NHTSA Complaint #10396508 — 2007 FORD EXPLORER

4/15/2011 2:00 P.M. TRIED KEY IN IGNITION DIDN'T WANT TO GO IN IGNITION AT FIRST, THEN IT WENT IN BUT WOULD NOT TURN. CANNOT GET THE KEY TO TURN IN THE IGNITION. WIGGLED THE STEERING WHEEL, THEN IT "LOCKED". TRIED TO MOVE THE SHIFTING GEAR FROM PARK, CANNOT MOVE IT. VEHICLE WAS IN FOR REPAIR/REPLACEMENT OF SHIFTING GEAR ON/AROUND 3/17/2011. AT THAT TIME WAS TOLD THAT THIS WAS NOT COVERED UNDER MY "EXTENDED WARRANTY" THAT WAS PURCHASED WHEN THE VEHICLE WAS PURCHASED. CALLED LOCAL DEALER WHO AGREE TO CALL ROADSIDE SERVICE FOR ME SINCE I NEEDED TO MAKE ARRANGEMENTS FOR A RIDE (AND A RIDE FOR 3 OTHER PEOPLE THAT WERE SUPPOSED TO BE RIDING WITH ME). LOCAL DEALER TOOK MY CELL PHONE NUMBER AND LET ME KNOW I WOULD GET A CALL BACK. THIS WAS ON 4/15/2011 APPROXIMATELY 2 P.M. HAD TO LEAVE FOR APPOINTMENT, DIDN'T RETURN UNTIL AROUND 9:00 P.M. NO CALL FROM ROADSIDE ASSISTANCE HAD BEEN RECEIVED. HAD CELL PHONE SERVICE THE ENTIRE TIME. CALLED THEM MYSELF AROUND 9:30 P.M. THEY HAD NO RECORD OF THE CALL FROM EARLIER IN THE DAY WHICH REFERENCED MY CELL PHONE NUMBER. IF THE TOW HAD BEEN ARRANGED EARLIER, IT COULD HAVE BEEN AT THE DEALER BEFORE THEY CLOSED ON FRIDAY. IF I HAD KNOWN THIS WOULDN'T HAPPEN (THE TOW), I WOULD HAVE CALLED MY OWN TOWING COMPANY TO DO IT. HORRIBLE SERVICE! :) SO WE WERE SUPPOSED TO LEAVE FOR VACATION ON MONDAY, BUT NOT SURE WHAT WILL HAPPEN NOW WITH ONLY A SMALL VEHICLE TO USE FOR 4 PEOPLE AND 4 SUITCASES! NOT SURE IT WILL BE FEASIBLE. ROADSIDE ASSISTANCE SAYS THE VEHICLE WILL BE DELIVERED TO DEALER TOMORROW. WAITING TO HEAR WHAT THE DEALER HAS TO SAY, BUT BASED ON PAST EXPERIENCE AM NOT VERY OPTIMISTIC. I FEEL THIS PROBLEM DIRECTLY RELATES TO THE REPLACEMENT OF THE GEAR SHIFTER (WHICH I DON'T THINK NEEDED TO HAPPEN IN THE FIRST PLACE). ALSO JUST RECENTLY NOTICED THAT THE CONSOLE AROUND THE RADIO AND THE HEAT DUCT WAS LOOSE.