2002 Ford Explorer Transmission and drivetrain Problems
- Complaints
- 1,502about this part
- Share
- 46%of 3,295 total for the year
- Median mileage
- 80,056miles
- Trend
- FallingComplaints filed in the last 3 full calendar years are at least 25% lower than in the 3 years before.
NHTSA recorded 1,502 complaints about the transmission and drivetrain of the 2002 Ford Explorer, 46% of the 3,295 complaints for this model year. Where a mileage was given, the median is 80,056 miles. 25 of these say a crash was involved and 3 a fire, according to the filers.
Example complaints
Selected from NHTSA records; personal details are removed. They are consumer reports, not findings.
“Upon beginning to drive home from work the transmission failed when shifting from second to third gear. There is no longer a third gear in my automatic transmission. In order to get home I had to manually shift with gear shifter and attempt to skip over third gear. Was driving on city streets. Vehicle has 174000 miles on it.”
NHTSA complaint #10991870, filed 2017-05, 174,000 miles“02 Explorer stop shifting from 2nd to 3rd gear, after 2nd gear when it's time to shift it sounds like it goes in neutral, when I let off it finally shifts (hard) it's very dangerous when driving in front of traffic I'm afraid for myself and my children, this is an issue for alot of people, please help us with this issue, this really needs to be recalled thank you”
NHTSA complaint #10861911, filed 2016-04, 89,000 miles“At first when shifting the transmission wouldn't go into any gear. We had the transmission replaced. When got vehicle back still had same problem took it to transmission specialist put on computer fixed the initial problem. The transmission we had put in had much more problems. Overdrive started blinking then lost 2nd and 5th gear”
NHTSA complaint #10896115, filed 2016-08, 160,000 miles“I financed this vehicle thru 123 auto in homosassa fl citrus county and it has a airbag that is no good and no horn and the transmission was bad the day I bought it and they will not fix so I am currently paying to get it fixed I was told to make a complaint with this office to see if you can help me get something done because it is not right”
NHTSA complaint #10780744, filed 2015-10, 173,000 miles“Third transmission failure since 2010. Bought a Ford remanufactured trans as this is my second 2002 with a failed trans. The first one I bought failed seven months later. Replaced under warranty at 17,000 miles later. Fast forward to last saturday. Same failure as the last two. No help from Ford, probably surprised I made it through the warranty.”
NHTSA complaint #10569465, filed 2014-03, 202,957 milesRelated service bulletins
- 10028736May 1, 2009Ford: some vehicles may exhibit oil separation from the internal lube found in the unitized cartridge seal. Oil separation appears to be and is often misdiagnosed, as an axle…
- 10014100Jan 1, 2006Limited slip axle chatter, shudder, binding sensation, or vibration during low speed turning maneuvers.
- 10012952Jun 7, 2005Driveline 1st order vibration/boom/drone.
- 10014668May 1, 2005Axle seal leaks.
- 10017892Apr 1, 2005Rear axle noise repair.
- 10014659Mar 1, 2005Axle whine howl. This includes 1997-05 ford vehicles.
- 10012959Feb 1, 2005Axle whine howl service with individual parts instead of an axle assembly.
- 10014089Dec 13, 20045r55w transmission - no 3rd gear or slipping 2-3 shift - diagnostic trouble code p0733 and p0745 - vehicles built prior to 3/4/2002.
- 10014086Dec 13, 2004General (pcm) power train control module programming procedures.
- 10013398Nov 15, 2004Gear selector lever - increased effort to shift from drive to park.
Transmission and drivetrain: other model years
| Year | Complaints | Share of year |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 | 3 | 7% |
| 2025 | 16 | 15% |
| 2024 | 1 | 5% |
| 2023 | 12 | 11% |
| 2022 | 61 | 23% |
| 2021 | 127 | 28% |
| 2020 | 502 | 40% |
| 2019 | 35 | 12% |
| 2018 | 50 | 7% |
| 2017 | 125 | 7% |
| 2016 | 215 | 9% |
| 2015 | 86 | 5% |
| 2014 | 80 | 5% |
| 2013 | 119 | 5% |
| 2012 | 55 | 7% |
| 2011 | 64 | 5% |
| 2010 | 28 | 24% |
| 2009 | 3 | 9% |
| 2008 | 36 | 24% |
| 2007 | 57 | 27% |
| 2006 | 296 | 47% |
| 2005 | 99 | 20% |
| 2004 | 460 | 35% |
| 2003 | 335 | 30% |
| 2002 | 1,502 | 46% |
| 2001 | 42 | 11% |
| 2000 | 133 | 14% |
| 1999 | 115 | 9% |
| 1998 | 103 | 5% |
| 1997 | 104 | 6% |
| 1996 | 120 | 8% |
| 1995 | 119 | 14% |
| 1994 | 86 | 7% |
| 1993 | 72 | 8% |
| 1992 | 77 | 12% |
| 1991 | 69 | 11% |
| 1990 | 2 | 17% |
Other parts of the 2002 Ford Explorer
486 complaintsSuspension
422 complaintsEngine cooling
163 complaintsAir bags
162 complaintsSteering
155 complaintsVehicle speed control
152 complaintsElectrical system
148 complaintsVisibility (wipers, defrost, mirrors)
138 complaintsBrakes
132 complaintsWheels
78 complaintsFuel system
72 complaintsEquipment
60 complaints
← All problems reported for the 2002 Ford Explorer
About this data. Data from NHTSA (ODI) complaints, recalls, TSBs and investigations, updated Oct 28, 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