Two years at the same age, so the older one is not punished for having been on the road longer.
2002 vs 2003 Ford Explorer
NHTSA Consumer Complaints complaints · snapshot 2026-09-07
Share shifts show how a vehicle's problem mix changed. They do not measure reliability, and complaint counts are not normalized for sales volume.
In plain English
A lifetime total makes the 2002 look busier because it has been on the road longer. This page counts reports in the first 288 months for each year, so both years are the same age.
In that window, the 2003 has 65.5% fewer owner reports than the 2002.
The mix also shifted: Body / frame is a larger share of reports on the 2003 (15.6 points). That is a change in what owners named, not a score.
Open both year-pages. Check the VIN at nhtsa.gov. Have a shop inspect Body / frame. Do not pick a year from the percentage alone.
First 288 months on market for each model year
Exposure window calculated through Sep 8, 2026
Reports while each year was the same age
▼ 65.5% fewer reports at the same age
NHTSA Consumer Complaints complaints · snapshot 2026-09-07
What owners named more or less
Bars start at the neutral midpoint. Left means a smaller share; right means a larger share.
View component share data as a table
| Component | 2002 share | 2003 share | Share change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Body / frame (STRUCTURE) | 13.6% | 29.2% | ▲ 15.6 pts larger share |
| Transmission / driveline (POWER TRAIN) | 41.2% | 26.4% | ▼ 14.8 pts smaller share |
| Suspension (SUSPENSION) | 10.5% | 4.8% | ▼ 5.7 pts smaller share |
| Wheels (WHEELS) | 3.8% | 5.6% | ▲ 1.8 pts larger share |
| Glass / wipers / cameras (VISIBILITY) | 3.1% | 4.7% | ▲ 1.6 pts larger share |
| Steering (STEERING) | 3.5% | 1.9% | ▼ 1.6 pts smaller share |
| Cruise / speed control (VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL) | 4.2% | 2.9% | ▼ 1.3 pts smaller share |
| Engine (ENGINE) | 5.0% | 6.3% | ▲ 1.3 pts larger share |
| Fuel system (FUEL SYSTEM) | 1.6% | 0.8% | ▼ 0.7 pts smaller share |
| Electrical (ELECTRICAL SYSTEM) | 3.1% | 3.5% | ▲ 0.4 pts larger share |
| Seat belts (SEAT BELTS) | 0.9% | 1.3% | ▲ 0.4 pts larger share |
| Airbags (AIR BAGS) | 4.0% | 3.9% | ▼ 0.2 pts smaller share |
| Tires (TIRES) | 0.5% | 0.6% | ▲ 0.1 pts larger share |
| Parking brake (PARKING BRAKE) | 0.3% | 0.2% | ▼ 0.1 pts smaller share |
| Lights (EXTERIOR LIGHTING) | 0.5% | 0.5% | ▼ 0.1 pts smaller share |
| Brakes (SERVICE BRAKES) | 2.5% | 2.5% | ▲ 0.0 pts larger share |
| Unclassified NHTSA leftover | 70.8% | 66.4% | ▼ 4.5 pts smaller share |
NHTSA Safety Recalls recalls · snapshot 2026-09-06
Recall campaigns
Campaign components: Lights, Body / frame, Tires, and Glass / wipers / cameras
Campaign components: Lights, Body / frame, and Glass / wipers / cameras
NHTSA Consumer Complaints complaints · snapshot 2026-09-07
Safety signals
- ◆ Fires
- 57 → 10
- ◆ Injuries
- 184 → 57
Frequently asked questions
Which Ford Explorer year had more problems, 2002 or 2003?
In that window, the 2003 has 65.5% fewer owner reports than the 2002. Lifetime totals are not used here because the older year has had more time on the road.
Why not just compare lifetime complaint totals?
The older year has had more time to collect reports. This page holds age constant by counting the first 288 months for each year.
Does a larger share of one system mean that year is worse?
No. It means owners named that system more often in the file. Inspect it. YearTell does not publish scores or a list of years to skip.