NHTSA Complaint #739022 — 1995 FORD EXPLORER

FORD SUPPOSELY REPLACED OUR TRANSMISSION IN JAN. 1999 DUE TO A DEFECT THEY COULD NOT EXPLAIN, I PAID $550.00, THE DEALER SUPPOSELY PAID $550.00 AND FORD WAS WARRANTYING THE REMAINDER. THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON THE VEHICLE 18 DEC, 2000 . I TOLD THEM THAT THE VEHICLE WAS NOT SHIFTING OUT CORRECTLY. SO NOT TO DAMAGE THE VEHICLE I HAD IT TOWED TO OUR FORD SERVICE DEPARTMENT. FORD INSTALLED AN AIT SENSOR AT A COST OF $293.78. THE VEHICLE WAS READY TO PICK UP ON THE 19 DEC, 2000. DUE TO THE WEATHER WE DID NOT DRIVE THE VEHICLE FOR SEVERAL DAYS, THEN AFTER ABOUT 15 MILES THE O/D OFF INDICATOR STARTED FLASHING. I AGAIN CALLED FORD. I WAS TOLD THAT WE COULD DRIVE THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALERSHIP. I TALKED WITH FRED SIZEMORE, SERVICE MANAGER SEVERAL TIMES ABOUT THE STATUS OF THE VEHICLE. HE TOLD ME THAT FORD WAS BRINGING IN A SPECIAL COMPUTER TO SEE IF THEY COULD FIND THE PROBLEM. FINALLY ON DEC. 29 FRED TOLD ME THAT THE TRANSMISSION AGAIN WAS OUT AND THAT HE WAS TALKING WITH FORD ABOUT THE PROBLEM. ON TUESDAY, 2 JANUARY FRED CALLED TO TELL ME THAT FORD WOULD NOT STAND BEHIND THE NEW TRANSMISSION. THE PERSON THAT FRED SPOKE WITH SAID "THERE COMES A TIME WHEN THE CONSUMER HAS TO TAKE RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE VEHICLE". I SPOKE WITH LOVIA AT FORD COSTOMER ASSISTANCE THIS MORNING. SHE ADVISED ME THAT FORD HAD A 1 YEAR/12,000 MILE WARRANTY ON PARTS AND WE HAD EXCEEDED THAT. I TOLD HER THAT THIS WAS "SUPPOSELY" A NEW TRANSMISSION AND THAT IT SHOULD HAVE THE SAME WARRANTY AS A NEW TRANSMISSION. ALL SERVICE ON THIS VEHICLE HAS BEEN DONE AT THE DEALER AND WE HAD THE RECORDS TO SHOW THAT WE HAD PAID FOR THE SERVICING. WE CAN SHOW THE AMOUNT OF MONEY WE HAVE SPENT ON THIS VEHICLE IN MAINTENANCE. FORD KNEW WHEN THEY SUPPOSELY PUT IN THIS NEW TRANSMISSION THAT WE WOULD AGAIN HAVE PROBLEMS AND WILL NOT STAND BEHIND DEFECTIVE EQUIPMENT.*AK