Saturday, August 8, 2026
RecallGazette

Vehicle problems, recalls & safety intelligence

2002 Dodge Ram 1500 vs 2002 Ford Explorer Sport Trac

Complaints, recalls, TSBs, investigations and safety ratings side by side, from official federal data. Last verified Aug 8, 2026. Raw complaint counts are not adjusted for sales volume.

Metric2002 Dodge Ram 15002002 Ford Explorer Sport Trac
NHTSA complaints815144
Recall campaigns32
Service bulletins (TSBs)22117
Investigations13
Crash reports557
Fire reports143
NCAP overall rating
EPA MPG (combined)12–1615–17
Median reported incident mileage71,000 mi50,000 mi

Reported problems side by side

ComponentDodge Ram 1500Ford Explorer Sport Trac
Structure27816
Power Train9932
Electrical System9321
Engine and Engine Cooling5823
Suspension715
Visibility512
Air Bags461
Steering442

Symptoms owners describe

Stalling5522
Vibration / shaking240
Rust / corrosion200
Electrical failures135
Hesitation / surging100
Clunking / rattling100
Check engine light90
Overheating90
2002 Ford Explorer Sport Trac

Compare all Dodge Ram 1500 vs Ford Explorer Sport Trac years →

Method. Complaints are unique NHTSA reports. A vehicle that sold more units will naturally accumulate more complaints — use shares and read the underlying reports before drawing conclusions.