a knocking noise in the back of my explorer which is a 2002 and my friend has a 2003 expedition and hers is doing the same thing it has something to do with the heat in the back but it knocks all the time and when you turn the rear heat on it gets really loud. it knocks all the time and it is annoying and loud i know of 3 vehicles that are ford and they are doing the same thing why has it not been recalled could it not catch fire or something. *tr
08/10/20091003251
 August 10,2009 while driving notice smoke wasn't sure if it was me then pull over to notice when hood was lift up their was fire. i then call fire department along with police. my insurance nationwide then had it place in to auto body shop which it couldn't be fixed. *tr
07/01/2007600001
 2002 explorer first rear end went and was replace only to find its gone again after 20,000 miles, then 4.6 v8 engine has a knock in it, ford is aware of it but wont replace or fix it, now both rear springs are broke which ford also knows and wont replace. *tr
08/03/20091906901
 Maintaining a steady freeway speed. a loud pop emitted from the engine followed by a succession of small pops in relation to the engine speed. it was observed that the number 4 spark plug (passenger sided) had ejected from the engine. the car was towed to a service garage. a new threaded insert was installed in the spark plug hole along with a new spark plug and coil. *tr
07/17/2009171000
 Tl*the contact owns a 2002 ford explorer. the contact stated that the service engine soon and check gas cap indicators illuminated and caused the vehicle to shut off. in addition, the gas tank was very difficult to fill up while placing fuel in the tank. the contact called the manufacturer regarding these issues. he feels that it is a safety hazard for the vehicle to shut off without warning. the vin was unknown. the current and failure mileages were 171,000.
05/07/20091120611
 I have a 2002 ford explorer with a 4.6 liter v8 was driving to work this morning and the engine ejected a factory installed spark plug i have read on the internet that this is a common problem and was informed by the dealers there was no recall on it. *tr
04/11/2009740001
 2002 ford explorer 74,000 miles. heard a banging noise coming form motor. took to repair shop - stated to me that this is a timing chain issue. timing chain needs to be replaced and will cost $1500.00 - $2000.00. dealer said that ford is aware of this issue and has had several complaints. (see car complaints.com). they said to call ford and see if they will rectify. to no avail ford said no. the dealer stated that ford used cheap parts for the timing chain and will not back up their work. what a crock. please investigate this issue as it should be considered a recall. *tr
03/08/2009940001
 Timing chain rattle on a 2002 ford explorer. had the fronts replaced once under warranty at about 25,000 miles and again at 80,000 miles at my expense. now the rear chain is making noise, this is after having the rear tensioner replaced last month at 94,000 miles. the rear cassette seems as if it is ready to go. i don't know how ford can get away with producing such a poor product. there a thousands of complaints about this problem and ford won't do a thing about it. *tr
02/08/2009710001
 3/4/08 motor sized no steering no brakes at 62000 mi. bht rebuilt motor from ford 3yr/75000mi warranty 2/8/09 motor sized no steering no brakes at 71000mi -11mos /9000mi later 2/16/09 towed to malouf ford s.b.nj need other motor no rebuilt motors available from ford i have no car-ford will not give loaner or rental. *tr
03/09/2009687921
 I was driving home from a friends came to a stop sign. began to accelerate, i was going 25 mph and all of a sudden my 2002 ford explorer sounded like my 4 wheeler. my spark plug had shot out of its threads and blew the coil to pieces. this is the second time this has happened in the last 6 months. *tr
01/21/2009970001
 I own a 2002 ford explorer and for the second time 5 months the same spark plug that was repaired by the ford dealership has blown out of the engine. there was a loud pop and very loud repetitive engine noise. there was a very strong smell of gasoline, and loss of power. ford says that this is a common problem and refuses to fix the problem. this is an outrage!!!!!! *tr
09/07/2008111000
 Tl*the contact owns a 2002 ford explorer. while approaching a stop at approximately 35 mph on normal road conditions, the brake pedal extended to the floor when it was depressed. the engine idled roughly and the check engine warning indicator illuminated on the instrument panel. the indicator remained lit until the engine was turned off. when the ignition was started, the engine would automatically idle without acceleration. the failures occurred on a separate occasion. the vehicle has not been repaired and cannot be driven. the contact was concerned of the safety risk involved. the vin was unknown. the failure mileage was 111,000 and current mileage was 114,000.
05/17/2008490001
 While driving our 2002 ford explorer it stalled without any warning and would not start. car had to be pushed off to the side and towed to dealer. the mechanic said it probably broke a valve spring which caused massive internal engine damage. the truck has only 49,000 miles on it and ford basically told us it's our problem. they refuse to contribute anything to the estimated repair of $4,800.00. *tr
03/11/200886214108/01/2003
 Tl*the contact owns a 2002 ford explorer. while driving 25 mph, the contact heard a loud noise coming from the engine compartment. the vehicle continued to drive, but the noise did not stop. he pulled the vehicle over and shut off the engine because he began to smell fuel. the contact discovered that the number three spark plug on the passenger side of the engine failed. the vehicle had the original spark plugs. when he attempted to replace and rethread the spark plug, it would not grip and tighten. the vehicle was towed to a shop and the contact was informed that it was a common failure. the repair shop performed a quick repair by ford, but it did not correct the failure. ford stated that they were aware of the failure, but there were no recalls and could not assist. the vehicle is currently at the shop and has not been repaired. the failure and current mileages were 86,214.
03/11/2008860001
 I was driving my eddie bauer ford explorer 4.6l v8 when i heard a large explosion sound coming from the engine. i immediately pulled off the road and called for help. i had my car towed to a shop where they told me the spark plug shot out of the engine and this should never happen. apparently the coil where it threads into was manufactured incorrectly so it never sat all the way on like it should. over time this is the result. i now need a new cylinder head costing $1800, and maybe a 2nd one down the road. that's $4,000 for ford's mistake! ford said they can't help. there is no recall. i was stranded on the side of a busy road in traffic risking my safety for their defective product! this is highway robbery! (literally). *tr
03/10/2008350001508/01/2003
 Where to start... broken cruise control, headlight switch has a short, driver side passenger window doesn't roll down, trouble going into gear, car suddenly dies at interstate speeds, loud grinding sound from the engine bay (like an electric knife sharpener) that is getting increasingly more frequent, service engine soon light will not go off, brakes squeal and don't stop the vehicle properly, support for the hatch (which is cracked 8 inches or so in two places) doesn't lift hatch completely, and the fuel economy is down to 4-6 mpg in the city. i hate it! i don't feel like my girlfriend is safe driving it, and i think ford should be forced to make their wrongs into rights! *tr
03/03/2008140000309/17/2002
 Tl*the contact owns a 2002 ford explorer. while driving 25 mph, the contact heard a howling sound coming from the engine compartment. he ignored the sound and did not take the vehicle to the dealer. the following day, while driving at low speeds, the vehicle would not shift into gear properly and hesitated. the day after that none of the gears would shift and the vehicle lost all torque power. the vehicle was towed to an auto shop and the mechanic stated that there was transmission failure. the failure and current mileages were 140,000.
01/02/2008103000106/05/2004
 Tl*the contact owns a 2002 ford explorer. the contact stated that there was a coolant leak in the intake manifold. there is an extended coverage program that was initiated in class action lawsuit number 05n04. the contact is currently experiencing the same failure mentioned within the lawsuit. ford stated that the vin was not included in the recall and the repair would cost $800. the vehicle has not been repaired. the current and failure mileages were 103,000. updated 03/05/08. *lj
10/15/2007940001
 Car fire - 2002 ford explorer limited
07/11/200663000102/22/2002
 Engine develop rough idle. sudden explosion sound revealed that number three spark plug was discharged from threads. dealer claimed zero responsibility yet admitted that it is a common problem with 4.6 and 5.4 liter engines. self repair with insert to repair damaged threads caused by exploding spark plug. *jb
01/28/200760000108/15/2004
 I was only about 1 mile from home, the vehicle had no previous problems, i heard a strange sound then the vehicle was not running properly, i could smell fuel or some sort of odor, as i attempted to pull the vehicle over, there was no brakes or steering, i also could see smoke coming from the engine, i managed to get the vehicle over to the side of the road. the vehicle was also starting to fill with smoke inside very quickly. i was able to get out of the car. it would not engage in park, and rolled while i was trying to exit. i called 911, but the vehicle was already entirely engulfed in flames. *jb
02/03/2007114000106/01/2002
 I have two or three issues; the first one is my timing chain tensioner broke and came up through the head gasket cover. it was brought to my attention that ford has had this problem with many of it's 2002 ford explorers. i am just returning from iraq (air force) i have just had it towed to the repair shop it has not be fixed. i have transmission problems for about 2 years were it jumps into gear and i have a whining noise coming from the rear end. i spoke with ganley ford in barbeton and they tell me that there are no recalls however, a lot of customers complain. *jb
06/01/200322000911/01/2002
 Dt*: the contact stated the vehicle has intermittently stalled possibly due to outdoor heat. the vehicle stalled or would not start on nine different occasions. the vehicle was taken to the service dealer after each incident where the inertia switch, the fuel pump and the pcm module were changed. this problem occurred eight times while the vehicle stopped, while it was started, at an intersection, and once with the vehicle in motion at 35 mph. the contact also stated the gas storage tank had developed a hole and was leaking gas.
07/28/2006440001
 Dt*: the contact stated while driving 35 mph, there was a sensation of running over something. the vehicle then stalled completely. the vehicle was taken to a service dealer, where the dealer determined that due to the engine locking up, the entire engine needed to be replaced.
07/14/200692000106/10/2002
 Dt*: the contact stated while driving the vehicle 25-35 mph, there was a sound like an explosion coming from the engine. the vehicle was towed to a garage where the garage determined a spark plug had blown out. the dealership determined this was a very common problem with these vehicles. the dealership also informed the contact that once this happens, it keeps happening and eventually the engine will need to be replaced. the coil was damaged when the spar plug failed. updated 08/08/06. *jb
07/06/200674000206/24/2006
 I just bought a 2002 ford explorer with 74,000 miles on it. i have had it for just long enough to discover a few problems with it, and have done enough research to know that i am not the only one by far with the same problems. i am not sure what causes the problems that i am experiencing, i just know that lots of other people are also having these problems. first of all, there is a leak in my rear differential. my truck is currently in the shop for that now - however, the shop mgr refuses to fix the leak until the rear end breaks.... which will cost more and cause more repairs than necessary at the current time. my second problem - which the service mgr again refuses to fix until it breaks is with the timing chain tensioner - which leads to transmission problems which are also very costly. i have done my homework on this situation, since i have been forced to, and i am seeing over and over and over again, replaced the rear end on my 2002 explorer (multiple times on the same vehicle), and i am seeing over and over and over again, new transmission on my 2002 explorer (again, multiple times on the same vehicle). i don't know if anyone else knows about this site, or i'm sure that hundreds of the same kind of complaints would be filed with you.... someone really needs to look in to this problem, because ford is awful proud of their vehicles and i am paying a hefty chunk of money for mine, as are the tons of other people out there with the same problems who just may not know how to go about getting something done regarding this problem... i'm speaking not only for myself, but, for loads of other people with the same problems. please look into this problem, i beg you!! i don't want to be on the side of the road with my babies (4 & 5 yrs old) praying that the right person stops to help me and not the one with bad intentions!! something needs to be done about this - ford has got obvious drive train problems!!! thank you for your attention in this matter! *jb
07/01/2006111/03/2003
 2002 explorer has problems picking up speed and over use of gas. *ts the consumer also had problems with the transmission, gear adjustment, difficult high altitude driving even after gear change, air suction into the engine and transmission, accelerator and ses light illuminated. the vehicle was taken to the dealer but they refused to provide any assistance. *nm updated 07/06/06. *jb
06/09/2006111/03/2005
 On or about november 3, 2005, i purchased a break model used ford explorer xlt 2002 from norm reeves honda car dealer in cerritos, ca. the car had 78,000 miles on it at the time of purchase. i signed the papers and took the possession of the car. it has not been more than 2 months that the car started giving me trouble on the pick up of the speed, transmission, gear adjustment, over use of the gas, difficult high altitude driving even after change of gears, air suction into the engine and transmission, accelerator and signs like service engine soon on the front panel, although i have been getting regular lube and tune on the car after every 3000 miles. while driving the, occasionally, the car gives a thundering noise on the tires as if it is dragging itself and running on the road. this makes me fear that my car is not safe for me to drive! the norm reeves honda super store car dealer knew that the car is defective and they simply wanted to get rid of a used 2002 ford explorer xlt vehicle from the fleet as they primarily sell honda cars and similar vehicles. despite repeated requests, the norm reeves honda super store and their sister company ford of cerritos refused to provide service on the car since i stopped payments on the car loan. other ford car dealers have test driven this car and observed the same defects as i have mentioned. my purpose of writing this complaint with the nhtsa is to request the intervention of nhtsa immediately as the questioned vehicle is likely to endanger my life on the local roads and/or on highway/freeways. due to major defects in the car, i can meet with a serious accident and can be crippled or suffer such pecuniary losses that are irreplaceable and/or i can die also with out any fault of mine. please recall firestone tires v. ford motor company case law. criminal charges against norm reeves honda, ford of cerritos and their ceos to follow. please contact me and the dealers asap. respectfully submitted, amardeep singh gill. *nm
05/10/200660000110/20/2001
 Brought in my 2002 ford explorer for routine maintenance - 60k service. in the process of doing service, tech found a bad injector, replaced injector but found there was a bad cylinder. advised me of this . i gave go ahead to fix. when they went to pull head to send valves off for fix, discovered that the timing chain guides on both sides had holes worn in them all the way through the top and bottom of them. this should not have happened on a 5 year old vehicle w/ 60,000 miles on it. *nm
10/30/200536100211/01/2001
 Suv in service for 40 mths & 33k miles when ac evaporator went. no warranty coverage. then several months later with just over 36k miles a rear timing chain went. ford provided some after warranty assistance, but these failures cost consumer over $2k for a vehicle that was just out of warranty and has been babied its whole life. *nm
05/15/200327078508/12/2002
 Abs light came on at 19,518 miles, 22,071 miles, and 27,078 miles. more importantly, however, are my issues with the 2002 explorer rear end. 10/1/03: 27,078 miles abs light came on, the dealer replaced the assembly. rear differential was leaking, dealer replaced the seals. 7/28/04: 40,541 miles rear end leaking again. half shafts were worn. rear locking diff was slipping. the dealer had to replace both halfshafts, seals, and clutch packs. 9/22/04: 43,203 miles rear axle chattering. replaced whole rear axle assembly. 2/25/05: 54,960 miles rear diff making more noise. left rear axle bearing was noisy. replaced left rear axle hub and assembly. on test drive, the dealer found that the bearing they just installed was bad, so they had to replace it again. 8/11/05: 68,000 miles leaking fluid from rear end. the dealer performed the following maintenance: replaced diff seals, replaced timing chain, replaced right front hub assembly, replaced ring and pinion, replaced front end tie rods, replaced both lower ball joints, performed front end alignment. all told, i have had my explorer in the shop at least 10 times. my warranty is about to expire (7,000 more miles) and i'm going to try to get ford to buy the vehicle back. from what i've heard, this is not an easy process and apparently doesn't happen often with such 'high mileage' vehicles. if they don't buy it back i will be forced to take a huge loss on the vehicle. i will then purchase anything but a ford. *jb
12/20/200470000304/24/2004
 April 04 purchased 2002 ford explorer; just over 60,000 miles. no longer under warranty;sold as is. day after purchase, noticed knocking sound. returned to dealer. stated sound coming from the rear ac. repaired, did not hear after repair. approximately one week after purchase, noticed delay in gears engaging when going from park to drive , park to reverse also gear shift seemed to be loose. returned to dealer; told it was normal for this model. advised to keep in overdrive. late july 2004, noticed delay seem to be getting longer and jerking suddenly when finally engaged. while driving ,od light flashed on and off erratically. problem with od light intermittent. spouse took the car to the dealer; told that it wasn't under warranty, but we could make a service appointment. spouse took the vehicle to a shop had done business in the past. thought that it could need transmission fluid. checked fluid levels not deficient. problems continued; had them look at it a couple of months later. could not determine problem, advised to take to a transmission specialist if continued. problem persisted. seemed to get worse as the weather turned colder. late december 04, delays in engaging gears worsened; now making a loud clunking noise and lunges when engages, od light flashed erratically on a frequent basis and engine service light on and gear shift seemed to be coming out. january 2005, spouse took the vehicle to a transmission shop for diagnostic. transmission shot. rebuilt at a cost of $2900. found out that the vehicle had been repaired twice before, while under warranty for the same problems described. its obvious from the number of complaints that this is a known design defect. when a company sells defective products they should be held liable, especially when they do so knowingly. i stopped making payments on this junk and will notify the lender so that they and ford can fight it out. any owner who wishes may contact me at 703-998-5510. *jb
06/23/2005500002
 Driving and heard engine noise engine stalled wouldn't start in the middle of rush hour traffic...i was going downhill and able to roll to the side out of traffic and to safety. engine froze while driving with no warning, no signs...in the middle of traffic endangering myself and my daughter. my car sat 2 weeks at the ford dealer as they received 5 cars with engines frozen and couldn't get to my car until 7/8/05 cause they had to replace engines. when engine was torn down i was advised a valve spring broke and dropped into the cylinder tearing up the engine and now i need a new engine. ford motor will not back up their product.
05/20/200514
 2002 ford explorer experiencing problems with the 4wd, the over drive light illuminates on the dashboard and the vehicle is giving off a rotten egg smell. *mr there were front end problems. the 4wd module wasn't working. the driveshaft and both front wheel bearings were replaced. the rotors were out of round. the service engine light illuminated along with the over drive light. the transmission experienced the same problem on two occasions and possibly a third time. a large puddle of transmission was found under the vehicle. the torque converter was noisy. the acceleration pedal would pull back. when the vehicle was accelerated, it would whine. the left rear wheel bearing was gone and caused damage to the axle, brakes and the tire was barely holding on. the error code for the service engine soon light was due to the solenoid which had been changed before. the a/c was inoperative. *sc *jb
02/23/200534700102/10/2003
 Vehicle was parked in the garage when it caught on fire unexpectedly. the sounds of fire trucks at about 3:15 am before consumer knew their garage was the one on fire. the ford explorer was completely destroyed as well as the other 1992 gmc. the fire came from under the hood of the ford explorer. *bf
11/03/200459120110/06/2002
 Truck well maintained at 59,000 miles truck broke an engine rod need new engine, cost $4800.00, replacing engine. i think ford should pay for this.*ak
10/06/2004310005
 While driving 65 mph the vehicle completely lost power without warning. as a result the vehicle failed to accelerate. the dealer stated they were unable to duplicate the problem. please provide additional information. *jb this has accured 5 times. ford can not find the problem. *eh
01/15/20031500007/19/2001
 I have a 2002 ford explorer and have had numerous problems that the dealer has not been able to fix. at any speed the engine is constantly making a ticking noise. sometimes when making a complete stop the truck will stall and then jerk forward when i am trying to push on the gas to go. this happens so much and i have sent it in numerous times for this and no solution. this also happened twice on the freeway when i had to press on the brakes to stop quickly the truck locked up for about 5-10 seconds and then jerked forward. i still have to deal with this situation since i am in a lease and the dealership says they can't find anything wrong. i tell them it is dangerous for me to be driving this vehicle. twice at a stop sign i took my foot off the brake to go but the truck starting moving backwards. i pressed the brake again then released and it still moved backwards. i then put it in park and then back in drive and then it move forwarded. i took the truck in again the next day and told him the situation and still nothing was done.
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING - COOLING SYSTEM
08/17/2010179000
 Purchased 2002 explorer xlt v6 4.0l already transmission slipping selinoid or whatever out.. i have read reports and wonder why this transmission is not recalled? i have it in shop now having to have it rebuilt and everything changed. also right wheel bearings bad, upper and lower ball joints bad, suspenison shot. and the records show the previous owners maintained everything well. but also had transmission replaced and had problems at 99,000miles. please doing something for all of us out here. also coolant leak, engine leak, power seat failure, and on.
11/05/2006409/19/2002
 Ongoing shifting and slipping within the transmission. also a loud shrill at the end of the acceleration. the transmission converter has been replaced multiple times and the transmission leaked out fluid at highway speed. after the repair of a stripped transmission line connector and a pile of glue to fix a broken electrical connector the vehicle was returned to service by the dealership and the warranty company. the converters are remanufactured which have been known to fail. the glob of glue on the electrical connector will be reviewed by the state as to the proper repair procedure. a law suit may follow due to separate repairs including a tire with a nail, where a new tire was purchased and a used on was installed (bf goodrich). the tire was also not balanced and was off by 1.5 oz. there was also a gasket removed from the cooling system that caused antifreeze to spill out onto the engine. the cooling system had been serviced two months prior and was never leaking until the day the vehicle was returned. there was also the discovery of the positive electrical harness to the starter having exposed wires due to the oil filter drain housing made of plastic rubbing against the wires. there are three wires exposed and there may be the potential for fire. *nm
04/12/2004360003
 The automatic gear shift broke. could not change gears. electric windows stopped working both driver and passenger. air conditioner broke - air conditioner clutch make rubbing noise when engaged.
10/24/200335000107/06/2002
 Vehicle was taken to dealer on four previous occasions to address an overheating problem that occurred suddenly while driving. temperature gauge would spike and then return to almost normal levels. on the fifth trip to the dealer 10/24/03, was then told the problem is a cracked cylinder head., this was later diagnosed as a piston problem. vehicle is still with dealer with compression problems. *ak
04/15/20031
 While driving for extened point of time vehicle would overheat without warning, causing consumer to pull off the road. consumer had contacted the dealer on four separate occasions, and the problem still occurs. *ak
03/21/200302/09/2002
 I have had my vehicle into the ford dealer for the same problem at least 4 times with no success it is still under manufacturer warranty and is a 2002 ford explorer. *nlm
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING - COOLING SYSTEM - FAN
01/20/2003005/23/2002
 I bought a 2002 explorer on may 23,2002. in the past 8 months, the vehicle has been towed in because it woudn't start--acomputer chip was replaced. my a/c made a high pitch squeal and after at least five times of trying to repair the existing a/c clutch, a new one was finally put on. my front end suspension has been fixed. my midlift gate cracked in november and a new one was put on. i have had daily problems with the driver's side seat not fully going into position when i start my truck and this problem has not been fixed as the service dept. that i deal with nevers seems to be able to see the problem. funny how it does it every day for me, though. my blinkers will sometimes stick and stay on without blinking--this also has not been fixed. at the beginning of january,2003, on the way home from a trip, my husband and i noticed that every time we slowed the truck down, there was a blast of air from the upper vents in the vehicle. this happened no matter what setting we had it in (ie. defrost or floor vents). this past thursday, jan.16, the suspension was repaired and supposedly the heating system was as well. now the air doesn't seem to leak out the top vents, but continuosly comes out of the floor vent, no matter what setting the heat is on. i have a rental vehicle once again, while they keep the vehicle overnight tonight to see if they can hopefully fix this problem. needless to say, we are currently checking into the lemon law for our state!!!
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING - ENGINE
07/05/201168000
 Tl-the contact owns a 2002 ford explorer. the contact stated after parking her vehicle there was lots of smoke coming from under the hood. the fire department came and put the fire out but did not know the origin of the fire. no one was injured and a report was available if needed. the vehicle was towed to her mechanic shop who inspected the vehicle and informed her the master cylinder started the fire and the vehicle was totally destroyed. the manufacturer was contacted where she file a claim and waiting on more information from the manufacturer. the failure mileage was 62,000....mw
05/13/2011110000
 2002 ford explorer spark plug ejection issue on v8 4.6l engine. this is now the second time that i have had spark plugs eject for the engine. from what i understand ford reduced the number of threads for the spark plugs to save machining time and costs in the manufacturing of the engine. this is clearly a safety issue. the first time i was lucky enough to get the spark plug threaded back in and was able to drive it somewhere for proper repair. i am not so lucky the second time as the threads in the head are destroyed. now i have the extra cost of towing the truck for repair. i have read many forums on this issue yet ford continues to ignore the safety of it's customers. it is time for them to step up to the plate and take responsibilty for their design defects.
07/22/200540000
 Tl- the contact owns a 2002 ford explorer. whenever the contact starts the vehicle he noticed that the engine would began to make a clunking noise. the vehicle was taken to the dealership where the contact was informed that the failure could not be determine. the current mileage was 135000 and the failure mileage was 40000. bml
03/24/201095000
 My 2002 ford explorer has blown the timing chains in the engine. plastic parts that wear out easy and caused the chains to fail. now i am looking for a replacement engine. the engine is v6 and it only had 95,000 miles on it. this truck has been well cared for and this should never have happened. ford is using faulty parts and causing this damage to their product and now the consumer will have to pay big bucks for repairs due to their cheap and shoty parts used by ford. the truck started making noise and thought that it was the converter and a very short time after that first noise the engine froze and stopped running. their really was not alot of time from noise to failure of engine. the oil was changed every 3,000 miles, so it was not from failing to change the oil, it was changed regularly. i love this truck, it drives great, comfortable and for me not bad on gas at all. i will replace the engine somehow. the cost of any new truck is out of my range, so i have no choice but to try and fix it. does anyone have anything to offer me on this subject? thanks
05/02/2010132000
 2002 ford explorer limited 4.6l v8. spark plug ejected from head upon start-up. third time this has happened.
04/25/201074000
 I have a 2002 ford explorer that ejected a spark plug. the spark plug was original (it came with the vehicle and had never been changed). my wife was driving to church when the spark plug was completely ejected and broke the coil mount. this allows fuel vaper to escape from the cylinder head and could result in an engine fire. luckily, my wife didn't experience an engine fire since she was pulling into her destination when it happened and shut off the motor. the spark plug ejection stripped the threads from the cylinder head.
01/10/200692500
 Engine knock in all 4.6 ford explorer engines-know by ford, due to faulty cylinder heads
02/26/20101400001
 Spark plug blown out of cylinder head under normal driving conditions. threads and spark plug both blown out of top of cylinder head. *tr
02/28/20101450001
 Spark plug blew out on ford explorer xlt 2002 model year with 4.6l engine. has 145,000 and original plugs (platinum). car started to make a ticking sound and then the plug popped off. *tr
02/02/20101
 Number 8 cylinder spark plug blew out of engine today on 2002 ford explorer 4.6l. *tr
01/07/20101164001
 I was driving down the road and then out of no where the engine started to sound extremely loud and spitting smoke i pulled over and after inspection of the motor i found a spark plug laying ontop of the engine block and the coil laying next to it. the spark plug blew out of the threading. this has happened twice to me in the last 1.5 years the first time it was under my warranty from used car dealer and they replaced the complete motor with a new one. and the current incident happened today and per my mechanic he is going to put in a helicoil to try and resolve the issue. *tr
08/12/2009600001
 In may 2005, the car would not go into reverse. the o/d light had been going on and off for a number of days. transmission has to be replaced at a cost of $4500. car had approximately 60000 miles. in january of 2008, the engine had to be replaced due to because the timing belt went at a cost of $3000. car had 75000 miles. in august 2009, both rear spring were discovered to be broken when the car was taken in for a whining in the rear, which was the rear axle bearing. the car had 94000 miles, cost of repair was $1200. *tr
04/07/20071360001
 April 2007 1. just bringing the car up to freeway speed. 2. a popping noise emitted from the engine, passenger side. unable to determine the problem as it was dark, the vehicle was towed to the repair shop. 3. it was determined that the 3rd plug had blown out of the engine and also destroyed the coil attached to it. a new threaded insert was installed in the spark plug hole. a new spark plug and new coil were installed. *tr
07/30/2009110000
 Tl*the contact owns a 2002 ford explorer. while driving 10 mph, the contact noticed smoke entering into the vehicle from the front windshield. when the contact stopped the vehicle, the smoke became darker. the fire appeared from underneath the hood of the vehicle. the fire department extinguished the fire, but they could not determine the cause. the vehicle was destroyed, but there were no injuries. a police report was filed. the failure mileage was 110,000.
03/10/2009680001
 Spark plug blew out of 2002 ford explorer limited. i've had two ford vehicles blow a spark plug this year. *tr
06/05/20091020001
 My 2002 ford explorer - 4.6 v8 has the popular blown spark plug issue which has caused me a lot of problems on pretty much the worst weekend of my life that this could have happened in. this is apparently a very popular complaint about fords w/ this engine and i can't believe that there has been no recall for this issue. it is an obvious design flaw w/ the aluminum and metal heating issues causing the spark plugs to break off or just shoot out of the engine. i believe that there was a small fire under my hood for a short time as well. this is a very dangerous problem that should be addressed by ford. in my case, i did hear the infamous clicking noise that happens just before the plug blows and then right after, it blew, sounding like somebody was starting a harley under my truck. i was under my hood looking and hearing for the noise that i thought was a belt issue when this blew. this thing sounded like it was going to blow my head off while i was under the hood and luckily i was not hurt, or ford would have a law suit on their hands. we were able to remove the broken plug and get a new one to thread maybe one thread deep to get me home safely. there is only one thread grabbing and i will more than likely have to have the $1500 - $2000 job done or trade this pile in before it happens to the other plugs, which i hear is inevitable, due to ford never addressing or remedying this issue. this being my second explorer w/ severe issues that ford should have taken care of, this will be my last. thanks. *tr
03/30/2009160000
 Tl*the contact owns a 2002 ford explorer. the contact stated that the spark plugs were blowing out of the engine while driving various speeds. as a result, the engine shuts off and the vehicle loses complete power. on two occasions, the dealer repaired the vehicle at the cost of $2,000. the dealer has not explained what caused the failure. the failure mileage was 160,000.
07/14/2008675671
 My wife's 2002 ford explorer had a whine in the rear end since it was new and it continued to get worse with time. at about 55k miles it was so bad that we had to have the entire differential rebuilt at a cost of over $1,000. at 65k miles the engine had begun to make noise and it became much louder rapidly. the entire cam drive (timing chain, sprockets, tensioners) had been ground up. the tensioner pads had 3/8 deep grooves worn into them and there were metal shavings everywhere. the bill this time was almost $1,300. it is interesting that all the parts that were replaced were a different design than the originals. if there was nothing wrong with the original design, why spend the money to change them? of course ford would not admit that they had a problem with the timing chain for the cams. after the timing chain was fixed there was still a noise so we took it back to the shop that did the work. with a stethoscope the noise was isolated to the bellhousing/torque converter area. we took it to a transmission shop we trust and he thought it was a cracked flex plate because that happens frequently on these vehicles and it causes that kind of noise. the flex plate was fine as was the front pump on the transmission and the starter drive. the only thing left in that area was the torque converter so we replaced that. the noise was still there. he said that the noise had to be coming from the transmission and that would be a $2,000 repair. i've had it with ford and their quality is job one or whatever their current advertising lie is. this car is a lemon and they won't admit to a single thing being wrong with it. every driveline component has had to be fixed and it only has 67k miles on it. ford should be ashamed of the way they hang their customers out to dry. even though i had to identify a particular date below, this car has had major problems since it was new in 2002. *tr
02/13/2008971321
 I have 2002 ford xlt explorer. 102k miles now. i had issue with throttle cable sticking back in feb 2008. would not decelerate properly driving home in the evening, throttle stuck open. came close to rear ending another vehicle. traced the problem to what was that the inner liner of the throttle cable had backed out in the driver compartment apprx 2 inches and not allowing the cable to retract correctly. i removed that section of the liner. after research found that nhtsa action number : pe05037 matched my problem exactly. please note here that my issue occurred after a longer period of time than what as noted in pe05037, you may have to open new investigation using longer period. i contacted ford motor customer service about this and they offered no remedy for this issue. *tr
10/20/2007101700108/20/2002
 This is to add information to a previous complaint. odi number 10207581. there was a sudden failure of the engine that resulted in sudden lockup of the engine, resulting in complete loss of power and control. this happened on a residential street at low speed. however a very busy intersection with high speed traffic had just been navigated. if the failure had happened at that intersection, the failure would have probably resulted in severe injuries or loss of life. the engine failure was sudden and without warning. by sudden, my wife described the noise as rattle, crunch, bang with everything locking up in less than 5 seconds. the engine was running perfectly up to the time of failure. the car began smoking from the exhaust immediately after the failure and my wife feared the vehicle was catching on fire. when the vehicle was towed, a large quantity (1 to 2 quarts)of engine coolant drained from the muffler. this indicates to me that a sudden failure of an internal engine seal, gasket, manifold, etc. if a part fails this suddenly, the part was either defective, improperly designed, or improperly assembled. *tr
10/20/2007101700108/20/2002
 Sudden failure of the engine that resulted in sudden lockup of the engine, complete loss of power, and control. this happened on a residential street at low speed. however a very busy intersection with high speed traffic had just been navigated. if the failure had happened at that intersection, the failure would probably have resulted in severe injuries or loss of life. the engine failure was sudden without warning and the engine was running perfectly up until the time of failure. the car started smoking from the exhaust system immediately after failure. *tr
03/26/200763242104/28/2006
 Events leading up to the failure: backing out of a parking space failure and consequences: ford acknowledges issues internally with the timing cartridges on the 2002 e code 4.0l v6 sohc engine through several tsb's, however does not notify the public that this issue exists. i found out about the issue after apparently blowing the entire engine on my 2006 ford explorer. now, instead of having a repair done at the dealership that could cost a little, i have to spend a lot of money to have it fixed. i am greatly thankful that this happened as i was backing out of a parking space and not at highway speeds. apparently, ford used several plastic guide way parts to tension the chain, and these parts fail easily because they are oil starved at engine startup. because they are plastic, they can fatigue and break at any time, causing severe valve and piston damage, and leaving the operator of the car with no control of the automobile because of loss of vacuum for breaks, and automatic steering. correction of failure: ford refuses to pay anything to help repair or replace parts even with known issues. *jb
05/31/200543000503/14/2005
 At a complete stop vehicle surges (accelerates). have to place in neutral at standing stops to prevent an accident. driver's side power window switch failed, had replaced, also the window whines when rolling up. passenger's side power window regulator(cable) snapped?? when rear windows are down at a speed of 20 mph+ it sounds like a helicopter is in the back seat(actually physically hurts your ears!!!) <<<auto and auto>high. can not pin point problem. that about wraps up my lovely experience with this vehicle. i am a married father of two and the only one working on a limited income. i bought this truck with very low miles thinking it would be dependable not unaffordable. *nm
08/01/200678000112/19/2002
 Spark plug blew out of cylinder head while driving under normal conditions, could have caused fire had to replace the cylinder head instead of a tap kit to avoid metal shavings ruining the engine. *nm
07/21/2006400001
 Persistent quality problems: engine, transmission, power steering, air compressor, and related safety hazards such as defective rear hinge. *nm
02/20/2006770001
 2002 ford explorer with a v6 engine, purchased new, maintained, has 77,000 miles. while driving vehicle it became erratic, as if water in tank, drove about 1/2 mile when it died. now the engine needs to be replaced: according to warranty inspector the cassette failed due to the hydraulic tensioner and it is clogged with sludge, sludge is getting thicker and it has clogged a pin hole in the tensioner and caused a loss of pressure. geico will not cover the engine replacement because they claim it was caused by lack of maintenance; however, i provided them with records of the mileage and date of oil changes at intervals between 3k and 5k miles, problem i have receipts for only 75% of those changes. the highest gap between a receipt backed change and non receipt change is 7000 miles. this problem seems awfully similar to the 1996 - 2002 toyota camry engines. i think ford has a lot of explaining to do. previously, this suv had to have a transmission replaced at 50k miles and a rear differential at 65k miles, thank goodness they were covered by the warranty. *nm
11/12/200566000107/01/2002
 Driving on i-65 nashville, tn. vehicle experienced a loud and abrupt sound in the engine with significant loss of power. narrowly missed having an accident due to the loss of power. we managed to drive the vehicle home where upon inspection, a spark plug had obviously blown out of the left side of the engine (left side of the engine from the perspective of sitting in the driver seat). *nm
09/13/200552500209/26/2002
 I have a 2002 ford explorer with 52,000 miles. i have an extended warranty through ford esp. in august, a spark plug blew out of the left head. the vehicle was towed back to the dealer for repair. the dealer authorized warranty work that would replace the head on the left side. i had the vehicle back for 2 weeks and the same thing happened on the right head. i took the vehicle in and the dealer said that they would not cover the fault. their reason is that there were autolite spark plugs in the vehicle instead of motorcraft spark plugs. i was told that they did the previous repair without realizing that. furthermore, they only replaced the one plug originally that blew out, re-using the other 3 plugs (autolites) that were in the vehicle. i have talked with ford in michigan and they are looking into it. first, the fact that they are not honoring the extended warranty because of spark plug brand is something i cannot find written anywhere. second, if those plugs are so bad, then are they negligent in putting those plugs back in. third, the fact that this happened and could have pierced a fuel line is very hazardous. my wife was driving the vehicle for half day trip in a desolate area. should something like this have happened while she was out there, it would have been horrible. does ford have the right to deny coverage with extended warranty for this reason? is it negligent on ford's part to simply tell me after the fact that the plugs that are in there are non-standard and that they would not cover the work?*jb
04/26/200550900312/10/2002
 I have a 2002 ford explorer 4.6l v8. within the last month 3 spark plugs have been blown out of the cylinder heads. each time its a different cylinder. ford motor company has denied our claim to repair the stripped out threads in the cylinders, with a 75,000 mile extended warranty.
03/18/20054389403/01/2005
 1. rear end howling noise (3/18/2005) - hear noise when accelerating between 40 and 65 mph. when letting off of accelerator, noise goes away, comes back again when accelerator is pushed again. dealer service dept replaced rear carrier bearings, cup, seals, and spacer in rear differential. noise now occurs between 65 and 70 mph. was taken back to dealer service dept on 4/11/2005. was informed 4/20/2005 that rear differential was adjusted with new spacer, but noise is still there. service manager has another ford explorer on lot and test drove it. this explorer has same noise between 40 and 65 mph. one of the techs (who used to work at a ford dealership) told service manager that alot of 2002 ford explorer owners have been having this problem. ford has no solution or cure. 2. noise in timing chain area. ford has a tsb on this. i can hear this rattling noise coming from this area and told dealership to look into it. they could not duplicate the noise, although when test driving it with assist. service manager, i could still hear the noise, but he could not. i had my local mechanic check this out, and they can hear the noise that i'm talking about. this problem has yet to be fixed. 3. vibration coming from front end on interstate that starts at around 70+ mph. when climbing a steep hill on interstate and transmission downshifts, can feel a grinding noise in powertrain. dealer believes that the fluid in the transfer case might need to be changed,causing clutches inside to stick. will find out tomorrow (4/21/2005). *nm
02/11/200566000107/30/2004
 Just recently purchased 2002 ford explorer from a dealer. kept scheduled maint. has been off lot for six months. noticed a loud engine knock from front of the engine. took the car to the dealer!, they said i had blown a rod bearing. has to be something with the engine. engine doesn't even have 60,000 miles on it. no sign of an oil leak, sludge,etc. dealer said the engine was clean. *jb
11/11/200371156206/10/2003
 Transmission failure in a 2002 ford explorer, timing chain guide failure (4.0l previous ford recall) ford replaced trans. now that trans is failing. replaced timing chain and gear set. *nm
08/19/200425510202/20/2002
 While driving about 30-35 mph, the car completely lost all engine power. i was able to pull over to the side of the road. there, i restarted the engine and drove home. this same incident had occured to my wife the day before, so i dropped off my two sons and took the car to the dealer. the car also lost all engine power on the way to the dealer. after having the car at the dealer for 5 days during which they put 50 miles on my car, they could not duplicate the problem, and therefore did not fix anything.*ak
08/18/200425500102/20/2002
 My wife was driving the car at approximately 30 mph. she tried to accelerate, the rpm reading dropped to zero, and the engine lost all power. she pulled to the side of the road, was about to call me, and tried to turn the engine back on. it restarted and she drove home. my three young children were in the car with her.*ak
09/02/200426683402/20/2002
 Today, 9-2-04, while driving approximately 25-30 mph the engine abruptly stopped and lost power. the radio remained on. the engine started again, but one minute later, stalled again. it became difficult to turn over, started, and stalled yet again. this occurred one more time, and i drove it home to drop off my wife and children, and to take the car to the dealer, ford galpin in north hills, california. this is the 3rd seperate occassion this has happened, and its 2nd trip to the dealer. it is currently being inspected at the dealership.*ak
02/01/20020206/29/2001
 I own a 2002 ford explorer xls and it has been into the ford service-repair shop a total 0f 37 work hours -10 documented service days for an annoying ticking noise coming from the front dash-console-engine area that can not seem to be repaired. it doesn't matter whether or not that the engine is cold or warm, the weather condtions hot-dry or humid and wet, it still ticks intermitently for sometimes around 8 minutes or can go on for 20 at that moment. when it starts it sounds like a toggle switch going on and off and then makes a rubbing ,squeaking , ticking noise that starts off low and then gets so loud that you can hear it with the radio on set at a slightly high volume. it does not matter whether the air is on or off, the radio-cd is on or off or the heat is on or off. all conditions have been tested . the front dash has been removed numerous times and reinsulated, a new radio has been put in, the winshield replaced, vents and glove box removed and wiring checked. once the sound starts, bumpiness in the road seems to produce the sound louder and more often. also while turning the steering wheel on a winding road that is somewhat bumpy also produces the sound. it is not a pleasure to drive this vehicle and it has been serviced as i stated for this problem ever since 2002. it was purchased in july of 2001. the dealership and many diffferent techs. ca not find or repair the problem. i would get rid of it if it wasn't for the fact that i could not honestly sell a lemon in good faith. this vehicle body wise is is excellent condition and only has 27,000 miles on it. as i see it, i have only had a perfect vehicle for 1 year out of the 3 years i have owned it. i have been faithful to ford and that is only what i have owned the last 28 years and currently own 3 other ford vehicles. my father worked and retired from ford motor co. his whole life and none of us have ever experienced such disappointment in one of their products. *ak
04/27/2004101/01/2003
 Bought car in january 2003, was a dealer vehicle. we had 54,000 miles on it when i was driving it home from work and the check engine light came on the same time the explorer started almost bucking. the front end of the vehicle was shaking so bad that i immediately pulled over as best as i could. i called aaa and as they had me turn the vehicle around so it could be put on the truck the engine stopped all together, and the vehicle would not turn over. after bringing it to my mechanic i was told that the engine had seized up. i called my local ford dealer where i had purchased the vehicle and was told that it would not be covered because my warranty was for 36,000. i have had the oil changed always on time and also had the vehicle in for its full maitence check just months before. come to find out, the valve spring in the motor broke and caused the engine to seize. i had to order a new engine from ford and between the engine and labor it cost me close to $3,900. when i called the ford company, because i got nowheres with my local ford dealer i was told that they could not do anything for me. if a recall was to ever come about then i should save my receipts. i have pictures of the engine to prove what had happened if i ever need them. the way i look at it, i have more miles, because of my job, than others do on a 2002. it's just a matter of time until others have this happen. my local ford company says its a fluke. nice reason hah? to me a $3,900. fluke is nothing to laugh about!*ak
05/12/200439600304/17/2004
 The abs activated while on a dry pavement andthe vehicle lost braking power. the consumer took the vehicle back to the dealer, who kept insisting there was nothing wrong. however, the consumer felt differently about the dealers evaluation. *ak the consumers brother verified that something was wrong, but could not take it apart to check it out because of warranty issues and the engine experienced a miss. the master cylinder was found bad. *sc *jb
09/01/20031
 The vehicle stalled while idling at a light. *ph the vehicle was taken to the dealer who replaced the valve. unfortunately within three day the vehicle stalled again. the vehicle was returned to the dealer but they were unable to duplicate or repair the problem. the vehicle began to surge while surging idling. the dealer was unable to permanently resolve that problem. the consumer noticed a whine in the rear end of the vehicle. the dealer replaced the rear differential but when the vehicle was returned to the consumer the noise was still present. the vehicle was still under warranty when all these problems started. *nm
01/24/200432500704/05/2002
 Driving on the expressway, when we got off & we tried to stop my husband heard a revving noise the car did not want to come to a complete stop. he shut the car off and the problem continued. the car was accelerating on its own. we had to shut the car off & coast to a stop because the brakes were not working either. we were lucky not to rear-end someone & that no one in the car including my 2 small children were hurt. the same thing happened 4 days earlier. i was also thankful my husband was driving. the car had to be towed. i have taken this car in 5 other times for related problems. they can never seem to find a problem. this is a lease car & i have had it for 1yr 9mths. it was first serviced 1 month after i got it for a related problem. i do not feel safe driving my family or self anymore in this car, it is so unpredictable. *la
11/04/2003500003
 When stopping or slowing down, intermittently the vehicle stalled when turning left, there was a knocking sound coming from the front left wheel. the heat vents that blew directly on the consumer did not work. these problems have occurred at least three times in one month. the manufacturer and the dealer were not aware of the problem. *jb
10/12/200327400107/21/2003
 While changing the oil in the vehicle consumer noticed that several driver side motor mount bolts were loose. manufacturer was informed of the problem, and informed the consumer that maybe the problem occurred at the factory. *ak *nlm
07/24/20031
 Consumer states that while driving at any speed and without warning vehicle will stall, and it will be hard for the consumer to control the vehicle. dealer notified. *ak
01/20/2003202/02/2002
 On one occasion the vehicle experienced sudden acceleration, and the second occasion, while driving at highway speed the vehicle all of a sudden shut down. *mr *ts *jb
06/10/200201/28/2002
 My 2002 ford explorer sometimes stalls when starting my vehicle. it has also hesitated and acts like it is stalling when driving. this has happened on more than one occasion, i have almost been hit from the side with 4 small children in my car when it has decided to hesitate. *nlm
03/27/20031
 The engine stalled without warning. *jb
03/07/200310350204/28/2002
 The engine stalled twice in 3 days, last friday i was driving at 70 mph, suddenly the engine stalled and i had to move over 3 lanes to stop at the shoulder, called the police, policeman checked the battery, no problem, the car just wouldn't start, he called the tow truck. i got curious, tried starting the car, it started back up. i then drove to the dealership, the technician said no error code and therefore no problem with the car. today (sunday), my car stalled again, this time i was driving 20 mph, the car started back up. what is causing this? i have small children riding with me! please give me some information about this! *nlm
10/03/2002
 Consumer states that while driving and no warning the vehicle jerks and will lose power and it will be hard for the consumer to control the vehicle. dealer notified. mr
03/29/20026303/29/2002
 The consumer noticed that oil was leaking from the vehicle. the dealer replaced the oil pan gasket but the leaking persisted. the dealer then replaced the oil pan but oil continued to leak. the dealer eventually had to glue the screws to the oil pan to sop the leaking. the consumer was not satisfied with this repair. *ak *ph *nlm
02/07/2002
 Vehicle will stall without prior warning. this incident can happen on quarter or less of gas in gasoline tank. dealership is aware of problem.*ak
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING - ENGINE - GASOLINE
11/06/2007123252303/18/2005
 Driving on highway at 63 mph and valve spring broke. valve dropped into piston causing engine failure. check engine code called for random engine misfire and code was triggered at around 2600 rpm. prior to engine failure i have been experiencing a shudder when transmission shifts into overdrive. there is also a problem with the clutch pack in the limited slip differential that is causing a shudder when turning right or left from a dead stop. (dealership called it the parking lot shudder) i have a 02 ford explorer xlt with 4.6 and 4x4 that has bad engine, transmission, and rear differential. (engine replaced). *tr
01/20/200764600105/05/2002
 In january, 2006, my car stopped dead on the highway. after it was towed to the dealership, we were told that a valve had broken and had been sucked into the engine, causing engine failure. our only alternative was to have the engine replaced - which we did for over $5000.00. the following january, (2007), after the first measurable snow fall of the year (since our engine had been replaced), the car went into a huge fishtail skid on a snowy road and after the first skid, was caught by the cable guard rail on the side of the road - causing another $5000.00+ repair. when brought to the dealership after the accident, we were told that the 4 wheel drive electronic monitor had failed and we had no 4 wheel drive. my concern - besides the cost and inconvenience and scare of the accident is that there were no warning lights to let me know that the car's 4 wheel drive had failed. i had gotten into the car assuming that the 4 wheel drive was working (as the car goes into 4 wheel drive automatically and there are no indicator lights normally to let you know that the 4 wheel drive is working). with no indicator lights that the 4 wheel drive is working and no indicator lights that it is not working, ford put me in a very unsafe situation. had the cable guard rail not been there to catch the car, we would have gone over the embankment and been more seriously injured. *nm
07/04/200561000110/10/2003
 I have a 2002 ford explorer with 60k miles on it. it recently blew a spark plug out of the cylinder head while on the highway resulting in loss of power and alarming noise. the failure occurred on the chesapeake bay bridge and could have resulted in an accident. this is a common problem that does affect safety of the vehicle with ford v-8 and v-10 engines that has not been properly addressed by ford. estimates to repair this defect in the cylinder head threads range from 2500 to 3500.
11/30/2004370911
 Vehicle was running like it was out of gas. consumer took the vehicle to dealer for repairs where it was discovered that timing chain was defective.*ak
05/23/2003
 1. engine stalls erratically when under acceleration ie: when entering freeway, etc. ford acknowledges the problem, states does not know how to fix it. 2. brake failure in stop and go traffic. vehicles currently has less than 10,000 miles on them. both have same problems. *nlm
11/26/2002
 Consumer states while driving at any speed and no warning the vehicle will shut off. causing consumer to pull off the road. dealer has been notified. please provide further information. ts
04/22/2002608/01/2001
 This vehicle has not been involved in an accident yet but i have told the ford co. that it is dangerous and they ignore me. when you come to a stop at a stop sign and start to pull out the vehicle will roll into moving traffic and hesitate 4-5 seconds before the gas finally catches and the vehicle goes on. mean while you have traffic bearing down on you. we have come close to getting hit several times because of this problem. i think this needs to be investigated as a potential problem for other consumers besides myself.
10/15/2001
 Vehicle would intermittently stall while driving at multiple speed. dealer was notified, and unable to locate cause of problem. feel free to provide any further information.*ak
09/17/2001809/17/2002
 While driving consumer lost all steering power at 70 mph and the dash lights began blinking. dealer can not duplicate problem. *tt
107/06/2001
 Consumer states after parked overnight or for an 1 hour, vehicle will not start. when engine did startup, there is a loud boom noise. there is also rough idle with initial startup and at stop lights, also the vehicle stalls. *tt
07/15/200209/01/2001
 Frequency and intensity of stalling increasing.*ak
07/22/20021
 Consumer states while driving the steering wheel locked and vehicle stalled. consumer is not able to unlock steering wheel and vehicle will not start.*jb
10/01/20015
 Vehicle experiences periods of stalling at low speeds. applying brakes there is a loss of brakes and steering. no prior warning before stalling. existing problem 5 times, taken into the delaer. *ak dealer replaced fuel pump, main control valve body, transmission oil pan, idle air control valve and programmed pcm. vibration like anti-lock brake system is kicking in. dealer could not duplicate. overdrive comes in and out at odd speeds. no problem found.
05/28/2002
 Vehicle would stalls out at multiple speed. vehicle been to the dealer on three occasions, and was unable to duplicate the problem. feel free to provide any further information. *ak
105/24/2002
 While driving 30 mph and without warning a head on collision occurred which resulted in a fire.*ak *yh
04/01/20021
 Consumer states while traveling at 35 mph, coming up to a stop the vehicle suddenly died without warning. nlm
 No description given. nlm
04/13/2002310/08/2001
 Consumer states that while coming to a stop vehicle suddenly died. there were no warning signs. nlm consumer adds that the vehicle stalled twice before while driving, but was able to restart it. dealer cannot locate problem. *tt
01/01/2002106/27/2001
 While driving, vehicle will automatically shut off. vehicle will only shut off when it is idling. when going up hills vehicle will stall.*ak. consumer states the transmission gives a ticking noise when the engine is running.8jb
11/25/20011011/01/2001
 Engine stalls in low range gear when brakes are applied. *ak
03/01/2002402/01/2002
 This same incident occurred four times. the speed in each incident varied from 15 mph on the first occurrence to 65 mph on the fourth. basically, while driving the car, the engine died, the lights flashed on the dash, i lost all power steering. on each occaision. i pulled the car to the side of the road, put the truck in park, and re-started the engine. on each time, the engine re-started without hesitation. i reported the problem to the dealer. the dealer could find nothing wrong with the truck; thus, they made no repairs. they claimed to have never heard of this problem before. *ak
02/25/2002302/22/2002
 While driving 30-40 mph, engine stalled, lights on dash flashed on and lost all power, dealer contacted. *ak. the vehicle was taken to the dealer and consumer was informed that there was a loose fuse with 3 codes showing on the computer, however on march 1, 2002 the vehicle stalled again without warning and a fuse was showing a bad pressure sensor which was replaced, consumer stated the vehicle stalled again for the third time.*jb
12/27/2001
 While driving approximately 32 mph engine stalled unexpectedly, causing a loss of power steering and power brakes. dealership examined vehicle, changed a module, and performed a computer upgrade to remedy the problem. please provide any additional information / documentation. *ak
04/26/20012504/01/2001
 When stopped at a light, there is a strong sulfur odor in the car causing occupants to have trouble breathing. owner has developed breathing problem since purchasing the vehicle. vehicle will hesitate without notice when pulling out into traffic. *ak
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING - ENGINE - GASOLINE - BELTS AND ASSOCIATED PULLEYS
06/01/2004568001
 While driving at 30 mph the consumer began to hear a pinging sound in the engine. after the vehicle picked up speed the pinging sound went away. the dealer examined the vehicle and found that the timing chain had too much play in it. the dealer informed the consumer that there is an improved part but, it cost nine hundred dollars. *la
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING - EXHAUST SYSTEM
01/02/2011107000
 Tl - the contact owns a 2002 ford explorer xlt. the contact stated that while driving approximately 65 mph the vehicle stalled. the vehicle was towed to a local shop who diagnosed that the catalytic converters failed. the manufacturer was contacted who stated that they were not able to help because the vehicle was out of warranty. the vehicle was repaired. the failure and current mileage were 107,000. pm
11/16/2008940001
 Was hearing a banging noise in the hood, my husband found out that the spark plug blew out and stripped the head. *tr
11/06/20081250001
 Intake manifold is made of burned two holes in itself due to plastic construction not able two withstand heat witch caused a cascading affect and catalytic converters also had to be replaced. this is the first time it happened. i had to replace the converters and the manifold to correct problem. *tr
03/15/2008840001
 Engine ticking at idle. *tr
09/30/2006108/10/2002
 Dt*: the contact stated while driving 55 mph, a burning odor was smelled coming from the a/c vents in the rear of the vehicle. when the vehicle was stopped, the rear vent was hot to the touch and a burning odor was evident. the service dealer and manufacturer had not been notified.*ak updated 10/30/2006 -*nm
12/20/2001412/01/2001
 The truck has a very strong rotten egg smell that come in the vehicle. myself and other passengers have experienced nausea and headaches from the smell. it has been serviced several times to no prevail. the dealship says that the smell should go away after the truck has been driven for 10,000 miles. they have no solution.*ak
05/07/2002104/15/2002
 There is a strong sulphur smell coming from exhaust. it is very noticeable inside vehicle. dealer has inspected vehicle, and said there was nothing they could do.*ak
10/15/200110/01/2001
 After vehicle has warmed up after about 20 minutes of normal operation there is an odor that smells as if oil is burning. the best way to describe this odor is it as if oil was spilled on a hot manifold. the odor can be smelled in the cabin of the vehicle through the heating/ac vents in the vehicle when operating. when the engine is turned off the odor is very predominent. vehicle has been taken to dealer twice they state they cannot find any problem. my concern is that there may be a vehicle fire from this unknown source of what appears to be burning oil somewhere in the vehicle. something was mentioned that on other ford trucks the catalytic converters were being replaced, but not on this model.*ak
 While driving short or long distances consumer has noticed a very strong chemical odor in passenger compartment. odor has caused occupants of vehicle to become ill. consumer has contacted dealer and manufacturer. cause of problem has yet to be determined. please provide any further details.*ak
04/26/20012504/01/2001
 When stopped at a light, there is a strong sulfur odor in the car causing occupants to have trouble breathing. owner has developed breathing problem since purchasing the vehicle. vehicle will hesitate without notice when pulling out into traffic. *ak
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING - EXHAUST SYSTEM - EMISSION CONTROL
04/02/2007482021
 Egr sensor failure obd2 code p0401. *jb
11/06/200654050109/19/2002
 Dt*: the contact stated while accelerating, the vehicle vibrated and a noise was heard. the vehicle was taken to the dealer four times where the transmission converter was replaced twice, however the problem recurred. also, while the contact was changing the oil it was noticed a wire from the battery was bare. the consumer stated the transmission is still not shifting properly and during acceleration, the vehicle still vibrates. upon inspection the 02 sensor was found damaged. the sensor was covered in glue and wrapped around to the transmission mount. updated 12/01/06. *jb
04/02/200439000205/24/2003
 Check engine light illuminated at approximately 39000 miles. diagnostic code p0174. no leaks present. codes cleared. check engine light recurred at 42000 miles. diagnosed as failure of both exhaust gas oxygen sensor 063028 and sensor assy 021675. ford motor refused reimbursement for defective parts.*ak
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING - EXHAUST SYSTEM - EMISSION CONTROL - CATALYTIC CONVERTOR
07/01/20072
 I own a 2002 ford explorer and have had a ongoing problem with check lights coming on. first it was a check engine light which read that vehicle needed new catalytic converter .then couple yrs later came on again this time for a sensor. now i have a airbag light on it seems like one sensor after another. after reading very simmiler complaints on your site and others i think this should be looked at further. no exact events lead to the problem. all problems have been fixed except airbag light which just happend this week. *ak
01/06/2004361003011/16/2001
 Vehicle stalls after driving 20 miles or above on freeway. when on exit ramp,engine light turns on and the engine shuts off. i have to put it in park and start engine again. the vehicle also accelerates when stopped at light, while foot is on brake. the engine stalls to change into faster speed. *ak
04/04/200328000005/15/2002
 Two problems. there is a strong rotten egg smell in my explorer. i had the vehicle checked while under warranty, but was told there was no problem. since the warranty expired the smell has become stronger. i had it checked, and the ford service department said it would cost $600 to repair. the other is a shimmy at 40 miles per hour. the service department just rotated and balanced my tires. i had this done a month earlier and it did not solve the problem. the vehicle still shimmies badly at 40 mph. *nlm
02/04/2002202/01/2002
 There is a sulfur smell emitting from the exhaust. this is apparent while driving with the windows open or closed with the heat/ac on. after waiting six weeks for the backordered converter to arrive, it was installed and the pcm was reprogrammed with the latest calibration update. it is my understanding that there are no additional repairs that would apply to my concern. i, along with my family, have been tolerating this odor concern since taking delivery of the vehicle. we are worried about possible toxic fumes that are being inhaled in the passenger compartment. i am very uncomfortable transporting my family in this vehicle.*ak
01/01/200201/01/2002
 The catalytic converter is not functioning properly and is producing a strong rotten egg smell. i am worried about the toxicity and general safety of the fumes being produced, not to mention the nauseating effect the fumes have. the local dealership says that the ford field service engineer does not have a fix and that this is a major problem with the ford explorer. the local dealer also states that they are beginning to receive complaints from crown victoria owners. i plan to return the vehicle to the manufacturer using mississippi's lemon law.*ak
02/04/20020
 Consumer is concerned about toxic gasses inside of vehicle. there is a odor coming inside of vent area.*ak
09/30/2001309/01/2001
 There is a sulphur smell coming into car while driving. fumes are overwhelming, causing dizziness/ naseua, etc. on this particular car, the dealer tried 3 times to repair. none of the fixes worked. car still has sulphur smell.*ak
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING - EXHAUST SYSTEM - EMISSION CONTROL - CRANKCASE (PCV)
01/11/20032050006/15/2001
 I am currently involve in a dispute with ford motor compny regarding repairs to my 2002 ford explorer. in brief, the truck was diagosed by ford with internal engine failure, ford claims that sent the truck to them with (5) five quarts of oil missing, i have doucumentation showing that ford did the last oil change within the timeline of maintanence as per ford maintantience manual. ford is claiming that i am responsible for thefull amount verbally estamated at $5000.00.
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING - EXHAUST SYSTEM - EMISSION CONTROL - GAS RECIRCULATION VALVE (EGR VALVE)
08/03/200730000109/01/2002
 My 2002 ford explorer had a failed tube mounted differential pressue feedback from egr (dpfe) sensor after 30k miles. ford created a technical service bulletin (tsb) regarding this know issue affecting several 2000-2003 ford models including the 2002 explorer (see ford tsb 04-11-1 may 25, 2004 ). however, when ford turned this issue of the faulty dpfe sensor into a recall, or field service action (fsa) as they call it, they did not include the 2002 ford explorer in the dpfe recall. all vehicles included in fsa 02m01 were given an extended 2yr/24k mile warranty on the dpfe sensor. the 2002 explorer was not included in this extended warranty despite the fact that the 2002 explorer was included in the original tsb on this issue and the fact that the 2002 explorer was know to use the same tube mounted differential pressure sensor as all the vehicles included in the recall. see fsa 02m01 *tr
12/13/200657020107/30/2002
 There is ford tsb 02m01 and ntsb 10007207 for replacement of the egr sensor on 2002 ford explorers. the explorer needed that sensor replaced, but the warranty claim was denied although my vehicle fell within age and mileage guidlines. i would like ford to compensate me for the cost of the repair.*ak
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING - EXHAUST SYSTEM - MANIFOLD/HEADER/MUFFLER/TAIL PIPE
02/16/201074225
 Tl*the contact owns a 2002 ford explorer. the vehicle was leaking coolant due to a failure within the intake manifold gasket which was cracked and corroded. the exhaust system was also faulty due to the gasket problem. the dealer informed the contact that there was a class action suit for the intake manifold. the vin was unavailable at the time of the complaint. the current and failure mileages were 74,225.
01/02/2008103000106/05/2004
 Tl*the contact owns a 2002 ford explorer. the contact stated that there was a coolant leak in the intake manifold. there is an extended coverage program that was initiated in class action lawsuit number 05n04. the contact is currently experiencing the same failure mentioned within the lawsuit. ford stated that the vin was not included in the recall and the repair would cost $800. the vehicle has not been repaired. the current and failure mileages were 103,000. updated 03/05/08. *lj
11/24/2002780002
 2002 ford explorer 4.6 v8, approx. 78000 miles. while driving my spark plug (unknown number - second in on drivers side), blew out. was able to replace it. no more then 30 minutes of driving same plug was spit out again. this time unable to replace it. *tr

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