2004 FORD EXPLORER Power Trainautomatic Transmission Problems

WHILE DRIVING NORMALLY, 'O/D OFF' LIGHT ON DASHBOARD COMES ON. UNABLE TO ACCELERATE AND/OR VEHICLE SHUTS OFF; THE REMEDY: HAVING TRANSMISSION REBUILT OR REPAIRED. THIS HAS OCCURRED THREE TIMES IN 3 YEARS. SAW ON A 6PAGE FORUM OF OTHER FORD OWNERS HAVING THE SAME PROBLEM. REPAIRING A TRANSMISSION IS COSTLY AND ITS NOT ONE REPAIR IT'S MULTIPLE OVER THE LIFE OF OWNING THE VEHICLE. *TR

I HAVE BEEN DRIVING A 2004 FORD EXPLORER SINCE DECEMBER 2004 WHEN MY DAUGHTER LEFT IT FOR ME WHEN SHE MOVED. IT HAD APPROXIMATELY 11,000 MILES. SHE HAD NOTICED A HARD SHIFT, ESPECIALLY WHEN GOING INTO REVERSE AND A ROUGH IDLE AND VIBRATION, BUT HAD NOT HAD A CHANCE TO HAVE IT LOOKED AT. EXCEPT FOR WHEN I HAVE BEEN OUT OF TOWN, I HAVE SERVICED THAT CAR AT A FORD DEALERSHIP RELIGIOUSLY. I COMPLAINED ABOUT THESE PROBLEMS BUT NOTHING WAS EVER FOUND. I WAS NOT EVEN TOLD ABOUT SOME OF THE THINGS I HAVE READ ABOUT ON YOUR WEBSITE WHICH SEEM TO INDICATE THAT FORD WAS AWARE OF THE PROBLEMS AND CAUSES. FINALLY, AT JUST UNDER 36,000 MILES, THE TRANSMISSION FAILED AND HAD TO BE REPLACED. NOW, 47,000 MILES LATER, THIS NEW TRANSMISSION IS LEAKING AND THEY HAVE TO TAKE IT OUT TO SEE WHERE IT'S LEAKING FROM. I...

WHEN I SHIFT FROM DRIVE OR NEUTRAL INTO REVERSE, THERE IS A LONG HESITATION BEFORE THE CAR THEN LEAPS BACKWARD HARD. DELAY THEN HARD REVERSE. WHEN I AM PARALLEL PARKING, I HAVE SOMETIMES HIT THE CAR BEHIND ME HARD BECAUSE OF THIS. THIS PROBLEM HAS BEEN EXTENTED SINCE I PURCHASED THE CAR NEW IN 2004. I HAVE BROUGHT THE CAR INTO THE DEALER AT LEAST TEN TIMES WHEN IT WAS NEW. THEY MADE MANY CHANGES, INCLUDING AN ENTIRELY NEW "BOX" OF A SORT I DON'T RECALL, ALL TO NO AVAIL, FINALLY TELLING ME THE PROBLEM WAS CAUSED BY INSTALLING THE WRONG TRANS FLUID AT MANUFACTURING. RECALL NECESSARY. *TR

GEAR SHIFT LEVER ON THE STEERING WHEEL COLUMN BROKE OFF WHEN TRIED TO TAKE IT OUT OF PARK, ON MY 2004 FORD EXPLORER. CHECKING THE INTERNET FOR THIS PROBLEM I SEE IT HAS HAPPENED TO HUNDREDS OF PEOPLE WITH FORD EXPLORERS, NO HELP THROUGH FORD, A RECALL NEEDS TO BE DONE. TO MANY PEOPLE WITH THE SAME PROBLEM.

2004 FORD EXPLORER V8 120000 MILES DRIVING DOWN ROAD AT 45MPH NO WARNING OVER DRIVE LIGHT STARTED FLASHING, CHECK TRANSMISSION LIGHT CAME ON & LOST ALL GEARS. PULLED OVER TURNED CAR OFF RESTARTED IT DROVE 5 FEET SAME PROBLEM. TOWED TO REPAIR SHOP THE PULLED CODES & SAID THE SOLINOID PACK INTERNALLY NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THEY DID THAT PROBLEM IS STILL OCCURING. NOW LOOKS LIKE NEEDS A TRANI. I TOOK IT IN SEVERAL TIMES UNDER WARRENTY BUT THEY COULD NEVER DUPLICATE IT. NOW ITS NOT UNDER WARRENTY & FORD WONT TAKE CARE OF IT.

AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION HESITATE WHEN GOING INTO GEAR THEN SHIFTS HARD INTO GEAR WHILE ACCELERATING,FORD IS WELL AWARE THERE IS A PROBLEM WITH THESE TRANSMISSIONS AND SHOULD BE RECALLED FOR REPAIRS. HAVE DONE RESEARCH ON THIS AND ITS A COMMON SAFETY PROBLEMS WITH THE FORD EXPLORER. *TR

TRANSMISSION CONTINUALLY FAILS TO ENGAGE PROPERLY. DELAYED RESPONSE AND HARSH SHIFT IN GEARS. FROM REVERSE TO DRIVE AND VICE VERSA, THERE IS A DELAY AND HARSH ENGAGEMENT. AT FIRST THE INCIDENTS WERE BARELY NOTICEABLE AND LESS FREQUENT. NOW THEY ARE A COMMON OCCURRENCE AND MORE PRONOUNCED. FEARFUL OF COMPLETE FAILURE WHILST ACCELERATING ONTO HIGHWAY/STREET. OFTEN TIMES THERE IS A DELAY SHIFTING INTO DRIVE WHEN REVERSING OUT OF A PARKING SPOT. HOLDING UP TRAFFIC, ETC. *TR

VEHICLE PURCHASED WITH 78,375 MILES - IT WAS PREVIOUSLY A US GOV.'T VEHICLE. REAR-END NOISE NOTICED AND SELLER HAD FORD REPAIR AT A COST OF $1,387.50 - VEHICLE WAS DRIVEN LESS THAN 12,000 MILES AND BEGAN MAKING SAME NOISE IN REAR-END. DUE TO DISTANCE TO FORD DEALER, VEHICLE WAS CHECKED OUT AT A PRIVATE REPAIR SERVICE. DIAGNOSIS- REAR SEAL FAILED CAUSING SEVERE DAMAGE TO ALL REAR-END PARTS. REPAIRS INCLUDED RING & PINION GEARS AND DIFFERENTIAL BEARINGS AT A COST OF $1,429.54 WHEN CONTACTED, FORD STATED THAT ALTHOUGH IT WAS WITHIN THE 12,000 MILE, 12 MONTH WARRANTY PERIOD, THEY WOULD NOT COVER ANY OF THE COSTS BECAUSE THE SERVICE WAS NOT DONE AT A FORD DEALERSHIP. *TR

PURCHASED A USED 2004 FORD EXPLORER ON JULY 3, 2006 WITH 53823 MILES. THE CAR WAS MAINTAINED AS REQUIRED AND LOW AND BEHOLD, TO MY RECOLLECTION, AROUND 2008-2009 IT STARTED DRIVING A LITTLE STRANGE, IT STARTED VIBRATING HESITATING. THEN DURING THE BEGINNING OF 2009, CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON, OD LIGHT STARTED FLASHING, GEARS STARTED STICKING, HARD TO BRAKE AND I WAS TOLD THAT IT IA A TRANSMISSION PROBLEM AND THAT I WAS NOT ALONE WITH THE PROBLEM. A NEW OR REBUILT TRANSMISSION WAS NECESSARY AT A PRICE OF $3-4,000. IF YOU WOULD GO ON THE WEB SITE AT AUTOBEEF. COM, YOU WILL SEE ALL THE COMPLAINTS CONSUMERS ARE HAVING ABOUT THE SAME PROBLEM. I AM URGING YOU TO PLEASE INVESTIGATE THIS MATTER. FORD NEEDS TO STEP UP TO THE PLATE AND RECALL ALL EXPLORERS. I STILL OWE $9000 ON THIS CAR AND CAN NOT DRIVE IT. I BAILED THEM...

2004 FORD EXPLORER. OD LIGHT IS BLINKING, SERVICE ENGINE LIGHT IS ON, TRANSMISSION SHIFT STALLS AND LURKS. MECHANIC SAYS ALOT OF FORD EXPLORERS ARE HAVING THIS ISSUE AND THERE IS NO RECALL. *TR

PURCHASED A 2004 FORD EXPLORER IN 2006, NOTICED AFTER A COUPLE OF MONTHS THAT WHEN PUT THE CAR IN REVERSE WOULD DELAY A FEW SECONDS AND THEN IT WOULD MAKE A CLUNK SOUND AND THEN SPEED INTO REVERSE, THAT WAS AT ABOUT 50,000 MILES WHEN PURCHASED. IN APRIL OF 2009 CAR WOULD NOT GO INTO REVERSE, HAD A TRANSMISSION REBUILD. IT IS NOW LESS THEN A YEAR SINCE REBUILD AND IT IS STARTING TO SHIFT HARD AGAIN AND WHILE AT A STOP LIGHT TODAY WHEN I HAD MY ON THE BRAKE IT MADE A CLUNK SOUND AND JUMPED FORWARD? GOOD THING NO OTHER CAR WAS IN FRONT OF ME, I CHECKED MY REAR VIEW MIRROR AND THERE WAS NO CAR BEHIND ME, SO I WAS NOT HIT. ALSO CAR IS STARTING TO DELAY WHEN AT A STOPPED POSITION TO START DRIVING THE CAR HESITATES TO GO INTO GEAR. DOES IT...

I BOUGHT MY 2004 FORD EXPLORER LIMITED FEB 2008. THE ONLY WORK DONE WAS OIL CHANGES, TIRE ROTATIONS ETC....AROUND 50,000 MILES SUDDENLY 1) THE CRUISE CONTROL STOPPED FUNCTIONING PROPERLY. WHEN USED IT CAUSES THE VEHICLE TO STALL..... 2) A CRACK APPEARED IN THE HATCH FOR NO APPARENT REASON. NO ACCIDENTS, NO WEATHER ISSUES.... 3) THE O/D LIGHT COMES ON AND THE TRANSMISSION SYMBOL LIGHTS UP. HESITATES WENT PUT IN REVERSE THEN JERKS INTO MOVEMENT. REPAIR SHOP SAYS THE TRANSMISSION NEEDS REPAIRS COSTING 2000+. *TR

I LEFT MY VEHICLE RUNNING IN PARK TO DROP OFF A GIFT TO A FRIEND. I ENDED UP STAYING LONGER THAN INTENDED, AND WAS TAKEN OUTSIDE BY A LOUD NOISE. AFTER IDLING IN PARKED FOR 20-30 MINUTES, MY EXPLORER HAD SMASHED INTO MY FRIENDS GARAGE DOOR CAUSING NEARLY $500 IN DAMAGES TO THE DOOR AND SCRATCHES TO THE VEHICLE. NOTHING HAS BEEN DONE ABOUT THE PROBLEM, EXCEPT WE WILL NOT LET THE EXPLORER IDLE IN PARK. *TR

THE TRANSMISSION WAS SLIPPING AND FINALLY ONE DAY I PUT THE CAR IN REVERSE AND THE CAR DID NOT EVEN MOVE. I HAD TO GET MY TRANSMISSION REBUILT AT 60,000 MILES. I ALSO AM HAVING A BIG PROBLEM WITH THE PAINT PEELING OFF THE ROOF OF THE CAR NEAR WHICH WAS NOT COVERED UNDER ANY WARRANTY WHICH IS CRAZY ESPECIALLY WHEN THE SERVICE DEPT AT MY LOCAL FORD DEALERSHIP SAYS THAT MY YEAR AND MAKE HAS PAINT PROBLEMS AND THEY HAVE SEEN IT HAPPEN MANY TIMES BUT NO RECALL WAS EVER ISSUED. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 FORD EXPLORER. WHILE DRIVING THE TRANSMISSION WILL SLIP FROM SECOND TO THIRD GEAR. THE VEHICLE SHIFTS VERY ROUGHLY INTO THE REVERSE GEAR. ALSO THE GLASS FROM THE REAR WINDOW HAS LOOSENED FROM THE FRAME DUE TO THE CLIPS. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED, BUT NO ASSISTANCE WAS PROVIDED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 99,240.

WHEN SHIFTING INTO REVERSE, THE CAR JERKS (SHIFTS HARD) BACKWARDS EVERY TIME. EVENTUALLY, TRANSMISSION HAD TO BE REBUILT. THE PROBLEM NO LONGER EXISTS. *TR

WHEN SHIFTING INTO REVERSE THERE IS A HARD SHIFT ALSO HARD SHIFTS UP AND DOWN WHILE GOING FORWARD. *TR

EXPLORER JERKING AND BUCKING WHEN PUT INTO REVERSE. PROBLEM EVENTUALLY WORSENED WITH BUCKING ONCE PUT INTO DRIVE. BOUGHT USED AT 31,000 MILES. SYMPTOM EVIDENCED AT JUST OVER 33,000 MILES. TRANSMISSION REPLACED AT COST OF NEARLY $4,000. ADDRESSED THIS ISSUE WITH FORD . RESPONSE- SYMPATHETIC BUT NOTHING THEY CAN DO? OR IS THERE? DESIGN OR MANUFACTURER ERROR. EITHER WAY ACCOUNTABILITY SHOULD NOT BE AN ISSUE. LAST FORD I WILL OWN. *TR

2004 FORD EXPLORER-SERIOUS TRANSMISSION ISSUES WITH GEARS SLIPPING/FAILING. HUGE DELAY IN REVERSE THEN A LARGE JOLT BACK IS VERY DANGEROUS. *TR

2004/FORD EXPLORER FIRE WHILE PARKED IN PARKING DECK,THERE WAS NO PREVIOUS WARNINGS ,OF ANY KIND. TRUCK WAS RUNNING WELL ,NO SERVICE LIGHTS EVER CAME ON. TRUCK ONLY HAS 40,000 MILES ON IT. NEVER HAD ANY SINGS OR SYMPTOMS,THAT ANYTHING WAS GOING TO HAPPEN. I HAVE A POLICE REPORT. FIRE DEPT. REPORT. ALSO VALET PARKING MANAGERS REPORT FROM 11/6/09.NOW TRUCK IS AT TOMS FORD ,HAZLET NJ. WE NEED TO KNOW WHAT WENT WRONG , THERE WAS NO PRIOR WARNING TO THIS EVENT. THANK GOD I WASN'T ON THE HWY WHEN THIS OCCURRED WITH MY GRANDDAUGHTER 27 MTHS . PLEASE HELP! *TR

HAVE A 2004 FORD EXPLORER WITH BAD TRANSMISSION. DELAY IN SHIFTING IN REVERSE AND A JOLT INTO GEAR CAUSED BE TO SLAM INTO ITEMS IN MY GARAGE. ALTHOUGH NO ONE WAS HURT, IT CAN HAPPEN. FORD HAS KNOW OF THIS ISSUE AS WELL AS 2-3 GEARS SLIPPING WHICH CAN CAUSE A SLOWING OF THE VEHICLE IN TRAFFIC. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 FORD EXPLORER. WHEN HE ACTIVATED THE CRUISE CONTROL WHILE DRIVING, IT DEACTIVATED ITSELF WITHOUT WARNING. HE HAD TO RESTART THE VEHICLE TO RE-SET THE ERROR CODE. THE FAILURE OCCURRED INTERMITTENTLY, AND MOSTLY ON THE INTERSTATE. ALSO WHEN HE WOULD TURN ON THE TURN SIGNALS, THE AUTOMATIC WARNING SYSTEM WOULD MAKE AN ALARM NOISE AND BLINK UNTIL THE TURN SIGNAL WOULD CUT OFF. THE AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION APPEARED TO LOSE FLUID, WHEN HE SHIFTED INTO REVERSE. HE HEARD A ROARING NOISE NEAR THE TIRE AREA. HE WAS TOLD BY THE DEALER THAT THE HUBS NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. LASTLY, THE AESTHETIC PIECE ON THE LOWER HALF OF THE HATCH-BACK HAD CRACKED AND SEPARATED FROM THE VEHICLE. HE TOOK THE VEHICLE BACK TO THE DEALERSHIP AND WAS ADVISED THAT THERE WAS AN ELECTRICAL FAILURE. NO REPAIRS WERE MADE. THE MANUFACTURER REFERRED HIM TO NHTSA. THE CURRENT MILEAGE...

MY 2004 FORD EXPLORER AWD HAS A TRANSMISSION ISSUE. WHEN THE TRANSMISSION IS PLACED IN REVERSE OR INTO DRIVE, THE TRANSMISSION WILL OFTEN SHIFT INTO GEAR VERY HARD AND CAUSE THE CAR TO SUDDENLY MOVE BACKWARDS OR FORWARDS IN A VIOLENT MANNER. THE CAR WILL MOVE WHILE THE BRAKE IS APPLIED AND I FEAR THIS TRANSMISSION ISSUE WILL CAUSE SOME TYPE OF FAILURE IN THE FUTURE CAUSING THE CAR TO GO FORWARD OR BACKWARD WITH NO CONTROL. IT SHIFTS SO HARD FROM PARK INTO GEAR IT FEELS AS IF ANOTHER CAR HAS RAN INTO THE BACK OF MY CAR. I HAVE READ IDENTICAL REPORTS ONLINE FROM NUMEROUS OTHER PEOPLE INVOLVING FORD EXPLORERS AROUND THIS MODEL YEAR TIMEFRAME. *TR

ABOUT 75,000 MILES ON VEHICLE, PURCHASED NEW, REGULARLY SERVICED. ACCELERATING, THE O/D LIGHT CAME ON AND THE TRANSMISSION WENT "THUNK" AS IT TRIED TO SHIFT FROM 2ND TO 3RD. RESTARTING THE CAR THE O/D LIGHT WENT OFF AND THE CAR SHIFTED NORMALLY EXCEPT OCCASIONALLY THE CAR SHIFTS ROUGH. THE FORD DEALER WANTS $1800 TO $4200 TO REPAIR. *TR

2004 FORD EXPLORER (SOLENOID PACK) REPAIR 2ND TIME. *TR

MY 2004 FORD EXPLORER HAS A BAD TRANSMISSION PROBLEM !!! JERKS VERY HARD IN REVERSE , SLIPS BETWEEN 2ND & 3RD GEARS, SOMETIMES SLIPS WHILE IN TRAFFIC !! I FEEL THIS IS VERY DANGEROUS !! *TR

2004 FORD EXPLORER NBX. OWNER PUT CAR IN PARK AND GEAR SHIFT LEVER CAME OFF IN HAND. CAR TRANSMISSION STUCK BETWEEN PARK AND REVERSE. HAD TO GET CAR TOWED TO DEALERSHIP. DEALER STATES THEY HAVE FIXED NUMEROUS EXPLORERS WITH SAME ISSUE IN THE RECENT PAST. IN MY OPINION, THIS IS A DESIGN FLAW WITH THE MATERIAL USED (APPEARS TO BE ALUMINUM) FOR THE "DONUT" SHAPED RING THAT CONNECTS THE GEAR SHIFT TO THE STEERING COLUMN. CONTACTED FORD AND THEY WERE UNWILLING HELP WITH EXPENSE ($1,500) OF FIXING THIS MANUFACTURER DEFECT. *TR

2004 FORD EXPLORER WITH, LESS THAN 75,000 MILES. NEEDS TO HAVE THE TRANSMISSION REPAIRED OR REPLACED. MY WIFE AND TWO CHILDREN WERE OUT DRIVING IN TRAFFIC WHEN FAILURE BEGAN TO OCCUR. UNABLE TO ACCELERATE PAST 30-35MPH. THIS IS ALL AFTER THE DEALERSHIP REPEATEDLY TOLD US NO PROBLEMS, OVERFILLED TRANS FLUID, AND ADDED THE RECALL ADDITIVE FROM FORD. MY WIFE REPORTED. WE INFORMED FORD MULTIPLE TIMES ABOUT HARD SHIFTING OR SLIPPING FEELING WHEN ACCELERATING, AND VERY HARD AND LOUD ENGAGEMENTS INTO REVERSE. THERE IS AN OBVIOUS PROBLEM, I GUESS IT WILL JUST TAKE A TRAGIC EVENT TO ADMIT THE PROBLEM. *TR

ABRUPT SHIFTING FROM PARK TO REVERSE. TOOK VEHICLE IN FOUR TIMES FOR REPAIR. SOLENOID WAS REPLACED TWICE, TRANSMISSION FLUID ADDITIVE, THEN TRANSMISSION FLUID FLUSH. UNINTENDED SHIFTING BY TRANSMISSION RESULTING IN VEHICLE TO SWERVE AT 50 PLUS MILES PER HOUR. OCCURS DAILY ON HIGHWAY AFTER LETTING OFF ACCELERATOR AND COASTING. *TR

THE TRANSMISSION IN MY '04 FORD EXPLORER SHIFTS INCREDIBLY HARD, WILL STALL IN MID SHIFT, AND CAN SLIP INTO REVERSE FROM PARK AT ANYTIME. I AM ONE OF THOUSANDS OF OWNERS IN THE 2002-2005 YEARS IN WHICH FORD/MERCURY PUT THESE TRANSMISSIONS INTO EXPLORERS AND MOUNTAINEERS AND THEY ARE JUNK. SOMETHING NEEDS TO BE DONE BY FORD BEING THEY'VE FIXED THE PROBLEM IN THEIR 2006 MODELS. THE DEALERS DON'T KNOW HOW TO FIX THE PROBLEMS. *TR

TRANSMISSION FAILURE ON FORD EXPLORER 2004... THE TRANSMISSION FAILED ON MY EXPLORER, 3 OF THE 4 GEARS WERE GONE!.... THIS COST $7,000 TO BE REPLACED... I BELIEVE THIS IS UNACCEPTABLE FOR A 3 YEAR OLD CAR TO HAVE THIS TYPE OF PROBLEM AT THIS COST. NOT TO MENTION I WORKED WITH A GUY WHO HAD AN EXPLORER AND A MOUNTAINEER AND THE TRANSMISSION WENT ON BOTH OF THOSE VEHICLES.. THEY WERE AN 02 AND 04. THEN THIS PAST WEEK I HAD TO HAVE MY BRAKES DONE. AND THE REPAIR SHOP SAID I NEEDED A FEW OTHER MINOR THINGS DONE... BUT I TOLD THEM I HAD ALREADY SPENT $8,000 (ALL BALL BEARINGS REPLACED $1000 + 7000 FOR TRANSMISSION)ON THE VEHICLE RECENTLY AND CAN'T GET IT DONE RIGHT NOW. AND THEY ASKED IF THE PROBLEM WAS THE TRANSMISSION... I SAID, "YES WHY", THEY TOLD ME THEY HAD 5 EXPLORERS FROM THE AROUND...

I PURCHASED A 2004 FORD EXPLORER 30JUN08, IN MARCH 2009, IN LESS THAN A YEAR I HAVE HAD TO REPLACE THE MODULE/ENGINE CONTROL, THE BATTERY AND THE ALTERNATOR AT THE WILLOWBROOK FORD DEALERSHIP. I PAID A TOTAL OF 2033.60 IN REPAIRS. WHEN I GOT HOME LAST FRIDAY NIGHT AND WAS PARKING MY CAR, AS I WENT INTO REVERSE I FELT A JOLT IN SHIFTING FROM THE TRANSMISSION. YESTERDAY DRIVING TO WORK AGAIN I FELT THE TRANSMISSION SLIPPING AND HARD SHIFTING. THE O/D LIGHT BEGIN TO FLASH AND I COULDN'T ACCELERATE OVER 40MPH. ON MY WAY HOME FROM WORK, AGAIN I COULD NOT ACCELERATE OVER 30MPH BUT NOW ITS MAKING A HORRIBLE NOISE AND THE SERVICE ENGINE AND O/D LIGHTS ARE FLASHING. THIS IS A WELL KNOWN PROBLEM AS I HAVE READ NUMEROUS COMPLAINTS ABOUT IT ONLINE. WHY HASN'T FORD RECALLED THESE FAULTY TRANSMISSION? I HAVE UNTIL JUL10 BEFORE THIS CAR...

I WAS DROPPING MY SON OFF AT HIS FRIEND'S HOUSE. I PULLED INTO THE DRIVEWAY AND PUT THE TRUCK IN PARK. I OPENED MY DOOR, GOT OUT, WALKED AROUND THE FRONT OF MY VEHICLE AND ACCOMPANIED MY SON UP TO THE FRONT DOOR. ALL OF A SUDDEN, THE TRUCK STARTED TO ROLL FORWARD ON THE DRIVEWAY AND CRASH INTO THE HOMEOWNERS FENCE. WHEN I GOT INTO THE TRUCK, IT WAS STILL IN PARK. THERE WAS DAMAGE TO MY FRONT BUMPER AS WELL AS THE FENCE THAT IT CRASHED INTO. THANK GOD IT DIDN'T HAPPEN WHILE I WAS WALKING IN FRONT OF IT! THIS TRANSMISSION ON THIS VEHICLE HAS BEEN A PROBLEM SINCE THE BEGINNING. I TOO EXPERIENCED THE "THUMP" AS IT SLAMMED INTO REVERSE, ONLY FOR FORD TO DENY THERE WAS A PROBLEM AND FINALLY PUT THE ADDITIVE INTO THE TRANNY. WHAT A WAY TO FIX THE PROBLEM! ...NEVER AGAIN...

WE OWN A 2004 FORD EXPLORER. THE FORD RECALL TO REMEDY FACTORY TRANSMISSION FLUID PROBLEM WAS A BAND-AID TO FIX LIVER CANCER. THE TRANSMISSION JUMPS INTO REVERSE A FEW SECONDS AFTER SHIFTING, AND THE SHIFTS WHEN GOING FORWARD ARE "JERKY". FORD HAS TRIED TO PLACATE OWNERS WITH AN ADDITIVE. THE PROBLEM IS ONGOING. NOTHING HAS BEEN DONE TO CORRECT THE PROBLEM. *TR

2004 FORD EXPLORER WITH 54K MILES HAS SLIP IN TRANSMISSION WHEN SHIFTED FROM PARK TO REVERSE AND WILL SLIP WHEN THE TRANSMISSION SHIFTS AUTOMATICALLY. IT CATCHES AND WILL PRODUCE A LOUD BUMP. IT TAKES SEVERAL SECONDS TO CATCH WHEN SHIFTED TO REVERSE. *TR

2004 FORD EXPLORER HAS EXTREME ENGAGEMENT INTO REVERSE. HAVE HAD MULTIPLE TRIPS TO DEALERSHIP FOR REPAIR PRIOR TO THIS FINAL REPAIR BY INDEPENDENT REPAIR SHOP. IF DRIVER DOESN'T ANTICIPATE THIS CONDITION PERSONAL INJURY AND/OR PROPERTY DAMAGE COULD OCCUR. *TR

I OWN A 2004 FORD EXPLORER EDDIE BAUER WITH V-8. HAVE TAKEN TO THE DEALER NUMEROUS TIMES ABOUT ABRUPT AND DELAYED SHIFTING WITH TRANSMISSION. DEALER RE-PROGRAMMED TRANSMISSION WITH NO LUCK, NO RECALL FROM FORD BUT HAVE HEARD HUNDREDS OF COMPLAINTS ON-LINE ABOUT SAME PROBLEM. TRUCK NOW HAS OVER 90,000 MILES AND STILL HAS SAME PROBLEM. REPLACED LEAKING TRANSMISSION PUMP LAST DECEMBE08 AND STILL HARD SHIFTING. WILL NOT RETURN TO FORD FOR REPAIRS WHEN TRANSMISSION OR OTHER DRIVE TRAIN PARTS FAIL DUE TO THE HARD UP AND DOWN SHIFTS, PLEASE HELP! *TR

I HAVE A 2004 FORD EXPLORER. I HAVE TWO COMPLAINTS WITH THIS VEHICLE. THE FIRST IS THAT THE BACK GATE CRACKED FROM THE WINDOW. THE SECOND COMPLAINT IS THAT MY TRUCK IS MAKING A LOUD THUMP IN REVERSE, AND AFTER I PUT IT IN DRIVE AFTER BEING IN REVERSE, THE TRANSMISSION IS SLIPPING MAKING IT DANGEROUS TO PULL OUT INTO TRAFFIC. I WAS ALMOST HIT TWICE PULLING INTO TRAFFIC FROM THE ENGINE SLIPPING. *TR

VEHICLE HAD A HISTORY OF SUDDENLY JERKING HARSHLY WHILE DRIVING AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS (65 MPH), BUT AT IRREGULAR INTERVALS AND PROBLEM COULD NOT BE FORCED TO REPLICATE. AT APPROXIMATELY 97,000 MILES WHILE ON AN OUT OF STATE TRIP, THE VEHICLE BEGAN TO REFUSE TO ACCELERATE PROPERLY FROM A STANDSTILL, APPEARING TO "LIMP" (IN FORD'S WORDS) UNTIL IT REACHED 10-15 MPH, THEN IT WOULD SUDDENLY ENGAGE AND ACCELERATE RAPIDLY, BUT WOULD STILL QUIT ACCELERATING BRIEFLY UNTIL REACHING SPEEDS >40 MPH. AT INTERSTATE SPEEDS, THE TRANSMISSION SEEMED TO RUN FINE UNTIL GOING INTO MOUNTAINS, WHERE IT WOULD NOT FIND THE RIGHT GEAR FOR MAINTAINING SPEED. CAR CONTINUED TO WORSEN UNTIL FINALLY REACHING A DEALERSHIP THAT WAS WILLING TO LOOK AT THE PROBLEM. NO ERROR CODES WERE OBSERVED, SO WAS TOLD THE TRANSMISSION HAD TO BE OVERHAULED OR REPLACED. THE OVERHAUL WAS NOT GOING TO BE GUARANTEED NOR WOULD THE DEALERSHIP PROMISE WHEN...

TRANS IN 2002 TO 2005 FORD EXPLORERS ARE BAD. THEY SLIP IN AND OUT OF GEAR. SOMETIME YOU HAVE TO WAIT 5 TO 10 SECONDS BEFORE IT WILL MOVE AND THIS ALMOST GOT ME HIT IN MINE BY A 18 WHEELER MORE THAN ONCE. TALKED WITH FORD DEALERS THEY ALL CLAM ITS A FORD MESS UP BUT THERE IS NO RECALLS YET. AND THIS IS WITH THEM BEGINNING WITH IN 20,000 TO 90,000 MILES ON THE EXPLORERS. I KNOW OF OVER 900 CASES OF THIS FIRST HAND AND SOMEONE NEEDS TO GET FORD OFF THEIR BUTT AND DO SOMETHING. NOONE CAN KEEP PUTTING OUT 3500.00 FOR A REBUILT TRANS WHILE THEIR STILL PAYING ON THE VEHICLES. ALL OF THEM GO BAD RIGHT AFTER THE WARRANTY RUNS OUT. BEING IN LAW ENFORCEMENT I SEE THIS EVERY DAY AND ITS NOT SAGE FOR FAMILY'S IN THESE VEHICLES. IF SOMETHING ISN'T DONE ASAP...

TRANSMISSION SLIPS - LURCHES INTO REVERSE - RECENTLY SLIPPED AND WOULDN'T PULL GOING UP HILL - 2 TIMES IN 2 DAYS. *TR

VEHICLE GOES FORWARD AFTER PUT IN PARK AND TURNED OFF. THE TRANSMISSION HAS BEEN CHECKED AT FORD DEALERSHIP. HAVE LETTER EXPLAINING THAT IF TRANSMISSION FLUID WAS NOT CHANGED OUT THAT SERIOUS CONSEQUENCES MAY OCCUR. FORD DEALERSHIP NOT AWARE AS THIS WAS NOT DISPLAYED AS A RECALL. HEREFORE,TRANSMISSION FLUID WAS NOT CHANGED AT THAT TIME. *TR

I AM ALSO HAVING THE TRANSMISSION PROBLEM WITH MY 2004 FORD EXPLORER. MY VEHICLE JUMPS VIOLENTLY WHEN IT IS PUT IN REVERSE. WHEN YOU FIRST PUT IT IN REVERSE IT WILL NOT MOVE THEN ALL OF A SUDDEN IT JUMPS BACKWARD. I ALSO HAVE BEEN NOTICING THAT THE TRUCK FEELS LIKE IT IS NOT IN GEAR FEELS LIKE IT SLIPS . I HAVE MADE NO REPAIRS ON MY VEHICLE AS OF YET, BUT AFTER READING THE NEWSPAPER ARTICLE I SEE THAT THIS PROBLEM IS OCCURRING WITH OTHER VEHICLES,. WE ALL SEEM TO BE HAVING THE SAME PROBLEMS. I HOPE THAT FORD WILL TAKE CARE OF THESE FORD EXPLORER PROBLEMS BEFORE THEIR ARE MORE ACCIDENTS. I HAVE NOT HAD AN INCIDENT AS OF THIS DATE 4/30/09, BUT I CAN TELL YOU THAT WHEN I PUT MY VEHICLE IN REVERSE I AM VERY WORRIED BECAUSE OF HOW VIOLENT THE TRUCK JUMPS BACKWARD....

ON JANUARY 17, 2009, I WAS ATTEMPTING TO BACK MY 2004 FORD EXPLORER OUT OF MY DRIVEWAY. WHEN I ATTEMPTED TO PUT THE TRUCK INTO REVERSE, THE STEERING COLUMN-MOUNTED GEAR SHIFT MECHANISM BROKE. THE "WAND" BROKE COMPLETELY AWAY FROM THE COLUMN, WITH ONLY THE RUBBER COVERING HOLDING IT IN PLACE. LATER, WHEN A MECHANIC OPENED UP THE STEERING COLUMN, IT WAS APPARENT THAT THE GEAR SHIFT MECHANISM FAILED BECAUSE A PIECE OF METAL BROKE IN HALF; IT LOOKED TO BE MADE OF SOME SOFT METAL. BECAUSE OF THE WAY FORD DESIGNED THE TRANSMISSION, THE ENTIRE STEERING COLUMN HAD TO BE REPLACED. THE EXPLORER HAD ONLY 55,000 MILES ON IT AT THE TIME OF THE INCIDENT. TOTAL EXPENSES FOR REPAIRS WERE IN EXCESS OF $1,600. *TR

MY 2004 FORD EXPLORER HAS A TRANSMISSION PROBLEM. I NEVER KNOW IF AND WHEN IT WILL GO INTO REVERSE OR PARK. IT HESITATES AND I THEN FIND OUT WHAT GEAR IT IS IN. THIS EXPLORER IS A ONE-OWNER CAR. 32,000+- MILES ON IT. WEEKENDS ONLY. YES, I WENT THROUGH THE EARLIER RECALL, BUT IT DID LITTLE IF ANYTHING TO CORRECT THE PROBLEM,. AT THE TIME, I FIGURED THAT I HAD BEEN SCREWED INTO BUYING A DEFECTIVE CAR WHOSE TRANSMISSIONS WOULDN'T LAST AFTER THE WARRANTY RAN OUT. SOMETIMES, THE TRANSMISSION DOESN'T ENGAGE RIGHT AWAY AND THEN JUMPS HARD INTO REVERSE. OTHER TIMES, IT HESITATES BEFORE GOING INTO DRIVE AND/OR PARK. I NEVER KNOW. I AM 57 YEARS OLD. PLEASE TELL FORD FOR ME ----NOT TO PEE ON MY LEG AND TELL ME THAT IT IS RAINING. THEY DIDN'T FIX THE PROBLEM. AND I BELIEVE IT TO BE DANGEROUS. AND SINCE BUSH...

TL*-THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 FORD EXPLORER. THE CONTACT STARTED THE IGNITION ON A WARM ENGINE, AND THEN MOVED THE GEAR SHIFT FROM THE "PARK" POSITION INTO THE "REVERSE" POSITION. IMMEDIATELY, THE TRANSMISSION EXHIBITED EXTREMELY HARD SHIFTING. THERE WERE NO PRIOR WARNINGS. THE FAILURE OCCURRED INTERMITTENTLY. THE VEHICLE WAS ABLE TO PROCEED TO NORMAL OPERATION. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC FOR DIAGNOSTIC TESTS. THE TECHNICIAN STATED THE FAILURE WAS RELATED TO THE AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION SOLENOID PACK. THE SOLENOID PACK WAS REPLACED FOR THE MALFUNCTION. THE CONTACT HAD CONCERN ON THE SAFETY RISK INVOLVED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 60,000. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 81,000. UPDATED 05/15/09 *BF UPDATED 05/18/09.*JB

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 FORD EXPLORER. WHEN PLACING THE VEHICLE IN A PARKED POSITION THE VEHICLE IT ROLLED BACKWARDS EVEN WHEN IT WAS ON A LEVEL SURFACE. ON ONE OCCASION THE VEHICLE ROLLED BACKWARD AND CRASHED INTO ANOTHER VEHICLE. THERE WERE NO INJURIES. WHEN THE FAILURE OCCURRED SHE NOTICES THE OVER DRIVE LIGHT ILLUMINATED ON THE INSTRUMENT CONTROL PANEL. THE DEALER STATED THAT HER SECOND GEAR WAS MISSING; THEREFORE, SHE WOULD BE RESPONSIBLE FOR PAYING $3,700 TO REPLACE THE TRANSMISSION. THE VEHICLE HAS NOT BEEN REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 95,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 100,000.

TL*THE CONTACTS OWNS A 2004 FORD EXPLORER. AFTER DRIVING IN REVERSE AND PARKING THE VEHICLE IT BEGAN TO MOVE AFTER THE BACK DOOR WAS OPENED. SHE WAS ABLE TO ENGAGE THE BRAKE PEDAL TO STOP THE VEHICLE FROM MOVING AND CONFIRMED THAT THE GEAR SHIFT WAS IN PARK. THE BODY SHOP MECHANIC WAS UNABLE TO DUPLICATE OR DIAGNOSE THE FAILURE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT IT WAS CAUSED DUE TO SLIPPAGE OF THE GEARS AND ALTHOUGH THE GEAR INDICATOR READS PARK IT IS NOT FULLY ENGAGED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT CONTACTED. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 39000 AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 44000.

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 FORD EXPLORER. THE TRANSMISSION IN THE VEHICLE IS CONSTANTLY SLIPPING. THE VEHICLE HESITATED AFTER NUMEROUS ATTEMPTS TO ADJUST TO THE CORRECT GEAR. DUE TO THE FAILURE IT TAKES LONGER THAN IT SHOULD TO INCREASE SPEED. THE DEALER MADE AN ADJUSTMENT TO THE TRANSMISSION; HOWEVER, THE VEHICLE WAS NOT FULLY REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 10,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 96,000. UPDATED 05/15/09 *BF UPDATED 05/18/09.*JB

TRANSMISSION SHIFTS VERY HARD AND WHEN PUT INTO REVERSE IT VIOLENTLY SHIFTS TO REVERSE. HAVE HAD THE VEHICLE IN FOR MULTIPLE REPAIRS ON THE TRANSMISSION AND NOW THE LOCAL FORD DEALERSHIP TELLS ME I HAVE TO REPLACE THE TRANSMISSION WITH THE MILEAGE ON THE VEHICLE A LITTLE OVER 70,000 MILES. *TR