It started acting up within the first month. When they would fix it, it would work for a while and the symptoms would always return. Around 2009, Ford put a new valve body in it and it was okay for about a year. The symptoms were hard shifting out of neutral into forward and reverse. Also a hard shift between second and third gear. Around March of 2012 a new symptom was added to the transmission. The O/D light would come on and the transmission would start slipping. Of course the warranty was out by this time, but the car only has 38,000 miles on it now. I know this to be true because I have had this car since it was new. The Ford dealer just informed me the bill would be over $3000.00 to repair it. Since this problem has been happening since I got it, I cant trust another transmission. I called Ford customer complaint department and they said there was nothing they could do for me because it is out of warranty. I feel that since the car only has 38,000 miles on it and the problem has been there since day one that they should offer something. I also informed her that I will never buy another Ford car and my family always bought Fords but we are now a Chevy family.

Well it seems I'm the next person in a long line of people who is having transmission issues with the 2004 Explorer and Ford still does not accept any fault for this. Out of the blue the service engine soon light comes on and turns out to be a transmission sensor code. The truck only has 172,000 miles on it. I take it to a transmission specialist and they tell me its about to fail - sensors, slipping, and skipping gears? To correct they would need to rebuild and it would only cost me $3,067. I just can't believe that with so many complaints for the same problem Ford will not take ownership for this. They should definitely make it a recall. I'm already thinking about buying a Toyota soon.

After a 1 hour drive on a snow covered highway the OD/OFF light started flashing. When starting from a stop, the shift into second gear was very hard; knew damage would occur.

The local and highly rated transmission shop read the error codes, all related to the speed sensors. The shop experts explained one speed sensor was giving bad reading so they would replace all three since they are only $20.00 or so each. I agreed to this. Upon picking up the car and driving home I discovered nothing had change. Shifted hard into second and the OD/OFF light began flashing.

Returned to the shop. They did some major checking of the electrical system as it relates to the transmission and found nothing, so opted to overhaul the tranny.

When the overhaul was completed I was shown a couple parts that has some wear and 'may' have caused the issues I was experiencing. Unfortunately, the OD/OFF light is still flashing and it still shifts hard into second.

The shop is now looking into the ABS electrical system as it relates to the transmission and have no solution or due date to report.

I've done extensive readings in the forums and on many automotive sites such as: www.edmunds.com www.fordproblems.com/Explorer www.autoforums.carjunky.com/ www.www.2carpros.com etc.

What I have come away with are: 1.) The Ford Explorers are on one use 4WD. 2.) 2002-2004 are the worse years 3.) Most OD/OFF Flash Light complaints have no permanent solution. 4.) One is most likely better off, given the value of the car, to sell it as it, combine that money with the ~$3000.00 the repair will cost and buy something else.

I was a big Ford fan for two reasons. One, they didn't take bailout money from the government. Two, my 94 Aerostar 4.0 v6 van has 197000 virtually trouble free miles on it. But then it is a 94. Judging by the trends It would most likely have 195 complaints, instead of the close to 2000 complaints the 2004 Explorer has.

After driving for an hour on a snow covered road in 4WD Hi, my OD/Off light began flashing. Later that same day when accelerating normally from a stop, the car would shift VERY hard from 2nd to 3rd; "clunk" (feels a hefty jerk).

Sadly, I now learn it is a defect Ford is ignoring. I expect I'll do some more research and try some of the more affordable fixes mentioned, not the $3,500.00 transmission replacement that has been reported over and over not to fix the problem. Please correct me if I'm wrong.

Update from Feb 27, 2012: I was way off on getting this problem repaired. It only cost about $2500.00 and took one week and four subsequent followup visits.

Trip One: Rebuilt the transmission Trip Two: Rechecked the re-occuring codes (they were the same as the first go-around) Trip Two: Rebuilt the Valve Body assembly Trip Three: Re Flashed the Computer Trip Four: Installed new computer and then re-flashed.

We are back to normal now. The transmission shifts great. There is concern of when to trade the car in as we have a three year warranty on the tranny.

Ok now im really pissed this wonderful peice of s**t is broke down again can not even be driven will not shift out of first gear from what i am told the shift band is broke and the trans has to be torn all the way apart and be rebuilt and going to cost me at least 3 grand to have this problem fixed. Guess what i do not have a spare 3 grand laying around to have this problem fixed so for now i am out a car and have to have my wife drive my 98 lincoln navigator that has 210,000 miles on it only gets 14 miles to the gallon tops and i have to drive my 97 dodge ram that gets 9 miles to the gallon tops so saving money to have the exploder fixed is not something that is going to happen in the neer future unless i can find a way to stick the maker with the cost witch should not be a question because they know they made a peice of junk and they need to stand by it but we all know thats not going to happen so im screwed THANX FORD!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! its grately appreciated

i have a 2004 ford explorer its the 3rd one i have must be sucker for sure, a year ago i lost the transmission in this one only had it 7months, it had 127000kms on it , it cost me over 1 thousand dollars and more. it is a year later and the o/d is flashing on / off and when it does the tranny starts to slip, wait and it comes back, i am very upset with this , i'm putting a complaint to ford dealership about this i got 22,000km on a new transmission, i can't afford another one i will have to scrap this one and call it lost cause and remember not to buy another ford.

Truck was pretty problem free(power window ,paint peel,shifts hard into reverse sometimes)but then the od off light started blinking and the service engine soon light came on . Talked to two separate service managers at ford (both good friends of mine) said was a common problem would try and help out but bottom line is a complete rebuild to the tune of around 3000.00. This is my third and last exploder,hello toyota. brother has forerunner w 268000 other than basic maintenance he has done nothing. Bye BYE ford............................