When putting car into park or reverse, car would sometime still be in drive for seconds after putting car in gear. Several times now, occasionally car will simply shut off. Recently, the car would not go into park and shifter separated from steering column.

- Chula Vista, CA, USA

While backing up, the gear shift broke on my 2002 Ford Explorer. It was good that I was not in traffic because I could not get the car back in gear and could have gotten hit and or caused an accident. The steering column was replaced and the parts were in my opinion over priced. My fear is that it may happen again because it may have been replaced with the same defective part.

- Bluffton, OH, USA

Please do something about this !!!! the Explorer gear shifter is defective and unsafe. There is a common thread with gearshift selector breakage on Ford Explorer which indicates that recall is urgently needed. After parking, I tried to move the gear shifter from drive to park to exit the vehicle. To my absolute astonishment the gear shifter broke like a dangling broken arm in the reverse position. The vehicle was rendered useless and me optionless. I work at a secure gov't facility and it was no picnic trying to get a tow truck driver access. I finally got the truck towed to the nearest dealership at $85. The dealer then informed me that the entire steering column would have to be replaced at $1,690. They didn't have the part and needed a day to get the truck back to me. I had to rent a car which was another $102 bucks. Make Ford take care of this safety hazard. I asked for the part and can show you what broke inside which is literally a weak metal housing that the gear shift handle fits in....

- Southaven, MS, USA

My husband was driving our 2002 Ford Explorer when he went to back out of a parking spot and the entire gear shift fell off the steering column. The vehicle will not shift gears and the key can not be removed from the vehicle. Luckily he was in a parking spot. Had he backed out and this happened as he was trying to put the car in drive her could have in a major accident. It is very very very unsafe. The car is getting towed to the dealership. At this time it is unknown what will be done to correct the problem.

- Orange, CA, USA

Air bag warning light came on, pulled plug apart under drivers, seat sprayed cleaner on it put it back together, took care of that problem. Gear shift lever sheared off. Ford says you need to replace steering column. Went online found a man in sweden that made a replacement part, ordered it, put it on, works great. (why couldn't Ford supply one?) the transmission is starting to act up, you shift in to drive it hesitates and leaps forward, quite hard, same in reverse. Ford should recall this before someone gets hurt.

- Fortuna, CA, USA

While picking up my pastor at the dulles airport, I shifted my 2002 Ford Explorer into park. Before I could even reach park, the shift handle detached itself from the steering column and was limp in hand. The only thing left attached, was the wiring cable. I couldn't get the keys in or out of the ignition, most likely because it wasn't in park nor in reverse. Of note, because of that, it was very hard to get a tow truck guy to accept the responsibility for dragging it onto the flat bed truck. The piece that broke was just a small aluminum cast pin. When the Ford dealership called me the next day with a quote for repair, I was shocked at the price, $2145. I was told I needed a whole new steering column because the part that's broken couldn't be repaired with in the column itself. That's when I went on line and searched for similar problems. I was aghast to find hundreds with similar or exact same problems I had. My question is, why isn't there a re-call for this particular defect since so many people are having problems with this small pin" if no recall, why can't Ford help financially or at least, partially to help offset this high expense for such a small fix? I am on a fixed income and a several thousand dollar repair sets us back significantly. Does anybody have a solution" does anybody have any other options to get Ford to help with this problem, I'm desperate. Thank you all.

- Ashburn, VA, USA

The gear shift lever fell off the steering column while putting the car into park. It is held on only by the electrical connection.

- Seattle, WA, USA

The contact owns a 2002 Ford Explorer. The contact stated that she had issues shifting gears and when she would turn corners, the vehicle would shift out of gear. Other times, she had issues shifting into drive and moving forward. The vehicle was taken to an authorized dealer where the contact was informed that there were no related recalls. The transmission was replaced in 2008 at a repair shop. However, the failure continued. When the contact placed the vehicle in park (with the engine on) and went into a store, the vehicle shifted into drive and hit a building and then moved back and hit another vehicle. There were no injuries. A police report was filed. The vehicle was taken back to a repair shop where the contact was informed that a component of the steering column would not allow the vehicle to lock into gear. The steering column was repaired. However, after the repair, the transmission slipped. The vehicle had not been repaired. The manufacturer had not been notified. The current mileage was approximately 140,000. The failure mileage was approximately 80,000. Updated 10/21/11

- Fairland, OK, USA

I was picking up a family friend, an while waiting for her to come to my 2002 Ford Explorer, I put my truck into park, when she got in, I then attempted to put it back into drive, an the gear shift handle broke off into my hand, it basically dangled there an I had no choice but to call a two truck driver. I got an estimate for over $600 for a used column, cause apparently Ford doesn't make the little piece that broke off. I have been online for awhile to find another way of getting this fixed an I have seen hundreds an hundreds of complaints for the very same thing, why hasn't this been recalled yet" what do I or we have to do to get Ford on the ball with this continuing problem" thank god it is stuck in park, an unfortunately so are my keys.

- Middle River, MD, USA

My wife and I and our 8 year old twin boys were on vacation this summer driving through the rocky mountains in a rain storm. It was August 13th, 2010. There was a huge single lane traffic jam because of an accident. We pulled over to the side of the road because my wife needed to get out and stretch. When I put the 2002 Ford Explorer back into drive, the shift lever broke off in my hand like it was made of butter. Needless to say, we were in shock and scared because we were stuck at the top of the rocky mountains in a rainstorm. The Ford was stuck in drive so I decided to drive it all the way to our hotel in rife, Colorado. We were very scared the whole way. We made it to our hotel. The local Ford dealer could not get a part until the following week. A local mechanic rigged it so we could get home to California in time for jobs and school. We felt very unsafe the whole way. When we got home to California, the local Ford dealership replaced the entire steering column and shift lever for $1,300. I have a 2nd 2002 Ford Explorer eddie bauer edition. When I got home from work today, I parked my Ford Explorer in the driveway, put the shift lever into drive and it broke off! again, like it was made of butter. This is exactly two months after the other one broke. Today is October 13, 2010. I am very careful with my vehicles. My wife and I are both teachers in our mid 40's. now, I am left with the same make and model with the exact same defect and I will be calling Ford and asking them to treat me fairly and repair this defect at their cost. Can you help me?

- Murieta, CA, USA

While putting my 2002 Ford Explorer into park at a drive up atm machine, my gear shift just feel into my hands. I was stuck blocking the drive way and had to be towed to a shop where they say the Ford dealership wanted about $1500 to replace steering column. The shop told me that was too much for just a small part that was broken. The dealership said it could not replace just the small part that was broken. My shop told me that it could not find the small part and they see it they can get certified welder to weld the part and it would cost way less then $1500. As I researched this problem on line I came across many complaints about the same problems I am having; the same year model, make and same problem. I am still waiting to hear from the shop about how much it will be and how soon I can get my car repaired and back to me.

- San Pablo, CA, USA

Very loud noise in tires while driving and in steering column when driving my 2002 Ford Explorer. It is most likely a wheel bearing issue. This issue in this truck should be a recall item.

- Haworth, NJ, USA

Purchased 2002 Explorer XLT V6 4.0L already transmission slipping solenoid or whatever out.. I have read reports and wonder why this transmission is not recalled? I have it in shop now having to have it rebuilt and everything changed. Also right wheel bearings bad, upper and lower ball joints bad, suspension shot. And the records show the previous owners maintained everything well. But also had transmission replaced and had problems at 99,000miles. Please doing something for all of us out here. Also coolant leak, engine leak, power seat failure, and on.

- Asheville, NC, USA

I have a 2002 Ford Explorer and this morning I was going at work when the gear shift arm broke off in my hand. I had to call my wife for go at work and I was unable to remove my keys from the ignition. My car is completely un-drivable.

- Boca Raton, FL, USA

Went to leave a baseball game and attempted to put my car in reverse only to have the gear shift come loose from the steering column and was just dangling there. Of course customer service at Ford could not help.

- Tidioute, PA, USA

I was reversing out of a parking spot and then shifted into drive when the lever went limp. It was stuck in reverse and I had my two young kids in the backseat! I was scared out of my mind!!! I sat in the car with my foot on the brake for 45 minutes waiting for my cousin to tow the car to my dad's house. According to all the cases I've read about, and the Ford dealer parts guy, I now have to replace the whole steering column. There's only two junk yards here on guam and neither one has the part so I have no choice but to buy from the dealer and the part alone is $1500!!! I'm going to have to take out a loan just to fix the car that I'm still paying off. It's unbelievable that there has been no recall or that Ford has made it so that we have to get the whole column instead of the one little part that broke.

- Agana Heights, GU, USA

Vehicle was westbound on Ohio turnpike when the driver lost control and the vehicle left the roadway, struck a sign and came to a rest in the gore letter updated 03/18/10 Ohio traffic crash report # 10-0076-89.

- Decatur, MI, USA

I am asking you consider an investigation for the 2002 Ford Explorer XLT steering column. Mine broke and rather easily and it cost me $1,400 to fix. Ford told me there was no recall on this to my surprise. After doing my own online research, I see 45+ other folks had similar or same issues as I did. See the link: www.carcomplaints.com/Ford/Explorer/2002/steering/gear_shift_broke_off.shtml please give this the attention it so desires. I called Ford yesterday 2/19/10 and they basically said, we are doing nothing unless you folks who work with them consider this a recall situation. Please let me hear from you. Len pace the failure mileage was 130,000....mw

- Brookfield, CT, USA

I have a 2002 Ford Explorer and while trying to put my truck in park the gear shift arm broke off in my hand. I had to leave my car in reverse and I was unable to remove my keys from the ignition. My car is completely un-drivable. I have had it towed to a repair shop, but they are charging me $550 to replace the whole steering column with a used steering column.

- Champlin, MN, USA

Information redacted pursuant to the Freedom Of Information Act (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6) 2002 Ford Explorer [xxx] - gear shift lever broke off of steering column while shifting from park into reverse.

- Ft Myers, FL, USA