NHTSA Complaint #11011958 — 2017 FORD EXPLORER

UPON PARKING OUR BRAND NEW EXPLORER IN OUR DRIVEWAY (IT HAS A 10 DEGREE SLANT), WE TURNED OFF THE KEYLESS/PUSH BUTTON IGNITION, BUT MY HUSBAND ACCIDENTALLY HAD IT IN DRIVE. OUR SMALL CHILDREN WERE UNCLIPPING THEIR SEATBELTS AND STARTING TO GET OUT OF THE VEHICLE WHEN MY HUSBAND TOOK HIS FOOT OFF THE BRAKE. WITH THE CAR IN DRIVE AND IGNITION OFF, IT ROLLED BACK VERY QUICKLY DOWN OUR DRIVEWAY. THIS COULD HAVE BEEN DEADLY TO OUR SMALL CHILDREN HAD THEY OPENED THEIR DOORS. I CALLED FORD.COM WHO TOLD ME TO CALL THE DEALER. I CALLED DEALER. THEY TOOK ONE OF THEIR 2017 EXPLORERS FROM THE LOT AND TRIED TO GET IT TO ROLL IN GEAR AFTER TURNING OFF THE ENGINE AND THEIR VEHICLE ALSO DID IT. IN REVERSE AND IN DRIVE. THEIR SOLUTION WAS TO "MAKE SURE YOU HAVE IT IN PARK BEFORE YOU TURN IT OFF." SOME ONE IS GOING TO DIE!!! EVEN IF I WOULD MAKE IT OUT BEFORE GETTING RUN OVER, MY BABY IN A CAR SEAT IN THE BACK OF THE CAR WOULD BE ROLLED INTO THE BUSY STREET WITHIN A MATTER OF SECONDS!! KILLING HER AND ANY ONCOMING CAR OR TRUCK!!! ALSO, THIS SAME EXPLORER- WITH ONLY 800 MILES ON IT, HAD ITS TRANSMISSION FALL OFF THE MOUNT AND LAND ON THE AXLE AND BROKE THE AXLED WHILE I WAS DRIVING DOWN THE STREET. HEARD BANGING SOUNDS, THEN THEY GOT LOUDER, THEN THE STEERING GOT HARD, THEN IT FELT LIKE IT WAS FALLING APART-ALL IN THE MATTER OF 1 MILE ON A CITY STREET GOING 25MPH. NOT SURE IF WE JUST GOT A LEMON HERE? PUT THE GEAR/ROLLING AFTER ENGINE OFF IF NOT IN PARK IS VERY, VERY SERIOUS AND NEEDS TO ME LOOKED INTO BEFORE SOMEONE DIES!!!!!!! I DON'T HAVE THE REPAIR SHEET TO SCAN BECAUSE A WEEK AFTER THE TRANMISSION/AXLE WERE REPAIRED, IT STARTED VIBRATING AND SWERVING WHEN I WAS BRAKING, SO IT'S BACK IN THE SHOP. WE'VE OWNED THE CAR FOR ABOUT 3 WEEKS AND IT'S BEEN IN THE SHOP FOR A LARGE PERCENTAGE OF THAT TIME. THIS SPECIFIC MODEL IS THE 2017 FORD EXPLORER SPORT. FORD.COM WAS INFORMED OF THIS.