NHTSA Complaint #10125765 — 2002 FORD EXPLORER

THE "O/D" LIGHT OF MY 2002 FORD EXPLORER LIT UP WITHOUT WARNING WHILE I WAS TURNING. ENGINE "REVVED" BUT DIDN'T ACCELERATE. ONCOMING CARS SWERVED TO AVOID ME. THIS WAS AN UNSAFE SITUATION, AS I EXPECTED THE VEHICLE TO FUNCTION PROPERLY. I TOOK THE CAR TO THE DEALER AND WAS TOLD THE TRANSMISSION HAD TO BE TOTALLY REBUILT, FOR $2,400, SINCE I WAS 4000 MI OUT OF WARRANTY, EVEN THOUGH <3 YEARS. I ASKED THE SERVICE MANAGER IF FORD WOULD COVER IT. THE ZONE PERSON, ADVISED NO. I PHONED CUSTOMER ASSISTANCE, AND WAS TOLD THERE WERE DEALER/FIELD DISCRETIONARY FUNDS TO PAY FOR REPAIRS OUTSIDE OF WARRANTY, BUT ONLY FOR "LOYAL" CUSTOMERS. I WAS TOLD THAT I SHOULD HAVE PURCHASED THE VEHICLE NEW AND HAD MY MAINTENANCE DONE AT THE DEALER. I ASKED WHAT MAINTENANCE SHOULD BEEN DONE ON THE TRANSMISSION. I WAS TOLD THAT THERE WAS NONE. I SPOKE WITH A GENTLEMAN IN THE QUALITY DEPARTMENT AT A LOCAL TRANSMISSION PLANT, WHO SAID THIS WAS A COMMON FAILURE, BUT THAT FORD WOULDN'T OFFER ANY HELP BECAUSE "MONEY IS TIGHT". HE SAID THAT THE BANDS IN MY TRANSMISSION HAD BEEN SUPERCEDED TWICE DUE TO THIS PROBLEM, AND A TECH BULLETIN EXISTED, EXPLAINING THIS TO DEALERSHIPS. I READ MANY OTHER COMPLAINTS ON THIS WEBSITE! I FAIL TO UNDERSTAND WHY FORD HONORS A SECRET WARRANTY FOR "LOYAL" CUSTOMERS YET OFFERS NO RECOURSE FOR CUSTOMERS WHO WERE PUT IN THE SAME UNSAFE SITUATION, JUST BECAUSE THEY BOUGHT THE VEHICLE USED. I HAD THE REPAIR DONE AT AN INDEPENDENT REPAIR FACILITY. FORD ADVISES THEY WILL NOT TAKE ANY FINANCIAL RESPONSIBILITY BECAUSE THE REPAIR WAS DONE AT AN INDEPENDENT. I AM ONE OF MANY CONSUMERS WHO MUST DRIVE IN A DEFECTIVE AND DANGEROUS VEHICLE, DUE TO THIS TRANSMISSION PROBLEM. IT FAILED ME ONCE WITHOUT WARNING, I PAID $1,200 FOR REPAIR, AND APPROACH INTERSECTIONS WITH TREPIDATION DUE TO THE POSSIBILITY OF MY TRANSMISSION UNEXPECTEDLY SLIPPING AGAIN. I WOULD WELCOME CONTACT AT 248.808.1279 TO DISCUSS RESOLUTION OF THIS DANGEROUS ISSUE.