Subject:  My 2002 Ford Explorer Problem
Date:     1/10/2003

Well, on July 11, 2002 I set out to find a truck for my dad.
Instead, I found a truck for myself.  I, being a young 21, was 
excited to buy a new truck.  So I test drove the 2002 Explorer,
 played with the radio and fell in love with it..... Or so I 
thought.  That day, I drove it home.  It was finally mine.  
(Which I now regret admitting to).  But anyway, I had to go 
back to the dealership in October to get a chip repaired (from 
delivery) in the front grill, along with some other minor 
rattles and "new car" squeaks.  They repaired the chip, but 
said everything else was normal for a 2002 Explorer (including 
the engine smelling like it is burning - I am a firefighter so 
I know the difference between that and the catalytic converter 
sulfer smell.  Besides that, I also had a rattle in the rear 
hatch that "was normal".  So off I go, only to revisit the 
service department again the following month.  The front end of 
my truck squeaked while going down the road.  So the service 
department rep drove my truck (with me in it) and agreeded 
there was a problem.  Two days later I got my truck back.... 
Only to return again the next week with the same problem, plus 
a rattle in the seat belt assembly.  Two days go by, and I got 
my truck back again.  Then it is now the middle of November and 
I am still having the squeak problem.  They tell me to come 
back on December 4, and they will fix it for good.  Well, 
thanksgiving my truck started its latest and worst problem.  It 
doesn't start occasionally.  So I figured it was bad gas or 
something.  I tried getting gas from a few different places, but 
to no avail.  Then Dec 4, 2002 came around and I brought it to 
the dealership waiting for them to tell me that it was "normal" 
for all '02 explorers to have a starting problem.  I arrived at 
the dealership about 5 minutes before they opened, and shut my 
truck off.  When they opened the door for me to pull in, my 
truck did the starting problem.  So the service guy heard what 
was going on.  They monkied around with it for three days and 
then told me it was just a loose cable on the starter.  WRONG.  
It still did it.  So back it went to the Dealership and they 
tried to figure out what was wrong this time.  They told me is 
was a defective fuel pump.  They replaced that.  A few days 
later, back to the dealership for the same problem. This time 
it was a defective air bypass valve.  WRONG.. Still didn't fix 
the problem.. The next time I took it in, they said it was the 
computer and replaced that.  Now it is Christmas eve, and I was 
out.  I went to start my truck to go home, but for 5 minutes all 
I got was cranking.  So back inside I went to the party.  About 
20 minutes later I went out and tried again.  Finally after a 
few attempts it turned over.  (Needless to say the next place 
I stopped at, I left my truck running).  So back to Lilliston 
Ford (www.lillistonford.com) I went (Dec 26, 2002) to have them 
find out what was wrong this time.  They couldn't find anything 
wrong (of course).  So they put this (supposedly) $500,000 
Vehicle Data Recorder in my truck and told me to "push the red 
button" on what looked like a missle launcher whenever I had 
the starting problem.  Jan 1, 2003 my fire department was 
dispatched for a house fire.  Off I went, but while enroute at 
"emergency speed" my 4x4 high and 4x4 low lights were flashing.  
I did what I had to do, but when I got in my truck to go home, 
my radio was still on in my truck but my keys were in my hand.  
I had just discovered a new problem.  WHAT A HEADACHE THIS 
TRUCK IS.  So back to the Ford Dealership I went with my list 
of problems.  (Fast forward a little)  January 9, 2003 a Ford 
Field Service Engineer came down to look at my truck.  Of 
course there is nothing wrong with it.  But Ford was so nice to 
offer me a 6 year/60,000 mile warranty for the powertrain, a 
free car wash, oil change and wheel rotate (BIG DEAL!!)  So, 
anyway, I filed for the Lemon Law back on December 19, 2002 
(www.lemonlaw.com) in hopes that Ford will do a buy back or a 
trade in.  In either case, I will not drive a Ford ever again.  
If they give me a replacement, I will trade it in that day.  
I will follow up with an update when I find out what happens.