2002 FORD EXPLORER Power Trainautomatic Transmission Problems

2ND GEAR LOST IN TRANSMISSION O/D LIGHT FLASHING ERRATIC SHIFTING, HAD TRANSMISSION REBUILT AT OVER $3000.00 COST TO ME FORD SAID WHOOPS SORRY. *JB

TRANSMISSION FAILED SUDDENLY WHILE TRAVELING AT HIGHWAY SPEED OF 65 MPH, CAR JERKED EXTREMELY HARD AT 65 MPH AND SUDDENLY SLOWED TO 30 MPH. O/D ON/OFF LIGHT CAME ON AND ALSO CHECK ENGINE LIGHT. I WAS ABLE TO GET THE CAR OFF THE ROAD THANKS TO THE HELP OF ANOTHER MOTORIST WHO WAS BEHIND ME AND REALIZED MY CAR WAS BREAKING DOWN. HE ASSISTED IN HELPING ME CHANGE TRAFFIC LANES TO GET TO A SAFE SPOT TO STOP. CAR WAS TOWED TO DEALERSHIP AND DETERMINED THAT AT 54,000 MILES TRANSMISSION FAILED. TRANSMISSION IS COVERED UNDER THE 100,000 MILE WARRANTY, HOWEVER FIRST AUTOMOTIVE HAS DECIDED TO PUT IN EITHER A USED OR SALVAGED TRANSMISSION. THEY REFUSE TO TELL US ANYTHING ABOUT THE CONDITION OR MILEAGE OF THE USED/SALVAGED PART. *NM

TRANSMISSION SOMETIMES NOT GOING INTO 3RD AND SLIPPING BETWEEN 1ST AND 2ND AND 3RD. BOUGHT IT USED SO OUT OF LUCK BUT HAVE TALKED TO DOZENS WHO HAD THE SAME PROBLEM. FORD ISSUED THIS WARNING TO THEIR DEALERS "03-25-4 DEC 03 A/T - 5R55W NO 3RD GEAR/SLIPPING 2-3 SHIFT/DTC'S SET" SO MANY OF THESE ARE JUST GOING OUT. DUE TO HAVING A BABY WE HAVE NOT HAD THE 2800 TO FIX IT. JUST HOPING IT LASTS AT LEAST 6 MORE MONTHS. *NM

TRANSMISSION WENT BAD AT 68,000 MILES. IT WAS UNABLE TO SHIFT FROM SECOND TO THIRD GEAR. PREVIOUS TO THAT MAKE VERY HARD NOISES WHEN SHIFTING FROM THIRD TO SECOND. *JB

TOOK 02 FORD EXPLORER IN DUE TO CAR NOT SHIFTING WHEN IT SHOULD. ACCORDING TO FORD, I NEED A NEW TRANSMISSION. THE EXPLORER ONLY HAS 34,000 MILES. FREEDOM FORD IN HAMPTON, VA INSTALLED A NEW TRANSMISSION FOR $3600.00. *NM

AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION (5R55W) HAS FAILED AT 30,300 MILES 10 MONTHS PAST LOUSY 3YR/36K BUMPER TO BUMPER WARRANTY EXPIRATION! 1 MONTH PRIOR TO FAILING THERE WAS A SECOND OR SO DELAY SHIFTING INTO REVERSE OR A HARSH BUMP UPON ENGAGEMENT. ON 2/26/06 AFTER A 30 MINUTE DRIVE ON THE INTERSTATE AND THEN DOING AN IN-TOWN ERRAND, THE OVERDRIVE OFF LIGHT STARTED FLASHING. AFTER PARKING IT IN OUR GARAGE THERE WAS A BURNED FLUID SMELL. DUE FOR THE 30K TRANSMISSION SERVICE, I ALSO ASKED FOR A COMPUTER DIAGNOSTIC TEST AT AN INDEPENDENT TRANS. SPECIALIST. THE MECHANIC CAME TO ME WITH THE PAN ASKING DO YOU POSSIBLY HAVE AN EXTENDED WARRANTY. (NO! I SHOULDN'T NEED ONE FOR A MAJOR COMPONENT SUCH AS A TRANSMISSION.) THE FLUID WAS COMPLETELY BLACK WITH NO HINT OF RED. ADDITIONALLY THE MAGNET WAS COVERED WITH A 1/2" THICK LAYER OF METAL SHAVINGS! THE COMPUTER CODE (P1783) REVEALED THAT...

WHILE DRIVING ON THE FREEWAY, MY O/D LIGHT STARTED FLASHING AND MY CAR WOULD NOT SHIFT. I ENDED UP HAVING TO DRIVE AT 25 MPH AND AT 5000 RPMS IN ORDER TO GET HOME. I HAVE HEARD OF MORE THAN SEVERAL OTHER PEOPLE HAVING THE SAME PROBLEM WITH 2002 EXPLORERS. FORD DID NOTHING TO HELP ME. *JB

AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION FAILURE SUDDEN. *NM

2002 FORD EXPLORER EXHIBITING TRANSMISSION AND REAR END PROBLEMS FORD SHOULD RECALL ALL 2002 FORD EXPLORERS FOR THIS PROBLEM. IT APPEARS TO BE VERY WIDE SPREAD. COST ESTIMATED TO BE $6000 FOR REPAIR. *NM

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED WHILE SHIFTING GEARS, THE AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION MADE A CLUNKING NOISE AND THE VEHICLE DISPLAYED A JERKING MOTION. THE VEHICLE WAS SEEN BY A DEALER AND THE SOLENOID HOUSING OF THE AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION WAS REPLACED. AFTERWARDS, THE PROBLEM PERSISTED AND THE SOLENOID HOUSING WAS AGAIN REPLACED BY THE DEALER. THE FRONT PADS WERE REPLACED. THE DRIVERS SIDE DOOR WOULD POP OPEN. THERE WAS A DELAY WHEN SHIFTING GEARS, AND THEN THE VEHICLE WOULD SLAM INTO GEAR. UPDATED 04/06/06. *JB

THIS IS THE SECOND TIME IN LESS THEN TWO YEARS I HAVE HAD TO HAVE THE TRANSMISSION REBUILT. IT WAS BOUGHT ON 8/14/04 AS IS NO WARRANTY FROM A DEALER (DEMO) UNIT IT HAD 38547 MILES ON IT, 10/13/04 THE TRANSMISSION BLEW WITH 41675 MILES ON IT. THE DEALER WOULDN'T GIVE ME NO HELP AS WELL AS FORD CUSTOMER SERVICE, I PAID 2181.03 TO HAVE IT REBUILT INCLUDING THE TORQUE CONVERTER REPLACED, AND THE SOLENOID PAK (WHICH WAS REPLACED 2 MORE TIMES SHORTLY AFTER BEING INSTALLED EACH TIME) IT NEEDED A LS KIT, BAS HING KIT, 5 FORWARD STEELS, FILTER AND FLUIDS. MARCH 8TH 2006 I FIND MYSELF SPENDING ANOTHER 1412.56 TO HAVE IT REBUILT YET AGAIN NOW ONLY HAVING 64460 MILES ON IT, IT NEEDED AN OVERHAUL KIT, FILTER AND TRANS FLUIDS, INTERMEDIATE BAND, OD SERVO PISTON, INT SERVO PISTON AND ANOTHER SOLENOID PAK AS WELL AS THE TRANSMISSION...

2002 EXPLORER TRANSMISSION IS BAD AFTER ONLY 33,000 MILES. *JB

AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION BEGAN HAVING SHIFTING DIFFICULTIES SHIFTING UP AND DOWN BETWEEN GEARS. THE OCCASION THAT PROMPTED THIS OCCURRED AS I ATTEMPTED TO PLACE THE CAR IN REVERSE AND IT DID NOT ENGAGE IMMEDIATELY. I WAS ALMOST BROADSIDED BY AN APPROACHING VEHICLE BEFORE REVERSE ENGAGED AND I WAS ABLE TO AVOID THE COLLISION. IT SEEMS IT TOOK APPROXIMATELY UP TO 1 MINUTE FOR REVERSE TO ENGAGE AND THE VEHICLE LURCHED BACKWARDS ONCE ENGAGED. *NM

TRANSMISSION OVERHEATING AND NOT SHIFTING CORRECTLY WHILE ON HIGHWAY AT 65 MPH 63000 MILES ON 2002 FORD EXPLORER XLT COMPLETE OVERHAUL NEEDED ON TRANSMISSION APPROX COST $2600.00 TO REPAIR. *JB

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

I BOUGHT MY 2002 FORD EXPLORER WITH 55,000 MILES ON IT ABOUT 2 YEARS AGO. EVERY ONCE IN AWHILE I WOULD GET A LOUD THUG WHEN THE CAR SHIFTED BETWEEN 25 AND 35 MPH. THE SERVICE PLACES WERE NEVER ABLE TO REPRODUCE THE PROBLEM. LAST WEEK, I WAS DRIVING AND THE CAR JUST WOULD NOT SHIFT - THE CHECK TRANSMISSION LIGHT CAME ON AND THE OD LIGHT STARTED RAPIDLY FLASHING. MY CAR IS OF COURSE OUT OF WARRANTY AND THE DEALERSHIP IS QUOTING ME $3120 FOR A REBUILT TRANSMISSION THAT THEY SAY I NEED. I HAVE DONE SOME RESEARCH AND FOUND THAT MANY PEOPLE ARE HAVING THE SAME EXACT PROBLEM WITH THE FORD EXPLORER 2002. THERE IS EVEN THE FOLLOWING TSB ISSUED FOR IT THAT I FOUND ONLINE 03-25-4 DEC 03 A/T - 5R55W NO 3RD GEAR/SLIPPING 2-3 SHIFT/DTC'S SET. HOWEVER, THE DEALERSHIP WILL NOT ACKNOWLEDGE WHETHER OR NOT THAT...

THE OVERDRIVE LIGHT IS FLASHING AND TRUCK WILL NOT GO INTO OVERDRIVE. I PAID $1500 6 MONTHS AGO TO FIX THE PROBLEM AND IT IS DOING THE SAME THING. I TOOK IT IN AGAIN AND THE REPAIR SHOP SAID IT WAS ELECTRICAL. I PAID ANOTHER $400 TO FIX IT AND 4 DAYS LATER IT IS DOING THE SAME THING. *JB

BOUGHT EXPLORER XLS 2002 IN JULY 2001. SINCE OWNING VEHICLE HAVE NOTICED AN INCREASE IN GEAR SLIPPING BETWEEN 2ND AND 3RD. SLAMMING INTO GEAR. DEALER UNABLE TO REPRODUCE. CHARGED ME $90 TO CHECK COMPUTER. IN 2004 NOTICED A WHINING COMING FROM ENGINE, TRANSMISSION PUMP FAILURE, REPLACED. 2 DAYS LATER, RETURNED TO THE DEALERSHIP, THE REPLACEMENT PUMP ALSO FAILED. TRANSMISSION STILL SHIFTING HARD, INCREASINGLY GETTING WORSE. I HAVE AN EXTENDED WARRANTY, WORTH THE MONEY SO FAR. I'VE READ OVER 160 COMPLAINTS, ALL WITH THE SAME PROBLEM. WHAT IS FORD THINKING? DO THEY THINK THE PROBLEM WILL GO AWAY? *JB

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

I BROUGHT TRUCK ON 02/27/2004. THE SALESMAN AT BILL HEARD CHEVROLET MADE ME SIGN SOME PAPERS. IN TWO WEEKS I HAD TO GO BACK TO SIGN SOME MORE PAPERS BECAUSE THEY SAID THEY HAD MADE A MISTAKE. THEY TOLD ME THAT I WOULD FINISH PAYING FOR THE CAR IN THREE YEARS THE COST WAS SUPPOSEDLY $24,000. IN TWO WEEKS AFTER THAT I STARTED HAVING TRANSMISSION PROBLEMS. I TOLD THE DEALERSHIP BUT THEY DIDN'T WANT TO FIXED THE PROBLEM SO I HAD TO PAY OUT OF MY OWN MONEY TO FIX THE PROBLEM. AFTER THAT THEY PUT AN INSURANCE ON THE TRUCK WHICH BROUGHT MY PAYMENT TO $518.00. MY AIR CONDITIONER DIDN'T FUNCTION SINCE I BROUGHT IT. MY CAR HAS NO DIRECTION AT ALL. ALSO, WHEN I RUN THE TRUCK MORE THAN 65 MPH IT JUST STARTS SHAKING. IN THREE MONTHS AFTER I BROUGHT THE CAR I READ THE PAPERS AND...

TRANSMISSION HAS FAILED ON 2002 EXPLORER V-6 WITH 76,721 MILES. HAS BEEN TO SHOP 3 TIMES. TORQUE CHANGED, THEN TRANSMISSION REBUILT, NOW STILL JERKING AND LURCHING-WILL HAVE TO GO BACK. NO WARRANTY. *NM

MY 2002 FORD EXPLORER LTD'S TRANSMISSION FAILED ON OR ABOUT 20 JANUARY WITHOUT ANY PRIOR WARNING. THE VEHICLE HAD APPRX. 65,000 MILES. THE VEHICLE HAS BEEN WITH THE VETERANS FORD DEALERSHIP IN METAIRIE, LA FOR OVER 3 WEEKS. THEY HAVE INFORMED ME THE TRANSMISSION WILL HAVE TO BE REPLACED AT A COST OF APPRX. $3000. I NOW UNDERSTAND THIS IS A WIDESPREAD PROBLEM WITH THE 2002 FORD EXPLORER AND URGE A RECALL. *JB

THE TRANSMISSION ON THE CAR HAS PROBLEMS AND THE 4X4 DOESN'T WORK WITH ONLY 80000 MILES. *JB

TRANSMISSION HAS BEEN MAKING SOFT SHIFTS AND SOUNDS AS IT SHIFTS. DEALER HAS "REPROGRAMMED" THE TRANSMISSION. NOW TRANSMISSION HAS COMPLETELY FAILED. DEALER CLAIMS THE 3 GEAR IN THIS HEAVY DUTY TRANSMISSION IS BROKEN AND TRANSMISSION MUST BE REPLACED. *JB

TRANSMISSION - GEAR BAND. *JB

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...

2002 FORD EXPLORER, WHEN THE CAR IS AT 30-40 MPH AND SHIFTING GEARS IT LURCHERS FORWARD. I SPENT $1000.00 FOR REPAIR 2 MONTHS AGO WITH FORD DEALER. I AM BACK AGAIN NOW THEY SAY I NEED A FULL TRANMISSION.*AK

TRANSMISSION FAILURE ON 2002 FORD EXPLORER AT 50,000 MILES. TRANSMISSION JUMPS OUT OF GEAR RANDOMLY, ALMOST CAUSING COLLISION. *AK

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED WITHOUT WARNING, THE TRANSMISSION WOULD SLIP WHEN SHIFTING INTO SECOND OR THIRD GEAR. THE DEALERSHIP DETERMINED THE TRANSMISSION NEEDED TO BE REBUILT. *NM

RECURRING PROBLEMS WITH TRANSMISSION. EVERY NOW AN THEN, THE OVERDRIVE OFF LIGHT BLINKS, OCCASIONALLY CAUSING THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT TO COME ON. 14854 MILES THE TRANSMISSION WAS OVERHAULED BY THE DEALER. FROM ABOUT 50,000 MILES THE OVERDRIVE LIGHT WOULD OCCASIONAL FLASH BUT AS LONG AS I SHUT OFF THE ENGINE AND RESTARTED IT, THE PROBLEM WOULDN'T POP UP FOR A FEW MONTHS. THERE DIDN'T SEEM TO BE ANY CONSISTENT REASON FOR IT TO FLASH. THE DEALER SAID THE ONLY THING THEY COULD DO IS TO TEST IT WHEN THE LIGHT WAS FLASHING SO THEY COULD DIAGNOSE THE PROBLEM. SINCE THE PROBLEM WAS SO INTERMITTENT IT WAS DIFFICULT TO GET TO A DEALER AT THE PARTICULAR TIME THE LIGHT WOULD FLASH. THE TRUCK SEEMED TO BE OPERATING AS IT ALWAYS DID. EVENTUALLY THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON AS A RESULT OF THE O/D OFF LIGHT BEING ON AND AT 63,329...

THE TRANSMISSION SOMETIMES SLIPPED WHEN WE FIRST BOUGHT THE VEHICLE NEW. WE WERE TOLD THAT WAS NORMAL. THE VEHICLE NOW WILL NOT LOCK INTO SECOND GEAR, TOLD WE NEEDED A NEW TRANSMISSION. IT IS ONLY 4 YEARS OLD AND HAS 58,000 MILES; TOO SOON FOR THIS KIND OF EXPENSE FOR A WELL CARED FOR CAR. WE ARE OUT OF WARRANTY. *NM

WHILE DRIVING THE SUV TO WORK ON 11 JAN 2006 @0800 ON THE INTERSTATE, EVERYTHING WAS OPERATING NORMALLY THEN SUDDENLY THE OVERDRIVE LIGHT BEGAN TO FLASH AND THE TRANSMISSION BEGAN TO SLIP AND WOULD NOT SHIFT OUT OF 2ND GEAR, WITH NO PRIOR WARNING LIGHT TO THIS DAY OR MALFUNCTIONS. @ 0900 I TOOK THE SUV TO A LOCAL NEAR BY TRANSMISSION SHOP WHERE THEY DEEMED AFTER DRIVING AND RUNNING DIAGNOSTIC TESTING THAT IT NEEDED TO BE REBUILT,THEY FURTHER STATED THAT THEY HAVE HAD SEVERAL 2002 FORD EXPLORERS WITH THE SAME PROBLEM. AFTER TEARING THE TRANSMISSION APART FURTHER INSPECTION REVEALED THAT IT WAS IN NEED OF A TOTAL OVERHAUL COSTING $2079.00. THE SUV IS A 2002 FORD EXPLORER EDDIE BAUER WITH 64,000 MILES . *JB

2002 FORD EXPLORER XLT WITH 4.0L ENGINE, 2WD: AFTER 100,000 MILES, THE O/D LIGHT BEGAN FLASHING. TRANSMISSION SERVICE TECHNICIAN NOTICED CHUNKS OF BRASS AND STEEL IN THE TRAN PAN (THIS HAD BEEN CHECKED 6 MONTHS EARLIER AND THERE WAS NO SIGN OF METAL IN THE PAN). TECHNICIAN DROPPED THE VALVE BODY, THINKING THAT THE VALVE BODY GASKET WAS BLOWN. HOWEVER, THE GASKET WAS FINE, BUT THERE WAS MORE METAL FOUND IN THE VALVE BODY. AT THIS POINT IT WAS DETERMINED THAT THERE WAS AN INTERNAL PROBLEM WITH THE TRANSMISSION. THE NEXT DAY, THE VEHICLE BEGAN TO FAIL TO SHIFT INTO UPPER GEARS. AFTER CHECKING A COUPLE OF WEB-SITES, IT APPEARS THERE IS A FAIRLY WIDESPREAD PROBLEM WITH THE TRANSMISSION THAT IS USED IN THE 2002 EXPLORERS. FORD RELAYED TO ME THAT THERE ARE NO RECALLS ON THE TRANSMISSION. *JB

I HAVE HAD MY VEHICLE IN TO FORD FOR TRANSMISSIONS AND DIFFERENTIAL PROBLEMS OVER THE LAST 2 YEARS. THEY COULD NOT FIX THE PROBLEM WHILE UNDER WARRANTY AND NOW THE TRANSMISSION FAILED AND LEFT ME STRANDED ON A CROSS COUNTRY MOVE. I HAD THE VEHICLE IN FOR SERVICE RIGHT BEFORE THE TRIP STATING THE TRUCK WAS NOT RIGHT. THEY COULD NOT FIX IT. *NM

REAR DIFFERENTIAL MAKES A HOWLING NOISE AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS. NOISE GOES AWAY WHEN LETTING OFF ACCELERATOR. IT'S BEEN REPORTED TO DEALER MANY TIMES. THIS PROBLEM IS COMMON TO EXPLORERS OF THE SAME YEAR AS EVIDENCED BY NUMEROUS INTERNET FORUMS. TRANSMISSION ALSO SHUDDERS IN 3RD GEAR, ESPECIALLY WHEN COLD. *JB

2002 FORD EXPLORER HAS REQUIRED 5 SEPARATE TRANSMISSION REPAIRS IN LAST 2 YEARS. INCLUDING 1 TOTAL REBUILD AT 50,000 MILES. FORD DEALER AND FORD CORPORATE WILL NOT STAND BEHIND THEIR PRODUCT. *JB

WHINE IN THE REAR END. MECHANIC REBUILT THE REAR END AND THE BEARING ALL SHOW SIGNS OF FAILURE ACCORDING TO THE MECHANIC FORD HAD USED CHEAP BEARINGS IN THE REAR END. THE TRANSMISSION ALSO HAS PROBLEMS SHIFTING. EACH TIME THE VEHICLE SHIFTS, IT SHUTTERS AND JERKS. I AM AFRAID THAT FORD USED THE SAME TYPE BEARINGS IN THE TRANSMISSION AS THEY DID IN THE REAR END AND THEY ARE FAILING AS WELL. *NM

O/D LIGHT FLASHING SO I TOOK CAR INTO DEALER. TRANSMISSION IS BAD AND NEEDS NEW SOLENOIDS AT 45,000 MILES. *NM

THE TRANSMISSION ON MY 2002 FORD EXPLORER WITH ONLY 45,000 MILES HAS GONE OUT. I STARTED TO NOTICE PROBLEMS WHEN IT HARD SHIFTED BETWEEN 2ND AND 3RD GEAR. ON NOVEMBER 24, 2005, THE OVERDRIVE OFF LIGHT STARTED FLASHING AND THE VEHICLE NO LONGER SHIFTED INTO 3RD GEAR. AFTER SEVERAL ATTEMPTED TO FIX IT AT THE DEALERSHIP, THEY FINALLY DETERMINED THE PROBLEM HAD TO DO WITH AN ALUMINUM CASE AROUND A STEEL MOVING PART. THE PART IS WEARING AWAY THE ALUMINUM CASE. THIS SHOULDN'T BE HAPPENING AT ONLY 45,000 MILES. THIS WILL COST ME APPROXIMATE $2000 TO FIX. ABSOLUTELY ABSURD! I'VE TALKED TO FORD AND THEY WON'T DO ANYTHING ABOUT IT. MULTIPLE POSTS ON CARREVIEW.COM HAVE THE SAME EXACT PROBLEM WITH THIS MAKE AND MODEL. *JB

2002 TRANSMISSION FAILURE CAUSING ME TO BUY A NEW TRANSMISSION AT ONLY 45,000 MILES..2002 FORD EXPLORER XLT 2WD 4.0L V6. IT HAS BEEN REBUILT 2 TIMES SINCE I WAS MADE TO BUY A NEW TRANSMISSION. THIS IS TOTALLY UNACCEPTABLE AND THERE ARE OTHERS WITH THE SAME PROBLEMS AT THIS SITE. WE SHOULDN'T BE FORCED TO PAY $4000.00 TO FIX A PROBLEM ON A VEHICLE THAT IS NOWHERE NEAR THE EXPECTED TIMEFRAME FOR THIS SORT OF MALFUNCTION (I.E. 150K TO 200K MILES). HTTP://FORUMS.CARREVIEW.COM/SHOWTHREAD.PHP?T=93&PAGE=2&PP=25. *NM

BOUGHT 2002 EXPLORER XLT 4X4 NEW. HAS BEEN IN FOR TRANSMISSION-RELATED PROBLEMS MULTIPLE TIME DURING WARRANTY AND EXTENDED WARRANTY. A COUPLE TIMES, THEY COULD NOT DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM AND DID NOTHING. # OTHER TIMES, THEY FOUND THING WRONG AND 'SUPPOSEDLY' FIXED THEM. WENT BACK INTO THE DEALER AGAIN TODAY WITH O/D OFF LIGHT FLASHING. WARRANTY HAS NOW EXPIRED. I AM WAITING FOR A CALL BACK FROM THEM TO TELL ME WHAT'S WRONG 'THIS TIME'. I'M RELATIVELY CERTAIN I HAVE KEPT ALL THE DEALER STATEMENTS FROM ALL THE TIMES IT HAS WENT IN FOR SERVICE. *NM

2002 FORD EXPLORER - OD LIGHT FLASHING AND ENGINE OVER-REVVING WHEN GOING FM 2ND TO 3RD GEAR - AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION. WHEN IT DOES FINALLY SHIFT INTO GEAR, IT IS VERY HARD AND JOLTING. 73,000 MILES ON THE CAR AND IT WAS PURCHASED NEW. I'M BEING TOLD BY THE FORD DEALERSHIP THAT THE TRANSMISSION WILL HAVE TO BE "OVERHAULED" AT A COST OF $1500-MINIMUM. I UNDERSTAND THAT THERE IS A HISTORY OF THIS TYPE OF PROBLEM WITH THE 2002 FORD EXPLORER. IS THE NHTSA LOOKING INTO IT?*JB

2002 FORD EXPLORER HAD TRANSMISSION PROBLEMS FROM THE BEGINNING. TOOK THE VEHICLE IN PRIOR TO THE 36K WARRANTY EXPIRING AND WAS TOLD THAT THE TROUBLE WAS DUE TO A NEW TYPE OF TRANSMISSION THAT WAS USED IN THIS MODEL. WAS TOLD IT WAS A "MEMORY TRANSMISSION" AND THAT WAS WHY IT SHIFTED SO HARD AND MADE NOISES. PROBLEM NEVER WENT AWAY AND HAD TO GET THE TRANSMISSION REBUILT IN 12/05 BECAUSE THE PROBLEM BECAME SO SEVERE. FROM RESEARCH WE HAVE DONE THIS IS NOT A RANDOM CASE BUT RATHER A RECURRING PROBLEM FOR OWNERS OF THIS VEHICLE. FORD SHOULD BE RESPONSIBLE FOR THE FIXING THE TRANSMISSIONS BECAUSE THEY KNOW THAT THEY ARE NOT RELIABLE. *JB

THE BAND IN MY TRANSMISSION BROKE, IT WOULD NOT SHIFT TO THIRD GEAR, I HAVE SEEN IN FORUMS THAT MANY PEOPLE HAVE THIS PROBLEM, I THINK FORD SHOULD ISSUE A RECALL AND FIX THIS PROBLEM, THE MINIMUM CHARGE TO REBUILD THE TRANSMISSION IS ABOUT $2500.*JB

TRANSMISSION BAND BROKEN -- ONLY 50,000 MILES FORD HAS PERFORMED ALL SERVICE REPAIRS INCLUDING OIL CHANGES EVER DONE ON THIS VEHICLE. ONE DAY WHILE DRIVING, I HEARD A POP AND THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT ACCELERATE. THE SPEED WOULD ONLY GO UP TO 30 MPH AND WOULD JERK AGAIN. I HAVE NOW BEEN TOLD IT WOULD COST 2500 DOLLARS TO FIX. AFTER RESEARCHING THE ISSUE, I FOUND OUT INFORMATION THAT THIS PROBLEM IS COMMON TO A LOT OF PEOPLE WHO OWN THE SAME YEAR, MAKE, AND MODEL. THE PROBLEMS OCCURS AT THE SAME APPROXIMATE MILEAGE. *JB

WHEN WE FIRST BOUGHT OUR 2002 EXPLORER XLT FROM FINKS USED CAR LOT IN ZANESVILLE OHIO IT HAD ABOUT 22 OR SO THOUSAND MILES ON IT AND WE REQUESTED A CHECK UP ON THE VEHICLE. THE BACK HATCH BRACKETS WAS REPLACED, AND THE BACK WHEEL BRAKES WERE STICKING AND BURNING, LOCKING UP. THAT PROBLEM SEEMED TO BE FIXED. THEN THE ANTILOCK BRAKE SYSTEM LIGHT STARTED COMING ON AND THE FRONT BRAKES SEEMED TO BE GRABBING....JUST LAST MONTH. I HAD THE CRUISE CONTROL SET ON THE VEHICLE ONCE AND IT SMELLED LIKE SOMETHING SMOLDERING SO I SHUT IT OFF AND IT HASN'T BEEN ON SINCE. I CALLED THE FORD GARAGE TO ASK IF MY CRUISE CONTROL WAS ON THE FIRE HAZARD LIST BECAUSE THE VEHICLE WAS BUILT IN 2001. I WAS TOLD IF I DID NOT RECEIVE A LETTER IN THE MAIL IT WOULDN'T BE REPLACED. THIS VEHICLE WAS STILL UNDER...

OUR 2002 FORD EXPLORER HAD ISSUES ALMOST FROM THE BEGINNING, WHEN PUTTING IT INTO DRIVE IT SOMETIMES WOULD HESITATE AND THEN LURCH FORWARD, EVEN WITH THE BRAKE APPLIED. LATELY, AFTER 65,000 MILES, THE TRANSMISSION WOULD NOT SHIFT INTO 3RD GEAR, THE ENGINE WOULD REV., BUT NOT SHIFT. IF YOU LEFT YOUR FOOT OFF THE GAS, IT MIGHT SHIFT. THEN THE O/D LIGHT WOULD BLINK. WE HAVE TAKEN IT TO A TRANSMISSION REPAIR SHOP. *NM

I HAVE A 2002 FORD EXPLORER XLT. HAVE HAD TRANSMISSION PROBLEMS SINCE ABOUT 58000 MILES AND HAS BEEN IN THE SHOP 5 TIMES FOR THE SAME PROBLEM OF HARD SHIFTING TO TRANSMISSION HAVING PROBLEMS FINDING THE CORRECT GEARS TO FINALY, 3RD GEAR BAND FINALY BROKE AT 68000 MILES. JUST GOT FIXED BUT STILL HAVING ISSUES. NOW I HAVE A SHUTTER AND THIRD GEAR STILL SLIPS SLIGHTLY. THIS IS JUST FRUSTRATING!! *NM

2002 EXPLORER, STARTED TO NOTICE A BIT OF A LAG FROM 2ND TO 3RD GEAR, THEN A BIG LAG AND LURCH, FOLLOWED BY O/D LIGHT FLASHING FOLLOWED BY CHECK ENGINE LIGHT. HAD SOLENOID PACK REPLACED FOR $320 LASTED FIVE WEEKS AND FAILED AGAIN, WITH O/D FLASHING AND CAR LURCHING AND GRABBING HARD BETWEEN 2ND AND 3RD SHIFT ON AN AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION. ALSO NOTICED AFTER FIRST REPAIR , HARD TO SHIFT FROM DRIVE TO PARK, WOULD HANG UP TRYING TO GET IN PARK. *JB

I BOUGHT A NEW 2002 FORD EXPLORER XLT. AT 13,743 WORK ORDER WRITES MY COMPLAINTS AS "WHEN GOING FROM PARK TO DRIVE TRANS CLUNKS INTO GEAR AND DELAY UP SHIFT A SLOW SPEEDS". DEALER WROTE ON COMPLETED ORDER FORM "CAUSE: INOP, CORRECTION:REPROGRAM PCM, TECH NOTES:ROADTEST TRANS ENGAGEMENT ARE HARSH INTERMITTENT UPSHIFTS ARE FIRM, REPROGRAM PCM...". AT 16,482 MILES I AGAIN COMPLAINED OF CLUNKING WHEN SHIFTING GEARS. DEALER SAID COULD NOT REPRODUCE. AT 24,613 I COMPLAINED OF TRANS CLUNKING, AND HESITATING BETWEEN SHIFTING, AGAIN DEALER SAID COULD NOT REPRODUCE. AT 35,976 MILES THEY SAID THERE WAS A TRANS PROBLEM AND REHAULED (REBUILT) TRANS. AT 50,295 MILES CAR WAS HESITATING AGAIN BETWEEN SHIFTS AND CLUNKING AGAIN. AT STOPPING THE CAR WOULD JERK HARD. THEY SAID THE TRANS WAS BAD AGAIN AND REHAULED IT AGAIN. AT 52,900 MILES I WAS GOING TO STOP AT A LIGHT, I THOUGHT SOMETHING HAD HAPPENED TO THE...