NHTSA Complaint #10257716 — 2005 FORD EXPLORER

WE PURCHASED A 2005 FORD EXPLORER IN MAY '08 W/38000 MI. ON IT CARFAX, AT THAT TIME, INDICATED A NEW TRANSMISSION WAS INSTALLED ON 2/9/07 @ 27643 MI. LATELY THE TRANSMISSION HAS NOT BEEN RUNNING GOOD SO WE TOOK IT TO OUR MECHANIC, WHO TELLS US IT IS A "TICKING TIME BOMB" AND NEEDS A NEW TRANSMISSION ASAP. THE CAR CURRENTLY HAS 48953 MI ON IT. HE ENCOURAGES US TO INVESTIGATE RECALLS AND WARRANTY INFO. WE CALLED THE DEALERSHIP WHO INSTALLED THE TRANSMISSION IN 2/07, THEY SAID IT HAD NOT BEEN REPLACED, BUT OTHER PARTS (RELATING TO THE TRANS) WERE REPLACED. WE REQUESTED A COPY OF THE SERVICE ORDER FAXED TO US. ONCE REC'D, CODES AND WORDING ARE VERY CONFUSING BUT WE BELIEVE IT TO INDICATE THAT THE TRANSMISSION WAS REPLACED. ALSO THE SERVICE TECH WE SPOKE TO TOLD US THE WARRANTY WAS A 3 YR/36K MI SO A REPLACEMENT NOW WOULD NOT BE COVERED. WE BELIEVE THIS TRANSMISSION HAS A MAJOR DEFECT IF, IN FACT, IT WAS REPLACED @ 27643 AND THE NEW ONE NOW HAS ONLY 21000 MI ON IT. WE CALLED FORD MOTOR CO SERVICE DEPT. BASED ON THEIR RECORDS FROM THE VIN #, THEY TOLD US THE TRANSMISSION WAS REPLACED IN 2/07. WE WERE ALSO TOLD THAT THE WARRANTY WAS CHANGED ON THE '05 EXPLORER TRANSMISSION TO 3 YR/75K MI. (WHY WASN'T THE LENGTH OF TERM CHANGED ALSO?). THEY ALSO TOLD US THAT THE NEW TRANSMISSION DID NOT COME WITH A NEW WARRANTY OF ITS OWN ' IT FELL UNDER THE OLD WARRANTY. WE'VE HAD THIS VEHICLE FOR 8 MONTHS; WE'VE PUT 11K MILES ON IT AND IT NEEDS MAJOR REPAIRS THAT WERE EVIDENT PRIOR TO OUR PURCHASE. QUESTIONS REMAIN: DID THE DEALERSHIP REPLACE THE TRANSMISSION IN '07 OR NOT? IF NOT, WHAT WAS DONE TO CORRECT THE PROBLEM AND WAS FORD MOTOR CO. BILLED FOR A NEW TRANSMISSION? IF IT WAS REPLACED, WHY ARE THESE TRANSMISSIONS GOING BAD AFTER ONLY 20-25K MILES? AND WHY WON'T FORD STAND BEHIND THEIR PRODUCT? *TR