NHTSA Complaint #10329516 — 2004 FORD EXPLORER

GEAR SHIFTER FELL INTO MY HAND WHILE TRYING TO PUT MY 2004 FORD EDDIE BAUER EXPLORER FROM PARK INTO REVERSE. THE VEHICLE IS PARKED BUT NOT IN PARK. IT IS ONLY BEING HELD STILL BY PARKING BRAKE AS IT IS STUCK IN BETWEEN PARK AND REVERSE. THE KEY CAN NOT BE REMOVED BECAUSE THE CAR IS NOT IN PARK. THERE WERE ZERO EVENTS LEADING UP TO THIS FAILURE. FORTUNATELY, I WAS PARKED IN MY DRIVE WAY BUT I CAN ONLY IMAGINE THE CONSEQUENCES HAD I BEEN PARKED ON A HILL OR HAD THE SHIFTER BROKE WHILE IN GEAR WHERE IT WOULD HAVE REMAINED. I HAVE NOT REPAIRED THE PROBLEM AS OF YET IT JUST HAPPENED TODAY, BUT AFTER DOING RESEARCH IT APPEARS AS IF ENTIRE STEERING COLUMN NEEDS TO BE REPLACED AND I AM TO SPEND ANY WHERE FROM $1000 TO $2000 TO REPLACE A DEFECTIVE PART WITH A BRAND NEW DEFECTIVE PART TO HAVE IT HAPPEN AGAIN AT ANY TIME. I WAS ABLE TO LOCATE OVER 100 COMPLAINTS ON THE EXACT SAME ISSUE DATING BACK TO 2/2007. I AM CURIOUS AS TO WHY THERE HAS BEEN NO RECALL FOR THIS SITUATION. *TR