Problems · by component

2002 Ford Explorer vehicle speed control problems

181 owner complaints to NHTSA about the 2002 Ford Explorer cite vehicle speed control, 5% of all 3,613 complaints for this model year. NHTSA also lists 1 recall on this component.

Complaints
181
5% of all complaints
Crashes
36
Reported by owners
Fires
12
Reported by owners
Injuries
19
Reported by owners
01 —Owner reports

What owners say about the vehicle speed control

Verbatim from NHTSA complaints, newest first
“The contact owns a 2002 Ford Explorer Sport Trac. The contact stated that after parking the vehicle, the following day it was discovered that the cruise control switch located on the steering wheel had overheated and melted. The cause of the failure was not yet determined. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and the contact was informed that the VIN was not included in NHTSA Campaign Number: 09V399000 (Vehicle Speed Control). The contact stated that the vehicle had experienced the failure listed in the recall. The local dealer was not contacted. The failure mileage was 120,000.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Jul 31, 2023Vehicle speed controlODI 11535514
“The contact owns a 2002 Ford Explorer. The contact stated while entering the highway at approximately 45 MPH and accelerating to overtake the next vehicle, the accelerator pedal went to the floorboard however, the vehicle did not respond. The contact was able to pull over safely off the highway. There were no warning lights on the instrument panel. The contact stated that the failure was related to NHTSA Campaign Number: 00V422000 (Vehicle Speed Control). The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure but did not assist. The approximate failure mileage was 115,000.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Mar 30, 2022Vehicle speed controlODI 11458942
“THE ISSUES THAT I'M HAVING IS THE EXHILARATION (PICKING UP SPEED) ON A PUBLIC STREET AS WELL AS IN THE EXPRESSWAY IT HESITATES TO DO SO. WHEN THE VEHICLE IS PARKED AND I GO TO SWITCH GEARS IT DOES NOT WANT TO SWITCH. THE GAUGE INDICATOR COMES ON AND THE GAS IDLE BE STUCK ON EMPTY WHEN IT HAS A FULL TANK OF GAS. WHILE THE VEHICLE IS IN MOTION THE RADIO VOLUME GOES UP AND DOWN ON ITS OWN. AND THE VEHICLE DID NOT WANT TO START FOR ME ONE DAY THE VERY NEXT DAY IT STARTED RIGHT ON UP (LIKE IT WANT TO START BUT DIDN'T CATCH). ALL OF THIS STARTED HAPPENING AT THE BEGINNING OF OCTOBER 2020”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Nov 27, 2020Power train, Electrical system, Vehicle speed controlODI 11376670
“VEHICLE ACCELERATED TO MAXIMUM RPM'S ON A CITY STREET AND WOULD NOT STOP, EVEN AFTER BRAKE APPLIED. TRIED DOWNSHIFTING, WOULD NOT WORK. RAN THROUGH A RED LIGHT, FORTUNATELY NO ONE WAS IN FRONT OF US OR GOING THE OTHER DIRECTION. HAD TO PUT IT INTO NEUTRAL AND TURN THE KEY OFF TO GET IT TO STOP. MERGED OVER AND PARKED. WHEN RESTARTED, RPM'S STILL AT MAXIMUM UNTIL HOOD WAS OPENED AND THROTTLE CABLE WAS MOVED AROUND. SCARY SITUATION AS WON'T DRIVE IT UNTIL IT IS FIXED. APPOINTMENT SCHEDULED WITH MECHANIC. SHOULD HAVE BEEN A RECALL ON THIS WITH AS MANY COMPLAINTS AS I HAVE READ ABOUT WITH THIS VERY SITUATION. WE COULD HAVE KILLED SOMEONE OR BEEN KILLED.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled May 29, 2018Vehicle speed controlODI 11098661
“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 FORD EXPLORER. ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS, WHILE DRIVING, THE 4WD AUTO HIGH OR LOW FAILED TO OPERATE. WHILE ACCELERATING, THE CONTACT ATTEMPTED TO USE THE CRUISE CONTROL AND, ALTHOUGH THE GREEN CRUISE CONTROL INDICATOR ILLUMINATED, THE VEHICLE FAILED TO ENGAGE. A DEALER WAS NOT NOTIFIED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 108,742.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Jul 6, 2017Vehicle speed controlODI 11003449
“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 FORD EXPLORER. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 35 MPH, THE VEHICLE INDEPENDENTLY ACCELERATED WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS UNKNOWN.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Jun 5, 2017Vehicle speed controlODI 10993241

Showing 6 of 181 reports. Read every report on NHTSA.gov.

Data from NHTSA Complaints API (owner reports, unverified) · synced Nov 7, 2026NHTSA vehicle page
02 —Related recalls

1 recall on this component

Vehicle speed control

Free remedy

FORD IS RECALLING MODEL YEARS 1995-2003 WINDSTAR, 2000-2003 EXCURSION DIESEL, 1993-1997 AND 1999-2003 F-250 SD THROUGH F-550 SD DIESEL, 1992-2003 E-150 THROUGH E-550, 1995-2002 EXPLORER, 1997 AND 2002 MERCURY MOUNTAINEER, 1995-1997 AND 2001-2003 RANGER, AND 1994 F53 VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH THE TEXAS INSTRUMENTS SPEED CONTROL DEACTIVATION SWITCH (SCDS). THE SCDS MAY LEAK INTERNALLY AND THEN OVERHEAT, SMOKE, OR BURN.

Vehicle speed controlReported Oct 13, 2009NHTSA 09V399000
Data from NHTSA Recalls API · synced Nov 7, 2026

Complaints are unverified owner reports to NHTSA and are not normalized for sales volume. One complaint can cite several components.