NHTSA Complaint #10244880 — 2002 FORD EXPLORER

I BOUGHT MY 2002 EXPLORER WITH 80,000 MILES ON IT FROM A RESPECTED LOCAL FORD DEALER. 20,000 MILES LATER, MY O/D LIGHT WON'T GO OFF AND MY GEARS WON'T ENGAGE PROPERLY. THIS HAPPENS FOR 2 DAYS BEFORE I SPUTTER INTO A DEALERSHIP FOR SERVICE. I'M NOW BEING TOLD THAT I NEED TO REPLACE THE WHOLE TRANSMISSION AT A COST OF $2,500. THE KELLEY BLUE BOOK TRADE-IN VALUE IS ONLY $2,100 AND I STILL OWE $4,000! I FEEL DUPED AND SCAMMED BY FORD: A COMPANY MY FATHER HAS WORKED FOR 34 YEARS. FORD INSISTS THERE'S NOTHING THEY CAN DO ABOUT THIS COST. MY QUESTION IS: WHY HASN'T THERE BEEN A RECALL WHEN I'VE FOUND HUNDREDS OF COMPLAINTS FILED ABOUT THE VERY SAME PROBLEM I'M HAVING? WHY AM I JUST SUPPOSED TO EAT THIS COST WHEN IT'S AN OBVIOUS MANUFACTURER'S DEFECT?! HELP!!! *TR