Problems with 2002 Ford Explorer POWER TRAIN

Got a transmission overheated error and o/d was off. looks like its a common occurrence on my explorer. *tr

We bought a 2002 ford explorer xlt 2 weeks ago with 129,000 miles within 2 days of owning this vehicle, the o/d light started blinking. upon investigation with transmission repair locations, we have to spend $2500.00 or more to replace the entire transmission! what a rip off, after researching this issue, it is quite obvious that ford needs to recall this vehicle, step up to the plate, and help their customers out who have put trust in their vehicles! if ford wants to stay in business, they better start considering reconciling with their many disgruntled customers. thank you. *tr

I do not have to provide an in depth description, myself as with all the owners of a 2002 ford explorer are all having this same problem. ford should be ashamed, and have this recalled if its happening with more than enough vehicles. the o/d light will flash rapidly and then the transmission will skip a gear, has a hard time switching into first gear. big clunk! this is ridiculous. if all of these people are complaining ford needs to address this issue asap! i will never buy another ford! *tr

Transmission doesn't shift from 2nd to 3rd gear - entire transmission needed to be replaced. *tr

2002 ford explorer xlt v-6: overdrive off (o/d off) light blinking rapidly. transmission is suddenly shifting very erratically which makes vehicle difficult to control. i understand that there have been numerous complaints regarding this issue on this vehicle -- please exert your authority to require ford to address this serious problem. *tr

O/d light blinking and slipping gears. *tr

2002 ford explorer gear shift lever broke off while in drive. the lever is connected to a soft aluminum cylinder thru a u shaped end and a pin. the cylinder sheared at the base of the u as a result leaving no way to shift or get the key out after turning the motor off when i finally got stopped. repair cost is $1400 for a new steering column plus labor. cannot buy small part that broke separately so explorer is not fixed. a picture of the problem can be seen at this url http://www.explorerforum.com/forums/showthread.php?t=188761&page=4. *tr

Transmission failure in 2010, almost caused vehicle accident on the highway; was rebuilt in march 2011, but transmission is slipping again and it is now august 2011. i have been checking several different websites and i received 1 recall letter in the mail but happened to notice there is another recall. if all of these problems are continuing to happen, why is a recall on the entire truck not done? it is obviously a defective vehicle. i have 2 small children, one with a medical issue that has to travel for her doctor visits. these problems are getting out of hand. i can not believe it has gone this long and nothing has been done about it. there is also the issue with the non working air compressor and the bad electrical system as well as the roaring in the back tires. as much as i travel with my children and get from point a to b, im surprised this thing has not fallen apart. i was a sucker for a pretty truck!! *tr

Air bag warning light came on,pulled plug apart under drivers ,seat sprayed cleaner on it put it back together, took care of that problem. gear shift lever sheared off. ford says you need to replace steering column. went online found a man in sweden that made a replacement part,ordered it ,put it on ,works great. (why couldn't ford supply one?) the transmission is starting to act up, you shift in to drive it hesitates and leaps forward, quite hard, same in reverse. ford should recall this before someone gets hurt.

It has been an ongoing issue for years about the transmission failure in the 2002 ford explorer yet ford doesn't wish to address this issue by calling the vehicle back. i have my transmission now gone after only 150000 miles. this issue needs to be addressed by ford taking responsibility for a faulty transmission. *tr

O/d light is blinking and transmission might be going out. *tr

Failure of transmission in 2002 ford explorer - known problem of many vehicles made my ford especially this model/year. but no recalls or help in fixing this problem. had to replace mine costing $2600 in parts and labor. *tr

Transmission failure with no warning, engine reved instead of accelerating, resulting in near accident while pulling off an interstate ramp. had to have vehicle towed. estimate to repair is approx $4000. vehicle only has 112k miles on it! *tr

O/d light started to blink while accelerating. transmission starts to slip. this a permanent failure. took to ford service and without inspecting the vehicle, i was told that the transmission needs to be replaced. *tr

Defective transmission in a 2002 ford explorer eddie bauer after only 117k miles. transmission fails shifting between 2nd and 3rd gears. some times gets stock in parking. complete failure estimated repair cost $3600 to $4000. *tr

I own a 2002 ford explorer xls. i have been having transmission problems for a while and ford dealer told me it was common with the 2002 explorer. i am now at 100k miles and my transmission is in need of being rebuilt because ford manufactured a transmission that was two small for the 2nd and 5th gears to shift in which created friction and wear on the transmission. i am a single mother who still owes money on this vehicle and i cannot afford 2000 to "rebuild" this transmission for it to fail on me again like all the rest. i contacted ford and of course they told me that they couldn't help me. my father being a mechanic told me that i cannot drive this vehicle because the motor was about to blow due to the high rpms this transmission has been putting out for a while. after doing research i found this website http://www.carcomplaints.com/ford/explorer/2002/transmission/transmission_failure.shtml where over 350 people are having the same issue with the same year, make, and model vehicle. i could have potentially broke down in the middle of the road with my three year old in the car where anything could have happened. these vehicles are normal bought for family vehicles and i do not see how this is not on the recall list since it is putting many families in danger. please let me know if there is anything i need to do to get a recall active on this transmission. thank you. *tr

Purchased 2002 explorer xlt v6 4.0l already transmission slipping solenoid or whatever out.. i have read reports and wonder why this transmission is not recalled? i have it in shop now having to have it rebuilt and everything changed. also right wheel bearings bad, upper and lower ball joints bad, suspension shot. and the records show the previous owners maintained everything well. but also had transmission replaced and had problems at 99,000miles. please doing something for all of us out here. also coolant leak, engine leak, power seat failure, and on. *tr

2002 ford explorer transmission failure. the transmission kept slipping, wouldn't shift, and the o/d light kept coming on. i took it to the ford dealer in wasilla, ak three times and each time they kept it for 3-4 weeks while "repairing" it. the fourth time it went out (may 2008), it was out of warranty, so i had to purchase a rebuilt transmission. in august 2012, the transmission went out again; it simply wouldn't engage in any gear. this could have been extremely dangerous had i been stranded (1) in the dead of winter (which, in alaska, can be 35 below and life&death situation) or (2) in heavy traffic, causing an accident. i have now been informed that coolant got into the transmission (which is supposedly sealed?) and the transmission must be replaced again; but the warranty is void. i see hundreds of complaints on this transmission. why hasn't anything been done - a recall?? *tr

Tl* the contact owns a 2002 ford explorer. the ignition was started and the gear selector would not shift out of park. the contact stated the gear shift lever fractured inside of the steering column. the vehicle was towed to an authorized dealer where they informed the contact that the steering column assembly would need to be replaced. the part was unavailable and the dealer was in the process of locating the part for repair. the vehicle was not. the failure mileage was approximately 117,000.

2002 ford explorer xls. i was shifting from drive to park and the shifter broke in my hand. not a good thing. after doing some research it seems this a common problem with ford explorers due to the cast aluminum that is used in the part. ford should have a recall for this, seeing as how it happens due to the way it was made not due to driver error. *tr

We own a 2002 ford explorer xlt with the 4.0 v6 4x4 , the transmission we believe has a major safety hazard to occupants and pedestrians with vehicle serge from a long delay engaging the transmission ether forward or reverse possibly causing injury to driver/passengers and /or nearby objects/persons and or runaway vehicle from the transmission not disengaged from gear or from a sudden vehicle launch if the driver is attempting to accelerate thinking the transmission "is' in gear ,ford has taken a blind eye to the problem in our opinion for fear of public backlash/ public relations and or dislike for there trucks/suv's. ford is not doing enough to ensure public safety from accidents this common transmission issue can cause and i understand from researching complaint forums , ford has been aware of the problem for years. *tr

Tl* the contact owns a 2002 ford explorer xlt. the contact stated when driving at various speeds, the vehicle would fail to engage in third and fourth gears. the vehicle was taken to an authorized dealer where the contact was informed that the transmission would need to be replaced. the vehicle was repaired. the manufacturer advised that the vehicle was not under recall and would not provide any further assistance. the failure mileage was approximately 11,250 and the current mileage was approximately 11,300.

Hello, i am complaining about a problem with my 2002 for explorer. me and my family were driving and getting ready to merge onto the highway and suddenly the car jerked and the overdrive light started blinking. then the rpm's went up to about 5000. i then had to run off the road to avoid a semi running us over. i have 5 children and we were lucky. i don't want this to happen to other families. this needs to be a recall! thank you *tr

2002 ford explorer with 120,000 miles. transmission began to slip 3rd gear. stalling in traffic. ford dealer could not look at it for 2 days so went to independent shop who knew the problem well. not only had to replace solenoid valves, but also torque converter and rebuild. had to drill out one port and install stronger linkage part ford offered since 2006. *tr

Tl* the contact owns a 2002 ford explorer. while attempting to shift the vehicle from drive to park, the gear shift lever suddenly fractured into the contacts hand. there where no prior warnings of the failure. the vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. the current and failure mileage was 136,000.

I have a 2002 ford explorer and this morning i was going at work when the gear shift arm broke off in my hand. i had to call my wife for go at work and i was unable to remove my keys from the ignition. my car is completely un-drivable. *tr

Original owner of a 2002 ford explorer xlt. transmission is not shifting properly. o/d light is constantly blinking on the dashboard. never towed anything and had the transmission serviced. very disappointing coming from a loyal ford fan. *tr

Last night, the o/d off light on my 2002 ford explorer started blinking. today, the vehicle will not drive in normal drive mode or reverse. in doing some investigating, apparently, this is a common issue with ford explorers. particularly the 2002 models. this is not only dangerous, but unfair that ford has not taken responsibility for this very common issue. i'm awaiting an answer on what exactly is wrong with my explorer. based on my research, the most common cause is a faulty transmission. i hope ford does the right thing and institutes a recall to the many drivers of 2002 explorers that have suffered with this problem. *tr

The transmission in our 2002 ford explorer eddie bauer started flashing the od light @94,000 miles took it to ford they said the valve body and torque converter was bad, ford replaced the items above for 2600 dollars problem went away for 10, 000 miles problem is back torque converter and valve body needsto be replaced again. *tr

2nd gear out of transmission. it occurs everytime you drive it. the od light blinks and the engine light comes on as a result. the transmission has to be replaced, the old transmission is available at this time, but won't be for long. *tr

The o/d light started blinking, followed by a check transmission warning light. the truck began to shift erratically. i was unable to drive safely in traffic and had to pull the truck to the side of the road where it remains until it can be towed to a transmission shop. this a 2002 ford explorer limited 4 x 4 v-8. from reading about this year of ford explorer's, i see that it the most common car complaint on the internet. i hope you will force a recall on this vehicle. thank for you help. [xxx] information redacted pursuant to the freedom of information act (foia), 5 u.s.c. 552(b)(6).*tr

2002 ford explorer o/d light started flashing, transmission is slipping, clunking and seems like it won't last much longer. *tr

I have a 02 ford explorer driving on the road when the od light flashing lost power it hard to shift in gear am not the only 1 wit this problem there thousand of ford owner wit this same problem why cant u guys make ford recall this problem toyota make they recall they manup to their problem why cant ford do that. *tr

2002 ford explorer od light blinking transmission slips. *tr

Transmission failed. *tr

2002 ford explorer transmission fails. *tr

Tl*the contact owns a 2002 ford explorer. while driving 35 mph the overdrive light illuminated. the vehicle was taken to a mechanic who stated that the automatic transmission needed to be replaced. the manufacturer was contacted and informed her that she had to replace the transmission at her own expense and to file a claim. there were no related recalls or warranties. the failure and current mileages were 45,000. updated 10/21/10. *lj updated 10/25/10

2002 ford explorer - the o/d light is flashing and no one seems to know how to fix it; it appears there are many many complaints about this problem. *tr

Tl* the contact owns a 2002 ford explorer. the contact stated while attempting to shift from park to reverse, the gear shift lever fractured in her hand. the vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. there were no prior warnings of the failure. the current and failure mileages were 122,000.

2002 ford explorer rear end growl/whine. *tr

o/d and check engine light goes on every time i drive my suv everytime i drive it as soon as the lights go on the suv tans starts acting up and slip called ford dealer and they said this is a common problem but, has not been recalled so it will cost 2,300.00 plus labor. i am a single mother of 4 . why is it there are so many complaints about this year ford but, yet nothing is being done about it ! i just bought this car in feb of this year and now i am having this problem ! i pulled out from a green light the other day and almost got in an accident because the trans slipped had all 4 children in the car with me ! maybe i should not be driving this but,this is my only vehicle and i need to drive ! and i sure don't have the money to replace this problems that everyone is having besides me ! ford needs to fix there problem before someone ends up in a really bad accident or ends up worse dead !! *tr

O/d light blinking and irregular shifting during acceleration. 2002 ford explorer does not shift properly. everytime i leave a stop sign or traffic light, the rpm's become very high (over 5,000) and will not shift. to keep the engine from racing, i have to lift my foot off the gas pedal to get it to shift. this causes the car to slow down quickly and with a line of cars behind me that do not anticipate me slowing down just as i am accelerating, this forces them to slow down quickly unexpectedly so they do not run into the back of the truck. this is dangerous. *tr

Long list of repairs made this summer including computer, airbag sensors, a/c whole system, main window controls and now my transmission. *tr

1. was driving in town explorer shifted into 2nd hard and then 3rd gear slowed the car down then shifted like a hard jerk 2.was occurring seems when car get warmed up the transmission shifts hard and the od light blinks and now even cold the od light blinks all the time now took to transmission shop told me i need a new transmission just bought it 4 months ago 3 called ford dealership they told me to that there was no recall this is how i will correct the problem with my complaint so we can all get fix by ford. *tr

My 2002 ford explorer limited 4x4 had a chiming noise followed by a o/d blinking light on wed. i put the car in park and hit the button for o/d a couple of times it then went out. i drove it straight home. i was only two minutes from my house. the next day i drove it and it acted like it wouldn't or couldn't shift right. i do not understand how a car that is pampered could go so wrong. i had to replace both four wheel drive motors this winter and i hardly use it. the four wheel would not engage. now i am told that i probably need a new tranny and that it is very expensive.i don't have alot of money. i have always owned ford but never again! i think ford should recall all these trannys and fix them just like toyota fixed their problems. maybe i should by toyota. *tr

O/d drive flashing and check transmission light is on, very noise on the back of vehicle,the truck only 58,000 on it. *tr

2002 ford explorer shifter broke while putting vehicle in drive looked at part made out of some type of granulated aluminum. can't believe such a unsafe metal could be used in a vehicle part will call ford for estimate read over 50 complaints on carcomplaints.com couldn't believe that the dot has let this go on for so long. i will be contacting my local news team and other marines who have ford explorers and telling everyone that has an explorer. *tr

2002 ford explorer transmission continues to need repair. i've rebuilt the transmission twice and it has gone out again. it began with the o/d light flashing, then, without warning, it slips out of gear, never to return. i spend about $2,000 with each rebuild. i can no longer afford the cost. having read the voluminous reports of the identical failure, i believe it's time for a recall by ford! *tr

Went to leave a baseball game and attempted to put my car in reverse only to have the gear shift come loose from the steering column and was just dangling there. of course customer service at ford could not help. *tr

Tl* the contact owns a 2002 ford explorer. the contact was driving at 60 mph when the vehicle began decreasing in speed and become sluggish.the contact was unable to shift into drive or reverse, he coasted into the emergency lane. the vehicle was towed to the dealer who advised having the vehicle diagnosed at the contact's expense. the vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. the manufacturer would not provide any assistance. the failure and current mileages were 142,957.