These help you judge whether this one is worth its price.
Costly problem zones ahead at your miles come with a Car Hunt Pass or Pro. See plans
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What about the price? Check the asking price on two listing sites. Buying from a dealer? Run its offer through the offer X ray.
Education, not financial or mechanical advice. Have any used car checked by a mechanic you trust before you buy.
The full record
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What owners complain about
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Seller kit
Questions for the seller, test drive checks and price points
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Walk up to the seller ready
Questions to ask the seller of a 2002 Ford Explorer, built from this year's owner complaints and recalls. What to feel, hear and look at on the test drive, with boxes to tick at the car. Honest points to raise on price, from the records and never from guesses. Copy the questions to your phone in one tap.
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Write your offer
A ready to send offer for the seller, by text or email
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Send the seller a fair offer
Type the asking price and your own offer for the 2002 Ford Explorer, tick what you found, and get a polite message ready to text or email. Its reasons come from this year's owner complaints, recalls and crash ratings, and never from made up repair prices.
Car Hunt Pass: $15 once for 30 days, a launch price. It never renews. Full refund if you ask within 7 days.
When problems show up
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Will it outlast the loan?
The month of your loan each problem zone lands in
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Recalls
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Crash ratings
NHTSA's stars out of five, for each version it tested. Front crash stars only compare cars of about the same size and weight. The tests changed for 2011 models, so these stars do not line up with newer ones.
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Fuel economy
The EPA's estimates for each engine and transmission, and its own yearly fuel cost. Yours depends on how you drive and the shape the car is in. Figures for 2007 and older use the EPA's 2008 method, so they may be lower than the original sticker.
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True cost to own
The loan, fuel, insurance and upkeep, a month and over 5 years
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What it really costs to own
What the 2002 Ford Explorer costs a month and over 5 years: the loan and its interest, fuel worked out from the EPA's figures for the version you pick, and your own insurance, registration and upkeep. A cost a mile, a link that reopens your numbers, and the breakdown copied to your phone in one tap.
Car Hunt Pass: $15 once for 30 days, a launch price. It never renews. Full refund if you ask within 7 days.
Every year of the Explorer
Owner complaints for each model year, this one outlined. Tap a year to open it. The newest 2 are not judged yet. Bars are totals, so older years stand taller; the verdict compares every year at the same age.
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Before you buy this one
Built from this year's numbers. Whatever the data says, the car in front of you is the one that counts.
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Not every car needs every fix. Run the VIN at NHTSA to see which are still open. Repairs are usually free at a dealer for the brand; ask before any work.
Cruise and speed control
Oct 13, 2009 · Recall 09V399000
Ford is recalling model years 1995-2003 windstar, 2000-2003 excursion diesel, 1993-1997 and 1999-2003 f-250 sd through f-550 sd diesel, 1992-2003 e-150 through e-550, 1995-2002 explorer, 1997 and 2002 mercury mountaineer, 1995-1997 and 2001-2003 ranger, and 1994 f53 vehicles equipped with the texas instruments speed control deactivation switch (scds). The scds may leak internally and then overheat, smoke, or burn.
What can happen
A vehicle fire could occur with or without the engine running.
The fix
Ford will notify owners that dealers will install a fused wiring harness in line with the scds. On 1999-2003 windstar vehicles with a leaking scds, dealers will also inspect the ABS control module connector and repair as necessary. Repairs will be completed free of charge. The safety recall began on october 27, 2009. Owners may contact Ford at 1-888-222-2751.
Lights
May 11, 2009 · Recall 09E025000
Dope, inc. Is recalling 42,540 combination corner and bumper lamp assemblies of various part numbers sold for use as aftermarket equipment for various passenger vehicles. These headlamps fail to conform to the requirements of federal motor vehicle safety standard no. 108, "lamps, reflective devices, and associated equipment." these lamps do not contain the required amber side reflectors.
What can happen
Decreased lighting visibility may result in a vehicle crash.
The fix
Dope, inc. Will notify owners and offer a full refund for the noncompliant combination lamps. The safety recall began on july 28, 2009. Owners may contact dope, inc. At 1-626-272-1798.
Lights
Apr 7, 2009 · Recall 09E012000
Sabersport is recalling 16,270 combination corner and bumper lamp assemblies of various part numbers sold for use as aftermarket equipment for various passenger vehicles. These headlamps fail to conform to the requirements of federal motor vehicle safety standard no. 108, "lamps, reflective devices, and associated equipment." these lamps do not contain the required amber side reflectors.
What can happen
Decreased lighting visibility may result in a vehicle crash.
The fix
Sabersport will notify owners and offer a full refund for the noncompliant combination lamps. The safety recall began on may 11, 2009. Owners may contact sabersport at 1-909-598-7589.
Windows, wipers and visibility
Dec 11, 2007 · Recall 07E104000
Certain curved tempered replacement glass manufactured by hangzhou safety glass ltd and supplied to safelite by auto temp inc., identified as dot-430, and sold for use on certain domestic and foreign vehicles may not break into small pieces as expected of tempered glass and fails to conform to federal motor vehicle safety standard no. 205, "glazing materials."
What can happen
In the event of a vehicle crash, the occupant(s) may be seriously injured by shattered glass.
The fix
Safelite will notify its retail customers and replace the glass free of charge. Retail customers can contact safelite toll free at 1-888-843-2906. Safelite will notify its wholesale customers and reimburse wholesale customers for current inventory and at a specified rate for replacing their customer's glass. Wholesale customers can contact safelite's wholesale division, service autoglass toll free at 1-888-246-6298. The recall began on january 15, 2008.
Lights
May 24, 2006 · Recall 06E049000
Certain ck motorsports combination headlights, clear corner, bumper, and side marker lights sold as replacement lamps for use on the passenger vehicles listed above. Some combination lamps that are not equipped with amber side reflectors fail to conform to federal motor vehicle safety standard no. 108, lamps, reflective devices, and associated equipment.
What can happen
Without the amber reflectors, the vehicle will be poorly illuminated, possibly resulting in a vehicle crash without warning.
The fix
Ck motorsport will notify owners and replace the noncompliant lamps free of charge. The recall began on july 1, 2006. Owners may contact ck motorsport at 1-909-610-7211.
Lights
Mar 23, 2006 · Recall 06E026000
Certain pro-a motors corner lamps, turn signals, and headlights sold as replacement lamps for use on certain passenger vehicles listed above. Some combination lamps that are not equipped with amber side reflectors fail to conform to federal motor vehicle safety standard no. 108, lamps, reflective devices, and associated equipment.
What can happen
Without the amber reflectors, the vehicle will be poorly illuminated, possibly resulting in a vehicle crash without warning.
The fix
Pro-a motors will notify owners and offer to repurchase the lamps. The recall began on april 3, 2006. Owners may contact pro-a motors at 323-838-2988.
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Body and frame
Sep 13, 2004 · Recall 04V442000
On certain sport utility vehicles, the liftgate glass strut may become disengaged or the hinge may fracture allowing the glass to fall and possibly break.
What can happen
If the hinge should fracture, there is a potential for the glass to fall and ultimately break and personal injuries could occur.
The fix
Dealers will have the liftgate glass strut brackets and glass hinges replaced. For the vehicles built from august 1, 2000 through march 3, 2002, the dealers will replace the hinges and liftgate strut bracket. On vehicles built from march 3, 2002 through june 23, 2003, the dealers will only replace the hinges. The recall began on september 30, 2004. A postcard was sent to owners on december 27, 2004, advising them that parts are now available. Owners should contact Ford at 1-800-392-3673.
Certain pickup truck, van, and mini van conversions equipped with southern comfort built running boards that contain certain courtesy lights manufactured by american technology components, inc. These units contain a courtesy light or lights that might overheat when the wire harness is exposed to excessive moisture and road salt.
What can happen
This overheating condition can cause the running board to melt or cause a fire.
The fix
Dealers will replace the wiring harness on these running boards. Owner notification began march 7, 2003. Owners who take their vehicles to an authorized dealer on an agreed upon service date and do not receive the free remedy within a reasonable time should contact southern comfort at 1-800-745-6096.
Wheels and tires
May 24, 2001 · Recall 01V171000
Vehicle description: sport utility vehicles. The right side tires may have horizontal cuts on the edge of the tread that could have occurred during vehicle assembly.
What can happen
Over time, the tire could fail, increasing the risk of a crash.
The fix
Dealers will inspect the tires and, if any slices are found, the cut tires will be replaced. Owner notification began june 7, 2001. Owners who take their vehicles to an authorized dealer on an agreed upon service date and do not receive the free remedy within a reasonable time should contact Ford at 1-800-392-3673.
Windows, wipers and visibility
Apr 10, 2001 · Recall 01I010000
This is not a safety recall in accordance with the safety act. However, it is deemed a safety improvement campaign by the agency. Vehicle description: 2002 Ford explorer and mercury montaineer sport utility vehicles. The brackets connecting the left cylinders to each side of the liftgate glass could rotate out of position if either the urethane bond or torque are not sufficient.
What can happen
Rotation of the brackets could potentially cause the lift cylinders to detach from the glass or, in some cases, could potentially cause the liftgate glass to break. Either condition is most likely to occur when the glass is being closed.
The fix
Ford dealers will inspect the vehicles for the position of both the left and right liftgatge glass lift cylinder brackets. If the brackets are in the proper position, the bracket retainers will be tightened to a higher torque. In cases where the bracket is not properly position, the bracket must be re-aligned.
3,622 complaints; the part named most is the transmission and drivetrain
Unverified reports, not adjusted for sales. One complaint can name several parts, so shares add up past 100%. Filed Apr 5, 2001 to Sep 9, 2026. 63% name a part that is usually costly to fix.
Owners reported 163 crashes, 71 fires, 213 injuries and 6 deaths in these complaints.
Transmission and drivetrain1,577 · 44%Usually costly to fix
Body and frame533 · 15%Usually costly to fix
Suspension445 · 12%
What one owner wrote about the transmission and drivetrain
Overdrive light flashes after driving a little bit hard shifting doesn't shift into overdrive 4x4 lights indicate that it's working when the buttons are pushed but doesn't go into 4x4
Filed Jun 14, 2022NHTSA complaint 114691811 of 18 owner quotes
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16 more parts, and 18 owner quotes
Every part owners name for the 2002 Ford Explorer, with their own words about what went wrong. Usually costly to fix among them: Engine.
Car Hunt Pass: $15 once for 30 days, a launch price. It never renews. Full refund if you ask within 7 days.
5 checks, with a close look at the transmission and drivetrain
The bar holds the middle half of the complaints that gave a mileage; the dark mark is the middle one. 953 complaints of 3,622 gave one. Owners file when something fails, so this shows when problems were reported, not how long the cars last.
Transmission and drivetrainCostly50,000 to 100,000 mi
Half of these 550 complaints came between about 50,000 and 100,000 miles, the middle one around 70,000.
050K100K150K200K250K
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Mileage for 7 more parts, 2 usually costly
The mileage band for every part owners name, and your car's miles laid across them.
Run the VIN at NHTSA to confirm every recall was fixed.
This year has 10 recalls on file. Recall repairs are usually free at a dealer for the brand. Ask the dealer to confirm before any work is done. Look up a VIN at NHTSA.
Ask the seller for the service records.
Look closely for any work on the transmission and drivetrain. It is the part owners complain about most for this year.
Have a mechanic you trust inspect it before you pay.
Ask them to look hard at the transmission and drivetrain. It is usually costly to fix.
Look at a vehicle history report.
It can show reported crashes, flood or salvage titles, and mileage that does not add up.
On the test drive, pay attention to the transmission and drivetrain.
Feel for slipping, hesitation, harsh or late shifts, and shudder at low speed.
