NHTSA Complaint #10403817 — 2002 FORD EXPLORER

THIS REQUESTED RECALL INVOLVES A 2002 FORD EXPLORER HAVING AN AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION. DURING NORMAL USE, THE SHIFT LEVER BREAKS OFF AT A CAST ROTATING CYLINDER THAT TRANSMITS THE TORQUE FROM THE GEAR SHIFTER TO PUSH AND PULL THE CABLE THAT PUTS THE VEHICLE IN PARK, DRIVE, NEUTRAL, AND REVERSE. THE VEHICLE ALSO HAD A TENDENCY TO JUMP OUT OF PARK EVEN BEFORE THE PART BROKE WHICH CAUSED THE VEHICLE TO ROLL BACK AND ALMOST PINNED ME BETWEEN ANOTHER VEHICLE WHEN THE VEHICLE ROLLED BACK AND CRASHED INTO A VEHICLE PARKED DOWNHILL. THIS WAS A NEAR MISS ACCIDENT. FORD WANTS TO CHARGE $1500 TO REPLACE THE ENTIRE STEERING COLUMN. WE ELECTED TO JUNK THE VEHICLE AT THIS TIME UNTIL ANOTHER SOLUTION CAN BE FOUND. VEHICLE STILL DRIVES IF YOU REACH YOUR HAND AND PUSH/PULL THE TRANSMISSION CABLE TO SHIFT THE AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION INTO GEAR. WE CAN SEND THE BROKE OFF SECTION OF THE PART IF YOU WILL RETURN IT. ON THE INTERNET, THERE ARE MANY REPORTS OF THE SAME FAILURE FOR YEARS 2002 THROUGH 2005 FORD EXPLORERS. *TR