RoadVitals

2000 Ford Explorer Sport Transmission Problems

Owner-reported complaints naming the transmission system, filed with NHTSA

Data refreshed

Transmission reportsComplaints are reports submitted to NHTSA by owners and drivers. NHTSA does not verify most reports before publishing them, and a complaint does not establish that a defect exists. Volume is influenced by how many of a vehicle were sold, how long it has been on the road, and how much attention an issue has received.
12
Latest Aug 20, 2011
Share of all reportsThis category as a share of every owner report on file for this model year. One report can name more than one component, so the categories overlap.
17%
of 71 total
Crash or fire reportedReports in this category whose submitter recorded that a crash or a fire occurred. The reporter's own answer on the NHTSA form, not a verified finding.
0
Injuries or deaths reportedTotals the submitters entered on their own reports in this category. Not verified by NHTSA and not a casualty statistic.
0

What this page shows

Reports naming the automatic or manual transmission, including shifting behaviour, shudder, slipping and transmission control modules. Every record below is an owner-reported complaint about the 2000 Ford Explorer Sport submitted to NHTSA — not a confirmed defect, not a recall and not a manufacturer bulletin. 12 reports on file name it.

Complaints are reports submitted by owners and drivers to NHTSA. They are not verified and do not establish that a defect exists.

Owner reports naming transmission

Shown in the owner’s own words, exactly as filed

Transmission
Filed Aug 20, 2011

2000 FORD EXPLORER, O/D LIGHT BEGAN FLASHING, CAR SPUTTERED, DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD, CAR WOULD NOT GO AT ALL AS THOUGH IT WAS STUCK IN NEUTRAL. WILL NOT GO IN GEAR. NO DRIVE, NO REVERSE, NOTHING. TOWED TO TRANSMISSION REPAIR SHOP, $1800. TO REPLACE TRANSMISSION. *TR

NHTSA ID
10420829
Incident
Aug 11, 2011
Mileage
186,000 mi
Transmission
Filed Apr 12, 2010

WHEN I BOUGHT THE CAR THREE YEARS AGO IT HAD JUST A REBUILT TRANSMISSION IN IT. LESS THAN A MONTH AFTER I PURCHASED IT I HAD TO HAVE A 2ND REBUILT TRANSMISSION PUT IN IT WHEN MY O/D LIGHT BEGAN FLASHING. JUST YESTERDAY I WAS DRIVING DOWN THE FREEWAY(I-5 IN SEATTLE, WA) WHEN MY TRANSMISSION FAILED AND I HAD TO COAST ACROSS 3 LANES OF FREEWAY TRAFFIC TO COME TO A STOP ON THE SHOULDER. THANKFULLY I WAS ABLE TO MAKE IT SAFELY TO THE SHOULDER BUT THE SITUATION COULD HAVE ENDED VERY DIFFERENTLY. I COULD HAVE VERY EASILY GOTTEN INTO AN ACCIDENT. I HAVE BEEN LOOKING ONLINE AND AM FINDING THAT HUNDREDS IF NOT THOUSANDS OF EXPLORER OWNERS HAVE HAD THE EXACT SAME ISSUES THAT I HAVE EXPERIENCE! IT MAKES ME SICK THAT FORD HAD YET TO DO ANYTHING ABOUT THE PROBLEM. *TR

NHTSA ID
10324998
Incident
Apr 11, 2010
Mileage
135,900 mi
Transmission
Filed Feb 9, 2008

TRANSMISSION IN THIS EXPLORER (VIN 'X') STARTED SLIPPING AT 55K MILES BETWEEN 2-3 SHIFT. I HAD THE TRANSMISSION REBUILT BY FELLOW MECHANICS FOR $1200 TOTAL BEFORE TOTAL FAILURE. *TR

NHTSA ID
10217549
Incident
Jun 8, 2007
Mileage
55,000 mi
Transmission
Filed Apr 12, 2007

TL* - THE CONTACT OWNS A 2000 FORD EXPLORER SPORT. THE ODI WARNING LIGHT CONTINUOUSLY FLASHED. A LOCAL MECHANIC DIAGNOSED THE FAILURE AS HAVING TO DO WITH THE TRANSMISSION. THE CURRENT MILEAGE IS 79,108. *AK

NHTSA ID
10187649
Incident
Feb 28, 2007
Transmission
Filed Mar 7, 2005

OVERDRIVE LIGHT FLASHING ON AND OFF. THE CAR SLIPS WHEN SHIFTING INTO 2ND AND 3RD GEAR AND THEN IS FINE AFTER THAT. I HAVE SEEN HUNDREDS OF POSTS FROM ONLINE FORUMS WITH EXPLORERES HAVING THE SAME PROBLEMS.*AK

NHTSA ID
10112629
Incident
Dec 20, 2004
Mileage
53,000 mi
Transmission
Filed Jan 27, 2005

TRANSMISSION IN MY 2000, FORD EXPLORER SPORT HAS FAILED. UPON TAKING IT TO TRANSMISSION SHOP I WAS INFORMED THAT FORD MOTOR REDESIGNED THE TRANS, IN THIS MODEL YEAR, AND THEY ARE TRASH...., UPON REPLACING TWO VALVE BODIES THE TRANS IS BEING REBUILT AGAIN.*AK

NHTSA ID
10108010
Incident
Jan 13, 2005
Mileage
109,000 mi
Transmission
Filed Dec 1, 2004

AT 53,000 MILES, THE TRUCK'S TRANSMISSION BEGAN SLIPPING AND MISSING SHIFTS BETWEEN GEARS 2-3 AND 3-4. WE TOOK IT TO FORD FOR WARRANTY WORK, AND THEY REPLACED THE VALVE BODY. NOW AT 76,000 MILES, AND 15 MONTHS LATER, IT'S EXHIBITING THE SAME SYMPTOMS, ONLY WORSE. FORD REFUSES TO FIX IT BECAUSE IT'S OUT OF WARRANTY, AND THEY REFUSE TO RECOGNIZE THAT IT'S A COMMON PROBLEM IN FORD TRUCKS WITH THE 5R55E TRANSMISSION.*AK

NHTSA ID
10100881
Incident
Dec 1, 2004
Mileage
53,000 mi
Transmission
Filed Dec 30, 2003

THE TRUCK'S VALVE BODY MALFUNCTIONED . WHEN THIS OCCURRED THE AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION FAILED TO SHIFT CORRECTLY. ALTHOUGH THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM AND THE DEALERSHIP IS AWARE OF IT THE CAUSE IS STILL UNKNOWN AND THERE'S ISN'T A REMEDY. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY ADDITIONAL INFORMATION. *NM

NHTSA ID
10052128
Incident
Jan 12, 2002
Mileage
43,000 mi
Transmission
Filed Aug 14, 2003

MULTIPLE FAILURES REPORT FROM THE VEHICLE COMPUTER SYSTEM FOR FAILING TRANSMISSION. THIS CAR IS BARELY THREE YRS OLD WITH LOW MILEAGE AND THE TRANSMISSION IS ALREADY FAILING. FORDS SERVICE EXPLANATION IS THAT THE VEHICLE REQUIRES REGULAR TRANSMISSION CODDLING (SERVICE) TO MAINTAIN THE OVERALL LIFE OF THE TRANSMISSION. AND OF COURSE I'M JUST OVER THE MILEAGE FOR POWERTRAIN WARRANTY CONVERAGE. I UNDERSTAND FROM MORE THAN ONE REPUTABLE CAR SERVICE DEALERS THAT THE EXPLORER IS NOTORIOUS FOR TRANSMISSION FAILURES.*AK

NHTSA ID
10032825
Incident
Aug 14, 2003
Mileage
51,400 mi
AirbagsElectricalExterior lighting+1 more
Filed Feb 4, 2003

HAVE HAD NUMEROUS PROBLEMS WITH MY EXPLORER. HAVE HAD 2 TRANSMISSION VALVE BODY REPLACED, AIR INTAKE CONTROL VALVE REPLACED, FAULTY WITING FOR THE LAFT TAIL LIGHT REPLACE, IGNITION SWITCH REPLACED, AIR BAG CONTACTS REPLACED, TURN SIGNAL ARM AND COTROLS REPLACED.

NHTSA ID
10005295
Incident
Nov 4, 2002
Mileage
18,000 mi
Transmission
Filed Oct 15, 2002

TRANSMISSION VALVE BODY FAILURE. INFORMED BY DEALER THAT FORD REDESIGNED IT AND AM GETTING THE REDESIGNED UNIT. REQUIRED ME TO PAY FOR HALF OF REPAIR ($400) EVEN THOUGH IT IS THEIR DESIGN FLAW. NOT TO MENTION THAT IT WAS JUST PAST THE 36,000 MILE WARRANTY. THERE WERE NO INJURIES, FATALITIES OR AIR BAG DEPLOYMENT. MR

NHTSA ID
768465
Incident
Aug 20, 2002
BrakesElectricalEngine+3 more
Filed Jun 13, 2001

THE BATTERY GAUGE OCCASIONALLY DROPS TO THE LOW END WHEN THE VEHICLE IS STOPPED, IDLING WITH THE HEADLIGHTS ON, WITH THE HEATER ON AND RADIO ON CAUSING THE DASH LIGHTS TO DIM BUT ONCE THE GAS PEDAL IS DEPRESSED THE VEHICLE WOULD RETURN TO NORMAL OPERATION, THE DEALER HAS REPLACED THE AIR COMPRESSOR, ALTERNATOR AND BATTERY BUT THERE HAS BEEN NO CHANGE, THE HEADLIGHTS STAYED ON ALTHOUGH THE SWITCH WAS OFF, THE LIGHT ON THE STEREO IS INOPERATIVE, AT TIME THE VEHICLE WILL CRANK BUT NOT START THE DEALER REPLACED BY PASS VALVE, PCM AND DA PUMP BUT THERE WAS NO CHANGE. NLM

NHTSA ID
561565

Higher-selling and older vehicles accumulate more reports. Counts are not failure rates and are not directly comparable between vehicles that sold in very different numbers.

Other components reported on this vehicle

Categories with enough reports to have a page of their own

Elsewhere on this vehicle

Data sources

Data on this page last refreshed .