Which parts fail
Components named in complaints (engine, cooling system, oil leaks, timing chain, exhaust).
Mileage when the problem started
Owner reports
Selected complaints filed with NHTSA by 2002 Ford Explorer owners, lightly cleaned up (personal details are redacted by NHTSA).
The contact owns a 2002 Ford Explorer. The contact stated while driving 45 MPH, the vehicle shut off. The contact was able to coast off the freeway. There were no warning lights illuminated. The contact called an independent mechanic, but the mechanic declined to service the vehicle. The local dealer was not contacted. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was notified about the failure and opened a case. The approximate failure mileage was 88,000.
The contact owns a 2002 Ford Explorer. The contact stated that the steering wheel intermittently seized while driving at various speeds without warning. After finding a replacement part at a salvage yard, the contact had the steering wheel replaced by an independent mechanic; however, the failure persisted. The contact also stated that an abnormal ticking noise was coming from the engine with the ABS warning light illuminated. The vehicle was taken back to the same independent mechanic and the contact was informed that the engine needed to be replaced. Neither the dealer nor the manufacturer was notified of the failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was unknown.
I was driving my Ford on the highway and the next thing I know my feet were really hot and black smoke started coming up. Then the black smoke started coming from the engine and I nearly crashed trying to get to the edge of the highway before the fire took over the whole front of the car. Luckily the fire department was right there for another accident. It was incredibly disturbing experience. Luckily my 3 small children were not in the car.
In January, 2006, my car stopped dead on the highway. After it was towed to the dealership, we were told that a valve had broken and had been sucked into the engine, causing engine failure. Our only alternative was to have the engine replaced - which we did for over $5000.00. The following January, (2007), after the first measurable snow fall of the year (since our engine had been replaced), the car went into a huge fishtail skid on a snowy road and after the first skid, was caught by the cable guard rail on the side of the road - causing another $5000.00+ repair. When brought to the dealership after the accident, we were told that the 4 wheel drive electronic monitor had failed and we had no 4 wheel drive. My concern - besides the cost and inconvenience and scare of the accident is that there were no warning lights to let me know that the car's 4 wheel drive had failed. …
My 2002 Ford Explorer - 4.6 v8 has the popular blown spark plug issue which has caused me a lot of problems on pretty much the worst weekend of my life that this could have happened in. This is apparently a very popular complaint about fords w/ this engine and I can't believe that there has been no recall for this issue. It is an obvious design flaw w/ the aluminum and metal heating issues causing the spark plugs to break off or just shoot out of the engine. I believe that there was a small fire under my hood for a short time as well. This is a very dangerous problem that should be addressed by Ford. In my case, I did hear the infamous "clicking" noise that happens just before the plug blows and then right after, it blew, sounding like somebody was starting a harley under my truck. I was under my hood looking and hearing for the noise that I thought was a belt issue when this blew. …
I was driving on the freeway when I looked back in my rear view mirror and noticed smoke billowing out the back of my car. I pulled over. My husband got out of the car and looked under the front. I smelled fire and he said it's on fire. My husband saw a liquid dripping from the car that was clearly on fire. I turned the car off. We immediately got ourselves and our 2 young children, ages 7 and 5, out of the car. The fire stopped once the car was off. Fortunately, no one was injured. I was told by the tow truck operator and the mechanic that fixed the car that a transmission hose was sitting on the exhaust pipe, causing a leak in the hose and the resulting fire. I am also concerned that my car May be subjected to a recall regarding a faulty cruise control after reading on the internet.
I bought a used 2002 Ford Explorer in April of this year at a used car lot. It was a beautiful blue SUV in remarkable good condition. I had it four months, and it caught on fire while at a stop sight on my way home from a shopping strip twenty miles from my home. It started smoking and while I was fumbling for my purse to get my cell phone to call for help, it caught fire and bystanders on the thoroughfare pulled me forcefully from the car, and then called the fire department. It was a total loss when the entire hood caught fire and melted. My garage mechanic, who had just seen the car, told me that he could see no reason why it would have caught fire. Can you help me?
I was only about 1 mile from home, the vehicle had no previous problems, I heard a strange sound then the vehicle was not running properly, I could smell fuel or some sort of odor, as I attempted to pull the vehicle over, there was no brakes or steering, I also could see smoke coming from the engine, I managed to get the vehicle over to the side of the road. The vehicle was also starting to fill with smoke inside very quickly. I was able to get out of the car. It would not engage in park, and rolled while I was trying to exit. I called 911, but the vehicle was already entirely engulfed in flames.
Turned car on to drive it would not start after sever rainfalls until finally when I did the last time after a jump, battery new. It started to make this awful noise like a clanking sound like a chain sound. I took it to a mechanic and he did not know what the problem was, called a mobile mechanic and he said the same thing said it could be a valve or piston problem. From what I hear sounds like a chain. Before this happening the rear window regulators for the rear passenger windows right and left sides broke. Had left side fixed right side not fixed, glass still held with a board inside door.
Tl* the contact owns a 2002 Ford Explorer. The contact stated that after shifting into reverse, there was an explosion under the hood. The air bags deployed and the engine caught fire. The fire department was present. The vehicle was not taken to the dealer. The contact also mentioned that the vehicle was taken to the dealer several times for the gears slipping where the transmission was rebuilt but the failure was not corrected. The contact and two passengers suffered injuries but they were unknown. The vehicle failure and current mileage was 291,000.
NHTSA investigations
Spark plug ejection from cylinder head
On September 6, 2005, odi received a petition requesting that the agency investigate allegations of engine spark plug ejection in certain model year 1997 through 2004 Ford vehicles with triton v-8 and v-10 engines.odi received a total of 474 non-duplicative complaints on the subject vehicles where the complainant, or the dealer repairing the vehicle, reported that a spark plug detached from the cylinder and/or…
Engine complaints in other Explorer years
Frequently asked questions
How common are engine problems on the 2002 Ford Explorer?
NHTSA has 212 complaints about the engine & cooling of the 2002 Ford Explorer, 6% of the model year's 3,295 complaints. The component named most often is engine (50 mentions).
Is there a recall for 2002 Ford Explorer engine problems?
No. NHTSA lists no engine & cooling recall for the 2002 Ford Explorer, though it has 4 recalls for other components. If the problem is widespread, a repair may still be covered by an extended warranty or a manufacturer service bulletin — ask a dealer.
At what mileage do 2002 Ford Explorer engine problems start?
Half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 90,000 miles, and 4% before 25,000 miles.
Is it dangerous?
Owners linked 3 crashes, 16 fires and 5 injuries to engine & cooling problems on this model year. If you notice symptoms, have the car checked before driving further.
Source: U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) — owner complaints through October 20, 2026, recalls and defect investigations; fuel economy from the EPA. Complaints are unverified reports and are not proof of a defect. How we rate model years.