2002 FORD EXPLORER VERY COLD NIGHT NOTICED A HUGE CRACK IN THE REAR PANEL BELOW REAR WINDOW RIGHT OUT OF NOWHERE THE CAR WAS FINE HOURS BEFORE AND AS I WALKED PAST IT AGAIN SAW A HUGE CRACK BY THE EMBLEM AND UNDER.*CN
2002 Ford Ford Truck
Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations
Limited comparison data
There is not enough comparable history to draw a useful model-year comparison.
About this comparison →How this year compares
Owner complaints by model year
Compare all Ford Truck years →Counts vary with age, sales and reporting. They are not failure rates.
What owners reported most
All reported categories
Tap a category to read its complaints. One report may name several components.
When problems were reported
Mileage at the reported incident
24 reports with mileage · 13 unknown
NHTSA’s mileage field refers to the reported incident, not necessarily the filing date. This shows report counts, not the likelihood of a failure.
What to inspect
Issues worth paying extra attention to based on owner reports.
- Power Train. Review the 14 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Structure. Review the 7 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Suspension. Review the 6 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.
Structure complaints
7 reportsTIRE TREAD PEALED OFF MY TIRE CAUSING SIGNIFICANT DAMAGES TO MY SIDE STEP, THE METAL AROUND MY TIRE WHEEL GOT BENT UP INTO MY DOOR AND TORE OFF ALL MY WHEEL WELL PLASTIC. ALMOST CAUSED MY FRONT BUMPER TO COME OFF IT IS NOW TORN ON THAT SIDE AND A PLASTIC PIECE UNDER THE BUMPER IS BARELY HANGING IN THERE. I STILL HAVE THE TIRE …
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TIRE TREAD PEALED OFF MY TIRE CAUSING SIGNIFICANT DAMAGES TO MY SIDE STEP, THE METAL AROUND MY TIRE WHEEL GOT BENT UP INTO MY DOOR AND TORE OFF ALL MY WHEEL WELL PLASTIC. ALMOST CAUSED MY FRONT BUMPER TO COME OFF IT IS NOW TORN ON THAT SIDE AND A PLASTIC PIECE UNDER THE BUMPER IS BARELY HANGING IN THERE. I STILL HAVE THE TIRE AS IT DIDN'T DEFLATE. MY STEERING WHEEL CLICKS AND MAKES MY CAR SKIP WHEN I MAKE A LEFT HAND TURN. AS IF THE TIRES ARE NOT TURNING CORRECTLY. THE AIR BAG LIGHT IS ON! *TR
PURCHASED A 2002 FORD EXPLORER, FROM THE DEALERSHIP IN DECEMBER 2006. IN JANUARY 2007 I AWOKE TO CLEAR THE SNOW OFF MY VEHICLE WHEN I NOTICED A HUGE CRACK ON THE BACK PANEL UNDER THE TAILGATE. I TOOK THE VEHICLE TO FORD IMMEDIATELY, AND WAS TOLD THAT IT WAS NOT COVERED DUE TO THE AGE OF THE VEHICLE, BUT THAT IT WAS AN ONGOIN…
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PURCHASED A 2002 FORD EXPLORER, FROM THE DEALERSHIP IN DECEMBER 2006. IN JANUARY 2007 I AWOKE TO CLEAR THE SNOW OFF MY VEHICLE WHEN I NOTICED A HUGE CRACK ON THE BACK PANEL UNDER THE TAILGATE. I TOOK THE VEHICLE TO FORD IMMEDIATELY, AND WAS TOLD THAT IT WAS NOT COVERED DUE TO THE AGE OF THE VEHICLE, BUT THAT IT WAS AN ONGOING PROBLEM. WHEN TEMPERATURES REACHED A HIGH THE CRACK THEN EXPANDED AND THE CRACK WAS NOT NOTICABLE. WHEN THE TEMPERATURE GOT COLD AGAIN THE CRACK WAS VERY APPARRENT. THE DEALERSHIP TOLD ME THERE WAS A FAULT WITH THIS PANEL, BUT ERE NOT ABLE TO COVER IT. *AK
THIS IS A COMPLAINT ABOUT THE FLAWED DESIGN OF FORD EXPLORER LIFTGATES. 2002 AND 2003 VEHICLES WERE AFFECTED, BUT I WAS SURE THERE WERE MORE. THE BACK PANEL CRACKED COMPLETELY DOWN THE PANEL SEPARATING THE TWO SIDES. I DIDN'T KNOW WHAT THE END RESULT COULD BE BUT IT CERTAINLY LOOKED LIKE A PIECE COULD FLY OFF AND INTERFERE …
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THIS IS A COMPLAINT ABOUT THE FLAWED DESIGN OF FORD EXPLORER LIFTGATES. 2002 AND 2003 VEHICLES WERE AFFECTED, BUT I WAS SURE THERE WERE MORE. THE BACK PANEL CRACKED COMPLETELY DOWN THE PANEL SEPARATING THE TWO SIDES. I DIDN'T KNOW WHAT THE END RESULT COULD BE BUT IT CERTAINLY LOOKED LIKE A PIECE COULD FLY OFF AND INTERFERE WITH FOLLOWING VEHICLES. THERE WERE HUNDREDS, IF NOT THOUSANDS OF THESE VEHICLES ON THE ROAD WITH THE SAME EXACT CRACK, AND FORD RECEIVED HUNDREDS OF COMPLAINTS BUT REFUSED TO FIX IT SO FAR. AS USUAL, THEY WILL PROBABLY WAIT UNTIL SOMEONE WAS HURT OR WORSE BEFORE TAKING ACTION. PLEASE LOOK INTO THIS.*AK
FORD HAD A RECALL ON THE HINGES OF THE GLASS PANEL ON THE HATCH OF THE TRUCK. I HAD NO PROBLEM WITH THE CAR PRIOR TO THAT REPLACEMENT. SEVERAL MONTHS AGO I FOLLOWED THROUGH WITH THE DEALER & HAD THE RECALLED HINGES REPLACED. I BELIEVE THAT THE WORK MAY HAVE ADDED STRESS TO THE HATCH....SOMETHING HAS HAPPENED. I NOTICED IN THE …
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FORD HAD A RECALL ON THE HINGES OF THE GLASS PANEL ON THE HATCH OF THE TRUCK. I HAD NO PROBLEM WITH THE CAR PRIOR TO THAT REPLACEMENT. SEVERAL MONTHS AGO I FOLLOWED THROUGH WITH THE DEALER & HAD THE RECALLED HINGES REPLACED. I BELIEVE THAT THE WORK MAY HAVE ADDED STRESS TO THE HATCH....SOMETHING HAS HAPPENED. I NOTICED IN THE MORNING OF 2/3/07 THAT THE BACK OF MY TRUCK HAD A HAIRLINE FRACTURE TO THE RIGHT OF THE FORD EMBLEM. THIS IS THE TRUCK PART THAT OPENS UP FOR ME TO PUT MY GROCERIES IN THE CAR & THE SAME PART THAT HAD THE RECALLED HINGES REPLACED. WELL, BY THE DAY'S END - THE HAIRLINE FRACTURE IS NOW A FULL BLOWN CRACK. THERE ARE NO OTHER MARKS ON THE TRUCK INDICATING ANY OTHER DAMAGE/ACCIDENT THAT WOULD HAVE PROVOKED THIS FRACTURE. I TRULY BELIEVE IT IS A DESIGN FLAW/DEFECT IN THE WAY THE HATCH CLOSES & WITH THE BELOW ZERO TEMPERATURES - IT HAS ADDED STRESS TO THIS AREA. I STOPPED BY THE AUTOBODY SHOP & WAS TOLD THAT I WOULD HAVE TO REPLACE THE ENTIRE HATCH - I AM STILL WAITING FOR THE ESTIMATE - WHICH MAY BE WELL OVER $ 1K..... I HAVE TAKEN PICTURES OF THIS DEFECT - AND TO MY SURPRISE, THIS MORNING 2/6/07 - I FOUND ANOTHER 2002 FORD EXPLORER WITH THE SAME DEFECT. I HAVE TAKEN PICTURES OF BOTH TRUCKS AND WILL CERTAINLY FORWARD THEM TO YOU AS WELL AS FILING A COMPLAINT WITH FORD. I WONDER HOW MANY OTHER 2002 FORD EXPLORERS HAVE THIS DEFECT IN THE SAME AREA. PLEASE HELP! *NM
ON THE RIDE HOME FROM PURCHASING MY NEW CAR, MY SEAT BELT CAME UNLATCHED. THIS EVENT REPEATED SEVERAL TIMES ON THE RIDE HOME. I CALLED THE DEALER THE NEXT DAY, AND THEY SAID TO BRING THE CAR IN AND THEY WOULD FIX IT. THE MIDDLE FRONT SEAT BELT WASN'T ASSEMBLED TO BEGIN WITH, SO THEY SAID THEY WOULD FIX BOTH PROBLEMS. DUE TO THE …
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ON THE RIDE HOME FROM PURCHASING MY NEW CAR, MY SEAT BELT CAME UNLATCHED. THIS EVENT REPEATED SEVERAL TIMES ON THE RIDE HOME. I CALLED THE DEALER THE NEXT DAY, AND THEY SAID TO BRING THE CAR IN AND THEY WOULD FIX IT. THE MIDDLE FRONT SEAT BELT WASN'T ASSEMBLED TO BEGIN WITH, SO THEY SAID THEY WOULD FIX BOTH PROBLEMS. DUE TO THE FAMILY CATCHING THE FLU THAT DAY I DID NOT BRING THE CAR IN, HOWEVER THE SEATBELT BEGAN ENGAGING PROPERLY. A FEW MONTHS LATER IT BEGAN LATCHING INTERMITTENTLY AGAIN. I TOOK IT TO THE DEALERSHIP, BUT THEY SAID IT WAS WORKING PROPERLY. I?VE HAD THIS HAPPEN NUMEROUS TIMES OVER THE LAST FEW YEARS, WHERE I CAN?T GET THE SEATBELT TO LATCH AT ALL, YET THE DEALERSHIP [I?VE BEEN TO SEVERAL] SAID THERE WAS NOTHING WRONG WITH IT. AFTER 2 YEARS OF CHECKING 2002 RECALLS AND FINDING NOTHING, I FINALLY CHECKED THE 2001 RECALLS AND FOUND SEVERAL EXPERIENCES JUST LIKE MINE. ABOUT TWO MONTHS AGO I MADE AN APPOINTMENT WITH THE DEALERSHIP BY PHONE FOR AN UNRELATED RECALL, AND THEY WERE AWARE I HAD A 2002. I TOLD THE PERSON ABOUT MY SEATBELT PROBLEM, AND WAS TOLD IT WAS A KNOWN ISSUE, AND WOULD BE FIXED FOR FREE. WHEN I ARRIVED AT THE DEALERSHIP I WAS TOLD THERE WAS NOTHING WRONG, AND THAT IT WOULD COST $125 TO FIX. I BOUGHT THIS CAR IN JANUARY 2002, AND IT WAS SOLD AS A 2002, BUT IT HAD SITTING ON THE LOT FOR MONTHS. THE SEATBELT PROBLEM HAS ME WONDERING IF I ACTUALLY BOUGHT A 2001. *AK
THE TRANSMISSION SLIPPED, THE PAINT WAS DEFECTIVE, AND THE RUNNING BOARD ON THE PASSENGER SIDE WAS DAMAGED. THE BACK BED ON TRUNK NEEDED TO BE REALIGNED AND THE VEHICLE PULLED TO THE RIGHT WHILE DRIVING. IN ADDITION, THE FRONT PASSENGER DOOR DID NOT CLOSE PROPERLY EVEN AFTER REPAIR.*PH *JB
Official recalls
0No recalls in this snapshot.
Model-level recall history does not show whether a particular VIN is affected or has received a repair. Check a VIN with NHTSA ↗
NHTSA investigations
0No exact-year investigations in this snapshot.
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