1996 FORD EXPLORER Power Trainautomatic Transmission Problems

OUR 96 FORD EXPLORER TRANSMISSION HAS SLIPPED OUT OF GEAR AT UNPREDICTABLE TIMES, SPEEDS, AND INCLINES. ONLY HAVE HAD A BACK BUMPER "BUMPED" WHEN THIS HAPPENED, BUT WOULD REALLY LIKE FOR SOME DEPT OR ENTITY TO REFER US TO A TRULY KNOWLEDGEABLE AND EXPERIENCED TRANSMISSION SHOP OR OTHER HELPFUL SOURCE. *TR

DT: THE VEHICLE STARTED ON FEBRUARY 2, 2005 TOOK IT TO THE DEALER, AND THEY SAID THE WATER PUMP WENT OUT, BUT DID NOT REPLACE IT. ALSO, THERE WAS A RADIATOR LEAK. THEY DID NOT REPLACE ANYTHING. WHEN PUTTING THE VEHICLE INTO GEAR THE TRUCK WILL JERK. FORD SAID THIS WAS THE WAY IT WAS SUPPOSE TO DRIVE. TOOK THE VEHICLE TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC, THEY SAID IT WAS THE TRANSMISSION. THE INDEPENDENT MECHANIC COULD TELL IT WAS NOT HOOKED UP PROPERLY. NOW THE INDEPENDENT MECHANIC STATED THIS WAS WHY THE VEHICLE WAS TORN UP DUE TO THE WAY FORD HAD THE CONSUMER DRIVE THE VEHICLE.*AK

THURSDAY JULY 29TH,2004 STARTED TO MAKE LEFT TURN STALLED ROLLED OUT OF WAY OF TO AVOID ACCIDENT.FEW SECONDS LATER WAS ABLE TO GO FORWARD DROVE APP.20 MILES NO PROBLEMS,NORMAL.PARKED IN DRIVE VEHICLE SAT OVER NIGHT APP.14HRS.JULY 30TH DROVE APP.5-6 MILES THEN BEGIN TO NOT FEEL GEARS SHIFTING,DROVE HOME.PARKED WAITED 3-4 HRS CHECKED TRANSMISSIOM FLUID DID NOT LOOK RIGHT.WAITED OVER NIGHT WAS TOLD LOOKED LIKE WATER IN FLUID,WAS TOLD TO CHECK RADIATOR,FOUND TRANSMISSION FLUID IN RADIATOR.HOW DID THIS HAPPEN.NO WARNING,NOTHING. *AK

PROBLEMS WITH 1996 FORD EXPLORER'S ENGINE AND TRANSMISSION. *MR *SC *JB

WHILE PULLING OUT OF A PARKING LOT VEHICLE DIED. VEHICLE WOULD NOT GO INTO REVERSE OR DRIVE. *AK

WHILE DRIVING VEHICLE SUDDENLY HESITATED TO ACCELERATE, TRANSMISSION HAD GONE BAD, PER DEALERSHIP.*AK

WE PURCHASED OUR VEHICLE USED IN 1999 WITH 33000 MILES. 6 MONTHS AFTER THE PURCHASE WE NEEDED A NEW TRANSMISSION, ANOTHER NEW TRANSMISSION LAST YEAR (2002), NEW BALL JOINTS, AND NOW WE ARE BEING TOLD THE RACK AND PINION NEEDS TO BE REPLACED. FORD HAS NOT OFFERED ANY RECALLS ON THIS PART BUT I HAVE SEEN OTHER COMPLAINTS REGARDING THIS. MY VEHICLE IS CONSTANTLY SHAKING (FEELS LIKE I AM GOING OVER RUMBLE STRIPS) WHEN I AM OVER 30-40 MPH. WE ALSO JUST HAD OUR VEHICLE ALIGNED AND IT IS OUT OF ALIGNMENT AGAIN BECAUSE OF THIS PROBLEM. *JB

WE HAVE A 1996 FORD EXPLORER WITH ONLY 74,000 MILES. WHEN WE BOUGHT THE VEHICLE IT HAD ONLY 25,000 MILES. THE MAINTENANCE ON THE TRANSMISSION WAS DONE ACCORDING TO THE MAINTENANCE BOOK. WHEN THE VEHICLE IS PUT INTO GEAR IT SLIPS IN EACH FORWARD GEAR. REVERSE GEAR NO LONGER WORKS. WHEN IN REVERSE ITS AS THOUGH IN PARK. THE OVERDRIVE LIGHT FLASHES RAPIDLY.

1) NO HEAT, ONLY BLOWS COLD AIR. 2) TRANSMISSION DOES NOT SHIFT SMOOTHLY FROM REVERSE TO DRIVE.

WHILE DRIVING VEHICLE WILL SKIP GEARS. VEHICLE WILL SHIFT FROM FIRST TO THIRD GEAR. CONSUMER HAD VEHICLE SERVICED AND WAS INFORMED BY THE MECHANIC THAT THE 2ND GEAR BAND HAD BROKEN. VEHICLE HAS AN AUTOMACTIC TRANSMISSION. MR

TRANSMISSION FAILED. *AK

WHILE DRIVING, VEHICLE MAKES A LOUD HUMMING SOUND WHICH COMES FROM FRONT END OF VEHICLE. ALSO, TRANSMISSION HAS FAILED. CONSUMER CONSTANTLY HAS TO TAKE VEHICLE TO DEALER. *AK THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT ILLUMINATED. THE SPEED SENSOR AND THE O2 SENSOR WERE REPLACED. JG

NO SUMMARY LISTED FOR ABOVE VEHICLE. *AK

NO SUMMARY LISTED FOR ABOVE VEHICLE. *AK

WITHIN A 6 MONTH SPAN CONSUMER HAS REPLACED TRANSMISSION TWICE. TRANSMIISSION EXPLODED WHILE CONSUMER WAS DRIVING. CONSUMER WAS TRYING TO ACCELERATE, AND THE VEHICEL WAS NOT ACCELERATI NG.*AK

AFTER I BOUGHT THIS VEHICLE, I HAVE TAKEN IT BACK AT LEAST 6 TIMES DUE TO A VIBRATION. ON FEB.2001, THE TRANSMISSION WAS REPLACED. THIS PROBLEM STILL EXISTED, JUST NOT AS MUCH. I TOOK THE MECHANIC ON A TEST DRIVE 2 TIMES AFTER THE TRANSMISSION WAS REPLACED. UNFORTUNITELY IT DID NOT DO THE VIBRATION. JUST RECENTLY, IT STARTED GETTING WORSE. I TOOK IT TO ANOTHER FORD DEALER TODAY, I WAS TOLD THAT IT WAS THE TORQUE CONVERTER. AT THE TIME OF THE TRANSMISSION REPLACEMENT, I ASKED ABOUT THE TORQUE CONVERTER, I WAS TOLD THAT IT WAS REPLACED WITH THE TRANSMISSION. OBVIOUSLY THIS WAS NOT DONE.*AK

VEHICLE STOPPED RUNNING WHILE DRIVING AT 35-40 MPH. VEHICLE TAKEN TO A INDEPENDENT REPAIR SHOP FOR TRANSMISSON REPAIRS. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER INFORMATION.*AK

WAS TRAVELING 30MPH AND VEHICLE WOULD NOT SHIFT INTO 3RD GEAR FROM 2ND GEAR. TRANSMISSION WOULD SLIP HARD. VEHICLE WOULD JERK WHEN THIS HAPPENED. AT DEALERSHIP, TRANSMISSION WAS REPLACED WITH A USED ONE, BUT SAME PROBLEM OCCURRED. *AK

THE VEHICLES OVERDRIVE FAILED RESULTING IN TRANSMISSION FAILURE, THE MANUFACTURER HAS BEEN CONTACTED. NLM

O/D LIGHT FLASHES AFTER 15 MIN. OF RUNNING VEHICLE. TRANSMISSION THEN SHIFTS HARD UP AND DOWN. FORD SERVICE SAYS THEY CANNOT FIND ANYTHING WRONG.*AK

NO SUMMARY LISTED FOR ABOVE VEHICLE. *AK

THIS VEHICLE WAS PROFESSIONALLY SERVICED AND MAINTAINED. AT 74,000 MILES THE TRANSMISSION BEGAN SLIPPING. WHEN FORD TESTED THE VEHICLE THEY TOLD ME IT BROKE DOWN AN THAT THE STARTER, FLYWHEEL, TORQUE CONVERTER AND ENTIRE TRANSMISSION HAD TO BE REPLACED. THEY SAID THEY HAVE NEVER SEEN THIS BEFORE. THE MORE I TALK ABOUT THIS, THE MORE I HEAR ABOUT FORD EXPLORER TRANSMISSION PROBLEMS.*AK

VEHICLE GOT STUCK OIN PARK POSITION. ALSO, SOMETIMES WHILE DRIVING TRANSMISSION COULD BE STUCK IN DRIVE GEAR. *AK

DURING A ROUTINE TRANSMISSION FLUID AND FILTER CHANGE I DISCOVERED A POTENTIAL PROBLEM.DURING THE REFILL AND CHECK OF PROPER FLUID LEVEL THE DIPSTICK GIVES A FALSE INDICATION THAT THE FLUID IS AT THE CORRECT LEVEL. IT INDICATED TO ME THAT THE LEVEL WAS OVER FULL. THIS WAS EVEN VERIFIED BY A CERTIFIED ASE TECHNICIAN AT A LOCAL WALMART. HE NOTED THE LEVEL WAS LOW. I DISCOVERED THAT YOU HAVE TO LOOK AT THE OPPOSITE SIDE OF THE DIPSTICK TO ACQUIRE THE CORRECT READING. BY DOING THIS I DISCOVERED THE FLUID WAS NEARLY 2 QUARTS LOW. THE READING ON THE FRONT SIDE NEVER CHANGED WHERE THE CROSS HATCHED INDICATORS ARE. THIS COULD BE FIXED BY A SIMPLE CHANGE IN THE DIPSTICK. THIS PRESENTS A PROBLEM OF TRANSMISSION FAILURE DUE TO IMPROPER FLUID LEVELS. I BELIEVE OWNERS SHOULD BE NOTIFIED. *AK

TRANSMISSION FAILED TWICE UNDER NORMAL DRIVING CONDITIONS. LOST POWER UNDER CERTAIN CIRCUMSTANCES. SAME PROBLEM BOTH TIMES. ENGINE SEIZED WHEN VEHICLE HIT A PUDDLE OF WATER AT LOW SPEED. AIR INTAKE IS MOUNTED UNUSALLY LOW ON THIS EXPLORER ALLOWING WATER INTO THE COMBUSTION CHAMBER AND CAUSING HYDROSTATIC LOCK. FORD MOTOR COMPANY HAS BEEN CONTACTED AND READS A SCRIPTED RESPONSE WHEN I HAVE TRIED TO GET ANY ADDITIONAL INFORMATION ABOUT WHAT I CONSIDER A SERIOUS DESIGN FLAW. *AK

UNCONTROLLED RAPID ACCELERATION. ONLY STOP BY SET TRONSMISSION IN NEUTRAL AND/OR PUNCH DOWN ON GAS PEDAL. HAPPENED 3 TIMES TO DATE. *AK

TRANSMISSION NOT SHIFTING INTO 3RD GEAR ONCED WARMED UP. THIS VEHICLE HAS BEEN SERVICED BY FORD SINCE NEW AT THE DEALER IT WAS PURCHASED AT. SERVICE VERIFIED PROBLEM BUT DIDN'T KNOW WHAT CAUSED IT, SAID THEY'VE SEEN THIS 3-4 TIMES AND COULD ONLY RECOMMEND OVERHUAL OR REPLACEMENT. FLUID FOR TRANSMISSION HAD BEEN OVERFILLED WHEN SERVICED BY THEM IN FEBUARY 2000. EST COST OF REPAIR 2-3000. *AK

TRANSMISSION WAS WHISTLING/RUBBLING, AND WOULD NOT DRIVE. AT 13 MONTHS OLD TRANSMISSION WAS REPLACED. CURRENTLY, NOISES WERE BACK, BUT IT WAS RUNNING. DEALER TOLD CONSUMER NOT TO DRIVE VEHICLE. *AK

NO SAFETY DEFECT LISTED. *AK

THIS SUV V-8 IS FOUR YEARS OLD WITH 63,000 MILES ON IT, AND THE TRANSMISSION WENT OUT, I AM THE ORIGINAL OWNER AND HAD TAKEN THE CAR IN FOR ALL OF IT SERVICES , THERE IS NO REASON WHY THIS TRANSMISSION SHOULD OF GONE OUT @ 63,000 MILES, 4 YEARS OLD, SOMETHING IS WRONG WITH THE MAKE OF THIS, IT COST 2,300.00 TO REPLACE IT WITH A FORD REBUILT TRANSMISSION. *AK

IN JUNE OF 1996, 1 NEW TIRE BLEW OUT, AND I WAS LUCKY TO GET A REPLACEMENT AND GOODYEAR REINBURSED ME FOR THE COST OF A NEW TIRE. EVENTUALLY, MY TIRES STARTED WEARING ODDLY, AND AFTER GETTING A WHOLE NEW SET, MY SWAY BAR LINK BROKE. I HAD THE SWAY BAR REPLACED, BUT MY NEW TIRES ARE ALSO WEARING VERY ODDLY. I HAVE HAD SEVERAL FRONT END ALIGNMENTS, TIRE BALANCE AND FREQUENT ROTATIONS. NO ONE IS SURE WHY MY TIRES ARE WEARING AS THEY ARE, ON THE INSIDE ONLY. THE TREAD IS VERY THIN, AND I THINK I WILL NEED A THIRD SET OF TIRES ON THIS TRUCK. I WONDER IF THE SWAY BAR IS PART OF THE PROBLEM. IT SEEMS LIKE EVERYTHING BIG AND EXPENSIVE WENT OUT ON THIS CAR AS SOON AS IT HIT JUST OVER 100K MILES. OF COURSE MY TRANSIMISSION, AND CATALYTIC CONVERTER PROBLEMS WERE NOT...

IN JUNE OF 1996, 1 NEW TIRE BLEW OUT, AND I WAS LUCKY TO GET A REPLACEMENT AND GOODYEAR REINBURSED ME FOR THE COST OF A NEW TIRE. EVENTUALLY, MY TIRES STARTED WEARING ODDLY, AND AFTER GETTING A WHOLE NEW SET, MY SWAY BAR LINK BROKE. I HAD THE SWAY BAR REPLACED, BUT MY NEW TIRES ARE ALSO WEARING VERY ODDLY. I HAVE HAD SEVERAL FRONT END ALIGNMENTS, TIRE BALANCE AND FREQUENT ROTATIONS. NO ONE IS SURE WHY MY TIRES ARE WEARING AS THEY ARE, ON THE INSIDE ONLY. THE TREAD IS VERY THIN, AND I THINK I WILL NEED A THIRD SET OF TIRES ON THIS TRUCK. I WONDER IF THE SWAY BAR IS PART OF THE PROBLEM. IT SEEMS LIKE EVERYTHING BIG AND EXPENSIVE WENT OUT ON THIS CAR AS SOON AS IT HIT JUST OVER 100K MILES. OF COURSE MY TRANSIMISSION, AND CATALYTIC CONVERTER PROBLEMS WERE NOT...

THE TRANSMISSION HAS BEEN REPLACED THREE TIMES AND IS CONTINUING TO EXPERIENCE FAILURE. *MJS

THE TRANSMISSION WILL NOT SHIFT INTO DRIVE. WHEN IN DRIVE THE CAR COASTS AT ABOUT 1 MPH. IT WILL GO INTO REVERSE AND PARK OK. THE CAR IS DRIVEN UNDER NORMAL TO LIGHT DRIVING CONDITIONS. I HAS NEVER BEEN USED FOR TOWING. THE TRANSMISSION FLUID HAS BEEN CHECKED AND IT IS FINE. THE WARRANTY EXPIRED ON 3/9/2000. JUST A WEEK PRIOR TO THE WARRANTY EXPIRATION WARRANTY WORK WAS COMPLETED ON THE TRANSFER CASE AND NOTHING WAS NOTED AS BEING WRONG WITH THE TRANSMISSION. THE LAST SCHEDULED MAINTENANCE WAS COMPLETED ON THE VEHICLE IN JUNE 2000. THE BRAKES PULSATE WHEN SLOWING DOWN FROM HIGH SPEEDS. THEY WERE SERVICED ONCE BY FORD FOR THIS PROBLEM AND THE SERVICING DID NOT CORRECT IT. FORD REFUSED TO SERVICE THEM AGAIN AND THEY CONTINUE TO PULSATE WHEN SLOWING DOWN FROM HIGH SPEEDS.

THE TRANSMISSION WILL NOT SHIFT INTO DRIVE. WHEN IN DRIVE THE CAR COASTS AT ABOUT 1 MPH. IT WILL GO INTO REVERSE AND PARK OK. THE CAR IS DRIVEN UNDER NORMAL TO LIGHT DRIVING CONDITIONS. I HAS NEVER BEEN USED FOR TOWING. THE TRANSMISSION FLUID HAS BEEN CHECKED AND IT IS FINE. THE WARRANTY EXPIRED ON 3/9/2000. JUST A WEEK PRIOR TO THE WARRANTY EXPIRATION WARRANTY WORK WAS COMPLETED ON THE TRANSFER CASE AND NOTHING WAS NOTED AS BEING WRONG WITH THE TRANSMISSION. THE LAST SCHEDULED MAINTENANCE WAS COMPLETED ON THE VEHICLE IN JUNE 2000. THE BRAKES PULSATE WHEN SLOWING DOWN FROM HIGH SPEEDS. THEY WERE SERVICED ONCE BY FORD FOR THIS PROBLEM AND THE SERVICING DID NOT CORRECT IT. FORD REFUSED TO SERVICE THEM AGAIN AND THEY CONTINUE TO PULSATE WHEN SLOWING DOWN FROM HIGH SPEEDS.

ON AUGUST 9, 2000, EXPLORER WAS TOWED TO DEALERSHIP BECAUSE TRANSMISSION WOULD NOT SHIFT INTO DRIVE. DEALERSHIP STATED THAT TRANSMISSION NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. *AK CONSUMER STATES THAT PRIOR TO TRANSMISSION REPLACEMENT THERE HAD BEEN SOME SLIPPING, CONSUMER IS REQUESTING REIMBURSEMENT. *SLC

TRANSMISSION FAILED. YH

I WILL NEVER BUY A FORD AGAIN. NOSAFETY DEFECT LISTED IN SUMMARY. *AK

TRANSMISSION FAILED WHILE DRIVING 30 MPH. VEHICLE DRIVES ONLY IN REVERSE. *AK

I PURCHASED MY 1996 FORD EXPLORER, IN NOVEMBER OF 1998. WHEN I PURCHASED IT, THE MILEAGE WAS AT 23,000 MILES. I TOOK IT TO THE DEALERSHIP TWO OR THREE TIMES FOR MINOR REPAIR WORK WHILE IT WAS STILL UNDER WARRANTY. IT CURRENTLY HAS APRROX. 54,000 MILES ON IT AND I AM EXPERIENCING PROBLEMS WITH THE AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION. IT IS SLIPPING IN FIRST AND SECOND GEAR, AND IS ON THE VERGE OF NEEDING TO BE REPLACED. AFTER DOING SOME CHECKING I FOUND THAT IT IS GOING TO COST ME AT LEAST $2,400.00 FOR THE REPAIRS TO THE TRANSMISSION. I NORMALLY DO NOT HAVE ANY PROBLEMS WITH HAVING TO TAKE CARE OF VEHICLE REPAIRS BECAUSE I DEPEND ON MY VEHICLES , FOR BOTH MYSELF AND MY FAMILY. HOWEVER, IT IS MY CONSIDERED OPINION THAT A NEARLY NEW VEHICLE SUCH AS THIS ONE WITH THE LOW AMOUNT OF MILEAGE THAT IT HAS, SHOULD...

THE TRANSMISSIONS COMPUTER RUINED THE TORQUE CONVERTER AND SEVERAL OTHER COMPONENTS. NM

THE BROKEN INTERIOR DOOR HANDLE MAY HAVE BEEN BROKEN FOR A LONG TIME BUT, BECAUSE OF THE CHILD SAFETY LOCK FEATURE BEING ACTIVATED IT WASN'T NOTICED UNTIL THE CHILD SAFETY LOCK WAS DEACTIVETED ONLY TO FIND THAT THE DOOR HANDLE WOULD NOT OPEN THE DOOR. UPON DISASSEMBLY, I FOUND THE PLASTIC CAM THAT UNLOCKS THE LATCH OF THE DOOR TO BE CRACKED OFF RENDERING THE HANDLE USELESS. AS FOR THE TRANSMISSION, THE PREMATURE AND EXPENSIVE FAILURE SHOULD BECOME A RECALL ITEM FOR FORD AS I HAVE FOUND THAT MANY OWNERS OF THIS TYPE VEHICLE ARE EXPERIENCING PROBLEMS OF GREAT FINANCIAL CONSEQUENCE AND POSSIBLE TRAGIC HEALTH CONSEQUENCE.. I'D SAY A DISPORPORTIONATE NUMBER OF EXPLORER OWNERS ARE ENCOUNTERING SIMILAR TRANSMISSION FAILURES. THE LIFE THREATENING CONDITION OF A BAD TRANSIMISSION COULD HAVE LED TO A LOCK-UP OR UNEXPECTED RAPID DECELERATION AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS WHICH COULD HAVE ROLLED THE TRUCK. INTERNAL COMPONENTS WERE BADLY...

THE TRANSMISSIONS COMPUTER RUINED THE TORQUE CONVERTER AND SEVERAL OTHER COMPONENTS. NM

MY VEHICLE WAS IN NEED OF MULTIPLE TRANSMISSION PARTS UNDER 40,000MILES, IS THIS COMMON FOR THIS VEHICLE? *AK

NOTICED GAS WAS BEING SPLATTERED ON THE WHEEL WELLS, AND ON THE BACK OF THE CAR. CALLED FORD, AND WAS NOT ABLE TO HELP. WHILE DRIVING ON LOCAL STREET STOPPED IN THE MIDDLE OF TRAFFIC. COULD NOT GET THE VEHICLE OUT OF NEUTRAL. VEHICLE WAS TOWED HOME. *AK

VEHICLE EXPERIENCED PROBLEM WITH TRANSMISSON. AFTER SHIFTING INTO FOUR- WHEEL DRIVE. TRANSMISSION LOST LOW GEARS. DEALER AND MANUFACTURER NOTIFIED. COMMON PROBLEM. *AK *ML

PROBLEM STARTED AT 23115 MILES. WHILE GOING AT 25 OR 60 MPH VEHICLE WILL DROP OUT OF GEAR. THIS MAY HAPPEN WHILE TRYING TO CHANGE LANES, VEHICLE WILL JUST DROP OUT OF GEAR. CONSUMER FEELS THIS IS VERY UNSAFE, ESPECIALLY WITH CHILDREN ABOARD. ALSO, WHEN CHANGING LANES THERE IS JUST NO CONTROL. *AK

O/D AND CHECK ENGINE LIGHT WENT ON AND THE TRUCK WOULD NOT SHIFT FROM FIRST TO SECOND GEAR

NO SUMMARY

WHILE DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAYVEHICLE WAS GOING UP A HILL WHEN IT STARTED TO LOSE POWER AND SUDDENLY CUT OFF DUE TO A BROKEN TRANSMISSION PART.