2002 Ford Explorer Fuel System Problems

I DO NOT KNOW WHEN THE PROBLEM ORIGINATED BUT I BOUGHT THIS VEHICLE IN APRIL 2016 AND GAS COULD NOT FLOW INTO THE TANK FREELY WITHOUT STOPPING. IT HAD TO TRICKLE IN SLOWLY. ALSO, THE CHECK FUEL CAP CAME ON DURING THIS ISSUE BUT WHEN TESTED, PASSED AS IF NOTHING WAS WRONG. TOO MANY OTHER OWNERS REPORT THE SAME ISSUE ON EXPLORER FORUMS FOR THIS TO BE AN ISOLATED OCCURRENCE. IT SEEMS THIS IS FAULTY DESIGN OR WORKMANSHIP AND OWNERS SHOULD BE INFORMED AND THE VEHICLES RECALLED.

GAS GUAGE REGISTRES EVERY NOW AND THEN - 97% OF THE TIME IT SAYS CHECK GUAGE -AND NOTHING ON THE FUEL GUAGE THEN ALL OF A SUDDEN IT WILL WORK FOR ABOUT 10 MIN., THEN IT GO BACK TO CHECK GUAGE

BROUGHT VEHICLE IN JAN 2014. EVERY SINCE FIRST DAY BROUGHT, HAD A PROBLEM WITH GETTING FUEL INTO VEHICLE WITHOUT FUEL PUMP CLICKING AS IF VEHICLE IS FULL. THIS HAPPENS AT ABOUT EVERY FUEL STATION I GO TO. THIS IS VERY FRUSTRATING. BROUGHT PLENTY OF FORDS, BUT THIS IS THE FIRST ONE THAT DOES THIS. BEFORE I GET A FEW OUNCES OF FUEL INTO THE VEHICLE IT WILL CLICK AND CONTINUE DOING THIS AS LONG AS IM TRYING TO PUT IN FUEL. LOVE VEHICLE BUT HATE IT BECAUSE OF THIS. I READ ON OTHERS HAVING SAME PROBLEM. CAN SOMEONE PLEASE HELP US ALL./ THIS IS DEFINITE A RECALL. [XXX] (RETIRED VET / RETIRED U. S. POSTAL SVC. ). INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR

IT HAS BECOME INCREASING MORE DIFFICULT TO FUEL THE VEHICLE. THE PUMP CLICKS AS IF THE TANK IS FULL AS SOON AS THE FUELING BEGINS AND TAKE A LONG TIME TO FILL THE TANK AS YOU HAVE TO CONTINUALLY PUSH THE TRIGGER ON THE GAS PUMP BECAUSE IT KEEPS SHUTTING AS IF THE TANK IS FULL. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 FORD EXPLORER. THE CONTACT STATED WHILE AT AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC FOR UNRELATED REPAIRS HE WAS INFORMED THAT BOTH FUEL TANK STRAPS WERE CORRODED AND HAD TO BE REPLACED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 116,550.

THE FUEL GAUGE DROPPED TO EMPTY WHILE ON A TRIP LEFT US ALL STRANDED IN COLD! *TR

THE FUEL SYSTEM HAS A PROBLEM WITH IT. WHEN YOU GO TO PUT GAS IN IT THE PUMPS ALMOST IMMEDIATELY SHUT OFF. SOMETHING IN THE FUEL SYSTEM IS TELLING THE PUMP THAT THE TANK IS FULL WHEN IT IS NOT. IT CAN TAKE 30 MINUTES TO PUT 10 GALLONS IN THE TANK. *TR

EVER SINCE I HAVE OWNED THE VEHICLE I HAVE NEVER BEEN ABLE TO CONTINUOUSLY PUMP A FULL TANK OF GAS. IT TAKES ROUGHLY 25 MINUTES TO GET A FULL TANK. *TR

FUEL GAUGE OFF - DID NOT WANT TO START - DEALER FIXED UNDER WARRANTY , CHANGED FUEL PUMP 20 DAYS LATER TOOK BACK AGAIN , STILL HAD TROUBLE START , BAD FUEL READING - CHANGED PUMP AGAIN, TOOK BACK 45 DAYS LATER , FUEL GAUGE NOT WORKING - 3 DAYS LATER , FOUND BAD FUEL SENDER CARD [BOARD] ORDERING NEW BOARD AS I WRITE THIS. COMMON PROBLEM WITH THESE EXPLORER GAUGES SODIUM BUILDUP ON UNIT DUE TO THE CRAP 10% ETHANOL ADDED . ALL BEING FIXED UNDER WARRANTY , THANK GOD! MY DAUGHTERS 2005 EXPLORER STARTING TO HAVE FUEL GAUGE PROBLEMS ALSO 69,000 MILES. *TR

FUELING SYSTEM/FUEL PUMP FAILURE. THIS IS MY SECOND 2002 FORD EXPLORER AND I'M HAVING THE SAME ISSUE. THE FIRST EXPLORER I HAD I REPLACED THE FUEL PUMP AND CONTINUED TO HAVE THE SAME. NOW THE CURRENT 2002 EXPLORER I HAVE NOW IS EXPERIENCE THE SAME EXACT ISSUE. I'M JUST AMAZED AT HOW MANY COMPLAINTS THERE ARE ABOUT THIS PROBLEM FROM OTHER BUYERS AND IT STILL ISN'T CONSIDERED A RECALL. VERY FRUSTRATED! *TR

I HAVE A 2002 FORD EXPLORER, ORIGINAL PLUGS IN IT FROM DEALER. TODAY I HAD A PLUG EJECTED FROM THE ENGINE RESTING ON TOP OF THE HEAD. LUCKILY I KNOW ABOUT CARS AND HAD VEHICLE TOWED TO REPAIR SHOP. INCIDENT IS COMMON IN FORDS AND COULD LEAD TO POSSIBLE INJURY, SINCE EJECTED PLUG COULD LEAD UP TO EXCESSIVE GASOLINE VAPORS WHICH COULD BE IGNITED BY LOOSE PLUG CAUSING FIRE. *TR

2002 FORD EXPLORER SPORT TRAC FUEL FILL PROBLEM.TANK WILL NOT FILL AND SPLASHES OUT EVERY TIME I TRY TO GET GAS COVERING ME WITH GAS AND SPRAYING OUT EVERY WHERE. FORUMS SHOW THIS IS VARY COMMON PROBLEM WITH THE SPORT TRAC. VARY UNSAFE. *TR

ACCELERATOR PEDAL WAS HARD TO PRESS, RPM REMAINED HIGH 3000 - 4000. EVENTUALLY THE CAR WOULD NOT STOP, ACCELERATOR WAS STUCK - GO WAS GOING 70 MPH. HAD TO STRUT OF ENGINE MECHANIC REPLACE ACCELERATOR CABLE - NOTED CABLE WAS KINKED AND FRAYED - VERY DANGEROUS AND THAT I SHOULD REPORT IT. *TR

2002 FORD EXPLORER AT 15000 MILES; BOUGHT TRUCK USED FROM MY BROTHER. HE NEVER DROVE IT BECAUSE HE HAD A COMPANY CAR. FUEL PUMP WENT OUT WHILE DRIVING IT HOME, DOOR AJAR LIGHT NEVER WENT OUT, CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON(SHOULD HAVE TAKEN IT RIGHT BACK TO MY BROTHER).$650.00 TO REPLACE FUEL PUMP, $100.00 TO FIX DOOR AJAR LIGHT(FIXED MYSELF), $600.00 TO FIX CHECK ENGINE LIGHT AND THAT PROBLEM WAS DIFFERENT DEPENDING ON WHICH PLACE CHECKED THE ERROR CODES. NOW THE FUEL GAGE IS GOING ALL OVER THE PLACE AND VERY POOR MPG. WAS TOLD THE SENDING UNIT IS PROBABLE CAUSE. NOW THIS 2002 EXPLORER STILL UNDER 20,000 MILES. WHAT NEXT!! *TR

I NOTICED ONE DAY THAT MY GAS GAUGE SHOWED EMPTY WHEN I KNEW I HAD GAS, THE NEXT TIME I STARTED THE ENGINE MY GAS GAUGE WORKED. FROM THAT DAY IT WORKS SOMETIMES AND SOMETIMES IT DOESN'T. I AM AFRAID THAT IT WILL GIVE OUT COMPLETELY ONE DAY AND CAN'T AFFORD TO FIX IT. I HAVE READ MANY COMPLAINTS ABOUT THIS PROBLEM AND WONDER WHY THERE IS NOT A RECALL AS I FEEL FORD SHOULD TAKE RESPONSIBILITY HERE AS IT IS CLEARLY A DEFECT. *TR

EVEN WITH A FULL TANK OF GAS THE GAS GAUGE WILL GO TO "0" AND THE "CHECK GAUGE" LIGHT COMES ON BECAUSE THE SENDER ASSEMBLY UNIT OF THE GAS GAUGE DOES NOT WORK. THERE HAD BEEN ANOTHER 2002 EXPLORER BROUGHT IN FOR THE SAME PROBLEM THAT MORNING. THE PART IS NOT AVAILABLE AND IS ON BACK ORDER. THE PART COST $76.79 BUT THE LABOR WILL BE $270! THIS IS A LOT OF MONEY FOR US TO PAY DUE TO AN FORDS ENGINEERING PROBLEM. ARE MANY OTHER 2002 EXPLORERS EXPERIENCING THE SAME PROBLEMS? MANY TIMES, BECAUSE THE FUEL SENDING UNIT IS CORRUPTED, IT WILL PUT TOO MUCH FUEL IN INJECTORS, WHICH HAS CAUSED MY CAR TO "BOG DOWN" ESPECIALLY DANGEROUS AT INTERSECTIONS AND AT HWY ENTRANCE RAMPS. *TR

CAME HOME TO FIND STOING GASOLINE FUMES AND A STREAM OF GAS LEAKING ON THE DRIVEWAY FROM UNDER THE EXPLORER. CLIMBED UNDERNEATH IT TO FIND A HOSE LEAKING. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 FORD EXPLORER. WHILE DRIVING AT APPROXIMATELY 45 MPH, THE FUEL GAUGE READING BEGAN TO FLUCTUATE ERRATICALLY . THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR DIAGNOSTICS. THE TECHNICIANS STATED SUGAR WAS FOUND IN THE FUEL SYSTEM. THE TECHNICIANS REPLACED THE FUEL PUMP,CLEANED THE FUEL TANK, AND REPLACED THE FUEL FILTER. AFTER THE REPAIRS, THE FUEL GAUGE CONTINUED TO READ EMPTY CONSTANTLY. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 74,000. UPDATED 09/20/2011 *LN *TR

WHILE TRYING TO FILL THE GAS TANK AT THE FUEL PUMPS, IT TAKES SOMETIMES UP TO 20 MINUTES TO COMPLETELY FILL THE TANK. I CAN ONLY SQUEEZE THE HANDLE ON THE GAS PUMP HOSE LINE SLIGHTLY YET IT KEEPS SHUTTING OFF AS IF THE TANK IS FULL. I KNOW THAT IT TAKES NEARLY 20 GALLONS TO FILL MY TANK YET THE NOZZLE KEEPS SHUTTING OFF EVERY 10 - 12 SECONDS. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 FORD EXPLORER. THE CONTACT NOTICED FUEL LEAKING FROM A HOSE AFTER REFILLING THE VEHICLE WITH FUEL. SHE DROVE THE VEHICLE TO A LOCAL REPAIR SHOP AND THE MECHANIC STATED THAT THE ASSEMBLY LINE CONNECTED TO THE FUEL TANK WAS DEFECTIVE. THE MANUFACTURER STATED THAT THERE WERE NO RECALLS. THE DEALER ADVISED HER TO BRING IN THE VEHICLE TO BE SERVICED. THE VEHICLE HAS NOT BEEN REPAIRED. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 113,000 AND FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 112,085.