Ford Explorer 2002–2005
3rd generation · U152
NHTSA data through 12 August 20267,717 complaints, 6,093 with mileageMethod
On this generation, failures are spread across the mileage range, with the middle half between 46,905 and 105,000 miles.
- Rest of the range
- Median
- 200,000+ — 113 complaints (1.9%), plotted separately
- 10%
- 21,000
- 25%
- 46,905
- Median
- 74,935
- 75%
- 105,000
- 90%
- 141,500
Show the numbers
| Mileage | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| 0–5,000 | 190 | 3.1% |
| 5,000–10,000 | 110 | 1.8% |
| 10,000–15,000 | 137 | 2.2% |
| 15,000–20,000 | 123 | 2.0% |
| 20,000–25,000 | 130 | 2.1% |
| 25,000–30,000 | 132 | 2.2% |
| 30,000–35,000 | 164 | 2.7% |
| 35,000–40,000 | 194 | 3.2% |
| 40,000–45,000 | 246 | 4.0% |
| 45,000–50,000 | 228 | 3.7% |
| 50,000–55,000 | 286 | 4.7% |
| 55,000–60,000 | 252 | 4.1% |
| 60,000–65,000 | 292 | 4.8% |
| 65,000–70,000 | 268 | 4.4% |
| 70,000–75,000 | 296 | 4.9% |
| 75,000–80,000 | 275 | 4.5% |
| 80,000–85,000 | 312 | 5.1% |
| 85,000–90,000 | 264 | 4.3% |
| 90,000–95,000 | 243 | 4.0% |
| 95,000–100,000 | 216 | 3.5% |
| 100,000–105,000 | 195 | 3.2% |
| 105,000–110,000 | 141 | 2.3% |
| 110,000–115,000 | 148 | 2.4% |
| 115,000–120,000 | 108 | 1.8% |
| 120,000–125,000 | 177 | 2.9% |
| 125,000–130,000 | 80 | 1.3% |
| 130,000–135,000 | 124 | 2.0% |
| 135,000–140,000 | 82 | 1.3% |
| 140,000–145,000 | 108 | 1.8% |
| 145,000–150,000 | 59 | 1.0% |
| 150,000–155,000 | 86 | 1.4% |
| 155,000–160,000 | 55 | 0.9% |
| 160,000–165,000 | 71 | 1.2% |
| 165,000–170,000 | 36 | 0.6% |
| 170,000–175,000 | 30 | 0.5% |
| 175,000–180,000 | 38 | 0.6% |
| 180,000–185,000 | 33 | 0.5% |
| 185,000–190,000 | 24 | 0.4% |
| 190,000–195,000 | 16 | 0.3% |
| 195,000–200,000 | 11 | 0.2% |
| 200,000+ | 113 | 1.9% |
What this can and cannot tell you: these are complaints owners chose to file, not a failure rate. Popular models accumulate more of them simply by being common. How this is built.
Owners filed 7,717 complaints with NHTSA about the 2002–2005 Ford Explorer, and 6,093 of them record the mileage at which the failure happened. That is enough to show not just what fails, but when.
Failures are spread across the mileage range, with the middle half between 46,905 and 105,000 miles. The median is 74,935 miles.
The most-reported areas are the transmission and driveline (32.6% of complaints, typically around 75,000 miles), body structure (18.8% of complaints, typically around 71,000 miles), the suspension (7.6% of complaints, typically around 78,000 miles).
What fails, and when
- Transmission and driveline75,000median 75,000 miles, middle half 47,000 to 105,000
- Body structure71,000median 71,000 miles, middle half 48,000 to 98,000
- Suspension78,000median 77,700 miles, middle half 59,000 to 93,000
- Engine and its cooling system61,000median 61,000 miles, middle half 36,000 to 95,000
- Visibility equipment68,000median 67,835 miles, middle half 43,000 to 100,000
- Throttle and speed control62,000median 61,950 miles, middle half 35,000 to 108,000
- Electrical system80,000median 79,685 miles, middle half 37,000 to 120,000
| System | Complaints | Share | Median | 25–75% |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Transmission and driveline | 2,514 | 32.6% | 75,000 | 47,000–105,000 |
| Body structure | 1,449 | 18.8% | 71,000 | 48,000–98,000 |
| Suspension | 584 | 7.6% | 78,000 | 59,000–93,000 |
| Engine and its cooling system | 336 | 4.4% | 61,000 | 36,000–95,000 |
| Visibility equipment | 314 | 4.1% | 68,000 | 43,000–100,000 |
| Throttle and speed control | 314 | 4.1% | 62,000 | 35,000–108,000 |
| Electrical system | 299 | 3.9% | 80,000 | 37,000–120,000 |
| Airbag system | 268 | 3.5% | 80,000 | 45,000–141,000 |
| Steering | 240 | 3.1% | 91,000 | 68,000–125,000 |
| Wheels | 194 | 2.5% | 85,000 | 60,000–118,000 |
Which systems, and when
Complaints about this generation are not spread evenly across the vehicle, and the systems that generate the most of them do not all fail at the same point in a car's life. The median failure across all systems here is 74,935 miles; the figures below show which parts of the car run ahead of that and which run behind.
The transmission and driveline accounts for 32.6% of complaints (2,514 reports, 2,139 of them with a mileage figure), with a median of 75,000 miles, close to the vehicle's overall pattern. The middle half of these reports falls between 47,000 and 105,000 miles.
A single system taking 32.6% of all complaints is a concentration worth noting. It means that for this generation, most of what owners reported came back to one area of the car rather than being distributed across many small faults.
Body structure accounts for 18.8% of complaints (1,449 reports, 1,113 of them with a mileage figure), with a median of 71,000 miles, close to the vehicle's overall pattern. The middle half of these reports falls between 48,000 and 98,000 miles.
The suspension accounts for 7.6% of complaints (584 reports, 475 of them with a mileage figure), with a median of 77,700 miles, close to the vehicle's overall pattern. The middle half of these reports falls between 59,000 and 93,000 miles.
The engine and its cooling system accounts for 4.4% of complaints (336 reports, 255 of them with a mileage figure), with a median of 61,000 miles, close to the vehicle's overall pattern. The middle half of these reports falls between 35,747 and 95,000 miles.
Visibility equipment accounts for 4.1% of complaints (314 reports, 224 of them with a mileage figure), with a median of 67,835 miles, close to the vehicle's overall pattern. The middle half of these reports falls between 43,000 and 99,500 miles.
Throttle and speed control accounts for 4.1% of complaints (314 reports, 238 of them with a mileage figure), with a median of 61,950 miles, close to the vehicle's overall pattern. The middle half of these reports falls between 35,000 and 108,000 miles.
Differences between model years
Within this generation, complaint volume is not constant across model years. The 2002 model year drew the most — 4,097 complaints — while 2005 drew the fewest at 604. The median year sits at 1,508.
That makes 2002 an outlier: roughly 2.7 times the median year of this generation. A single year standing that far apart usually reflects either a first-year issue that was later corrected, or a component change introduced for that year. Anyone shopping this generation has a straightforward reason to prefer a different year, all else being equal.
Recalls and what they cover
No recall campaigns covering this generation appear in NHTSA's post-2010 recall file. That is not the same as an absence of problems — recalls address safety defects specifically, and many of the complaints above concern faults that are expensive or annoying without meeting that threshold.
Reported severity
Of the 7,717 complaints filed against this generation, 347 reported a crash; 110 reported a fire; 397 reported an injury; 9 reported a fatality. Crash-involved reports represent 4.5% of the total.
These are owner-reported outcomes, not verified investigations, and they are not adjusted for how many of these vehicles are on the road. They are included because the distinction between a fault that strands a car and a fault that causes a collision is the one that matters most, and it is not visible in a complaint count alone.
What this means if you are buying one
For a buyer, failures on this generation are spread rather than concentrated: the middle half falls between 46,905 and 105,000 miles, with a median of 74,935. There is no single mileage threshold to watch, which means condition and maintenance records are more informative than the odometer.
On inspection, the transmission and driveline and body structure are where this generation's reports concentrate, so those are the areas worth a specific look. Body structure in particular shows a median failure mileage of 71,000, which gives a concrete number to compare against the odometer of any car you are considering.
None of this is a substitute for a pre-purchase inspection on the individual car. Aggregate patterns describe a population; the example in front of you has its own history.
Documented problems
Transmission 2002–2005
5R55S/5R55W solenoid pack and servo bore wear causing harsh or missing shifts, slipping and eventual loss of forward gears; a very high-volume ODI complaint cluster for this generation.
Engine 2002–2005
4.0L SOHC V6 rear timing chain cassette failure carried over from the previous generation.
Suspension
First Explorer with independent rear suspension; rear coil spring and lower control arm bushing wear, and rear differential/axle noise.
By model year
| Year | Complaints | With mileage |
|---|---|---|
| 2002 | 4,097 | 3,100 |
| 2003 | 1,369 | 1,108 |
| 2004 | 1,647 | 1,363 |
| 2005 | 604 | 522 |
What owners reported
The SUV, which is a 2002 Ford Explorer. Just started to drive really slowly and an o/d light came on which tells me that i pretty much need a new transmission. This is the third time that this has happened to my vehicle. The consequences are the very expensive price on fixing the problem. The first 2 times Ford fixed…
2002 · Transmission and driveline
Tl* the contact owns a 2002 Ford Explorer. The contact stated the entire glass on all four doors exhibited permanent streaks which distorted his visibility. In addition, there were similar streaks on the front and rear windshield. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic who specialized in auto glass. The…
2002 · 3 miles · Visibility equipment
Tl* - the contact stated she has been having problems with a 2002 Ford Explorer since she purchased it in february 2002. The contact stated that the vehicle would not start. The vehicle vibrated and the check engine light turned on. The contact stated that the vehicle is at a Ford dealer for diagnostic testing.…
2002 · 30 miles · Transmission and driveline
Gears began to slip at 59,000 miles on three year old vehicle. One day od light went off and transmission was completely burned up. We had given vehicle regular service. There was no warning up until the day the tranny went out. We took the vehicle to an outside source who concluded that the seal looked like it had…
2002 · 60 miles · Transmission and driveline
Built from 6,093 NHTSA complaints with mileage · snapshot 2026-08-12 · open data · reproduce this page