Bulletins
| Bulletin | Bulletin date | Replacement Bulletin | Item no. | Summary | Added |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| SUSPENSION | |||||
| 15984 | 03/01/2002 | 636316 | Exhibiting squeak / creak noises during front suspension movement. *tt | 11/07/2002 | |
| 15084 | 07/01/2001 | 621091 | Steering wheel shudder during low-speed turning maneuvers. *tt | 09/07/2001 | |
| SUSPENSION - FRONT - WHEEL BEARING | |||||
| 051710 | 10/07/2005 | 05258 | 10018064 | Noise from rear wheel hub bearings. *tt | 12/14/2005 |
| SUSPENSION - MULTIPLE AXLE | |||||
| 14795 | 06/01/2001 | 622785 | Some vehicles may exhibit a noisy and / or loose front wheel bearing. *tt | 10/22/2001 | |
| SUSPENSION - REAR | |||||
| 050618 | 01/01/2005 | 05126 | 10016789 | Rear axle noise repair. *sc | 10/07/2005 |
Consumer Complaints
| Fail date | miles | occurences | Purchase date |
|---|---|---|---|
| SUSPENSION | |||
| 09/08/2012 | 161664 | 1 | |
| Heard a clunk noise in the rear of truck...come to find out both rear strut coils were rotted out and broken..trucks has never pulled a trailer or been off road! *tr | |||
| 09/08/2012 | 161664 | ||
| Heard a clunk noise in the rear of truck...come to find out both rear strut coils were rotted out and broken..trucks has never pulled a trailer or been off road! | |||
| 07/27/2012 | 87000 | 1 | |
| Rear coil springs are rusted and cracking, piece fell off. it appears that inadequate or deficient metal was used. mechanic says very rare for coil springs to rust like this, springs look as though they have been in a junk yard for 30 years.this vehicle is a family car, not used for off-roading and kept in a garage. according to my research many other owners have had the same issue, some have even had the pieces puncture tires causing a blowout while driving. i can only assume that ford is not concerned with consumer safety, but only with their own profits and are waiting for people to die before taking responsibility. this is just one of many issues with this model and ford needs to step up. *tr | |||
| 07/27/2012 | 87000 | ||
| Rear coil springs are rusted and cracking, piece fell off. it appears that inadequate or deficient metal was used. mechanic says very rare for coil springs to rust like this, springs look as though they have been in a junk yard for 30 years.this vehicle is a family car, not used for off-roading and kept in a garage. according to my research many other owners have had the same issue, some have even had the pieces puncture tires causing a blowout while driving. i can only assume that ford is not concerned with consumer safety, but only with their own profits and are waiting for people to die before taking responsibility. this is just one of many issues with this model and ford needs to step up. | |||
| 07/17/2008 | 30000 | 1 | |
| Ford dealership and local mechanic have witnessed dozen of cases with ford in which the vehicle is vibrating at higher speeds. we have tried replacing tires, balancing, and wheel alignments. i have read hundreds, if not thousands of people complaining about this issue online, but ford has done nothing to educate their staff or public about this issue. most common identified issue has been the rear differentials, but those who have had them replaced has had the vibration come back after time. *tr | |||
| 07/17/2008 | 30000 | ||
| Ford dealership and local mechanic have witnessed dozen of cases with ford in which the vehicle is vibrating at higher speeds. we have tried replacing tires, balancing, and wheel alignments. i have read hundreds, if not thousands of people complaining about this issue online, but ford has done nothing to educate their staff or public about this issue. most common identified issue has been the rear differentials, but those who have had them replaced has had the vibration come back after time. | |||
| 12/07/2011 | 147500 | ||
| I am a mechical engineer, and do a lot of my own car repairs, when i was adjusting the emergency brake i noticed that my rear coil spring was broken in 2 places and rusted through, i went online tobuy replacement springs and struts, and i came apon a website with others also with this issue of broken springs on this ford model. this is a serious safety issue, a broken spring could drop and puncture the tire. at highway speeds this could lead to serious injury and fatalities. the nhtsa should hold ford accountable for this serious manufacturing flaw i am lead to beiieve that the springs where manufactured in china. the nstha should get some guts and expose this serious safety issue. as a personel note this vehicle has never been off-road . | |||
| 12/02/2011 | 120000 | ||
| Rear spring cracked at 100000 mil transmission faild at 120000 mil body electrical not sealed well and keeps shorting in different places cruse gets stubbern and scared to use it , im afraid of it getting stuck in cruse | |||
| 11/27/2010 | 130000 | ||
| I went to perfom brake pad replacement and found passenger side rear coil spring broken. when i got around to the drivers side to no avail that rear coil spring is broken as well. | |||
| 06/10/2010 | 85032 | ||
| I was driving in town at approximately 30 mph when i drove over a crack and it felt like a large pothole. i heard a grinding noise and pulled over. my rear springs were both broken. the driver side one at the top and the passenger side one at the top in 3 places. when i turn now it feels like my vehicle is going to roll over. this is a common problem as stated by many others on many internet sites. this is going to cause a serious if not deadly accident. ford needs to do a recall on this part and replace them for free, since they were the ones who used bad parts in their vehicles. this is a manufacturing defect and should be treated as such. | |||
| 11/27/2010 | 130000 | ||
| I went to perfom brake pad replacement and found passenger side rear coil spring broken. when i got around to the drivers side to no avail that rear coil spring is broken as well. | |||
| 06/10/2010 | 85032 | ||
| I was driving in town at approximately 30 mph when i drove over a crack and it felt like a large pothole. i heard a grinding noise and pulled over. my rear springs were both broken. the driver side one at the top and the passenger side one at the top in 3 places. when i turn now it feels like my vehicle is going to roll over. this is a common problem as stated by many others on many internet sites. this is going to cause a serious if not deadly accident. ford needs to do a recall on this part and replace them for free, since they were the ones who used bad parts in their vehicles. this is a manufacturing defect and should be treated as such. | |||
| 11/27/2010 | 130000 | ||
| I went to perfom brake pad replacement and found passenger side rear coil spring broken. when i got around to the drivers side to no avail that rear coil spring is broken as well. | |||
| 06/10/2010 | 85032 | ||
| I was driving in town at approximately 30 mph when i drove over a crack and it felt like a large pothole. i heard a grinding noise and pulled over. my rear springs were both broken. the driver side one at the top and the passenger side one at the top in 3 places. when i turn now it feels like my vehicle is going to roll over. this is a common problem as stated by many others on many internet sites. this is going to cause a serious if not deadly accident. ford needs to do a recall on this part and replace them for free, since they were the ones who used bad parts in their vehicles. this is a manufacturing defect and should be treated as such. | |||
| 10/28/2009 | 130000 | ||
| Rear coil springs broke and had to be replaced ford would not warrenty. | |||
| 10/02/2011 | 70000 | ||
| Tl* the contact owns a 2002 ford explorer. the vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic for replacement of the rear wheel bearings when the mechanic noticed that the driver and passenger side rear coil springs were fractured and would have need replacing. the vehicle was not repaired. the vin was not available. the approximate failure mileage was 70,000. | |||
| 10/02/2011 | 70000 | ||
| Tl- the contact owns a 2002 ford explorer. the vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic for replacement of the rear wheel bearings when the mechanic noticed that the driver and passenger side rear coil springs were fractured and would have need replacing. the vehicle was not repaired. the vin was not available. the approximate failure mileage was 70,000. kmj | |||
| 09/29/2011 | 125000 | ||
| I recently had the dealer install 2 new rear wheel bearings (2nd time in 2 years) and was told that both rear springs are broken. i was told that the broken pieces can come out while driving and puncture the tire. i did an internet search and found over 100 complaints of the same broken springs on other explorers. | |||
| 10/02/2011 | 70000 | ||
| Tl- the contact owns a 2002 ford explorer. the vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic for replacement of the rear wheel bearings when the mechanic noticed that the driver and passenger side rear coil springs were fractured and would have need replacing. the vehicle was not repaired. the vin was not available. the approximate failure mileage was 70,000. kmj | |||
| 09/29/2011 | 125000 | ||
| I recently had the dealer install 2 new rear wheel bearings (2nd time in 2 years) and was told that both rear springs are broken. i was told that the broken pieces can come out while driving and puncture the tire. i did an internet search and found over 100 complaints of the same broken springs on other explorers. | |||
| 09/07/2007 | 75000 | ||
| Tl* the contact owns a 2002 ford explorer. the contact stated he noticed that the front tires were wearing excessively. the vehicle was taken to an authorized dealer and the contact was informed that the front passenger coil spring was fractured, causing the excessive tread wear. the vehicle was not repaired. both rear coil springs also fractured since the failure occurred. the vehicle was not repaired. the manufacturer was made aware of the failure, but offered no assistance. the failure mileage was 75,000 and the current mileage was 96,000. the vin was unavailable. | |||
| 05/24/2011 | 148000 | ||
| Tl-the contact owns a 2002 ford explorer. while driving approximately 65 mph, the front and rear end of the vehicle began to shake violently. in addition, there was severe vibration in the steering wheel which caused difficulty in steering the vehicle normally. the vehicle had not been diagnosed or repaired. the manufacturer was not made aware of the problem. the approximate failure mileage was 148,000. the vin was unavailable. kmj | |||
| 05/24/2011 | 148000 | ||
| Tl-the contact owns a 2002 ford explorer. while driving approximately 65 mph, the front and rear end of the vehicle began to shake violently. in addition, there was severe vibration in the steering wheel which caused difficulty in steering the vehicle normally. the vehicle had not been diagnosed or repaired. the manufacturer was not made aware of the problem. the approximate failure mileage was 148,000. the vin was unavailable. js | |||
| 08/04/2011 | 102000 | ||
| 2002 ford explorer had all coil springs broken and some may have been for quite some time. this is a common problem that ford will not acknowledge. i pulled into my driveway and i heard something clunk in the back and sure enough it was completely cracked. took it into get repaired along with struts and ball bearing plate. total cost for the failure of these springs = $1750! | |||
| 07/25/2011 | 154105 | ||
| This complaint is in regards to the 2002-2005 ford explorer/mercury mountaineer models (4 doors). i own a 2002 ford explorer 4 door xls with 150,000 miles. recently my vehicle became very dangerous to drive. when i accelerate and then release the pedal the vehicle would push to one side or another. also going around curves i would get a death wobble where the vehicle would push from side to side in almost a swinging motion and when you attempt to correct it, it continues to swing excessively back and forth. tonight i went to check my wheel bearings thinking this was the problem, and i found 3 out of the 4 coil springs on the struts were broken. both rear coils were shattered (easiest way to describe it) at the top of the spring. i could literally pull pieces of coil spring out of the coil. the front right spring was also cracked all the way through, near the bottom of the coil. i have spent alot of time working on cars and i have never see 3 coil springs fail at the same time especially since they are less than 10 years old!!! i also did a google search and read where other owners have had spring failures as low as 75,000 miles!! please look into this issue there are so many of these on the road. i work in law enforcement and this i feel is a significant safety risk after experiencing the loss of control you have when driving the vehicle in this condition. if this would have happened in the illinois winter with ice on the roads it could have been disastrous. i will be replacing the entire strut/coil spring assembly sing the rear springs have collapsed in such a way that the spring is rubbing on the strut bodies. one of the issues is, with exception of the handling characteristics, the vehicle sits level and close to its normal ride height and its is very difficult to tell 3 springs are broken. i will be taking pictures to document this failure and i will be willing to provide this to you. i may also save the old parts if you would like. | |||
| 12/24/2010 | 87600 | ||
| 2002 ford explorer hub assembly/wheel bearing failure. the left rear tire completely locked up and had to be towed. upon inspection the bearing had ripped apart so bad you could see the metal coming out of the rear side of the tire, where the axle shaft connects. in addition to that, right rear hub assembly was very loose and had to be replaced. 2 weeks later, the front left hub is so bad that it's roaring and thumping and feels like it's also ready to lock up. 88k miles on explorer, this is the second time the rear hub were replaced. there is obviously either a flaw in the design or just substandard dangerous defective parts produced by ford. | |||
| 08/17/2010 | 179000 | ||
| 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. | |||
| 04/21/2010 | 112000 | ||
| Ford 2002 explorer xlt limited. i have had a myriad of issues, which upon research appear common to the extreme. front & rear bearings have been replaced multiple times. springs had to be replaced. now the transmission is slipping -- o/d light blinks, ses light activates, and vehicles over-revs, slips, and will not operate in overdrive. the transmission design is completely sealed, so i cannot even check for fluid levels, nor do any preventive maintenance whatsoever. there is no warning, just failure. issues with this model year are so prevalent that local mechanics need only ask the model and year and can itemize the problems i have experienced, and public forums are full of similar complaints. ford needs to recall this model year. | |||
| 02/23/2010 | 130000 | 1 | |
| I have a 2002 ford explorer. i bought ti used with 64,000 miles on it. replaced both rear wheel bearings. i have also replaced all struts and coils springs. i have an engine light on for a intake gasket problem. then on my way home from work today my o/d light came on. my truck has 130,000 miles on it. before i purchased explorer i found out it was in a rear end accident. *tr | |||
| 10/28/2009 | 140000 | 1 | |
| My first occurrence was approximately sept 2008 when i pulled into a driveway and felt an odd bump upon leaving the vehicle was wobbling when i stopped and took the cap off of the lug nuts i noticed the studs where broken on the drivers side rear. thought we had it fixed by having the studs replaced. wrong about 2 months later it happened again. was told the hub and bearing needed replaced so we replaced them. upon inspection the passenger side rear had started doing the same thing. so we replaced that side as well. that lasted about 4 months and we went to have new tires put on the vehicle the mechanic said that our bearings were bad again and needed replaced. so we did replace them. about 4 months later it started all over again with the studs breaking off. in one incident i lost all lug nuts but one on the drivers side at once with my kids in the vehicle. this is a serious problem for my family being that we depend on this vehicle and cant afford another but yet can't find why this problem isn't and apparently cant' be fixed. i've done everything the garage has told me to do. the local ford dealer says my problem is that i'm not putting good quality ford parts in there from them. can any one help. upon research i have found that there are others with the same type of vehicle having the same problem. i have never owned a vehicle that has done this. *tr | |||
| 01/23/2010 | 157000 | 1 | |
| Event/situation: hesitates and chokes at 40-45 miles per hour when trying to accelerate, along with a slight rubbing sensation felt through the steering wheel and gas peddle. they advised replacing the upper ball joints. they also stated a weak battery which was replaced. this did seem to fix various faulty false electrical issues: interior lights staying on and false light/dashboard readings. faulty transmission, emissions or plugs/wiring have been possibilities. i've taken it to goodyear who recommended changing out the plugs and wires, along with a flush. i've been told that flushes can ruin parts on older vehicles and cause other expensive problems. i found a few websites were there are many other customers having these same issues with the 2002 ford explorer. ford has been notified and aware of these transmission issues and expensive problems, covering up with other little recalls like the wiring harness. i, like many, are being forced to pay for faulty transmissions. i believe this needs to be investigated and make ford pay for recalls and repairs. it has been taken to the ford dealership for its oil change and a wiring recall approximately two weeks ago, in january 2010. here is the website with many other ford explorer official complaints who demand a responsible/reliable recall fix from ford. http://www.carcomplaints.com/ford/explorer/2002/transmission/o_d_light_is_blinking.shtml. *tr | |||
| 02/21/2007 | 64869 | 1 | |
| This complaint is concerning the wheel bearings on all 2002 ford explorers and the frequency in which they break or come lose causing lose of control of the vehicle. this has happened on my vehicle on 5 occasions, the last of which ford refuses to replace at their cost due to it being out of warranty. the first incident happened in february 2007 when my right front bearing broke while i was on an highway overpass driving at approximately 60 mph and almost lost control of my vehicle as the wheel nearly comes off when this happens and the vehicle jerks. the truck was towed into the dealership for repair. the second incident happened in january 2008 when my left front wheel bearing broke. this time i was thankfully not on the expressway but once again the vehicle was towed into the dealership for repair as it was not drivable. when the vehicle was in for repair this time i requested that the rear bearings be checked and replaced if necessary and it was found that those two bearings also needed replacement. now, in october 2009, once again my front left wheel bearing is lose and needs to be replaced. i called ford regarding the possibility that the bearings are faulty and that someone is going to be killed due to this issue but the customer service center just says to make a complaint. they also will not cover the cost of the repair as it is out of their 12 month or 12,000 mile warranty period. i have started researching this issue and have found 28 pages of complaints from people having the same issue and this is just one website. this seems to be a common occurrence with the bearings on 2002 explorers. this is supposed to be a sealed factory part that usually does not require repair and i am on my fifth repair. i am concerned for my own safety and the safety of others. *tr | |||
| 07/27/2009 | 116000 | 1 | |
| I have had troubles with the wheel ends on my ford since i bought it in 2005. i didn't realize the problems that i am having are common in this vehicle. i started noticing more brake dust on some of the wheels than others. then on my rear/passengers tire i hear a squeaking, grinding noise with a little wabble in the wheel. take it back to the dealer -said they grinded something down. didn't hear the noise anymore. my abs light kicks on won't go off has something to do with defect in wheel end assembly apparently. paid $150 to get it off comes right back on weeks later!! my entire wheel end almost falls off while on the hwy. pull over all 4 studs had come completely off of the wheel except 1, the wheel was literally hangin. had to have all studs replaced. have had to have wheel studs replaced frequently at some point on all four tires. paid to have rear passenger wheel bearings replaced finally $300+. front, drivers wheel bearings went out while driving 70-80 mph on hwy, loss control, barely made it off hwy in the middle of nowhere! 1-2months later front passengers wheel bearings go bad have to be replaced-$300+ each time. had front brakes & rotors replaced march '07, rear brakes & rotors jan '08. this month sept '09 had to have rear brakes & rotors replaced. could only afford to have brake pads replaced. only put 30,000miles on it since had b/r changed in '08. why am i having to have them both changed a year later. something in the wheel end assembly is causing increased wear & tear on rear brakes, rotors and everything else! now my brake pads are burning insanely crazy, alot of smoke comes from the wheel. new brake pads shouldn't burn that fast even with somewhat bad rotors. (that shoudn't be bad), have to go back to the shop this week. all are common issues apparently. please review link w/complaints on this | |||
| 09/11/2009 | 107912 | 1 | |
| Have a 2002 ford explorer have had several problems, but while i was out driving today my car began to pop as i turned the wheel. i have gotten my tie rods replaced and there seems to continue to be a problem with my vehicle. my husband drove the car home for me slowly but will not drive for fear that the wheel may pop off. contacted ford and am waiting on a response, this problem has been noted on the internet by several owners of this model and year. this is a suspension problem and i would like this further investigated so that noone is riding down the highway with their children in vehicle and the wheel pop off. i was very lucky that my child was not in the truck with me at the time this incident happened. *tr | |||
| 08/10/2009 | 72000 | 1 | |
| Noticed a noise from rear of vehicle. upon inspection, i found both rear coil springs were broken. springs were replaced with new. old parts have been disposed of but do have photos. *tr | |||
| 05/20/2009 | 91000 | 1 | |
| Flat tire; after taking tire off i noticed that the coil spring was broken in half and the wheel bearing was bad, causing the wheel to wobble. there was no apparent reason for the part failures. after consulting others with the same vehicle type this is a very common problem for 2002 ford explorers - wheel bearings and coil spring failure. ford may want to recall these before it causes accidents. *tr | |||
| 05/03/2009 | 104000 | 1 | |
| Heard a grinding noise coming from the rear of the vehicle, had brakes changed, noise continued. found out it was the driver side wheel bearing and the passenger side front both going bad. repairs not done too expensive. *tr | |||
| 03/11/2009 | 100000 | 1 | |
| Have had several incidents with my ford explorer attempting to run off parkway at 65 mph after wheel bearing failure. have had to replace wheel bearings 6 times from 100,000 to 102,000 miles.this problem is extremely dangerous due to failure of control of vehicle with no prior notice of any mechanical problems concerning the bearings until complete failure . even the replacement parts after installation have failed after less than 1000 miles. *tr | |||
| 02/14/2009 | 150000 | 1 | |
| O/d light began flashing diving on a major highway - rpm's ran at 3rpm's no matter what speed i traveled. transmission shifts very hard and i am experiencing a terrible clunking noise - piece of | |||
| 01/01/2009 | 90000 | 1 | |
| Had to have both front wheel bearings replaced. *tr | |||
| 09/28/2008 | 1 | ||
| Wheel bearings on 2002 ford explorer are wearing out without any notice. i never had a car that experienced this issue. this is a sever problem as i drive my small children around in. knowing that a wheel could eventually come off scares the life out of me. there is no recall from as this is a manufacture defect. *tr | |||
| 09/20/2008 | 55000 | 1 | |
| Premature failure of all four wheel bearings in my 2002 ford explorer as well as the pinion gear and clutch packs with less than 50,000 miles. *tr | |||
| 09/01/2008 | 58000 | 1 | |
| 2002 ford explorer, wheel bearings went out (pre-maturely as on thousands of this model car)and airbag disconnected (ford made cable too short under driver's seat.) lucky we caught it before wheel flew off and airbag didn't deploy! *tr | |||
| 09/29/2008 | 590000 | 1 | |
| Brought my 2002 explorer (59k miles) to dealer for repair and was informed i had a broken rear spring. on discussion board on-line found allot of other people with same problem. very costly to fix can't understand why spring would break on low mileage vehicle. *tr | |||
| 12/14/2005 | 82578 | 1 | |
| I purchased a 2002 fore explorer xlt 10/2004 with 69,500 miles. i now have 17,500.00 miles. i have owned this vehicle for approx 4 years and have had to replace the wheel bearings for all 4 wheels. the first time was 12/05. all four times the repairs were done at a ford dealership. they offer no reason why this might happen. this was my first ford vehicle. *tr | |||
| 07/07/2008 | 84500 | 1 | |
| First the back (both) wheel bearings went. sounded like a nasty grinding noise, very loud. i had them replaced at 750.00 to replace them and that was not including the fact that they destroyed my brakes and they had to be replaced also..very expensive.. no warranty..than replaced the drivers front bearing and not the passenger side bearing is going..will replace very soon. *tr | |||
| 07/31/2008 | 1 | ||
| I'm reading many, many, many and multiple complaints about the same things for the 2002 ford explorer. mainly the wheel bearings going which can cause the wheels to fall off with the potential for severe injury or death and the rear differential going out. ford needs to recall these vehicles and fix this matter! *tr | |||
| 07/22/2008 | 77000 | 1 | |
| Wheel bearings eroded after only 75k miles; tires in danger of falling off. *tr | |||
| 05/21/2005 | 85000 | 1 | |
| Wheel bearing problems with most 2002 model ford explorers all trim levels. *tr | |||
| 03/15/2007 | 1 | ||
| 2002 ford explorer 4.0 has excessive wheel bearing noise. i have read of many wheel bearing issues with this model which signifies a manufacturers defect. a recall should be instituted. *tr | |||
| 08/16/2007 | 80000 | 1 | |
| Noise and fluid leakage in rear diagnosed by local mechanic as failing wheel bearing and differential seal. replaced differential seal and one rear wheel bearing at 57,000 miles. at 69,000 replaced one front wheel bearing because of noise. at 80,000 mechanic reported that both rear springs had corroded at their upper ends and cracked through. both these issues are common on 2002 models based on the number of complaints in the data base. *tr | |||
| 06/01/2008 | 93000 | 1 | |
| Rear hub bearings shot and very costly to repair. this is happening on 2002 ford explorers in great numbers and should be resolved by a recall. please refer to http://www.carcomplaints.com/ford/explorer/2002/wheels_hubs/wheel_bearing_failure.shtml where among others complaints regarding this issue are posted. *tr | |||
| 06/17/2008 | 52120 | 1 | |
| Severe wheel bearing issues since day one. hub assembly made loud noise and the wheels may have fell off because of poor design of bearing assembly. mathews ford assured us it was normal for 4x4 explorers to make such noise, and have not revisited the problem from 2002 until now. bearings were checked on routine maintenance on june 17 2008 and were found to be failing according to mathews ford mechanic. at 52,000 miles the front wheel bearings and spindle were replaced due to this defect. *tr | |||
| 01/01/2008 | 1 | ||
| We own a 2002 ford explorer that we purchased used with 40,000 miles on it. since purchase we have had 3 power window motors go bad, both rear bearings replaced, the back door panel is cracked, the a/c doesn't work, and now it looks as if the transmission is going bad. if so many people with this vehicle have all the same problems how can there be no recall? *tr | |||
| 06/10/2008 | 56000 | 1 | |
| 2002 ford explorer- a nightmare of problems that keep getting worse. it has 56k miles on it and i am about to replace the transmission. fuel pump , 2 rear springs, 2 wheel bearings and the drivers side window motor have already been replaced. neither of the 2 rear windows roll down and the back hatch lift replace on recall is broken yet again. this is the biggest hunk of junk on 4 wheels. ford needs to do something. thank god i didn't buy it new because that really would have been a rip off. *tr | |||
| 02/05/2008 | 59000 | 1 | |
| All four wheel bearings needed replaced on my 02' ford explorer prematurely in my opinion and this seems to be a common complaint on internet chat rooms and web sites. the rear wheel bearings can be dangerous when they fail due to the tire wobbling on the axle without warning. these repairs are extremely expensive also and hard to do for the average person if they want to save money. *tr | |||
| 06/03/2008 | 74000 | 1 | |
| Well, the wife bought this pre owned 2002 ford explorer. 10 months ago. we started getting road noise after an oil change and tire rotation. i thought the noise was coming from the rear tires being cupped, and placed on the front. we let that go, i then told the wife to go get new tires. they tell here afterwards, that both rear coil springs are broken, and would be $660.00 dollars to fix. so i told her, to just bring the explorer to me, ill fix it. so after a day of web searches i find this is a common problem for this make and model, just like the man at tireman said. and these coil springs are of course made in china. this could be very dangerous, i always felt the rear end sway when going over speed bumps at 10 mph. and never knew the springs were broken for almost a year. and nobody else i read about online knew, until a mechanic told them after other repairs were being done. i just hope this doesn't cost someone their life changing lanes one the expressway, going 65 mph from the rear end getting sloppy and rolling over. all because ford put cheap rear coil spring on their explorers. if u search ford coil springs, it looks like all their makes and models have this major problem. this could be firestone tires all over again for ford. *tr | |||
| 02/16/2008 | 180000 | 1 | |
| Transmission shifted hard into 2nd gear from day one, took it to dealer and they said it was normal, whining in rear end also said normal. had to replace 2 wheel bearings, 2 more bad now, replaced wheel hub, now transmission will not shift. *tr | |||
| 04/21/2008 | 82000 | 1 | |
| Failure of wheel bearings, causing lack of control and possible wheel loss. *tr | |||
| 04/28/2008 | 67000 | 1 | |
| Wheel bearing failure on ford explorer 2002. *tr | |||
| 01/01/2007 | 40000 | 1 | |
| On my 2002 ford explorer suv i have had to replace 3 of the 4 wheel bearings and hub assemblies(approx $250 each), with the 4th not far behind. i have also had to replace the 4-wheel drive module(approx $400-$500). i have had problems with the rear window motors going bad and having to replace these too. the air conditioning unit has stopped working. the passenger air bag dummy light has come on for no reason. the seat belt warning chime often comes on and will not go off, even though you have buckled your seat belt. you have to slam the buckle into place for it to go off and sometimes this does not work either. the transmission is now making a lovely clunking sound when shifting from park to drive and when you try to put it back into park, it does not want to. you have to put it up to park as far as it will go then go back to neutral and then into park from there. we have replaced the emergency brake shoes on both sides because they were completely worn off even though we do not use the e-brakes. these problems are just piling up one after another. i went to an internet site that has complaints about vehicles and found that there are hundreds of others with the same problems on their 2002 ford explorers of all kinds (xl, eddie bauer, special edition, etc.). why hasn't ford done any recalls for these problems? does it require multiple injuries or even death for them to take responsibility??? *tr | |||
| 04/18/2002 | 71535 | 1 | 11/20/2001 |
| 2002 ford explorer eddie bauer 4l v6 auto trans i had my explorer into the dealer for an oil change last january and they mentioned that my right rear wheel seal was leaking and needed to be changed but not right away. i waited for the next oil change in april and scheduled it in for a wheel seal replacement -- $190. no mention of any problems with the rear end. not 90 miles later i hear a loud crunching sound and managed to limp back to the dealer to find out that the same right rear hub they just replaced the seal on has a bad bearing/hub. they replaced the hub and bearing at a cost of $899 ($533 parts). given the explorers history of problems with the right rear wheel (firestone blowouts) causing rollover accidents i think ford would take this problem seriously. if having a tire fail can lead to rollover accidents imagine what happens when you lose the entire wheel! *tr | |||
| 04/15/2008 | 71630 | 1 | 10/12/2007 |
| Wheel hub and bearing bad. *tr | |||
| 02/03/2008 | 54780 | 3 | 01/02/2008 |
| I bought my 2002 ford explorer in jan 08, it is now april 08 and i have already replaced the r front wheel bearing, and both rear wheel bearings. it has cost me around $1,200.00 and it only has 60,000 miles on it. once a month i am putting more money into something that i believe should have been a recall. i can count more than 60 complaints about this problem on this particular year and model of vehicle and it amazes me that ford motor company is so naive to such a dangerous problem. are they really insensitive enough to wait until someone dies or gets injured from this? i believe that whatever parts they used when manufacturing these vehicles were defective and i am to do whatever it takes to make them see, even if it means getting a lawyer. between all of us out there i believe we would have a pretty good case if we all get together. so anyone who sees this most recent complaint and agrees with me, i can be contacted at (865)-585-6874 which is my cell number, or you can e-mail me at dyllie@verizon.net and my name is fayann manning. awaiting everyone else's call who feel like they have been screwed over!!! *tr | |||
| 02/15/2008 | 79000 | 3 | 07/01/2005 |
| This is my wife's vehicle so i do not drive it often. when i did i noticed the loud roar and asked how long it had been there. she said a couple months. i replaced 3 of the 4 wheel bearings. had i not drove it myself the wheels could have fallen off!!! she has my two children in there also. thanks ford!! this is not an old vehicle. less than 80,000 miles. if there is no recall on these bearings and someone gets killed i hope ford is sued so bad they go under. recall your piece of crap bearings like you should. *tr | |||
| 02/05/2007 | 95000 | 4 | 04/23/2004 |
| 2002 ford explorer xlt- all four wheel bearing have gone bad within 1 year. this is a known problem with owners and dealers. this year and model of ford explorer has bad bearings and hub assemblies. ford is happy to collect the hundreds of dollars it cost owners to replace these faulty parts but will not do anything to fix the issue. one bearing actually broke on my vehicle and now i am afraid to drive it because i do not want to be stranded somewhere. i have a front and rear bearing out again. *tr | |||
| 02/26/2008 | 85000 | 1 | |
| This is my second ford vehicle with only 80k miles and on both, all wheel bearings have had failure. and on more than one occasion for a single bearing. it is very costly to repair these defects at approximately $500 per wheel, and is an obvious mechanical and safety hazard. twice i have been stranded on the highway with a child in the car because the wheel has almost came off. consumers should not have to repair these defects at their expense to have them continually fail over again. i would like to see to the possibility of a class action lawsuit against ford if they cannot agree to a recall, since there are certainly well enough people with these problems. i have lost any and all interest in this manufacturer and will not consider an american made car in the future. *tr | |||
| 10/15/2007 | 82000 | 7 | 07/13/2004 |
| The noise was the indication of a problem, took the car in for noise coming from the wheels. was told by ford garage all four wheel bearings needed to be replaced i was very shocked. when ford mechanic said this was a recurring problem and common in this year and model i was angry. not soon after that the four wheel drive module went out and needed replaced. this car is five years old with at the time 82,000 miles on it. now the transmission is slipping. earlier we had to replace the automatic driver's window power motor which was also expensive. had to replace rear axel bushings too. *tr | |||
| 02/18/2002 | 82000 | 4 | |
| Loud grinding noise from front and rear wheels, the front wheel bearing failed along with the front carrier bearings were spun replaced them at 82,000 miles and at 86,000 miles the rear did the same thing but the rear did not spin the carrier bearings (not yet anyways) the front repair cost me and my wife over 600 dollars (would have been over 900.00 if i didn't do the work my self) the rear we had to buy the parts from the internet to save money and it cost us 350 for the new wheel assembly's and 62 dollars to have the new bearings installed to the spindals. again if i would have had ford do the work it would have cost us around a 1,000.00 that is a total of 1,025.00 to do it my self and 2,000.00 to have ford do the work. i do still have one old wheel bearing the rest have been discarded for scrap to help pay for the damages. on other thing my wife drives this truck to work every day and when the rear wheel bearing let loose the right rear wheel nearly fell off the wheel was sitting about 15deg inward. *tr | |||
| 02/18/2008 | 42000 | 2 | 04/01/2003 |
| I, too am apparently a ford explorer loose wheel bearing victim. unlike most of the complaints i've read, i only have 42,000 mi. on my truck. my mechanic also indicated that he's seeing many of these cases and that ford should be stepping up in the name of safety to recall this defective item before serious injury occurs and the tsa should be forcing them to do so. it is outrageous that a part that should last a minimum of 100,000 mi is going to cost me in excess of $700! is ford simply using less expensive parts because most people do not carry an extended warranty after 5 years? in addition to filing a complaint here, i strongly encourage you to discuss this with your insurance company. they are a much louder voice since they do not want to pay out unnecessary claims. ford does not want to alert the public to a safety issue prior to someone being killed, nor do they voluntarily wish to assume this expense if the public simply goes out and pays $700 to fix it. i'm so fired up, i may attempt to reach out to the media. ford & tsa. my insurance company just called back and they are concerned that claims are being paid out on this and it's neither the owner's nor the insurance companies fault. please take the time to do what's right here. *tr | |||
| 02/15/2008 | 118900 | 3 | |
| 1. humming noise coming from vehicle, went to dealer got it looked at dealer said it was hub assembly in 3 of four wheels that needed replaced. 2. asked if i could drive it until i had the money, was told it is not recommended because (if) (when) it fails completely it could damage the braking system or the wheel could fall off, searched online and found car-complaints.com and discovered numerous explorer drivers with the same problem and was told the same thing about the wheel falling off. 3. wheel hub assembles will be replaced, i could get the old parts back if requested. just kind of scary that the wheel could fall of when this part fails, and it failed on 3 out of 4 wheels. *tr | |||
| 02/04/2008 | 119400 | 3 | 04/17/2005 |
| I own a 2002 ford explorer, and i have had it for nearly 3 years. i recently started hearing a familiar noise from my truck, another wheel bearing needs replacing! this is the third one over the past year and a half! ford has to fix this problem, there is no reason a vehicle should have this many problems with the bearings! *tr | |||
| 02/11/2008 | 85000 | 4 | 04/15/2005 |
| My complaint is that i've had to replace all four wheel bearings on my 2002 ford explorer....it only has 90,000 miles on it and it is a very costly repair. it seems to me that these bearing are defective and if i don't replace them the car would be in serious jeopardy of an accident. *tr | |||
| 02/06/2008 | 1 | 08/14/2007 | |
| Recently purchased a 2002 ford explorer for my 17 year old daughter, it has 79,000 miles on it. within the first three months of owning the vehicle i have had to replace 3 of the 4 wheel bearings. the tire was practically falling off the vehicle by the time it made enough noise for anyone to notice. *tr | |||
| 01/31/2008 | 1 | ||
| Potential lost left wheel due to failing wheel bearing. *tr | |||
| 02/05/2008 | 92000 | 1 | 12/20/2004 |
| 2002 ford explorer xlt replacing 3rd wheel bearing in 2 years. *tr | |||
| 01/07/2008 | 75000 | 2 | 08/01/2006 |
| 2002 ford explorer front and rear wheel bearing replacement. back right wheel bearing failed causing damage to the axle, breaks and wheel drum. front left wheel bearing failed. in both occasions noises were heard. in regards to be back wheel bearing the tire almost came off and the wheel froze. this occurred while on a major interstate traveling at a speed of 65 miles an hour. back wheel bearing, axle, drum and brakes replaced at a ford dealer, costing over $1700 dollars. front wheel bearing began making a thumping noise and was replaced at a local mechanic costing $500. in contacting ford i was told there was nothing they could do. *tr | |||
| 05/01/2005 | 50000 | 4 | |
| Tl*the contact owns a 2002 ford explorer. the contact stated that the vehicle began to vibrate. a sears mechanic diagnosed the failure as the front wheel bearings and performed the repair. the left front and left rear wheel bearings were also replaced. the current mileage is 92,000 and failure mileage was 50,000. the rear coil spring were weak. the end bushing were replaced. updated 06/08/07. *jb | |||
| 02/06/2007 | 81258 | 1 | 12/12/2006 |
| I have a 2002 ford explorer. when it started to get very cold, my explorer, that i just bought, started to not want to go into gear. it would grind and slip. there was a clicking sound coming from under the dash. it was from the computer that runs the 4 wheel drive. the 4 low button would just kick in by its self. then it would not go into gear. after a while of trying to get it into gear it would go. it would only act up when it was very cold out (10 to -5 degrees) it did this to me for about a week and then it just stuck into 4 low and now won't come out. there was a smell this last time of burning electrical wire and smoke. now my explorer won't drive and has a electrical smoke smell stuck in it. i now have to have it towed to a ford dealer to get it fixed. it also makes a really loud popping sound when i go to turn or hit a bump. sound comes from the front of the explorer drivers side. *jb | |||
| 10/01/2006 | 76000 | 1 | 06/01/2004 |
| Thumping noise from drivers side front end in the wheel area. the noise is most noticeable at between 40 and 60 mph during acceleration. it also becomes a humming noise as the gas pedal is released and the car is coasting or decelerating. had new tires put on then new brake pads and rotors. nothing fixed the problem. talked to my brother, another loyal explorer owner, and he had same problem diagnosed as a bearing needing replacing. he also told me about a leak on his garage floor in the rear middle of the car where the rear axle is. i told him i have same exact spot of something leaking on my garage floor. we read about all the seal problems with the axle and needing to be replaced. he spent over $1000 on the front bearings and now in for another big bill for the seal problem. i see we are not alone in our explorer disappointments. all with the same problem. come on ford, back up your vehicle and pay for these defects to your suvs. *jb | |||
| 12/01/2006 | 80000 | 1 | |
| Fix for chattering and rear whine on 02 explorer. when the car was new 25,000 the dealer replaced the rear pumpkin, very loud whine.. last month with 85,000 miles on the car, during a turn the rear would chatter and shake the car. i was told the rear needed a special lube for the rear to keep the rear clutches free, i had a local shop replace the rear differential oil with a special blend and it has been fine since. *jb | |||
| 07/01/2006 | 61230 | 1 | 03/12/2002 |
| Explorer makes whining noise in rear end at speeds between 45 and 70 mph. the abs light stays lit continuously even after having the brake system services. have also had front wheel bearings replaced all this since the vehicle reached 60,000 miles it now has 86,000 and mechanic says it need a new rear end. *jb | |||
| 07/23/2006 | 32000 | 2 | |
| Bought 2002 explorer in 2003 with 12,000 miles. servicng dealer replaced transmission and torque converter under warranty @ 32,000 miles after o/d light started flashing. now needs another transmission @ 54,000 miles. car has always been serviced, driven lightly, never towed, never abused. dealer will not pay or help out one bit. ford knows 2002 explorers have defective transmissions and rear ends, is ignoring problem, leaving consumer to absorb cost! have also had to replace timing chain tensioner, rear windshield wiper assembly, air conditioning unit under warranty. front and rear wheel bearings needed replacing- out of warranty. rear end is making classic humming sound that ford is also ignoring-pinion gears. *nm | |||
| 05/12/2006 | 50000 | 100 | |
| My 2002 explorer is also having the same problems which have been previously noted by other explorer owners. the whining when reaching 50-60 km/hr, which goes away when you take your foot off the gas, the slipping and shuddering of gears and sometimes passing gear never kicks in, the abs light comes on (usually after the truck has warmed up and it doesn't seem to happen when the weather is really cold), the abs is now starting to act up, wherein it randomly activates itself even while on dry pavement and the brakes feel mushy when this happens. now the locks are randomly not working. i would like to share one instance about the passing, shuddering, slipping was when i was traveling on the highway with my kids, i pulled out to pass, and when i stepped on it the truck shuddered so hard, that my daughter, who was coloring a mother' day card, actually scribbled when it shuddered, if that makes any sense. she was po'd at me asking me why did i do that and now her card was ruined. we have had the transmission in for service and were told nothing was wrong. we had the transmission fluid changed and the truck worked fine for about 2 weeks and then back to the same old problems. my husband and i are seriously considering trading this piece of crap vehicle off and we have decided that it will only be imports from now on. ford needs to wake up and start fixing all of these problems or they will be finding themselves bankrupt in no time. i was brought up as a kid in fords; 67 t-bird, ford ltd, 1/2 ton truck, 3/4 ton truck, 78 ford t-bird, ford taurus, my first car being a mercury lynx, then a 93 ford festiva, hubby owned a 93 ford ranger 4x4, 98 windstar, my mom owns a 96 explorer and so on. my friend just got rid of her 2000 explorer which she lovingly named her 'ford exploder'. thanks for listening to my rant and i really hope that with everyone's input that something can be done about this. *nm | |||
| 05/18/2006 | 72010 | 1 | 02/28/2004 |
| Tried to put the vehicle into reverse from park and the column shifter broke off. vehicle could not be driven and was towed to a transmission business. cost to repair is $1300. i bought this vehicle in 2004 used. i've had the rear transmission seals, shocks, tires, front window and the entire steering column replaced. *jb | |||
| 05/10/2006 | 1 | ||
| 2002 explorer with 95k miles: power windows, airbag and front/rear wheel bearings. dealer was not surprised by these problems at all. $3k estimated repair cost. *nm | |||
| 04/10/2006 | 32000 | 3 | 09/03/2002 |
| Three instances of whining noise at 50+ mph and fluid leakage from rear axle seal 2002 ford explorer. the first one caused loss of control when accelerating on highway. difficult to determine since rear transaxle fluid leaks down drive shaft to brake assembly. i noticed significant corrosion of brake assembly where fluid is running into the wheel assembly. only when leak is significant will fluid drip onto surface below rear axle. dealer noted ford engineers are aware of problem but expect the consumer to pay for repairs. first replacement of rear axle seals at 30000 miles; second at 460000 miles and the third at 62000 miles. these seals should last longer. second instance had vibration when engaging the vehicle in reverse and loud whining noise/ vibration from rear; then fluid leakage. my dealer acknowledges that many explorers (2002-2005) have this problem and ford motor company engineers are evaluating; as a dealer there is nothing they can do. ford has not indicated a fix other than to check fluid level, replace rear axle seals, and/or the rear unit. this is a significant hazard since in most cases the vehicle owner will not know there is a pending failure due to the fluid leaking down the rear axle drive shaft toward the brake/wheel assembly. the whining noise will increase as fluid level decreases with risk failure and loss of control. this problem is far more common than reported due to the difficult nature of observation of leakage. one has to crawl under the rear transaxle and carefully inspect the two axle seals to look for signs of corrosion and fluid leakage. *nm | |||
| 03/15/2006 | 4 | 09/05/2004 | |
| I own a 2002 ford explorer, with 69.000 miles on it. in the last few months i have had to replace ever wheel bearing on my car, the wheel have come loose, and the bearing were scraping. the cost for the bearing and the labor was over $1,400 , i am also have to replace my tires because of this, when i contacted ford on this matter, there commit was that is your problem it is out of warranty, there is no reason all 4 wheel bearing would have gone bad with no more miles than there is on the car. my concern is that the next person may not know in time that there is flaw in the bearings and may have a wheel come off. this should be a very big safety concern. this could cause someone there life. i hope i can get someone to listen before it is to late and causes a child's life. thank you. *jb | |||
| 09/02/2005 | 30010 | 4 | 06/06/2005 |
| I brought this suv last year at bill heard chevrolet dealership. even though this was a new vehicle. when i went to the dealership they told me that i could pay this car in three years but in reality it was five years. i signed all the paperwork i had to but they didn't give me any papers when i left. however when i went to apply to buy another car they didn't accept my application because they told me that i was already being finance a car for five years. this car has had many problems like the transmission would just make really loud noises when i drove the suv; the transmission was simply not functioning properly. when i drove the car 60 mph or more the vehicle would just start vibrating. i contact the dealership to make a complaint but they simply just ignore my complaint. *nm | |||
| 05/15/2003 | 27078 | 5 | 08/12/2002 |
| 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 | |||
| 05/20/2005 | 14 | ||
| 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 | |||
| 4 | 05/01/2002 | ||
| Steering wheel vibrated while driving at highway speeds. dealer attempted to repair the vehicle, but was not able to remedy the problem. dealer did not inform the consumer of the repairs that were made. *ak | |||
| 07/15/2003 | 1 | ||
| While turning around corners vehicle would shake, making it difficult for consumer to control the vehicle. driver had contacted dealer on three separate occasions, and problem was still recurring.*ak | |||
| 04/04/2003 | 28000 | 0 | 05/15/2002 |
| 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 | |||
| 04/05/2003 | 29000 | 1 | 05/24/2002 |
| The vehicle's tailgate glass exploded while the consumer attempted to close it. the dealer was notified. *nlm broken liftgate glass and wiper motor and arm were replaced. there were squeaks when going over bumps. sway bar bushings replaced. ignition switch hard to insert key at times. cylinder and tumbler rekeyed. bottom door molding (passenger side) peeling off. rubber grommet on antenna base off. resecured rubber grommet for antenna base. *tt pe04045_pco | |||
| 02/05/2003 | 1 | ||
| The lift gate on the right side shock broke. *jb | |||
| 09/01/2002 | 01/01/2002 | ||
| My vehicle has cracking noises behind dash that uncovered 15 plus bolts loose, in addition the dealer noticed the frame looked racked. the tailgate and front end assembly show signs that potential structural problems per service mgr. ford continues to not return calls and giving a run around to dealer. engineer from ford disavowed problems stating within spec's. dealer has continued to argue back due to visual evidence of defective vehicle. dt | |||
| 07/01/2002 | |||
| The truck seems to have a tire or suspension hop/chatter after going over all types of bumps small/large, does not seem affect the driving ability but it is annoying. any other complaints on this? also could not locate dot # on tires, made in canada.*ak | |||
| 07/28/2001 | 1 | 07/06/2001 | |
| Consumer states there is a squeaking noise originating possibly from the suspension when driving over speed bumps or uneven road surfaces at highway speeds especially during windy conditions. also there is vibration occurring in the front end of the vehicle at 55 - 60 mph. the vibration can also be felt from under the seat with the windows rolled up. *tt | |||
| 02/19/2002 | 3 | 02/19/2002 | |
| When driving at 50mph and higher vehicle vibrates uncontrollably. dealer has inspected vehicle several times, and problem still exists. *ak consumer states that ford bought back vehicle and refunded his money. *slc | |||
| 10/25/2001 | 10/01/2001 | ||
| While making a right turn or driving over bumpy road, steering column and entire car begins to shake significantly at speeds of 55mph and continue until pulling off the road or slowing to 20mph.shaking continued for 2 miles until being able to safely pull off the highway.steering wheel shaking is significant enough to shake drivers entire body! this has happened on 3 occasions. steering column shaking happens frequently( daily) while making l and r turns at low speeds.column noise is heard also. at | |||
| When stopped at light vehicle makes a loud humming noise. took to dealer, and dealer couldn't identify problem. *ak | |||
| 12/23/2001 | |||
| While driving and making a left turn the vehicle vibrates violently as if it was not in gear. drivers feels very unsafe driving. please provide any further information.*ak | |||
| 06/26/2001 | 1 | 06/26/2001 | |
| Whenever vehicle hits a bump it's hard to control, goes all over road. contacted dealership, but dealer refused to look at vehicle.*ak consumer has replaced the michelin tires at their cost, p235/70r16, dot e20291511, vehicle and tires only had 470 miles. *slc | |||
| SUSPENSION - FRONT | |||
| 08/27/2010 | 94000 | ||
| Rear springs both cracked-front & rear wheel bearings bad needed to be replaced ford should recall these vehicles before someone seriously if not already has been hurt or killed in an accident | |||
| 08/17/2010 | 179000 | ||
| 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. | |||
| 10/29/2009 | 1 | ||
| Upon inspecting our 2002 ford explorer for state inspection, i discovered the right rear coil spring to be broken. this is one of two broken on this vehicle to date, the first was the left rear discovered by the local ford dealer when in for a routine check, they replaced that spring, i replaced the right side & still have the pieces (3 to be exact) in my possession. we have also had all four axle bearings replaced. one of which became so hot, the left side rear hub cap melted & fell off the wheel. all four bearings were replaced by the dealer. none of the bearings or hub cap were under warranty so we were stuck with those & the rr spring expense. knowing the type of part failures on our explorer it brings up a more crucial question of, could any of them have resulted in serious consequences. rollover,swerving off of the road to possibly hit something or someone,etc. what could have happened if both rear coil springs broke around the same time? i've always enjoyed ford products, repaired many,hope they will take this and apply it to tougher test standards. vehicles' current mileage is over 120,000 i understand other ford models have had other coil spring concerns also, such as a notice we received when we owned our '95 windstar. *tr | |||
| 04/16/2008 | |||
| Tl*the contact owns a 2002 ford explorer. while driving approximately 50 mph on normal road conditions, the contact heard a loud noise outside of the vehicle. the vehicle vibrated excessively. the check engine warning indicator illuminated on the instrument panel and remained lit until the engine was turned off. the driver pulled over to the side of the road and the vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic for diagnostic testing. the technician stated that the rear driver's side wheel bearing was cracked. the vehicle was repaired. recently, the front passenger side wheel bearing exhibited a crack. in addition, the overdrive warning indicator illuminated while traveling on the highway. also, the automatic transmission was slipping out of gear. the mileages were unknown. | |||
| 12/16/2008 | 82989 | 1 | |
| Only 83,000 miles on my 2002 ford explorer and i am faced with a bill of around $2,500 for repairs. the rear wheel bearings and hubs need to be replaced. the rear struts need to be replaced. the front stabilizer bar bushings need to be replaced. when the car is driven you can hear noises like a whining sound. it sounds almost like a plane is landing in my back seat. *tr | |||
| 08/18/2008 | 119000 | ||
| Tl*the contact owns a 2002 ford explorer. while driving 35 mph, the contact heard a grinding noise coming from the front end of the vehicle. he examined the vehicle and noticed that the tire was rubbing against the a frame in the front end of the vehicle. prior to the failure, the contact noticed that the brakes were taking a longer period of time to stop the vehicle. the vehicle was taken to the dealer and they stated that the cv joint and bearing hubs needed to be replaced. the vehicle has been repaired by the dealer. the current and failure mileages were 119,000. | |||
| 01/31/2008 | 74156 | 1 | 10/06/2001 |
| Grinding noise from rear especially driver side rear humming and swaying brought to dealer replaced rear hub and bearing assemblies both sides replaced front sway bar links and bushings both sides. *tr | |||
| 10/10/2006 | 80000 | 4 | 01/02/2002 |
| In april of 2005 my 2002 explorer with just over 40,000 miles started making grinding noise in the right rear. took it to a mechanic and then to the ford dealership, both said the right rear wheel bearing needed to be replaced, had it replaced on 5/11/05. within 2 weeks, the left rear wheel bearing also started making a grinding noise, had it replaced on 5/25/05. called ford customer care who said they could do nothing. in october, 2006, at 80,000 miles (mostly e-way miles, no off-road driving, only one driver and i am the original owner), the right rear wheel bearing needed to be replaced again and one of the front bearings is going as well. called ford customer care again to report the failures, and they still aren't interested. have been told by several mechanics that this is a know defect with 2002 explorers, wheel bearings should last well over 100k miles. ford has no plans to recall or even redesign the defective wheel bearings. after reading complaints from others, who have had the bearings explode while driving, i suspect that it is only a matter of time before the deaths from accidents due to the defective wheel bearings start getting reported. i personally do not feel safe driving this vehicle. due to ford's lack of concern regarding this very expensive and dangerous defect in their vehicles, the next new vehicle i purchase will not be a ford. **nm | |||
| 05/05/2006 | 1 | 03/17/2004 | |
| Grinding noise sounding like it is from front end, especially on accelerating at low speeds, and turning slow. told to replace tires and front hub. both done and still making same noise. cannot figure what is wrong. think the sound is from transmission or rear end. also having problems with the transmission. the truck does not switch gears properly. it takes to long and sometimes reaches 4 rpms before finally switching on flat road surface. *jb | |||
| 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!!! | |||
| The owner states the truck veers side to side not keeping a straight direction. truck has been in the shop (8) times for problems with the front end or steering. the parts were replaced from the steering to a complete rack and pinion with defect not corrected. an engineer from ford has also inspected the truck and has determined that there is no problem. the dealership is insisting that the owner come pick the truck up in the same condition. please describe details. mr | |||
| 09/21/2001 | 3 | 06/19/2001 | |
| While driving, consumer would hear popping noises coming from left front end. dealer checked and repaired steering column shaft. problem not resolved. took back to dealer and steering column assembly was replaced. however, problem was not resolved. took vehicle back again and left front wheel hub assembly was replaced. nothing solved the problem. mechanic could not resolve it. manufacturer is working on solution.*ak *jb | |||
| 08/28/2001 | 08/01/2001 | ||
| The vehicle has been in the service dept 3 times since purchase on 8/01. upper & lower steering shaft has been replaced on 9/14/01. the front end rattles when i am operating the vehicle over normal terrain. steering wheel has a popping feel when i go over a bump or turn right, feels like th e car is going out of control (at slow speed). the vehicle will be back at ford on 12/6/01 for further testing to detect/correct these problems. after looking at your website, i have discovered similar complaints exist. i will take copies with me to the dealership supervisor today.*ak | |||
| SUSPENSION - FRONT - CONTROL ARM - LOWER ARM | |||
| 09/01/2001 | |||
| This vehicle has been in the service department 3 times since september 2001. the steering column has been replaced, the wheel bearings have been replaced(this was suppose to eliminate steering column rattle) and the lower control arm has been replaced. i still hear and feel a metallic rattle coming from the steering column. in my review of your website other 2002 explorer owners are experincing the same problem. i have talked to at least three other owners that have the same problem. my dealer has done everything recommended by ford, but nothing has solved the problem. ford is working on it. they have been working on it since september 2001. my safety concern is this. if something is loose that is causing this noise it has to be progressing. what will happen after more mileage builds on this vehicle? will i be driving down the highway one day and lose control due to steering failure? there is to much smoke here for that not to be fire sooner of later by my explorer or some other owner. how long does it take for a company the size of ford to solve a problem?*ak | |||
| SUSPENSION - FRONT - CONTROL ARM - LOWER BALL JOINT | |||
| 01/16/2006 | 3 | ||
| On january 16, 2006 while driving on the highway i noticed a shaking feeling under the driver's side floor. there was also loud noise. i slowed down and continued to drive. on saturday, january 21, 2006 i brought ford explorer 2002 to a ford dealer for them to drive and take a look. the result was vehicle all over the road, was unstable and needed all 4 wheel bearings, upper rear ball joints. replaced. not safe to drive for very long, must go slow and a $3,000 approximate cost to repair. i contacted ford to complain and to see if they could help out by reducing the cost of fixing it for free. their response was sorry but they could not help. i cannot see how ford can tell me there was nothing they could do when every mechanic i have spoken to said it was unheard for all 4 wheel bearings to go at the same time, especially with only 73,000 miles on the truck. i drive my 6 year old sun to school, left to ford i'm supposed to take my chances with his safety while driving one of their poorly made vehicles. all this after i had to replace the transmission in october when than went while i was on vacation in new hampshire.*ak | |||
| SUSPENSION - FRONT - CONTROL ARM - UPPER BALL JOINT | |||
| 01/16/2006 | 3 | ||
| On january 16, 2006 while driving on the highway i noticed a shaking feeling under the driver's side floor. there was also loud noise. i slowed down and continued to drive. on saturday, january 21, 2006 i brought ford explorer 2002 to a ford dealer for them to drive and take a look. the result was vehicle all over the road, was unstable and needed all 4 wheel bearings, upper rear ball joints. replaced. not safe to drive for very long, must go slow and a $3,000 approximate cost to repair. i contacted ford to complain and to see if they could help out by reducing the cost of fixing it for free. their response was sorry but they could not help. i cannot see how ford can tell me there was nothing they could do when every mechanic i have spoken to said it was unheard for all 4 wheel bearings to go at the same time, especially with only 73,000 miles on the truck. i drive my 6 year old sun to school, left to ford i'm supposed to take my chances with his safety while driving one of their poorly made vehicles. all this after i had to replace the transmission in october when than went while i was on vacation in new hampshire.*ak | |||
| 02/23/2004 | 15000 | 3 | |
| Intermittently when turning corners there was a loud popping sound coming from the front end of vehicle. the problem occurred three times in the last six months. consumer determined that upper ball joints were worn out. *ak | |||
| SUSPENSION - FRONT - HUB | |||
| 02/04/2008 | 54000 | 3 | 01/02/2008 |
| Tl*the contact owns a 2002 ford explorer. while driving 45 mph, the front passenger side of the vehicle makes a grinding and roaring sound. the vehicle could not be driven while making a right turn. as of april 10, 2008, three wheel bearings and hubs have been replaced. the current mileage was 61,306 and failure mileage was 54,000. | |||
| 02/03/2008 | 54780 | 3 | 01/02/2008 |
| I bought my 2002 ford explorer in jan 08, it is now april 08 and i have already replaced the r front wheel bearing, and both rear wheel bearings. it has cost me around $1,200.00 and it only has 60,000 miles on it. once a month i am putting more money into something that i believe should have been a recall. i can count more than 60 complaints about this problem on this particular year and model of vehicle and it amazes me that ford motor company is so naive to such a dangerous problem. are they really insensitive enough to wait until someone dies or gets injured from this? i believe that whatever parts they used when manufacturing these vehicles were defective and i am to do whatever it takes to make them see, even if it means getting a lawyer. between all of us out there i believe we would have a pretty good case if we all get together. so anyone who sees this most recent complaint and agrees with me, i can be contacted at (865)-585-6874 which is my cell number, or you can e-mail me at dyllie@verizon.net and my name is fayann manning. awaiting everyone else's call who feel like they have been screwed over!!! *tr | |||
| 10/15/2007 | 80000 | 2 | 05/28/2002 |
| Rear differential gears had whining noise replaced gears three times...still whining. front hub bearings making grinding noise at 80,000 miles, told they are 1500 to replace, cant afford repair. told if the bearings fail when driving at highway speeds could be a serious safty issue. bearing should not need to be replaced at 80k. have researched on the web and found this to be a pattern on the 2002 ford explorers. something needs to be done on this issue. *tr | |||
| 12/21/2007 | 77500 | 1 | 06/06/2004 |
| The hub on the driver side went bad, causing damage to my axel, rotor, and brakes. almost caused me to have an accident due to this manufacturing problem. *tr | |||
| 01/21/2008 | 71000 | 1 | 05/15/2002 |
| Noise like unbalanced tire coming from left front tire/wheel. noise increases until it becomes a roar like an airplane taking off. steering wheel begins to vibrate. feels like wheel is going to fall off car. mechanic tells me left front hub and bearings must be replaced. the three other wheels are also symptomatic but not as immediately pressing as left front he does not think but won't know until repair is completed later today. repair ball park cost at this time is $600-$700. still, other three wheels bearings/hubs will need to be replaced. car has 70,000 miles, has received all recommended maintenance and has had city driving. ford is aware of this problem. they have issued technical service bulletins about it. they say that only you can issue a recall. there is an internet board at this link http://www.carcomplaints.com/ford/explorer/2002/wheels_hubs/wheel_bearing_failure.shtml where 47 other consumers of this issue model have faced the same issue....repetitive failure of wheel bearings/hubs...to the point where wheels have fallen off. even when replaced the new factory made replacement bearings wear out! please issue a recall for this before somebody is killed when a wheel flies off on a highway! *tr | |||
| 11/22/2007 | 89000 | 1 | 06/19/2007 |
| I bought an 02 explorer. was driving and started making weird grinding noises. took it to the mechanic and its costing me 1000! dollars to replace the wheel hubs and bearings. he said the wheel on the back was ready to fall off! *tr | |||
| 05/07/2007 | 75000 | 6 | 05/10/2005 |
| Grinding noise progressively increased over the last several weeks. took the car to local mechanic. in early 2006 he had replaced a rear hub assembly for noise. he diagnosed that there were three bad wheel hub assemblies and they were the same three replaced in 2006. he stated that this was a very common explorer problem. i felt 6 wheel hub replacements in 2 years was excessive at $450 a pop, including labor. this was a problem that ford needed to address. luckily, two of the three parts were covered under warranty , napa, but i did have to pay for the labor.*ak | |||
| 04/17/2007 | 74000 | 3 | 09/16/2001 |
| Rear axle seals and wheel bearings. we have had to replace the rear axle seals on june 4, 2004 with 4, 000 miles, and on jun 16, 2006 with 69.600 miles. also had to replace rear hub bearings and assembly on april 17, 2007 with 74,000 miles. *ak this is obviously a recurring issue, and i have been told this is a common explorer problem. all work on this vehicle has been performed by reputable ford authorized dealers/service, and would expect work to last longer than 1-2 years. | |||
| 07/28/2003 | 21000 | 5 | 08/16/2002 |
| Dt: problem with back end, took vehicle to the dealer,and dealer said they fixed axle, then, took back vehicle to the dealer, and they fixed hub, and replaced the rear wheel bearings. in last 3 months vehicle has been in shop 3 times. currently, in the shop. went to get oil change last friday, and mechanic noticed oil was leaking from the axle. currently vehicle in shop trying to figure out what was wrong with it. this happened before. they gave consumer an extra 5 yr warranty because of the transmission, and this was 8 months after purchasing the vehicle. dealership kept saying vehicle was safe even though didn't know what was wrong with it. *ak | |||
| 01/08/2004 | 45000 | 10 | |
| I am the fleet manager of the buffalo grove park district and we own four ford explorers two of the four a 2002, and a 2003, explorer 4x4 xlt have had numerous expensive problems such as wheel bearing failures three failures on the 02 explorer and one on the 03, rear strut failure,seals leaking converter clutch failure,rear axle noise gear whine,clutch pack noise,all these problems on vehicles that are out of warranty by mileage but only a couple two or three years old. this year jan 04 to jan 05 3,500 in repairs for these two vehicles, not including the rear axle problems on the 03, this is not acceptable p.s. the mileage 72,000 on the 02, and 51,000 on the 03 *jb | |||
| SUSPENSION - FRONT - SPRINGS - COIL SPRINGS | |||
| 09/15/2005 | 55000 | 2 | 02/23/2004 |
| We recently learned from http://www.nhtsa.gov/ that ford coil spring problems may not be limited to windstar minivans. ford coil spring problems may not be limited to windstars washington, jan. 31, 2001 -- the national highway transportation safety administration (nhtsa) has upgraded its investigation of 926,000 ford windstar minivans after reports that a spring in the suspension system can break and puncture a tire. we own a 2002 ford explorer, vin # 1fmzu73w62ua39932, which has two (2) broken rear coil springs, both occurring at the same time. the springs broke for no apparent reason and the truck is seldom used for hauling; has never been overloaded. the service manager at the local ford dealership admitted he has seen this before on windstar and other ford vehicles, but would not do anything about it, other than repair it at my cost. the cost for the repairs & replacement coil spring(s) was $ 535.00. the truck was out of commission for three days. the ford dealership is: irwin motors union & bisson avenue laconia, nh 03246 thank you for accepting this information and for any assistance you may provide in forcing the manufacturer to stand up to this issue, an issue worthy of a recall due to the safety hazard - the broken coils can cut the tires during travel. dale squires 20 cotton wood trail gilford, nh 03249 . *nm | |||
| SUSPENSION - FRONT - STABILIZER BAR | |||
| 02/01/2008 | 160000 | 1 | 01/02/2002 |
| Tl*the contact owns a 2002 ford explorer. while driving 40 mph, the right wheel turned outwards and the vehicle rolled in a ditch. the contact stated that the stabilizer bar failed. he sustained injuries. the current and failure mileages were 160,000. | |||
| 04/15/2002 | 26500 | 2 | 06/29/2001 |
| Defective 2002 ford explorer front stabilizer bar - since i have purchased this vehicle, the front stabilizer bar has been replaced twice, first on 4/15/02, and again on 5/6/03. i have noticed that nhtsa has asked ford to recall earlier models of this vehicle for this same defect, and i am concerned this could be a safety issue, although the servicing dealer has not indicated it could be. *jb | |||
| SUSPENSION - FRONT - WHEEL BEARING | |||
| 03/17/2008 | 60000 | ||
| Tl* the contact owns a 2002 ford explorer. while driving at speeds of 40 mph, the contact could hear a noise coming from the rear of the vehicle. the dealer found that both the driver and passengers side rear wheel bearings were failing. the wheel bearings were replaced accordingly. the vin was not available . the failure mileage was 60,000 and the current was 80,000. | |||
| 08/01/2008 | 130000 | ||
| Tl* the contact owns a 2002 ford explorer. the contact stated while traveling at unknown speeds, the wheel bearing failed on the vehicle causing her to lose control of the vehicle. the contact was able to barely avoid crashing with another vehicle. she stated that the wheel bearings had been replaced five times. the most recent failure was the sixth failure. the failure mileage was 130,000 and the current mileage was 150,000. | |||
| 02/05/2010 | 70000 | 1 | |
| 2002 ford explorer. wheels nearly fell off due to faulty wheel bearings. needed replaced at only 70,000 miles. a recall is needed for public safety. *tr | |||
| 08/28/2009 | 61000 | 1 | |
| Tl* the contact owns a 2002 ford explorer. the wheel bearings on three of the wheels have to be replaced. a representative from the manufacturer stated since the warranty expired, he was ineligible for a free remedy. the failure mileage was 61,000. updated 01/12/10 *bf updated 01/14/10.*jb | |||
| 07/24/2008 | 106000 | 1 | |
| Right rear wheel making noise and is loose. wheel hub/bearing is loose and wobbly. parking brake pads worn completely off from wheel being tilted. failed wheel bearing!!! 106,000 miles. 2002 ford explorer. also replaced both front wheel hubs for same reason at about 95,000 miles (noisy and rough bearing). *tr | |||
| 07/16/2008 | 65000 | 1 | |
| Front wheel bearing on my 2002 ford explorer had to be replaced at 65,000 miles. shop said if it had been driven much further the wheel would have come off. my extended warranty expired last year and ford will not help. this is evidently a very common problem with this model year and could lead to death or serious injury please issue a recall before anyone gets hurt. *tr | |||
| 05/30/2008 | 79059 | 1 | |
| My vehicle has 79k miles on it and i have all four of the wheel bearings replaced once and the left rear bearing replaced twice. i have never towed a trailer, driven through standing water or overloaded the vehicle at any time. the comments on the internet would indicate that this is a common problem on the 2002 explorer. this problem could cause loss of control of the vehicle. i have not had to replace wheel bearings on other vehicles and i suspect that ford motor company is well aware of this issue. my experience with the dealer was very good. i do not hold joe cotton ford responsible for any deficiencies with my vehicle. *tr | |||
| 02/04/2008 | 54000 | 3 | 01/02/2008 |
| Tl*the contact owns a 2002 ford explorer. while driving 45 mph, the front passenger side of the vehicle makes a grinding and roaring sound. the vehicle could not be driven while making a right turn. as of april 10, 2008, three wheel bearings and hubs have been replaced. the current mileage was 61,306 and failure mileage was 54,000. | |||
| 03/12/2008 | 92000 | 1 | 08/19/2002 |
| Front driver wheel bearing replaced twice in 1.5 years. right rear wheel bearing replaced once already need to replace again. *tr | |||
| 03/01/2008 | 3 | 01/20/2004 | |
| I have ford explorer and have replaced three of four wheel hub assemblies in 3 years. each time i took the car to a repair shop i was told the wheel was close to coming off the car because of the poor condition of the wheel hub assembly( bearings). *tr | |||
| 03/01/2008 | 80145 | 3 | |
| 2002 ford explorer wheel bearing failure with under 80,000 miles on the vehicle. i have replaced the front wheel bearing and now both rear wheel bearings due to failure. the first was a rear hub assembly in 06 then a front in 07 and now the driver side rear in 08. i was told by a ford dealer this is a common problem with a tsb addressing it. the dealer told me if not caught soon enough the tires could actually come off the vehicle while traveling. while this has not happened in my case there is the potential for an accident. also this vehicle has a known defect in the transmission which ford has done nothing about. i have had to replace my transmission at under 70,000 miles and many others have had the same problems i have had with my vehicle as found by searching the web for these problems. *tr | |||
| 02/28/2008 | 82000 | 2 | |
| Front wheel bearings shot at 80k miles. *tr | |||
| 04/22/2007 | 50503 | 1 | |
| 2002 ford explorer caught fire. consumer stated that the vehicle caught fire while his mother was visiting his sister in a different state. no attempt was made to repair her vehicle and rental cost them $600.00 out of pocket. *kb prior to the fire, the consumer asked the mechanic to inspect the vehicle, because warning lights were coming on and going off intermittently. the consumer had a list of documentation relating to electrical issues. the vehicle had to get a jump several times, the vehicle would hesitate when first starting up. the brake lights were stuck, the dealer replaced the brake pedal switch. the cruise control was inoperable so the dealer replaced the brake light switch. the alternator and wheel bearings were replaced. *jb | |||
| 02/11/2008 | 89252 | 3 | 12/18/2006 |
| Wheel bearing failure for third time almost flipped truck i have had it repaired again. *tr | |||
| 02/08/2008 | 83343 | 1 | 12/10/2007 |
| My 2002 ford explorer had rear and front howling noises similar to a jet during take off. also was very unstable at higher speeds. ford dealership found both rear wheel bearings and rear differential bearings need replacing. they also stated that the rear had such a wobble that it would dangerous to drive in its current condition. just the rear wheel bearings cost me almost $600. on further investigation they found the front hubs and ring and pinion noisy and also in need of replacement. the total for these repairs is nearing $3000. no wonder ford is heading into bankruptcy! this vehicle still has well under 100,000 miles, has never towed, plowed or used off-road, all highway mileage. is this why they say ford is fix or repair daily? my next vehicle will not be ford for sure. ford needs to have these issues recalled and fixed before somebody gets hurt. *tr | |||
| 01/31/2008 | 1 | ||
| Potential lost left wheel due to failing wheel bearing. *tr | |||
| 10/11/2007 | 55000 | 1 | |
| I have a 2002 ford explorer and my problem first started with the 4x4 case. the dealership stated it was covered under the warranty and it was fixed. a month or so later my truck began doing the same things, weird noise when driving now i have to get the wheel bearing changed on the left side and that is not covered by warranty. the cost for this repair is estimated. $600.00. *tr | |||
| 02/05/2008 | 92000 | 1 | 12/20/2004 |
| 2002 ford explorer xlt replacing 3rd wheel bearing in 2 years. *tr | |||
| 01/21/2008 | 71000 | 1 | 05/15/2002 |
| Noise like unbalanced tire coming from left front tire/wheel. noise increases until it becomes a roar like an airplane taking off. steering wheel begins to vibrate. feels like wheel is going to fall off car. mechanic tells me left front hub and bearings must be replaced. the three other wheels are also symptomatic but not as immediately pressing as left front he does not think but won't know until repair is completed later today. repair ball park cost at this time is $600-$700. still, other three wheels bearings/hubs will need to be replaced. car has 70,000 miles, has received all recommended maintenance and has had city driving. ford is aware of this problem. they have issued technical service bulletins about it. they say that only you can issue a recall. there is an internet board at this link http://www.carcomplaints.com/ford/explorer/2002/wheels_hubs/wheel_bearing_failure.shtml where 47 other consumers of this issue model have faced the same issue....repetitive failure of wheel bearings/hubs...to the point where wheels have fallen off. even when replaced the new factory made replacement bearings wear out! please issue a recall for this before somebody is killed when a wheel flies off on a highway! *tr | |||
| 01/16/2008 | 87790 | 2 | |
| While driving home from work after having my front bearings done on my 2002 ford explorer i heard a grinding noise from the back of my truck. it felt as though my left rear wheel was going fall off. took the car to the dealer and they want to charge me $705 dollars. i could have died from this and there are a number of people who have the same problems with the bearings. with a very limited budget i am not able to have the part fixed and this will lead to me missing time at work. please look into this problem because ford refuses to do so and there is going be a serious injury from this. please lets not wait until someone loses their life when we can do something about this. *tr | |||
| 01/07/2008 | 5 | 12/18/2006 | |
| Currently own a 2002 explorer xlt with only 65k miles on it. the transmission is in need of a rebuild because is slip from time to time. the rear differential seals are leaking. the entire rear of the vehicle makes a humming noise so i suspect that a rear bearing is going bad. not to mention the 4wheel drive system has not worked since i bought it a little over a year ago. i've had intermittent issues with the air bag control module and also the backup alarm system. there is nothing but poor write-ups about this truck all over the internet. all the same problems i'm experiencing are problems many other drivers have also had. *tr | |||
| 01/06/2008 | 1 | ||
| Wheel bearing went bad. *tr | |||
| 01/11/2007 | 69000 | 4 | 07/12/2006 |
| Wheel bearing failures-4 in a 6 month period of time-cost over 1700.00 too have these repairs-ford will not help out and there customer service is a joke. i have a child that is always with me and 2 times it could have been bad. *tr | |||
| 11/22/2007 | 89000 | 1 | 06/19/2007 |
| I bought an 02 explorer. was driving and started making weird grinding noises. took it to the mechanic and its costing me 1000! dollars to replace the wheel hubs and bearings. he said the wheel on the back was ready to fall off! *tr | |||
| 11/22/2007 | 58000 | 1 | 10/24/2004 |
| Front and rear bearing for the 2002 ford explorer fails while driving. ford is aware of the problem but will not recall until your approval, repairs are made at the owners cost....please help. *tr | |||
| 01/05/2007 | 80000 | 3 | 12/20/2003 |
| Have replaced 3 wheel bearings at the cost of $400 a piece. *tr | |||
| 11/03/2007 | 66849 | 1 | |
| Wheel bearing defective. *tr | |||
| 10/19/2007 | 57000 | 1 | 09/09/2002 |
| I own a 2002 ford explorer xlt. vehicle has @ 57k miles on it. wheel bearings had to be replaced. my understanding this is factory sealed and should not need replacing this quickly. normal lifetime of wheel bearings should be over 100k? *tr | |||
| 10/26/2007 | 68000 | 1 | 01/01/2006 |
| I started hearing something that sounded similar to a having a low or bad tire. tires were replaced and the vehicle is still making sound. after hearing that this was the explorer's downfall, the wheel bearings, i researched the topic online to now see that in the near future i will be trying to replace all bearings more than likely. as documented by other owners, when one bearing goes, they all seem to go. my husband was driving the vehicle yesterday and he said the wheel popped, grinded, and started squeaking; assuming the bearing went out completed, the vehicle is parked to get fixed. i do not have the money that is suggested by other owners to fix this vehicle. if this is a problem with the explorers at this mileage, which seems to happens around 70,000-80,000 miles; this is a safety issue that is affecting the lives of owners. why is the product not recalled? i drive this vehicle with my 4 and 6 year old children in the back seat, if i do get this bearing fixed, what happens when the others go out. i am just very disappointed in ford motor company. my granddad and dad both retired from ford motor company and i have always upheld their name and value; but this is a disgrace and a huge disappointment. view more owner complaints at: http://www.carcomplaints.com/ford/explorer/2002/wheels_hubs/wheel_bearing_failure.shtml *tr | |||
| 10/09/2007 | 49327 | 2 | 04/19/2007 |
| I heard a whining sound coming from the front of my suv. took it to a friend who works on fords and he said it was the left front wheel bearing. he fixed that and the sound continued, so he replaced the right front. the sound went away. two days later same sound coming from the rear. my suv only has 51,000 miles on it. this is a major safety issue especially since i am driving with 3 children. i see that this is way too common. i am lucky that i was not driving my kids when the bearings totally failed and a tire fell off. i still have to old parts, i am considering sending them to ford. they told me in order for them to acknowledge there is a problem i must put the bad parts back on my car and take it to a dealership. risk my life and the lives of my children so i can take it to a dealership? no thanks. i will send them the parts so they can see how bad they are. *jb | |||
| 06/01/2007 | 85000 | 90 | 08/01/2004 |
| Tl*the contact owns a 2002 ford explorer. the contact stated that the vehicle made roaring noises while driving. a mechanic stated that the wheel bearings failed. no repairs were made. the vin, engine size, and speed were unknown. the current mileage was 93,000 and failure mileage was 85,000. | |||
| 07/12/2007 | 66700 | 3 | 05/10/2006 |
| Had to replace three wheel bearings at the same time. one went bad while on vacation. luckily we pulled off the highway for a break and heard a lot of grinding. took it to a repair shop and they wiggled the tire like a loose tooth. technician said the wheel was about to come off and could have at highway speeds. with only 67,000 miles on this vehicle this must be a manufacturers defect that could have cost me and my family our lives! now i am told the transmission is failing. ford needs to do something about this. *tr | |||
| 04/17/2007 | 74000 | 3 | 09/16/2001 |
| Rear axle seals and wheel bearings. we have had to replace the rear axle seals on june 4, 2004 with 4, 000 miles, and on jun 16, 2006 with 69.600 miles. also had to replace rear hub bearings and assembly on april 17, 2007 with 74,000 miles. *ak this is obviously a recurring issue, and i have been told this is a common explorer problem. all work on this vehicle has been performed by reputable ford authorized dealers/service, and would expect work to last longer than 1-2 years. | |||
| 11/01/2006 | 80000 | 2 | 04/22/2002 |
| Rear wheel bearing failure at 80,000 miles, both rear bearings. *jb | |||
| 01/02/2007 | 97773 | 1 | 12/06/2003 |
| 2002 ford explorer two issues 1/1/07 - grinding of rear wheel. 1/2/07 - o/d light started flashing, within 7 miles service engine light came on. car would not accelerate until letting off the gas. 1/2/07 - call aaa to have car towed to local ford dealer. ford quoted $5,100 for repairs. we denied repair at ford. due to out of pocket expenses we had a local transmission shop do the repairs. we did not want to give ford any more money since we were told by several repair shops that this is a very common problem with ford explorers. the local shop indicated there were tsbs published and they had to buy special equipment from ford to fix the problems. if companies are buying special tools because the problem is so common, isn't there a problem? we also investigated many numerous websites to read about many complaints regarding the exact same problem. to repair the car we purchased rear wheel bearings and the transmission shop purchased an overhaul transmission kit. they repaired both problems for less than $5,100. unfortunately, a co-worker had the exact problem with her car just last week. she came to warn me of the problem with her car only to find out i picked mine up from the shop the same day! *nm | |||
| 11/09/2006 | 1 | ||
| A whining sound comes from the front end end of the vehicle, upon first inspection by a mechanic a bad tire was found and blamed on the noise. as it was bearable at highway speeds, we ignored it trusting the diagnosis. we planned on purchasing tires soon and believed the problem would be solved. new tires were purchased and an alignment done and the same sound came from the front end most noticeably 45-65 mph. now we are told it is a wheel bearing and the cost for the parts alone is $350.00 not to mention the $55/hr. labor. we already had the rear end replaced for noise and now we are told that a dangerous situation involving another part of the drivetrain is looming. this is unacceptable and i would hope that ford would acknowledge the problem that the vehicles have and remedy it. i have heard of this happening to vehicles with far less than my 65,000 miles and these parts were build to last a whole lot longer as they were supposed to be sealed and maintenance-free, instead they fail too often and cost a fortune. i believe this will be my last ford product if i do not receive some sort of satisfactory response from ford. *nm | |||
| 07/01/2006 | 1 | 08/01/2002 | |
| Dt*: the contact stated the hub bearings are wearing out locking the wheel up causing the vehicle to lose control on the road. the front and rear wheel bearings are both wearing out. the dealer determined there was no way of checking the hub bearings. because hub bearings are sealed, they can't be greased, or serviced. the contact expressed that the vehicle can't be service for the hub bearings, therefore there is no way to determine when this might happen again, and create a potentially fatal accident.*ak | |||
| 07/20/2006 | 54700 | 1 | 04/25/2002 |
| Bearings. noticed a clunking coming from the front. was told i need new bearings and it would cost approximately $1200. only 55k miles. *nm | |||
| 05/21/2006 | 80000 | 2 | 04/07/2004 |
| On new years eve 2005-2006 the wheel bearing on the driver's rear broke while i had my family with me. the wheel bearing had to be replace. the vehicle is a 2002 ford explorer xlt v6 with 80000 mi. on it. no warranty. on 5/21/06 while driving interstate speeds, the passenger rear wheel bearing broke and steering wheel jerked to the right. i was able to keep the vehicle under control and get off the interstate. i removed the wheel and found all but one stud had been sheared off. the wheel nearly fell off a 65 mph. i had heard a noise earlier and stopped to check, but found nothing. i thought something had fallen from the roof. my family was again with me. i called ford customer service, but was told that they would not do anything except enter it into the file. i made a complaint and requested a supervisor call me back even though i was told repeatedly that nothing more could be done and the operator couldn't even give me another person whom i could talk with concerning the matter. this is unacceptable and obviously a ford problem. i paid $150 for a tow and i'm waiting for the wheel to be fixed. *nm | |||
| 02/17/2006 | 65000 | 2 | 02/18/2002 |
| In feb of 2006 with 65,995 miles on my car i heard a whirring/grinding noise from the passenger side while driving. i made an appointment with my mechanic for later in the week (~4 days) to have the noise looked into. 1 day prior to taking my car to the mechanic the noise got much worse and i took it in immediately. i was told that the right rear wheel bearing exploded and damaged the brake and emergency braking system. i had this repaired and chalked it up to bad michigan roads. in may of 2006 the left rear wheel bearing also eroded/wore out and needed to be replaced (only 68,368 miles at the time). the warehouse/retail outlet where my mechanics purchased the replacement wheel bearings told me the person working the counter commented on how many requests ford has had for wheel bearings as of recent. my mechanics (as well as friends and family) told me i should contact ford as well as nhtsa with this information since the component failure effected the emergency braking system. i am following through on that request and have placed a letter in the mail to ford motor company and am awaiting their reply. i would appreciate an independent 3rd party's evaluation of this situation since i have been told by my mechanic as well as others the auto repair and industry that wheel bearings should last throughout the life of the automobile (or at least to 100,000 miles. *jb | |||
| 03/10/2006 | 2 | ||
| No start no spark ford could not figure it out, 1200.00 it was a faulty main wiring harness also loud noise in rear end no help from ford, broken wheel bearing. should not have been. *nm | |||
| 05/01/2006 | 1 | 01/12/2002 | |
| While changing the transmission fluid at the ford dealer for my 2002 ford explorer with 60,000 miles, the technician mentioned that there was a loud noise from my rear left wheel, the bearing had to be replaced. doing research, i have found numerous other 2002 ford explorer owners with similar complaints, that bearings were going bad with mileage that is below the normal need for bearing replacement. if you hear from others on this problem, it may be time for a factory recall. *nm | |||
| 02/18/2006 | 2 | 08/29/2002 | |
| After 60,000 miles two wheel bearings needed replacement. *nm | |||
| 01/16/2006 | 3 | ||
| On january 16, 2006 while driving on the highway i noticed a shaking feeling under the driver's side floor. there was also loud noise. i slowed down and continued to drive. on saturday, january 21, 2006 i brought ford explorer 2002 to a ford dealer for them to drive and take a look. the result was vehicle all over the road, was unstable and needed all 4 wheel bearings, upper rear ball joints. replaced. not safe to drive for very long, must go slow and a $3,000 approximate cost to repair. i contacted ford to complain and to see if they could help out by reducing the cost of fixing it for free. their response was sorry but they could not help. i cannot see how ford can tell me there was nothing they could do when every mechanic i have spoken to said it was unheard for all 4 wheel bearings to go at the same time, especially with only 73,000 miles on the truck. i drive my 6 year old sun to school, left to ford i'm supposed to take my chances with his safety while driving one of their poorly made vehicles. all this after i had to replace the transmission in october when than went while i was on vacation in new hampshire.*ak | |||
| 07/03/2004 | 36000 | 1 | 07/25/2002 |
| 1. i noticed a humming type sound that would increase as i sped up. i thought i had a wheel out of alignment, or tire off balance. i was due for my 36,000 mile maintenance check, so i took it to the dealership to have everything checked out. they performed a $400.00 maintenance package to my vehicle on may 4, 2004, of which i thought included inspecting tires, wheels, etc. they returned my vehicle to me and as i drove home, noticed the humming sound was still occurring, but i just had everything checked, and thought it was just a noise that was normal. 2. the noise continued on, getting worse (louder) and was bothersome, so i took it to a local mechanic for a second opinion. upon review of my vehicle, he suggested replacing the right rear wheel hub assembly and bearings. 3. on july 3, 2004 the rr hub assembly and bearings were replaced at a cost of $360.52. the problem was solved. i don't believe the old part is still available. but, after speaking with other mechanics, i have heard this has been a problem with several vehicles of this type and wanted to let someone know i had a problem with this too. | |||
| 07/12/2005 | 32000 | 1 | 04/01/2002 |
| Dt: the van was only 3 years old and only had 32,000 miles on it and the left front wheel bearing has already failed. it was making a roaring noise every since purchasing the car. took it to dealer for inspection, and they told her the bearing was bad. *ak | |||
| 06/21/2005 | 91000 | 1 | 07/15/2004 |
| Dt: consumer states vehicle has defective wheel bearings, mainly in the rear, but he also had to replace one on the front. the vehicles wheels started grinding and they became loose on the axle. he took the vehicle to a local mechanic, who stated that all of the wheel bearings on this particular model were going bad. the consumer tried to notify the manufacturer but they were unresponsive.*ak *jb | |||
| 06/17/2005 | 1 | 12/02/2001 | |
| Dt: contact states there was a humming noise coming from the vehicle. the rear passenger wheel bearing was bad, the service dealer stated this was a safety concern, and to bring the vehicle in right away. the wheel bearing has been replaced. *ak | |||
| 07/28/2003 | 21000 | 5 | 08/16/2002 |
| Dt: problem with back end, took vehicle to the dealer,and dealer said they fixed axle, then, took back vehicle to the dealer, and they fixed hub, and replaced the rear wheel bearings. in last 3 months vehicle has been in shop 3 times. currently, in the shop. went to get oil change last friday, and mechanic noticed oil was leaking from the axle. currently vehicle in shop trying to figure out what was wrong with it. this happened before. they gave consumer an extra 5 yr warranty because of the transmission, and this was 8 months after purchasing the vehicle. dealership kept saying vehicle was safe even though didn't know what was wrong with it. *ak | |||
| 04/11/2005 | 41400 | 2 | |
| I took my 2002 explorer in for recall on rear door. they told me that both rear springs broke. this vehicle has less than 44,000 miles on it, and has the tow package although nothing was ever towed. the springs that broke are at the very top and hard to find. mechanic would have had to know to look there to find it. this led me to believe that there have been others with the same problem.*ak | |||
| 10/20/2004 | 87000 | 2 | 08/30/2002 |
| While driving 30 to 40 mph a crunching sound was heard. the dealer stated the front wheel bearing failed. please provide additional information. *jb this is the second front wheel baring failure. *tc | |||
| 09/01/2001 | |||
| This vehicle has been in the service department 3 times since september 2001. the steering column has been replaced, the wheel bearings have been replaced(this was suppose to eliminate steering column rattle) and the lower control arm has been replaced. i still hear and feel a metallic rattle coming from the steering column. in my review of your website other 2002 explorer owners are experincing the same problem. i have talked to at least three other owners that have the same problem. my dealer has done everything recommended by ford, but nothing has solved the problem. ford is working on it. they have been working on it since september 2001. my safety concern is this. if something is loose that is causing this noise it has to be progressing. what will happen after more mileage builds on this vehicle? will i be driving down the highway one day and lose control due to steering failure? there is to much smoke here for that not to be fire sooner of later by my explorer or some other owner. how long does it take for a company the size of ford to solve a problem?*ak | |||
| SUSPENSION - REAR | |||
| 08/11/2011 | 47000 | ||
| I have a 2002 ford explore with 47,000 miles. was told both rear springs were broke during vehicle inspection. don't know when they broke. daily driver only, no towing. should not happen at 47,000 miles should have a recall with all the complaints with springs. | |||
| 05/04/2010 | 114000 | ||
| Both rear coil springs (strut assembiles) broken on 2002 ford explorer xlt. breaks in steel coil springs discovered during dealer inspection in 2010. vehicle is used for standard daily driving on paved roads. resulted in sagging rear of vehicle and degraded vehicle control in bumpy terrain. parts likely broken for some time before detection. replacement parts have been installed to correct problem. photos of broken parts available. | |||
| 06/30/2011 | 80000 | ||
| Rear cracked/crumbling strut springs both sides | |||
| 06/09/2011 | 26116 | ||
| Upon taking my 2002 ford explorer for a routine oil change. i was informed by the ford dealer that my left rear spring was broken. my explorer only has 26,116 miles, how could the springs break? i never carry anything heavy, usually only one person is in the vehicle. iv'e been reading on the internet and there are hundrets of other people with the same problem. why hasn't nhtsa looked in this issue since it is a safety problem? ford motor co. knows this is a defect since they changed their design after it was discovered. can nhtsa re-exemine this issue and order a recall before someone jets injured. | |||
| 01/01/2005 | 50000 | ||
| Rear springs are cracked and my mechanic and freinds said its a common problem among 2002 explorers. also saw many complaints and photo's of the same problem online | |||
| 02/10/2011 | 107000 | ||
| Our 2002 ford explorer xlt with 109,000 miles has serious transmission slippage between 2nd and 3rd gears. the local dealer and an independent repair shop state that the transmission needs replaced at a cost between $2,500 and $3,500. it is dangerous to drive in its current condition because there are times when it will not accelerate. the rear differential and ball bearings also need replaced according to 2 seperate mechanics. there is a random thumping coming from the back of the vehicle daily. the cost to repair is between $2,000 and $5,000. they cannot tell us exactly until they actually get in there to do the repair. | |||
| 03/07/2011 | 46000 | ||
| Both rear coil springs on my 02 ford explorer broke. there wasn't any indications prior for us to know it would happen.when it did it fell onto rubber stops but tracted crooked and spring almost hit tire.i went to dealer they said no recall call ford. i called ford rep said nothing they could do not enough complaints to justify a recall or fix my exploror.i went to local parts store and bought monroe quik strut.. installed myself.saved old parts just in case because ford said get rid and save my receipt for parts in case of future recall.vehicle mileage at time was about 46000 miles | |||
| 03/02/2011 | 58000 | ||
| Rear coil spring. after having tire rotated was informed that driver rear spring was broken. had both rear coil springs replaced since this seems to be an eventual problem down the road. | |||
| 03/21/2011 | 200000 | ||
| Tl-the contact owns a 2002 ford explorer. the contact stated that the vehicle was taken to inspection and failed because the rear coil springs were broken. the vehicle was repaired by a local mechanic. the dealer stated that there were no related recalls. the manufacturer had not been notified. the current and failure mileages were approximately 200,000-bk | |||
| 10/10/2010 | 83000 | ||
| 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. | |||
| 08/18/2008 | 140816 | ||
| Tltl-the contact owns a 2002 ford explorer. there was a loud noise coming from the rear of the vehicle which caiuses the back wheel to have a failure. the vehicle was taken to a mechanic who stated the rear differential system, rear wheel and back hub needed to be replaced at a cost of $3,600. the dealer and the manufacturer was contacted but stated there was no recalls and offered no assistance. the vehicle was not repaired. the failure mileage was 140,816.-mw | |||
| 11/15/2010 | 76000 | ||
| The contact owns a 2002 ford explorer. the contact stated that the vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic to replace rear brakes where a technician noticed that both rear coil springs fractured. repaired brakes and rear springs. was informed by shop that this is a very common issue with 2002 ford explorers. the failure mileage was approximately 76,000. added note, this vehicle has never been used to tow or carry heavy loads, only used as personal transport. | |||
| 12/31/2010 | 162000 | ||
| Left side coil spring snapped suddenly while car was parked in driveway. | |||
| 04/04/2010 | 75000 | ||
| Tl-the contact owns a 2002 ford explorer. the contact stated the vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic for an unrelated repai; and the technician noticed that both rear coil springs fractured. the vehicle was not repaired. the failure mileage was approximately 75,000. js | |||
| 08/25/2010 | 90000 | ||
| During the 90,000 mile servicing of this vehicle, it was discovered that the rear coil springs on our 2002 ford explorer xlt had rusted completely through and needed to be replaced. we do not reside in a coastal area resulting in exposure to the salty ocean spray nor do we drive this vehicle in off road situations that would cause water to accumulate under the vehicle. for these reasons there is no apparent cause for the coil springs to prematurely rust through. i don't want to think what would have happened to my wife or i if these springs would have fallen completely off while the vehicle was being operated. | |||
| 10/15/2010 | 90000 | ||
| 2002 ford explorer ltmd...90k miles front wear bearings completely blew out, rear struts leaking massive oil and rear springs fractured....had front bearings replaced when it disables brake usage from tires being crooked in next couple of days need to have rear end done with struts, springs and bushings....all new parts no choice and $2600.00 later in all the springs are the biggest issue, they should not break | |||
| 10/02/2010 | 77000 | ||
| Broken rear springs. my ford service manager said that there is a known problem with broken rear springs on explorer's as well as other ford's. this is very dangerous as the driver has lost the functionality of the truck. mine broke while sitting at a stop light and my daughter and i heard a loud bang. i thought a tire blew. $800 to fix, for just the 2 rear springs, but service manager said he would recommend replacing the fronts as well. until i can get truck in for service i am afraid to drive the truck as the bottom of the spring landed on the rear suspension and may cause further damage as it rubs. i drove truck slowly home as the truck now leans to the right (side that failed) and i have definitely lost the handling characteristics to this truck. | |||
| 09/06/2010 | 107000 | ||
| 2002 ford explorer. rear springs/coils rusted, broken, on both sides didnt know until i had estimate done for noise in front end which turned out to be uv joint. i understand to repair back springs it will cost about $325 each side and the other things i need uv joint, wheel hub, strut,etc...another $400 this is sad!!! | |||
| 08/28/2010 | 172000 | ||
| Noticed fluid on rear passenger side lower control arm. upon closed inspection, noticed fluid coming from rear shock and both rear coil springs were broken. repair estimates to replace both rear coil spring assembly range from $655 to $800. | |||
| 09/06/2010 | 140000 | ||
| 2002 ford eplorer xlt 4wd rear coil spring broke under normal driving condition. created bad situation with car swaying left to right. had to replace spring and strut. also all 4 wheel bearings had to replaced in 5 years. | |||
| 08/28/2010 | 172000 | ||
| Noticed fluid on rear passenger side lower control arm. upon closed inspection, noticed fluid coming from rear shock and both rear coil springs were broken. repair estimates to replace both rear coil spring assembly range from $655 to $800. | |||
| 09/06/2010 | 140000 | ||
| 2002 ford eplorer xlt 4wd rear coil spring broke under normal driving condition. created bad situation with car swaying left to right. had to replace spring and strut. also all 4 wheel bearings had to replaced in 5 years. | |||
| 08/28/2010 | 172000 | ||
| Noticed fluid on rear passenger side lower control arm. upon closed inspection, noticed fluid coming from rear shock and both rear coil springs were broken. repair estimates to replace both rear coil spring assembly range from $655 to $800. | |||
| 09/06/2010 | 140000 | ||
| 2002 ford eplorer xlt 4wd rear coil spring broke under normal driving condition. created bad situation with car swaying left to right. had to replace spring and strut. also all 4 wheel bearings had to replaced in 5 years. | |||
| 08/28/2010 | 172000 | ||
| Noticed fluid on rear passenger side lower control arm. upon closed inspection, noticed fluid coming from rear shock and both rear coil springs were broken. repair estimates to replace both rear coil spring assembly range from $655 to $800. | |||
| 09/06/2010 | 140000 | ||
| 2002 ford eplorer xlt 4wd rear coil spring broke under normal driving condition. created bad situation with car swaying left to right. had to replace spring and strut. also all 4 wheel bearings had to replaced in 5 years. | |||
| 08/27/2010 | 94000 | ||
| Rear springs both cracked-front & rear wheel bearings bad needed to be replaced ford should recall these vehicles before someone seriously if not already has been hurt or killed in an accident | |||
| 08/17/2010 | 179000 | ||
| 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. | |||
| 08/12/2010 | 77000 | ||
| Left rear permanently sealed wheel bearing failure. | |||
| 06/19/2010 | 58000 | ||
| Rear coil spring found broken during routine brake inspection | |||
| 04/14/2010 | 61000 | ||
| While in traffic today, my 2002 ford explorer suddednly lost drive power. fortunately, the driver behind me was not tailgating and noticed my vehicle slow down rapdily. i now find this transmission failure is a very common problem with ford 2002 explorer. in fact on one web site alone, www.autobeef.com i see over 861 complaints on this issue alone all with 2002 explorers. transmission fialures in heavy traffic and at higher speed could certainly be a significant safety issue. also last year replaced both rear springs that had failed and broke completely affecting breaking. | |||
| 04/12/2010 | 250000 | ||
| Tl*the contact owns a 2002 ford explorer. the rear coil springs on the vehicle broke which the contact was informed of during a brake inspection. the dealer stated that the coil springs were the same used on the ford taurus model and that they were aware of the failures with the springs. the current and failure mileages were approximately 250,000. | |||
| 03/31/2010 | 107418 | ||
| I have a 2002 ford explorer and both rear coil springs are completly rusted and broke in several places..i realize that my vechile is now 8 years old and has 100,000 miles but i've read online that many people have had this same problem with these springs breaking and blowing tires. now im paying close to 400 dollars to have this replaced. i think ford needs to take action and stop neglecting them buying cheap material and playing with people lives and safety. they should reimburse those who have had this problem and fix all vechiles of this year... | |||
| 02/21/2010 | 92500 | ||
| Broken rear springs causing struts to fail | |||
| 03/17/2008 | 60000 | ||
| Tl* the contact owns a 2002 ford explorer. while driving at speeds of 40 mph, the contact could hear a noise coming from the rear of the vehicle. the dealer found that both the driver and passengers side rear wheel bearings were failing. the wheel bearings were replaced accordingly. the vin was not available . the failure mileage was 60,000 and the current was 80,000. | |||
| 03/02/2010 | 110000 | 1 | |
| When i took my 2002 ford explorer v8 into the shop to get new tires i was told that my rear coil spring is broke and would need to be replaced. i have never been off road with my vehicle and only drive mostly highway. i was told by the mechanic that this is common for my vehicle and i should file a complaint. i had no idea it broke or how it did but my car started leaning to one side. i have small children that need to be in a safe and dependable vehicle. there needs to be a reall done for this issue before there is serious injuries. my vehicle has 115k miles. | |||
| 02/20/2010 | 64300 | 1 | |
| The broken rear springs (both) on our 2002 ford explorer xlt 4x4 caused a near accident on veterans parkway in bloomington, illinois. the springs completely shattered and were broken on both the right and left rear making the suv much less stable in lane changes. when traffic suddenly slowed, we almost loss control when we tried to change lanes. it was a miracle there was not an accident. ford has known about the bad steel in these springs for years and there are hundreds of reports on the internet of this same problem on 2002 to 2005 ford explorers. we are having to pay out of our pockets about $700 for vehicle repairs even though there is a ford service bulletin on this problem. *tr | |||
| 02/19/2010 | 127000 | 2 | |
| 2002 ford explorer 4x4 limited with 2 broken coil springs 127,000mi. *tr | |||
| 02/01/2010 | 124000 | 1 | |
| I brought my 2002 ford explorer to my mechanic because i noticed a very loud rubbing noise. upon inspection, my mechanic discovered that both rear coils were cracked. my vehicle is a soccer mom car and has never been off-road. he had to replace the coils, rear rotors and rear wheel bearings because of the damage from the coils. my vehicle has approximately 124,000 miles. *tr | |||
| 01/10/2010 | 90000 | ||
| 2002 ford explorer xlt 4.0 engine. rear coil spring failure. the vehical has never been used off-road and the springs do not have surface rust but both are broken. car in for recall on cruise control and ford found issue. turns out it is very common in this model and ford dealers find it a great way to make extra dollars. u-haul will not rent trailers to owners of ford explorers. they say that there are too many claims but will not reveal nature of claims. ford said that they have no comment on issue. i can forward e-mails from both u-haul and ford stating such. *cn | |||
| 02/06/2010 | 75000 | 1 | |
| I have a 2002 ford explorer with about 75,000 miles. i took it to my dealer due to a recall notice, and they performed a multi-point inspection. during this inspection, they said that both of my rear springs were broken. i found this hard to believe because i don't tow anything and i drive city streets and highways. through investigation on the internet, it seems this is a common problem for 2002 ford explorers. i will need to replace the springs as they could puncture a tire leading to an accident. the cost of the springs seems to be about $125 plus labor. *tw | |||
| 07/10/2009 | 80000 | 1 | |
| On 01/29/2010, i took my 2002 ford explorer 4x4 to kill brake & wheel to have new tires put on the vehicle. the technician/mechanic advised me that the left rear spring for the vehicle was broke, but sitting in the center. i called tiffin brake & wheel to schedule an appointment to have the springs replaced. i was advised by an employee that the business has had a lot of explorers have their springs replaced. the employee also mentioned that a complaint should be filed, because a recall may be in order due to the amount of explorers with broken springs. i am concerned with this issue, because the vehicle has not been off roaded and/or abused. the vehicle has been well maintained. the actual date when the spring broke is unknown. *tr | |||
| 01/28/2010 | 89000 | 1 | |
| Took the truck into have a vibration and noise checked out coming from the rear of the vehicle. turned out to be a failure of passenger rear knuckle assembly and wheel bearing. went on car complaints.com to see if a recall was issued for this. there were report of the same type of failure with the wheels actually coming off. *tr | |||
| 01/07/2010 | 88000 | 1 | |
| 2002 ford explorer rear coil breakage.. was driving and my back end dipped no noise just leaning. went to mechanic and realized coils have just rusted out, are you serious. explorer only has 87k. parts just rusted out and broke. *tr | |||
| 12/18/2009 | 67400 | 1 | |
| I took my 2002 ford explorer with 67k miles on it to the dealer for a recall. they offered a free inspection of which they informed me the right rear spring was broken. there was no indication it was broken while driving the vehicle, so there is no way of knowing when it broke. the problem will be corrected by replacing the spring. no improved spring part number was available for ford, so i expect it to break again in about 70k miles if i buy a new ford spring. *tr | |||
| 04/28/2009 | 70000 | 1 | |
| 2002 ford explorer driver side rear coil spring broken. *tr | |||
| 11/14/2009 | 93346 | 1 | |
| 2002 ford explorer rear springs broke , punctured the tire. *tr | |||
| 11/11/2009 | 63164 | 1 | |
| Both rear coil springs rusted through and broke on 2002 explorer. this was noticed during inspection while having the oil changed. it appears to be bad steel as there have been many reports of this on the internet. ford should recall and pay for anyone who has already had to have these replaced. my take on this is it needs immediate attn.(in the form of a recall from ford) to save lives. *tr | |||
| 11/11/2009 | 86000 | 1 | |
| 2002 ford explorer xlt rear coil springs . i have been in contact with many explorer owners and they report that their rear coil springs are breaking and cracking prematurely! as of now, no recall has been issued for this problem and as i checked under the rear end of my explorer today, both rear coils are broken and will need replacement. as i understand, this problem does not only exist in 2002 models, but others also. *tr | |||
| 10/29/2009 | 1 | ||
| Upon inspecting our 2002 ford explorer for state inspection, i discovered the right rear coil spring to be broken. this is one of two broken on this vehicle to date, the first was the left rear discovered by the local ford dealer when in for a routine check, they replaced that spring, i replaced the right side & still have the pieces (3 to be exact) in my possession. we have also had all four axle bearings replaced. one of which became so hot, the left side rear hub cap melted & fell off the wheel. all four bearings were replaced by the dealer. none of the bearings or hub cap were under warranty so we were stuck with those & the rr spring expense. knowing the type of part failures on our explorer it brings up a more crucial question of, could any of them have resulted in serious consequences. rollover,swerving off of the road to possibly hit something or someone,etc. what could have happened if both rear coil springs broke around the same time? i've always enjoyed ford products, repaired many,hope they will take this and apply it to tougher test standards. vehicles' current mileage is over 120,000 i understand other ford models have had other coil spring concerns also, such as a notice we received when we owned our '95 windstar. *tr | |||
| 07/01/2007 | 60000 | 1 | |
| 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 | |||
| 10/02/2009 | 118524 | 1 | |
| 2002 ford explorer xlt. this suv has a third seat, that's seldom used. has a towing package that's been rarely used. rear coil springs that tell me none of these extra options can be used. without endangering everybody in the car, as well as everybody on the road. this car was driven daily, to and from work, and seldom used on the weekends. parked on pavement, not gravel, or grass, and never off road. why are they breaking? does the general public have to be warned to avoid driving past one of these suv's because they may randomly veer off the road with a tire blowout? this is typical of ford to send out recalls on the hatch, but not the much more serious (life safety) problem with it's rear coil springs. *tr | |||
| 09/09/2009 | 28000 | 1 | |
| I own a 2002 ford explorer. while having my tires rotated the mechanic told me that my rear drivers side coil spring was broken. i am waiting for the dealer to order new springs as it appears both need to be changed. i was made aware of this on 9-9-09. so i don't know when it broke. i did not hear any noise or notice any difference in handling. *tr | |||
| 08/14/2009 | 85000 | 1 | |
| I took my car in for a simple oil change and inspection and they noticed 2 rear coil springs broken and bad rear right wheel bearing. i feel this is a major repair/recall ford motor company should take care of before someone seriously gets injured or dies. i drive this vehicle to and from work locally with 2 small children under the age of 6. i'm glad we didn't get into a major accident with this happening. *tr | |||
| 08/12/2009 | 60000 | 1 | |
| 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 | |||
| 08/04/2009 | 79000 | 1 | |
| After hearing several different noises coming from the explorer, i took it in to have it checked out. i was told that the front struts were broken and needed replaced. i paid to have those replaced. after leaving, i continued to hear a second noise. i took the vehicle back to have it checked out again. i was told that they couldn't find any problem. after another week i didn't hear the noise anymore. i then started having problems with a chugging occurring in the engine. while having this serviced, i was told that the rear springs were broken and the struts also need replaced. the first estimate for the rear springs and struts was $780! so far on the 2002 explorer i have had to have the transmission rebuilt (50k miles), od sensor replaced (45k miles), abs sensor replaced (45k miles), rear control arm replaced (75k miles), front struts (78k miles), and rear latch replaced (recall). the emergency brake (75k miles) also needed replaced. when the control arm was replaced, the emergency brake crumbled apart. i was told by the dealership that i am luckily the broken spring did not pierce the tire and cause a blowout. the springs/struts and the transmission are common problems and should be recalled. between paying out of pocket and the issues covered by an after market warranty, over $5000 have been spent on a vehicle 7 years old with only 79000 miles. this vehicle has never towed anything or been driven off road. *tr | |||
| 07/26/2009 | 65000 | 1 | |
| I was changing the rear brakes on my mothers 2002 ford explorer and found that the left rear coil spring was broken in 2 places and cracked quite some distance through the center of the spring. i looked online to see if this is a common problem and it turns out it is a huge problem. the first link i clicked on lead me to a forum with 92 threads were people have had broken springs on their 2002 explorer. this is clearly a widespread issue. i do have the old spring, but am missing one part because it must have fallen out while driving. *tr | |||
| 07/21/2009 | 51109 | 1 | |
| I took my car to have the tires replaced. when the mechanic put the car on the lift he informed me that both of my rear springs were crumbling. one of the springs was broken in 3 places, the other was broken in two places. the mechanic claims in his 30 years of experience he has never seen a broken spring at 51,000 miles, when the vehicle is only used as a family car and had not been a result of an accident. he said how lucky i was that the spring did not come apart killing myself and my family on the highway. we contacted ford, hoping that they had recalled this fault after we saw hundreds of complaints about the same problem on the internet. ford said there was no recall and we were responsible for repairs. this repair is going to cost over $500. i guess it is a small price when my family could have been killed. i am hoping the government can contact all ford explorer customer to warn them of this problem and hopefully prevent a certain death. *tr | |||
| 07/10/2009 | 70707 | 1 | |
| When in a ford dealership for lube, oil & filter change, the mechanic noticed that both rear coil springs were broken. *tr | |||
| 05/10/2002 | 41000 | 1 | |
| Rear coil springs failed on 2002 ford explorer. vehicle only has 4,100 miles on it. this was found while oil was being changed at the dealer. it appears this is a very common problem with this vehicle. ford need to be held accountable with this many vehicles having the same problem. now i'm facing a 500.00 repair bill. *tr | |||
| 07/01/2009 | 62932 | 1 | |
| While rotating the tires on my 2002 ford explorer i found that both rear springs are broken. i believe this is caused due to sub standard materials as my car has never been used for off road or towing. my car has only 62,000 miles. both springs and struts will have to be replaced. *tr | |||
| 02/25/2009 | 85000 | 1 | |
| Broken rear coil springs on 2002 ford explorer xlt, 85000 miles. also need front and rear wheel bearings, seat belt tensioner, emergency brake repair. *tr | |||
| 06/16/2009 | 114500 | 1 | |
| Broken rear coil springs were discovered during routine brake replacement. truck had been handling poorly, was brought to dealership for brakes & shocks. service advisor advised of discovery of cracked springs, had to keep vehicle overnight for repair/replacement. *tr | |||
| 06/15/2009 | 59000 | 1 | |
| Driving from parking lot, heard a loud thump from the rear. upon inspecting, the rear coil spring is broken in two places. *tr | |||
| 06/09/2009 | 103000 | 1 | |
| Passenger side rear coil spring broken in half near top portion. apparently it is a common problem with this year of explorer, but nothing has been fixed yet. *tr | |||
| 06/10/2009 | 86000 | 1 | |
| I drive a 2002 ford explorer with 86,000 miles. the driver side rear coil spring broke. *tr | |||
| 05/29/2009 | 123000 | 1 | |
| Just like thousands of other 2002 ford explorer owners both of my rear coil springs are broken at the top of the spring and need to be replaced because they rusted from the inside out (poor quality) i also had to replace both rear wheel bearings. obviously this year vehicle has rear end issues that need to be addressed by ford. i just cannot understand why there is no coil spring recall? ford must know there's a problem with them, all you need to do is search the web to see that several other owners have the same problems with the rear end. this should be dealt with because it | |||
| 05/09/2009 | 86000 | 1 | |
| Rear coil spring failure on 2002 ford explorer. *tr | |||
| 04/24/2009 | 61500 | 1 | |
| I own a 2002 ford explorer, purchased new in 2001. first a few years after the vehicle was purchased, my o/d light stated flashing. i brought the vehicle to my local ford dealer as it was still under warranty. the transmission was overhauled and haven't had a problem. in 2008 i had routine brake replacement done on my vehicle at a local garage and when this was done the technician working on the vehicle noticed that my rear coil springs were broken and nearly fell out. i had this problem replaced with new shocks and springs and did not think something like this would happen because the vehicle had low mileage. now just recently with 61000 miles on my vehicle the o/d light began to flash again, i had problems shifting from park to reverse, their was a definite slip, and also noticed a few days before the light came on that their was a shudder when upshifting from 4th to 5th gear. i brought the vehicle to my local ford dealer and they determined that i needed to replace the transmission. due to the cost of this being over $4000.00, i decided to bring it to a reputable transmission repair facility. i did get a lower quote and authorized the repair. i spoke to the owner of the business and he advised me that the transmission needed to be remanufactured and they also found water or coolant in the transmission fluid. the owner also advised me of the fact that their is a vent for the transmission and it was plugged with some sort of plug which should not be their. *tr | |||
| 04/30/2009 | 76000 | 1 | |
| Rear coil spring broke after only 76,000 miles. light driving most times. *tr | |||
| 03/30/2009 | 65000 | 1 | |
| I own a 2002 ford explorer with 65,000 miles on it, have never towed anything or used it for hauling heavy loads. i take my small children back and forth to school and drive 15 miles round trip to work 3 days a week. both rear coil springs are rusted and broken - passenger side broken in 3 spots, driver's in one spot. this has ruined the rear struts. car is now dangerous to drive. *tr | |||
| 04/07/2007 | 1 | ||
| During normal operation the rear spring assembly has broken. they have been replaced once before and the ones installed are now broken. this is very hazardous as the spring could puncture the tire while vehicle is in motion causing and accident. *tr | |||
| 03/28/2009 | 65879 | 1 | |
| The coil spring on my 2002 ford explorer snapped off at the top and now rests atop my sway bar. i have read of several complaints of this happening since it has happened to me. *tr | |||
| 03/10/2009 | 68000 | ||
| Tl*the contact owns a 2002 ford explorer. the contact noticed that the rear of the vehicle was lower to the ground than usual. the vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic and a ford dealer and they both verified that the rear coil springs failed. the failure mileage was 68,000. | |||
| 03/15/2009 | 109211 | 1 | |
| I was driving home when all of a sudden i heard a loud clang from the rear of the car. i felt the back of the car drop. luckily, i was only about 100 yards from home so i drove it home. looking under the car once i got it home it was immediately noticeable that the driver side rear coil spring had just snapped. this car has never been used for towing or going off road; it is strictly a highway vehicle. this is an unacceptable problem, had i been on a highway or the turnpike it could have blown out my back tire causing a wreck. both rear coil springs and struts will have to be replaced now. *tr | |||
| 12/17/2008 | 1 | ||
| Rear coil springs broke on 2002 explorer for unknow reason. *tr | |||
| 09/09/2007 | 40000 | 1 | |
| 2002 ford explorer xlt. whining from the rear has grown to a loud roar at any speed over 10mph. we don't drive this car very often, so we ignored the problem thinking it was the tires. from all i have read and heard, this can only end in a bad situation since it involves the rear differential and wheel bearings. this problem should be labeled as a recall and ford should have to pay for the repairs. this is a serious safety recall issue. *tr | |||
| 02/27/2009 | 61500 | 1 | |
| 36,006 miles rear axle seals started leaking, had new set put on. not even 10,000 miles & that set started leaking. had third set put on. 61,500 miles & leaking again! mechanic says i have a broken rear coil spring. could the springs have been faulty all long causing the rear axle seals to leak? *tr | |||
| 02/28/2009 | 91000 | ||
| Tl*the contact owns a 2002 ford explorer. while driving approximately 35 mph, the vehicle began bouncing abnormally. upon further inspection, the contact noticed that the rear passenger coil spring was fractured. she is in the process of having the vehicle repaired and notifying the manufacturer. the failure and current mileages were 91,000. | |||
| 01/24/2008 | 78000 | 1 | |
| This is my wifes 02' 4x4 v8 explorer,we brought it new and now have 78,000 miles in it,at first i heard some noise i thought it came from the tires that pretty worn out so i went to change out the new tires while i was in the shop and wait i ask the guy can i go in there to check out the brake pads i notice the rear springs broke???? the more searching i did the more thing i find out, wheel bearing??? no more ford....... *tr | |||
| 02/23/2009 | 80000 | 1 | |
| I was hearing a loud sound from the rear-end, thought it was the tires so i replaced them. brought the vehicle in because i believe the bearings were going, which they were, at which time they stated the rear spring was snapped. the car is in the shop now getting repaired and i am unsure how this happened because i never felt anything that seemed like a spring snapping. i was also informed by the mechanic that it is a common problem in fords and mercurys..... *tr | |||
| 02/21/2009 | 82000 | 1 | |
| I took my 2002 ford explorer in for new tires(82k miles) and the mechanic told me one of my rear coil springs was broken in 3 places. i hadn't noticed any knocking or noises as i drove my truck, and i don't use it off-road or take it anywhere where there's great stress put on the suspension system. to my knowledge the struts weren't damaged due to the spring failing, but i didn't have another $300 to replace both rear springs after getting new tires. i've noticed that an alarming number of people are seeing this problem with their '02 explorers. ford should be doing something about this. *tr | |||
| 11/01/2008 | 1 | ||
| After getting my rear tires replaced, the mechanic told me that i had a crack in my right rear spring for my suspension. *tr | |||
| 02/03/2009 | 84000 | 1 | |
| Looks like this is a fairly common complaint. i have a 2002 ford explorer, with 84k miles. i have been told that both rear coils are broken. based on what i am reading on misc blog sites, a great number of 2002 ford explorers have had these issues. obviously there is a defect on these rear coils and it seems like ford should step up and offer free replacements. i am going to try to replace myself as the garage wanted $850 for the work, but, after seeing the work involved, i'm not wondering if it might be easier to sell the truck and get a reliable vehicle. *tr | |||
| 02/10/2009 | 81222 | 1 | |
| After failing inspection because both rear coil springs were broken. vehicle has never towed or carried heavy loads. *tr | |||
| 02/07/2009 | 101000 | 1 | |
| Found part of my rear spring for my 2002 explorer lying on the floor of the garage. upon inspection i see the driver's side spring and the top that holds the spring are broken and crumbling. the passenger side spring and top has several cracks. this is at 101,000 mi, never driven off road and only light towing. i believe this is a serious safety issue because it could very well fail with a fully loaded vehicle on the highway leading to loss of control. *tr | |||
| 01/24/2009 | 93000 | 1 | |
| During a service the rear spring was foind to be broken in two places. the first two coils of the righ rear coil spring were broken. *tr | |||
| 01/07/2009 | 66475 | 1 | |
| Broken coil springs-car is not used for towing or other activities. many such reports of premature coil breakage. my car has 66k miles on it--no third seat. both coils broken. *tr | |||
| 12/21/2008 | 85000 | 1 | |
| 2002 ford explorer with broken coil spring, crack under rear window, and transmission slip, broken parking brake shoes in assembly. same complaints that seem to be common. and same with everyone else, no help from ford. *tr | |||
| 12/29/2002 | 78000 | 1 | |
| 2002 ford explorer xlt. when having brakes replaced mechanic informed me both rear springs were broken. in checking web this appears to be a common problem with various ford products. approx. mileage 78,000. mechanic said the springs can break apart while driving, causing a blowout. again, if this is a known, common problem with fords, why hasn't there been any recall regarding this? luckily no accident/incident because the problem was discovered prior to one occurring. *tr | |||
| 12/16/2008 | 82989 | 1 | |
| Only 83,000 miles on my 2002 ford explorer and i am faced with a bill of around $2,500 for repairs. the rear wheel bearings and hubs need to be replaced. the rear struts need to be replaced. the front stabilizer bar bushings need to be replaced. when the car is driven you can hear noises like a whining sound. it sounds almost like a plane is landing in my back seat. *tr | |||
| 12/10/2008 | 108845 | 1 | |
| 2002 ford explorer 4x4 eddie bauer. left rear suspension hub/bearing failure. vehicle located and driven in southeast michigan (detroit area) where roads are salted in winter. vehicle in service date (12/12/2001). incident date (12/10/2008 - 108845 miles). right rear suspension hub/bearing failure at an earlier date. *tr | |||
| 03/08/2006 | 69216 | 1 | |
| 2002 ford explorer 4x4 eddie bauer. right rear suspension hub/bearing failure. vehicle located and driven in southeast michigan (detroit area) where roads are salted in winter. vehicle in service date (12/12/2001). incident date (03/08/2006 - 69216 miles). left rear suspension hub/bearing failure at a later date. *tr | |||
| 12/10/2008 | 108845 | 1 | |
| 2002 ford explorer 4x4 eddie bauer. left rear suspension coil spring fracture. vehicle located and driven in southeast michigan (detroit area) where roads are salted in winter. vehicle in service date (12/12/2001). incident date (12/10/2008 - 108845 miles). right rear suspension coil spring fractured at an earlier date. *tr | |||
| 03/07/2006 | 69216 | 1 | |
| 2002 ford explorer 4x4 eddie bauer. right rear suspension coil spring fracture. vehicle located and driven in southeast michigan (detroit area) where roads are salted in winter. vehicle in service date (12/12/2001). incident date (03/08/2006 - 69216 miles). left rear suspension coil spring fractured at a later date. *tr | |||
| 12/09/2008 | 107540 | 1 | |
| I took the vehicle to a dealership to have the struts looked at and they told me that the right rear wheel bearing was in need of repair and both rear coil springs were broken. i have noticed on other chat rooms that this is a common occurrence for this make/model of vehicle and i was referred to this site. *tr | |||
| 10/25/2008 | 67000 | 1 | |
| Vehicle taken to dealer for state inspection. both rear suspension coil springs were cracked through. parts are being replaced by dealer. old parts are available. *tr | |||
| 10/14/2008 | 66400 | 1 | |
| On 10-14-2008, took vehicle in for routine nys veh inspection. midas mech informed me that a 5 inch piece snapped off at the bottom of the pass side rear coil spring . you could see that the coil spring wasn't seated right anymore. vehicle mileage was approx 66,400. never used off road. mech informed me that 2002 ford explorers are notorious for defective wheel hubs (which is true because i recently just replaced both about 1000 mi ago at $1400) and for the strut coil over springs snapping. enough already!! when will the gov make ford own up to design and safety failures !!!??? i could have been traveling on the highway when this coil spring piece snapped off and could have punctured the tire or the brake line or the fuel tank!! *tr | |||
| 10/16/2008 | 56500 | 1 | |
| 2002 ford explorer used for non business driving. no heavy loads or trailers. no off road use. no incidents with objects in road, pot holes, obstacles etc. both rear suspension springs broken. one spring broken in 3 places. noticed @ 56,500 miles. springs had been broken for a while(rust on breaks). didn't notice it until recently broken spring on other side asymptomatic. the only immediate consequences to me were a large repair bill. it could have been a lot worse if i was presented with a need for an emergency maneuver and the faulty suspension caused an accident. i replaced both rear springs and struts. parts in repair shop trash. won't last there too long. repair shop reports seeing similar problems with explorer and related ford models. internet search revealed many people had same problem with no history of abuse reported. had rear brakes serviced at the same time. had to replace shoe pads on parking brake because the pads both fell off. use parking brake infrequently. repair shop reported seeing this problem previously also. *tr | |||
| 10/12/2008 | 85000 | 1 | |
| My 2002 ford explorer rear springs broke just the other day. mine had rusted out and broke at the bottom and top of the springs from rusting out. *tr | |||
| 10/10/2008 | 70000 | 1 | |
| 2002 ford explorer badly rusted cracked rear coil springs. while doing brake job noticed how rusted and cracked rear coil springs where. car has less than 75,000 miles on it never towed no heavy weight springs should not crack like that. could have shot out and caused major damage (ie shot through tire or gas tank loss of control of vehicle etc.) *tr | |||
| 10/01/2008 | 80000 | 1 | |
| Normal driving car with very little light towing had rear coil spring failure. i was able to drive the car to the mechanics to get fixed however there is absolutely no reason this part should fail at only 80,000 miles. i have driven cars with factory springs that had 200k on them. and someone could have been hurt, including myself. *tr | |||
| 04/12/2008 | 75263 | 1 | |
| My 2002 ford explorer has broken rear suspension springs. my vehicle has 75,000 miles on it. i have noticed that there are numerous customers with this same problem. this may be due to bad steel or heat treatment of the parts. i am requesting action on this item. i do not do any hauling or towing to cause the problem. *tr | |||
| 10/01/2008 | 75000 | 1 | |
| Brought our 2002 ford explorer xlt into the dealer with 75,000 miles on it to check out a noise in the rear end. was told it needed a new wheel bearing. this is the second wheel bearing that we've had to replace. the dealer also found that both rear coil springs were broken. said they may have been broken for some time. will cost $250 for the wheel bearing and $500 for new springs. was told ford will not pay for the defective springs. have never towed anything with the vehicle. have read on the internet about lots of other people experiencing rear spring failures as well. *tr | |||
| 09/21/2008 | 82000 | 1 | |
| Rear coil spring broke and damaged the strut. dealer repaired both at cost to consumer, also suggested i replaced the other side before it fails. this ford explorer has never towed anything or has never been off road. all four wheel bearings have been replaced on truck at 50,000 miles. but truck was under extended warranty. *tr | |||
| 07/12/2008 | 135000 | 1 | |
| Heard grinding noise which mechanic diagnoses as rusted and broken rear coil spring. shortly after, the other rear coil spring broke into several pieces. metal used in coil springs seem to be defective and should not need to be replaced after 5 years. no off road driving. normal use. *tr | |||
| 09/12/2008 | 80000 | 1 | |
| Rear spring broken on 2002 ford explorer with 80,000 miles. *tr | |||
| 08/01/2007 | 1 | ||
| Broken rear springs, two uppermost coils collapsed on both drivers and passenger sides. i noticed it when i was changing the brake pads and rotors in august 2007. from the rust, it appears that the springs have been broken for a while. have yet to replace since it doesn't seem to have effected handling, but intend to do it this fall just to be safe. *tr | |||
| 07/07/2008 | 84500 | 1 | |
| First the back (both) wheel bearings went. sounded like a nasty grinding noise, very loud. i had them replaced at 750.00 to replace them and that was not including the fact that they destroyed my brakes and they had to be replaced also..very expensive.. no warranty..than replaced the drivers front bearing and not the passenger side bearing is going..will replace very soon. *tr | |||
| 08/16/2008 | 86091 | 1 | |
| Rear spring breakage both rear springs were broken vehicle not used for rough duty the dealer it was purchased from said there was no recalls or campaigns but parts manager stated he has sold seven sets of springs for theses vehicles i believe this needs to be addressed being it is a safety and handling issue. *tr | |||
| 08/12/2008 | 60255 | ||
| Vehicle was purchased in november 2007 where a complete inspection was made of the vehicle and its components. since that time, the vehicle was not driven off-road, had any heavy loads, towed anything, or an unusually hard driving. strange noise was heard coming from the rear suspension, found to be the rear coil springs both snapped at the top. the vehicle is kept outside during new england winters. | |||
| 07/28/2008 | 87000 | 1 | |
| Just found out rear coil springs are both broke. with simple search on web, found numerous other owners of 2002 ford explorers have same issue. this is a factory defect, i shouldn't have to pay for it. plus, its unsafe! *tr | |||
| 07/28/2007 | 77700 | 1 | |
| 1. roaring noise in rear end 2. left and right rear bearings shot 3. replace left and right bearings and hubs. *tr | |||
| 07/26/2008 | 110000 | 1 | |
| Both rear springs are broken at the top. also, driver rear tire blew out on inside sidewall with about 50% tread left (suspect broken spring gouged the tire). also had to replace right rear wheel bearing (noisy and wobbly) and parking brake shoes (completely worn off from tilted axel hub). 110,000 miles. also both front wheel bearings were replaced at 95k miles (making noise). where is the safety recall? *tr | |||
| 07/24/2008 | 106000 | 1 | |
| Right rear wheel making noise and is loose. wheel hub/bearing is loose and wobbly. parking brake pads worn completely off from wheel being tilted. failed wheel bearing!!! 106,000 miles. 2002 ford explorer. also replaced both front wheel hubs for same reason at about 95,000 miles (noisy and rough bearing). *tr | |||
| 07/15/2008 | 80500 | ||
| Tl*the contact owns a 2002 ford explorer. after a routine inspection, the mechanic stated that both rear coil springs failed. after being informed of the diagnosis, the contact remembered hearing clunking noises and odd suspension-related behavior. he called ford to find out if his vehicle was included in any recalls and was informed that there were none. the manufacturer has not been notified. the current mileage was approximately 80,552 and failure mileage was approximately 80,500. | |||
| 08/01/2007 | 75000 | 1 | |
| 2002 ford explorer - both rear springs rusted and cracked. one in 2006 and the other in 2007. this vehicle driven by wife and not off road or for towing. on the net there are many, many owners with same exact problem. dealership says it is a safety concern but manufacture won't do anything about it. *tr | |||
| 07/12/2008 | 85123 | 1 | |
| 2002 ford explorer xlt 4x4 rear coil spring broken. *tr | |||
| 06/30/2002 | 93200 | 1 | |
| Left rear spring broken approximately 3 from top of spring. spring protective coating only 20% remaining and essentially non functional. extremely heavy rust in this region of spring. *tr | |||
| 06/26/2008 | 55000 | 1 | |
| March '07: rear gate split under window december '07 through jan '08: rear differential rebuilt twice, rear axel hubs and bearings replaced; differential noise still loud june '08: torque converter replaced. *tr | |||
| 06/16/2008 | 91446 | 1 | |
| I was driving home and turned the corner and this clanking noise began coming from the rear wheel of my truck. i took the tire off to check the brake calipers and and were spinning the hub and got resistance and clanking sounds. i went to the repair shop and was told the left rear bearings had gone out. *tr | |||
| 06/18/2008 | 118000 | 1 | |
| Rear wheel bearings worn out on ford explorer. looks to be a huge problem with them. it should be a recall item to be fixed. luckily no accident/or injuries!!! *tr | |||
| 05/30/2008 | 79059 | 1 | |
| My vehicle has 79k miles on it and i have all four of the wheel bearings replaced once and the left rear bearing replaced twice. i have never towed a trailer, driven through standing water or overloaded the vehicle at any time. the comments on the internet would indicate that this is a common problem on the 2002 explorer. this problem could cause loss of control of the vehicle. i have not had to replace wheel bearings on other vehicles and i suspect that ford motor company is well aware of this issue. my experience with the dealer was very good. i do not hold joe cotton ford responsible for any deficiencies with my vehicle. *tr | |||
| 05/30/2008 | 95774 | 1 | |
| There is a loud whining sound from back end and get louder the more you accelerate. the rear end or bearings need to be replaced. *tr | |||
| 05/01/2008 | 65000 | 1 | |
| Needed lower tierod ends replaced and it was discovered that both rear coil springs were rusted and broken. *tr | |||
| 05/27/2008 | 81000 | 1 | |
| Rear coil springs (left & right) have both rusted through and are only held in place by the weight of the vehicle. *tr | |||
| 05/02/2008 | 100000 | 1 | |
| Rear bearings in 2002 ford explorer. major grinding and loud scratching noises coming from drivers side rear end. i see that this is a known problem with the 2002 ford explorer, and that possible fatalities could occur by the tire falling off. i have 3 children, all under 10 years old, and this is my primary vehicle. *tr | |||
| 05/26/2008 | 87000 | 1 | |
| Purchased vehicle used in april 2007 - vehicle was certified by the dealer prior to the purchase, i inspected the vehicle and test drove it. there were no issues at this time. over the last 3 months, both rear coil springs are broken. the right side is broken in multiple pieces and damaged the strut. i have done zero towing / hauling anything other than people. the vehicle is difficult to handle when you hit a bump in the road - feels like you are going to lose control. i have no idea when they originally cracked/broke. i noticed a loud noise in the rear and finally did some online research and then took it to a shop. a very expensive repair. *tr | |||
| 10/07/2007 | 98000 | 1 | |
| Transmission started to slip with no warning and completely went out on my wife's way to work. this happened at 98,000 miles. now there is a issue with the wheel bearings and also had to replace the four wheel drive module two years earlier. *tr | |||
| 04/22/2008 | 90000 | 1 | |
| Both rear spring crumbled. *tr | |||
| 10/13/2007 | 1 | ||
| Bought the car used in sept. 2007. a month and a half later, had to replace rear passenger wheel bearing. a month after that, we had to replace the driver side rear wheel bearing. driver door window motor went a week after the wheel bearings. abs light is on. also had to replace two coils in the electrical unit. put approximately 3,000.00 into car since purchase in less than eight months. *tr | |||
| 05/11/2008 | 100000 | 1 | |
| Huge problems with rear differential on 02 ford explorers. ford should take accountabilities for there lack quality in terms of engineering and manufacturing. thought it would be a good family vehicle. unfortunately it is unsafe and a drain on the finances. *tr | |||
| 05/08/2008 | 80000 | 1 | |
| I purchased a pre-owned 2002 ford explorer at the end of 2007. at the time of purchase, the vehicle had just under 60,000 miles. around 65,000 i began to hear a high pitched howling sound coming from the rear of the vehicle. i had the noise investigated and had both rear wheel bearings replaced as a result. this did not, however, solve the problem. the noise continued and intensified. recently, the sound began to be accompanied by a low grinding sound and a definitely perceptible 'dragging' affect. this happened just shy of 80,000 miles. after extensive research, my problem has been re-diagnosed as a rear drive train/axle problem. i have also recently discovered that this is a persistent problem with this make/model, but ford is refusing to acknowledge/accept responsibility for the problem and the potential safety concerns associated with the rear axle seizing up during normal operation. this link: http://www.carcomplaints.com/ford/explorer/2002/drivetrain/rear_differential_problems.shtml represents a list of ongoing complaints relative to this particular issue. *tr | |||
| 04/29/2008 | 61109 | 1 | |
| We are in the process of replacing the left rear outer tie rod and which the mechanic says displays excessive wear and movement. also replacing rear gas charged struts (displays excessive wear and movement), rear coil springs (bent, cracked, and loose), and rear strut mounts. $1100.00 on a car with 61109 miles on it. this vehicle is never used to haul or tow anything. we have trucks for that. i'm sick to see all of these complaints on the same problem - it can't be a coincidence. *tr | |||
| 07/19/2007 | 51894 | 1 | |
| At 51,894 we were surprised to find that our rear wheel bearings and hub assembly had to be replaced this started as a whine and clicking noise total charge to fix approx 750.00 -- according to others on this site this could have caused an accident. at this time we also had a very loose parking brake, but was told by the dealer that it couldn't be tightened until the grooves wore out? *tr | |||
| 04/03/2008 | 1 | ||
| We have had problems with the rear differential since buying our vehicle in 2003. the first time we had it fixed was two weeks after buying it. it has been fixed 3 times and we are about to fix again. after some research i found that this is a problem with hundreds of owners of 2002 ford explorers. there is no recall because they say it is not a safety issue, however; the mechanic said if not fixed the rear wheels could lock up causing an accident. i consider this a safety issue, especially when my children are in the car. *tr | |||
| 05/01/2006 | 45000 | 2 | 06/20/2005 |
| I purchased my 2002 ford explorer from a ford dealer in april 2005, with approximately 45,000 miles on it. i immediately noticed a humming noise coming from the rear and thought that i needed to replace the tires. after purchasing all four new tires, the noise continued to worsen. by 60,000 miles the noise was unbearable and i was told by a local garage that the right rear hub seal was the problem and that the wheel could fall off if i didn't replace it. the entire housing needed to be replaced, due to rust fusing the parts together. surprisingly, the noise continued (although somewhat more muffled this time), but i was afraid to drive it. i do alot of local on and off highway driving and i was afraid of losing a wheel at higher speeds. i took it into a ford dealer and both rear hubs needed to be completely replaced. i now have 105,000 miles on this vehicle and the problem has not re-occurred. i just can't believe though that ford has not owned up to this wide-spread problem by making these ford-owners whole after they're made to spend anywhere from $500 to $1500 (like i did) to repair a problem that surely they must know could potentially cost them another headline! | |||
| 04/09/2008 | 75000 | 1 | 08/25/2001 |
| My 2002 ford explorer xlt made a loud tinging, screeching noise on a tuesday morning ,especially noticeable when turning the wheel. it was not a consistent sound. my husband lubricated the bushings that night, thinking that was the problem. next day, the sound was progressively worsening, i even heard it when i was driving in a straight path, but the noise still was not consistent. it did seem louder with a clanking sound in the rear of the vehicle. that day on the highway coming home from work the noise was intermittent until i had slowed down for traffic and it began to vibrate and shake. fortunately, i was at my exit and was two blocks from home. i was absolutely frightened. there was a rubbing sound now that was at the rear rt side of the car. later, that evening we were told it was probably the bearing. first my husband went out and purchased the bearing from a ford dealer. then he came to find out that the entire kit was needed, as well as, a special tool to get the bolt off which took hours to loosen and release. today he is still trying to replace the rt rear wheel bearing with the kit from an auto store since ford is not open and this is our one means of travel for the family. please include this complaint with any others as a near miss for an accident that could have occurred on the beltway in rush hour traffic. this could have been worse. i feel very lucky, but i want ford to know about this incident and to consider this a safety recall for others. as i have done some research i have heard that this is happening far too often and is a serious hazard to other ford explorer owners and the public. the car wheel could have come off as well as the drive shaft could have broken. i have also read that this is not something that should occur on a 2002 vehicle. there have been reports of the left side having problems not too long after the rt or vice versa. please notify me of any updates on this issue. thank you. *tr | |||
| 03/31/2008 | 1 | ||
| Problems with this explorer over my ownership include: -rear glass replaced -front brakes replaced -rear wheel bearings have required replacement, -parking brake issues, -new tires, etc. *tr | |||
| 03/15/2008 | 102000 | 1 | 06/10/2004 |
| Failed rear wheel bearing. car swaying side to side, possible rollover if at high speed. *tr | |||
| 03/02/2008 | 69500 | 1 | |
| My rear passenger wheel bearing is going out... this had happened to many other explorers drivers and i do not think it is safe..... wheel could fall off to unknown driver. *tr | |||
| 02/10/2008 | 96000 | 1 | 09/18/2006 |
| I purchased my 2002 ford explorer eddie bauer in 2006, there is a roaring sound and from other responses from the internet i see that alot of people are having this same problem and a mechanic that works for ford said that it could be very dangerous and the back wheels could lock up at anytime that is very dangerous to me. please consider a recall on this for it very important to me and alot of other people. the rear end (axle) is very important. *tr | |||
| 03/12/2008 | 92000 | 1 | 08/19/2002 |
| Front driver wheel bearing replaced twice in 1.5 years. right rear wheel bearing replaced once already need to replace again. *tr | |||
| 03/10/2008 | 74000 | 2 | 05/02/2002 |
| I own a 2002 explorer, with only 74k miles on it. i began making a severe humming noise while driving. took into dealer and i was told that my right rear wheel bearing was bad and this i need to get this fixed right away. i had it in within a day, while they fixed my right rear, they noticed that one of my front wheel bearing is going bad. from what i am hearing ford is aware that on the 2002 explorers there are issues with the wheel bearings. i am glad ford recognizes that.....considering this seems to be a dangerous scenerio, especially as i travel with my 5 year old in the vehicle. ford needs to do a recall on 02 explorer's wheel bearings. *tr | |||
| 11/19/2005 | 100000 | 5 | 11/12/2005 |
| I have had the rear bearings replaced 4 times and the complete rear hub assemblies and bearings replaced once (total 5 times) the car is dangerous to drive and sways going down the road. the sway links have been replaced twice. the problems keeps recurring. i have all parts bills dating back to 11/2005 when problems started and continue to date. *tr | |||
| 02/25/2008 | 83000 | 1 | 11/15/2007 |
| Noise coming from rear end of vehicle. mechanic states both rear bearings are bad. also states this is a very common problem with 2002 ford explorers. cost estimate of 700.00-800.00. problem can lead to wheel falling off vehicle while under way. *tr | |||
| 02/21/2008 | 114954 | 1 | 12/18/2004 |
| 2002 ford explorer xlt, car will not shift out of 2nd gear. over drive off light flashes and shifting stalls. no replacement has happened yet, but seems like everyone else who has had this happen to them needed a transmission rebuild. i don't have the money to shell out for a rebuild. also 5 months after purchasing the car, i had to replace the rear ball baring hubs and bearings. the total cost was 1,000 dollars usd. we need ford to recall the transmission. *tr | |||
| 02/17/2008 | 74935 | 1 | 10/19/2002 |
| After normal driving i began to hear a loud grinding and humming noise coming from the rear drivers side tire of my 2002 ford explorer. after going to my mechanic he had said my rear bearing and hub are bad which also made my rear tire unstable. he began to tell me it is a major problem with this vehicle and the bearings, hubs, and brakes were defective due to the fact that they cannot handle the braking load of this vehicle. after researching the problem online it would seem he is correct. this is a major safety problem in that all the bearings and hubs eventually go bad and can fail at anytime making the tires unstable and could fall off during driving. this is obviously a defective design and /or parts installed in this vehicle. there are many complaints of the same events happening to other owners. since this is a major safety issue and a very expense fix for unsuspecting owners i hope you look into this issue and make ford issue a recall. thank you. *tr | |||
| 02/06/2008 | 92000 | 1 | 04/18/2002 |
| 02 ford explorer, bad wheel bearing, go on internet and find out very high failure rate of these bearings that could cause wheel to come off and potentially kill someone. ford will not recall these bearings. *tr | |||
| 02/12/2008 | 3 | 10/15/2002 | |
| I have a 2002 ford explorer and replaced the right rear wheel bearing in 2004, again in oct. of 2006, and now in feb. of 2008. the right front was also replaced in dec. of 2006. *tr | |||
| 02/08/2008 | 83343 | 1 | 12/10/2007 |
| My 2002 ford explorer had rear and front howling noises similar to a jet during take off. also was very unstable at higher speeds. ford dealership found both rear wheel bearings and rear differential bearings need replacing. they also stated that the rear had such a wobble that it would dangerous to drive in its current condition. just the rear wheel bearings cost me almost $600. on further investigation they found the front hubs and ring and pinion noisy and also in need of replacement. the total for these repairs is nearing $3000. no wonder ford is heading into bankruptcy! this vehicle still has well under 100,000 miles, has never towed, plowed or used off-road, all highway mileage. is this why they say ford is fix or repair daily? my next vehicle will not be ford for sure. ford needs to have these issues recalled and fixed before somebody gets hurt. *tr | |||
| 01/23/2008 | 125000 | 1 | 11/08/2005 |
| This vehicle has been maintained per manufactures recommendations. it is not used off road and run under normal conditions. with no warning and no previous noise the right rear wheel hub/bearing failed. the bearing came apart and the wheel was so loose it was walking 1-2 inches side to side. had my wife not been driving slowly there could have been a horrific wreck. luckily she was close to a shop when it happened. i have not fixed it as of yet but am in the process now. i know i will need a hub, bearing and the brakes were knocked out by the walking motion. there should have been a recall on this. i see on the internet where a lot of individuals have had the same issue. *tr | |||
| 01/31/2008 | 74156 | 1 | 10/06/2001 |
| Grinding noise from rear especially driver side rear humming and swaying brought to dealer replaced rear hub and bearing assemblies both sides replaced front sway bar links and bushings both sides. *tr | |||
| 01/30/2008 | 71997 | 1 | 10/30/2001 |
| Heard loud roaring noise coming from back rear tires. had explorer checked to find out that right rear tire was almost ready to come off explorer. after doing some looking around on the web i found out that many other ford explorer owners are also having these hubs/bearings wearing out very early (50-70k miles). this is a very dangerous problem and ford needs to recall these explorers before someone gets hurt. thank you *tr | |||
| 01/17/2008 | 69000 | 1 | 10/01/2001 |
| Vehicle mileage: 69,000. loud grinding noise from rear of vehicle while driving on the highway. no previous warning. required tow. replaced 2 cracked rear springs, 2 damaged struts, 2 rear wheel bearings. unusual and dangerous incident for this mileage. we now know it is a notorious problem - old parts available. *tr | |||
| 01/04/2008 | 69888 | 3 | 11/09/2004 |
| I have a 2002 ford explorer v6 and in the past 2 years i have replaced both left and right rear wheel bearing and about to replace the one on the right side again. i called ford and they told me they could only recall a vehicle if you ladies and gentle call for a recall. i have spent over $1200 dollars on this problem and about to spend another $600. i checked on line and realized i was not the only one with this problem. hundreds of others have had this problem with the explorer but still no recall. i was just wondering what should i do about my problem. i'm tired of spending money on a truck that barely six years old and had less than 70,000 miles when this problem first occurred. *tr | |||
| 11/22/2007 | 58000 | 1 | 10/24/2004 |
| Front and rear bearing for the 2002 ford explorer fails while driving. ford is aware of the problem but will not recall until your approval, repairs are made at the owners cost....please help. *tr | |||
| 10/19/2007 | 57000 | 1 | 09/09/2002 |
| I own a 2002 ford explorer xlt. vehicle has @ 57k miles on it. wheel bearings had to be replaced. my understanding this is factory sealed and should not need replacing this quickly. normal lifetime of wheel bearings should be over 100k? *tr | |||
| 09/01/2007 | 3 | ||
| 1. rear wheel bearing failure, manufacturer sealed part 2. failed 3 times, passenger tire broke free from wheel while driving down road with 2 young children in the car. 3. fix both rear wheel bearings three times at a cost of $800 each time totaling $2400 in wheel bearings. this part is not suppose to fail....i have been told it is a manufacturer's sealed part, but i have 6 different ones for this vehicle and they all fail!!! all bought at the dealership, but no warranty applies as they last long enough to out live that! *tr | |||
| 06/15/2007 | 63400 | 2 | 07/15/2006 |
| Grinding noise sounding like it is from rear end, especially accelerating at high speeds, and turning. told to replace rear hub assembly. *jb | |||
| 02/28/2007 | 82000 | 2 | |
| Rear wheel axle bearings. i have a 2002 ford explorer that had 85,000 miles on it. i had to have the rear wheel axle bearings replaced. i drove the vehicle about 20,000 and it was just over a year and the rear bearings went out again. ford would not cover these. i had to pay full price again to have them replaced. numerous people i have spoken with said there have been many problems with the bearings. also a very close friend of mine also has a 2002 explorer and she has had to have her bearings replaced too. *tr | |||
| 04/18/2007 | 65000 | 2 | 01/26/2003 |
| Tl*the contact owns a 2002 ford explorer. on february 21, 2007, the contact replaced the rear driver side hub assembly. currently, the vehicle is in the shop a second time for the passengers side hub assembly. on april 18, 2007, the contact heard a loud rumbling noise while driving 65 mph. the vehicle began to operate as if the alignment had failed. someone driving beside the contact informed her that the rear wheels appeared as if they were about to detach from the vehicle. the current and failure mileages were 65,000. | |||
| 05/01/2006 | 83000 | 1 | 04/01/2002 |
| Tl*- the contact owns a 2002 ford explorer. while driving 50 mph he heard a loud noise coming from the rear wheels. the mechanic stated that the wheel bearings were rusted and should be replaced. the dealer made the repair. the failure mileage was 83,000 miles at the time of the repair. there had not been any other occurrences since the repair. the vehicle | |||
| 04/13/2007 | 65465 | 2 | 06/07/2001 |
| 1. inspected rear coil springs. 2. found both rear coil springs broken, causing rear of vehicle to sag. 3. had both rear coil springs replaced, also replaced the rear struts. i still have the old coil springs and struts. *ak | |||
| 03/02/2007 | 1 | ||
| 2002 ford explorer was in an accident because of wheel bearing problems**nar**cc transferred to dad **cg the consumer was told the wheel bearing failed due to wear, however the consumer stated there was no noise prior to the accident. *jb | |||
| 03/09/2007 | 960000 | 100 | 03/01/2002 |
| Car started making humming noise when going 30-45 mph, took to a mechanic who ref me to the dealership to check the transmission and then for transmission flush, still the same issue, i was advised that the tires needed to be replaced, i have 4x4 which requires the same 4 tires or the car will jerk. the brake pedal vibrates, and the 4x4 gauge doesn't work, replaced the component and still the same issue. any who to make a long story short, now i am hearing a clinking and rubbery sound coming from the rear of the vehicle. i am now forced to take the car in... and of course be charged a ridiculous fee, for them to run diagnostics on the truck to diagnose the issue, and then of course pay for parts and labor.... my next car will be a foreign car.. they break down less, and the cost of maintenance and equivalent or less then the cost of maintaining a good ole' american made ford vehicle. (lexus, kia, and i believe either mazda or toyota are owned by ford.. so steer clear of those brands). timeline reflects the latest issue, and the amount of previous problems.. amount to many. *jb | |||
| 02/26/2007 | 1 | 05/31/2002 | |
| My 2002 ford explorer has been repaired for major transmission and rear end problems approx. 15 times in the past 3 years. the transmission continues to slip between 2nd-3rd and 3rd-4th gear. in reverse the clutch binds up. the rear end roars and was replaced at 35,000 miles (after numerous fix attempts) and at 66,000 miles rear wheel bearings, ring gear & pinion were replaced. the transmission was almost overhauled at 35,000, re-programmed approx 3 times and needs to be done again now. the compass has failed twice. *jb | |||
| 09/01/2003 | 83000 | 3 | 04/15/2003 |
| Humming/whinning sound coming from rear-end especially when accelerating. brought in to dealership 3 times, repaired 2 times while under warranty. rear-end completely changed 2nd time. making the whinning sound again now even louder, drowns out radio. not under warranty anymore but obviously a manufacturer defect with the 2002 model, considering all the complaints with the exact problem i have read upon research. will a recall be issued to prevent any accidents that could occur from a rear-end going out while driving? my explorer is a family hauler, hate to put my babies at risk... *nm | |||
| 10/20/2006 | 90000 | 1 | 03/01/2006 |
| Rear wheel almost fell off on my wife's 2002 ford explorer. there was no leading suspicion to this problem until it happened. very dangerous and with my wife being pregnant it makes it that much more frustrating. *nm | |||
| 10/10/2006 | 80000 | 4 | 01/02/2002 |
| In april of 2005 my 2002 explorer with just over 40,000 miles started making grinding noise in the right rear. took it to a mechanic and then to the ford dealership, both said the right rear wheel bearing needed to be replaced, had it replaced on 5/11/05. within 2 weeks, the left rear wheel bearing also started making a grinding noise, had it replaced on 5/25/05. called ford customer care who said they could do nothing. in october, 2006, at 80,000 miles (mostly e-way miles, no off-road driving, only one driver and i am the original owner), the right rear wheel bearing needed to be replaced again and one of the front bearings is going as well. called ford customer care again to report the failures, and they still aren't interested. have been told by several mechanics that this is a know defect with 2002 explorers, wheel bearings should last well over 100k miles. ford has no plans to recall or even redesign the defective wheel bearings. after reading complaints from others, who have had the bearings explode while driving, i suspect that it is only a matter of time before the deaths from accidents due to the defective wheel bearings start getting reported. i personally do not feel safe driving this vehicle. due to ford's lack of concern regarding this very expensive and dangerous defect in their vehicles, the next new vehicle i purchase will not be a ford. **nm | |||
| 05/25/2005 | 40000 | 4 | 01/02/2002 |
| In april of 2005 my 2002 explorer with just over 40,000 miles started making grinding noise in the right rear. took it to a mechanic and then to the ford dealership, both said the right rear wheel bearing needed to be replaced, had it replaced on 5/11/05. within 2 weeks, the left rear wheel bearing also started making a grinding noise, had it replaced on 5/25/05. called ford customer care who said they could do nothing. in october, 2006, at 80,000 miles (mostly e-way miles, no off-road driving, only one driver and i am the original owner), the right rear wheel bearing needed to be replaced again and one of the front bearings is going as well. called ford customer care again to report the failures, and they still aren't interested. have been told by several mechanics that this is a know defect with 2002 explorers, wheel bearings should last well over 100k miles. ford has no plans to recall or even redesign the defective wheel bearings. after reading complaints from others, who have had the bearings explode while driving, i suspect that it is only a matter of time before the deaths from accidents due to the defective wheel bearings start getting reported. i personally do not feel safe driving this vehicle. due to ford's lack of concern regarding this very expensive and dangerous defect in their vehicles, the next new vehicle i purchase will not be a ford. *nm | |||
| 05/11/2005 | 40000 | 4 | 01/02/2002 |
| In april of 2005 my 2002 explorer with just over 40,000 miles started making grinding noise in the right rear. took it to a mechanic and then to the ford dealership, both said the right rear wheel bearing needed to be replaced, had it replaced on 5/11/05. within 2 weeks, the left rear wheel bearing also started making a grinding noise, had it replaced on 5/25/05. called ford customer care who said they could do nothing. in october, 2006, at 80,000 miles (mostly e-way miles, no off-road driving, only one driver and i am the original owner), the right rear wheel bearing needed to be replaced again and one of the front bearings is going as well. called ford customer care again to report the failures, and they still aren't interested. have been told by several mechanics that this is a know defect with 2002 explorers, wheel bearings should last well over 100k miles. ford has no plans to recall or even redesign the defective wheel bearings. after reading complaints from others, who have had the bearings explode while driving, i suspect that it is only a matter of time before the deaths from accidents due to the defective wheel bearings start getting reported. i personally do not feel safe driving this vehicle. due to ford's lack of concern regarding this very expensive and dangerous defect in their vehicles, the next new vehicle i purchase will not be a ford. *nm | |||
| 06/20/2006 | 85780 | 1 | 07/07/2004 |
| Dt*: the contact stated while traveling on the highway at 60 mph, suddenly control of the vehicle was lost. the contact thought the vehicle's tire blew out, because both rear tires began wobbling. the vehicle was traveling on a normal flat surface at the time of the incident. the failure occurred under normal driving conditions, and was driven about 20 miles to the contact's residence. two weeks prior to the incident, the contact observed a low grade deep drum noise coming from the rear of the vehicle. the vehicle was taken to the dealer for inspection prior to the incident and the dealer notified the contact that both rear bearings were wearing out and needed to be replaced. after the incident, the vehicle was inspected and determined that both bearings were shot and the rear driver spring was broken. both rear bearings and the rear driver spring are permanently damaged and must be replaced. | |||
| 04/10/2006 | 95000 | 1 | 09/18/2004 |
| The rear wheel bearing on the passenger side locked up while my wife was driving home from 150 miles away. lucky she heard a weird noise and slowed down prior to it seizing the tire up. *jb | |||
| 05/10/2006 | 85000 | 1 | 08/25/2005 |
| I own a 2002 ford explorer xlt. the bearings in the rear end differential are going out. this type of problem should not be occurring in a vehicle with less than 100,000 miles. from what i understand, many ford explorers have this problem ford should take a second look at this problem because it should not be happening. i don't have a warranty, but still this is too common of a defect in the ford explorers for it to not be a manufacturer problem. *jb | |||
| 03/14/2006 | 75000 | 3 | 05/18/2005 |
| Major noise from rear end escalated quickly requiring service. independent service garage diagnosed and replaced right rear wheel hub assembly and left rear tie rod. this was the third of the four wheel hubs replaced on this vehicle between 70,000 and 86,000 actual odometer miles. the other two were both the fronts. very honest mechanic showed me failed parts and three other explorers in the shop that same day with the same wheel hub assembly replacement requirement. there is obviously a defective design on this vehicle. vehicle is a highway driven car only, not off road. *nm | |||
| 05/08/2006 | 50000 | 1 | 01/01/2002 |
| Dt*: the contact stated while turning the vehicle at low speeds, not exceeding 10 mph, the vehicle vibrates. the dealership determined the clutch basket and rear axle seal needs to be replaced. | |||
| 05/05/2006 | 1 | 03/17/2004 | |
| Grinding noise sounding like it is from front end, especially on accelerating at low speeds, and turning slow. told to replace tires and front hub. both done and still making same noise. cannot figure what is wrong. think the sound is from transmission or rear end. also having problems with the transmission. the truck does not switch gears properly. it takes to long and sometimes reaches 4 rpms before finally switching on flat road surface. *jb | |||
| 02/13/2006 | 1 | 07/17/2004 | |
| First of all i have a humming sound coming from the rear of the vehicle i notice it most when we are traveling on the hwy at at least 55 mph or more. in oct. my brake light came on for no reason and now in feb. my air bag light came on for no apparent reason. *nm | |||
| 04/24/2006 | 1 | 02/20/2002 | |
| 2002 ford explorer. failed transmission, starter, rear wheel bearings, airbag, pinion, electric window. now loud sounds from rear of car. *jb | |||
| 04/21/2006 | 93000 | 1 | 05/01/2003 |
| Dt*: the contact stated while traveling 30 mph, the rear passenger side tire began to wobble. the vehicle was pulled over and the contact noticed the wheel bearings in the road. the vehicle was driven to an independent repair shop where the wheel bearing and hub was replaced. | |||
| 03/15/2006 | 30450 | 1 | 12/08/2005 |
| Rear end hum and leak back tire was loose due to rear wheel bearings deteriorating, took it apart and bearings fell apart. there was no grease on them. this '02 explorer has 30,000 miles on it. *jb | |||
| 03/01/2006 | 32185 | 1 | 12/12/2005 |
| Funny thing, my explorer only has 30,000 mile, there was no event, one day it was fine the next day come the whine and grind. *jb | |||
| 02/02/2006 | 41280 | 1 | 05/21/2004 |
| Dt*: the contact stated while driving at speeds of 20mph or more there was a roaring noise coming from the rear end of the vehicle. initially the contact suspected the tires needed replaced. the vehicle was inspected by an independent tire repair shop. the repair shop mechanic suggested the vehicle should be inspected by an authorized dealer because it was determined there were no problems with the tires. the mechanic suggested the noise could possibly be associated with the rear suspension. updated 7/13/2006 - *nm | |||
| 08/02/2005 | 3 | 05/01/2002 | |
| I bought my explorer brand new in may 2002. i have had problems with the rear end differential twice, rear end sensor, and my latest problem is the rear end sealer (pinion). all within 3 years of owning the vehicle. *jb | |||
| 09/08/2005 | 70000 | 2 | 04/04/2004 |
| 1) could hear high pitch noise while driving. 2) jacked up rear of explorer and rear wheel(s) could wobble on the axle. 3) by 70,000 miles, both left and right rear wheel bearings have now failed and have been replaced by a ford dealer. i now have 77000 miles on the explorer and i am beginning to hear the high pitch sound again. *jb | |||
| 11/15/2005 | 59000 | 1 | 06/29/2002 |
| We noticed a humming noise and a small oil leak coming from the rear axle. we took the vehicle to the ford dealer and were informed that the rear differential was in need of repair and that this was a known problem with explorers. we were given a discounted rate for the repair. two weeks later the left rear wheel bearing went out (with only 59,000 miles) and were told that this had nothing to do with the rear differential repair and would cost a total of $700 for both rear wheel bearings. *nm | |||
| 09/06/2005 | 58000 | 1 | 03/23/2002 |
| Dt: the contact owns a 2002 ford explorer. the contact stated that the rear bearing went out on 9-6-05. the consumer is unsure if it was on the right or the left. she did not hear a noise prior to this but reported that the vehicle felt sluggish. the contact said that the vehicle was not steering properly and it was pulling all over the road. she reported that steering was very sloppy and she could not control the vehicle. she called ford motor company and they took a complaint from her and said they would evaluate it within 3-5 days.*ak *mr | |||
| 06/18/2003 | 1 | 06/18/2003 | |
| Dt: the contact owns a 2002 ford explorer xlt. the contact has been having a problem with the rear end. the rear end made an extremely loud roaring sound. took the vehicle the vehicle to three different repair shops. one said it was the tires, and the other two maintained that it was an expensive rear end problem. she talked to other people with this same type of vehicle and they all had this problem. also, had a ring and pinion replaced in the rear end not long after she purchased the vehicle. currently, they told her that this what was needed to be replaced again along with other parts , including the rear axle. this noise originally started at 55-65 mph, and now it was making noise at 40-70 mph. after going over 70 mph could not hear it as badly. also, the vehicle was leaking fluid from the ring and pinion. a strange sound that was coming from under the hood, like a buzzing sound that sounds like transmission. in addition, the hatchback glass fell on the contact's head. it just popped out. this happened twice. they do not even attempt to open the glass in the hatch. the dealership where she purcahsed her vehicle still has records of what was replaced on vehicle.*ak | |||
| 11/01/2004 | 52000 | 1 | 07/24/2002 |
| Bought the car in july 2004 at around 50,000 miles. heard a loud noise coming from rear of the truck. currently, the noise has proceeded to the front. i have not replaced anything because i really don't know what i am going to have to change. i was wondering if there is going to be a recall on this truck. *ak | |||
| 01/04/2005 | 2 | ||
| After several months of hearing a whooshing tire sounds from the back of the 02 ford expl xlt, and dealers telling us that nothing was wrong, took vehicle to a local service center and had to have rear suspension/axles replaced (4/04) and also had to replace the 2 back tires because of the damage. now, 1/05, same noise is present and wear on back tires, we are now being told that the back suspension/axles are bad again and need to be replaced. less than one year and we have the same problem. obviously ford needs to look into this problem. vehicle had 78k miles on it. *ak | |||
| 12/21/2004 | 43280 | 1 | 01/05/2004 |
| Rear bearing failure of 2002 ford explorer. took vehicle to dealer because of rear end noise and was told the bearing was about to explode and could have lost an axle. *ak | |||
| 02/17/2004 | 2 | ||
| When driving 30 mph vehicle vibrated in the rear. also, consumer heard a knocking noise coming from the rear. consumer took the vehicle to the dealership for inspection, and mechanic was unable to duplicate the problem. *ak | |||
| 08/02/2003 | 62754 | 1 | 02/21/2002 |
| While driving (65 mph) on i 95 through richmond virginia, at 12:30 after midnight, my 2002 ford explorer (62,000 miles) developed a vibration. i made it to the ford dealer and left it for repairs. the rear end bearing, axle shaft, cv joint failed. four (4) days later i was on the road. it was a very frightening experience. ford would not accept responsibility. there is no maintenance on the rear axle bearings. this is a new design and i bought an early unit.*ak | |||
| 07/27/2002 | 1 | 07/26/2002 | |
| Vibration and drone/roar sound at speeds of 64mph and greater. 4 attempts made to repair, problem still exists. rear end assembly replaced as well as two axle shafts and drive shaft reindexed. *ak | |||
| While driving 45 mph the right rear wheel locked up. the dealer was notified and said the wheel bearing seized. *nlm | |||
| 03/26/2003 | 1 | 09/19/2002 | |
| A thumping noise could be heard from the rear of the vehicle while driving. *nlm *ts | |||
| While driving vehicle is making a loud noise in the rear due to suspension problems. dealer contacted. please add vin. *ak | |||
| SUSPENSION - REAR - AXLE - NON-POWERED AXLE ASSEMBLY | |||
| 10/22/2008 | 47600 | 1 | |
| Tl*the contact owns a 2002 ford explorer. the contact stated that the air bag indicator remained illuminated. the dealer stated that the seat belt latch system does not work and they are charging him to diagnose and repair the failure. the contact stated that it is a safety hazard that the seat belt does not work. the failure and current mileages were 47,600. updated 12/10/08 *cn both of the rear springs broke and the rear axle bearing was bad. updated 12/16/08. *jb | |||
| 04/21/2008 | 1 | 05/01/2005 | |
| Heard loud roaring noise coming from back rear tires. had explorer checked to find out that right rear tire was almost ready to come off explorer. hubs/bearings wearing out . this is a very dangerous problem and ford needs to recall these explorers before someone gets hurt. *tr | |||
| 04/10/2008 | 129000 | 1 | 07/30/2002 |
| 2002 ford explorer with slightly less than 130,000 miles with near incident of rear passenger wheel falling off at highway speed. *tr | |||
| 02/26/2007 | 1 | 05/31/2002 | |
| My 2002 ford explorer has been repaired for major transmission and rear end problems approx. 15 times in the past 3 years. the transmission continues to slip between 2nd-3rd and 3rd-4th gear. in reverse the clutch binds up. the rear end roars and was replaced at 35,000 miles (after numerous fix attempts) and at 66,000 miles rear wheel bearings, ring gear & pinion were replaced. the transmission was almost overhauled at 35,000, re-programmed approx 3 times and needs to be done again now. the compass has failed twice. *jb | |||
| SUSPENSION - REAR - AXLE - SPINDLE | |||
| 02/15/2008 | 79000 | 3 | 07/01/2005 |
| This is my wife's vehicle so i do not drive it often. when i did i noticed the loud roar and asked how long it had been there. she said a couple months. i replaced 3 of the 4 wheel bearings. had i not drove it myself the wheels could have fallen off!!! she has my two children in there also. thanks ford!! this is not an old vehicle. less than 80,000 miles. if there is no recall on these bearings and someone gets killed i hope ford is sued so bad they go under. recall your piece of crap bearings like you should. *tr | |||
| 02/08/2008 | 83343 | 1 | 12/10/2007 |
| My 2002 ford explorer had rear and front howling noises similar to a jet during take off. also was very unstable at higher speeds. ford dealership found both rear wheel bearings and rear differential bearings need replacing. they also stated that the rear had such a wobble that it would dangerous to drive in its current condition. just the rear wheel bearings cost me almost $600. on further investigation they found the front hubs and ring and pinion noisy and also in need of replacement. the total for these repairs is nearing $3000. no wonder ford is heading into bankruptcy! this vehicle still has well under 100,000 miles, has never towed, plowed or used off-road, all highway mileage. is this why they say ford is fix or repair daily? my next vehicle will not be ford for sure. ford needs to have these issues recalled and fixed before somebody gets hurt. *tr | |||
| 01/04/2008 | 69888 | 3 | 11/09/2004 |
| I have a 2002 ford explorer v6 and in the past 2 years i have replaced both left and right rear wheel bearing and about to replace the one on the right side again. i called ford and they told me they could only recall a vehicle if you ladies and gentle call for a recall. i have spent over $1200 dollars on this problem and about to spend another $600. i checked on line and realized i was not the only one with this problem. hundreds of others have had this problem with the explorer but still no recall. i was just wondering what should i do about my problem. i'm tired of spending money on a truck that barely six years old and had less than 70,000 miles when this problem first occurred. *tr | |||
| 01/07/2008 | 5 | 12/18/2006 | |
| Currently own a 2002 explorer xlt with only 65k miles on it. the transmission is in need of a rebuild because is slip from time to time. the rear differential seals are leaking. the entire rear of the vehicle makes a humming noise so i suspect that a rear bearing is going bad. not to mention the 4wheel drive system has not worked since i bought it a little over a year ago. i've had intermittent issues with the air bag control module and also the backup alarm system. there is nothing but poor write-ups about this truck all over the internet. all the same problems i'm experiencing are problems many other drivers have also had. *tr | |||
| 04/26/2007 | 59986 | 2 | 09/11/2006 |
| My problem is with the rear differential as well as the hub bearing assembly in the 2002 ford explorer, 60,000 miles on the vehicle. terrible grinding sound in rear wheels, both rear bearings in wheels were bad, as well as differential noise and leaking of fluid, e no recall on these issues, but i have found thousands of complaints for this same issue. it was a safety violation not to recall these. if the rear wheels lock it would send vehicle into a spin, or travel off the road, why have you not remedied this with ford? you were taking a great legal risk, by not looking out for the safety of consumers. *ak | |||
| 02/26/2007 | 1 | 05/31/2002 | |
| My 2002 ford explorer has been repaired for major transmission and rear end problems approx. 15 times in the past 3 years. the transmission continues to slip between 2nd-3rd and 3rd-4th gear. in reverse the clutch binds up. the rear end roars and was replaced at 35,000 miles (after numerous fix attempts) and at 66,000 miles rear wheel bearings, ring gear & pinion were replaced. the transmission was almost overhauled at 35,000, re-programmed approx 3 times and needs to be done again now. the compass has failed twice. *jb | |||
| 08/02/2003 | 62754 | 1 | 02/21/2002 |
| While driving (65 mph) on i 95 through richmond virginia, at 12:30 after midnight, my 2002 ford explorer (62,000 miles) developed a vibration. i made it to the ford dealer and left it for repairs. the rear end bearing, axle shaft, cv joint failed. four (4) days later i was on the road. it was a very frightening experience. ford would not accept responsibility. there is no maintenance on the rear axle bearings. this is a new design and i bought an early unit.*ak | |||
| SUSPENSION - REAR - SHOCK ABSORBER | |||
| 01/08/2004 | 45000 | 10 | |
| I am the fleet manager of the buffalo grove park district and we own four ford explorers two of the four a 2002, and a 2003, explorer 4x4 xlt have had numerous expensive problems such as wheel bearing failures three failures on the 02 explorer and one on the 03, rear strut failure,seals leaking converter clutch failure,rear axle noise gear whine,clutch pack noise,all these problems on vehicles that are out of warranty by mileage but only a couple two or three years old. this year jan 04 to jan 05 3,500 in repairs for these two vehicles, not including the rear axle problems on the 03, this is not acceptable p.s. the mileage 72,000 on the 02, and 51,000 on the 03 *jb | |||
| 07/15/2003 | 37500 | 1 | 08/22/2001 |
| Sudden loss of fluid from left rear shock, detected by pool of fluid on garage floor.2002 ford explorer with 37500 miles of normal highway driving. failure was sudden and premature, possibly resulting in vehicle instability if not detected by careful inspection. dealer was not willing to hold part for ford failure mode analysis? with suv history of suspension concerns, this dealer response seems inappropriate? i saved the shock they replaced.*ak | |||
| SUSPENSION - REAR - SPRINGS | |||
| 01/24/2009 | 93000 | 1 | |
| During a service the rear spring was foind to be broken in two places. the first two coils of the righ rear coil spring were broken. *tr | |||
| 10/22/2008 | 47600 | 1 | |
| Tl*the contact owns a 2002 ford explorer. the contact stated that the air bag indicator remained illuminated. the dealer stated that the seat belt latch system does not work and they are charging him to diagnose and repair the failure. the contact stated that it is a safety hazard that the seat belt does not work. the failure and current mileages were 47,600. updated 12/10/08 *cn both of the rear springs broke and the rear axle bearing was bad. updated 12/16/08. *jb | |||
| 04/01/2008 | 90000 | 2 | 06/01/2002 |
| Failure of both rear springs on 2002 ford explorer. 95,000 miles, normal duty (never overloaded). springs literally breaking apart starting at top. suspect design or material flaw. internet search indicates this is not isolated incident. suspect further spring failure could lead to loss of control/roll over. please investigate -- in my opinion this should be serious safety recall item. *tr | |||
| 02/25/2008 | 62000 | 5 | 07/01/2001 |
| I found an ~3 long piece of unknown steel in my garage. noticed the right side of the vehicle was about 2 lower than left. the unknown steel was part of the top of the coil spring. also, the bottom of the spring was broken and the spring had come to rest on the lower swing arm. total of 3 breaks on the right side spring. when the vehicle was placed on a lift the right side was found to have two breaks, also near the opt of the spring. called local dealer and was told they have repaired 'a few of them'. repair garage could not obtain aftermarket springs, they were told they were on national backorder. local dealer was out and received 2 today, which were installed. i have placed ~95% of the ~62,000 miles and vehicle was not abused in any form. old parts and pictures are available upon request. *tr | |||
| 06/01/2007 | 56000 | 2 | 09/14/2004 |
| Broken rear coil springs on my 2002 ford explorer. noticed when changing the brakes. *tr | |||
| 06/22/2007 | 62000 | 1 | 10/01/2001 |
| Both rear coil springs broken. vehicle drove normally to dealer for wheel bearing replacement. however, mech. found both coil springs broken while replacing left wheel bearing. *tr | |||
| 12/13/2006 | 10300 | 2 | 06/07/2005 |
| Tl*-the contact stated that while driving 50 mph in the 2002 ford explorer he heard a loud noise coming from the back of the vehicle. the contact took the vehicle to dealer for a wheel bearing repair when the odometer reached 10,300 miles, and was informed that both the rear spring and the emergency brake cable were fractured. the contact stated that he tried to get a resolution for repairs on the vehicle because it was still under warranty, but the dealership refused to repair the vehicle unless the contact paid for the repairs. the contact purchased the vehicle from wentworth motors , and they told the contact that he had to take the vehicle to a ford dealership for the repairs. the current mileage was 10,600.*ak the rear springs failed. updated 04/12/07. *jb | |||
| 11/20/2006 | 103364 | 1 | 07/30/2001 |
| After noticing problems with the rear suspension, it was discovered by my dealer that both rear springs were cracked, and also the shocks were frozen in place. i asked for the old parts and it is obvious from seeing the springs that the breakage resulted from bad steel. dealer advised me it is not currently under recall. *nm | |||
| 08/07/2006 | 48000 | 1 | 03/01/2001 |
| Dt*: the contact stated while traveling at various speeds, the vehicle sounded as if something was rubbing against the ground. the vehicle was pulled over and inspected. the rear end was observed to be riding low. an independent repair shop determined the rear springs were fractured and they were replaced. | |||
| 01/01/1901 | 100000 | 1 | |
| 2002 ford explorer's rear springs cracked. *ts *nm | |||
| 03/03/2006 | 1 | ||
| 2002 explorer rear coil springs broke at 76,000 miles. *ts the front brake pads were replaced. *jb | |||
| 12/02/2005 | 1 | ||
| 2002 ford explorer both rear coil springs broke. *jb | |||
| 11/01/2005 | 39370 | 1 | 08/24/2004 |
| Both rear coil springs broke on both sides of ford explorer. *ts *jb | |||
| 08/10/2005 | 48000 | 1 | |
| Both rear coil springs are broken - mileage 50,000. just noted while doing undercarriage inspection. *jb | |||
| 04/11/2005 | 41400 | 2 | |
| I took my 2002 explorer in for recall on rear door. they told me that both rear springs broke. this vehicle has less than 44,000 miles on it, and has the tow package although nothing was ever towed. the springs that broke are at the very top and hard to find. mechanic would have had to know to look there to find it. this led me to believe that there have been others with the same problem.*ak | |||
| SUSPENSION - REAR - SPRINGS - COIL SPRINGS | |||
| 03/21/2011 | 200000 | ||
| Tl* the contact owns a 2002 ford explorer. the contact stated that the vehicle failed state inspection because the rear coil springs were fractured. the vehicle was repaired by a local mechanic. the dealer was contacted and stated that there were no related recalls to the failure. the manufacturer was not been notified. the current and failure mileage was approximately 200,000. | |||
| 01/01/2010 | 2 | ||
| 2002 ford explorer. consumer states problem with tires *tgw the consumer experienced a tire blow on the right rear tire. when triple aaa arrived, the consumer was informed the rear coil spring along with 3 lug nuts had failed. in july 2010, three more lug nuts broke again. *jb | |||
| 04/27/2010 | 51898 | ||
| Tl* the contact owns a 2002 ford explorer. while driving approximately 35 mph and attempting to make a sharp left turn and the rear of the vehicle swerved out of control. he was able to bring the vehicle to a stop without incident and noticed that the passenger's side rear tire was shredded which caused him to lose control of the vehicle. the vehicle was towed to a local repair shop. the mechanic stated that the two rear coil springs were fractured which shredded the rear passenger side tire. the mechanic also replaced the two rear tires, spring set with standard suspension, pinion shaft seal, two rear rims and both rear coil springs. all repairs were made at the owner's expense. the failure mileage was 51,898. | |||
| 04/15/2004 | 95000 | ||
| Tl*the contact owns a 2002 ford explorer. the contact stated the vehicle was taken in for service at an authorized dealer when the mechanic noticed that the rear passenger side coil spring had fractured. the failure had occurred on three different occasions prior to the dealer | |||
| 04/14/2010 | 93000 | ||
| Tl*the contact owns a 2002 ford explorer. while driving approximately 45 mph, the contact heard a noise under the drivers rear side of the vehicle. the contact noticed that the coil springs were breaking off in pieces. the vehicle had not been repaired at the time when the complaint was filed. the current mileage was approximately 96,000. the failure mileage was approximately 93,000. | |||
| 11/09/2009 | 47600 | ||
| Tl* the contact owns a 2002 ford explorer. her rear passenger coil spring has fractured. the dealer and the manufacturer were notified of the failure. since the warranty had expired, she was ineligible for a free remedy. the failure mileage 47,600. | |||
| 04/03/2009 | 87000 | ||
| Tl*the contact owns a 2002 ford explorer . while changing the brake pads, he noticed that the rear coil springs fractured. the vehicle was taken to a ford dealer, and the axles bearings,the rack and pinion, and the rear coil springs were replaced at an expense of $2140.56. the failure mileage was 87000. the current mileage was 90000. | |||
| 06/22/2009 | 96000 | ||
| Tl*the contact owns a 2002 ford explorer. while driving approximately 30 mph, the contact heard a loud noise outside of the vehicle. upon reaching his destination, the contact discovered that the rear passenger side coil spring failed without warning. the vehicle is currently inoperable and has not been repaired. the failure and current mileages were 96,000. | |||
| 08/27/2008 | 140000 | 1 | 05/06/2002 |
| Tl*the contact owns a 2002 ford explorer. in the process of getting an oil change, it was discovered that both rear coil springs failed. the failure did not rupture the tires. the current and failure mileages were 140,000. updated 10/14/08 *bf updated 10/24/08. *jb | |||
| 04/23/2008 | 81979 | 1 | 07/29/2006 |
| Tl*the contact owns a 2002 ford explorer. while driving at any speed over a bump in the road, the contact could hear a rubbing sound coming from the rear of the vehicle. while the wheel bearings were being serviced, it was discovered that both the driver and passenger side rear coil springs failed. the vehicle has not been diagnosed by the dealer. the current and failure mileages were 81,979. updated 06/17/08. *lj | |||
| 05/06/2008 | 106000 | 1 | 11/01/2002 |
| Tl*the contact owns a 2002 ford explorer. while the vehicle was undergoing an oil change, the mechanic found a crack in the rear coil springs. the contact did not notice any prior failures. the vehicle has not been diagnosed by the dealer. the current and failure mileages were 106,000. updated 6/9/08 *cn | |||
| 03/15/2008 | 73400 | 1 | 05/04/2005 |
| Drivers side rear coil spring snapped and passenger side rear coil spring snapped in 4 places. mechanic at midas told me they are seeing alot of these on the 2002 ford explorer. wondering if ford is doing anything about this. i called there customer service and didn't get anywhere with them. *tr | |||
| 03/21/2008 | 103000 | 2 | 12/17/2001 |
| Both rear coil springs are cracked/fractured completely through. spring coils are collapsed onto each other at the location of the fracture. this is should not happen. springs/struts should lose tension over time but should not completely fail to the point they completely crack into two pieces. some quick research shows that this is a chronic problem with the 2002 explorer. this is a safety issue and should be addressed by the manufacturer. *tr | |||
| 03/19/2008 | 1 | 10/14/2003 | |
| The back coil springs on my 2002 ford explorer have broken. my sister's, nephew's and a friends has also broken on the same make and model as mine. i would think that there is something wrong for all of us to have the same problem with the back coil springs. i am not for sure if any one else has had this problem or not? will there be a recall on these springs? we have all had to have these springs replaced and they have not been cheap. *tr | |||
| 02/26/2008 | 79562 | 1 | 09/20/2001 |
| Took my 02 explorer to dealer for pa state inspection on 2-26-08. vehicle logged 79,000 miles. dealer found both rear coil springs broken at very top of each spring. this failure resulted in the failure of both rear shock absorbers which also had to be replaced. this, in turn, required the replacement of both rear insulators and brackets. this vehicle is not utilized for towing or off road activities. *tr | |||
| 02/28/2008 | 65000 | 1 | 06/20/2002 |
| Rear coil spring broke last week with only 65k miles on my 2002 ford explorer. it has never been off road. i'm told by several mechanics its a common ford problem. why is there no recall? i have piece of old spring showing rust. it cost me $500 to repair. ford says no recall or cust sat program. *tr | |||
| 01/17/2008 | 69000 | 1 | 10/01/2001 |
| Vehicle mileage: 69,000. loud grinding noise from rear of vehicle while driving on the highway. no previous warning. required tow. replaced 2 cracked rear springs, 2 damaged struts, 2 rear wheel bearings. unusual and dangerous incident for this mileage. we now know it is a notorious problem - old parts available. *tr | |||
| 10/05/2007 | 61000 | 1 | 10/01/2004 |
| Tl*the contact owns a 2002 ford explorer. during a routine inspection, the mechanic stated that the rear coil springs broke. the dealer inspected the vehicle and stated that the rear coil springs were defective. the mechanic replaced the rear coil springs and there had been no further occurrences. the current and failure mileages were 61,000. the dealer information is not available. the vin was unavailable. updated 11/06/07 *tr | |||
| 06/01/2005 | 79835 | 1 | 04/01/2003 |
| Tl*the contact owns a 2002 ford explorer. the dealer informed the contact that the coil spring on the rear passenger side suspension failed. the dealer did not state the cause of the failure. as of august 1, 2007, the vehicle has not been repaired. the contact stated that the coil spring on the rear driver side suspension failed june 2005. he also stated that the transmission failed at 79,835 miles. the current and failure mileages were 79,835. updated 02-04-08. *kb the consumer discovered he didn't have 3rd gear. updated | |||
| 07/16/2007 | 74680 | 1 | 08/23/2002 |
| Rear coil spring on drivers side is cracked through. talked with my mechanic and he said that this is not the first time he has seen this. probably every third explorer he has seen has this problem. he questioned local ford dealer on this and was told there is no recall on this problem. *tr | |||
| 07/10/2007 | 54200 | 1 | 03/14/2005 |
| Broken rear coil spring. *tr | |||
| 06/11/2007 | 81900 | 1 | 07/14/2004 |
| Rear spring failure. *ak | |||
| 02/17/2007 | 1 | ||
| Passenger side rear coil spring broke. *ak | |||
| 12/01/2005 | 50000 | 1 | 11/01/2005 |
| The rear coil springs on the 2002 ford explorer fell apart! pieces of the coil are breaking apart with razor sharp edges. i've never seen springs fall apart like this,the metal has to be defective. i have found parts of the coils in my driveway, so i'm sure there has to be some coming off on the road. i have pictures if you would like a better understanding of what i'm talking about.*ak | |||
| 03/16/2007 | 1 | 07/02/2001 | |
| Tl* the contact owns a 2002 ford explorer xls. the mechanic was rotating both rear tires and changing brake pads. the mechanic stated that the rear coil springs sheared off. the current mileage was 51,600. *ak the consumer has provided both the invoice and pictures of the broken coil springs. update 4/23/07 *tr | |||
| 03/07/2007 | 1 | 02/25/2003 | |
| Rear coil spring on ford 2002 explorer broke. took car in for annual inspection and mechanic discovered the problem. while it was replaced with a dealer part, i was informed that all it would have taken for the spring to pierce a tire or brake line was to hit a bump in the road. who knows how long i was driving around with this problem and in danger of a possible fatal incident. *jb | |||
| 01/15/2007 | 85916 | 2 | 05/15/2002 |
| Broken rear coil springs. vehicle never used off road or anything other than normal roadway driving. went for new tires and mechanic found both rear coil springs broken. the drivers side spring was broken into multiple pieces. *jb | |||
| 05/17/2006 | 46425 | 1 | 08/06/2001 |
| While driving my 2002 ford explorer within the city, i was stopped at a stop sign when i heard a popping sound and the car's right rear tire deflated. i moved out of traffic, called a tow truck and it was discovered that the right coil spring had broken off and punctured the rear tire (which by the way was brand new). it was very fortunate that i was not traveling at a high rate of speed when this occurred. the ford dealer replaced the right spring, but saw no need to replace the left. sounds like defective heat treating to me. *nm | |||
| 06/20/2006 | 60000 | 2 | 08/20/2003 |
| Apparent manufacturing defect causes a simultaneous breakage of one or both rear suspension coil springs. in my case, both rear springs were discovered broken on a routine service visit. *jb | |||
| 06/21/2006 | 60000 | 1 | 08/20/2003 |
| Dt*: the contact stated the vehicle rode lower than normal. the vehicle was taken to a service dealer, who determined that the rear coil springs were both fractured. the springs were replaced, but the dealer was unable to determine the cause of the fractures. the manufacturer was also notified. updated 12/12/2006 - *nm | |||
| 05/17/2006 | 99000 | 3 | 11/03/2003 |
| Horrible whining noise coming from rear differential of my 2002 ford explorer limited edition. replaced twice already and now it's whining louder and louder everyday. i refuse to pay for the same repair a 3rd time. i have read many complaints on the web about this problem, along with many other similar complaints. other popular defects for the new ford explorer are cracked rear coil over springs, along with transmission and a/c problems, etc, etc. how many more complaints is it going to take before ford stands up to their design flaws...???? *nm | |||
| 09/01/2005 | 126000 | 2 | 11/15/2002 |
| Dt*: the contact stated after having rear axle pinion seal repaired at a local independent repair shop the mechanic noticed the rear suspension coil springs were broken and needed to be replaced. the manufacturer was consulted. *ak | |||
| 01/01/1901 | 1 | ||
| 2002 ford explorer rear coil spring was defective, consumer wants to be reimbursed. *ts *nm | |||
| 06/19/2005 | 58000 | 1 | 04/20/2003 |
| On routine inspection, it was discovered that the left rear spring on my 2002 ford explorer was broken. this vehicle has 55,000 miles on the odometer. fortunately, it was probably not broken long since i inspect my vehicles regularly. when i went to the local ford dealer, they initially wanted me to pay the full repair bill for replacement of the spring; however, after negotiation, they offered replacement if i paid half of the bill, or $78.00. i agreed to this offer, and had the spring replaced. i feel, and expressed this opinion to the ford agency, that this spring should not break after only 55,000 miles. in addition, i am now concerned about the other rear spring, and what would happen if i was traveling at highway speeds and it broke. *jb | |||
| 08/06/2005 | 47000 | 1 | 03/04/2002 |
| Broken rear springs | |||
| 07/10/2005 | 50500 | 2 | 07/12/2001 |
| 1. inspection of vehicle 2. rear coils springs broken 3. repalcement | |||
| 05/20/2005 | 1 | 11/01/2004 | |
| Dt: contact took vehicle to a service dealer, and they informed him that the rear coil spring broke. *ak | |||