2002 Ford Explorer Eddie Bauer review from North America
"I like it a lot, but I'm not in love with it like I was with my 94 T-Bird or my current 97 Seville"
What things have gone wrong with the car?
Idle lever pulley (whatever that is) $600.
The battery went out at about 50,000 miles.
The transmission needed to be rebuilt at about 54000 miles, to the tune of $2,500. The dealer had the nerve to tell me that is normal for such a high mileage car.
While the transmission was being rebuilt, the Ford dealership replaced some sensor, as the check engine light was on. They took care of it free of charge because it was under recall. I'm glad there was no charge, but I never got any notice telling me there was a recall.
The shift lever snapped out of place shortly after the transmission was replaced. The dealer wanted $1,000 to fix it. I went to my neighborhood mechanic who is not ASE certified, and he fixed it for $90!! Of course the replacement part was about $500, but I still saved close to $500 fixing it with this guy instead of at the dealership.
General comments?
Overall, I am not too happy with this Explorer.
If this version is smoother than the previous model, then the older Explorers must ride like tractors!
It has a somewhat quiet engine until you floor it.
Believe it or not, it has pretty good acceleration.
You can barely feel the speed.
Abysmal gas mileage, although when gas was really cheap a few years ago, I averaged about 18 miles per gallon from Miami to Washington D.c. Sounds pretty bad, butwith its huge gas tank, I spent very little gas money on this trip!
Excellent brakes, much needed I guess.
Awesome stereo system although the CD is pretty tricky. The somewhat flat seats do not hug the passenger as they should, and provide adequate comfort.
Lots of buttons and gadgets.
My friends love it.
Not a babe magnet.
Recommended reviews
  | OK SUV for the price - some minor and a few major problems |
| Great SUV for the money, very reliable and dependable!! |
| Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? | Don't Know |
| First year of ownership | 2001 |
| Most recent year of ownership | 2004 |
| Engine and transmission | 4.6L V8 Automatic |
| Performance marks | |
| Reliability marks | |
| Comfort marks | |
| Dealer Service marks | |
| Running Costs (higher is cheaper) | 10/10 |
| Distance when acquired | 20 miles |
| Most recent distance | 58500 miles |
| Previous car | Ford Thunderbird |
| Date of Entry | 3rd September, 2004 |