I guess I am "lucky" that my transmission went 96,000 before the servo gave out?

I just replaced the bearings on the driver's side last month, and now the servo goes out.

The interior has held together and the cosmetic stuff is okay, but if the engine won't turn the transmission and the wheels won't spin on their bearings, then the car is useless.

The center clutch pack broke at 50k, the stereo went out around then too.

I have been a big Ford truck fan, but this car has been a huge disappointment. I learned to never buy the first model year. But really, Ford has been a big disappointment.

I don't think that I will ever buy another Ford. Definitely not another Explorer.

I am just disappointed in Ford. Like someone else, no wonder that the Japanese are kicking their butts.

Transmission number 2!!!!! Yep!! Bought the piece of junk 2002 Explorer in 2005, had it less than 6 months and and no warning lights, no noises, nothing, just no transmission within 3 days of "feeling something weird." My wonderful used car dealer would not help at all, so crying all the while I paid and am still paying the $2000 it took to get a new RE-built transmission. It came with a 6 month warranty. (this was at 70,000 miles) Here I am not quite 2 yrs later and my overdrive light started flashing at me, again, no other warning other than the light, within 3 days I was stuck on the side of the road with 2 young kids in the car and it felt like I was in neutral. Guess what!?!?! I need yet another transmission!!! If I do decide to do fix this it will be the THIRD TRANSMISSION in this wonderful Ford in it's short 6 years since being built!!!! What is the issue with this? I can't afford another transmission, now almost two yrs later the price of the transmission has gone up to $3000, and I still owe 2 yrs of payments on this car. How is it possible that this company KNOWS about this problem and yet does nothing???? Funny thing is that Ford is going under anyway, and they wonder why. They know about this problem yet still have them on the road and continue to make the car! Oh, and also, I have read all the other same complaints on this website (it's all the same...having no third gear with in the light starting to flash at you, not going into drive or reverse and I have also replaced rear end parts at my own expense as well) I can't afford legal action, wish I could, if anyone has any suggestions, please contact me!

Until then, it will continue to sit in my driveway as I can not afford to repair AGAIN at this time.

This is an update regarding my previous posting:

Original POST: My Father retired from Ford and my Brother still works there. I have tried diligently to be loyal, but this is the last straw. I have had nothing but problems with every Ford I have ever owned, and it's been a lot of them. I get a new car every 2-3 years. I have an old import that has NEVER let me down. Dad nearly had a stroke when I bought it, but good thing I did or I'd be walking all the time! O/D light is blinking, transmission revs high for a long time before changing gears....sometimes won't change at all....afraid to pull out of anywhere unless I have a mile of clearance just in case in won't leave 1st gear. Now I find that Ford and the dealership knew this all along. I'm outraged. How can they be so deceitful, greedy and uncaring. I will never buy a Ford product of any kind again. I will only buy from Companies that have a conscience and feel obligated to be sound members of society. I'm not going to have it fixed. I am going to have it towed to the heap, sell for scrap and get a new Imported 4x4 for these harsh Ohio winters. Thank God I can afford to dump it and get something safe and dependable. I am willing to contact an attorney as well. It is ridiculous that this transmission is still available to unsuspecting consumers.

Chris R.

Toledo, OH, USA

ADDENDUM: Now that I have calmed down......lol.....My dealership is going to pay half the cost of replacing the transmission and are giving me a 3 year warranty. My cost is $1900 and they gave me 90 days same-as-cash to pay it. They even threw in free tickets to the auto show. So, after talking to my Dad, I am satisfied with how Ford has handled the problem with my vehicle and have decided to stay loyal to Ford. Mary, in customer service at Brondes Ford is responsible for this. She really went out of her way to make things right and make sure I was satisfied. Thought it was only fair to post when good things happen, too.

My fear got to me ...transmission went out. First i had speed sensor go off. Since

i read alot of forums i parked my car right away and then towed it to my mechanic.

Changed the sensor and blinking 4x4high light stopped blinkin and car was driving

sweet for 5 days. Once i felt slip in gears but didn't pay attention to it since i live in Brooklyn and streets could get slippery from dripped car oil. On the 6th day (morning) i started my car, warmed it up, and put it in drive and guess what ..im not moving :( when i was putting it back to park i hear scratching noise and i knew that most common problem got to me. So now car in my mechanics shop (dont trust anyone else but him)

rebuilding transmission. FORD CEO I WILL SEE YOU IN HELL ! I take great care of my car. Even my GF is jealous that i pay more attention to it then her and still transmission goes out. thinking to rebuild this one for now and then most likely to build new and strong transmission.

I bought this car from Ford West in 2002. Immediately, there was a problem with the car slipping out of gear. Something was tightened and the problem stopped. In November of 2005, while still under warranty, Beverly Hills Ford had to replace something in the transmission because they found metal parts floating...

In November 06, while still under my extended warranty, I brought it back to Beverly Hills Ford because it was changing gears hard. Just my luck, the transmission was being worked on when they went out of business. I got the car back with no mention of whether or not the transmission was fixed. I assumed it was fixed since it worked fine for the past year, then in December 2007, the transmission started up again. Santa Monica Ford is saying the transmission needs to be replaced or rebuilt. I have lodged a complaint with Ford and am hoping to hear back. Meanwhile, it looks like I am out $3500.

Ok here we go first of all we bought our Ford Explorer in Alaska as my hubby rejoined the army....We started having problems with our ford just as soon as we got it...Our front windshield leaked all over everything so that was fun to get fixed as we were moving.. Then while driving to Texas where my husband was stationed at our transmission started acting like it was in neutral cruising down the road and then all of a sudden nothing...We had our Transmission rebuilt in may of 07 then everything was fine until this month...I found my husbands family that he hasn't seen since he was three years old and we drove from texas to vermont and on the way up here sure enough guess what our transmission started acting up again...So yup in the shop it went the day before christmas and we are suppose to be back in texas by tomorrow the 1st of january and here we still sit in Vermont because they can't quite figure out what is wrong with our Ford Explorer...I always thought that my dad was just kidding when he told me to never buy a ford guess I learned that lesson the hard way...We are having to pay over 300 bucks because they never billed the extended warranty people right then they went ahead and sent our extended warranty people the invoice so the shop has already been paid for a job that isn't done yet....So I have came on here and ranted and raved lol...but I will never buy a ford again that is for sure as soon as we are back in texas that thing is getting traded in that is for sure...I hope that you all have a wonderful new year :)

From day one, I purchased my Explorer new, I felt that there was something wrong with the transmission. It seemed to slip and make funny noises. I took it back to the dealer the first week and had it checked. They said there were "no events recorded" so nothing was wrong. At 45000 miles an idiot light came on and stayed lit. I don't remember what it said but the transmission wouldn't shift into overdrive. I took it to the dealer with my extended warranty in hand. They gave me a rental car and a week later I had a new transmission. I can only hope this one lasts longer than the first. Ford ought to do something about their drive train problems. I noted in another complaint that I just had my Explorer's rear end replaced too.

I do not understand - if this is a known problem, why do car dealers take advantage of this and sell this to people in bad credit situations? I have only had the car one year in august and now this. They sold it with only a 30 day warranty and now I do not know what else to do. I cannot replace the transmission nor can I pay for a broken vehicle. I owe $12000 on it as the dealer sold it at 15999 last year and I am in an upside down situation. Can't the FORD company do something- damn if this was known what the hell then. Are people out to just ruin peoples lives or something. I need a car or someone who can afford to fix the piece of sh*t to take over the payments or the FORD company to come and get their piece of sh*t or something. Any one with advice let me know something- FORD hater from pa. By the way this started about 6 months into the owning of this vehicle with the check engine light- then the fact the car had to be towed 3 times from various locations and then the crank sensor went and then the car windows wouldn't open then the car wouldn't reverse or go into drive and now the thing sits collecting bills out front of my house.

My family too had this issue with an `02 Explorer. Same symptom, blinking O/D light, jerking motion back and forth. The fact is that this is a known issue from Ford, the Government and the public. Ford are all laughing until the we all show muster and actually do something about it. Here is my contribution, please visit this website, tell everyone you know. It's an online legal site, its simple the more people fill in the form with our complaint the closer we are to having a shot at a class action suit. Remember, this is a KNOWN issue across the country at all transmission shops, their databases are proof enough and lets not mention all of the transmissions replaced along with receipts and records of these actions. Ford should not get away with this, the problem is too common and the symptoms far too similar. I would love to be profane and show muster in that manner but the truth is without action words amount to nil (nothing) The link is https://www.lawyersandsettlements.com/submit_form.html Good luck to us all!

Same problem as everyone else. The transmission never seemed right. The dealer never could find anything wrong. Serviced the transmission and said it should be ok. I now believe that they knew all along the transmission was a piece of crap and just hope to get it past the warranty. Symptoms very random sometimes would operate fine for weeks then it would start slipping again. Then the O/D light came on followed by the check engine and doesn't want to shift mainly into 3rd gear. I am going to try solenoid pack hope it works. If not guess it is a new transmission.

Ok so I start the car up and drive a little and he over-drive light starts flashing repeatedly. So I go to check the transmission fluid level under the hood, oh thats right you cant check the motherF* from under there u gotta go underneath. Level is fine.. the car still drove fine so I drive about 5 or so miles down the road to have it hooked up to a machine and come to a red light when It comes time for me to go from 1st to 2nd sounds like dragging metal on the ground. So you know I take it to the ford people and they say I can either rebuild or buy. I mean why are they going to issue a recall on a damn back glass which they didnt even fix but they got this expensive ass cheap transmission that breaks even when you take care of it. I'm not into conspiracy theories or anything but WTF I think they did this sh*t to make themselves a lot of money. I mean if I get it fixed and sell it I would just screw someone else over. Damn you to hell FORD! I'm going foreign baby.

Here's the deal. Transmission gave out at 48,000 miles on a 2002 Ford Explorer. I was floored! Never heard of such a thing until experiencing this for ourselves. After searching the internet realized this problem is more widespread then we would have ever predicted. Of course, Ford would not cover out of warranty, and in fact advised that we would need to replace the transmission at a cost of $3375! I contacted Ford Corporate for assistance. They said that they referred the assistance to the dealer whom would be willing to help since we were such 'loyal' customers. Anyway, bottom line is they would replace the trans, but it would still be $2500. Yeah, thanks a lot! Then they had the nerve to offer, 'we could repair the stretched band between 2nd and 3rd gear for $700, but there is no warranty'. Couldn't believe it. I asked, no warranty? Not even a 30 day? The mechanic stated no that they could not guarantee the repair. Why would anyone in there right mind do this? So $2500 for a rebuilt with a 3 year warranty or $700 for a repair when I could drive it off the lot and trans could fail leaving me out the $700. At this point, my wife is so pissed that she just wants to trade the dam thing in for something else. I'd like to keep it for a teen that will be of age soon to drive. The car has been decent otherwise. We just replaced the brakes, tires, and had all the service...dam transmission! Any advice would be greatly appreciated.