NHTSA Complaint #10312366 — 2002 FORD EXPLORER

SHORTLY AFTER PURCHASING OUR 2002 FORD EXPLORER XLS, WE BEGAN EXPERIENCING DELAYED SHIFTING ON OCCASION. THE PROBLEM CONTINUED TO GET WORSE UNTIL OCCASIONALLY, AFTER MAKING A TURN, IT WOULD SLIP OUT OF GEAR IMPEDING ACCELERATION IN TRAFFIC SITUATIONS. IT ALSO HESITATES GOING INTO GEAR AFTER BACKING UP OUT OF PARKING SPACES. THIS ALMOST CAUSED US TO BE HIT FROM BEHIND ONE DAY WHEN ANOTHER DRIVER BACKED OUT OF A PARKING SPOT BEHIND US WITHOUT LOOKING. LUCKILY IT WENT INTO GEAR JUST IN TIME SO THAT I COULD MOVE THE VEHICLE BACK INTO THE PARKING SPACE AND OUT OF THE WAY. EVENTUALLY THE O/D LIGHT BEGAN TO FLASH AND NOW THE TRANSMISSION SLAMS INTO HIGH GEAR AND DOWNSHIFTS HARD WHEN COMING TO A STOP. MY CONCERN IS THAT THIS IN NOT AN ISOLATED PROBLEM WITH JUST OUR EXPLORER AS I HAVE READ NUMEROUS REPORTS OF THE EXACT PROBLEMS. NOT BEING ABLE TO MOVE THE VEHICLE IN TRAFFIC POSES A SERIOUS SAFETY CONCERN THAT NEEDS TO BE CORRECTED. *TR