There are 50 owner-reported suspension complaints for the 2002 Ford Explorerin NHTSA's database. These are unverified consumer reports and may not reflect confirmed defects.
Suspenion and or traction was and the electrical system didnt work good
MAKES A RATTLING NOISE WHEN A BUMP IS HIT DRIVER SIDE SEAT STOP WORKING
"TAKATA RECALL" I WAS DRIVING ABOUT 10 MILES TOOK A RIGHT INTO THE LIBIARY PARKING LOT AND MY FRONT SIDE DRIVERS TIRE SNAPPED THE BALL JOINT COMPLETELY SNAPPED AND IT BROKE THE SPRING, UPPER CONTROL ARM, SWAY BAR AND TYIROD
THE REAR STABILIZER LINKS JUST BROKE OUT OF NOWHERE NOT EVEN TO LATEST LATER THE FRONT STABILIZER LINKS JUST BROKE OUT OF NOWHERE AND I HAVE NO STEERING A WHOLE LOT OF LOOSE CONTROL
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 FORD EXPLORER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE DOOR AJAR AND BRAKE WARNING INDICATORS ILLUMINATED EVEN WHEN THE DOORS WERE CLOSED. THE CONTACT ALSO STATED THAT THE VEHICLE MADE AN ABNORMAL NOISE. AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WAS NOTIFIED AND DIAGNOSED THAT THE WHEEL BEARINGS WERE DEFECTIVE AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE WHEEL BEARING FAILURE WAS REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURES AND STATED THAT NHTSA WAS RESPONSIBLE FOR ALL RECALLS. THE CONTACT WAS TRANSFERRED TO NHTSA. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS NOT PROVIDED. *JS
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 FORD EXPLORER. WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS AT A LOCAL DEALER FOR ROUTINE SERVICE, THE FRONT WHEEL BEARINGS AND HUB ASSEMBLIES WERE REPLACED. AFTER THE REPAIRS, THE CONTACT HEARD AN ABNORMAL NOISE COMING FROM THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN BACK TO THE DEALER WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE FRONT WHEEL BEARINGS NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED; HOWEVER, THE FAILURE PERSISTED. WHILE DRIVING 60 MPH, THE FRONT DRIVER SIDE WHEEL DETACHED FROM THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHO DIAGNOSED THAT THE FRONT WHEEL BEARINGS NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 85,000.
BOTH REAR COIL SPRINGS BROKE. REPLACED FRONT AND REAR WHEEL BEARINGS REPLACED BALL JOINTS REPLACED TRANSMISSION HAS NOW FAILED AND IS NOW UNDEPENDABLE. MAY FAIL WITH OUT WARNING NO ACCIDENTS, ANY OF THE ABOVE COULD HAVE RESULTED IN AN ACCIDENT FORD IS AWARE OF ALL OF THE MENTIONED PROBLEMS AND REFUSES TO RECTIFY THE PROBLEMS. THIS IS A WIDE SPREAD PROBLEM WITH ALL 2002 FORD EXPLORERS.
AIR BAG WIRING HARNESS TO SHORT : EVERY TIME YOU MOVE THE SEAT THE AIR BAG LIGHT WOULD COME ON $683.00 REPAIR SERVICE TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN FROM FORD NO COMPENSATION FOR REPAIRS MILES 22,000. FRONT WHEEL BEARING FAILURE LEFT AND RIGHT 60,000 MILES. REAR SPRING FAILURE 75000 MILES FRONT SPRING FAILURE 75000 MILES. FUEL TANK REGISTERS 1/4 TANK WHEN TANK IS EMPTY 45000 MILES TRANSMISSION CELLINOID FAILURE 28000 MILES AND 800000 MILES HEATER CONTROL MODULE 70000 MILES. INTAKE LEAK 80000 MILES. REAR WHEEL BEARING AND AXLE SEALS 100,000 MILES. OTHER THAN THAT GREAT CAR. IF FORD CARED ABOUT ITS CUSTOMER IT WOULD HAVE FIXED THE TRANSMISSION PROBLEMS THEY HAD SIX FLAWS FROM DAY ONE OF PRODUCTION FROM 1990 ---- WHY FORD IF YOU HAD A REAL TRANSMISSION IT WOULD MAKE UP FOR ALL THE OTHER FAILURE BUILT INTO THIS CAR. YOU MAKE GREAT REAL TRUCKS LIKE THE F150 OTHER THAN THAT YOUR ENTIRE FLEET IS JUNK.
INSPECTION FOUND BOTH REAR COIL SPRINGS BROKE AND DRIVER FRONT COIL SPRING ALSO BROKE. 3 BROKEN SPRINGS. NEVER HEARD OF SPRING BREAKING, EVER. SEEMS TO BE A PROBLEM WITH FORD EXPLOYERS
THE REAR SUSPENSION IS BROKEN ON EITHER SIDE OF VEHICLE, THE REAR PASSENGER SIDE BEARINGS WERE REPLACED, NOW THE DRIVERS REAR WHEEL BEARINGS ARE SHOT.
MY FORD EXPLORER STARTED MAKING A SOUND LIKE THERE WAS SOMETHING ROLLING AROUND IN BACK GATE. FIRST MECHANIC COULDN'T FIND PROBLEM. I WORKED ON THIS FOR THREE MONTHS. LOOKS AS IF IT IS THE BUSHINGS ARE WORN AND BODY IS TOUCHING FRAME. I ALSO UNDERSTAND THAT SEVERAL OTHERS HAVE HAD THIS PROBLEM. *TR
I GOT A KNOCK ON MY DOOR BY THE FIRE DEPARTMENT TELLING ME THAT MY CAR SET ON FIRE I FILED A CLAIM WITH MY INSURANCE AND THEY TOLD ME TO FILE A CLAIM WITH FORD BECAUSE THEY HAVE REASON TO BELIEVE IT WAS THE CRUISE CONTROL BUTTON THAT SET THE CAR ON FIRE . *TR
REAR SPRING BROKE ON LEFT SIDE, NOT EVEN RUSTED. CAR ONLY HAS 32000 MILES ON IT. HAVE BEEN SEEING THAT THIS IS A KNOWN ISSUE WITH THIS MODEL BUT NO RECALL WAS EVER INSTITUTED. A TRAVESTY. *TR
THE BODY MOUNT INSULATORS DETERIORATED AND THE BODY COULD COME LOOSE FROM THE CHASSIS. FORD WANTS OVER 3000 DOLLARS FOR THIS REPAIR WHICH IS AN OBVIOUS MATERIAL FLAW. *TR
THEY WERE ROTTEN AND FALLING APART, I WAS LOOKING ONLINE AND EVERYBODY HAD THE SAME PROBLEM. THAT SHOULD BE A MANUFACTURED RECALL. IT'S A SAFETY HAZARD. *TR
WE WERE DRIVING DOWN THE HIGHWAY AND WE HEARD A CLUNK AND SO WE PULLED OVER RIGHT AWAY AND LOOKED AND THOUGHT IT LOOKED LIKE THE REAR PASSENGER SIDE WAS SAGGING BUT WASN'T SURE, WE DROVE HOME AND THEN REALIZED IT WAS DEF SAGGING. I TOOK IT TO THE CAR LOT I BOUGHT IT AT AND THEIR GOING TO CHECK IT ALL OUT TO SEE WHAT'S GOING ON.. JUST BE LOOKING AT IT THE CAR LOT MECHANIC SAID LOOKS LIKE SUSPENSION ISSUE AS IF SOMETHING BROKE. ALSO THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON AND WE HAD IT CHECKED OUT A FEW TIMES AND IT APPEARS TO HAVE O2 SENSOR ISSUES LOCATED ON THE EXHAUST WHICH SEEMS TO BE A ISSUES WITH ALOT OF FORD EXPLORERS WHICH MAKES GAS MILEAGE TERRIBLE AND VEHICLE STALLS OUT AND DIES, NOT TO MENTION THE PIECE OF PLASTIC UNDER THE REAR HATCH WINDOW THAT ALWAYS BREAKS. *TR
BEARING KEEP HAVE TO BE REPLACED, AN THE REAR COIL SPRING IS CRACKED AN THE TIRE CAME OFF WHILE DRIVING MY TRUCK, HAVE REPLACED THE WHEEL BEARING 3 TIMES ALREADY. AN I HAVE REPLACE THE TRANSMISSION 2 TIMES. *TR
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 FORD EXPLORER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR ROUTINE MAINTENANCE WHEN THE DEALER STATED THAT THE REAR COIL SPRINGS NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 118,000.
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
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
Showing 1–20 of 50 complaints
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 Apr 25, 2026