NHTSA Complaint #10426390 — 2004 FORD EXPLORER

I BOUGHT A USED 2004 FORD EXPLORER IN SEPTEMBER 2009. IN JUNE 20111 MY HUSBAND AND WAS DRIVING AND I WAS IN THE PASSENGER SEAT. WE BOTH COULD FEEL THE TRANSMISSION SLIPPING AS HE DROVE BUT FIGURED THAT IT COULD NOT BE THE TRANSMISSION BECAUSE THE VEHICLE ONLY HAD 57,177 MILES ON IT. WE ARRIVED AT OUR DESTINATION 10 MINUTES LATER AND BY THAT TIME WE COULD NO LONGER REVERSE THE VEHICLE AT ALL. I CALLED THE LOCAL FORD DEALERSHIP AND THEY SAID TO DRIVE THE VEHICLE OVER THERE AND THEY WOULD TAKE A LOOK AT IT. THE PAPERWORK I HAVE FROM THEM STATES "VERIFIED CONCERN, PERFORMED ELECTRONIC TRANSMISSION DIAGNOSIS, PULLED CODE PO731, CHECKED FLUID LEVEL - FULL. DROPPED THE TRANSMISSION OIL PAN AND FOUND EXCESSIVE METAL DEBRIS INDICATING INTERNAL FAILURE. TECH RECOMMENDED REPLACING WITH A FORD REMAN UNIT." THE FORD DEALERSHIP'S ESTIMATE FOR ME WAS ALMOST $5,000.00 FOR THE TRANSMISSION TO BE REPLACED. I CALLED AROUND TO OTHER SHOPS AND HAD THE TRANSMISSION REPLACED WITH A JASPER UNIT WHICH COST ME $3467.30. IT HAS A THREE-YEAR WARRANTY ON IT. I HAVE BEEN READING ONLINE ABOUT THIS PROBLEM WITH 2004 FORD EXPLORERS. FOR ALMOST A YEAR BEFORE THE TRANSMISSION DIED IT WOULD OFTEN HAVE DELAYED SHIFTING WHEN GOING IN REVERSE AND I JUST ASSUMED IT WAS A TOUCHY PEDAL, LOOKING BACK NOW I REALIZE IT WAS MOST LIKELY THE TRANSMISSION. THIS NEVER OCCURRED TO ME BECAUSE OF THE VEHICLE ONLY HAVING 57,000 MILES ON IT. I NO LONGER FEEL COMFORTABLE DRIVING THIS VEHICLE KNOWING THAT IT HAS THE PROBLEMS THAT IT DOES BUT I HAVE NO OTHER CHOICE BECAUSE WE STILL OWE MORE ON THE LOAN THAN THE VEHICLE IS WORTH. *TR