There are 7 owner-reported engine complaints for the 2002 Ford Explorer Sportin NHTSA's database. These are unverified consumer reports and may not reflect confirmed defects.
A FIRE BURNING MY ENTIRE 2002 FORD EXPLORER SPORT IN THE EARLY MORNINGS WHEN THE SUV WASN'T EVEN STARTED. *TR
CHECK ENGINE LIGHT ACCELERATING WHEN BRAKING ROTATING TIRE AXLE IDLE ISSUES. *TR
RIDING IN A CAR IN COLD WEATHER...ALL WE CAN FIGURE AT THIS TIME IS THAT THERE IS SOME KIND OF EXHAUST LEAK..IN THE FORD EXPLORER....THE PASSENGER SHARED WITH THE DRIVE THE SYMPTOMS OF CARBON MONOXIDE POISONING...THE DRIVER LARGER IN STATURE WAS GETTING DROWSY AND NOT THOUGHT MUCH ABOUT SINCE IT WAS AFTER MIDNIGHT, BUT THE OTHER PERSON ENDED UP GETTING IN ANOTHER CAR TRAVELING WITH THEM AND ENDED UP STOPPING THREE OR MORE TIMES DUE TO THE SYMPTOMS.... *TR
I HAVE BEEN SMELLING ANTI-FREEZE. I JUST NOTICED THAT MY RADIATOR HOSE HAS BEEN RUBBING ON THE OIL FILL AND MADE A NICE BIG HOLE ON THAT SIDE AS WELL AS ON THE OTHER SIDE FROM ANOTHER MECHANISM UNDER THE HOOD. NICE ASSEMBLY. I OWNED MY TRUCK FOR 8 MONTHS NOW.*AK
MY FATHER-IN-LAW HAS THE SAME PROBLEM. HE BOUGHT HIS 5 DAYS AFTER ME, HIS STALLED 5 TIMES TO THIS DATE. REMEMBER THE NEWS, (FOG AND MAJOR PILE UP WITH NUMEROUS DEATHS) WHAT WAS THE REASON ? I DON'T WANT THIS TO BE OUR ACCIDENT WAITING TO HAPPEN. "INTERMITTENT" , COULDN'T "REPRODUCE" THE PROBLEM. NOT GOOD ENOUGH TO KEEP MY FAMILY SAFE. PLEASE HELP. DT
INTERMITTENTLY THE VEHICLE MISFIRED, IDLED ROUGH AND THEN VIBRATED. *JB
THE ENGINE STALLED WITHOUT WARNING.*JB
Complaints are unverified consumer reports submitted to NHTSA. A high complaint count may reflect vehicle popularity, not defect severity. Data sourced from NHTSA public records.
Data synced from NHTSA on May 4, 2026