U.S. public vehicle records

2002 Ford EXPLORER SPORT TRAC problems and owner complaints

Explore the records behind recurring owner reports.

Key facts

144 owner complaints analyzed

2 distinct recall campaigns

48,104 mi median reported failure mileage

Scope: 2002 model year. Data snapshot: 2026-09-12 (September 12, 2026). 106 complaints include usable failure mileage.

Owner-reported patterns

Most common problems

Power Train:Automatic Transmission is the most frequently named component, appearing in 17 of 144 complaints (11.8%). A complaint can name multiple components.

Recurring terms in complaint narratives
Topic	Matching reports	Share of complaints
Braking behavior	31	21.5%
Transmission and shifting	26	18.1%
Engine operation	17	11.8%
Electrical and battery issues	12	8.3%
Steering behavior	12	8.3%
Fuel system concerns	7	4.9%

Topic matches use published keyword rules. They describe mentions, including negations or comparisons, and do not confirm a diagnosis. Read the matching rules.

Component breakdown

Number of unique complaints naming each component. Top eight shown.

Power Train:Automatic Transmission

Vehicle Speed Control

Electrical System

Engine And Engine Cooling

Power Train

Structure:Body

Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine

Vehicle Speed Control:Cruise Control

Component breakdown data
Category	Count
Power Train:Automatic Transmission	17
Vehicle Speed Control	11
Electrical System	10
Engine And Engine Cooling	10
Power Train	10
Structure:Body	10
Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine	7
Vehicle Speed Control:Cruise Control	7

Power Train:Automatic Transmission: 17; Vehicle Speed Control: 11; Electrical System: 10; Engine And Engine Cooling: 10; Power Train: 10; Structure:Body: 10; Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine: 7; Vehicle Speed Control:Cruise Control: 7

Reported problems by failure mileage

Complaint counts in mileage bands. These are not failure rates per vehicle or mile.

Under 25,000

25,000 to 49,999

50,000 to 74,999

75,000 to 99,999

100,000 to 149,999

150,000 and above

Under 25,000: 31; 25,000 to 49,999: 22; 50,000 to 74,999: 14; 75,000 to 99,999: 12; 100,000 to 149,999: 18; 150,000 and above: 9

Under 25,000 miles has the most reports with usable mileage (31). 38 complaints have missing, zero or invalid mileage.

Complaints over time

Year the complaint was filed, not the vehicle model year or incident year. The snapshot year is partial.

2001

2002

2003

2004

2005

2006

2007

2008

2009

2010

2011

2012

2013

2014

2015

2016

2017

2019

2020

2023

2001: 2; 2002: 2; 2003: 24; 2004: 19; 2005: 12; 2006: 5; 2007: 6; 2008: 22; 2009: 12; 2010: 8; 2011: 7; 2012: 8; 2013: 4; 2014: 3; 2015: 2; 2016: 3; 2017: 1; 2019: 2; 2020: 1; 2023: 1

Pattern summary

Power Train:Automatic Transmission leads the component reports. Braking behavior appears in 31 complaint narratives. Transmission and shifting appears in 26 complaint narratives. Engine operation appears in 17 complaint narratives. Use these patterns to inspect individual reports and prepare questions for a mechanic.

Calculated from recorded counts. An AI narrative has not been published for this selection.

Complaint evidence

Examples provide context, not a representative sample or a verified diagnosis.

Owner report 10006955 · 2002-10-02 (October 2, 2002)

THE PROBLEM IS WITH THE DESIGN OF THE FUEL TANK/VAPOR RECOVERY SYSTEM. I WAS TOLD BY THE DEALER THAT WHEN THE FUEL TANK IS FULL FUEL SPLASHES INTO THE VAPOR RECOVERY CANISTER AND CAUSES THE CAR TO STALL. THERE IS NO FIX FOR THE PROBLEM. FORD ENGINEERS HAVE BEEN CONTACTED AND ARE WORKING ON THE PROBLEM. I WAS TOLD IT WOULD BE 60-90 DAYS FOR A SOLUTION. IN THE MEANTIME I WAS TOLD TO KEEP THE TANK 3/4 FULL OR LESS. THE PROBLEM IS THAT I WAS NOT TOLD OF THIS DESIGN PROBLEM WHEN I PURCHASED THE VEHICLE. IF IT IS A DESIGN PROBLEM THEN EVERY SP…

Owner-reported narrative. 33 miles reported. Look up ODI 10006955 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10007551 · 2003-02-15 (February 15, 2003)

I WAS DRIVING MY TRUCK AND ALL OF A SUDDEN BRAKES STARTED GRINDING AND TRUCK WOULD BARELY STOP. PH

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10007551 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10018893 · 2003-05-18 (May 18, 2003)

I OWN A 2002 SPORT TRAC, AT ABOUT 46000 MILES MI TRANSMISSION STARTED TO MISS SHIFTS FROM 2ND TO 3RD GEAR, IT TOOK ABOUT 3 TO 4 SECONDS FOR THE TRANSMISSION TO GET INTO THE NEXT GEAR, SO I TOOK IT TO THE DEALER WHERE I USUALLY HAVE THE TRUCK SERVICED THINKING THAT IT JUST NEEDED A FLUID CHECK DUE TO THE FACT THEY PERFORMED A TRANSMISSION FLUID CHANGE AT ABOUT 30000. WHEN I WENT BACK TO THE DEALER I WAS ADVISED THAT THE TRANSMISSION HAD A PROBLEM ON THE FLUID LINES AND THE TRANSMISSION HAD TO BE TAKEN OUT TO BE REBUILT, SO I ASKED WHY WAS THIS H…

Owner-reported narrative. 18 miles reported. Look up ODI 10018893 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10033190 · 2003-08-20 (August 20, 2003)

BOUGHT FROM DEALER, USED WITH 15000 MILES. AFTER 300 MILES HAD TO HAVE TRANSMISSION REBUILT (TRANNY WARNING LIGHT AND VIBRATION UNDER ACCELERATION, UPSHIFT 1ST TO 2ND OR 2ND TO 3RD). ONLY HAPPENED OCCASIONALLY. THREE WEEKS AFTER REBUILD NOTICED VIBRATION AT SLOW SPEEDS, BUT COULD NOT REPLICATE ON DEMAND. DEALER COULD NOT REPEAT VIBRATION AND RETURNED IT WITH NO ACTION. ONE WEEK LATER TRANSMISSION WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED ON 2 DIFFERENT DAYS. TAKEN TO DEALER FOR EVALUATION TODAY. I'M CONCERNED THAT THERE MAY BE AN INHERENT PROBLEM WITH T…

Owner-reported narrative. 19,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10033190 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10039112 · 2003-09-18 (September 18, 2003)

FORD EXPLORER SPORT TRAC, 2002. AT 4,122 MI BATTERY LIGHT FLASHED THREE TIMES, AND TRUCK NEARLY STALLED. *JB

Owner-reported narrative. 4,122 miles reported. Look up ODI 10039112 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10049913 · 2003-12-02 (December 2, 2003)

ALL FOUR TIRES WERE SLIGHTLY CUPPING, AND THE BRAKES MADE A THUMPING NOISE WHEN THEY WERE DEPRESSED. DEALERSHIP REPLACED THE PADS, LUBED THE FRONT CALIPER SLIDE PIN, AND REPLACED ROTORS. *AK VEHICLE EXPERIENCING PROBLEMS WITH TIRES CUPPING. THE FOLLOWING REPAIRS WERE PERFORMED ON THE VEHICLE: ENGINE REPLACED, BRAKES, REPLACED, ALIGNMENT, BATTERY WIRING ASSEMBLY REPAIRED, DPFE SENSOR REPLACED. CONSUMER ASKED DEALER FOR A FULL REFUND ON VEHICLE.*MR

Owner-reported narrative. 12,023 miles reported. Look up ODI 10049913 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10048092 · 2003-11-17 (November 17, 2003)

STEERING WHEEL WAS JERKING HARD LEFT AND RIGHT WHEN PARKING. TOOK VEHICLE TO DEALER, AND THE DEALER REPLACED POWER STEERING PUMP WITH A USED PUMP. CONSUMER HAD A PROBLEM WITH THE DEALER USING, USED PARTS TO CORRECT A RECALLED ITEM. *AK

Owner-reported narrative. 13,719 miles reported. Look up ODI 10048092 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10002758 · 2003-01-15 (January 15, 2003)

I DRIVE A 2002 FORD SPORT TRAC WITH FOLLOWING PROBLEMS THAT CAN NOT BE CORRECTED BY THE DEALERSHIP.1) THE FUEL TANK IS NOT PROPERLY VENTED, BECAUSE THE LAST 3-4 GALLONS COULD TAKE 3-4 MINUTES TO ACCOMPLISH WHILE REFUELING. 2) WHILE DRIVING BETEEN 60-65 MPH ON THE INTERSTATE AND FOLLOWING THE DEALERSHIP'S INSTRUCTIONS, THE BEST THAT CAN BE ACCOMPLISH IS 15-16 MPG. 3) THE OVER-HEAD TEMPERATURE CAN NOT BE CALIBRATED, IT REMAINS 4-5 DEGREES OFF.

Owner-reported narrative. 12,642 miles reported. Look up ODI 10002758 at NHTSA ↗