NHTSA Complaint #10485460 — 2004 FORD EXPLORER

ON APRIL 6TH OF THIS YEAR I PURCHASED A 2004 FORD EXPLORER. THE NEXT DAY I TOOK THE CAR FOR CITY INSPECTION...IT PASSED. THE VERY NEXT DAY (SUNDAY) THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON. THE ABS LIGHT WOULD ALSO ILLUMINATE. I TOOK THE CAR TO AUTOZONE TO HAVE IT DIAGNOSED (EGR VALVE). ONLY THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT COULD BE DIAGNOSED BECAUSE THE ABS LIGHT CAME ON AT RANDOM WHILE I WAS DRIVING. THE CAR WAS STILL UNDER THE 1000 MILE WARRANTY SO THE EGR VALVE WAS REPLACED AND A SPEED SENSOR BELIEVED TO BE THE PROBLEM WITH THE ABS LIGHT. I PURCHASED AN INDEPENDENT EXTENDED WARRANTY SO I WOULD BE COVERED FOR ANY SURPRISE EXPENSES. I HAD MY CHANCE TO USE IT IN JUST A FEW MONTHS LATER WHEN THE CAR RAN HOT. THE REPAIR WAS NOT COVERED. THIS HAPPENED IN JULY, JUST A FEW MONTHS AFTER BUYING THE CAR. EARLIER THIS MONTH (NOVEMBER 2012) THE SERVICE ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON AGAIN BUT IT DIDN'T STAY ON SO I COULDN'T GET IT DIAGNOSED. NO NEED TO HAVE IT DIAGNOSED BECAUSE THE BATTERY LIGHT CAME ON TOO. I TOOK IT TO AUTOZONE ONCE AGAIN AND THE BATTERY TESTED BAD. IT WOULDN'T START AT THE STORE. I BOUGHT THE BATTERY, IT WAS INSTALLED AND CHECKED AGAIN. THE ALTERNATOR SHOWED IT WASN'T CHARGING. I HAD TO HAVE THE ALTERNATOR REPLACED. WITH THE COLD WEATHER, I DISCOVERED THE DEFROST VENTS DON'T WORK. AIR ONLY BLOWS FROM FRONT VENTS. ON THE MORNING OF NOVEMBER 19TH, I WAS TAKING MY SON TO SCHOOL AND THE OVERDRIVE LIGHT STARTED FLASHING. IT HAPPENED AGAIN WHILE ON MY WAY HOME FROM WORK ON NOVEMBER 21ST. SO NOW I SUPPOSE I HAVE TRANSMISSION PROBLEMS. FORD NEEDS TO ANSWER FOR THEIR HORRIBLE ENGINEERING. *TR