So it seems my complaint is in line with the other 300+ complaints. Transmission went out. Local mechanic has had my car since the end of January, 2012. Yes, we are now at May 9, 2012. That's coming up on four months. A new transmission has been put in, but then the 4WD HI light was coming on. Supposably, that had to do with the computer. I'm told that was fixed, but now it's the O/D light flickering. So now they have ordered something else that they "are almost 100% sure this is the problem". But if this doesn't fix the O/D light, then another transmission would have to be put in. I guess we are talking about another four months without my vehicle. I absolutely will NEVER buy another Ford product and I make it known to everyone I meet the problems that I have had with this vehicle.

My first car that I bought new. Most likely last Ford I will buy. They put out a defective transmission and are not willing to do anything about it. The explorer was a few thousand less than the trail blazer and I wish I would have spent the additional money on the front end since I spent more than the difference before even getting to 100,000. This vehicle is a lemon. Had to replace the rear end at the same time as tranny. I have taken dozens of pictures of the cracked rear window that is also standard failure on all explorers and mountaineers of this era.

This SUV didn't give any warning just sh*t the bed . Seeing as this is a sealed transmission and this had nothing to do with keeping up the maintenance, this should be on you ( FORD ) . Whatever possessed you to put this transmission in this vehicle, you should own up to your mistakes. I have NEVER had a transmission fail on me that I could do the maintenance on and if this tranny was one that I could have maintained then this wouldn't have happened ( Henry Ford must be rolling in his grave ). Too bad he isn't still around so he could fire all the dumb assess who came up with this transmission. This design fault is caused by the people who designed it not the ones who bought it or assembled it. It's just like that 2005 Freestyle ( which I also have) with the CVT transmission that none of your people know anything about ( but this is my next complaint ) . Your design team couldn't design a vehicle to save their own assess. Maybe they should get behind their vehicles and own up to these ass backwards engineers who created these disasters. Well as usual this will probably fall on deaf ears and nothing will be done for the consumers who fell for those bullshit commercials that praised these vehicles as being the best cars made.

Update from Mar 6, 2012: now all of a sudden my 4 wheel drive isn't working either and no codes are showing up for them either, gee the computer can't even diagnose these problems. Don't know what's going on but Ford needs to be held accountable for this dissaster of a vehicle. Again falling on deaf ears I'm sure , first our tax money bails out the automobile manufacturers and now due to their poor designs I'm paying again only out of my pocket personally . NEVER THOUGHT I'D PAY THIS MUCH FOR THIS VEHICLE , but I know Ford you don't care and probably NEVER will. As will I NEVER buy another ford product again.( your designers are idiots to say the least)

My 2002 Ford Explorer that I had new started sticking in gears and would make this revving type noise but was not going anywhere. I had to come off the gas then it would go into the other gear. When i stopped again at a light or junction the same thing all over. Took it to Crown Ford here and they could not get to it for two days so I had to rent a vehicle. They then told me that I would need a new transmission and gave me a price of $2528. 87 to replace the old transmission and labor at $776.69, Plus the shop support of $15. then tax for a total of $3627.71. I had just put $600+ in new tires the week before and they told me i'd get $2000. on the trade in.

Could not afford a new "used" one or anything so I had to go for it. I feel so screwed. Other people on here got theirs fixed for less. I did not think I would win with a trade in. I get 3yr 100,000 mile warranty. My ford has 75,500 miles on it. The newer ones they were showing me had almost as much miles on them.

Ford needs to address the issues with the 2002 model year for the Explorer. This vehicle is garbage at best. Always had ford pickup trucks which were pretty good for reliability. The 2002 Ford Explorer is a disaster. It is the FIX OR REPAIR DAILY of all Fords. I know from reading about other owners that FORD Motor Company will do nothing about this vehicle. They cannot blame Firestone for this turd. I have never had to replace a transmission on any vehicle I have owned. On the Explorer it is Wheel Bearings Timing chains 4X4 control modules Coil springs that rust and break which could puncture a tire and cause a fatality. The transmission, window control modules and the list goes on. And once you put in the rebuilt tranny it will fail also. Ford Sucks as bad as the rest of them. No more for me. Buyer Beware the blue oval. P.S. I forgot about the exploding Pinto so the Explorer is #2

I am a 42 year old single mother of 4 children, without a running vehicle and no money to fix my transmission. The o/d light came on blinked a few times and my transmission went out instantly on the street with no prior warning. I called the dealer and they ran a check and said it was the servo boar????? that had been recently made into the transmissions, and that the whole transmission needed to be replaced!!!!!!!!!!!! This is crazy and a money making scheme by FORD MOTOR COMPANY because you used to be able to fix this problem fairly easily until they changed design.

Two used transmission's were purchased by mechanic, both were bad as well. He traded mine in for these, now they cannot locate my old transmission that was sent in as trade. Unable to locate an additional used transmission, because there are so many transmission failures with this vehicle. I cannot afford a new one. Regardless a new one cost almost what the vehicle is worth anyway. I still have 6 months until payoff. Very disappointed that Ford Motor Company has ignored an obvious defect. They could at the very least discount a new transmission. My next move is to call the customer service line, "daily".

I purchased this vehicle new, upon retiring from the military based on past good experiences with Ford. A couple of years ago I had to replace the engine because, I was told, the timing mechanism had spun. Recently however, the OD OFF light has begun to occasionally light. Today, while driving to work the engine over revved (about 6000 rpm) and the car barely maintained previous speed going down hill. When I stopped for the light I was able to attain about 20 mph before the engine began over revving again. I was able to limp to work. I researched on the internet to find that this is a known issue but nothing is being done to correct it except to expect the customer to pay for a new transmission.