NHTSA Complaint #10172654 — 2002 FORD EXPLORER

ONGOING SHIFTING AND SLIPPING WITHIN THE TRANSMISSION. ALSO A LOUD SHRILL AT THE END OF THE ACCELERATION. THE TRANSMISSION CONVERTER HAS BEEN REPLACED MULTIPLE TIMES AND THE TRANSMISSION LEAKED OUT FLUID AT HIGHWAY SPEED. AFTER THE REPAIR OF A STRIPPED TRANSMISSION LINE CONNECTOR AND A PILE OF GLUE TO FIX A BROKEN ELECTRICAL CONNECTOR THE VEHICLE WAS RETURNED TO SERVICE BY THE DEALERSHIP AND THE WARRANTY COMPANY. THE CONVERTERS ARE "REMANUFACTURED" WHICH HAVE BEEN KNOWN TO FAIL. THE GLOB OF GLUE ON THE ELECTRICAL CONNECTOR WILL BE REVIEWED BY THE STATE AS TO THE PROPER REPAIR PROCEDURE. A LAW SUIT MAY FOLLOW DUE TO SEPARATE REPAIRS INCLUDING A TIRE WITH A NAIL, WHERE A NEW TIRE WAS PURCHASED AND A USED ON WAS INSTALLED (BF GOODRICH). THE TIRE WAS ALSO NOT BALANCED AND WAS OFF BY 1.5 OZ. THERE WAS ALSO A GASKET REMOVED FROM THE COOLING SYSTEM THAT CAUSED ANTIFREEZE TO SPILL OUT ONTO THE ENGINE. THE COOLING SYSTEM HAD BEEN SERVICED TWO MONTHS PRIOR AND WAS NEVER LEAKING UNTIL THE DAY THE VEHICLE WAS RETURNED. THERE WAS ALSO THE DISCOVERY OF THE POSITIVE ELECTRICAL HARNESS TO THE STARTER HAVING EXPOSED WIRES DUE TO THE OIL FILTER DRAIN HOUSING MADE OF PLASTIC RUBBING AGAINST THE WIRES. THERE ARE THREE WIRES EXPOSED AND THERE MAY BE THE POTENTIAL FOR FIRE. *NM