2002 FORD EXPLORER Power Traindriveline Problems

2002 FORD EXPLORER , HAD REAR END REPAIRED AT 75000.0 MILES BY FORD DEALER AND AGAIN IT'S MAKING A GRINDING NOISE AT 101000.0...LIKE ALL OTHERS, THEY STATE OUT OF WARRANTY AND WANT CUSTOMER TO PAY. *TT

2002 FORD EXPLORER REAR END GROWL/WHINE. *TR

NOISE FROM REAR WHEEL HUB BEARINGS. FORD TSB 05-25-8. I HAVE ONLY 35,000 ON THIS VEHICLE AND AM CONCERNED THAT IF THERE IS A BEARING FAILURE ON A REAR WHEEL HUB YOU COULD LOSE CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE. I FEEL THAT FORD SHOULD BE RESPONSIBLE TO CORRECT THIS DEFECT. *TR

2002 FORD EXPLORER DIFFERENTIAL SUBJECT TO INCREASED WHINING @ 85000 MILES AND RAPIDLY FAILED OVER THE COURSE OF ONE WEEK @ 99,000 MILES. R SIDE WHEEL BEARINGS HAVE FAILED AT SAME TIME. DIFFERENTIAL HAS LOCKED UP AND DRIVE GEAR JUMPS GEAR TEETH DURING ANY TURN. DEALER CLAIMS THEY'VE NEVER SEEN SUCH A FAILURE BUT LOCATED A FORD 'FIX KIT' VERY QUICKLY SO AM VERY SUSPICIOUS OF THEIR STATEMENT. I PULLED THE EXPLORER FROM THE DEALER FOR SECOND OPINION AND REP TOLD ME TO 'PARK IT' AND NEVER TO DRIVE IT UNTIL REPAIRED DUE TO POTENTIAL OF HIGHWAY LOCKUP WITH EXTREME CONSEQUENCES. FORD IS HIDING THIS DEFECT FROM THE PUBLIC. HAVE JUST FILED COMPLAINT WITH FORD ONLINE WHO ARE REPLYING WITH FORM LETTER EMAIL REFUSALS TO HELP . DRIVE GEAR FAILURE ON ANY VEHICLE IS UNHEARD OF, AND SHOULD NEVER FAIL. VEHICLE SITS ON A TRUCK CHASSIS AND SHOULD BE STURDIER...

- FORD TSB # 06-4-4 (BINDING DURING TURNING); SOLUTION IS LIMITED SLIP CLUTCH PACK REPLACEMENT - FORD TSB # 05-23-3 (REAR DIFF. HUM); SOLUTION IS AXLE REPAIR KIT - FORD TSB # 4-24-17 (5R55W TRANSMISSION - NO 3RD GEAR OR SLIPPING 2-3 SHIFT); SOLUTION IS REPLACEMENT OF INTERMEDIATE CLUTCH BANDS - CHRONIC O/D LIGHT BLINKING WITH DTC P0755 (PRESSURE CONTROL SOLENOID B CIRCUIT MALFUNCTION) THIS IS JUST THE LIST OF ISSUES I DON'T HAVE THE CAPABILITY TO PROPERLY TROUBLESHOOT. I HAVE DONE A LOT OF OTHER WORK ALREADY MYSELF WHICH I WON'T MENTION. FORD IS AWARE OF THESE PROBLEMS WITH MANY 02' EXPLORER'S AS I HAVE READ. IN MY OPINION, THESE PROBLEMS SHOULD BE CORRECTED AT NO CHARGE TO THE OWNER AS THESE PROBLEMS ARE NOT ISOLATED CASES. *TR

I HAD TO GO INTO TOWN. SOME ROADS WERE SNOW AND ICE COVERED. ON A SMALL HILL MY VEHICLE STARTED SPINNING AND FISH TAILING TRYING TO GET UP. I HAD NOT EXPERIENCED THIS TYPE OF TRACTION AND HANDLING PROBLEM BEFORE AND IT WAS UNEXPECTED. I MANAGED TO TURN AROUND IN TRAFFIC AND TOOK ANOTHER ROUTE. SAME THING HAPPENED AGAIN ON A SLIGHT INCLINE. I REALIZED THAT THE 4 WHEEL DRIVE WAS NOT WORKING. I TRIED TO MANUALLY ENGAGE IT WITHOUT SUCCESS. I EVENTUALLY MADE IT TO A FORD DEALER. AFTER CHECKING THEY INFORMED ME THAT THE 4X4 MODULE WAS BAD. AFTER DOING SOME INTERNET CHECKING, I HAVE FOUND THAT MANY OTHERS HAVE HAD THE SAME PROBLEM. MANY CLAIM THAT THE FAILURE HAPPENS AFTER THE BATTERY IS DISCONNECTED FOR SOME REASON. MY VEHICLE HAD A RECALL TO REMEDY A SPEED CONTROL DEFECT ABOUT A MONTH EARLIER. THE PROBLEM ALSO SEEMS TO...

WHEEL BEARINGS AND REAR DIFFERENTIAL BEARINGS WHERE IDENTIFIED AS BEING WORN OUT (DANGEROUSLY) TO THE POINT WHERE THE WHEELS COULD HAVE COME OFF THE VEHICLE DURING NORMAL OPERATION. THIS WAS ON A 2002 FORD EXPLORER WITH JUST UNDER 55,000. THIS INCLUDED ALL WHEEL BEARINGS AND BEARINGS LOCATED IN THE REAR END (DIFFERENTIAL) CAUSING A LOUD WHINING NOISE. *TW

FORD EXPLORER 2002 JUST WOULD NOT ACCELERATE WHEN PULLED OUT INTO TRAFFIC. NOW O/D FLASHING AND TOLD THAT IT IS A TRANSMISSION PROBLEM. MANY THOUSANDS WITH SAME PROBLEM BUT FORD WON'T DO ANYTHING. *TR

2002 FORD EXPLORER, REPLACED FRONT LEFT AND LEFT REAR WHEEL BEARINGS. NOW THE RIGHT REAR BEARING IS GOING OUT. MECHANICS AT FORD DEALERSHIP SAID ITS A COMMON PROBLEM. FORD NEEDS TO RECALL THESE. *TR

WHEN I GO TO OR FROM PARK THE CAR JERKS AND HAS ALMOST CAUSE ME TO GET INTO SEVERAL CRASHES. THIS HAPPENS AT LEAST A COUPLE TIMES A WEEK. *TR

MY 2002 FORD EXPLORER XLT CURRENTLY HAS 79,000 MILES. LOUD GRINDING NOISES COULD BE HEARD AND A GRABBING SENSATION COULD BE FELT FROM THE BACK OF THE VEHICLE. I THOUGHT THE TIRES WERE CUPPED SO I PURCHASED NEW TIRES AND HAD THE VEHICLE ALIGNED. THE NOISE WAS STILL EVIDENT. A CERTIFIED MECHANIC STATED TO ME THAT BOTH REAR WHEEL BEARINGS FAILED AND THEY NEED TO BE REPAIRED. ALONG WITH THAT, HE STATED MY DIFFERENTIAL NEEDS TO BE REPAIRED. LASTLY, BOTH REAR COIL SHOCKS WERE BROKE INTO PIECES. I HAD THEM REPLACED AT 78,500. *TR

2002 FORD EXPLORER EDDIE BAUER 4.6 HAS A LOUD WHINING/HOWLING NOISE COMING FROM REAR DIFFERENTIAL. THIS IS A KNOWN AND DOCUMENTED PROBLEM/DEFECT WITH THESE VEHICLES. FORD HAS MANY TSB'S ABOUT THE PROBLEM, BUT WILL ONLY REPLACE THE DIFFERENTIAL GEAR ASSEMBLY AT A COST OF $1100.00. *TR

HAVE HAD TO REPLACE BOTH REAR WHEEL BEARINGS ON 2002 FORD EXPLORER LIMITED, ALSO HAD TO REPLACE BOTH REAR SPRINGS. LUCKY MY WIFE HAS GOOD HEARING SO SHE NOTICED THE NOISE AS SOON AS IT STARTED OR ELSE MAY HAVE WENT FAR ENOUGH TO LOOSE WHEEL. HAD REAR SPRINGS AND WHEEL BEARINGS REPLACED AT A COST OF APPROXIMATELY $1100.00 . AFTER READING COMPLAINTS AND TALKING WITH OTHER EXPLORER OWNER I FEEL IT SHOULD HAVE BEEN A RECALL FOR FACTORY TO FIX. ALSO HAVE RECURRING PROBLEM WITH AIRBAG WARNING LIGHT COMING ON. HAVE TO JIGGLE WIRES UNDER PASSENGER SEAT TO MAKE LIGHT GO OUT. *TR

TRANSMISSION LIGHT BLINKING. TRANSMISSION SLIPPING. *TR

WHEEL BEARING ON MY 2002 FORD EXPLORER IS COMPLETELY SHOT AND CAUSES VEHICLE TO LOOSE CONTROL AND SHAKE UNCONTROLLABLY. WELL SIMPLE WEAR AND TEAR AND EXTREMELY POORLY MANUFACTURED PARTS ON A 2002 FORD EXPLORER IS RESPONSIBLE FOR THE FAILURE. ON MOST VEHICLES THESE PROBLEMS DON'T OCCUR UNTIL WELL AFTER 160+ THOUSAND MILES I HAVE PERSONAL EXPERIENCE WITH THIS PROBLEM RIGHT NOW AND FROM WHAT I HAVE READ THIS IS A RECURRING PROBLEM ON ALL FORD EXPLORER BETWEEN 2002 AND 2004. I HAVE READ THAT ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS THAT THE WHEEL ON THE VEHICLE WOULD COME TO THE POINT OF FALLING OFF. AS FOR REPLACEMENT AND CORRECTION YOU COULD REPLACE ALL FOUR BEARING AND BETWEEN 8 AND 24 THOUSAND MILES THEY WOULD HAVE THE SAME PROBLEM. TYPICAL REPAIR COST RANGE FROM $500- $2500 WHICH REALLY ISN'T TOO AFFORDABLE WHEN IT OCCURS MORE THAN TWICE IN A 12 MONTH PERIOD. I ALSO...

REAR DIFFERENTIAL. *TR

THROTTLE STUCK AND CAR WOULD NOT SLOW DOWN, ALMOST CAUSED AN ACCIDENT, PUT CAR IN NEUTRAL BUT ENGINE KEPT ON RACING, SEARCHED INTERNET ON FOUND THAT THE THROTTLE CABLE IS DEFECTIVE, FORD CHANGED DESIGN FROM 12 TO 9 WIRE DESIGN, SAW ALOT OF POSTS ON INTERNET WITH SIMILAR EXPERIENCES, CAN'T BELIEVE NO RECALL. CAR ACCELERATED ON ITS OWN. *TR

STUCK IN 4X4 MODE AND CANNOT TURN. ALMOST CAUSED AN ACCIDENT. *TR

MY 2002 FOR EXPLORER HAS A GROWLING SOUND COMING FROM THE REAR END. TOOK IT TO THE DEALER SHIP THEY TOOK 30 MINUTES TO TELL ME THAT THE REAR DIFFERENTIAL NEEDED REBUILDING. I THOUGHT THIS WAS A BIT QUICK UNTIL I FOUND OUT THAT THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM WITH THIS EXPLORER MODEL. THE COST IS 1600 AND I WAS TOLD THAT THE REAR END COULD LOCK UP. THIS SOUNDS LIKE A SAFETY ISSUE THAT SHOULD WARRANT A RECALL. I DID A INTERNET SEARCH FOR THE SAME PROBLEM AND FOUND THAT MANY HAVE EXPERIENCED THE SAME PROBLEM AND EVEN AFTER THE REPAIR IT DOES NOT FIX THE PROBLEM FOR LONG. *TR

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

THE VEHICLE IS A 2002 FORD EXPLORER .THE REAR TRANSFER CASE BEARINGS WEAR OUT PREMATURELY AND CAN SEIZE UP WHILE DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY AND CAUSE AN ACCIDENT AND IS DUE TO MANUFACTURER DEFECT. *TR

MY WIFE'S 2002 FORD EXPLORER HAD A WHINE IN THE REAR END SINCE IT WAS NEW AND IT CONTINUED TO GET WORSE WITH TIME. AT ABOUT 55K MILES IT WAS SO BAD THAT WE HAD TO HAVE THE ENTIRE DIFFERENTIAL REBUILT AT A COST OF OVER $1,000. AT 65K MILES THE ENGINE HAD BEGUN TO MAKE NOISE AND IT BECAME MUCH LOUDER RAPIDLY. THE ENTIRE CAM DRIVE (TIMING CHAIN, SPROCKETS, TENSIONERS) HAD BEEN GROUND UP. THE TENSIONER PADS HAD 3/8" DEEP GROOVES WORN INTO THEM AND THERE WERE METAL SHAVINGS EVERYWHERE. THE BILL THIS TIME WAS ALMOST $1,300. IT IS INTERESTING THAT ALL THE PARTS THAT WERE REPLACED WERE A DIFFERENT DESIGN THAN THE ORIGINALS. IF THERE WAS NOTHING WRONG WITH THE ORIGINAL DESIGN, WHY SPEND THE MONEY TO CHANGE THEM? OF COURSE FORD WOULD NOT ADMIT THAT THEY HAD A PROBLEM WITH THE TIMING CHAIN FOR THE CAMS. AFTER...

REAR BEARINGS ON 02 FORD EXPLORER XLS DEFECTIVE. *TR

2002 FORD EXPLORER LIMITED, 4WD, 4.6L - 84,000 MILES: REAR DIFFERENTIAL UNIT WHINING/ROARING FOR A FEW MONTHS AND GETTING PROGRESSIVELY WORSE. I HAVE MECHANICAL BACKGROUND AND LOOKED AT THE VEHICLE ON RACK WITH MECHANIC. REAR DIFFERENTIAL IS OBVIOUSLY VERY BAD AND I AM LUCKY I DID NOT TAKE MY FAMILY ON VACATION WITH THIS PROBLEM AS IF THE WHEELS WOULD HAVE LOCKED AT HIGHWAY SPEED IT COULD CAUSE SERIOUS ACCIDENT/INJURY. I HAVE NOT HEARD OF PROBLEMS SUCH AS THESE WITH REGULAR/EASY USE AT SUCH LOW MILES AND WITH PROPER MAINTENANCE (AS I HAVE DONE). I HAVE ALSO REPLACED LEFT FRONT WHEEL BEARING AND AM SUSPICIOUS OF RIGHT REAR WHEEL BEARING, WHICH WILL BE EVALUATED AFTER REPAIR OF REAR DIFFERENTIAL. *TR

WHEEL BEARINGS AND REAR DIFFERENTIAL. *TR

FORD EXPLORER REAR DIFFERENTIAL - REPLACED 3 X'S OVER 6 YEARS. *TR

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...

REPLACE REAR END IN 2002 EXPLORER 2 TIMES. FORD VENTED THE DIFFERENTIAL WITH A TUBE THAT EXITS AROUND THE REAR WHEEL WELL. THIS DESIGN ALLOWS A LOT OF WATER TO GET INTO THE DIFFERENTIAL AND RUINS ALL THE WORKINGS. I HAD IT FIXED AND IN LESS THAN A YEAR LATER EXPERIENCED THE SAME PROBLEM - I NOW HAVE TO HAVE THE TUBE REWORKED AS WELL AS FIX THE BEARINGS AGAIN. MY MECHANIC SAYS IT IS VERY DANGEROUS! *TR

REAR END STARTED WHINING WHILE ON ROAD TRIP FROM NASHVILLE TO HOME. LEFT REAR WHEEL STARTED TO WOBBLE AND THEN SEIZED. VEHICLE IS NOT DRIVABLE. *JB

2002 FORD EXPLORER XLS ORIGINAL OWNER 72,000 MILES. HAVE NOTICED A WHINING HUMMING ,NOISE COMING FROM REAR OF VEHICLE WHILE DRIVING 50-70 MILES PER HOUR. BEEN DOING IT SINCE 30,000 MILES. DEALER SAYS POSSIBLE RIGHT WHEEL BEARING?

LOUD THUMPING NOISES COMING FROM FRONT END OF 2002 FORD EXPLORER. FORD SAYS THEY ARE NORMAL. IT DIDN'T DO THIS WHEN WE BOUGHT IT. ALSO THERE IS A LOUD WHINING NOISE COMING FROM THE REAR END. REAR END HAS BEEN REPLACED ONCED. PROBLEM DISAPPEARED FOR ABOUT 10K MILES AFTER IT WAS REPLACED. WIFE IS AFRAID TO DRIVE THE CAR AS WE HAVE THREE NEWBORN BABIES.