02 Explorer Input wanted

I have a lead on an 02 explorer. It has the 4.6 v8 with a XLT option package(exactly what I have been looking for.)

It has about 125K on it.

Ohya the vehical has been dealer serviced all its life with oil changes every 3k and all the other scheduled maintenance done as well.

It is in very nice shape. This is a privet sale from someone I know. I have been around the vehical since it was purchased new by the current owner.

Anyone have any input on these? I have had both a 91 and a 94 and both were great vehicles. I have had great luck with my 2000 expedition (now at about 137K) so I am really tempted.

(We are talking less than 3K to purchase this. About 1200-1500 under the KBB value)

I think this was the first year of the new body is there anything i should look for? Are there any known expensive repairs that are due?

These are much larger than my old explorers in fact it is much closer in size to my current expedition just that it sits lower.

This is going back a few years, but a guy who owned one at my last place of employment used to tow boats a good deal. He was none too impressed with the trans in those models. It was the trans that came with the 4.6v8 and seemed to be very fragile when put to any sort of use above a car. His trans was going at <40k miles. It would do weird things with 2nd gear if I remember....

Ugh... Wish my memory was better.

I've got a 2002 Mountaineer with the 4.0 V6 with 155,000 miles. It has held up pretty well, the transmission is the only problem we have had. If the transmission is the same as in my V6 it is a 'lifetime fill' transmission - no dipstick and no service schedule.

Mine was rebuilt at Aamco (never again) and still shifts funny. I could have gotten a Ford Remanufactured transmission for just a little more than the Aamco rebuild.

I just did a mode door actuator (little motor that moves stuff under the dash when you push buttons on the hvac controls) on an explorer of similar vintage. Dealer quoted the guy $1300, I charged a little over $500. I'll probably charge more the next time I have to do this. You can get at it without pulling the whole dash out per the service manual, but you're doing a lot of it blind. You can either see it or touch it, but never both at the same time. This is a rather common problem. Expect a DIY fix to take at least a whole weekend if you're doing it for the first time and aren't very handy.

I looked at buying one a while back that needed some bearings in the rear diff. I guess that's a common thing as well, but should be an easy fix.

My sister is ULTRA persnickety(sic?). She HAD owned a few Ford cars before deciding she needed? / wanted AWD. She then started buying an Explorer every few years (or maybe she leased them....does it matter at this point?). Anyway, after owning several Explorers and a Sport Trac, she switched to a Honda Pilot. A "funky acting" transmission that the dealer could never get to act right (according to her) was why she switched. Tho, to be honest, I wouldn't be surprized if part of the problem at the dealership is/was her attitude....she scares folks when she isn't "happy".

I don't know about the newer Explorers, but I did have a 92 XLT. Transmission was rebuilt once, a known weakness for the car, the suspension was a little soft, but it was built like a tank and all the interior pieces that fell off or broke were easily replaced from Ebay or a junkyard.

I still miss that rig, sometimes its just what y ou need. I'm looking for a full size bronco now instead. The earlier Explorers had solid front axles and could be pretty serious 4 X 4 machines when necessary.

The 2002 Explorers were the first with the IRS and also with the modular V8. Since they were introduced in early 2001 they built a lot of 2002's. The early XLT's did not have fog lights while the later ones did.

It's been a while but I think (I may be wrong here) the V8 trucks used a four speed trans with a dipstick and not the sealed five speed unit that always seemed to have problems.

There used to be a TSB on the plastic intake manifolds for cracking.

If it's got the rear passenger heat vents in the roof you need to know that it has two seperate heater cores.

If it's got a third row seat you can't fold the floor flat unless you remove the bottom seat cushion from the second row.

The trailer hitch is part of the frame. They all have them but you had to buy the tow package to get a class three hitch. I don't think you can change them.

That's all I can remember about them right now. It sounds like a good deal for the money.

Matt

Everybody I've ever known with an Explorer has been through a couple of rear differentials.

And a sprinkling of other random, serious maladies.

You see a million of them, so they can't all be bad...right?

hrdlydangerous wrote: If it's got a third row seat you can't fold the floor flat unless you remove the bottom seat cushion from the second row.

Hey, I didn't know that! I'll have to check that out.

hrdlydangerous wrote: The trailer hitch is part of the frame. They all have them but you had to buy the tow package to get a class three hitch. I don't think you can change them.

We had a boat when we bought ours and had a REALLY HARD TIME finding one with the Tow Package that included the 2" Class III hitch, trans cooler and lower diff ration. The dealers we called were clueless, if it has a hitch (1 1/4") it must have the Tow Package.

Tyler H wrote: Everybody I've ever known with an Explorer has been through a couple of rear differentials.

Ours has always had a bit of a howl on the freeway, but still running fine.

I'm talking about massive failure under 30k miles. If howl is all you've got, you're probably fine. ;)

One of my employees' wife called him in a panic when their 2007 Explorer wouldn't go over 3mph and was making horrible clacking sounds. He asked me about it and I quickly shrugged my shoulders and said 'complete rear diiff failure. Call a tow truck." He didn't believe me.

A couple of days later, the service adviser called him and gave him the news.

"How did you know?"

"They all do that."

Best part of the 02 Explorer is that it got the aluminum block 4.6 to help lower the center of gravity. Isn't the diff in those the same housing as the MN12 & 99-04 Cobra?