VehicleVerdict

2002 Ford Explorer engine problems

The 2002 Ford Explorer has 214 engine complaints filed with NHTSA — 5% of the year's total, and up sharply from the prior model year.

214

Engine complaints

5%

Share of year

3

Crash-involved

0

Related recalls

Engine complaints by year

Explorer engine complaints by model year494 complaints1990: 2 complaints1991: 66 complaints1992: 84 complaints1993: 68 complaints1994: 89 complaints1995: 55 complaints1996: 96 complaints1997: 227 complaints1998: 212 complaints1999: 112 complaints2000: 102 complaints2001: 47 complaints2002: 214 complaints2003: 91 complaints2004: 116 complaints2005: 47 complaints2006: 227 complaints2007: 38 complaints2008: 25 complaints2009: 5 complaints2010: 17 complaints2011: 104 complaints2012: 93 complaints2013: 292 complaints2014: 263 complaints2015: 292 complaints2016: 494 complaints2017: 311 complaints2018: 120 complaints2019: 24 complaints2020: 131 complaints2021: 55 complaints2022: 26 complaints2023: 11 complaints2024: 1 complaints2025: 7 complaints2026: 4 complaints
Explorer engine complaints by model year. Red bars are years to avoid.

What owners report

“VEHICLE WAS PARKED IN THE GARAGE WHEN IT CAUGHT ON FIRE UNEXPECTEDLY. THE SOUNDS OF FIRE TRUCKS AT ABOUT 3:15 AM BEFORE CONSUMER KNEW THEIR GARAGE WAS THE ONE ON FIRE. THE FORD EXPLORER WAS COMPLETELY DESTROYED AS WELL AS THE OTHER 1992 GMC. THE FIRE CAME FROM UNDER THE HOOD OF THE FORD EXPLORER.…”

Complaint filed with NHTSA · Engine · February 23, 2005 · fire

Common questions

How many engine complaints does the 2002 Ford Explorer have?

NHTSA has 214 complaints about the 2002 Ford Explorer engine — 5% of all complaints filed for that model year.

Related

Based on NHTSA ODI data through June 2026. Complaints are consumer-reported and unverified. Updated July 5, 2026.