NHTSA Complaint #11019564 — 2013 FORD EXPLORER

SHIFT TO PARK/TRANSMISSION NOT IN PARK MESSAGE: FORD HAS TECH SERV BULLETIN TSB-0047 ON FILE. A SWITCH OR COMPONENT IN MULTIPLE FORD (EXPLORER, EDGE, TAURUS, LINCOLN MKX; YEARS 2011-2015) AND MAZDA 6 VEHICLES IS FAILING AND INDICATING THAT VEHICLE IS NOT IN PARK. THE SWITCH IS WITHIN THE SHIFT LEVER ASSEMBLY. THIS IS AN EXTREME SAFETY HAZARD WHEN A VEHICLE IS NOT SECURED IN A PARKED POSITION. FORD IS CHARGING CUSTOMERS $250-1000 TO FIX - DEPENDING UPON THE DEALER & CUSTOMER (MALE, FEMALE, WHITE, BLACK, HISPANIC) - & IT REQUIRES COMPLETE REPLACEMENT OF THE SHIFT LEVER ASSEMBLY. THIS COMPONENT IS PART OF THE POWER TRAIN BUT FORD WILL NOT COVER IT UNDER THE 5 YR/60000 MILE WARRANTY. NUMEROUS COMPLAINTS WERE FOUND DURING GOOGLE SEARCH FOR "FORD SHIFT TO PARK LEVER ASSEMBLY PROBLEM." IF A VEHICLE IS POSITIONED ON A SLOPE, IT COULD EASILY ROLL AWAY AND INJURE SOMEONE. THIS FAILED ELECTRONIC COMPONENT COULD RESULT IN INJURY OR DEATH. A RECALL SHOULD BE ISSUED BEFORE SOMEONE IS SEVERELY INJURED, NOT AFTER. I HAVE NO CONFIDENCE THAT MY VEHICLE IS ACTUALLY IN "PARK" ANY LONGER EVEN WHEN THE DISPLAY DOES NOT SHOW THE INDICATOR. IN 9 OF 10 TIMES THE LAST THREE DAYS, THE INDICATOR HAS SHOWN THAT THE VEHICLE IS NOT IN PARK. IT DISPLAYS THE "SHIFT TO PARK" MESSAGE EACH TIME. IT IS HAPPENING MORE AND MORE FREQUENTLY. I VISITED MY DEALER TODAY. THEY FIRST DENIED A TSB EXISTED. THEN, I EXPLAINED THAT I KNEW THERE HAD TO BE ONE. SHOCKINGLY, THEY FOUND IT - ONLY AFTER I SAID I WOULD FILE THIS COMPLAINT. NHTSA SHOULD FORCE FORD TO ACT NOW BEFORE THIS BLOWS UP IN THE NEWS. THE NEGATIVE PR WILL BE BAD FOR THE CURRENT ADMINISTRATION, NHTSA, FORD, AND THE ECONOMY AS A WHOLE. A RECALL WILL NOT BE PERCEIVED AS BAD AS THE COVER-UP ONGOING BY FORD. I FULLY UNDERSTAND RECALLS. I AM A FORMER CPSC INVESTIGATOR. THANKS. [XXX] [XXX] [XXX] INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6).'*JB