NHTSA Complaint #10421267 — 2002 FORD EXPLORER

I HAVE A 2002 FORD EXPLORER THAT HAS 120,000 MILES ON IT. I WAS RECENTLY DRIVING BACK HOME FROM A TRIP IN SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA TO SACRAMENTO, CALIFORNIA. TWO DAYS AFTER HAVING MY CAR FULLY SERVICED AND MY OVER DRIVE LIGHT CAME ON AND AS SOON AS THAT HAPPENED MY CAR STARTED TELLING ME I NEED TO GET MY TRANSMISSION CHECKED. I SAT THERE THINKING TO MYSELF HOW CAN THIS BE HAPPENING I JUST SPENT 800 DOLLARS TO HAVE ALL OF MY FLUIDS FLUSHED, BRAKES CHECKED, EVERYTHING. I TOOK MY CAR BACK TO THE AUTO REPAIR STORE AND THEY TOLD ME I NEEDED A NEW TRANSMISSION AND AFTER LABOR IT WOULD BE AROUND 5000 (I THINK I WAS QUOTED THAT PRICE BECAUSE I'M A YOUNG FEMALE, I WAS LOOKING ONLINE AND MOST PEOPLE WERE QUOTED AROUND 3000). I'M A FULL TIME COLLEGE STUDENT PAYING FOR MY CLASSES WITH STUDENT LOANS AND GRANTS. I DON'T HAVE A FEW THOUSAND DOLLARS SITTING AROUND AT MY DISPOSAL TO FIX MY CAR. I ALSO CAN'T HAVE MY CAR IN THE SHOP FOR A LONG PERIOD OF TIME DUE TO THE FACT IF I MISS MORE THAN 3 CLASSES MOST OF MY PROFESSORS WILL DROP ME. I HAVE RESEARCHED THIS ISSUE AND MANY OTHER CONSUMERS NOT JUST MYSELF HAVE HAD THIS INCIDENT HAPPEN TO THEM, I BELIEVE FORD IS IN THE WRONG FOR HAVING FAULTY MANUFACTURING, THEY HAVE MADE IT SO ANY TRANSMISSION WORK HAS TO BE DONE BY THE DEALER, YOU CAN'T EVEN CHECK YOUR OWN TRANSMISSION FLUID. I FEEL AS IF FORD NEEDS TO ISSUE A RECALL ON THEIR TRANSMISSIONS OR OFFER SOME KIND OF HELP TO PAY FOR THESE UNACCEPTABLE INCIDENTS. *TR