After purchasing my 2004 ford explorer I noticed hesitation and lurching upon acceleration causing a safety hazard when proceeding out into traffic. Several service appointments were made and ford was unable to replicate the problem, although all other persons that drive the vehicle have identified it. With the new information recently released on these vehicles, I am very concerned for my safety and wish to have this vehicle repaired.
2004 Ford Explorer transmission complaints
Page 16 of 16: complaints 431 to 460 of 460, newest first, as owners wrote them.
2004 explorer - eddie bauer purchased new on 12/03. At 29,000 miles - noticed that when turning sharp radius in parking lots - felt like the transmission would go in and out of gear. Simultaneously noticed hesitation upon auto shifting, and hesitation upon putting in reverse. Took to dealer replaced solenoid. 2nd trip to dealer - similar complaint - they replaced rear axle. 3rd trip - similar complaint, but now upon heavy acceleration - vehicle pulls hard left. Service manager at ford says they called factory, but nobody knows why. This is now not only a lemon, but because it's steering has become affected - I believe it is a safety concern. 3 major failures in 10 mos ownership, and some problems remain unresolved. This is not a safe or reliable vehicle.
I just read an article regarding ford's admission that there are problems with the transmissions in the 2004 explorer. I have had my explorer for less than 6 months and have had it in the shop 3 times for transmission issues. First time, and last time I was told there was no problem. Any way to ensure that I receive a letter from ford regarding the repair plan they are going to put in place.
The consumer experienced a problem with the cruise control. The consumer would set the cruise control and then it will shut down by itself. The consumer took the vehicle to the dealer who as of today, was unable to find a defect. *jb the failure resulted in a life threatening situation when the vehicle reached speeds in excess of 100 MPH on it's own while hitting the resume button in cruise control. The vehicle had been in to the dealer for the repair of the braking and tire pressure gauges, throttle control, transmission slippage, cruise control, traction control default, general computer defaults and the rear trim piece at the liftgate opening was distorted.
2004 ford explorer transmission problem.transmission was leaking and not shifting right.I have had it to the dealer to be fixed twice,the first time I was told there was nothing wrong it was just overfilled,the second time they said they replaced the torque converter and the resealed pump bolts.I am keeping an eye on any more problems and I know you guys are tracking the trans problems with this vehical.if I could I would demand to get another vehical and it would not be a ford being though I probably will have to return for more service with more problem.I bought this thinking it was a quality vehical but I know know I made a mistake.thank you . Nancy sakevich.
2004 ford explorer,which was purchased in november 2003 hesitates when shifting into reverse, when it does shift there is a jolt and bang as it engages into reverse. Suv has been serviced on 3 occasions, the initial service performed apprximately 1 month after the purchase. Each time I was told that it was a computer problem & that the computer needed to be re-programmed. In short, the vehicle continues to exhibit the jolt/bang when shifting to reverse. The vehicle is scheduled to go to the dealership (island ford) on staten island new york on monday november 22, 2004, at which time, I am told that the solenoid will be replaced. My greatest concern is that when this problem is finally solved, whether any residual damage was done to the transmission or differential, which may not become apparent until after the vehicle is beyond warranty. This problem has existed for nearly a year.
2004 ford explorer transmission problems. Will not shift into reverse from neutral, car bucks when finally shifts into gear (reverse and forward). Car has stalled upon steering into a u-turn in the middle of an intersection. This is definitely a safety hazard. I fear for the safety of my family.
Car has a hard time engaging into gear, when backing up it feels like I've hit another vehicle. The vehicle just jumps in revers.I have almost ran over someone because of a delay in engaging into reverse. In drive it does the same thing. I worry that I am going to hit a car that might be parked in front of me or even a person. Not only that I worry that if I did hit another car I wouldn't know that I did it. The car has had problems starting. It has left us almost stranded twice. The cars battery has died for no reason, even after driving a couple of hours prior to trying to restart it. The front and rear window motors have gone out, the rear windows were stuck open in a rain storm with my two children in the back seat. The vehicle has lost power driving down the interstate and a warning light came on in the dash, the vehicle had only 5,000 miles on the odometer. The keyless entry quite working, wich also kept our key chain lockers from working. The car would not turn over, it would just make a click, when it would turn over, it sounded like gears were grinding. The vehicle went in for to be serviced for the first time a month after we bought the vehicle, dec. 5, 2003 and has gone in atleast once every two months since. The car has been in for servicing a total of 3 months out of the year that we have owned it. We have requested since it has been for the same problem 8 times and it has not been fixed that the dealership lemon the vehicle. But nothing has been done about it. The dealership doesn't know what the problem is and they have told us that they cannot fix it.we still have the same problem now. It can potentially hurt someone.
When gears are put in reverse, the transmission hesitates for 3-5 seconds then a loud clunk is heard and the vehicles moves. Just purchasesd the explorer from dealer today with 20,750 miles on it and nothing was disclosed about these problems. I'll take back tommorrow and hope they will fix the problem. Lemon????
My transmission started slipping gears. It would also clunk and hang up in reverse. Sometimes when engaged in drive it would surge forward. Several times I have been very lucky and kept my foot on the brake. If not, I am afraid to think of the consequences. After taking to a certified ford dealership, it no longer slips in gear, but it still clunks. Now it hesitates when changing gear. The dealer says this is normal. I have tried 4 times to get them to fix this but they keep saying its normal. This is not my first ford explorer 4x4 and I have never experience any hesitations when the gears change in any vehicles I have ever driven or owned. This will be my last ford ever!
For the past 8 months, when I put SUV into reverse, there is a loud bang. Sometimes SUV sticks in "park", then slams back. Also while driving sometimes it hesitates and finally shifts. Upon stopping, SUV rolls forward or backwards a great distance until it finally locks into "park." took SUV to service dept. @ dealer and was told they did not find anything wrong.
When shifting from drive to reverse, hesitation up 5 seconds then bangs into reverse. Dealer said it was normal because of computer lag. Still doing it and taking it back to dealer again. This is an on going problem.
Vehicle hesitates when put into reverse, then slams into reverse with a sudden jerk. Have to keep brake to the floor waiting for it to engage to keep the vehicle from hurting anyone. Upon waiting for part that is on back order, the vehicle now misses gears when driving down the road and sometimes slams into the next gear even if it is down shifting. Part was supposed to be hear last week and now they are telling us that it may be middle of next month before it gets here! We have children and are very worried about what will happen if this is not fixed very soon! Mechanic said that all 2004 explorers are having this problem at about 15,000 miles which is when this began in ours. Very worried!!!!!
The vehicle continued to go into 4- wheel drive on its own. The vehicle accelerated, then stalled. The mechanic was unable to duplicate the problem. *jb there were several times when the vehicle was placed in reverse or forward the vehicle would buck.
1- in reverse vehicle pauses- then proceeds to surge backward. Took to dealership- they fixed it- adv bad transmission sensor. 2- vehicle would go from 65- to - 40 as if I was hitting the brake. Took to dealer - they advertising general code read fine for about 2 months. 3- now it has actually began to die instead of just stalling and hesitating. Now they advise its the throttle sensor. In all 3 cases - the little wrench comes on and the check engine light. This is a 2004 bought brand new and only has 16,450 miles on it....... What will go wrong next?? Last date is listed below the stalling is an on/off thing.
When shifting gears from drive to reverse a heavy knocking noise is produced. *ak the gear selector would hang up in drive and the selector did not return. The vehicle would also unexpectedly jump out of drive. The shift solenoid was replaced but the problem remained the same.
My 2004 ford explorer xlt makes a clunking noise and harshly shifts when going into reverse. Sometimes there is a lag of up to 5 seconds before engaging into reverse, which may put me in danger when trying to turn around in traffic.
When reversing, loud banging/clunking noise is heard from the back. The car jerks back harshly.
When putting transmission in reverse it hesitates and slams in to gear. Very loud humming noise in rear when in any speed of acceleration. Vehicle is going to dealership tommorow.
When shifting to reverse- step on gas - does not engage then suddenly a clunk and takes off very fast in reverse- worried about hitting someone- dealer has reflashed & then replaced solenoid in transmission problem still exists.
Vehicle was taken to dealer for transmission problem. Consumer was told that when placing vehicle in reverse, it jerked, and sometimes it raced. Consumer was told that part of the transmission needed to be replaced.
Transmission got stuck in neutral when column shifter was put in the park position. As my wife got out to help her sister with her new born and baggage the explorer started rolling, my niece (in the back seat) got scared and jumped out of the vehicle and got ran over. The vehicle hit a pole and trapped my niece under the rear tire. I have since taken it to dealership 3 times so far, and it is still not fixed. Actually since I have gotten the explorer back it has started to clung really hard going into reverse, and has got stuck between third and fourth gear. While driving, causing the rpms to shoot up. I am waiting on ford to finally resolve this issue as I have been given the run around and am getting very frustrated.
Placing the vehiclw in reverse, vehicle hesitates and then engages with a "clunk"; shifting into drive the same phenomenon occurs randemly. The major concern is that this jumping into gear happens sporadically as well !
Consumer had problems with the automatic transmission. Each time the vehicle was backed up, it would hesitate when placed in drive. The vehicle also leaped forward with the consumers foot on the brake, it was placed in drive and the vehicle did not move. *sc the vehicle was a rental.
Engaging the transmission in "reverse" it hesitates, slips then surges. Loud banging/clunking noises heard, sounds like universal joint. Dealer states parts on order. Apparently this is a known defect to ford, dealer blames it on a defective servo, synchro or solinoid. Awaiting nationwide back ordered parts from the same manufacture, what makes me think that this same part won't again fail. What is ford's responsibility regarding warranty extension for the transmission which still is encountering the same problems as I await the repair parts? Sounds like a safety problem to me.
4x4 eddie bauer explorer - bangs into reverse.
When putting the vehicle in reverse it surged. Consumer was able to stop the vehicle without any incident. Vehicle was towed to the dealership for inspection and the mechanic determined that the transmission failed. *ak
The gear on my newly purchased 2004 ford explorer broke off. I beleive this to be a manufacture defect. When I tookthe truck back to the dealer they couldn't believe it themselves. I am afraid to wonder what else is wrong with this vehicle.
Whining noise from rear of vehicle. Dealer stated that ford knows of this problem but doesn't currently have a fix for it! They asked me to call them back in 30 days.
While driving at any speed consumer was unable to control the vehicle, causing the driver to run off the road. Consumer was able to drive the vehicle to the dealership, and mechanic determined that the 4-wheel drive failed.
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