Bulletins
| Bulletin | Bulletin date | Replacement Bulletin | Item no. | Summary | Added |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| SEATS | |||||
| 05416 | 03/07/2005 | 10014664 | Front seat(s) slight movement when accelerating and/or decelerating. *tt | 05/05/2005 | |
| 16090 | 08/01/2002 | 636106 | Some 4dr vehicles may exhibit seating appearance or related issues. *tt | 11/05/2002 | |
| 14881 | 05/01/2001 | 620207 | Some vehicles equipped with 7 passenger seating may exhibit the 2nd row 40 percent seat back staying in the down position. this may be due to a rivet interference at the floorpan latches. *tt | 07/20/2001 | |
| SEATS - FRONT ASSEMBLY - RECLINER | |||||
| 15329 | 10/01/2001 | 630241 | Some vehicles equipped with 3rd row seating may exhibit a condition with the seat release latch sticking/binding. *tt | 04/15/2002 | |
| SEATS - FRONT ASSEMBLY - SEAT HEATER/COOLER | |||||
| 15055 | 07/01/2001 | 621052 | Information on the location of the heated seat switch. *tt | 09/06/2001 | |
Consumer Complaints
| Fail date | miles | occurences | Purchase date |
|---|---|---|---|
| SEATS | |||
| 03/07/2011 | 118220 | ||
| Tl*the contact owns a 2002 ford explorer. the contact stated that the front driver seat was able to move forward but would not move backward when engaged. the contact stated that the failure would make driving very uncomfortable and he believed the failure to be an extreme safety hazard, as he felt he was sitting to close to the steering wheel. the vehicle was neither inspected nor repaired. the manufacturer was not notified. the current and failure mileage was approximately 118,220. | |||
| 03/07/2011 | 118220 | ||
| Tl-the contact owns a 2002 ford explorer. the contact stated that driver seat moved up but would not slide back. the contact was very uncomfortable as a result and felt that being so close and not being able to move back was a safety hazard. the vehicle had not been inspected or repaired. the manufacturer had not been notified. the current and failure mileages were approximately 118,220-bk | |||
| 08/15/2009 | |||
| On 8/15/09, mario estrada was operating his 2002 ford explorer in houston, tx when the explorer was struck from the rear by a pickup truck. during the collision, mr. estrada's seat back collapsed and, although he had been wearing his seat belt, he was ejected through broken-out rear window glazing. mr. estrada sustained multiple blunt force injuries from which he died. the seat back in the 2002 explorer is attached to a recliner mechanism on each side of the seat. the recliner mechanisms are attached to the seat cushion frame by spiral coil pins. when the explorer was struck from the rear, the vehicle moved forward in relation to mr. estrada's body, causing his body to load the driver's seat back. as this occurred, the force of the seat back being moved rearward by mr. estrada's body caused the recliner mechanisms on both sides of the seats to move forward; as they did so, they contacted the spiral coil pins, and fractured those pins on both sides of the seat. when the spiral coil pins failed, the seat back collapsed onto the rear seat cushion, and mr. estrada was ejected into the cargo area of the explorer and then out of the rear window glazing. mr. estrada suffered mutliple blunt force trauma injuries, which took his life. upon investigation, including comparison of a number of other, exemplar driiver's seats from 2002 explorers, it has become clear that the spiral coil pins are defectively installed in many explorer seats. this manufacturing defect is manifested by the spiral coil pins being inserted through mating holes on the seat cushion frame to inconsistent depths, which can cause the pins not to seat properly in those holes. in the case of mr. estrada, because the spiral coil pins were not inserted far enough into the mating holes when manufactured, the pins on his seat were fractured by the recliner mechanisms and failed to hold his seat back upright in the collision. this failure mechanism in the pins allowed for mr. estrada's ejection. | |||
| 04/25/2010 | 90000 | ||
| Drivers seat is detatched from floor, making it hard to drive safely. airbag light came on, locks don't work, dangerous. | |||
| 06/28/2010 | 90000 | ||
| Tl-the contact owns a 2002 ford explorer. the driver seat came a loose from the flooring and all the electrical gauges are not working and he cannot lock or unlock the vehicle. the vehicle has not been taken to the dealer for a diagnostic inspection. the manufacturer has not been called either. the vehicle has not been repaired. the failure and current mileage was 90,000...mw | |||
| 05/09/2006 | 44000 | 1 | 04/15/2002 |
| Dt*: the contact stated while driving 25 mph the drivers seat collapsed backward without warning. the vehicle was taken to the dealer who determined the seat support bracket needed to be replaced. *jb updated 06/19/06. *jb | |||
| 09/16/2004 | 1 | ||
| The driver seat was to close to the steering wheel, which made if difficult for the consumer to drive *jb | |||
| 11/13/2003 | 43800 | 1 | 05/22/2002 |
| The seat components that are underneath the driver's side have a severe amount of rust on them. *la | |||
| 27000 | 1 | ||
| Driver side seat bottom cracked and the back broke without vehicle being impacted or excessive force being applied. *ak | |||
| 54000 | 1 | ||
| Driver's side seat back and seat were not attached. driver had to connect the seat to the back upon entry. dealer said that bolt attached to the seat back frame fractured. this could cause an accident if driver lost steering control or took foot of pedal while driving. *ak | |||
| 11/10/2002 | 1 | 07/04/2002 | |
| Consumer's vehicle was rear ended, which caused the driver and passenger seats to collapse backward.ts *jb | |||
| 08/01/2001 | |||
| Second seat bolts that hold the seat to the frame are missing. dealer has been contacted. please provide further details. *ak | |||
| SEATS - FRONT ASSEMBLY - HEAD RESTRAINT | |||
| 04/25/2002 | 0 | 2 | |
| I purchased a 2002 ford explorer xlt with the sport bucket seats. these seats have no head rests and offer no protection to the back of my head. a week after i purchased vehicle ford offered a 2002 and 1/2 that has head rests in the bucket seats. ford would not switch seats to insure my safety against whiplash.i feel the sport bucket seats i have are not safe and should be replaced.*ak | |||
| 03/30/2002 | 1 | 03/01/2002 | |
| If a person taller than 5'7 enters into this sport utility vehicle, the head restraint comes to the base of the neck right at shoulder level. upon possible impact the drivers/passengers head will snap back and break. also because of the seat height even at its lowest position, the driver and passenger's head touches ceiling of interior of the car. we do not feel safe driving this vehicle. the seat needs to be changed thank you. *ak | |||
| Front seat has no head rest support. if consumer was hit with airbag neck would break. please provide any further information.*ak | |||
| SEATS - FRONT ASSEMBLY - POWER ADJUST | |||
| 01/20/2003 | 0 | 05/23/2002 | |
| 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!!! | |||
| SEATS - FRONT ASSEMBLY - RECLINER | |||
| 09/01/2012 | 1 | ||
| 2002 ford explorer. consumer writes in regards to a bolt under the front seat that can break causing the seat to move back and forth *tgw the consumer would like his vehicle repaired at no charge, even though it is 2002, and not included in recall# 03v281000, which he did reference.*jb | |||
| 03/17/2005 | 1 | ||
| Consumer received recall 03v281000 concerning high back seat. no parts were available. *ak | |||
| 05/26/2004 | 19400 | 2 | |
| The reclining bolt for the driver side seat has broke. the dealer has replaced the part, however the problem still exist. please provide additional information. *nm | |||
| 03/13/2004 | 72000 | 2 | |
| Vehicle was rear-ended while stopped at a traffic light. driver and front passenger seats broke sending front seat passengers back. rear seat passenger was hit by front seat passenger seat and broke her jaw in 3 places. front seat passengers suffered splits in their heads, driver had a fractured back, and passenger suffered dizziness and neck injuries.*ak | |||
| 46000 | 1 | ||
| The passenger side seat rocks back and forth while driving. consumer believes some bolts are loose. *ak | |||
| SEATS - FRONT ASSEMBLY - SEAT HEATER/COOLER | |||
| 07/06/2004 | 36000 | 2 | 06/06/2002 |
| My ford explorer transmission it was at 36000 miles, my car was tuned and serviced as shudule, and it cost a total of $1700.00 to fix. which the car is only 2 year old. the air condition stop working in december of 2003 and at the time my car was barely 1 year old thier has been many other concern with my explorer that i am making $500.00 payment on. i belived i have purchase a defected car. *ak | |||
| SEATS - MID/REAR ASSEMBLY | |||
| 01/02/2008 | 45000 | 1 | 01/01/2005 |
| Tl*the contact owns a 2002 ford explorer. while driving 25 mph, the vehicle slid on a patch of ice and struck a hard surface. the vehicle flipped over. the rear center seat belt buckle became undone and the child was thrown around and injured inside the passenger compartment. a police report was filed. the failure and current mileages were 45,000. updated 02-14-08 *bf the consumer stated the rear middle seat belt broke open when the explorer flipped upside down. updated 02/14/08 *tr | |||
| 03/28/2005 | 52800 | 1 | 11/19/2002 |
| Investigated after passenger seated in the right rear seat, mentioned unusual seat movement after a moderate to heavy braking occurrence. rear washer head anchor bolt/nut was broken/sheered off flush at the floor pan, leaving the seat to tip slightly forward. has not been repaired and unknown as to the extent of repair needed. *jb | |||