Who has actually had good service from an '02 Explorer.

[Shawn w]

So after having 4 second gen explorers, I started looking for a 3rd gen. I had all the different engine/tranny combos in the 2nd gen explorers, from the lowly OHV4.0 (bulletproof motor) to the still pretty good OHC 4.0 with the 5 speed auto, and my last two were 5.0 AWD. They were all pretty tough good vehicles, I never had an engine/trans failure on any of them even with some of them in the 190k mile range. And really didn't have to ever do anything but maintence.

So after looking at 4runners, tahoes, expeditions, pathfinders, and duangos (i've previously owned 2 durangos and a '01 tahoe. both good cars too ) I decided on a '02 Eddie Bauer 4.0 4x4 with 86k on it about 3 weeks ago. Since then, i've replaced the RF Wheel bearing/hub. The RR hub is gonna have to be replaced soon, as well as the LF, that I can kinda hear over the RR one. So thats pretty much all but one Wheel bearing that is shot. With all the other ones going, I'm sure the LR will go soon. Other than that the only thing that don't work right is the 6 Disk changer. So I got to looking around on both here and through some google searches. Appears these things are nightmares. Especially in the tranny department, and obviously wheel bearings. My transmission works fine right now, my 4wd works, I have no lights on and everything else seems to be ok. I like the size, looks, and especially interior of this truck better than the other vehicles, I was considering. I need a 4 door SUV that can do some mild offroading, in a pinch tow a 3000 pound boat, and is nice and comfortable. With all the transmission, wheel bearing, blend door, cracked hatch, rear end whining, cracked spring problems. I am scared to death to keep this thing. I assume it has had atleast average maintence, but it seems even with excelent maintenced these truck don't not hold up on par with the previous generation. www.carcomplaints.com rate the '02 explorer as their #1 problem vehicle. Mostly due to transmission, wheel bearing, and rear hatch problems. I know there are more explorers on the road, and therfore more to break, but this seems more like an epedemic. Talk me out of selling it for another Tahoe (my second choice)

Thanks,
Shawn

 

[jrford]

"I have no lights on and everything else seems to be ok. "

i'd just drive it and not worry, some have had very good luck. Others depends,
Thing to remember if it isn't broke not many show up on the web and post how well there truck is. . .

Sounds like the wheel bearings are fixed, i would say thats the most common thing in all of them. . .rear hatch problems if its what i think it is, its cosmetic.

Trans how does it shift now, if no lag then i would expect it to be good for a while, . .if not then after i spent $1600 on mine, the rebuilt trans is better then new, V8 5r55s here. Many with over 100k on theirs.

As to the other stuff: blend door, rear end whining, cracked rear springs - it seems hit or miss, some of these less common stuff may have been fixed already (hopefully. lol). And by the time you sell it, buy another one, re-title, pay taxes on it all, time money and aggravation . . .to me i'd rather fix what i have imho.
just a thought.

 

[TimAdler]

I have.

I have an '02 Eddie Bauer 4.0 4x4 Myself. Aside from a few minor inconviences, I have had nothing but reliable service from mine. It gets great mileage on the highway and is a very comfortable ride. I am the second owner and have had it for 4 years. It has 209k miles on it right now.

 

[Shawn w]

Well right now, it only needs the other two, possilby three wheel bearing replaced, and the cd player is a little screwy. Thats it though. Everyting else is fine (where is the biggest piece of wood to knock on?) No lights or anyting. The tranny shifts normally. It's a hair slower shifting than the tranny in my last explorer, but I hear that is normal. It doesn't clunk or seem to slip or anything. As far as the other common occurances with these vehicles. They must of already been fixed or haven't happend yet. I am just afraid of the what ifs. I know all vehicles have thier problems, but this seem excessive. I can not own a vehicle I don't have faith in. I'm not saying that i'm there yet, but it seems certainly possible. As far as taxes and registration and all that. I work for a independant car dealer, so that is a non point.

Thanks,
Shawn

 

[JarvisB]

wheel bearing problems are common on explorers so I would say just get them replaced then you should be all good.

my tranny and everything is all good still but my expo is still pretty new ha- 2004 V8, 54k miles.

 

[elcapitanmas]

I had to defend why I bought mine a couple months ago. You are only going to read about problems, no one has a website that talks about how good vehicles are. I have only had minor issues with mine which is no big deal, door sensor, rear hatch (cosmetic) otherwise its a great truck. I wonder if the flash upgrade for the pcm is for your truck, getting mine done to hopefully prevent any future tranny issues. Oh and at the time of purchase (from freinds shop) all brakes had just been done, and all wheel bearings.

 

[Shawn w]

Yeah I understand that nobody, is gonna say hey my truck is perfect today. People only complain when it doesn't work. Also there are a ton of explorers out there. More than a lot of other SUVs so there are just statistically more to break. However the transmission and wheel bearings on these vehicles seem like a curse. I really want to love this truck. Like I said there are things that I like better about it , that i don't really care for on the competition. If I can't trust it though, I will quickly be purchasing a 03-04 Tahoe/Yukon, and this one will be auctioned off.

 

[EasyRhino]

I take it that you didn't ask these questions before making the purchase? Not trying to be a smart-a**, just sayin'. If it's going to at eat you sell it now.

My 2002, bought new (I know, never buy a first year) has had both front wheel bearings and some very minor issues (4WD control box about 150 and 15 minutes, rear AC control box, about 50 and 1 hour). The rear end has howled since new, not gotten better or worse.

The tranny is showing some very light slippage in 1st/Reverse at low speeds on steep grades, so I'm headed into repairs in that area. That's about it in 104K miles and 8 years.

Best car ever? No, but servicable and turns out to be the only car I ever owned for this many miles and years. Go figure.

Lots of folks have 200K+ on these.

 

[josh93rodeo]

My wife bought her 02' with about 80,000 miles a few years ago. It has about 120,000 on it now and is still going.
We've had few wheel bearing problems and the 4wd stopped working because of the control box behind the glove box, but overall it seems to work alright.

Personally, I enjoy the 1st gen Explorers better

 

[rumpledoll]

Have a 2002 SOHC V6 4WD Eddie Bauer that we bought new and early in the production run, now with 72,000 miles. Very reliable vehicle.

Rumple

 

[Shawn w]

No i didn't ask these questions before I bought it. I looked around on consumer reports, and places like that. They gave them a reasonably good rating. Atleast comparable to the other vehicles I was looking at at the time. Thought it sounded pretty decent. Glad to see some people are getting decent service out of them. I am not saying I mind having to put wheel bearings in mine, I just don't want everything else going bad on it. That I would mind.

Thanks,
Shawn