NHTSA Complaint #10264401 — 2008 FORD EXPLORER

I PURCHASED MY 2008 EDDIE BAUER EXPLORER ON AUGUST 16, 2008. IT WAS BROUGHT TO THE DEALER FOR SERVICE ON AUGUST 21ST, FOR A NOISE IN THE DIFFERENTIAL OR TRANSMISSION AS IT HAD A CLANGING NOISE WHEN STARTING AND DID NOT SHIFT PROPERLY. THEY RECOMMENDED TO WAIT FOR 300-500 MILES. ON SEPT. 17, IT WAS BROUGHT IN AGAIN AND THEY REPLACE THE DRIVE SHAFT ASSEMBLY ON THE 19TH. THE PROBLEM CONTINUED. IT WAS BROUGHT IN ON OCT. 23 AND I WAS TOLD TO WAIT FOR A REP FROM FORD. ON DEC. 4TH, A FORD REP SAID THE CLANGING NOISE WAS "NORMAL." I ASKED TO SPEAK TO THE REP, BUT WAS NOT ABLE TO...HE DID NOT CALL. ON DED. 9TH ANOTHER REP CAME, BUT DID NOT SPEAK TO ME AND NOTHING WAS DONE. I FILED THE PAPERS UNDER THE LEMON LAW ON DECEMBER 16 AND A FORD REP LOOKED AT THE CAR ON JAN. 15, 2009. I WAS TOLD AT 1 PM THEY WERE LOOKING INTO REPLACING THE TRANSMISSION, AS THERE WAS A PROBLEM, BUT AT 4 PM THE SAME DAY, RECEIVED A PHONE CALL STATING THAT THE REP, DEEMED IT "WITHIN FORD SPECS." THE PROBLEM STILL EXITS AND IT WAS A LOT OF MONEY SPENT ON A CAR THAT DOES NOT FUNCTION PROPERLY. I CONTACTED FORD AGAIN VIA A LETTER ATTACHED TO THEIR SURVEY ON MARCH 10, BUT HAVE NOT RECEIVED A RESPONSE. ONE OF THE SERVICE MANAGERS CONFIDED TO US THAT 3 OTHER EXACT PROBLEMS OCCURRED WITH THE SAME MAKE/MODEL. IT SEEMS FORD MAY BE HESITANT TO FIX THIS AS IT MAY RESULT IN A RECALL. WE DO NOT ADVOCATE A MAJOR RECALL; WE JUST WOULD LIKE OUR CAR FIXED. IT CONTINUES TO CLANK AND DOES NOT SHIFT PROPERLY. *TR