Problems with 2002 Ford Explorer VISIBILITY

Opened the liftglass on the rear of the vehicle and the glass shattered. no excessive force was used. contacted ford dealership and said that it was my responsibility since the recall repair had been performed 6 months ago. i am paying for repair. *tr

Tl*the contact owns a 2002 ford explorer. the contact noticed that the rear glass was cracked from the top to the bottom of the glass. he noticed another crack beginning to form at the top as well. one crack is in the center and the other is on the top right. the manufacturer stated that they would assume a small portion of the cost to have the glass replaced, but did not state whether the failure would recur. the failure mileage was 25,000 and current mileage was 46,700. updated 04-02-08 *bf

The noise was the indication of a problem, took the car in for noise coming from the wheels. was told by ford garage all four wheel bearings needed to be replaced i was very shocked. when ford mechanic said this was a recurring problem and common in this year and model i was angry. not soon after that the four wheel drive module went out and needed replaced. this car is five years old with at the time 82,000 miles on it. now the transmission is slipping. earlier we had to replace the automatic driver's window power motor which was also expensive. had to replace rear axel bushings too. *tr

My window switch started to smoke and melted the main window switch. it does not work at all now. it will be taken to a ford dealership tomorrow. *tr

Tl*the contact owns a 2002 ford explorer. the contact lifted the tailgate and noticed that the lift cylinder had detached from the socket, causing the tailgate to strike him on the top of his head. the failure resulted in a bump on his head. the dealer stated that his vehicle was not covered under the warranty. there was recall # 01i010000 (visibility:glass, side/rear). the dealer did not verify to determine if his vehicle was included in the recall. the current mileage is 78,000 and failure mileage was 77,500.

Tl*the contact owns a 2002 ford explorer. the contact called regarding nhtsa campaign # 01i010000 (visibility:glass, side/rear). the dealer stated that according to the vin, the recall repair had already been performed on the vehicle. however, ford stated that there were no recalls for the vehicle. the manufacturer also stated that the vin did not relate to the safety act. before he notified the dealer and the manufacturer, the rear side glass on the vehicle had already fallen out, similar to the failure noted in the recall. unfortunately, the contact never received a recall notice prior to the failure. the estimated cost to have the glass replaced is $900. neither the dealer nor the manufacturer has offered to pay for the repair. the engine size, powertrain, mileage information, and fuel system were unknown.

Crack on panel below the rear glass was about 4 inches long. if the crack continues it could become a safety issue at highway speeds. part of the panel could detach.*ak

The rear window on my 2002 ford explorer exploded when i opened it. unfortunately a friend was standing near and received a couple minor cuts. no idea what so ever what caused the window to shatter into a million pieces, the local ford motor folks said this was strange and had never heard of it before. the temperature was about 40 degrees, so it wasn't that cold out. it had been closed just minutes before without any indication of a problem. *jb

Tl*the contact owns a 2002 ford explorer. the contact heard a loud noise while driving in reverse. three days later, she discovered a crack below the window of the rear door. the dealer stated that they have three other vehicles on location with the same failure. the ford manufacturer stated that nothing could be done because her vehicle is not under warranty and it was not serviced with ford. the engine size was unknown. the current mileage is 59,000 and failure mileage was 58,750. updated 02/01/08. *lj updated 02/01/08 *tr

On my 2002 ford explorer suv i have had to replace 3 of the 4 wheel bearings and hub assemblies(approx $250 each), with the 4th not far behind. i have also had to replace the 4-wheel drive module(approx $400-$500). i have had problems with the rear window motors going bad and having to replace these too. the air conditioning unit has stopped working. the passenger air bag dummy light has come on for no reason. the seat belt warning chime often comes on and will not go off, even though you have buckled your seat belt. you have to slam the buckle into place for it to go off and sometimes this does not work either. the transmission is now making a lovely clunking sound when shifting from park to drive and when you try to put it back into park, it does not want to. you have to put it up to park as far as it will go then go back to neutral and then into park from there. we have replaced the emergency brake shoes on both sides because they were completely worn off even though we do not use the e-brakes. these problems are just piling up one after another. i went to an internet site that has complaints about vehicles and found that there are hundreds of others with the same problems on their 2002 ford explorers of all kinds (xl, eddie bauer, special edition, etc.). why hasn't ford done any recalls for these problems? does it require multiple injuries or even death for them to take responsibility??? *tr

Dt*: the contact stated while the vehicle was parked and being washed by hand, the liftgate glass became unfastened and fractured when the gate was opened. this malfunction caused personal injuries. there were no warning signals prior to the incident. the vehicle was taken to a dealership.

Tl *- the contact owns a 2002 ford explorer. the rear window has a crack near the window molding. no incident occurred which would have caused the window to crack. the contact also observed another vehicle, same make and model with an identical problem. *ak updated 03/07/07*jb

Tl* - the contact states that on january of 2005 her 2002 ford explorer had a defective applique located below tailgate glass had developed a crack from top to bottom. the location of this crack is approximately inches to the left of the ford emblem. contact took the vehicle to the dealership and they stated that the crack was a stress crack, probably due to temperature expand. on october of 2006 contact experience the same crack this time it cracked into two pieces. contact states that she can provide pictures if needed.

Dt*: the contact stated the rear hatchback door windshield fell off while the door was open breaking glass over the concrete which deflected back up causing injuries to the contact. the vehicle has not been to a service dealer to determine the caused of the problem.

Dt*: the contact stated after shutting the liftgate glass it shattered and rained down. the broken glass cut the arm, leg and foot of the contact. the vehicle was taken to a service dealer, who informed the contact that a repair would not be performed because the window cylinder did not appear to be damaged. there was a nhtsa recall # 01i010000 which pertains to the side and rear glass. the vehicle was not included in recall due to the vin.

Bought 2002 explorer in 2003 with 12,000 miles. servicng dealer replaced transmission and torque converter under warranty @ 32,000 miles after o/d light started flashing. now needs another transmission @ 54,000 miles. car has always been serviced, driven lightly, never towed, never abused. dealer will not pay or help out one bit. ford knows 2002 explorers have defective transmissions and rear ends, is ignoring problem, leaving consumer to absorb cost! have also had to replace timing chain tensioner, rear windshield wiper assembly, air conditioning unit under warranty. front and rear wheel bearings needed replacing- out of warranty. rear end is making classic "humming" sound that ford is also ignoring-pinion gears. *nm

I popped the liftgate on my 2002 ford explorer while it was sitting in my garage (garage door was closed and it was early evening -- so temperatures were mild and no sunlight was hitting the truck). as i pulled on the liftgate to fully open it, i heard a loud "bang!" and the entire back window exploded. balls of glass were thrown with such force that they embedded in the walls of my garage. several tiny shards of glass (even though it's safety glass, edges are still pretty sharp) lodged in my feet. today, i'm having the back glass replaced, but i'm concerned about this problem recurring. there had been no previous damage to my rear window, and i had the "liftgate hinge" recall work performed promptly. it appears that numerous other ford explorer owners are having problems with their back windows cracking or exploding: http://www.autobytel.com/content/research/forums/index.cfm/action/posts/fid/200. *jb

2002 explorer with 95k miles: power windows, airbag and front/rear wheel bearings. dealer was not surprised by these problems at all. $3k estimated repair cost. *nm

After owning for a week and a half, had to have the g ears in the rear end replaced. later informed that the tires were not evenly worn which was causing the rear end to pop. after replacing the tires, the four wheel drive would not work. the 4 x 4 module and the wiring need to be replaced, costing $1000.00. that is not including the driver window switch needing to be replaced as well as the window regulator. now there is an electrical problem coming from the dash. unable to figure out what it is yet. *jb

Dt*: the contact stated while the vehicle was parked in the yard, the neighbor alerted the contact that the rear window was shattered. the dealership was alerted. there is a nhtsa recall, #01i010000 regarding the visibility: glass, side/rear. the vin was not included in the recall.

2002 ford explorer 4 door rear hatch glass exploded as it was being closed. incident occurred approximately 1 year after recall 04s20 was performed. *nm

Dt*: the contact stated the air bag light intermittently illuminates. the vehicle was seen by a dealer. the service department determined both front seat belts needed to be replaced due to the integrated air bag/seat belt system. the entire front seat belts were replaced accordingly but the air bag light later illuminated. the vehicle was taken back to the dealer. the service department suggested replacing the seat belts again. updated 3/3/2006 - the consumer has also had to replace the rear washer motor, odometer and has had problems with the automatic door locks. *nm

Foia request for complaints associated with the model year 2002 ford explorer rear lift glass breaking. *nm attorney located 2 bulletins. one which warned that the liftgate glass strut may become disengaged. the other warned that the brackets connecting the left cylinders to each side of the liftgate glass could rotate out of position if either the urethane bond or torque are not sufficient. *nm

Consumer ford explorer rear window cracked. dealer stated this was a problem and that it was covered in warranty up to 3 yrs. *ts the consumer had his vehicle for 4 years. *jb

Safety concern: 2002 ford explorer xlt. defective applique located below tailgate glass has developed a crack from top to bottom. the location of this crack is approximately 3 inches to the left of the ford emblem. the dealer sent me to the body shop, which provided me with an estimate of $334.68 to replace the defective part. although the dealership was familiar with this problem, my vehicle has approximately 105,000 miles and as a result the dealership would not pursue this a warrantable repair. they essentially ignored my grievance. as a left the dealership, i happen to notice a blue 2002 explorer similar to mine on the used car lot. as i approached the vehicle i noticed it had the identical crack (from top to bottom), located in the same position (3 inches to the left of the ford emblem). this vehicle; vin #[xxx] had only 56,069 miles on it. i contacted ford at 800 392-3673 and spoke with [xxx]. the reference number for my complaint is; ref #[xxx]. [xxx] investigated and confirmed that a bulletin had been issued for this complaint with instructions for its repair. however, ford has not yet agreed to pay for any repairs or to reimburse the consumer for any repairs already made. this is a safety concern as this applique could break off and cause serious damage to another vehicle or passerby. i made this concern know to [xxx], but was assured that it had not been deemed a recall repair. *nm information redacted pursuant to the freedom of information act (foia), 5 u.s.c. 552(b)(6). *tr

2002 ford explorer rear differential clutch part failure. consumer wants assistance from ford to cover the repairs. *nj the consumer stated numerous parts failed on the vehicle. those failures included: the differential compass, hvac blower motor, one of the rear window lift motors and one of the seals on the rear differential failed. *jb

I am presently having problems with the rear passenger windows on my 2002 ford explorer. it appears that there is a serious problem with the motor and/or window track system. at present, i am not able to operate neither of the windows. in fact, when and if i attempt to do so, all that is heard is the motor attempting to maneuver the window. neither one of the windows come down when i attempt to do so operationally. on the other hand, they come down on there own (slides down everyday). unfortunately, i have to wedge an object on the side of the window, so that one of the windows could stay in place (to no avail, it continues to come down). i have attempted to reach out to winner ford in cherry hill, n.j., (where i purchased the suv, nevertheless, they claim that there are no known recalls, and instructed me to call the ford manufacturing company ). in taking their advice, i have attempted to call fords complaint department, just to be told that they are not able to do anything. it is apparent that they are just tossing the problem back on the consumer. i have done some research on the above mentioned problem and have noticed that there are other owners who are having the same, if not, similar problems with the rear passenger windows. hence, as a result of an incident with winner ford a little over a year or two ago, i am not willing to invest money into a problem that is obviously manufacturer related. i had purchased a window control (driver's side) that had been recalled and was told that since i purchased the control prior to the recall, i was not entitled to a refund. your assistance is greatly appreciated. an unhappy consumer, armando andujar p.s. the incident date is a estimate. *tr

Dt: the contact stated the instrument panel cluster was no longer working. the service dealer did not state why the panel was no longer working. the electrical components failed, such as the radio, blowers, windows, airbags, and all of the safety equipment. the dealer stated it was a common problem within this type of vehicle. the part to repair was no longer available. the consumer contacted the manufacturer; they referred him to the dealer to find an aftermarket product to repair the problem.*ak

Hatch fell of hitting my wife on back and neck

Tl*the contact owns a 2002 ford explorer ext wagon. the contact that stated that upon purchasing the vehicle he noticed that the transmission would shift in an awkward manner. the vehicle was taken back to the dealer who informed him that there was nothing wrong with the vehicle. the failure suddenly recurred and he had to replace the transmission. he also stated that 3 out of 4 window regulators have failed. the windows are not working normally. the liftgate in the rear of the vehicle was fractured which made it difficult to open. the vehicle had only been repaired for the transmission and the 3 window regulators. the failure mileage was approximately 10,000.

At a complete stop vehicle surges (accelerates). have to place in neutral at standing stops to prevent an accident. driver's side power window switch failed, had replaced, also the window whines when rolling up. passenger's side power window regulator(cable) snapped?? when rear windows are down at a speed of 20 mph+ it sounds like a helicopter is in the back seat(actually physically hurts your ears!!!) <<<<no fix or repair?? anyone else have this problem? 55-65 mph steering wheel shakes. repair attempt balanced and rotated tires and suspension was inspected. still shakes. rear spare tire accessories cover handle broke. <<not abused. how do you change a flat with no jack or no tools?? (spare tire came down alright though). egr valve failure @ 40,000 miles. 4x4 intemittent shifting issues from low>auto and auto>high. can not pin point problem. that about wraps up my lovely experience with this vehicle. i am a married father of two and the only one working on a limited income. i bought this truck with very low miles thinking it would be dependable not unaffordable. *nm

Crack developed in area below lift gate glass. now the door ajar light goes on and off, as well as the buzzer. the glass does not shut properly and is inoperable and the area below the glass has completely fallen away. *tr

Traveling in heavy rain when intermittent windshield wipers suddenly became non-operational. the wipers stopped midway on the windshield. the regular and fast wiper speeds are still operational at this point. in order to have the wipers return to the normal position on the windshield, the wiper switch has to be continually moved from the off position to the intermittent position until the wipers gradually move down the windshield. vehicle needs to be taken to dealership to have problem diagnosed and repaired immediately.

2002 ford explorer rear windshield wipers worked intermittently.***no answer required***.*mr *nm

The consumer would like to know if ford has issued a recall to their tsb article no. 620978 referencing the sun roof. *nm *sc the consumer stated there is a problem with the sun roof in how it retracts. *jb

The windshield wipers on a friend of mines 2002 ford explorer xlt are awful. i drive this vehicle from time to time and they do an awful job with snow and rain. have others ever complained about explorers in this way?? this is her fourth ford explorer over the past many years-she had a 1996, 1998, and 2000 explorer and they all had awful windshield wipers. *nm

At 74000 miles our transmission went out completely while we were on vacation! the dealership where we bought the vehicle, said that "we were the only one's who have had this problem" (yeah right!) it cost us $6000 out of our pocket to fix. at 86000 miles the rear window cracked right below the window. ford and the dealership refuses to fix it. again, stayton ford told us that,"we were the only people who have had this particular issue." at around 85000, 95000 and 105000 miles, the rear seals leaked. we were promised each time that they would last "for at least 50000 miles." we were always a few miles away from getting them replaced for free since they're limited warranty is only good for 10000 miles. at 111000 miles the electrical system went "haywire." even when all of the door and hatch are closed, the dome light continues to go on and off (making it hard to drive at night) because it senses that a "door is a jar." sometimes, the key pad that's located on the drivers side window sets off the alarm when we push the first number on the key. totally unreliable vehicle that i'm afraid to drive! *nm

Recall 04v442000 concerning rear liftgate glass. after recall repairs were made the rear glass shattered while opening the liftgate. the vehicle is at the dealer.*ak

Consumer received recall 04v442000 for the rear window, and after numerous calls the parts have not been received by the dealers. *ak

The vehicle was parked when consumer was notified that the rear window had shattered. there was glass outside of the vehicle and inside.. the panel had been expanded. the vehicles rear door was closed and in place. the consumer had received a consumer notification from the manufacturer that this could happen and the dealer did not have the glass to make the repair. *jb

Window may drop unexpectedly when vehicle is operating. dealer refuses service.*ak

Consumer received a recall letter for the rear window liftgate. the parts have not been received by the dealer. liftgate bracket nhtsa 04v442000. *ak

Consumer received nhtsa recall 01i010000 notice in october of 2004. since then dealer has still not received any parts.*ak

I opened the rear window on my 2002 ford explorer and the left shock came loose. went to a car dealership to have it fixed. it has come undone twice since that time. eeds to be on a recall.*ak

Rear lift glass assembly. shattered upon opening, lift glass support bracket twisted out of place, causing the failure. 2 injured, an adult and a child. *nm

13jan03-rear windshield washer inoperative reinstall rear washer hoses. 5nov03-clicking noise from rear a/c; replace motor assembly temperature blend. 5nov03&13nov03-l/r power mirrors inop; fuse blows; replaced mirror rear view outside sail mount 13nov03-fuel guage inop read 1/2 tank but tank was full; 20nov03-instrument cluster fuel gauge inop; 24nov03-removed and replaced instrument cluster; 18mar04-fuel guage inop & l/r power mirrors inop, fuse blows; could not duplicate problem at this time about fuel guage; tested bce for short, traced to mirror switch, replaced switch and blown fuse; 20 july 04-l/r power mirrors inop; replaced fuse; 20 july 04 - rear winshield washer inop; access washer hose and reconnect; 20 july 04- air conditioner not cooling properly; replaced blower motor for poor operation; motor assembly-heater-a/c blower replaced. 20 july 04 - mechanics broke the drivers door switch cover- 23 july 04 -reordered door panel and replaced drivers door switch cover.*ak

While attempting to close the lift window on the liftgate the glass shattered into very small sharp pieces. the driver cut his finger in a piece of glass. the glass also scratched the tailgate. the consumer contacted the dealer who replaced the glass. *ak *nm pe04045.pco

I own a 2002 ford explorer 4 door. the rear left window was failing to go down, and when it did it would take time for it to go back up again. my mother purchased a 2003 ford explorer as well and my niece and they too experienced the same problem. i also had problems with my air leaking and was informed that some form of an invisible gas was leaking into my vehicle. i have an infant daughter and was concerned that she was breathing this.*ak

While opening the rear door hinges broke. consumer took vehicle to the dealer for inspection, and mechanic determined that the hinges and struts needed to be replaced, and replaced them. however, a few months later while closing the rear door the glass broke. no one was injured. vehicle was taken back to dealer, and the mechanic replaced the window. *ak

Consumer stated that gear shift broke off, preventing consume r from driving the vehicle. also, electric windows broke, one at a time. *ak