NHTSA Complaint #10272915 — 2002 FORD EXPLORER

MY 2002 FORD EXPLORER EDDIE BAUER V8 HAS REQUIRED A TRANSMISSION AT 35K & 85K MILES. THIS IS A HUGE SAFETY CONCERN WHEN THE CAR FAILS WITHOUT WARNING!!!! I'M NOT ALONE IN DEALING WITH THIS INCREDIBLY COSTLY & DANGEROUS PREDICAMENT. PLEASE TAKE ACTION! I'M READING THAT THE DESIGN OF THE TRANSMISSION IS APPARENTLY BAD. QUOTING ANOTHER'S DESCRIPTION: "AFTER LOTS OF RESEARCH IT APPEARS THE MOST LIKELY CAUSE IS WORN CASE BORE, WHERE THE PIN FOR THE 2ND GEAR & OVERDRIVE BAND SERVO ACTUATOR PASSES THROUGH THE CASE. IF THE PEOPLE DESIGNING THESE MACHINES SPENT EVEN A BIT OF TIME IN THEIR LIVES WORKING WITH THEIR HANDS ON REAL PARTS THEY WOULD KNOW BETTER THAN TO PASS A HARD STEEL PIN IN A WEAR POINT FASHION THROUGH A SOFTER ALUMINUM CASTING. IT IS NO WONDER SO MANY TRANSMISSIONS EXPERIENCE THIS PROBLEM." YOU WOULD THINK WHEN MY TRANSMISSION WAS REPLACED THE 1ST TIME THAT FORD WOULD HAVE BEEN REQUIRED TO SOLVE THIS PROBLEM BY PUTTING BRASS CASINGS ON THE PINS TO ENSURE THE SAFETY OF THE VEHICLE. NOW, I'M HAVING TO GET A 2ND TRANSMISSION, & SINCE I DIDN'T TAKE IT TO FORD, THEY ARE REPLACING THE TRANSMISSION WITH THIS FIX IMPLEMENTED. I SHOULDN'T HAVE TO BEAR THE $3500 NEEDED TO REPLACE THE TRANSMISSION. FORD SHOULD STAND BY THEIR PRODUCTS, BUT SINCE THEY WON'T, I HOPE THAT YOU CAN REQUIRE THEM TO DO SO! THANKS! I IDENTIFIED THIS AS AN EQUIPMENT FAILURE BECAUSE THE TRANSMISSION THAT CAME WITH THE CAR WAS OBVIOUSLY DEFECTIVE TO REQUIRE A NEW ONE AT 35K MILES. MY CAR IS DEAD AT A SHOP SO I CAN'T LOOK AT THE TRANSMISSION TO GIVE YOU ANY PRODUCT INFORMATION. THE DATE I PROVIDED FOR EQUIPMENT IS THE DATE THE 1ST TRANSMISSION WAS REPLACED. I AM THE ORIGINAL OWNER & PURCHASED THE CAR NEW. I AM ASSUMING THAT THE 1ST TRANSMISSION FAILED DUE TO THE PINS. THERE'S NO WAY TO CHECK THE TRANSMISSION FLUID BECAUSE IT'S A CLOSED SYSTEM, WHICH HAS ALSO BEEN A PROBLEM. THE SITE DETAILING THESE PROBLEMS IS: HTTP://WWW.CARCOMPLAINTS.COM/FORD/EXPLORER/2002/. *TR