NHTSA Complaint #10437297 — 2004 FORD EXPLORER

MY VEHICLE FAILED TO ENGAGE IN PARK EVEN THOUGH I SHIFTED INTO PARK AND CONSOLE INDICATOR DISPLAYED PARK. I HAD SHIFTED INTO PARK ON A STEEP HILL. AS I EXITED THE VEHICLE, I RELEASED THE BRAKES AND ONE OF MY PASSENGERS ALERTED ME THAT THE VEHICLE WAS ROLLING BACKWARDS. I JUMPED BACK INTO THE VEHICLE, APPLIED THE BRAKES AND THE MOTION STOPPED. I VERIFIED THAT PARK WAS DISPLAYED ON THE CENTER CONSOLE, WHICH IT WAS. I THEN SHIFTED INTO REVERSE AND NEUTRAL AND BACK INTO PARK, AND THE SECOND TIME THE TRANSMISSION ENGAGED INTO PARK. WITHOUT MY PASSENGERS ALERTING ME TO THE VEHICLE MOTION, MY VEHICLE WOULD HAVE CRASHED AND POTENTIALLY INJURED THOSE IN THE VEHICLE. AFTER DETERMINING THE VEHICLE WAS IN PARK, I EXAMINED THE TIRE TRACKS IN THE SNOW TO SEE IF THERE WAS ANY CHANCE THAT THE VEHICLE SLID RATHER THAN ROLLED ON THE ROAD. THE TIRE TRACKS SHOWED CLEAR TIRE INDENTATIONS AND DID NOT INDICATE SLIDING, LEADING ME TO DETERMINE THAT THE VEHICLE DID NOT ENGAGE INTO PARK EVEN THOUGH THE CONSOLE INDICATED IT WAS IN PARK. *TR