NHTSA Complaint #10369253 — 2002 FORD EXPLORER

WHILE PICKING UP MY PASTOR AT THE DULLES AIRPORT, I SHIFTED MY 2002 FORD EXPLORER INTO PARK. BEFORE I COULD EVEN REACH PARK, THE SHIFT HANDLE DETACHED ITSELF FROM THE STEERING COLUMN AND WAS LIMP IN HAND. THE ONLY THING LEFT ATTACHED, WAS THE WIRING CABLE. I COULDN'T GET THE KEYS IN OR OUT OF THE IGNITION, MOST LIKELY BECAUSE IT WASN'T IN PARK NOR IN REVERSE. OF NOTE, BECAUSE OF THAT, IT WAS VERY HARD TO GET A TOW TRUCK GUY TO ACCEPT THE RESPONSIBILITY FOR DRAGGING IT ONTO THE FLAT BED TRUCK. THE PIECE THAT BROKE WAS JUST A SMALL ALUMINUM CAST PIN. WHEN THE FORD DEALERSHIP CALLED ME THE NEXT DAY WITH A QUOTE FOR REPAIR, I WAS SHOCKED AT THE PRICE, $2145.00. I WAS TOLD I NEEDED A WHOLE NEW STEERING COLUMN BECAUSE THE PART THAT'S BROKEN COULDN'T BE REPAIRED WITH IN THE COLUMN ITSELF. THAT'S WHEN I WENT ON LINE AND SEARCHED FOR SIMILAR PROBLEMS. I WAS AGHAST TO FIND HUNDREDS WITH SIMILAR OR EXACT SAME PROBLEMS I HAD. MY QUESTION IS, WHY ISN'T THERE A RE-CALL FOR THIS PARTICULAR DEFECT SINCE SO MANY PEOPLE ARE HAVING PROBLEMS WITH THIS SMALL PIN? IF NO RECALL, WHY CAN'T FORD HELP FINANCIALLY OR AT LEAST, PARTIALLY TO HELP OFFSET THIS HIGH EXPENSE FOR SUCH A SMALL FIX? I AM ON A FIXED INCOME AND A SEVERAL THOUSAND DOLLAR REPAIR SETS US BACK SIGNIFICANTLY. DOES ANYBODY HAVE A SOLUTION? DOES ANYBODY HAVE ANY OTHER OPTIONS TO GET FORD TO HELP WITH THIS PROBLEM, I'M DESPERATE. THANK YOU ALL. *TR