NHTSA Complaint #738666 — 1998 FORD EXPLORER

TORQUE CONVERTER FAILED, IT LOST INTERNAL INTEGRITY & EXPERIENCED INTERNAL CLUTCH DAMAGE. METAL EXITING THE TORQUE CONVERTER CAUSED OCCULUSSIONARY BLOCKAGES AT REAR SECTION LUBE ORIFICES ELEVATING INTERNAL AMBIENT TEMPERATURES WHILE ELEVATING STRESS TO GEARTRAIN COMPONENTS. CLUTCHES & BANDS BECAME METAL IMPREGNATED. BEARINGS BUSHINGS & WASHERS BECAME PITTED DUE TO METALIZED FLUID PASSING THROUGH INNER SURFACES. SPRAGS BECAME FLAT SPOTTED AT CAM SURFACE - DAMAGED THE RACE & CREATED MORE METAL. SOLENOIDS WERE METAL CONTAMINATED. INTERNAL SEALS WERE HARD, INDICATING METAL CONTAMINATION. VEHICLE WOULD ONLY RUN IN REVERSE AFTER THIS CATASTROPHIC FAILURE AND REQUIRES $2400 IN REPAIRS. CAR ONLY HAS 46000 MILES ON IT. *AK