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7.4

pretty bad

Typical Repair Cost:

$1,500.00

Average Mileage:

87,349 miles

Total Complaints:

10 complaints

Most common solutions:

  1. not sure (5 reports)
  2. replace transmission (3 reports)
  3. replace solenoid body (1 reports)
  4. replace steering column - reprogram alarm, keys, airbags (1 reports)
Ford Explorer transmission problems

transmission problem

Helpful Websites About 2002 Ford Explorer difficulty shifting from park to reverse

A D V E R T I S E M E N T S

problem #10

2007Jan 01

Explorer Eddie Bauer 4.6L

  • Automatic transmission
  • 98,000 miles

ALL OF A SUDDEN EVERY TIME I WENT TO SLOW DOWN I HERD AND FELT A "CLUNK" NOISE FROM THE REAR END, I CONTINUED TO GET WORSE, AND IT ALSO STARTED SKIPPING GEARS.I TOOK IT IN TO FORD AND THEY TOLD ME THE PCV HOSE COLLAPSED, AND THE MAIN COMPUTER WENT OUT. THEY REPLACED IT AND STILL "CLUNK" GOES MY CAR.. NOW IT'S JUMPING GEARS ALL THE TIME, AND ON 3/22/09 I WENT TO PUT THE CAR IN REVERSE, AND HIT THE GAS, I WENT NOWHERE. TRIED IT AGAIN AND STILL THERE IN MY DRIVEWAY I SAT. I SLAMMED IT IN TO PARK, AND THEN INTO DRIVE, REVERSE AND AWAY I WENT,IT FEELS LIKE IT LOOSES POWER IN REVERSE, AND EVEN WHEN DRIVING IT FEELS LIKE IT'S GOING TO LOCK U AND DIE OUT.

Michele A.

Pleasant Hill, CA, USA

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problem #9

2009Apr 01

Explorer LX 4.0L V6

  • Automatic transmission
  • 111,000 miles

For several months my car has been "clunking" every time I put it in reverse. Sometimes the clunk is really pronounced. Sometimes it doesn't happen at all. Sometimes it just hesitates but then engages okay.

For the past few months I've been parking in such a way where I rarely have to reverse. So if I park at the grocery store, I either park far away so I'm not blocked in, or I pull forward into a stall to the other side so I can drive forward only.

Finally decided to take it to AAMCO. Diagnosed with hesitation in reverse and clunk. Other gears were fine but they said they found metal shavings on the magnet. Recommendation was complete overhaul. Cost? $2200.

They said Ford designed these components with a faulty case and there's some kind of gasket or something that is prone to failure. He said that if we fixed it with him, he would bore out the transmission case to insert some kind of "brass fitting" that would fix the problem and have a solid transmission. He also said it would have cost Ford 20 bucks to correct this problem at the factory by just installing this brass fitting to begin with.

So now I'm stuck, repair the truck and take my chances or just get a new car? I think I'm going to trade it in for a Nissan Xterra.

John M.

Whittier, CA, USA

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problem #8

2008Jan 01

Explorer XLT V6

  • Automatic transmission
  • 86,000 miles

It all started when my check engine light came on. I went to the nearest auto parts store and asked them to run a scan on it. They told me it was a bad gas cap. (I had just got gas.) Later that day it came on again. I let it go for a little while, because I did not have time to get another gas cap right away. Then my car stated shifting really hard when I was shifting from park to reverse. I had the car looked at and they said I needed to get a transmission flush and fill. I paid over 200.00 for this and it is still doing the same darn thing only worse now. Now it is shifting really hard from park to reverse and every other gear I put it in. Even while driving it shifts really hard from first to second and so on. I now cannot drive my vehicle until tax time to fork out 2500.00 for a new transmission.

stangel7900

Sidney, OH, USA

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A D V E R T I S E M E N T S

problem #7

2007Dec 18

Explorer 3.2L V.6

  • Automatic transmission
  • 88,986 miles

well my ford ford explorer sucks. i thought this was the ideal SUV for me until i start driving it and after 1 month the cheap ass transmission started to act up. the truck starting to roar and excel when shift into reverse this truck really sucks, every time i take i to the dealer they keep saying the same sh*t "it just the down shifting" wtf is that i think their ass just don't want to service the damn tranny. i would never recommend anyone to buy a explorer that older than 2 years.

Charnese G.

Washington, DC, USA

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problem #6

2008Apr 14

Explorer Liminted V8

  • Automatic transmission
  • 90,000 miles

We have a 2002 Ford Explorer Limited V8. It all started with the transmission "clunking" when trying to put in reverse from park. It feels like the whole engine is going to drop out from under the truck. Now when you are driving sometimes when you accelerate it acts like the transmission is slipping gears. We are going to have it looked at this week with no hopes of actually solving the issue. May just pay off and get another car. Does not sound worth all the trouble everyone else is having! I will never buy another Ford Explorer again!

Cortney H.

Mount Vernon, MO, USA

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problem #5

2006Nov 08

Explorer LX V6

  • Automatic transmission
  • 72,000 miles

This transmission was a piece of crap and the dealer knew it all along. I've had the following problems that they could never find until they finally wanted me to pay $2700 to have the piece of sh*t re-built.

Randomly lurches forward or reverse when going into or out of park
Slipping feeling when shifting
High revving before shifting

koellhoffer

Thousand Oaks, CA, USA

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A D V E R T I S E M E N T S

problem #4

2007Jun 24

(reported on)

Explorer XLT

  • Automatic transmission
  • 80,000 miles

yea so i have the same problem as every one else. shifting to reverse takes about 320 seconds and now my od light is flashing and the car barely shifts/drives at all. i really don't know what to do and i'm not about to pay all that money for a new transmission. any suggestions?

Diego U.

Westchester, PA, USA

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problem #3

2007Jun 28

(reported on)

Explorer XLT 4.0L V6

  • Automatic transmission
  • 101,000 miles

I have read the other complaints about the transmission being terrible and want to see how many people would join in a class action suit against the Ford motor company. I have to fix or replace my transmission and the paint panel of my window hatch. It has a crack on the passenger side. Lets make Ford either correct this problem, or use the consumer power of buying to bring them to their knees!!!!

Gary K.

Virginia Beach, Virginia, USA

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problem #2

2007Jul 05

(reported on)

Explorer Eddie Bauer V8

  • Automatic transmission
  • 82,000 miles

Same as everybody else, difficulty shifting from park to reverse. Last Ford ever I will buy.... never again!

Joe M.

East Aflmouth, MA, USA

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problem #1

2006May 29

(reported on)

Explorer

  • 64,500 miles

Difficulty in shifting from Park to Reverse started at about 50,000 miles. Brought to dealer to diagnose at 64,400 miles. They recommended a rebuilt be installed for my problematic tranmission. The rebuilt turned out to be in worse condition than my original. We will find out what the dealer will do for me this week - May 30, 2006. Stay tuned....

John H.

Woodbury, Minnesota, USA

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