NHTSA Complaint #10262628 — 2004 FORD EXPLORER

I PURCHASED A NEW 2004 FORD EXPLORER IN 2004 AND HAD CONSTANT PROBLEMS WITH THE TRANSMISSION - HARD SHIFTING, SLIPPING, AND DELAYED SHIFTING. I BROUGHT IT BACK MULTIPLE TIMES TO 2 VERY GOOD DEALERS AND THE PROBLEMS REMAINED. THEY REPLACED MY REAR AXLE THREE TIMES BUT SAID BECAUSE THERE WERE NO STORED CODES FROM THE TRANSMISSION, FORD WOULDN'T LET THEM DO ANYTHING ELSE. MY TRANSMISSION KEPT HAVING DELAYED SHIFT AND HARD SHIFT PROBLEMS SO I KEPT BRINGING IT IN TO MY LOCAL DEALER EVEN AFTER MY WARRANTY EXPIRED. AFTER 6 TIMES AT 2 DEALERS, IT WAS DOING THE SAME THING. I DO NOT BLAME THE DEALERS, AS THEY WERE ONLY TAKING FORD FACTORY DIRECTION. I CALLED FORD CUSTOMER SERVICE SEVERAL TIMES PRIOR TO MY WARRANTY END, AND WAS ALWAYS TOLD TO GO BACK TO THE DEALER. DURING THOSE CALLS TO CUSTOMER SERVICE, I REQUESTED A FORD FACTORY REP CONTACT ME BUT CUSTOMER SERVICE REFUSED AND ADVISED ME AGAIN TO GO BACK TO THE DEALER FOR SERVICE. LAST WEEK, MY TRANSMISSION FINALLY FAILED AT 87K MILES. IT STILL SHIFTED HARD, AND HAD DELAYED SHIFTS, BUT IT SUDDENLY HAD NO REVERSE, AND EXTREME SLIPPAGE IN FIRST GEAR. THE CHECK TRANSMISSION LIGHT STARTED FLASHING FOR THE FIRST TIME SO IT STORED A CODE. I TOOK MY EXPLORER BACK TO THE DEALER WHO ADVISED THE CODE MEANT AN INTERNAL FAILURE OF A BAND OR OTHER PART AND THE TRANSMISSION NEEDED TO BE REPLACED AT A COST OF ABOUT $4500. THE DEALER SERVICE MANAGER WAS VERY GOOD ABOUT THE ENTIRE PROBLEM, SO I AM STILL NOT AT ALL UPSET WITH THE LOCAL DEALER. I PAID ALMOST $200 FOR THE DIAGNOSTIC OF A FAILED BAND BUT DECIDED TO HAVE THE TRANSMISSION REPAIRED AT A LOCAL TRANSMISSION SHOP. THERE, THE MANAGER TOOK THE TRANSMISSION APART TO DIAGNOSE THE PROBLEM AND DID NOT FIND A BROKEN BAND OR OTHER PART. HE ADVISED IT WAS PROBABLY DUE TO OTHER PROBLEMS THAT MAY HAVE BEEN THERE SINCE IT WAS NEW, AND ADVISED THAT I INSTALL A REBUILT TRANSMISSION INSTEAD OF REBUILDING THIS ONE DUE TO THE PROBLEMS WITH THE ALUMINUM CASE. I SPENT $3000; FINALLY FIXED. *TR