NHTSA Complaint #10100176 — 2004 FORD EXPLORER

CAR HAS A HARD TIME ENGAGING INTO GEAR, WHEN BACKING UP IT FEELS LIKE I'VE HIT ANOTHER VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE JUST JUMPS IN REVERS.I HAVE ALMOST RAN OVER SOMEONE BECAUSE OF A DELAY IN ENGAGING INTO REVERSE. IN DRIVE IT DOES THE SAME THING. I WORRY THAT I AM GOING TO HIT A CAR THAT MIGHT BE PARKED IN FRONT OF ME OR EVEN A PERSON. NOT ONLY THAT I WORRY THAT IF I DID HIT ANOTHER CAR I WOULDN'T KNOW THAT I DID IT. THE CAR HAS HAD PROBLEMS STARTING. IT HAS LEFT US ALMOST STRANDED TWICE. THE CARS BATTERY HAS DIED FOR NO REASON, EVEN AFTER DRIVING A COUPLE OF HOURS PRIOR TO TRYING TO RESTART IT. THE FRONT AND REAR WINDOW MOTORS HAVE GONE OUT, THE REAR WINDOWS WERE STUCK OPEN IN A RAIN STORM WITH MY TWO CHILDREN IN THE BACK SEAT. THE VEHICLE HAS LOST POWER DRIVING DOWN THE INTERSTATE AND A WARNING LIGHT CAME ON IN THE DASH, THE VEHICLE HAD ONLY 5,000 MILES ON THE ODOMETER. THE KEYLESS ENTRY QUITE WORKING, WICH ALSO KEPT OUR KEY CHAIN LOCKERS FROM WORKING. THE CAR WOULD NOT TURN OVER, IT WOULD JUST MAKE A CLICK, WHEN IT WOULD TURN OVER, IT SOUNDED LIKE GEARS WERE GRINDING. THE VEHICLE WENT IN FOR TO BE SERVICED FOR THE FIRST TIME A MONTH AFTER WE BOUGHT THE VEHICLE, DEC. 5, 2003 AND HAS GONE IN ATLEAST ONCE EVERY TWO MONTHS SINCE. THE CAR HAS BEEN IN FOR SERVICING A TOTAL OF 3 MONTHS OUT OF THE YEAR THAT WE HAVE OWNED IT. WE HAVE REQUESTED SINCE IT HAS BEEN FOR THE SAME PROBLEM 8 TIMES AND IT HAS NOT BEEN FIXED THAT THE DEALERSHIP LEMON THE VEHICLE. BUT NOTHING HAS BEEN DONE ABOUT IT. THE DEALERSHIP DOESN'T KNOW WHAT THE PROBLEM IS AND THEY HAVE TOLD US THAT THEY CANNOT FIX IT.WE STILL HAVE THE SAME PROBLEM NOW. IT CAN POTENTIALLY HURT SOMEONE. *AK