NHTSA Complaint #703800 — 1991 FORD EXPLORER

APPARENTLY THE MAZDA STD 5 SPD SOLD IN THESE TRUCKS IS DESTINED TO FAIL. IT HAS SO I'M TOLD (RECENTLY SAW WHEN I WAS FORCED TO GET REBUILT DO TO DEALER REFUSING TO ACT ON MY COMPLAINT)THREE RUBBER PLUGS THAT ARE DESIGNED TO FAIL. WHY THEY ARE THERE IS BEYOND ME. AFTER A TIME THEY START TO SEEP AND CAUSE TRANSMISSION FLIUD TO SLOWLY LEAK OUT ONLY WHEN VEHICLE IS RUNNING IE IN GEAR. AS THE FLUID DRIPS OUT MOVING DOWN ROAD YOU DON'T NOTICE IT. ONCE IT GETS LOW ENOUGH IT CAUSES TRANNY TO OVERHEAT. I BROUGHT VEHICLE IN THE FIRST TIME THIS TELL TALE SIGN OF NO CLUTCH OCCURRED. TRANSMISSION SHOP TOLD ME THAT DEALER SHOULD HAVE AT LEAST TEST DROVE VEHICLE WHEN I BROUGHT IT IN. OF COURSE WHEN I GOT THERE IT WAS WORKING PROPERLY BECAUSE IT HAD COOLED DOWN, BOTH OUTSIDE TEMP & VEHICLE SINCE IT WAS PARKED WHILE IN LAWYERS OFFICE. I POINTED OUT IT LOOKED LIKE IT WAS LEAKING SOMETHING & THEY SHRUGGED IT OFF AS PROBALY AN OIL LEAK. SINCE THEY WOULDN'T EVEN MAKE AN APPOINTMENT FOR ME TO BRING IN @ A LATER DATE I TOOK IT TO MEAN, SINCE THEY'RE THE EXPERTS THAT I DIDN'T HAVE A SERIOUS PROBLEM. WELL APPARENTLY I DID BECAUSE AFTER ABOUT A MONTH THE INPUT SHAFT WAS SEVERED WHILE I WAS DRIVING ON HIGHWAY DRIVING BESIDE A 18 WHEELER. LUCKILY NOTHING HAPPENED TO VEHICLE BUT WOODY ANDERSON PUT MY LIFE IN DANGER UNNECESSARILY BY IGNORING MY PROBLEM. I FOUND OUT LATER THE SERVICE MGR WAS AWARE OF THE PROBLEM W/ THESE TRANSMISSIONS BUT NEGLECTED TO TRAIN HIS STAFF ON IT. THEIR GENERAL MGR KI. HARRIS SAID TO ME ON 12/15 THAT HE WAS IN BUSINESS TO SERVICE VEHICLES & HE WOULD DO WHAT WOULD MAKE ME HAPPY. WELL NOW IT'S ME AGAINST THE BIG DEALERSHIP, FOR HE HAS GONE ACK ON HIS WORD. I NEED ADDITIONAL DATA TO SUPPORT MY POSITION FROM YOUR DATA BANKS TO SHOW THIS IS ONE A POOR DESIGH & TWO A KNOWN PROBLEM WAS NOT CONVEYED TO CUSTOMER WHICH COULD HAVE RESULTED IN SERIOUS INJURY IF I LOST POWER PASSING ON A ONE LANE ROAD OR SIMILAR SITUATION WHERE I COULD NOT AVOID AN ACCIDENT .