NHTSA Complaint #10106499 — 2004 FORD EXPLORER

IN MAY OF 2004, I BOUGHT A NEW 2004 FORD EXPLORER. TWO MONTHS LATER IN JULY OF 2004, I FOUND PROBLEMS SHIFTING THE CAR INTO REVERSE. IT WOULD PAUSE FOR ABOUT 5 SECONDS, THEN JERK VERY HARD BEFORE REVERSING. I COMPLAINED TO THE DEALERSHIP THAT I BOUGHT THE NEW CAR FROM, WHO PROCEEDED TO TELL ME IT WAS "NOTHING". THE PROBLEM CONTINUED, AND I CONTINUED TO BRING THE CAR INTO THE DEALERSHIP WHERE I BOUGHT IT FROM WITH NO RESOLVE. THIS CONTINUED UNTIL JANUARY OF 2005. I FINALLY TOOK THE CAR TO AN OUT OF TOWN FORD DEALERSHIP 2 HOURS AWAY, WHO TOOK MY CAR FOR 5 DAYS DUE TO THEM HAVING TO REPLACE THE TRANSMISSION SOLENOID. I WAITED FOR ALMOST AN HOUR THE DAY I PICKED UP MY CAR FOR A SERVICE ADVISOR TO EXPLAIN TO ME WHAT THIS WAS, AND THE ONLY ANSWER I RECEIVED WAS THAT IT WAS A PROGRAMMING ERROR. I SINCE THEN LOOKED UP ON THE INTERNET WHAT THIS TRANSMISSION PROBLEM WAS, AND READ AN ARTICLE THAT FORD KNEW ABOUT THIS PROBLEM AND WAS NOT RECALLING CARS SINCE IT IS NOT A DANGER. THIS IS A DANGER. IT CAN CAUSE NUMEROUS NECK PROBLEMS FROM THE JERKING. I HAVE SUFFERED FROM LOWER BACK PAIN BEFORE BUYING THE CAR, AND THE JERKING FROM PUTTING THE CAR IN REVERSE WAS NOT HELPFUL. IF ANYONE OR ANYTHING IS AROUND THE CAR WHILE PUTTING IT IN REVERSE, THEY CAN BE DAMAGED BADLY. THIS ISSUE NEEDS TO GO PUBLIC. THE DEALERSHIPS NEED TO TAKE RESPONSIBILITY BEFORE THERE ARE SERIOUS INJURIES DUE TO RESPONSIBILITY NEGLECT FOR A POOR PRODUCT. *JB