NHTSA Complaint #10165895 — 2002 FORD EXPLORER

I PURCHASED MY 02 FORD EXPLORER 4X4 IN OCT 2005. THIS VEHICLE HAS A CLEAN TITLE AND 71K MILES. IN JUNE OF THIS YEAR, I WAS DRIVING HOME FROM WORK AND NOTICED THAT MY OVERDRIVE LIGHT WAS FLASHING AND CHECK ENGINE LIGHT WAS ON. I NOTICED AT THE SAME TIME THAT MY EXPLORER WAS HAVING DIFFICULTY SHIFTING GEARS. WHEN TRAFFIC WOULD COME TO A STOP, IT WOULD SHIFT INTO 3RD, THEN 1ST, THEN 4TH AND BACK TO 2ND. NEVER BEFORE HAD I EXPERIENCED SUCH A BIZARRE ACT WITH ANY PREVIOUS VEHICLE. MY EXPLORER WAS IN THE SHOP FOR THE NEXT 45 DAYS AND COME TO FIND OUT THAT NOT EVEN A LOCAL AUTHORIZED FORD DEALERSHIP COULD FIGURE OUT WHAT WAS GOING ON. FINALLY THE PRIVATE SHOP THAT I TOOK IT TO FIXED IT AFTER REBUILDING THE TRANSMISSION 2 TIMES. VERY DISAPPOINTING, SINCE IN THE PAST I HAVE DRIVEN SEVERAL VEHICLES PAST 200K MILES AND OIL CHANGES AND TIRES WERE REQUIRED. ONCE I RECEIVED THE VEHICLE BACK AFTER 2 TRANSMISSION REBUILDS, NEW TORQUE CONVERTER AND NEW EGR VALUE, THE EXPLORER CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON AFTER ONLY 1 DAY OR NORMAL DRIVING. RIDICULOUS. COME TO FIND OUT AFTER DOING SOME RESEARCH TO SEE IF FORD HAD ANY RECALLS ON THE TRANSMISSION, I DISCOVER THAT NOT ONLY DOES FORD NOT HAVE ANY RECALLS FOR THIS PROBLEM, BUT THEY ARE AWARE OF THE SITUATION AND HAVE YET TO ISSUE A RECALL. I CAME ACROSS SEVERAL WEBSITES THAT HAD 100'S OF COMPLAINTS ABOUT THE VERY SAME THING GOING ON WITH MY VEHICLE. APPARENTLY, FORD IS AWARE OF THE FAULTY 3RD GEAR SHIFT FAILURE AND HAS REFUSED TO ISSUE A RECALL. MY HUSBAND FOUND A CEO'S NUMBER TO FORD, LEFT HER A MESSAGE AND HAS NOT HEARD BACK FROM ANYONE. NOW AFTER $3K IN TOTAL REPAIRS, WE ARE FACED WITH THE DECISION TO TRY AND TRADE THE VEHICLE AND EAT OUR LOSSES. NEEDLESS TO SAY, I WILL NOT BE BUYING ANOTHER FORD BUILT VEHICLE. PLEASE HELP ALL OF US IN FINDING OUT WHY FORD IS IGNORING THIS COSTLY AND DISAPPOINTING ISSUE. PLEASE HELP OTHERS OUT AND GET FORD TO FACE THE FACT AND ISSUE A RECALL. THANK YOU FOR READING AND YOUR TIME. *NM