NHTSA Complaint #10132291 — 2002 FORD EXPLORER

APRIL 04 PURCHASED 2002 FORD EXPLORER; JUST OVER 60,000 MILES. NO LONGER UNDER WARRANTY;SOLD AS IS. DAY AFTER PURCHASE, NOTICED KNOCKING SOUND. RETURNED TO DEALER. STATED SOUND COMING FROM THE REAR AC. REPAIRED, DID NOT HEAR AFTER REPAIR. APPROXIMATELY ONE WEEK AFTER PURCHASE, NOTICED DELAY IN GEARS ENGAGING WHEN GOING FROM PARK TO DRIVE , PARK TO REVERSE ALSO GEAR SHIFT SEEMED TO BE LOOSE. RETURNED TO DEALER; TOLD IT WAS NORMAL FOR THIS MODEL. ADVISED TO KEEP IN OVERDRIVE. LATE JULY 2004, NOTICED DELAY SEEM TO BE GETTING LONGER AND JERKING SUDDENLY WHEN FINALLY ENGAGED. WHILE DRIVING ,OD LIGHT FLASHED ON AND OFF ERRATICALLY. PROBLEM WITH OD LIGHT INTERMITTENT. SPOUSE TOOK THE CAR TO THE DEALER; TOLD THAT IT WASN'T UNDER WARRANTY, BUT WE COULD MAKE A SERVICE APPOINTMENT. SPOUSE TOOK THE VEHICLE TO A SHOP HAD DONE BUSINESS IN THE PAST. THOUGHT THAT IT COULD NEED TRANSMISSION FLUID. CHECKED FLUID LEVELS NOT DEFICIENT. PROBLEMS CONTINUED; HAD THEM LOOK AT IT A COUPLE OF MONTHS LATER. COULD NOT DETERMINE PROBLEM, ADVISED TO TAKE TO A TRANSMISSION SPECIALIST IF CONTINUED. PROBLEM PERSISTED. SEEMED TO GET WORSE AS THE WEATHER TURNED COLDER. LATE DECEMBER 04, DELAYS IN ENGAGING GEARS WORSENED; NOW MAKING A LOUD CLUNKING NOISE AND LUNGES WHEN ENGAGES, OD LIGHT FLASHED ERRATICALLY ON A FREQUENT BASIS AND ENGINE SERVICE LIGHT ON AND GEAR SHIFT SEEMED TO BE COMING OUT. JANUARY 2005, SPOUSE TOOK THE VEHICLE TO A TRANSMISSION SHOP FOR DIAGNOSTIC. TRANSMISSION SHOT. REBUILT AT A COST OF $2900. FOUND OUT THAT THE VEHICLE HAD BEEN REPAIRED TWICE BEFORE, WHILE UNDER WARRANTY FOR THE SAME PROBLEMS DESCRIBED. ITS OBVIOUS FROM THE NUMBER OF COMPLAINTS THAT THIS IS A KNOWN DESIGN DEFECT. WHEN A COMPANY SELLS DEFECTIVE PRODUCTS THEY SHOULD BE HELD LIABLE, ESPECIALLY WHEN THEY DO SO KNOWINGLY. I STOPPED MAKING PAYMENTS ON THIS JUNK AND WILL NOTIFY THE LENDER SO THAT THEY AND FORD CAN FIGHT IT OUT. ANY OWNER WHO WISHES MAY CONTACT ME AT 703-998-5510. *JB