1994 Ford Explorer Power Train

PURCHASED VEHICLE TRANSMISSION OUT,CAME WITH REBUILT TRANSMISSION,INSTALLED,LASTED ABOUT 1 YEAR.KEPT BLOWING FRONT SEALS.ALWAYS HEATED UP GOING UPHILL.NEXT TRANSMISSION,SAME STORY.SERVICED REGULAR,WITH FILTER CHANGE.CURRENT TRANSMISSION IN TRANS. SHOP,BURNT UP,NEW CLUTCHES,BANDS,SEALS,YOU NAME IT.IT STILL WILL NOT SHIFT CORRECTY DUE TO SERVO PISTON FAILURE,THAT ALSO NEEDS FIXED.A4LD TRANSMISSION IN TOO SMALL FOR THE EXPLORER VEHICLE.I LIKE THE VEHICLE IN GENERAL,EVEN INSTALLED MANUAL LOCKOUTS TO HELP THIS SIDUATION.THIS VEHICLE HAS HAD GOOD CARE,BUT TO NO AVAIL.I BELIEVE THAT THE FORD MOTOR COMPANY SHOULD BE HELD ACCOUNTABLE FOR PRESENTING THE AMERICAN CONSUMER WITH SUCH BAD DRIVETRAIN SIDUATIION,THAT I AM SURE THAT THEY BOTH KNEW ABOUT,AND JUST DID NOT CARE.IT LEFT ME,A SERVICE CONNECTED DISABLED VETERAN,ON THE SHOULDER OF THE HIGHWAY,MANY TIMES.EVEN ON MY WAY TO THE VA HOSPITAL.REGUARDS

VEHICLE'S AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION ENGAGED AT 2500 RPM DURING A CA. STATE SMOG INSPECTION . RESULTED IN TECHNICIAN BEING PINNED AND CRUSHED TO VEHICLE PARKED IN FRONT . TECH WAS AMBULANCED TO HOSPITAL WITH SEVERE LOWER LEG AND ANKLE INJURIES TRANSMISSION WAS REBUILT AT OTHER SHOP AFTER SAID FAILURE. *JB

THE TRANSMISSION ON THE 1994 FORD EXPLORER APPEARS TO BE DEFECTIVE. THEY FAIL AFTER ONLY BETWEEN 75,000-125,000 MILES. *JB

WHILE VEHICLE WAS IDLING IT POPPED INTO REVERSE AND ROLLED INTO A PARKED VEHICLE. TRANSMISSION SLIPPED INTO REVERSE AND CAUSED THIS MISHAP. VEHICLE IS CURRENTLY PARKED, AND CONSUMER IS AFRAID TO DRIVE IT. *AK

THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN FOR INSPECTION TO AN INDEPENDENT REPAIR SHOP. CONSUMER NOTICED, AFTER RECEIVING THE VEHICLE THAT IT WAS NOT DRIVING RIGHT. CONSUMER PULLED OVER, AND PUT VEHICLE IN PARK. AFTER A FEW MINUTES, CONSUMER STARTED THE VEHICLE AND TRIED TO PUT THE VEHICLE INTO THE REVERSE. THE SHIFTER WENT PASSED ALL THE GEARS AND WOULD NOT MOVE. *AK

THE FIRST TIME NOTICED THIS PROBLEM I WAS TRAVELING ABOUT 65MPH, I GLANCED AT THE SPEEDOMETER WHICH SHOWED 90MPH! MY FIRST INSTINCT WAS TO LIFT OFF THE GAS PEDAL AND HIT THE BRAKE! AS I LIFTED OFF ON THE GAS, I REALIZED THE THE TRUCK WAS NOT GOING THAT FAST. SO I CONTINUED ON MY TRIP AT A SPEED THAT "FELT RIGHT" BECAUSE THE SPEEDOMETER WAS MORE A DISTRACTION THAN A HELP. THE SPEEDOMETER KEPT DOING THIS FROM TIME TO TIME BUT ONLY AT FREEWAY SPEEDS. THEN AFTER A SHORT TIME IT WOULD ALWAYS ADD ABOUT 30MPH TO ANY SPEED OVER 35MPH. I CHECKED WITH FORD TO FIND OUT IF THIS HAD BEEN A PROBLEM OR SUBJECT TO ANY RECALLS AND WAS TOLD NO. AT THAT TIME HAD THE SPEEDOMETER REPAIRED AT AN INDEPENDENT SHOP (SAN DIEGO SPEEDO TACH INC. 619-235-0314). THEY TOLD ME IT WAS A COMMON PROBLEM ON FORD EXPLORERS AND FORD RANGERS AND THAT THEY REPAIRED SEVERAL A WEEK! NLM

WHILE PARKED GEAR JUMPED FROM PARK TO DRIVE AT A VERY RAPID SPEED. HOWEVER, AN ACCIDENT DID OCCUR. THERE WERE NO INJURIES. *AK WHILE VEHICLE WAS PARKED CONSUMER REVVED ENGINE TO 3000 RPM, TRANSMISSION VIOLENTLY BANGED IN TO DRIVE, LURCHED FORWARD AND RAN INTO A ROCK WALL. *YD

WHILE DRIVING, CONSUMER NOTICED SMOKE COMING FROM THE BACK OF THE VEHICLE, AND WAS UNALBLE TO ACCELERATE AND HAD TO COAST TO A STOP, IT WAS DETERMINED THAT A TRANSMISSION WAS NEEDED, HOWEVER TWO YEARS LATER @ 76,000 MILES THERE WAS A ROARING NOISE, CONSUMER TOOK VEHICLE INTO DEALERSHIP AND WAS INFORMED THAT ANOTHER TRANSMISSION WAS NEEDED, AFTER THE SECOND TRANSMISSION WAS INSTALLED CONSUMER BEGAN HAVING PROBLEMS WITH THE PARKING GEAR, THE AUTOMOBIE TOLLED FOWARD, ALSO THERE WAS A LACK OF POWER.*JB

VEHICLE EXPERIENCED THE 4-WHEEL DRIVE LOCKING UP WHILE TRAVELING CAUSING THE VEHICLE TO SLIDE REPEATEDLY. *YH

WHILE DRIVING VEHICLE WILL NOT UPSHIFT, AND HAS PROBLEMS SHIFTING INTO DIFFERENT GEARS, CAUSE UNKNOWN. PLEASE GIVE ANY FURTHER DETAILS.*AK

TRANSMISSION OVERHEATED CAUSING MAJOR MALFUNCTIONING IN TRANSMISSION.. THIS IS SECOND TIME THIS HAS HAPPENED WITHIN A YEAR AND A HALF. TRUCK HAS NEVER BEEN OFF ROAD TO MY KNOWLEDGE(BODY AND UNDERNEATH ARE IN EXCELLENT CONDITION, I.E. NO RUST). AFTER TALKING TO A FEW REPAIR SHOPS AND DEALERSHIPS I WAS TOLD THAT THIS IS VERY COMMON WITH THE FORD EXPLORER. I HAVE ALWAYS HAD THE VEHICLE SERVICED REGULARLY AND TAKEN PRIDE IN IT'S APPEARANCE. IT RUNS GREAT BUT THERE HAS TO BE A PROBLEM WITH THE MANUFACTURING OF THE TRANSMISSION, OR THIS PROBLEM WOULD NOT HAVE OCCURED TWICE. I STAND BY FORD'S BUT, THIS MAKES ME LEARY OF EVER BUYING ANOTHER FORD PRODUCT THAT THE COMPANY WILL NOT STAND BY. SINCERELY, [XXX].*AK PARTS OF THIS DOCUMENT HAVE BEEN REDACTED TO PROTECT PERSONALLY IDENTIFIABLE INFORMATION PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6).

THIS APPEARS TO BE A COMMON PROBLEM FOR THE 1994 FORD EXPLORER THAT THE MANUFACTURER WILL NOT ACKNOWLEDGE. I KNOW OF 3 OTHER OWNERS PERSONALLY THAT HAVE THE SAME COINCIDENTAL PROBLEM. THE AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION WILL NOT SHIFT OUT OF FIRST GEAR UNLESS NURSED TO DO SO. THIS HAS NEARLY CAUSED SEVERAL POTENTIAL CRASHES. NOT TO MENTION VERY VERY POOR FUEL ECONOMY. *AK

SPEEDOMETER/ODOMETER INACCURATE AT SPEEDS ABOVE 40 MPH. ODOMETER RECORDS 1.4 MILES PER EVERY MILE AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS AND SPEEDOMETER SHOWS ACTUAL SPEED PLUS 10-25 MPH WITH A BOUNCING NEEDLE. MANY OTHER OWNERS SEEM TO HAVE THE SAME PROBLEM AS LOCAL DEALER MENTIONED LARGE NUMBER OF INQUIRIES FOR THE SPECIFIC PART. *AK

VEHICLE WAS PARKED AND THEN WAS TURNED ON AND TRANSMISSION JUMPED INTO REVERSE, AND HIT CONSUMER'S WIFE. CONTACTED DEALER, AND DEALER WAS NOT WILLING TO DO ANYTHING ABOUT PROBLEM. *AK

WENT TO FORD DEALER AND THEY DIAGNOSED PROBLEM WAS FRONT HUBS NEEDED REPLACEMENT FOR $1000, TALKED TO ANOTHER MECHANIC AND HE SAID SAMETHING BUT IS NOT ABLE TO GET ANY HUBS BECAUSE HE HAS BEEN TOLD THAT FORD IS BUYING UP ALL OF THE NEW/REBUILT HUBS BECAUSE THEY KNOW THERE IS A PROBLEM. SECOND MECHANIC ASKED SOME DEALERS WHEN MORE HUBS WOULD BE AVAILABLE AND WAS TOLD NO DATES AVAILABLE DUE TO FORD BUYING SO MANY.*AK

LOW RANGE SYSTEM APPEARS TO OPPERATE BUT REGUALAR 4X4 SYSTEM DOES'T ENGAGE THE HUBS. *AK

CLUTCH, SLAVE CYLINDER, AND 5HT GEAR IN TRANSMISSION REPLACED

SPEEDOMETER READING FLUCTUATES 20+ MPH AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS. BUZZING SOUND ASSOCIATED. *AK

NO SUMMARY LISTED FOR ABOVE VEHICLE. *AK

WHEN PUTTING CAR IN PARK IT WILL ROLL FORWARD. CONSUMER FEELS THERE IS A PROBLEM WITH TRANSMISSION. THERE IS A RECALL FOR SAME PROBLEM, BUT THIS VEHICLE IS NOT INCLUDED DUE TO VIN. *AK

THE TRANSMISSION FAILED. *MJS

THIS WAS SECOND TIME FOR THE TRANSMISSION TO BE REPLACED SINCE JAN-13-1999. VEHICLE HAS BEEN SQUEALING & NOT SHIFTING. DEALER TOLD CONSUMER TRANSMISSION HAD TO BE REBUILT. FORD HAS BEEN OF NO HELP TO THE OWNER. *AK

EXCESSIVE VIBRATION AROUND 65 MPH DISCOVERED NOT LONG AFTER PURCHASING USED WITH 19,000 MILES ON VEHICLE. I INITIALLY THOUGHT IT WAS DUE TO THE TIRES, WHICH I DIDN'T REPLACE UNTIL 40,000 MILES. AFTER INSTALLING NEW TIRES AND DOUBLE CHECKING BALANCE, ETC. THE DEALER INFORMED ME THAT IT WAS A KNOWN DEFECT IN THE VEHICLE DUE TO ENGINE AND DRIVE TRAIN MISALIGNMENT. THEY SAID AN ANTIVIBRATION KIT WAS AVAILABLE FOR $1,000 BUT THEY WOULD NOT COVER THE COST DUE TO NOW BEING OUT OF WARRANTY. THE SERVICE MANAGER AT ONE DEALERSHIP TOLD ME THAT THE KIT WOULD NOT REALLY CURE THE PROBLEM. HE SAID IT WOULD ONLY CHANGE THE SPEED AT WHICH THE VIBRATION OCCURRED. I WROTE A LETTER TO THE PRESIDENT OF FORD ON 7/26/98 EXPLAINING THE PROBLEM AND EXPRESSING MY CONCERN THAT THE VIBRATION COULD LEAD TO FURTHER PROBLEMS IN THE FUTURE. I EXPRESSED THE FACT THAT IT WAS A KNOWN DESIGN PROBLEM AND DEFECT AND THAT IT EXISTED WITHIN THE WARRANTY PERIOD AND THAT THE CUSTOMER SERVICE DEPARTMENT WOULD NOT DUE ANYTHING TO CORRECT THE PROBLEM. I NEVER RECEIVED A REPLY FROM MR. TROTMAN, NOR ANYONE ELSE. I SENT A FOLLOW UP LETTER ON 10/28/98 BUT NEVER RECEIVED ANY ACKNOWLEDGEMENT OR REPLIES TO THAT LETTER EITHER. I SINCERELY FEEL THAT FORD MOTOR COMPANY HAS NO CONCERNS OR DESIRES TOWARD THEIR CUSTOMERS SAFETY OR PRODUCT SATISFACTION. I STILL OWN THE CAR BUT HAVE REAL MISGIVINGS ABOUT IT'S SAFETY OR DEPENDABILITY DUE TO THIS PROBLEM. I WOULD LIKE TO GET RID OF IT BUT HATE TO PASS THE PROBLEM ON TO SOMEONE ELSE.

DRIVE TRAIN LOCKED UP CAUSING THE REAR WHEELS TO LOCK UP. THE FRONT WHEELS MAY ALSO HAVE LOCKED UP, BUT UNKNOWN AT THIS TIME. TOTAL LOSS OF CONTROL OF VEHICLE CAUSING THE VEHICLE TO SLIDE SIDEWAYS FROM THE LEFT HAND PASSING LANE ACROSS TRAFFIC TO THE RIGHT, HITTING SHOULDER AND ROLLING OVER ONE AND ONE HALF TIMES.

THE FRONT WHEEL DRIVE ACTIVATES UNEXPECTEDLY WHICH CAUSES THE VEHICLE NOT TO TURN TO THE RIGHT SIDE. FRONT WHEEL DRIVER MUST BE REPLACED TO SOLVE THE PROBLEM. *AK *ML