NHTSA Complaint #770217 — 2002 FORD EXPLORER

WHILE DRIVING APPROX. 40 MPH, VEHICLE SUDDENLY WENT INTO 4 WHEEL DRIVE LOW RANGE. OCCUPANT WAS WEARING SEAT BELT AND CAR CAME TO AN ABRUPT STOP. ACCIDENT WAS AVOIDED DUE TO LIGHT TRAFFIC THIS DAY. CAR IS @DEALER 4 REPAIR. DEALER CLAIMS COMPUTER THAT SENDS SIGNAL TO 4 WHEEL DRIVE TRANSFER CASE FAILED DUE TO COLD WEATHER AND SENT FAULTY SIGNAL TO ENGAGE 4 WHEEL DRIVE INTO LOW RANGE. TEMP WAS 40 DEG. THAT DAY. I AM CONCERNED ABOUT THE STRESS PUT ON ALL OF THE INTERNAL DRIVE COMPONENTS DUE TO THIS SUDDEN ENGAGEMENT. DEALER SAYS THEY CHECKED FOR OUTSIDE DAMAGE, BUT DAMAGE WILL MOST LIKELY BE INTERNAL I.E. TRANSMISSION, TRANSFER CASE, SHAFTS, ENGINE, DRIVE ASSEMBLYS. THE DAY B4 WE TRAVELED ON THE INTERSTATE AT SPEEDS BETWEEN 60-70 MPH. IF THIS HAD OCCURED AT THIS SPEED IT WOULD HAVE BEEN MUCH WORSE. WIFE WENT FORWARD DURING ENGAGEMENT AND STRAINED HER SHOULDER. SHE WAS WEARING HER SEAT BELT THOUGH. DT