NHTSA Complaint #10178456 — 2002 FORD EXPLORER

IN MAY OF 2005 THE TRANSMISSION WAS REBUILT AT THE DEALER. THE VEHICLE HAD 34,767 MILES. IN MAY OF 2006 THE REBUILT TRANS CONVERTER FAILED WITH ABOUT 47,000 MILES. THIS WAS JUST A FEW HUNDRED MILES OUT OF THE 12 MONTH, 12,000 FORD SERVICE WARRANTY. THERE WAS AN AFTERMARKET WARRANTY ON THE VEHICLE THAT COVERED IT. UPON WRITTEN NOTIFICATION TO THE DEALER AND FORD WE SET AN APPOINTMENT TO HAVE THE VEHICLE INSPECTED AND TEST DRIVEN AGAIN DUE TO MORE TRANSMISSION PROBLEMS. THE VEHICLE WAS SERVICED THEN THE SHIFT LEVER LOCKED UP BETWEEN PARK AND REVERSE AND HAD TO BE SERVICED WITHIN HOURS OF PICKUP. THEN A COOLANT GASKET WAS DISCOVERED TO HAVE BEEN REMOVED AND A ELECTRICAL CONNECTOR DAMAGED AND GLUED TOGETHER AND TIE WRAPPED TO THE TRANS. THE DEALER WAS NOTIFIED IN WRITING OF THE DISCOVERIES. THERE WAS NO RESPONSE. THE VEHICLE WAS INSPECTED INDEPENDENTLY. A SHOP DIAGNOSED A POOR SHIFT, SHORT SHIFT, LONG SHIFT, AND CLUNKING WITH VIBRATION CONDITION IN THE TRANSMISSION. THE DEALER WAS CALLED TWICE WITH NO RESPONSE. ON DECEMBER 20, 2006 THE TRANS FAILED FOR THE THIRD TIME AT 57,231 MILES. THE AFTER MARKET WARRANTY WAS NOTIFIED AND DIRECTED US TO THE FORD SERVICE WARRANTY. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO ANOTHER DEALERSHIP DUE TO A CERTIFIED LETTER THAT WAS RECEIVED BY THE FIRST STATING THAT OUR TRANS PROBLEMS WERE "PERCEIVED" AND THAT THEY WERE ENDING OUR "BUSINESS RELATIONSHIP." THE NEXT DEALERSHIP PERFORMED THE EEC CODE CHECK. A TSB HAD BEEN ISSUED,CODES 733 AND 745. THE DEALERSHIP TOLD US THAT WE MUST GUARANTEE THEIR FEE TO TEAR DOWN THE TRANSMISSION AND THAT THE REPAIR MAY NOT BE COVERED. THEY ALSO STATED THAT WE HAD "NO WARRANTY" ON THE VEHICLE. THE SERVICE MANAGER AFTER SOME DISCUSSION STATED "WE ARE NOT INVOLVED IN YOUR TRUCK REPAIR AT ALL." WE IMMEDIATELY HAD OUR VEHICLE REMOVED FROM THEIR DEALERSHIP. ANOTHER SHOP STATED THAT THE TRANSMISSION HAS IN FACT FAILED AGAIN. WE ARE WAITING FOR A POSSIBLE COVERAGE DETERMINATION FROM THE AFTER MARKET COMPANY. FORD WAS NOTIFIED.*JB