1997 Ford Explorer Power Train

WHEN TRYING TO PASS, OR EVEN WHEN ACCELERATING, THE TRANSMISSION WILL COMPLETELY DISENGAGE! THE PROBLEM IS THAT YOU NEVER KNOW WHEN IT'S GOING TO HAPPEN. THIS HAS ALMOST CAUSED ME TO CRASH IN TWO CASES WHILE PASSING ANOTHER VEHICHLE. WHEN THIS OCCURS IT'S AS IF YOU INTENTIONALLY PUT THE TRANSMISSION IN NEUTRAL. THERE IS NO SLIPPAGE, JUST COMPLETE DISENGAGEMENT. I HAVE EVEN HAD IT COMPLETELY SHIFT INTO NEUTRAL WHILE OPERATING IN CRUISE CONTROL ON THE INTERSTATE. BELIEVE ME IT'S REALLY SCARY WHEN YOUR ENGINGE COMPLETELY TACHS OUT AT THIS SPEED. IT'S A WONDER THE ENGINE DIDN'T BLOW BEFORE I TAPPED THE BRAKE PEDAL. THE TRANSMISSION HAS BEEN COMPLETELY REBUILT TWICE AND REPAIRED ONCE. COSTS TO ME SO FAR IN REPAIRING THIS TRANSMISSION HAVE BEEN $3000 AND COUNTING FOR THE LAST TIME. THE REPAIRS WERE MADE AT A FORD DEALER AND AN INDEPENDENT. AGAIN, THE TRANSMISSION IS DOING THE SAME THING AFTER 13,000 MILES. WHAT'S BAD IS THAT FORD TECHNICIANS, NOR THEIR TECHNICAL SERVICE DEPARTMENT, CAN CORRECT THE PROBLEM. THEIR DIAGNOSTIC EQUIPMENT SHOWS NO PROBLEM. I HAVE TO TAKE IT ON THE ROAD TO SHOW THE MECHANIC HOW IT'S OPERATING WHICH TAKES A PRETTY GOOD TEST DRIVE. AGAIN THEIR ONLY SUGGESTION IS ANOTHER COMPLETE REBUILD SINCE THEY ARE CLUELESS. UNFORTUNATLEY, THIS TIME, IT IS ONE THOUSNAND MILES OVER THEIR WARRANTY PERIOD. THIS IS EXTREMELY DANGEROUS IN MY OPINION. IF I'M HAVEING THIS TROUBLE, THEN SURELY OTHERS ARE EXPERIENCING THE SAME. THANKS FOR YOUR TIME, AND IF YOU NEED FURTHER INFORMATION PLEASE CALL OR CONTACT ME. I HAVE ALL MY RECORDS.*AK

ON TWO OCCASIONS THE DRIVESHAFT BROKE WITHOUT WARNING CAUSING THE DRIVER TO LOOSE TEMPORARY CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE. NLM

TRANSFER CASE FAILED WITH NO REASON. THE 4 WHEEL DRIVE IS NEVER USED. WHEN BEING FIXED THEY FOUND CHUNCKS OF METAL IN THE TRANSFER CASE. IT APPEARED TO BE DEFECTIVE. FORD IS IS DENYING THIS. *AK

WHILE TRAVELING DOWN A HILL AND LETTING OFF THE GAS, THE TRANSFER CASE MAKES A GRINDING SOUND, DEALER STATED THAT THE TRANSFER CASE IS DEFECTIVE. *SLC

THE LAST REPAIR WAS A THIRD TIME THE FRONT END SEAL HAVE FAILED. THE SERVICE DEALER CUSTOMER SERVICE ATTENDENT STATE THAT HE HAD SIX EXPLORERS THAT MORNING FOR THE SAME FAILURE. FORD MOTOR CO. COULD NOT PROVIDE ME WITH INFROMATION REGARDING IF THIS WAS A COMMON OCCURANCE FOR THIS VEHICLE.*AK

SEE DESCRIPTION FROM ANOTHER DISSATISFIED OWNER AT ODI ID: 702324. NO SAFETY DEFECT LISTED IN SUMMARY. *AK( DOT NUMBER: )

WHILE VEHICLE WAS PARKED IN THE NEUTRAL POSITION, AND EMERGENCY BRAKE ON, VEHICLE JERKED AND ROLLED, CAUSING A COLLISION. DEALER HAS INSPECTED THE VEHICLE.*AK

AUTOMOBILE JUMPED OUT OF PARK AND ROLLED FORWARD AND HIT A POLE. NO INJURIES WERE SUSTAINED. *AK

MECHANIC MADE COMMENT THAT SEALS IN TRANSMISSION WERE DEFECTIVE AND WERE SUPPOSED TO BE REPLACED BUT DEALER NEGLECTED TO DO SO WHEN VEHICLE WAS TRADED IN OR IN FOR PRIOR SERVICES. *AK

TRANSFER CASE FAILED. *MJS

WHILE DRIVING ON HIGHWAY STARTED SLOWING DOWN AND HEARD A CLUNKING NOISE. WHEN LET GO THE GAS PEDAL, ALL 4 WHEELS LOCKED UP. ALSO, CV JOINT ON THE FRONT DRIVESHAFT HAD SEPARATED. *AK

VEHICLE HAS BEEN TAKEN IN 4 TIMES - SOME PARTS REPLACED -DEALER CAN NOT FIND PROBLEM. FORD MOTOR COMPANY CONTACTED NOT RESOLVED. VEHICLE 4- WHEEL DRIVE LOW AND HIGH LIGHTS BLINK WHILE DRIVING THEN THE VEHICLE WILL NOT GO INTO 4 WHEEL DRIVE. AFTER YOU TURN OFF CAR AND RESTART THE SYSTEM RESETS AND 4 WHEEL DRIVE WORKS. THIS PROBLEM COULD BE DANGERIOUS AND COULD CAUSE AN ACCIDENT IF 4 WHEEL DRIVE DOES NOT WORK AND THIS WOULD ALSO PROBABLY INCLUDE AUTO 4 WHEEL DRIVE MODE FOR SLIPPERY CONDITIONS. *AK

4-WHEEL DRIVE ACTIVATED WHILE DRIVING AT 30MPH, CAUSING THE STEERING TO LOCK WHICH RESULTED IN A CRASH

- WHEEL DRIVE HIGH AND LOW ACTIVATED WHILE DRIVING AT 30MPH CAUSING THE STEERING TO LOCK WHICH RESULTED IN A CRASH. *AK

TRANSFER CASE WENT OUT TRAVELING BETWEEN SPEEDS OF 40-60 MPH, NO PULLING POWER IN GEAR.*AK

4 WHEEL DRIVE STUCK IN LOW. IF SWITCHED OUT OF LOW THE TRANSMISSION DISENGAGES FROM BOTH THE FRONT AND REAR AXEL SO THE VEHICLE JUST STOPS. EVEN THOUGH THE LIGHTS ON DASH INDICATE THE VEHICLE IS IN 4 WHEEL HIGH THE VEHICLE REMAINS IN 4 WHEEL LOW. WE HAVE HAD THE VEHICLE FOR 2 1/2 YEARS AND NEVER ONCE USED 4 WHEEL LOW. WITH THE SNOW THIS WEEK I USED 4 WHEEL LOW TO GET OUT OF THE DRIVEWAY. I DID NOT GO MORE THEN 3 FEET FORWARD WHEN THE TRANSMISSION BECAME STUCK. NOTHING I DID WOULD FIX THE PROBLEM. WHEN I CONTACTED FORD ALL THEY TOLD ME WAS MY VEHICLE WAS OUT OF WARRENTY SO I HAD TO PAY FOR IT. I KNOW FROM OTHER EXPLORER OWNERS THAT THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM. THE FEAR HERE IS THAT THE 4 WHEEL DRIVE SYSTEM COMPLETELY DISENGAGES AND MY VEHICLE WITH MY FAMILY IS PUT AT RISK AS OTHERS COME UP ON US AT SPEED. THANKS FOR THE SITE. KEVIN

INTERMITTENTLY WHEN DRIVING OVERDRIVE LIGHT FLASHES AND JERKS FORWARD. DEALER HAS INSPECTED VEHICLE. *AK

WE (HERNDON, VA RESIDENTS - JANE, MY SON TJ-15, MY DAUGHTER BOBBIE-13, AND I) WERE RETURNING FROM SPENDING CHRISTMAS WITH JANE'S SISTER, ANNE, AND OUR BROTHER-IN-LAW, JACK, IN DETROIT. WE DEPARTED FROM FARMINGTON HILLS MI (DETROIT) AT 9:30AM IN A LIGHT SNOW. IT WORSENED AS WE GOT INTO OHIO, BUT THE ROADS WERE CLEARED AND IN SOME AREAS WERE SALTED. MOST TRAFFIC WAS MOVING AT APPROXIMATELY 50 MPH IN ONE LANE, THE FAR RIGHT ONE CLOSEST TO THE SHOULDER. THAT IS WHERE I WAS WHEN THE ACCIDENT OCCURRED. SHORTLY AFTER WE STARTED THE TRIP I HEARD A SERIES OF LOUD NOISES FROM UNDER THE CAR. MY SPORT UTILITY VEHICLE (SUV), A 1997 FORD EXPLORER, HAS A SERIES OF SETTINGS FOR 4 WHEEL DRIVE (4WD), I.E., AUTO 4WD, 4WD HIGH, AND 4WD LOW. AT THE TIME I BELIEVED THE NOISE TO BE THE CAR SHIFTING FROM 2WD TO 4WD AS IT SENSED THE ROAD CONDITIONS. I ATTEMPTED TO SET IT TO 4WD, BUT THE NOISE CONTINUED. SINCE THE NOISE DID NOT STOP I SET IT BACK TO THE SETTING I HAD IT IN MOST OF THE TIME. AT APPROXIMATELY 1PM, I AM CERTAIN THE TRANSMISSION FAILED LOCKING THE WHEELS, WHICH PUT ME INTO A SPIN. DURING THE SPIN THE CAR ROLLED OVER, WENT IN AND OUT OF A DITCH (LOCATED TO THE RIGHT OF THE SHOULDER OF THE ROAD) ON ITS SIDE, AND EVENTUALLY SETTLED RIGHT SIDE UP WITH THE FRONT OF THE CAR POINTED DOWNWARD INTO THE DITCH TOWARD THE HIGHWAY. I CONTACTED MY INSURANCE COMPANY AND THE CAR IS CURRENTLY LOCATED AT SUBURBAN COLLISION CENTER, 1151 WEST BAGLEY ROAD, BUREA, OH 44017 (440) 243-5533. *AK

WHILE TRAVELING 55 MPH WITH SNOW ON PAVEMENT CONSUMER HEARD NOISE UNDER VEHICLE. ALL 4 WHEELS LOCKED UP, CAUSING TRUCK TO ROLLOVER. MANUFACTURER HAS BEEN NOTIFIED. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION. *AK

TRANSMISSION PROBLEM OCCURRED BEGINNING IN OCTOBER 1997 UNTIL NOVEMBER 1998 WHEN VEHICLE WAS RETURNED TO FORD PER A LEMON LAW SETTLEMENT. TRANSMISSION PROBLEMS INCLUDED LACK OF POWER, LOSS OF POWER, ERRATIC IDLE AND THROTTLE. PLEASE CONTACT ME FOR MORE INFORMATION PER YOUR INVESTIGATION.

VEHICLE IS NOT CONSITENT SWITCHING IN/OUT OF OVERDRIVE/4 WD -STICKS-FORD DENIES THERE IS A PROBLEM.

PINION SEAL LEAKING.

BROUGHT VEHICHLE INTO DIFFERENT FORD DEALER TO COMPLAIN OF NOISE, WAS TOLD THAT IT WAS THE AIR PRESSSURE VALVE AND TO WAIT TILL IT GOT LOUDER TILL THEY WOULD FIX, ONE WEEK LATER TRANSMISSION FAILED, THEY SAY IT IS A CRACKED DRUM AND REPLACED ENTIRE TRANSMISSION...NEVER HAD AN AIR VALVE PROBLEM

WHEN BACKING UP, THE GAS PEDAL MAY STICK. YOU MUST TAP THE PEDAL TO DISENGAGE IT. IF THE TRANSMISSION IS IN DRIVE, THE VEHICLE MAY LURTCH FORWARD AND IF YOU'RE ON AN INCLINE IT MAY ROLL BACKWARDS BEFORE ENGAGING.

WHILE THE TRUCK WAS PARKED WITH THE IGNITION RUNNING, THE GEAR POPPED OUT OF PARK AND TOOK OFF IN DRIVE. THE DRIVER WAS ABLE TO JUMP IN THE TRUCK AND TURN OFF THE IGNITION SWITCH. THE TRUCK HIT A MAIL BOX, AND THE HOOD AND FENDER WERE DENTED. *AK