3rd generation · U152 · 7,717 complaints, 6,093 with mileage
Owners filed 7,717 complaints with NHTSA about the 2002–2005 Ford Explorer, and 6,093 of them record the mileage at which the failure happened. That is enough to show not just what fails, but when.
Failures are spread across the mileage range, with the middle half between 46,905 and 105,000 miles. The median is 74,935 miles.
The most-reported areas are the transmission and driveline (32.6% of complaints, typically around 75,000 miles), body structure (18.8% of complaints, typically around 71,000 miles), the suspension (7.6% of complaints, typically around 77,700 miles).
| System | Complaints | Share | Typical mileage | Middle half |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Power Train | 2,514 | 32.6% | 75,000 | 47,000–105,000 |
| Structure | 1,449 | 18.8% | 71,000 | 48,000–98,000 |
| Suspension | 584 | 7.6% | 77,700 | 59,000–93,000 |
| Engine And Engine Cooling | 336 | 4.4% | 61,000 | 35,747–95,000 |
| Visibility | 314 | 4.1% | 67,835 | 43,000–99,500 |
| Vehicle Speed Control | 314 | 4.1% | 61,950 | 35,000–108,000 |
| Electrical System | 299 | 3.9% | 79,685 | 36,700–120,000 |
| Air Bags | 268 | 3.5% | 80,400 | 44,740–141,459 |
| Steering | 240 | 3.1% | 90,600 | 68,000–124,817 |
| Wheels | 194 | 2.5% | 85,032 | 60,000–118,000 |
| Year | Complaints | With mileage |
|---|---|---|
| 2002 | 4,097 | 3,100 |
| 2003 | 1,369 | 1,108 |
| 2004 | 1,647 | 1,363 |
| 2005 | 604 | 522 |
Complaints about this generation are not spread evenly across the vehicle, and the systems that generate the most of them do not all fail at the same point in a car's life. The median failure across all systems here is 74,935 miles; the figures below show which parts of the car run ahead of that and which run behind.
The transmission and driveline accounts for 32.6% of complaints (2,514 reports, 2,139 of them with a mileage figure), with a median of 75,000 miles, close to the vehicle's overall pattern. The middle half of these reports falls between 47,000 and 105,000 miles.
A single system taking 32.6% of all complaints is a concentration worth noting. It means that for this generation, most of what owners reported came back to one area of the car rather than being distributed across many small faults.
Body structure accounts for 18.8% of complaints (1,449 reports, 1,113 of them with a mileage figure), with a median of 71,000 miles, close to the vehicle's overall pattern. The middle half of these reports falls between 48,000 and 98,000 miles.
The suspension accounts for 7.6% of complaints (584 reports, 475 of them with a mileage figure), with a median of 77,700 miles, close to the vehicle's overall pattern. The middle half of these reports falls between 59,000 and 93,000 miles.
The engine and its cooling system accounts for 4.4% of complaints (336 reports, 255 of them with a mileage figure), with a median of 61,000 miles, close to the vehicle's overall pattern. The middle half of these reports falls between 35,747 and 95,000 miles.
Visibility equipment accounts for 4.1% of complaints (314 reports, 224 of them with a mileage figure), with a median of 67,835 miles, close to the vehicle's overall pattern. The middle half of these reports falls between 43,000 and 99,500 miles.
Throttle and speed control accounts for 4.1% of complaints (314 reports, 238 of them with a mileage figure), with a median of 61,950 miles, close to the vehicle's overall pattern. The middle half of these reports falls between 35,000 and 108,000 miles.
Within this generation, complaint volume is not constant across model years. The 2002 model year drew the most — 4,097 complaints — while 2005 drew the fewest at 604. The median year sits at 1,508.
That makes 2002 an outlier: roughly 2.7 times the median year of this generation. A single year standing that far apart usually reflects either a first-year issue that was later corrected, or a component change introduced for that year. Anyone shopping this generation has a straightforward reason to prefer a different year, all else being equal.
No recall campaigns covering this generation appear in NHTSA's post-2010 recall file. That is not the same as an absence of problems — recalls address safety defects specifically, and many of the complaints above concern faults that are expensive or annoying without meeting that threshold.
Of the 7,717 complaints filed against this generation, 347 reported a crash; 110 reported a fire; 397 reported an injury; 9 reported a fatality. Crash-involved reports represent 4.5% of the total.
These are owner-reported outcomes, not verified investigations, and they are not adjusted for how many of these vehicles are on the road. They are included because the distinction between a fault that strands a car and a fault that causes a collision is the one that matters most, and it is not visible in a complaint count alone.
For a buyer, failures on this generation are spread rather than concentrated: the middle half falls between 46,905 and 105,000 miles, with a median of 74,935. There is no single mileage threshold to watch, which means condition and maintenance records are more informative than the odometer.
On inspection, the transmission and driveline and body structure are where this generation's reports concentrate, so those are the areas worth a specific look. Body structure in particular shows a median failure mileage of 71,000, which gives a concrete number to compare against the odometer of any car you are considering.
None of this is a substitute for a pre-purchase inspection on the individual car. Aggregate patterns describe a population; the example in front of you has its own history.
5R55S/5R55W solenoid pack and servo bore wear causing harsh or missing shifts, slipping and eventual loss of forward gears; a very high-volume ODI complaint cluster for this generation.
4.0L SOHC V6 rear timing chain cassette failure carried over from the previous generation.
First Explorer with independent rear suspension; rear coil spring and lower control arm bushing wear, and rear differential/axle noise.