9.2
really awful- Typical Repair Cost:
- $2,060
- Average Mileage:
- 111,400 miles
- Total Complaints:
- 40 complaints
Most common solutions:
- replacement of transmission (14 reports)
- not sure (12 reports)
- rebuild (7 reports)
- replace transmission (7 reports)
This problem may be covered under warranty. Ask your Ford dealer.
« Read the previous 20 complaints
Consider this problem dangerous. Sitting in the street waiting for the transmission to go into gear so the car will begin moving.
This problem is not occurring again when the car is old. With going into winter, I will probably be faced with another transmission rebuild, as the problem continues to worsen.
- jknose, Cincinnati, OH, US
please help my car won't got forwards or backwards o/d light blinks when you first start it up it goes back and forth but when it warms up it stops.
- William B., Cedar Rapids, IA, US
Well I am back... Just had my brand new transmission put it... had it 6 days... complete failure... I bought a good one so it is under warranty for 3 yrs / 100,000 miles... but still... It was in shop for two weeks, had it six days and AHHHHHHHHH failure... I swear I babied the thing for 200 miles I drove it... WHAT IS THE DEAL WITH FORDS AND TRANSMISSIONS.....
Now I will sit and wait... I was told the warranty will completely replace it.... they will not try to fix it.
Does the computer have anything to do with this???? I don't get it... 35,000 miles of complete heart ache. I still don't blame the repair shop.... it's the darn parts.......
- deeoh, Mentor, OH, US
I want to say I was forewarned by my other Ford owning friends... DUMP IT BEFORE YOU HIT 75,000 MILES! I bought it new... that wouldn't happen to me... it was they way they were driving... I kept it and what a mistake....
Same as most... I hit 90K and it started slipping while driving down freeway. When pulling into traffic I knew it wasn't always going to go forward so I had to be careful... One day the O/D light came on and limp mode was the best I was going to get. Took it to Ma & Pa shop and they did their best to rebuild it ($1600)... BUT.. it would not stop slipping... In and out of shop it went until I hit 15K miles and finally gave up and took it to dealer begging for New Transmission. Dealer rep said... "OH NO WE CAN FIX THAT!" I begged for a New Trans. but finally I gave in being the stupid woman that I am. ($900) Well now I have driven another 15,000 miles and it is 3,000 past the dealer warranty and they don't care.... NOW YOU NEED A NEW TRANSMISSION... THIS ONE CAN'T BE FIXED...($3000). What about the $900 I spend in May 09? We don't care... past warranty....
Yes... I am going to have it fixed for the 3rd and final time... $5,500 for trans work my AMERICAN truck...BULLCRAP... If I would have just gotten the new trans. last time I would still be in the 36,000 warranty, I would have saved $900 bucks.
THE DEAL HAS BEEN SET... I WILL NEVER EVER PAY FOR A FORD AGAIN... EVER!!!! OR AN AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION...
Has anyone noticed that there aren't complaints about manuals... or at least I haven't found much yet.
I AM LOOKING AT NEW FOREIGN CARS NOW... MANUAL!!!!
- deeoh, Mentor, OH, US
please help my car won't got forwards or backwards o/d light blinks when you first start it up it goes back and forth when it warms up it stops, I hate FORD
- Lynn J., Milwaukee, WI, US
Ford knows everything and they play dumb, we are their little cash cows.
Can somebody from FORD be human and help us out, I paid $32000 no question asked
and I got nothing (brand new garbage).I don`t think I will ever buy A Ford, if they don't fix their act, and help the honest hard working people.
- Viktor B., Rochester, NY, US
Ford... need i say more? My reverse gear is broken and all we're talking about here is that my friend put it in reverse to back out of a parking spot, backed up a few feet, stopped to check for oncoming traffic heard a loud "chunk" and started to roll forward... That's it!!!
- Jake M., Los Angeles, CA, US
I paid cash in full. A single mom's life savings. Tranny went tits up 8 months after purchase. No warranty, bought from private party, a family friend to be exact. Its been 5 years and i'm at 96,000 miles, and its acting up again. I hate this SUV so bad!
- Amanda 1., Longview, WA, US
Yeah, got on internet for a new problem with the Explorer but wanted to add to the transmission replacement stats. Had to replace at 40,000 miles after gentle driving - dealer said it was a Ford problem and gave me a new transmission for $700. I think I was just past the warranty - can't recall. Now at 120000 I have a new and severe problem - they think it's the catalytic converter needing complete replacement to the tune of $1500. After this one, will never do another Ford.
- Susan S., Springfield, VA, US
O/D light started flashing, then check engine light started flashing, lost all power, had to pull over to side of road. Explorer was smoking and would barely idle. Turned off vehicle, turned it back on and tried to drive, it wouldn't move, put it in reverse and it moved so I put it in D1 and it slowly moved was able to get up enough speed to go to D2 and finally back into drive. Now the Explorer slips so bad from 1st to 2nd I'm scared to drive it. I'm sure a mechanic will say needs tranny. Previously owned a Ford Taurus and the tranny went out on that too. Not sure if the tranny has been replaced before since I bought it used at about 110,000 miles.
- J B., Ashland, WI, US
I have 2 Ford Explorers. One I had to replace tranny at 35,000! Now at 67000 miles, it needs another tranny, slipping in third gear. The other one has had a new engine replaced and needs a new tranny. Wouldn't go into reverse and went on FIRE. So now we have two 1999 Fords with no trannies.
- gs1313, Seaford, NY, US
Same 2-3 shift problem. Especially when cold...gas it on the on-ramp, all of a sudden it "pops" out of gear and you're hoping someone doesn't slam into the side of your vehicle. After my last near death experience, I took it to the dealer, they said it was a valvebody gasket that was missing? (Where did it go?) They said they installed the upgrade kit and put in a new gasket, said it worked better.
About 4 months later (when it got cold), it started again. Work & Parts are supposed to be under warranty, but the dealer "thinks" it might be something else. My complaint is, 4 months ago I paid $900 for them to fix what is a common problem with their product, the EXACT same problem is happening again and they are looking for ways to get more money out of me, or worm their way out of fixing what I've already paid them to fix. The technician suggested it might be an internal leak, the torque converter, then suggested I might want to replace the tranny. My response was you had it torn apart last time, you didn't fix the problem, why should I trust you now? I don't subscribe to the theology of "Repair through Attrition".
This is a serious problem that Ford should address or be sued for.
- Kenneth R., Minneapolis, MN, US
FELT LIKE I WAS RAPED, BOUGHT VEHICLE FOR $5000 AND COST ANOTHER $1200 TO SAFETY AND E-TEST ONLY TO PAY ANOTHER $2300 TO PUT IN ITS THIRD TRANSMISSION. 4 MONTHS GO BY AND NOW ANOTHER $750 TO REPLACE BOTH LEFT SIDE WHEEL BEARINGS. I REALLY DON'T WANT THIS MONEY PIT ANYMORE I JUST CANT BRING MYSELF TO LOSE SO MUCH MONEY ON IT. NEVER WILL I BUY ANOTHER FORD EVER!!!!!! UNDER 200K AND ALREADY ON TRANNY NUMBER 3, THAT IS RIDICULOUS. OH YEAH, BOUGHT THE TRUCK OFF MY BROTHER AND HE HAD IT FROM BRAND NEW, ONLY EVER TOWED A U-HAUL TRAILER WITH IT ONE TIME SO IT WASN'T BECAUSE OF ABUSE. FIXED OR REPAIRED DAILY
- Nicole S., Kingston, Ontario, Canada
Same story, new complaint. Had the "speed sensor" replaced at 85,000 miles, and then the deterioration began. I am now at 117,000 miles, and O/D light flickers, which leads to "Service Engine Soon", and truck feels like it is being jerked forward then being pushed back.
My favorite part of this whole thing is that when I bought it, the salesman stressed how Ford has really improved their transmissions!! I thought my problems were unique, but now I realize everyone has this problem. I have been debating repairing or trading in. I'm really starting to lean more towards trading it in, and cutting my losses.
- mikegreening, Wichita, KS, US
This is the 2nd transmission in this vehicle. In roughly 67000 miles the transmission went out. It shifts hard between 2nd and 3rd. I have found that this is a major problem in that if it happens when trying to pull out your stuck with the tranny slipping with traffic bearing down on you. A potential death trap. I wonder what Ford would say if they new people consider their Explorer a death trap. I'm sure they would try to put the blame on the driver. Ford sucks, I'm letting everybody know it.
- navigator600f4i, Port Charlotte, FL, US
Documenting failure #2. As stated before, this vehicle has literally required a new transmission approximately every 35,000 miles. The failure each time has been exactly the same -- slow, hard shifting between 2nd and 3rd gears. We are now looking at transmission #4 for this rig, and Ford says it's not their problem because the vehicle is no longer under warranty. It has been implied that it's my fault -- that I must drive it hard or not maintain it properly. I am a conservative driver and I have the records to prove I maintain my vehicles. I believe this is a clear defect in the transmission, and Ford should be held accountable.
- Shawn D., Juneau, AK, US
This vehicle has literally required a new transmission approximately every 35,000 miles. The failure each time has been exactly the same -- slow, hard shifting between 2nd and 3rd gears. We are now looking at transmission #4 for this rig, and Ford says it's not their problem because the vehicle is no longer under warranty. It has been implied that it's my fault -- that I must drive it hard or not maintain it properly. I am a conservative driver and I have the records to prove I maintain my vehicles. I believe this is a clear defect in the transmission, and Ford should be held accountable.
- Shawn D., Juneau, AK, US
Reporting Tranny failure #3. This vehicle has literally required a new transmission approximately every 35,000 miles. The failure each time has been exactly the same -- slow, hard shifting between 2nd and 3rd gears. We are now looking at transmission #4 for this rig, and Ford says it's not their problem because the vehicle is no longer under warranty. It has been implied that it's my fault -- that I must drive it hard or not maintain it properly. I am a conservative driver and I have the records to prove I maintain my vehicles. I believe this is a clear defect in the transmission, and Ford should be held accountable.
- Shawn D., Juneau, AK, US
Odometer light flashes & transmission won't shift to 3rd! I can't believe Ford can't build an automatic transmission that can't last 100,000 miles. This is ridiculous, especially after reading about so many other failures on the internet. Mine has now failed twice in a year! It is absolutely ridiculous. There should be a class action suit filed!
- ealenius, San Jose, CA, US
Great looking Explorer Sport, just bought it last week [ Oct.31st, 2010 ] ( didn't know about this site then ), bought it form an 'honest' older guy, went to back out of my driveway, minor clunk, no reverse ! Trans shop says rebuild, about $1500.00 !!!! Looking for a used one, but sounds like it won't help much :-( Anyone want to start a class action like they did for the Acura 3.2 CL auto trans ?? Thousands of people got new transmissions from Acura ! ( still had problems, but that's Acuras' problem !! NN
- nick nicholas, Courtenay, British Columbia, Canada