2004 Ford Explorer Power Train

AFTER PURCHASING MY 2004 FORD EXPLORER I NOTICED HESITATION AND LURCHING UPON ACCELERATION CAUSING A SAFETY HAZARD WHEN PROCEEDING OUT INTO TRAFFIC. SEVERAL SERVICE APPOINTMENTS WERE MADE AND FORD WAS UNABLE TO REPLICATE THE PROBLEM, ALTHOUGH ALL OTHER PERSONS THAT DRIVE THE VEHICLE HAVE IDENTIFIED IT. WITH THE NEW INFORMATION RECENTLY RELEASED ON THESE VEHICLES, I AM VERY CONCERNED FOR MY SAFETY AND WISH TO HAVE THIS VEHICLE REPAIRED. *JB

2004 EXPLORER - EDDIE BAUER PURCHASED NEW ON 12/03. AT 29,000 MILES - NOTICED THAT WHEN TURNING SHARP RADIUS IN PARKING LOTS - FELT LIKE THE TRANSMISSION WOULD GO IN AND OUT OF GEAR. SIMULTANEOUSLY NOTICED HESITATION UPON AUTO SHIFTING, AND HESITATION UPON PUTTING IN REVERSE. TOOK TO DEALER REPLACED SOLENOID. 2ND TRIP TO DEALER - SIMILAR COMPLAINT - THEY REPLACED REAR AXLE. 3RD TRIP - SIMILAR COMPLAINT, BUT NOW UPON HEAVY ACCELERATION - VEHICLE PULLS HARD LEFT. SERVICE MANAGER AT FORD SAYS THEY CALLED FACTORY, BUT NOBODY KNOWS WHY. THIS IS NOW NOT ONLY A LEMON, BUT BECAUSE IT'S STEERING HAS BECOME AFFECTED - I BELIEVE IT IS A SAFETY CONCERN. 3 MAJOR FAILURES IN 10 MOS OWNERSHIP, AND SOME PROBLEMS REMAIN UNRESOLVED. THIS IS NOT A SAFE OR RELIABLE VEHICLE. *JB

2004 FORD EXPLORER SPORT-TRAC, TRANMISSION PROBLEMS. THE TRANSMISSION BUCKS AND THE LIMITED SLIP DIFERENTIAL ACTS STRANGE.*AK

2004 FORD EXPLORER TRANSMISSION PROBLEM.TRANSMISSION WAS LEAKING AND NOT SHIFTING RIGHT.I HAVE HAD IT TO THE DEALER TO BE FIXED TWICE,THE FIRST TIME I WAS TOLD THERE WAS NOTHING WRONG IT WAS JUST OVERFILLED,THE SECOND TIME THEY SAID THEY REPLACED THE TORQUE CONVERTER AND THE RESEALED PUMP BOLTS.I AM KEEPING AN EYE ON ANY MORE PROBLEMS AND I KNOW YOU GUYS ARE TRACKING THE TRANS PROBLEMS WITH THIS VEHICAL.IF I COULD I WOULD DEMAND TO GET ANOTHER VEHICAL AND IT WOULD NOT BE A FORD BEING THOUGH I PROBABLY WILL HAVE TO RETURN FOR MORE SERVICE WITH MORE PROBLEM.I BOUGHT THIS THINKING IT WAS A QUALITY VEHICAL BUT I KNOW KNOW I MADE A MISTAKE.THANK YOU . NANCY SAKEVICH. *AK

2004 FORD EXPLORER TRANSMISSION PROBLEMS. WILL NOT SHIFT INTO REVERSE FROM NEUTRAL, CAR BUCKS WHEN FINALLY SHIFTS INTO GEAR (REVERSE AND FORWARD). CAR HAS STALLED UPON STEERING INTO A U-TURN IN THE MIDDLE OF AN INTERSECTION. THIS IS DEFINITELY A SAFETY HAZARD. I FEAR FOR THE SAFETY OF MY FAMILY.*AK

2004 FORD EXPLORER,WHICH WAS PURCHASED IN NOVEMBER 2003 HESITATES WHEN SHIFTING INTO REVERSE, WHEN IT DOES SHIFT THERE IS A JOLT AND BANG AS IT ENGAGES INTO REVERSE. SUV HAS BEEN SERVICED ON 3 OCCASIONS, THE INITIAL SERVICE PERFORMED APPRXIMATELY 1 MONTH AFTER THE PURCHASE. EACH TIME I WAS TOLD THAT IT WAS A COMPUTER PROBLEM & THAT THE COMPUTER NEEDED TO BE RE-PROGRAMMED. IN SHORT, THE VEHICLE CONTINUES TO EXHIBIT THE JOLT/BANG WHEN SHIFTING TO REVERSE. THE VEHICLE IS SCHEDULED TO GO TO THE DEALERSHIP (ISLAND FORD) ON STATEN ISLAND NEW YORK ON MONDAY NOVEMBER 22, 2004, AT WHICH TIME, I AM TOLD THAT THE SOLENOID WILL BE REPLACED. MY GREATEST CONCERN IS THAT WHEN THIS PROBLEM IS FINALLY SOLVED, WHETHER ANY RESIDUAL DAMAGE WAS DONE TO THE TRANSMISSION OR DIFFERENTIAL, WHICH MAY NOT BECOME APPARENT UNTIL AFTER THE VEHICLE IS BEYOND WARRANTY. THIS PROBLEM HAS EXISTED FOR NEARLY A YEAR.*AK

WHEN GEARS ARE PUT IN REVERSE, THE TRANSMISSION HESITATES FOR 3-5 SECONDS THEN A LOUD CLUNK IS HEARD AND THE VEHICLES MOVES. JUST PURCHASESD THE EXPLORER FROM DEALER TODAY WITH 20,750 MILES ON IT AND NOTHING WAS DISCLOSED ABOUT THESE PROBLEMS. I'LL TAKE BACK TOMMORROW AND HOPE THEY WILL FIX THE PROBLEM. LEMON????*AK

THE CONSUMER WAS TAKING OFF FROM A STOP WHEN HE NOTICED THAT THE VEHICLE WOULDN'T GO HIGHER THAN 28 MPH. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER AND THE DEALER COULD NOT DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM. *AK *SC *JB

WHEN REVERSING, LOUD BANGING/CLUNKING NOISE IS HEARD FROM THE BACK. THE CAR JERKS BACK HARSHLY.*AK

WHEN PUTTING TRANSMISSION IN REVERSE IT HESITATES AND SLAMS IN TO GEAR. VERY LOUD HUMMING NOISE IN REAR WHEN IN ANY SPEED OF ACCELERATION. VEHICLE IS GOING TO DEALERSHIP TOMMOROW.

TRANSMISSION WAS STICKING WHEN THE CAR WAS PUT IN REVERSE. AFTER A FEW SECONDS OF ACELLERATION THERE IS A BANG AND THE CAR JOLTS BACK RAPIDLY. I AM STILL AFRAID TO PARALLEL PARK. I ALSO NOTICED SOME STICKING/HESITATION FROM PARK TO DRIVE. I TOOK IT IN FOR SERVICE ON 12/07/04 AND THE SOLENOIDS WERE REPLACED ALONG WITH SOME OTHER WORK ON THE TRANS. THE DEALERSHIP TOLD ME THAT THE PARTS WERE ON HAND BECAUSE THEY KNOW ABOUT THE PROBLEM. IF THAT WAS THE CASE WHY NO RECALL LETTER? THERE ARE ONLY ABOUT 6500 MILES (ROUNDING UP) ON MY VEHICLE AND WHEN I PURCHASED IT IN JUNE OF 2004 IT WAS BRAND NEW. I AM DEEPLY CONCERNED THAT THE PROBLEM WILL RETURN OR THAT SOME OF THE OTHERS THAT I'VE READ ABOUT WILL DEVELOP. HOW MANY COMPLAINTS/REPAIRS BEFORE A RECALL IS ISSUED? *AK

WHEN SHIFTING FROM DRIVE TO REVERSE, HESITATION UP 5 SECONDS THEN BANGS INTO REVERSE. DEALER SAID IT WAS NORMAL BECAUSE OF COMPUTER LAG. STILL DOING IT AND TAKING IT BACK TO DEALER AGAIN. THIS IS AN ON GOING PROBLEM.

GRINDING FEEL FROM THE REAR END RESULTED IN A REPLACED AND UPDATED COMPLETE REAR END FROM FORD. STILL HAVE VERY LOUD WHINING NOISE WHEN AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION IS IN FIRST GEAR. DEALER SAYS THIS IS NORMAL AND I HAVE TO GET USE TO IT. ALSO HAVE NOTICABLE THUMPING FROM TRANSMISSION AND DRIVE SHAFT AREA WHEN BETWEEN 30 AND 50 MPH. DEALER HAS VERIFIED NOISE AND IS CONSIDERING A NEW DRIVE SHAFT. CAR IS NEW AND HAS LESS THAN 3000 MILES.

TRANSMISSION GOT STUCK IN NEUTRAL WHEN COLUMN SHIFTER WAS PUT IN THE PARK POSITION. AS MY WIFE GOT OUT TO HELP HER SISTER WITH HER NEW BORN AND BAGGAGE THE EXPLORER STARTED ROLLING, MY NIECE (IN THE BACK SEAT) GOT SCARED AND JUMPED OUT OF THE VEHICLE AND GOT RAN OVER. THE VEHICLE HIT A POLE AND TRAPPED MY NIECE UNDER THE REAR TIRE. I HAVE SINCE TAKEN IT TO DEALERSHIP 3 TIMES SO FAR, AND IT IS STILL NOT FIXED. ACTUALLY SINCE I HAVE GOTTEN THE EXPLORER BACK IT HAS STARTED TO CLUNG REALLY HARD GOING INTO REVERSE, AND HAS GOT STUCK BETWEEN THIRD AND FOURTH GEAR. WHILE DRIVING, CAUSING THE RPMS TO SHOOT UP. I AM WAITING ON FORD TO FINALLY RESOLVE THIS ISSUE AS I HAVE BEEN GIVEN THE RUN AROUND AND AM GETTING VERY FRUSTRATED.*AK

PLACING THE VEHICLW IN REVERSE, VEHICLE HESITATES AND THEN ENGAGES WITH A "CLUNK"; SHIFTING INTO DRIVE THE SAME PHENOMENON OCCURS RANDEMLY. THE MAJOR CONCERN IS THAT THIS JUMPING INTO GEAR HAPPENS SPORADICALLY AS WELL !*AK

CONSUMER HAD PROBLEMS WITH THE AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION. EACH TIME THE VEHICLE WAS BACKED UP, IT WOULD HESITATE WHEN PLACED IN DRIVE. THE VEHICLE ALSO LEAPED FORWARD WITH THE CONSUMERS FOOT ON THE BRAKE, IT WAS PLACED IN DRIVE AND THE VEHICLE DID NOT MOVE. *SC THE VEHICLE WAS A RENTAL. *JB

ENGAGING THE TRANSMISSION IN "REVERSE" IT HESITATES, SLIPS THEN SURGES. LOUD BANGING/CLUNKING NOISES HEARD, SOUNDS LIKE UNIVERSAL JOINT. DEALER STATES PARTS ON ORDER. APPARENTLY THIS IS A KNOWN DEFECT TO FORD, DEALER BLAMES IT ON A DEFECTIVE SERVO, SYNCHRO OR SOLINOID. AWAITING NATIONWIDE BACK ORDERED PARTS FROM THE SAME MANUFACTURE, WHAT MAKES ME THINK THAT THIS SAME PART WON'T AGAIN FAIL. WHAT IS FORD'S RESPONSIBILITY REGARDING WARRANTY EXTENSION FOR THE TRANSMISSION WHICH STILL IS ENCOUNTERING THE SAME PROBLEMS AS I AWAIT THE REPAIR PARTS? SOUNDS LIKE A SAFETY PROBLEM TO ME.*AK

4X4 EDDIE BAUER EXPLORER - BANGS INTO REVERSE. *AK

WHEN SHIFTING INTO REVERSE, IT WOULD TAKE A FEW SECOND THEN THE TRANSMISSION WOULD SLAM INTO GEAR AND THE WHOLE TRUCK WOULD JERK. DEALER REPLACED A PART AND REPROGRAMMED THE TRANSMISSION. AS OF 12-7-04 THE PROBLEM HAS RETURNED.

VEHICLE IS HAVING TROUBLE ENGAGING FROM THE PARK POSITION TO REVERSE SMOOTHLY. CONSUMER HEARS A POPPING NOISE, AND FEELS THE VEHICLE JUMPS WHEN THE GEARS ARE CHANGED. MANUFACTURER HAS BEEN CONTACTED.*AK

WHEN SHIFTING TO REVERSE- STEP ON GAS - DOES NOT ENGAGE THEN SUDDENLY A CLUNK AND TAKES OFF VERY FAST IN REVERSE- WORRIED ABOUT HITTING SOMEONE- DEALER HAS REFLASHED & THEN REPLACED SOLENOID IN TRANSMISSION PROBLEM STILL EXISTS. *NM

WHEN PUTTING THE VEHICLE IN REVERSE IT SURGED. CONSUMER WAS ABLE TO STOP THE VEHICLE WITHOUT ANY INCIDENT. VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE DEALERSHIP FOR INSPECTION AND THE MECHANIC DETERMINED THAT THE TRANSMISSION FAILED. *AK *NM

AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION TAKES ANYWHERE FROM 3-10 SECONDS TO ENGAGE WHEN PUT INTO REVERSE. AS THIS PROBLEM GETS WORSE I'VE NOTICED THAT THE SHIFT POINTS WHILE DRIVING SEEM OUT OF FORM AND MORE HARSE THAN NORMAL. MY DEALER ORDERED A NEW SELONOID (WHICH COST $360) AND WILL REPLACE WHEN IT BECOMES AVAILABLE - CURRENTLY ON BACKORDER (OBVIOUSLY THIS IS A PROBLEM).*AK

VEHICLE DOES NOT ENGAGE IN REVERSE, IT MAKES A LOUD SOUND, AND THEN IT ACCELERATES TO THE POINT OF TRYING TO GAIN CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE.*AK

VEHICLE HESITATES WHEN PUT INTO REVERSE, THEN SLAMS INTO REVERSE WITH A SUDDEN JERK. HAVE TO KEEP BRAKE TO THE FLOOR WAITING FOR IT TO ENGAGE TO KEEP THE VEHICLE FROM HURTING ANYONE. UPON WAITING FOR PART THAT IS ON BACK ORDER, THE VEHICLE NOW MISSES GEARS WHEN DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD AND SOMETIMES SLAMS INTO THE NEXT GEAR EVEN IF IT IS DOWN SHIFTING. PART WAS SUPPOSED TO BE HEAR LAST WEEK AND NOW THEY ARE TELLING US THAT IT MAY BE MIDDLE OF NEXT MONTH BEFORE IT GETS HERE! WE HAVE CHILDREN AND ARE VERY WORRIED ABOUT WHAT WILL HAPPEN IF THIS IS NOT FIXED VERY SOON! MECHANIC SAID THAT ALL 2004 EXPLORERS ARE HAVING THIS PROBLEM AT ABOUT 15,000 MILES WHICH IS WHEN THIS BEGAN IN OURS. VERY WORRIED!!!!! *JB