Problems with 2002 Ford Explorer POWER TRAIN

Transmission does not shift. *tr

My od light was blinking, my rpms would go up and my vehicle wouldn't move. transmission problems. *tr

Event/situation: hesitates and chokes at 40-45 miles per hour when trying to accelerate, along with a slight rubbing sensation felt through the steering wheel and gas peddle. they advised replacing the upper ball joints. they also stated a weak battery which was replaced. this did seem to fix various faulty false electrical issues: interior lights staying on and false light/dashboard readings. faulty transmission, emissions or plugs/wiring have been possibilities. i've taken it to goodyear who recommended changing out the plugs and wires, along with a flush. i've been told that flushes can ruin parts on older vehicles and cause other expensive problems. i found a few websites were there are many other customers having these same issues with the 2002 ford explorer. ford has been notified and aware of these transmission issues and expensive problems, covering up with other little recalls like the wiring harness. i, like many, are being forced to pay for faulty transmissions. i believe this needs to be investigated and make ford pay for recalls and repairs. it has been taken to the ford dealership for its oil change and a wiring recall approximately two weeks ago, in january 2010. here is the website with many other ford explorer official complaints who demand a responsible/reliable recall fix from ford. http://www.carcomplaints.com/ford/explorer/2002/transmission/o_d_light_is_blinking.shtml. *tr

While driving on the interstate, i noticed a severe jerk in the back end of my 2002 ford explorer. once i slowed down, the o/d indicator started blinking and the vehicle wouldn't shift from 4th back into over drive. i have received notification from my mechanic that the transmission would need to be replaced. i noticed that there are over 800 such complaints of this particular problem on a troubleshooting web site. *tr

I was driving home from work tonight and my 2002 ford explorer would not go into shifting gear. it started bucking a little when i slowed down and tried to accelerate again. the o/d light starting blinking like crazy. by the time i got home i could only drive about 25 miles an hour. i only have 49,653 miles on my vehicle!! my warranty for 6 years is gone but i can't afford to get a new transmission. i went online and was shocked to see how many people this has happened to. please force ford into a recall. i bought this new and have taken excellent care of my vehicle hoping it would last for a long time. *tr

My 2002 ford explorer has 53,151 miles on it and the transmission failed. i was not involved in any automobile accidents nor did i abuse this vehicle in any way. the first indicator of a problem was the o/d off light began to blink intermittently. then the service engine soon light came on. after that the transmission was slipping and taking an excessive amount of time to shift gears. i have maintained this suv with regular oil changes as well as other routine maintenance. this is my only vehicle and i need it to commute to work so i had to have it repaired. i called the ford consumer hotline and explained the problem. they refused to give me any assistance: no courtesy repair nor any discount on another transmission. i purchased a remanufactured transmission and had it installed. it was an extremely costly repair. *tr

2002 ford explorer. o/d light flashing with service engine soon flashing. car jerking between 2nd and 3rd gear. ford says to replace transmission but after reading so many of the same complaints i thought i should report this incident.

My issue started late in 2009. the o/d light started coming on and flashing and for a few months my vehicle would not shift properly into 3rd gear and overdrive. it would slip and clunk into gear. then while driving up hill on a main road the transmission completely stopped working. it would not propel my vehicle and shut down right in the middle of a busy road which nearly created a multi-car accident. both forward and reverse did not work making it impossible to get my car off the road. my car has been sitting in the back yard since i can not afford the costly repairs. i feel there is an overwhelming amount of similar problems and ford should recall this item. *tr

2002 ford explorer transmission,4.0 v6. od light flashes, check engine light,. transmission hesitates then clunks into gear. i took car to garage, had the solenoids replaced, fluid and filter. still have same problem. *tr

O/d light blinks all the time. transmission slips and clanks. *tr

Transmission failure od blinking repair new trans but still has the same problem 42 k miles ford explorer. *tr

Transmission is slipping and the o/d light is blinking. *tr

2002 ford explorer transmission failure and uncontrollable accelerator. the transmission had been shifting hard for months but it is considered by ford to be a "sealed" unit and it is not recommended that the customer maintain the fluid level, so there was nothing i could do. in jan 2010 the accelerator stuck while entering the freeway and we were out of control, i thought i was going to die and had to turn of the car on the freeway with no shoulder after brushing the guard rail and was subsequently rear ended. the o/d off light began blinking that day and it was tough to reach 60mph. service engine light came on and i shopped around for diagnostic. independent trans. guy said it needs complete rebuild, ford dlr agrees but for twice the cost. new parts are not available. it makes no sense why this car just started to fail on me like this, i'm the first owner and now its just decided to die and ford has been no help what so ever. now i'm looking at a repair that is 80% of the bluebook value. each mechanic i've brought it to says this problem is endemic to this model/year and there should be a recall. why would they put in a trans. that cannot be reasonably serviced and maintained and dies just after 100k mi. i have a very difficult time believing this was not planned by ford and i will never buy their products again! my car is no longer safe enough to drive to the grocery store let alone the freeway. this is a clear case of irresponsible manufacturing practices on fords part and warrants a recall! *tr

Transmission on my 2002 ford explorer failed for the 2nd time in 2009 of december. i was on the highway when this happen and could have caused an accident. *tr

Transmission sputters and jerks in third gear around 40mph. i bought this car used with 108,000 miles on it. this is my second day driving it, and i'm worried i just wasted thousands of dollars! from all the consumer websites i have read ford is aware of this problem and is doing nothing to rectify the situation. please recall this transmission and make ford fix my car. luckily there's a "lemon law" in my state and the dealer i purchased from will have to help me out. *tr

2002 ford explorer transmission multiple failure- this transmission was replaced as defective two time, first at around 60,000 miles then again at near 150,000 miles. now the transmission has failed again, this time failing to shift while entering a busy highway then erratically slamming into gear then revving high and slipping as traffic maneuvered to avoid the slowing vehicle. *tr

Tl*the contact owns a 2002 ford explorer. while driving at 65 mph the transmission failed. the vehicle almost caused a crash on the highway. the contact called the manufacturer and is waiting on a response regarding the repair. he contact feels the transmission for this year make and model should be recalled since their are numerous complaints regarding them. the failure mileage was 93,000.

2002 ford explorer transmission - overdrive symbol flashing - no indication that the transmission was failing. the vehicle would not go pass 3rd gear. *tr

Started vehicle put into gear and car will not move won't go in reverse won't go into drive. will go into gear but will not move forward or backward. i have had various problems with this vehicle just got it out of the shop for 1600.00 in the middle of november 2009 for wheel bearings , tie rods, and oil change. now within less than 2mths i am stuck without a vehicle to get to work again. please help bill collins ford doesn't seem to give me any help just constant repair work and high costs with no repairs really being done. *tr

2002 ford explorer rattle from trans,o/d light flashes when going up a hill. does not shift properly sometimes. *tr

Tl*the contact owns a 2002 ford explorer. the contact stated that the overdrive button continued to blink and flash. the gear shift button does not turn the light out as it's designed to. the vehicle was repaired by a local mechanic but the failure continued to occur. the failure mileage was approximately 98,000. the current mileage was approximately 117,000.

Overdrive light turned on and now trouble shifting from 1st to 2nd gear. car did this 25,000 miles ago but adjusted itself. *tr

At approximately 60,000 miles, my transmission on my 2002 ford explorer failed. there are thousands upon thousands of complaints regarding this issue. ford has not recognized the defect. this poses several hazards such as a locking transmission on the highway, slipping transmission when in park, no ability to move when in traffic. *tr

Ford explorer 2002 - transmission failure. *tr

I have had to replace my transmission twice in the past 18 months and now it's slipping again. it just happens all he sudden and my car ramps up and then takes off jerking us as we are driving. it's ridiculous that this hasn't been recalled already. the o/d light comes on and it ramps up to 4000 rpms before i have to take my foot off the gas to get the transmission to switch. *tr

Automatic shifter broke off from column during driving. *tr

2002 ford explorer o/d light flashed on and off on highway engine started to race and vehicle slowed down. when trying to start from a red light the transmission feels like it is slipping. vehicle has under 100,000 miles and has always been properly maintained including a computer upgrade from my dealer (at my expense) that was supposed to fix the transmission that i complained about when the truck was still under warranty. *tr

For the 3rd time ' 2002 ford explorer gear shift falling / breaking off. *tr

Transmission slips from second to third. emailed ford, they are not recalling the transmission even after hundreds of complaints. *tr

While driving with my family on a busy expressway in chicago,my transmission began to flash warning lights,"check transmission",o/d off light started to flash and check engine light turned on.transmission also started to surge and slow down.i reached a spot where i could pull over and checked the owners manual. the manual said to see the ford dealer,in which i did.they acted as if they didn't know what the problem was. the service manager said "he would have to hook it up to a computer to see what the problem was"($200.00)the told me i needed a"new transmission.($2,500.00).through research online"autobeef" website i found that ford motor co. has known about this transmission problem for years! i called other ford dealers to find out what they would say. they all wanted me to bring it in and put it on their computers. (around$200.00)i'm glad i was driving instead of my wife! i wonder how long it will take ford to admit that they have a defective transmission? they continue to act like you're the first person to have this problem and charge you a couple hundred dollars to check it out."real good scam". *tr

Od light flickering. diagnosed as transmission torque converter problem. many have reported this problem with explorer xlts and ford has done nothing but make $1000 each time. causes transmission to slip. *tr

2002 ford explorer transmission i was driving down the road and the overdrive light started flashing and i noticed the transmission started to slip. i drove about 10 miles more to make it home and it completely failed and needed to be towed. i took it to a transmission shop and they said it was a common problem in 2002 explorers. over $2000 later i thought it was finally fixed and now not even 2 years later the transmission went again. this time it was the overdrive. as a college student i can't afford to get it fixed again. there definitely needs to be a recall on ford's transmissions for that year. i have been doing research and there is way too many complaints for ford not to do something about this. i will never buy another ford again. *tr

My 2002 ford explorer has a transmission failure. the od light is blinking. and it shifts hard with gears. also makes a knocking noise when trying to shift. when i try to go, the rpm just runs high and the truck does not move. when im driving and it needs to shift to another gear, it just rems and doesn't shift. *tr

While putting vehicle in park the gear shift lever snapped off and fell limp in my hands. *tr

Tl*the contact owns a 2002 ford explorer. the contact was driving approximately 40 mph on normal road conditions. the "over drive" warning light illuminated. the transmission began to slip without warning with an increase in the rpm's. the transmission only shifted into the first and second gear. in addition, the transmission slipped unexpectedly into third gear. the driver pulled over to the side of the road. the engine was turned off. the vehicle was restarted and the over drive light reset. the vehicle was able to resume operation. the vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic. the technician recommended replacement of the transmission. the vehicle has not been repaired for the malfunction. the failure mileage was 110,000.

On a hill, put the vehicle in drive and it rolled backwards onto someone's property while the engine was in high rpm's. it shifted into drive then popped back out again! it almost ran over my wife. *tr

Driving down the highway at 72 mph going up a slight incline with my newborn twins and 2 year old in the back of my 2002 ford explorer. the car starts jerking and sputtering and goes completely into neutral. on the highway. take it to my mechanic...transmission shot. per my mechanic, this is very very common with this year and model transmission and he said i am very lucky there wasn't more traffic and i was able to pull off to the side of the road. my truck is in the shop and has been there for almost a week, having a new solenoid pack and transmission rebuilt. *tr

On nov. 28 2009, i purchased a 2002 ford explorer xlt 4.0l automatic transmission 4x4. with 80,000 miles. on dec. 10. 2009, the explorer started not going into any gear. then you have to keep trying each gear finally after a few minutes it will go into reverse, but for the first 10 minutes of driving it jerks and clangs going to different gears. dealer won't do anything. *tr

2002 ford explorer. the transmission is under 100k miles and has already failed. $3,000.00 fix for something that should not be an issue. *tr

Three months after buying a 2002 ford explorer i experienced my o/d off light blinking, and my service engine soon light come on. i'm scared to drive my vehicle now after reading all the horror stories on a website. i have no money and this has happened to me. i absolutely cannot afford to put a transmission in my vehicle. the people we bought it from rebuilt the transmission a year ago and that should have fixed the problem, but it didn't. now it's messed up again. this is dangerous because people's transmissions go out on them. the car jumps in and out of gear. our families are in these vehicles, doesn't that matter to you guys. what does it take to make ford responsible for this issue, a death to occur, well then it's too late and there would be more payout on fords part if a life is lost. i'm sure the family would sue and especially knowing this is an issue with the transmissions in the 2002 explorers. you are supposed to protect us before a death or accident occurs. you need to step up to the plate and make ford accountable for their dangerous transmissions. i can tell you i will own the ford company if something happens to my family. i will also have a copy of this to show the court that i tried to tell you to do something about it before it came to a death or accident. something needs to be done. now, not later. *tr

i have a ford explorer xlt 2002, and at 160 000klm the transmission started to have a hard time getting through p-r-n-d-1-2-3, without going through a hard "clunk" after looking at universal joints, bushings, crossmembers and diff slake i realized its the transmission. after 2000 klm the od light started flashing, and it's getting worst... this truck is like a gm , when problems start they all follow through one after the other. what a lemon. had to go 2000 klm for a christmas gathering with all family and kids, and all came from parts of the world cause parents are getting very old. so i had to put my family through sad time and not go to the get together of the lifetime. ford didn't come through for us. *tr

I pulled up to the gas station while on my way to work and as soon as i was about to shift into park the gear shift broke right off in my hand. it was causing some nor difficulties in the past where it would show signs of resistance when shifting gears but never something so serious as this current incident. i called a tow truck which appeared about 40 minutes later and then took me home. i have tried to find a new part but no dealer or parts manufacturer has it in stock. *tr

On dec 4th 2009, my 2002 ford explorer was driving fine one minute and the next the o/d light started flashing. i turned off the ignition and restarted the vehicle. the o/d light blinking went away. the very next day again, with the light once again flashing, the vehicle refused to move forward when gas pedal was engaged; however the rpm revved up between 3 and 4. throughout that same day, i attempted to get vehicle into drive mode...eventually the vehicle just inched forward and finally stopped moving altogether. after a consultation with my local transmission repair shop.. i was dishearten to learn that in order to repair, what he described as a bad transmission, which is very common with the 2002 ford explorers..i'd have to pay $2868....since this incredible revelation, i'm discovering ford knows all about but refuses to do the conscionable thing and recall these defective, dangerous but costly vehicles. i regrettable paid the $2868 repair charge for a rebuilt tranny with absolutely no assistance from ford. my vehicle is paid off and i really cant afford to just invest close to 3k in a vehicle that should've been recalled and fixed especially since the ford corporation is fully aware but doesn't care about the people who still buy american and want to continue supporting american made products. but since ford refuses to stand behind their product, it may force a loyal customer to go elsewhere in the future when purchasing a new vehicle. my vehicle was recently repaired on 2/8/10.. so far i've driven it once... so far so good...i received a better warranty from my tranny shop than the ford company was willing to stand behind. the drivers side door ajar alarm chimes while door is securely closed. the locking mechanism opens and closes. this issue is also known and a problem for the 2002 ford explorer and yet still no recall... thank you for listening to my complaint. *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

I noticed around july of 2009 that my 2002 ford explorer was acting like it wasn't getting any gas. i had it hooked up to an analyzer and they told me i needed to replace my mass air flow sensor. december 28, 2009 - $135.00. so i did, it still would not shift into any gears. i was having to shift the gears myself by letting off the gas a little and then accelerating again. turns out my transmission is going out and the car only has 110,000 miles on it. *tr

2002 ford explorer o/d light flashes, the gear slips and truck lunges hard forward. this occurs everytime you accelerate into 1st two gears. did a search and learned it is common transmission problem for these vehicles, ford is aware and does nothing to correct the issue. *tr

My 2002 ford explorer transmission went and no recall as this has been an issue to many owners. there seems to be a very large amount of people that have had to replace there transmissions once, twice and possibly three times !!!! ford will do nothing for you at all and they are very aware of the problems with this vehicle. *tr

I have a 2002 ford explorer and my transmission band broke. i have kept up maintenance with this vehicle and now i have over $4,000 worth of repair. i can't shift into 3rd gear and my o/d light is blinking. i've seen hundreds of complaints on this issue and ford need to be held responsible for their product. *tr

2002 explorer transmission failure falls into neutral between 2&3 rd gears. looks like thousand have the same issue with no help from ford or outside agency. *tr

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