2002 Ford Explorer Structure:body:hatchback/liftgate:hinge And Attachments Problems

NHTSA component category: STRUCTURE:BODY:HATCHBACK/LIFTGATE:HINGE AND ATTACHMENTS · data through 07/12/2026

166Structure:body:hatchback/liftgate:hinge And Attachments complaints

5%Of all 3,293 complaints

#4Most-reported category

Source: U.S. NHTSA complaint data. Complaints are unverified reports from vehicle owners — a complaint is not a confirmed defect.

How structure:body:hatchback/liftgate:hinge and attachments ranks on this vehicle

POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION887 · 26.9%

POWER TRAIN286 · 8.7%

SUSPENSION:REAR192 · 5.8%

STRUCTURE:BODY:HATCHBACK/LIFTGATE:HINGE AND ATTACHMENTS166 · 5%

POWER TRAIN:DRIVELINE:DIFFERENTIAL UNIT160 · 4.9%

Share of the 3,293 complaints citing each category; one complaint can cite several. Full breakdown on the 2002 Ford Explorer overview page.

What owners report

“ON JUNE 4, 2001, I TOOK MY VEHICLE TO WORLD FORD KENDALL SERVICE (FLORIDA REGISTRATION #MV-06413) FOR REPAIR (INVOICE #W71526) OF THE LEFT REAR LIFTGATE…”NHTSA complaint 746498 — filed 09/13/2004

“MOUNTING BRACKET ON GLASS LIFTGATE BECAME DETACHED FROM STRUT-LIFT MECHANISM JOINT UPON REACHING MAXIMUM EXTENSION CAUSING GLASS TO FALL ONTO MY HEAD. REPORTED TO DEALER…”NHTSA complaint 764338 — filed 07/17/2002

“WHILE OPENING MANUAL TAILGATE WINDOW GLASS EXPLODED, GLASS WAS THROWN INSIDE VEHICLE WITH SUCH FORCE THAT INTERIOR PANELS WERE SCRATCHED. PLEASE PROVIDE ADDITIONAL INFORMATION. RE-EVAL…”NHTSA complaint 8011217 — filed 06/06/2002

Excerpts are shortened and scrubbed of personal details; they are individual, unverified reports.

Structure:body:hatchback/liftgate:hinge And Attachments complaints by year filed

Frequently asked questions

Does the 2002 Ford Explorer have structure:body:hatchback/liftgate:hinge and attachments problems?

Structure:body:hatchback/liftgate:hinge And Attachments is the #4 most-reported problem area on the 2002 Ford Explorer: 166 of 3,293 complaints on file (5%). Complaints are unverified owner reports, not confirmed defects.

How many complaints does the 2002 Ford Explorer have in total?

3,293 complaints were on file with NHTSA as of 07/12/2026. Across all categories, 144 involved a crash, 57 involved a fire, 186 reported injuries, and 5 reported deaths.

What does NHTSA's structure:body:hatchback/liftgate:hinge and attachments category include?

NHTSA assigns each complaint to standard component categories; this page reports the STRUCTURE:BODY:HATCHBACK/LIFTGATE:HINGE AND ATTACHMENTS category exactly as NHTSA defines and records it.

About this data — Complaint figures on this page are consumer reports submitted to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), a U.S. government agency. NHTSA does not verify individual complaints; a complaint is not proof that a defect exists, and counts reflect what owners chose to report, not confirmed failure rates. Recall information comes from official NHTSA safety recall campaigns; recall repairs are free at authorized dealers. Always check your specific vehicle by VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls. CarModelProblems.com is an independent site and is not affiliated with NHTSA or any vehicle manufacturer. Data through 07/12/2026.