2002 Ford Explorer Vehicle Speed Control Problems
Owners have filed 152 complaints with NHTSA about vehicle speed control problems on the 2002 Ford Explorer, 5% of all complaints for this model year. Half of the reports with a mileage happened before 65,000 miles. The words owners use most often: “cruise control” (18% of reports).
- 152vehicle speed control complaints
- 65,000median miles at failure
- 32mention a crash
- 12mention an injury
- 1related recalls
- 45%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.
- Cruise control: mentioned in 28 of 152 complaints (18%)
- Throttle cable: mentioned in 8 of 152 complaints (5%)
- Parking space: mentioned in 8 of 152 complaints (5%)
At what mileage do vehicle speed control problems happen?
Based on 101 complaints that reported the odometer reading.
How serious are the reports?
Of 152 complaints, 32 mention a crash, 9 a fire, 12 an injury.
Ford Explorer vehicle speed control complaints by model year
| Model year | Vehicle Speed Control complaints | Share of that year | Median miles |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 Explorer | 2 | 5% | — |
| 2025 Explorer | 7 | 7% | 14,177 |
| 2023 Explorer | 2 | 2% | 44,100 |
| 2022 Explorer | 6 | 2% | 9,980 |
| 2021 Explorer | 15 | 3% | 8,800 |
| 2020 Explorer | 29 | 2% | 11,081 |
| 2019 Explorer | 1 | 0% | — |
| 2018 Explorer | 10 | 1% | 22,000 |
| 2017 Explorer | 21 | 1% | 29,589 |
| 2016 Explorer | 76 | 3% | 7,820 |
| 2015 Explorer | 16 | 1% | 79,600 |
| 2014 Explorer | 29 | 2% | 30,200 |
| 2013 Explorer | 38 | 2% | 49,000 |
| 2012 Explorer | 17 | 2% | 36,666 |
| 2011 Explorer | 18 | 2% | 53,000 |
| 2010 Explorer | 14 | 12% | 9,800 |
| 2009 Explorer | 5 | 15% | 46,250 |
| 2008 Explorer | 7 | 5% | 117,316 |
| 2007 Explorer | 13 | 6% | 72,600 |
| 2006 Explorer | 28 | 4% | 42,000 |
| 2005 Explorer | 44 | 9% | 54,000 |
| 2004 Explorer | 76 | 6% | 73,500 |
| 2003 Explorer | 37 | 3% | 51,090 |
| 2002 Explorer | 152 | 5% | 65,000 |
| 2001 Explorer | 36 | 10% | 87,508 |
| 2000 Explorer | 113 | 12% | 84,635 |
| 1999 Explorer | 148 | 11% | 99,500 |
| 1998 Explorer | 281 | 14% | 112,500 |
| 1997 Explorer | 202 | 12% | 100,000 |
| 1996 Explorer | 148 | 10% | 134,500 |
| 1995 Explorer | 81 | 10% | 137,000 |
When owners reported it
Related recalls (1)
Vehicle speed control
Problem: Ford is recalling model years 1995-2003 windstar, 2000-2003 excursion diesel, 1993-1997 and 1999-2003 f-250 sd through f-550 sd diesel, 1992-2003 e-150 through e-550, 1995-2002 explorer, 1997 and 2002 mercury mountaineer, 1995-1997 and 2001-2003 ranger, and 1994 f53 vehicles equipped with the texas instruments speed control deactivation switch (scds). The scds may leak internally and then overheat, smoke, or burn.
Risk: A vehicle fire could occur with or without the engine running.
Fix: Ford will notify owners that dealers will install a fused wiring harness in line with the scds. On 1999-2003 windstar vehicles with a leaking scds, dealers will also inspect the abs control module connector and repair as necessary. Repairs will be completed free of charge. The safety recall began on october 27, 2009. Owners may contact ford at 1-888-222-2751.
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 while entering the highway at approximately 45 MPH and accelerating to overtake the next vehicle, the accelerator pedal went to the floorboard however, the vehicle did not respond. The contact was able to pull over safely off the highway…
The issues that i'm having is the exhilaration (picking up speed) on a public street as well as in the expressway it hesitates to do so. When the vehicle is parked and i go to switch gears it does not want to switch. The gauge indicator comes on and the gas idle be stuck on empty when it has a full…
Vehicle accelerated to maximum rpm's on a city street and would not stop, even after brake applied. Tried downshifting, would not work. Ran through a red light, fortunately no one was in front of us or going the other direction. Had to put it into neutral and turn the key off to get it to stop…
Frequently asked questions
Do all 2002 Ford Explorers have vehicle speed control problems?
No. NHTSA has 152 owner complaints about vehicle speed control 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 vehicle speed control?
Yes: 1 safety recall list vehicle speed control. Check your VIN on NHTSA.gov to see whether the fix was done on your car.
At what mileage do vehicle speed control problems start?
The median reported mileage is 65,000 miles: half of the reports with a mileage came before that.
What do owners say about vehicle speed control problems on the 2002 Ford Explorer?
The most frequent phrase is “cruise control”, in 28 of 152 complaints, followed by “throttle cable” (8).
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)
- Steering problems (155)
- Electrical System problems (148)
- Visibility problems (129)
See all 2002 Ford Explorer problems or vehicle speed control problems across all Explorer years.