NHTSA Complaint #10145723 — 2004 FORD EXPLORER

DT: THE CONTACT COMPLAINED ABOUT TRANSMISSION FAILURE SON SEVERAL OCCASIONS. WHEN SHIFTING THE VEHICLE INTO REVERSE THE TRANSMISSION LOCKED FOR A FEW SECONDS, MAKING A LOUD POPPING SOUND AND THEN SHIFTING INTO REVERSE. THE VEHICLE HAS BEEN SEEN BY THE DEALER SIX TIMES. THE DEALER WAS ABLE TO DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM, BUT COULD NOT BEEN ABLE TO LOCATE THE SOURCE OF THE PROBLEM. THE FOLLOWING ITEMS WERE REPLACED ON ORDER TO FIX THE TRANSMISSION, INCLUDING THE REAR SPEED SENSOR, THE SOLENOID BODY, AND SEVERAL COMPONENTS WERE LUBRICATED. NONE OF THESE REPLACEMENTS SEEMED TO REPAIR THE TRANSMISSION. DURING THE MOST RECENT FAILURE THE CONTACT'S HUSBAND WAS INVOLVED ACCIDENT WHEN THE TRANSMISSION FAILED. HE ATTEMPTED TO BACK INTO THE DRIVEWAY DURING ICY CONDITIONS. THE TRANSMISSION LOCKED. HE SHIFTED THE VEHICLE INTO DRIVE AND STEPPED ON THE GAS. THE TRANSMISSION IMMEDIATELY ENGAGED AND THE VEHICLE CRASHED INTO A TREE IN THE YARD. THE VEHICLE SUSTAINED HEAVY DAMAGE. THE POLICE WERE NOT CONTACTED BECAUSE THE ACCIDENT OCCURRED ON PRIVATE PROPERTY. THE VEHICLE IS NOW IN THE POSSESSION OF THE INSURANCE COMPANY AT THEIR IMPOUND LOT. *AK