2004 Ford Explorer: hesitation when accelerating

Filed Jan 27, 2015 · Transmission · 65,000 miles · NE

Tl*the contact owns a 2004 ford explorer. The contact stated that while driving approximately 25 MPH, the transmission seized. The contact stated that when the accelerator was depressed, the vehicle hesitated to accelerate. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, where it was diagnosed that the gears failed to shift and the transmission had to be replaced. The vehicle was taken to the dealer. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was 65,000.

Filed Jan 20, 2015 · Brakes, Electrical · 140,817 miles · NY

Tl* the contact owns a 2004 ford explorer. The contact stated that the service engine and the battery warning lights illuminated. The contact also stated that the vehicle jerked and made a loud noise. The vehicle was taken to a dealer who replaced the front driver side hub and wheel bearing, the rear springs, the three passenger gear calipers, four rear driver side calipers, the battery, five rear brake pads, and six rear rotors plus an oil change. Three weeks after the repairs, the vehicle stalled without warning. In addition, the brake pedal hesitated to respond. The vehicle was towed back to the dealer, who diagnosed that the engine needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 140,817.

Filed Aug 27, 2012 · Transmission · 178,000 miles · NY

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.

Filed Jul 9, 2012 · Transmission · 75,000 miles · TX

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.

Filed Apr 14, 2012 · Body, Visibility · 100,000 miles · OH

While loading groceries, I noticed the hinges to my rear window were cracked. I quit using the window in fear of it breaking. The cost to replace the plastic hinge is completely outrageous! I also had a friend call today and his hinge broke, thankfully the glass did not break. Ford knows the hinges are defective. Why would a major company like ford overlook this problem and take a chance of many law suits due to their negligence? There are over 1600 complaints recorded. How many more is needed for a recall? Ford needs to stand behind their product. I hesitated buying this ford because my first ford caught fire while I was driving it. Thirty years later I still think of all the bad stories and now, I want my chevy back.

Filed Feb 26, 2012 · Acceleration · 150,000 miles · IN

There is a long hesitation while attempting to accelerate either from a complete stop or while the vehicle is rolling.

Filed Jun 16, 2011 · Suspension, Transmission · 49,000 miles · TN

Tl* the contact owns a 2004 ford explorer. The contact placed the gear shifter into reverse to drive and noticed that the transmission would hesitate before engaging. The vehicle was taken to the dealer where the technicians replaced the solenoid in the transmission. After the repairs were performed, the contact continued to experience the failure. There was also an abnormal grinding from the rear of the vehicle. The dealer replaced the rear end bearing, three rear axles, the pinion bar and seals and a shaft kit was installed. The dealer also advised that the failure was caused by an over torque by the manufacturer. In addition, the contact stated that the driver and passenger side sun visor joints were failing sporadically and causing the visors to obstruct the contact's vision of the roadway. The sun visors were not repaired. The approximate failure mileage was 49,000.

Filed Apr 9, 2011 · Transmission · 68,312 miles · MD

The transmission has a delayed shift and causes the engine to rev before shifting. This causes a hesitation especially when pulling out into traffic from a stop. This occurs every time and the 0/d light flashes as well. The service engine light is now because of the transmission problem. This is situation dangerous.

Filed Aug 29, 2010 · Transmission · KY

This is in regards to transmission problems with ford explorers especially from the year 2000 to 2005. There have been few thousand complaints that I have seen on the internet and heard and also experience myself about the transmission an these vehicles and its ridiculous. The transmission bangs into gears like something is falling underneath bogs down when changing gears. Hesitates when changing gears and just plain transmission failure in which its happening before the vehicle even gets to 60k. I know hundreds of people that have had their transmission replaced at least twice before 100k so consumers please make note of these transmission problems on here because this is a real safety problem for you and your children. Thanks

Filed Aug 9, 2010 · Body, Transmission · 160,000 miles · TX

Tl*the contact owns a 2004 ford explorer. While the vehicle was parked, she opened the rear glass window located on the lift gate. The window was open for a few moments until one of the two hinges broke resulting in the window hanging by one hinge. Upon examining the broken hinge she noticed that the screw holding the hinge in place also broke in half. The failure was not diagnosed. The vehicle was not repaired. She also stated that the vehicle hesitated to shift into reverse and would lunge forward before moving in reverse. When shifting from reverse to drive, the failure recurred and she heard a popping noise when the vehicle finally shifts into gear. The failures have occurred intermittently. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic who was unable to diagnose the failure. The vehicle was not repaired and the failure continued to recur intermittently. The failure and current mileages were 160,000.

Filed Jun 30, 2010 · Transmission · 48,000 miles · NC

Purchased a 2004 ford explorer in 2007. Shortly after I started to feel two things, a hesitation in the gears as they shift from one to the next, and the more pressing issue, a stall followed by a jerk when put into reverse. I took it in three times concerning this issue and was told each time that it was normal and was a hesitation in the gas relaying the information to the "computer". The warranty has run out and I once again took it back for these same issues only this time they did find something wrong with it and I am stuck footing the bill on something that should have been fixed under warranty. I've also read several complaints on this issue on this site and on fords website and am wondering... Why hasn't anything been done? Ford knows about this, and it is apparent the office of defects investigation knows about this, but it is still an issue!!! If ford isn't going to be a respectable company and fix this problem on their own, then why hasn't an investigation started to force them to fix this problem? This needs to be investigated, it obviously isn't a fluke problem and is a major safety issue!!!

Filed Jun 14, 2010 · Transmission · 50,000 miles · HI

Purchased a 2004 ford explorer in 2004, noticed after a couple of months that when I put the car in reverse it would delay a few seconds and then it would make a clunk sound and then speed into reverse or shift hard, that was at about 50,000 miles.car at times would not go into reverse, had the transmission in the shop numerous times and shift solenoid replaced to no avail. Shifted okay for awhile and goes back to shifting hard again and while at a stop light several times or upon starting my car when I had my foot on the brake it would make a clunk sound and jump forward out of gear. Good thing no other cars were in front of me or my wife or children near the vehicles. This vehicles scares me and being in the military with a limited budget we cannot just buy another car so easily and so we drive this vehicle deathly afraid. Ford needs to make right, the government needs to address this issue before more people are injured or killed with the sudden acceleration or coming out of gear involuntarily. Also car is starting to delay when at a stopped position to start driving the car hesitates to go into gear. Does it take someone to get seriously injured or die before this problem is going to be resolved by an obvious manufacturer error???? I have two children that get driven around on a regular basis and I am now worried that something is going to happen or my wife. This is still going on and getting worse. Here it is june 2010 and ford is getting away with ripping off customers and not being made to fix our investments nor the money we've had to spend on their mistake. I am taking my ford back in to have the transmission guy that repaired it look at the vehicle. How can thousands of complaints be ignored? You are reading this, you can pressure and bring it to light. [xxx] information redacted pursuant to the freedom of information act (foia), 5 u.s.c. 552(b)(6).