NHTSA Complaint #10145923 — 2002 FORD EXPEDITION

PROBLEM: AFTER ONLY 54943 MILES ON MY 2002 FORD EXPEDITION, I COULD NOT MOVED MY AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION GEAR POSITION INDICATOR LEVER, AFTER INSPECTION, I FOUND OUT THAT THE SHIFTING CABLE FOR TRANSMISSION WAS BROKEN INTO TWO PIECES INSIDE THE PROTECTIVE ASSEMBLY: THIS PROBLEM PREVENT ME FROM SHIFTING FROM ANY GEAR POSITION. IT SO HAPPEN IT BROKE IN ''PARK'' POSITION. IDENTICAL PROBLEM AS NHTSA RECALL NO. 97V147000 AND 97V171000. RESULT: THIS CONDITION WOULD NOT ALLOW A DISENGAGEMENT OF THE TRANSMISSION FROM THE PARK POSITION OR ANY OTHER GEAR POSITION WHEN THE CABLE BREAK ON CERTAIN POSITION. UNINTENDED VEHICLE MOVEMENT COULD OCCUR. CORRECTIVE ACTION: FORD CO. OR FORD DEALER SHOULD MAKE NECESSARY AND PROPER OPERATION INSPECTION OF THE TRANSMISSION SHIFT CONTROL LEVER FOR PROPER NORMAL OPERATION AND ITS SUPPORTS. REPLACED COMPONENTS IF ABNORMALITY IS FOUND IN COMPONENT OPERATIONAL TEST. SYMPTOMS ENCOUNTER OR ABNORMALITIES: HARDSHIP ON CHANGING GEAR POSITION FROM PARK POSITION TO ANY OTHER GEAR POSITION. REALLY HAD TO APPLY FORCE TO MOVE LEVER. AFTER FORD DEALER REPLACED THE BROKEN SHIFTING CABLE ASSEMBLY, I NOTICED THAT CHANGING GEAR POSITION WOULD ONLY REQUIRE VERY LIGHT EFFORT, RELATIVELY EASY AND SMOOTH MOVEMENT OF THE LEVER. I COULD CHANGE THE GEAR POSITION WITH ONLY FINGER MOVEMENT COMPARE WITH REALLY VERY HARD HAND MOVEMENT BEFORE. SUGGESTIONS: I BELIEVE THIS PROBLEM ISSUES WAS RELATED TO PREVIOUS NHTSA RECALL 97V147000 AND 97V17100 AND FORD CO AND ITS DEALERSHIP SHOULD PROVIDE CUSTOMER ASSISTANCE OF CHECKING THIS CABLE ASSEMBLY INTENDED OPERATION: REPLACED/REPAIR ASSEMBLY IF FOUND ANY ABNORMALITY. REIMBURSED CUSTOMER WHEN THEY PAY FOR THIS KIND OF AVOIDABLE REPAIR. IN MY CASE, I HAVE TO PAY $368 FOR REPAIR/REPLACEMENT AND ANOTHER$108 FOR TOWING. TOTAL OF MY OUT POCKET COST $476, WHICH IS PREVENTABLE IF ONLY FORD MANUFACTURER AND ITS DEALERSHIP INSPECT FOR PROPER OPERATION OF THIS COMPONENT WHICH IS EASILY DETECTABLE. *JB