Problems with 2004 Ford Explorer POWER TRAIN

After coasting through intersections, transmission slips and then clunks as i accelerate

I left work on friday when shifted from reverse to drive noticed i had a hesitation/slippage of gears in the middle of the road. i picked up my children went to the store noticed a mild burnt smell which i was told was transmission fluid burning so i was told to park the car. i finished my shopping came out got the kids in their seats started to back up and had no transmission. my kids and i were stranded 8 miles from home because we had no fair warning that it was going. i had never had any issues with it before. the guy i bought it from had replaced the transmission 2 years before i bought it. ford needs to issue a recall and get things like this fixed. my kids and i could have been seriously injured has that happened on the road on the way home instead of in a parking lot. *tr

First issue was with the solenoids now the issue is with 1-2 shift ratio. shifting into neutral. *tr

2000-2005 explorers have a rate of 1 out of 10 having transmission failure. i want to know why there is not a recall or a class action law suit for this vehicles transmission problems and failures. i would like any information possible to further this. there was mention on ford complaints and failures website for out of warranty explorers a "goodwill repair"? i contacted the ford company and said my vehicle did not fit the criteria. yet when i asked for the guidelines to be sent or emailed to me, i was told this was confidential information and was told nothing could be done...i purchased this vehicle with my daughters disability money so that she would have a safe ride to dr's etc. a little over a year later the gears went totally out while driving. road side assistance took 4 hours up until 4am. lengthy wait for anyone let alone a disabled child. now my daughter and i as a single mother can not afford another vehicle. or the repairs for fords mistakes. ford really needs to acknowledged their mistakes and fix them on a case by case basis or someone needs to put their foot up their tailpipe and sue the company. any help suggestions or other ways to deal with this matter would be gratefully appreciated. thank you ..[xxx] information redacted pursuant to the freedom of information act (foia), 5 u.s.c. 552(b)(6). *tr

Transmission went at 74,000 miles. *tr

Transmission shifts very hard so bad that it jerks me and my children's heads forward when it happens. this occurs the worst when going into reverse and into 2nd and 3rd gears. brakes lock up/stick after being pressed for 3 seconds. *tr

Driving, and and light came on, 4x4 light blinking 5times every 2/3 miles. went to reverse and got a hard jerk. car started making a rubbing noise. took ithe shop was told it was either the transmission or the transfer case. *tr

Tl* the contact owns a 2004 ford explorer. the contact stated that the rear liftgate body panel was cracked. the vehicle was taken to the dealer who diagnosed that the body panel needed to be replaced. the contact also stated that while driving approximately 25-35 mph, a noise was heard coming from the rear differential. the vehicle was taken to the dealer for diagnostic testing. the technician stated that the rear differential needed to be replaced. the manufacturer was made aware of the failure and stated the vehicle was not included in any recalls. the vehicle was not repaired. the approximate failure mileage was unknown and the current mileage was 80,000. the vin number was not available.

2004 ford explorer. consumer writes in regards to transmission problem *tgw the consumer stated there was a delay in the transmission when he attempted to put the gear in reverse. there was also a hard shift when the vehicle was warm and on several occasions, it would slam into gear. *jb

Vehicle's transmission started to slip, as we were driving we would hit the gas harder to compensate and then the transmission would catch causing the vehicle to surge forward unexpectedly. *js

On april 6th of this year i purchased a 2004 ford explorer. the next day i took the car for city inspection...it passed. the very next day (sunday) the check engine light came on. the abs light would also illuminate. i took the car to autozone to have it diagnosed (egr valve). only the check engine light could be diagnosed because the abs light came on at random while i was driving. the car was still under the 1000 mile warranty so the egr valve was replaced and a speed sensor believed to be the problem with the abs light. i purchased an independent extended warranty so i would be covered for any surprise expenses. i had my chance to use it in just a few months later when the car ran hot. the repair was not covered. this happened in july, just a few months after buying the car. earlier this month (november 2012) the service engine light came on again but it didn't stay on so i couldn't get it diagnosed. no need to have it diagnosed because the battery light came on too. i took it to autozone once again and the battery tested bad. it wouldn't start at the store. i bought the battery, it was installed and checked again. the alternator showed it wasn't charging. i had to have the alternator replaced. with the cold weather, i discovered the defrost vents don't work. air only blows from front vents. on the morning of november 19th, i was taking my son to school and the overdrive light started flashing. it happened again while on my way home from work on november 21st. so now i suppose i have transmission problems. ford needs to answer for their horrible engineering. *tr

The o/d off light began blinking and there was uncontrolled deceleration and when accelerating from a stop there is higher than the usual rpm's needed to shift from first to second gear. my investigation revealed this is a known problem with this particular year of ford explorer and there was an article in april, 21, 2009, atlanta constitution-journal reports regarding an announcement by the nhtsa regarding the faulty transmission problems. at this time there is no current recall for this issue, however, it is a costly repair to consumers for an issue which ford and the nhtsa is aware of. *tr

Shortly after i first purchased the vehicle after about 2-3 years ago. i noticed it would jerk & was hard to shift gears. it would sometimes be in gear & not gas. after i took it to a shop to have it looked at it was a wire or cable loose to the trans. everything seemed ok for awhile thereafter but then it started again. just recently as i was on the expressway the transmission overheated light sensor came on & then the check transmission sensor followed. i researched and found that 1 out of every 10 customers with a ford explorer between 2000-2004 have transmissions issues. also i called to ford customer service and was advised that there is no recall even with several complaints and that no goodwill or financial services could be offered to assist me with the repairing of my vehicle, even after i stressed my complete dissatisfaction with the outcome. *kb

After starting vehicle and moving shift lever from park to reverse - rotating shift handle mount broke off- required towing and $1800 repair cost. have seen similar instances on consumer complaint boards - ford fails to recognize as being a safety manufacturing defect. *tr

Tl* the contact owns a 2004 ford explorer. the contact stated that the transmission failed without warning. the contact took the vehicle to the dealer and was told that the transmission overheated, the fifth gear failed and the housing rod was fractured. the dealer also stated that the failure was common in the particular year, make and model vehicle. the failure and the current mileage was 153,435. updated 04/19/12*lj updated 04/30/12

O/d light came on and the transmission started slipping and slamming in and out of gears and the engine started over revving. i have to pull off the road and turn car off and wait about 10 seconds to start car again in order for problem to clear. this has happened may times since. i bought the car new and have returned it to the ford dealer 3 times while under warranty and there fixes would not last long. now they want $3,000 to replace the transmission which i feel they should have done in the first place. i contacted ford customer service and of course they said there was nothing they could do because it was out of warranty. i feel because of the cars history and low miles on it they should have at least done something. i feel if this happens on a major highway it could cause a major accident. *tr

Transmission failure, slips between gears, replacement required. *tr

Transmission and throttle body failed. *tt

I was trying to park the car when i took it from drive to reverse the whole gear shift came right off. it will no longer switch gears nor can i drive it. i searched online and there are numerous other 2004 explorers that this has happened too. there are 16 different complaints which all were exactly like mine on carcomplaints.com. this is super dangerous, imagine if my children were in the car when i went to switch gears and it broke off and the were no way to move or stop it from hitting someone. the expense to fix this 'little' problem of fords is costing me more than i make in 2 months. *tr

Tl* the contact owns a 2004 ford explorer. the contact stated that the vehicle hesitated to accelerate from stops. the failure occurred while in drive or reverse. the contact also stated that the vehicle jerked violently while shifting gears. the vehicle was not taken to have the failure diagnosed or repaired. the manufacturer was made aware of the failure and offered no assistance. the failure mileage was 75,000.

There was a noticeably jerk and the o/t off light came on with the computer saying to "check transmission". the transmission mechanic said replace the transmission. *tr

My vehicle failed to engage in park even though i shifted into park and console indicator displayed park. i had shifted into park on a steep hill. as i exited the vehicle, i released the brakes and one of my passengers alerted me that the vehicle was rolling backwards. i jumped back into the vehicle, applied the brakes and the motion stopped. i verified that park was displayed on the center console, which it was. i then shifted into reverse and neutral and back into park, and the second time the transmission engaged into park. without my passengers alerting me to the vehicle motion, my vehicle would have crashed and potentially injured those in the vehicle. after determining the vehicle was in park, i examined the tire tracks in the snow to see if there was any chance that the vehicle slid rather than rolled on the road. the tire tracks showed clear tire indentations and did not indicate sliding, leading me to determine that the vehicle did not engage into park even though the console indicated it was in park. *tr

Transmission was working just fine till one day it wouldn't shift into overdrive and then it was shifting hard from 2nd to 3rd. rear window hinges broke. rear tail gate cracked right down the middle by ford symbol. also just the other day my passenger window stopped working no signs nothing of anything wrong. i'm going to start buying chevy this is just unacceptable. no wonder america is not doing good our car company's can't make good products anymore. *kb

Vehicle transmission slips when climbing elevation. starts clunking noise and won't shift. rpms go way up and vehicle still will not shift. hard to get vehicle into park on the gear shifter. have thought the vehicle was in park only to have it roll when i take my foot off the brake. took vehicle to mechanic today who says a new transmission is needed. appx cost 3600.00 *tt

I purchased a 2004 ford explorer brand new from the dealership. at 70,000 miles i started to notice a change in the transmission slipping and suddenly kicking when going into gear. i took the vehicle to the dealership and they advised that the transmission would need to be replaced at my cost and there is no recall at the present moment. this is a safety concern because no transmission should start having problems with such little mileage. this matter really needs to be investigated and ford needs to correct this issue promptly. *tr

It seems that my transmission is starting to slip and shift hard. *tt

The transmissions for ford explorers have about a 10% failure rate. the safety issue is that the car may not accelerate when needed. the transmission acts as though it is in neutral when shifting from second to third gears. the symptom also appears during normal acceleration (merging onto highways, trying to pass other vehicles). the danger is that you may not be able move out of the way of other vehicles. we have not been hit, but we no longer drive this vehicle on the highway. we expect a total failure at any moment, and do not want to be in a situation where the vehicle will need to be towed for a large number of miles. this vehicle is unsafe, and unreliable. ford should fix this product, much like honda did for their 2003 acura tl. *tr

Transmission is slipping, not fully gone yet, only a matter of time before it completely goes. i do not have the $2500.00 to replace the transmission. every person i have talked to say this is a common problem with the ford explorers. i have taken into the garage over 10 times. ford should be forced to recall these transmissions and ford should have to pay for it. *tr

I have a 2004 ford explorer with less than 75,000 miles on it. i am a very conservative driver and do not put a lot of miles on my cars. the transmission went out and the guy at aamco said the inside of it was a mess, everything was chewed up. it cost me $3,550 to have it fixed. at the time it failed i was going down the highway at 55 mph and it suddenly dropped to about 25mph. *kb

I bought a used 2004 ford explorer in september 2009. in june 20111 my husband and was driving and i was in the passenger seat. we both could feel the transmission slipping as he drove but figured that it could not be the transmission because the vehicle only had 57,177 miles on it. we arrived at our destination 10 minutes later and by that time we could no longer reverse the vehicle at all. i called the local ford dealership and they said to drive the vehicle over there and they would take a look at it. the paperwork i have from them states "verified concern, performed electronic transmission diagnosis, pulled code po731, checked fluid level - full. dropped the transmission oil pan and found excessive metal debris indicating internal failure. tech recommended replacing with a ford reman unit." the ford dealership's estimate for me was almost $5,000.00 for the transmission to be replaced. i called around to other shops and had the transmission replaced with a jasper unit which cost me $3467.30. it has a three-year warranty on it. i have been reading online about this problem with 2004 ford explorers. for almost a year before the transmission died it would often have delayed shifting when going in reverse and i just assumed it was a touchy pedal, looking back now i realize it was most likely the transmission. this never occurred to me because of the vehicle only having 57,000 miles on it. i no longer feel comfortable driving this vehicle knowing that it has the problems that it does but i have no other choice because we still owe more on the loan than the vehicle is worth. *tr

Tl* the contact owns a 2004 ford explorer. the contact stated that while driving, there was an abnormal increase in engine rpms yet the vehicle would not accelerate. the vehicle was taken to the dealer who diagnosed that the transmission solenoid was defective and needed to be replaced. the manufacturer was not made aware of the failure and the vehicle was not repaired. the failure and current mileage was 64,000.

While attempting to shift from "park," into "reverse," the column-mounted gear selector, broke away from the column and into my mother's hand. the vehicle sat in a parking lot for a few hours. later on, we found a temporary workaround utilizing a pair of "vise-grips," and we were able to drive the vehicle home. the gear selector has not been repaired; and the vehicle just sits there, because the she is too afraid to drive it. *tr

Transmission shifts hard o/d light flashes. *tr

The transmission on my 2004 ford explorer has started slipping. it does not want to go into gear correctly. it only has 107,600 miles on it. i live just outside birmingham, al and the traffic is very heavy and dangerous here. not a place i want my vehicle breaking down. i just hung up the phone with ford motor co and they have nothing to offer in the way of help. they said to hold on to receipts in case of recall. :-( you bet your life i will! my sister's 2005 did the same thing at just over 100,000 miles. *tr

I have had the shifter lock actuator replaced twice in less than 2 years. this actuator defect prevents my explorer from coming out of park. *tr

Ford explorer transmission failed at 84000 miles. this vehicle was released from the factory in 2004 without proper transmission fluid additive. ford addressed the problem 1 year later, but this transmission is failing well before its time. repair costs are $4500. ford will not offer any assistance. *tr

2004 ford explorer. consumer writes in regards to having to replace the solenoid for the third time. *tgw the consumer stated the vehicle would not engage into reverse without jolting and hard shifting. *jb

Transmission slams hard into gear upon acceleration and when braking. does this all the time. when shifting into reverse, it does not engage immediately and then engages hard with a sudden and unexpected lurch backwards. this happens 8 of 10 times when shifting to reverse. no attempt to correct as it appears there is no fix short of a new transmission = $$$ i don't have. *tr

Transmission failure!!! !the o/d warning began to flash...the recommendation is to service transmission asap. the only issue is that my 2004 ford explorer only has 61,672 miles. the estimated repair cost is approximately $2000-3000. *tr

I have had issues with my transmission jumping out of drive when i am going down the highway. i have three children and i feel this is very very unsafe. i have had the car in the shop three times for the same issue and everytime they have told me it was the reardifferential/transmission. i have called fords customer service line and they will not do anything. my explorer is now having issues going into reverse and staying in any gear. please look into these problems with the 2004 explorer before someone gets killed or injured from this. i have researched this problem and thousands of oither 2003-2004 explorer owners are having the same issues with the transmission and rear end. the 2004 ford explorer is a death trap.

The od light is flashing and the trans is slipping. you can not excelerate in a hurry because it wont go making this truck a accident waiting to happen. *tr

In 2005, my 2004 ford explorer was part of a recall for the transmission. i took it to ford service and they put some type of additive. they told me the problem was fixed. from 2005 to 2011 the transmission would have problems, it would turn off when i put it in reverse. furthermore, when i put the car in reverse it would pause then shift back hard. unfortunately, i never took the car back to ford to get it checked because the car would always turn right back on. in january of 2011 my car had 72,000 miles. while i was driving the car suddenly turned off on me. immediately, the service engine soon light came on. also, the o/d off light began flashing. when i would restart the vehicle it would turn on. however, when i shifted into drive it would turn off. so i was unable to drive the vehicle. i took the car to ford service and they explained to me that i need a new (remanufactured) transmission at a cost of $4,000. my car is currently in the service department waiting to be fixed. *ln

the problem that i'm concerned about is the transmission and rear end. for the transmission-this is the third time for this problem with our truck. had it at the dealer ship just after the warranty went out around 37,000 an paid a little over $600.00 to fix it . lasted till 80,000 them took it back and paid around $200.00 to fix. now at 136,000 and the truck will not move at all. dealer ship wants another $3,306.00 to fix it again. the rear end is making a loud wine noise. *tr

Transmission went out on my 2004 ford explorer only a day after i bought it from a dealership. the replacement transmission will cost me $3400 plus the $10550 that i paid for the vehicle the day before. what a big mess this is. *ln

Transmission failure on 2004 ford explorer at ~109k miles. crash/bang noise heard just before failure: high engine rpms and no forward propulsion, flashing od lamp and illuminated service engine soon lamp. problem preceded by intermittent failure to engage reverse gear, or sudden jerking/rough engagement, occasional slipping of gears on acceleration. upon total failure, dealership investigated, says "known problem with this vehicle", recommended complete transmission replacement at $4000. vehicle is one of those recalled in 2005 for bad transmission fluid formula installed at factory. this vehicle has always had peculiar shift behavior which ford consistently said was normal for the vehicle. apparently, as many other owners have since experienced, the rough shifting (perhaps precipitated by bad formula fluid and/or damage this may have done to other components) was indicative of eventual total failure. *tr

My wife owns a 2004 ford explorer xlt with what i've found to be a common problem. the overdrive light flashes on the dash board. it usually is a transmission problem that is a very expensive repair. this issue with the explorer has been going on for over a decade. i think that ford should be held accountable. after all ford did take bail out money. i think that a recall would be the proper action for the ford. motor company. i am one of thousands of consumers who have been abandoned by another big company. *tr

The transmission on my 2004 ford explorer is failing; is will slip out of gear, and then shift back into gear hard enough that it makes the entire vehicle shake and lurch forward. the vehicle only has 68k miles on it, and is only used as a commuter vehicle. it has never been taken off road, and i have never used it to tow anything. *tr

1) 2004 explorer eddie bauer transmission badly slipping and delay in engaging resulting in vehicle lunging forward once it engages. 2) has been happening for about 3-4 years intermittently. dealer said this was normal in first time i complained. now it happens every day. 3) had to have the trans rebuilt at a cost of $2328.25. *tr

I have a 2004 ford explorer and it recently started making a rumbling noise. i brought it to my mechanic and he looked at it and said it was my transmission. he also said that it was an extremly common problem for 2004 explorers. if you google "2004 explorer problems" and click on any of the links the first problem is transmission issues. i have owned this car since it was new in 2004 and have not abused the car. for a 2004 car with only 75000 miles on it to have a transmission go it is a problem. i have been quoted $3000 to fix this problem the fix being a new transmission. when ford knows about this problem they should do something about it. *tr

Tl*the contact owns a 2004 ford explorer. while the vehicle was parked, the contact tried to shift to drive when the gear shift broke off. the vehicle was towed to the dealer. the vehicle was not repaired. the approximate failure mileage was 55,242.