2002 Ford Explorer Engine and Engine Cooling Problems
Owners have filed 163 complaints with NHTSA about engine and engine cooling problems on the 2002 Ford Explorer, 5% of all complaints for this model year. Half of the reports with a mileage happened before 74,000 miles. The words owners use most often: “spark plug” (17% of reports).
- 163engine and engine cooling complaints
- 74,000median miles at failure
- 2mention a crash
- 1mention an injury
- 0related recalls
- $4,650typical repair cost reported by owners
- 27%of reports with a speed happened at 50+ mph
What owners describe
Phrases that appear unusually often in these complaints compared with complaints about other cars.
- Spark plug: mentioned in 27 of 163 complaints (17%)
- Timing chain: mentioned in 14 of 163 complaints (9%)
How much does it cost to fix?
Owners who wrote down what they paid or were quoted put the typical engine and engine cooling repair on the 2002 Ford Explorer at $4,650, and half of them between $3,100 and $7,000.
Based on 8 NHTSA complaints about this problem alone that state a repair bill or quote (2004–2010), converted to 2026 dollars with the U.S. consumer price index. These are owners' own figures, not a quote: they include dealer quotes, and owners who file complaints often faced larger repairs, so they can run higher than typical shop prices. Prices vary by shop, region and warranty coverage. How we calculate this.
At what mileage do engine and engine cooling problems happen?
Based on 113 complaints that reported the odometer reading.
How serious are the reports?
Of 163 complaints, 2 mention a crash, 11 a fire, 1 an injury.
Ford Explorer engine and engine cooling complaints by model year
| Model year | Engine and Engine Cooling complaints | Share of that year | Median miles |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 Explorer | 1 | 1% | — |
| 2023 Explorer | 1 | 1% | 35,682 |
| 2022 Explorer | 2 | 1% | 88,689 |
| 2021 Explorer | 10 | 2% | 60,000 |
| 2020 Explorer | 21 | 2% | 51,250 |
| 2019 Explorer | 6 | 2% | 63,000 |
| 2018 Explorer | 29 | 4% | 71,699 |
| 2017 Explorer | 77 | 5% | 89,600 |
| 2016 Explorer | 114 | 5% | 75,650 |
| 2015 Explorer | 66 | 4% | 59,220 |
| 2014 Explorer | 67 | 4% | 27,950 |
| 2013 Explorer | 67 | 3% | 61,151 |
| 2012 Explorer | 14 | 2% | 56,734 |
| 2011 Explorer | 21 | 2% | 85,000 |
| 2010 Explorer | 3 | 3% | 14,000 |
| 2009 Explorer | 1 | 3% | 88,350 |
| 2008 Explorer | 4 | 3% | 67,000 |
| 2007 Explorer | 10 | 5% | 53,000 |
| 2006 Explorer | 164 | 26% | 45,776 |
| 2005 Explorer | 29 | 6% | 44,113 |
| 2004 Explorer | 71 | 5% | 55,000 |
| 2003 Explorer | 69 | 6% | 50,000 |
| 2002 Explorer | 163 | 5% | 74,000 |
| 2001 Explorer | 39 | 10% | 86,000 |
| 2000 Explorer | 90 | 9% | 56,700 |
| 1999 Explorer | 100 | 7% | 64,000 |
| 1998 Explorer | 189 | 10% | 100,000 |
| 1997 Explorer | 198 | 11% | 98,000 |
| 1996 Explorer | 81 | 6% | 78,000 |
| 1995 Explorer | 45 | 5% | 139,000 |
When owners reported it
Related recalls (0)
No safety recall lists engine and engine cooling for the 2002 Ford Explorer. A pattern of complaints does not always lead to a recall.
What owners report
Short excerpts of recent complaints, with personal details removed. Full reports are on NHTSA.gov.
I had to replace transmission and solenoid, costing over $2500. *tr
Heard a knocking noise went to mechanic. Was told i blew a two holes through timing chain cover. Went online found that it is a recurring problem for that year of ford. Very upset there is no recall. Was told it would cost at least 2000 to fix. Ford needs to do something about this. I want to go to…
I was driving on the freeway when i looked back in my rear view mirror and noticed smoke billowing out the back of my car. I pulled over. My husband got out of the car and looked under the front. I smelled fire and he said it's on fire. My husband saw a liquid dripping from the car that was clearly…
Frequently asked questions
Do all 2002 Ford Explorers have engine and engine cooling problems?
No. NHTSA has 163 owner complaints about engine and engine cooling for the 2002 Ford Explorer (5% of the 3,295 complaints for this model year). Complaint data shows that the problem is reported, not how many of all cars sold are affected.
Was there a recall on the 2002 Ford Explorer engine and engine cooling?
No recall currently lists engine and engine cooling for this vehicle.
At what mileage do engine and engine cooling problems start?
The median reported mileage is 74,000 miles: half of the reports with a mileage came before that.
How much does it cost to fix engine and engine cooling problems on the 2002 Ford Explorer?
Owners report a typical cost of $4,650 (half paid between $3,100 and $7,000), from 8 complaints that state a repair bill or quote, in 2026 dollars.
What do owners say about engine and engine cooling problems on the 2002 Ford Explorer?
The most frequent phrase is “spark plug”, in 27 of 163 complaints, followed by “timing chain” (14).
Other 2002 Ford Explorer problems
- Power Train problems (1,502)
- Structure problems (486)
- Suspension problems (422)
- Air Bags problems (162)
- Steering problems (155)
- Vehicle Speed Control problems (152)
- Electrical System problems (148)
- Visibility problems (129)
See all 2002 Ford Explorer problems or engine and engine cooling problems across all Explorer years.