10.0
really awful- Crashes / Fires:
- 7 / 2
- Injuries / Deaths:
- 2 / 0
- Average Mileage:
- 87,616 miles
About These NHTSA Complaints:
The NHTSA is the US gov't agency tasked with vehicle safety. Complaints can be spread across multiple & redundant categories, & are not organized by problem. See the Back button — blue bar at the very top of the page — to explore more.
« Read the previous 20 complaints
2002 Ford Explorer gear shift broke off when putting car in park. Steering column replaced by dealer with used parts. Dealer retained possession of old parts.
- Dunmore, PA, USA
I pulled up to the gas station while on my way to work and as soon as I was about to shift into park the gear shift broke right off in my hand. It was causing some nor difficulties in the past where it would show signs of resistance when shifting gears but never something so serious as this current incident. I called a tow truck which appeared about 40 minutes later and then took me home. I have tried to find a new part but no dealer or parts manufacturer has it in stock.
- Ponce, PR, USA
Recently purchased 2002 Ford Explorer. Shortly after, within one to two days I attempted to exit the vehicle by shifting into park and opening the drivers side door. Although vehicle was at a complete stop when I exited it began to roll backwards causing me to fall beside alongside the driver side with lower right extremities still inside the vehicle. Immediate assistant was available so minimal damage was done. Currently requires caution when shifting into park do to additional maneuvering to shift into park.
- Temple, TX, USA
There is a common thread with gearshift selector breakage on Ford Explorer which indicates that recall is urgently needed. In the driveway of my house, with car in park, I tried to shift into reverse to back out. The gearshift selector on the steering column broke off and just dangled. I removed the rubber cover on the steering column to have a look, and I could see rough metal where end of gearshift selector rod meets with joint inside the steering column, indicating that the metal simply broke there. Called service at Ford dealer in henderson nv, was told that entire steering column needs to be replaced at parts + labor cost of $1920. Had I been parked on a hilly street in san francisco, e.g., a serious accident might have occurred with the car out of control. Recall is urgently needed before people are injured due to this obvious defect!!!
- Henderson, NV, USA
Have a 2002 Ford Explorer have had several problems, but while I was out driving today my car began to pop as I turned the wheel. I have gotten my tie rods replaced and there seems to continue to be a problem with my vehicle. My husband drove the car home for me slowly but will not drive for fear that the wheel may pop off. Contacted Ford and am waiting on a response, this problem has been noted on the internet by several owners of this model and year. This is a suspension problem and I would like this further investigated so that noone is riding down the highway with their children in vehicle and the wheel pop off. I was very lucky that my child was not in the truck with me at the time this incident happened.
- Louisville, KY, USA
The gear shift is hard to get into park. Sometimes after in park the SUV stills moves. No damage or crash yet. But I make sure to put on emergency brake.
- Payson, AZ, USA
I am sorry I am not a good speller I was pulling out of the gas station pulled up a little so I could see then a little more and seen a car so I went to put it in reverse but the gear shift stick broke right in my hand I almost got hit but thank god there was someone with me that put his life on the line got under the car and changed it manually the used part I have to get is $250 dollars and labor is like $300 I have to have a hole new steering column put in the clip that makes it change broke I just don't think it is right to have something as week as that part on there we could have been killed and when I looked it up on the internet there are hundreds of people this same thing has happened.
- Haleyville, AL, USA
I was having trouble placing my car in park. The gear shift would not work unless I forced it. Many of times I would place in park and it would roll. I thought it was my fault. On June 10, 2009 I placed my car in park and the gear shift broke. I was told that "it happens"with this truck and that there had not been a recall even though there was thousands of complaints. I am a single mother and I cannot afford to pay $700-1200 dollars to get this replaced. It is a disgrace that Ford does not stand behind their trucks. I will never buy a Ford again.
- Collingdale, PA, USA
Started car and when I put car in drive, shift gear on 2002 Explorer just fell off this is happening all over the usa I could have been driving and this could have happen. My wife and child could have been driving. Do people have to die to make this a recall why isn't this a recall.
- Dover, NH, USA
2002 Ford Explorer approx.77,000 miles shifting from park to drive gear shifter broke of at the base causing the vehicle to be stuck in reverse. After contacting Ford headquarters was informed there was nothing they could do even though there are several complaints on the internet. The dealership charges several hundred dollars to repair because the whole steering column has to be replaced. Part is currently on order.
- Birmingham, AL, USA
Our 2002 Ford Explorer gear shift lever broke off in my hand while trying to shift from park to reverse. We had some trouble with the lockout in the past, but this left us stranded and required a tow.
- Kitty Hawk, NC, USA
About a year ago, the gear shifter in my 2002 Ford Explorer started getting harder to shift out of park especially on inclines. After a short period of time, I took it to our local Ford dealer for them to look at it. They said they could find nothing wrong but that it did stick a little. Gradually over several months it got worse. Eventually, it got stuck in park and I actually broke off the gear shifter trying to go from park to reverse. We had to pay almost $1,200 to replace the steering column and shifter. We were then told that we might put on the emergency break before shifting into park on hills. I told them that it didn't matter if you were on a hill or not, it still would get stuck. After first replacing the column, it was easier to shift out of park. Then, over a few months it became increasingly harder to shift out of park again, unless I put on the emergency brake. I did use the brake on hills and inclines mostly but then sometimes it would get hard to shift on just flat surfaces. I contacted the Ford dealer and asked them to look at it again. They said that I would always just have to use the emergency brake before shifting into park. I asked them why - it doesn't seem right. They said, "that is just normal operating procedure". I, of course, argued that was not normal and they said there was nothing they could do about it. I asked the Ford company website and they said they consulted with our dealer and that they concur with them.
- Tahlequah, OK, USA
I turned into my driveway and put my Explorer into park the shifter broke off and the car was not in park. Thankfully I was home and it is now sitting with the key still in the ignition and emergency brakes on. Tried to buy the gear shift plunger on steering column and the Ford dealer said I can only buy the entire steering column. $1200 they showed me the column it has a different plunger that reinforced this suggest that they are aware of the problem.
- Ledgewood, NJ, USA
When I tried to put my 2002 Ford Explorer into reverse the gear shifter snapped off in my hands. I have never seen this happen before but have been researching this on the internet and it seems to be a real issue with the Ford Explorer design of the shifter mechanism. My vehicle has 90,000 miles on it. This also seems to be consistent as to when most break.
- University Place , WA, USA
Saturday I tried to put my 2002 Ford Explorer XLT in park and the gear shift snapped off. I wasn't trying to jam it in park, just simply tried to put it in park. It is right now stuck in reverse with the key stuck in the ignition. I had my children with me and no clue that there was anything wrong with the car. Please note that while I was trying to figure out what was going on, the car rolled backwards a bit. After, doing some research on the internet to see if Ford had any recalls for this I found that many more people just like me had experienced the same thing. The pictures that the others have uploaded of the metal/aluminum piece is the same exact piece that is broken on mine. Please believe me I am not an extra strong person as to where I could have done this myself (broke the piece of metal). Please look into this for it is a very costly repair that should be looked into and taken care of by Ford.
- Indianapolis, IN, USA
I went to put vehicle in park and shift lever broke off inside steering column. Had to replace entire steering column for 1 little piece of cast white metal which I found out is a common problem with this particular vehicle. After repair was complete, od off light started blinking and service engine soon light came on. Code PO755 on engine scanner which according to carcomplaint web site and my mechanic is also a very common problem with this vehicle.
- Macedon, NY, USA
Went to shift vehicle to drive from park position, shift lever went down without shifting vehicle into gear., upon inspection the bottom of the case where the shift lever is held by a pin had broken off, the only way to repair this situation is to change the entire steering column according to two (2) Ford dealers I visited. Upon searching this problem on the internet, I find it amazing of how many other people have the same problem. It cost $1265 to replace the unit not including labor cost. I believe that this is fatigue on that piece of metal. Ford should be made aware of this as a defective product and a recall should take place.
- Rochester, NY, USA
Complainant has had difficulty shifting into park since the vehicle was purchased used in December 2007. December 2008 just after christmas vehicle rolled backwards down a slight inclined driveway. The complainant parked the vehicle and was in the home for approximately 35-45 minutes when the complainants wife asked where was the vehicle why wasn't it in the driveway. The consumer went outside and found the vehicle rolled backwards down the driveway and came to rest in the yard (grass). The complainant also noted and additional incident where the vehicle stalled and the complainant could not get the vehicle in park.
- Mount Airy , MD, USA
Gear shift broke off the steering column of my 2002 Ford Explorer. Truck was rendered inoperable, but could have the potential of being stuck in gear if the shift breaks off at anything other than park or neutral.
- Bensalem, PA, USA
- Galloway, NJ, USA