2002 Ford Explorer Sport Electrical system Problems
- Complaints
- 8about this part
- Share
- 6%of 133 total for the year
- Median mileage
- 77,500miles
- Trend
- Not enough dataFewer than 15 complaints, too few for a reliable trend.
NHTSA recorded 8 complaints about the electrical system of the 2002 Ford Explorer Sport, 6% of the 133 complaints for this model year. Where a mileage was given, the median is 77,500 miles. 1 of these say a crash was involved and 4 a fire, according to the filers.
Fewer than 15 complaints name this part, so treat the figures as a rough indication only.
Example complaints
Selected from NHTSA records; personal details are removed. They are consumer reports, not findings.
“I was driving when my car start smoking, when I stopped it caught on fire. The car is totaled. The fire originated at the engine compartment near the spark plugs.”
NHTSA complaint #10186565, filed 2007-03, 76,000 miles“Leading up to the event of the fire, occasionally the door ajar button would flash during driving, the alarm would randomly go off, and the lights inside the vehicle would flash at random times. This was never a pattern, and the car went periods of time with nothing happening to it. One morning, I opened the car door and found the entire inside to be burned out. The first started in the middle console.”
NHTSA complaint #10358978, filed 2010-10, 95,000 miles“Was using the 4 wheel drive in when the engine started smoking and the engine compartment caught on fire, then the cab started burning and then the whole car caught on fire and exploded.”
NHTSA complaint #10206342, filed 2007-10, 79,000 miles“Brake lights and turn signals stopped working. Problem traced to tilt steering and multi-function switch wiring harness. Broken retainer clip allows wires to be pulled from connector breaking connection for brake light and turn signal. Once tilt steering is engaged connection is broken and wires do not stay connected and loss of brake lights and turn signal is the result. This could lead to accident, injury and or loss of life due to poor design. …”
NHTSA complaint #10637235, filed 2014-09Electrical system: other model years
Other parts of the 2002 Ford Explorer Sport
32 complaintsBody and structure
28 complaintsVisibility (wipers, defrost, mirrors)
17 complaintsLatches, locks and linkages
8 complaintsSeats
8 complaintsSuspension
8 complaintsEngine cooling
7 complaintsVehicle speed control
7 complaintsBrakes
6 complaintsAir bags
4 complaintsExterior lighting
4 complaintsSteering
4 complaints
← All problems reported for the 2002 Ford Explorer Sport
About this data. Data from NHTSA (ODI) complaints, recalls, TSBs and investigations, updated Oct 29, 2026. Complaints are unverified consumer reports and may be duplicated or inaccurate.
To check a specific vehicle for open recalls, use its VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls. Methodology