NHTSA Complaint #10240363 — 2006 FORD EXPLORER

WHILE RETURNING HOME FROM A ROUTINE SHOPPING TRIP WITH MY WIFE AND 2 KIDS, THE ENTIRE VEHICLE DIED COMPLETELY IN THE MIDDLE OF A BUSY STREET. THE ENTIRE DASH BOARD WENT DARK, THE ENGINE COMPLETELY STOPPED RUNNING AND AS USUAL WHEN THE ENGINE STOPS RUNNING THE STEERING AND BRAKES TYPICALLY DON'T WORK TOO WELL. LUCKILY THE EMERGENCY BRAKE WORKED LIKE IT WAS DESIGNED SINCE WE WERE GOING DOWN HILL AT THE TIME. I COULDN'T EVEN TURN ON MY HAZARD LIGHTS (WHAT'S THE POINT OF THOSE WHEN YOU CAN'T USE THEM TO LET OTHERS KNOW YOU'VE NOW BECOME A HAZARD)? I WAS ABLE TO RESTART THE VEHICLE AFTER A MINUTE OR TWO HAD LAPSED AND PROCEEDED TO MOVE ONWARD TO OUR DESTINATION. THIS ISSUE OCCURRED WHEN THE TRANSMISSION SHIFTED FROM 2ND GEAR TO 1ST GEAR AND GOING AT A SLOW SPEED ONLY 20MPH. HAD THIS HAPPENED WITH MY WIFE DRIVING I'M POSITIVE THERE WOULD HAVE BEEN A MAJOR ACCIDENT! THIS IS A 2006 FORD EXPLORER BOUGHT BRAND NEW OFF THE SHOW ROOM FLOOR AND ONLY HAS 10,356 MILES ON IT. PRACTICALLY STILL BRAND NEW! I'VE DONE SOME RESEARCH REGARDING THIS ISSUE AND HAVE FOUND THAT THIS ISN'T AN UNCOMMON PROBLEM WITH THIS MODEL OF VEHICLE. I'VE ALSO FOUND A FEW PLACES THAT MENTION THE CAUSE OF THE ISSUE AS A THROTTLE BODY MALFUNCTION. I'M LOOKING TO FIND IF REPLACING THE THROTTLE BODY RESOLVES THE ISSUE. IF THE ISSUE IS THIS COMMON WHY HASN'T FORD BEEN PROACTIVE AND REPLACED THE DEFECTIVE PARTS? OUR CONFIDENCE IN THIS CAR IS NOW GONE AND WE'RE AFRAID TO TAKE OUR CHILDREN ANYWHERE IN THIS VEHICLE. *TR