2002 Ford Explorer Steering Problems
Owners have filed 155 complaints with NHTSA about steering problems on the 2002 Ford Explorer, 5% of all complaints for this model year. Half of the reports with a mileage happened before 92,150 miles. The words owners use most often: “steering column” (51% of reports).
- 155steering complaints
- 92,150median miles at failure
- 11mention a crash
- 4mention an injury
- 0related recalls
- $1,950typical repair cost reported by owners
- 29%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.
- Steering column: mentioned in 79 of 155 complaints (51%)
- Gear shift: mentioned in 50 of 155 complaints (32%)
- Broke off: mentioned in 47 of 155 complaints (30%)
- Park reverse: mentioned in 14 of 155 complaints (9%)
How much does it cost to fix?
Owners who wrote down what they paid or were quoted put the typical steering repair on the 2002 Ford Explorer at $1,950, and half of them between $1,650 and $2,250.
Based on 20 NHTSA complaints about this problem alone that state a repair bill or quote (2007–2011), 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 steering problems happen?
Based on 116 complaints that reported the odometer reading.
How serious are the reports?
Of 155 complaints, 11 mention a crash, 2 a fire, 4 an injury.
Ford Explorer steering complaints by model year
| Model year | Steering complaints | Share of that year | Median miles |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 Explorer | 1 | 2% | — |
| 2025 Explorer | 9 | 9% | — |
| 2024 Explorer | 2 | 10% | 3,600 |
| 2023 Explorer | 12 | 11% | 3,000 |
| 2022 Explorer | 9 | 3% | 108,500 |
| 2021 Explorer | 6 | 1% | 11,510 |
| 2020 Explorer | 28 | 2% | 17,000 |
| 2019 Explorer | 9 | 3% | 56,000 |
| 2018 Explorer | 20 | 3% | 35,000 |
| 2017 Explorer | 76 | 4% | 42,917 |
| 2016 Explorer | 532 | 22% | 58,000 |
| 2015 Explorer | 347 | 19% | 60,000 |
| 2014 Explorer | 499 | 30% | 90,000 |
| 2013 Explorer | 836 | 37% | 95,000 |
| 2012 Explorer | 360 | 43% | 97,282 |
| 2011 Explorer | 742 | 62% | 68,000 |
| 2010 Explorer | 4 | 3% | 39,500 |
| 2009 Explorer | 1 | 3% | 76,000 |
| 2008 Explorer | 13 | 9% | 91,621 |
| 2007 Explorer | 10 | 5% | 80,729 |
| 2006 Explorer | 9 | 1% | 97,500 |
| 2005 Explorer | 12 | 2% | 70,000 |
| 2004 Explorer | 41 | 3% | 88,386 |
| 2003 Explorer | 27 | 2% | 99,250 |
| 2002 Explorer | 155 | 5% | 92,150 |
| 2001 Explorer | 21 | 6% | 109,400 |
| 2000 Explorer | 40 | 4% | 89,000 |
| 1999 Explorer | 38 | 3% | 86,500 |
| 1998 Explorer | 70 | 4% | 119,493 |
| 1997 Explorer | 33 | 2% | 196,000 |
| 1996 Explorer | 47 | 3% | 97,940 |
| 1995 Explorer | 52 | 6% | 160,000 |
When owners reported it
Related recalls (0)
No safety recall lists steering 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.
The contact owns a 2002 Ford Explorer. The contact stated that the steering wheel intermittently seized while driving at various speeds without warning. After finding a replacement part at a salvage yard, the contact had the steering wheel replaced by an independent mechanic; however, the failure…
The car always feels like is about to jump off the road or the lane im in whenever i drive over any rough road or pot holes. %ģ
Gear shift in steering column fell off as i was beginning to drive. The vehicle had approximately 95k miles on it.
Frequently asked questions
Do all 2002 Ford Explorers have steering problems?
No. NHTSA has 155 owner complaints about steering 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 steering?
No recall currently lists steering for this vehicle.
At what mileage do steering problems start?
The median reported mileage is 92,150 miles: half of the reports with a mileage came before that.
How much does it cost to fix steering problems on the 2002 Ford Explorer?
Owners report a typical cost of $1,950 (half paid between $1,650 and $2,250), from 20 complaints that state a repair bill or quote, in 2026 dollars.
What do owners say about steering problems on the 2002 Ford Explorer?
The most frequent phrase is “steering column”, in 79 of 155 complaints, followed by “gear shift” (50).
Other 2002 Ford Explorer problems
- Power Train problems (1,502)
- Structure problems (486)
- Suspension problems (422)
- Engine and Engine Cooling problems (163)
- Air Bags problems (162)
- Vehicle Speed Control problems (152)
- Electrical System problems (148)
- Visibility problems (129)
See all 2002 Ford Explorer problems or steering problems across all Explorer years.