NHTSA Complaint #10375241 — 2002 FORD EXPLORER

THE TRANSMISSION ON OUR 2002 FORD EXPLORER NEEDED TO BE REBUILT AT 36,000 MILES AND IS NOW NEEDING TO BE REBUILT AGAIN AT 74,000 MILES. THE FIRST REPAIR WAS DONE AT A FORD DEALERSHIP AND AFTER MUCH COMPLAINING WE WERE ABLE TO HAVE SOME OF THE COST ABSORBED BY PURCHASING AN EXTENDED WARRANTY. THE CAR STARTED SHIFTING ROUGH AGAIN A FEW WEEKS AGO AND THEN QUICKLY PROGRESSED TO FULLY SKIPPING 3RD GEAR. WE ARE NOW FACING REBUILDING IT AGAIN. WE HAVE READ UP ON THE PROBLEM AND HAVE DISCOVERED THAT IT IS VERY COMMON FOR THE EARLIER BUILT 2002 FORD EXPLORERS. WE HAVE EVEN DISCOVERED A POSTING ON A FORD TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN EXPLAINING EXACTLY OUR SITUATION (HTTP://216.198.221.184/FORUMS/SHOWTHREAD.PHP?P=2595868) TSB 04-24-17. THE MOST FRUSTRATING THING IS THAT FORD IS AWARE THEY BUILT A FAULTY TRANSMISSION THAT WILL NEED TO BE REBUILT EVERY 35,000-40,000 MILES AND THEY ARE DOING NOTHING ABOUT IT. UPON PURCHASING A CAR I FEEL THAT IT IS NOT UNREASONABLE TO EXPECT THE TRANSMISSION TO LAST MORE THAN 40,000 MILES. WE ARE NOW IN THE UNUSUAL SITUATION WHERE WE NO LONGER WANT TO OWN THIS VEHICLE BUT FEEL UNCOMFORTABLE SELLING IT TO ANYONE KNOWING THAT THIS IS AN ONGOING PROBLEM AND THAT THE NEW OWNER WILL ALSO HAVE TO DEAL WITH THE EXPENSIVE REPAIRS OF REBUILDING THE TRANSMISSION IN ANOTHER 40,000 MILES. *LN