Owner-reported complaints naming the transmission system, filed with NHTSA
Data refreshed
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 1994 Ford Explorer submitted to NHTSA — not a confirmed defect, not a recall and not a manufacturer bulletin. 56 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.
The 25 most recent of 56, in the owner's own words
VEHICLE'S AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION ENGAGED AT 2500 RPM DURING A CA. STATE SMOG INSPECTION . RESULTED IN TECHNICIAN BEING PINNED AND CRUSHED TO VEHICLE PARKED IN FRONT . TECH WAS AMBULANCED TO HOSPITAL WITH SEVERE LOWER LEG AND ANKLE INJURIES TRANSMISSION WAS REBUILT AT OTHER SHOP AFTER SAID FAILURE. *JB
(1) PURCHASE OF A NEW 2002 FORD EXPLORER; (2) DEFECTIVE VEHICLE FROM THE ONSET. ONGOING PROBLEMS WITH SERIOUS "SAFETY" ISSUES. (3) HAVE REPEATED TAKEN THE VEHICLE INTO THE DEALERSHIP, BUT THE PROBLEMS HAVE NOT BEEN RECTIFIED. *NM
THE TRANSMISSION ON THE 1994 FORD EXPLORER APPEARS TO BE DEFECTIVE. THEY FAIL AFTER ONLY BETWEEN 75,000-125,000 MILES. *JB
1994 EXPLORER 4.0 V6 AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION REBIULT 3 TIMES IN PAST YEAR .COUNTLESS TIMES VEHICLE HAS STALLED ACTING AS IF THE FUEL PUMP QUIT, FUEL PUMP REPLACED, COIL PACKS REPLACED, RELAYS REPLACED. ONCE ON THE HIGHWAY AT 70 MPH, ANOTHER TIME WHILE PULLING INTO TRAFFIC. USUALLY UPON START UP. AIR CONDITIONER SWITCH SHORTED OUT, SAW BURNED WIRES ON SWITCH UPON REPLACEMENT. ANTIFREEZE SPEWED OUT FROM SIDE OF MOTOR, ASSUMED TO BE AROUND HEADS BUT HAS NOT BEEN TO SHOP YET.*AK
WHILE VEHICLE WAS IDLING IT POPPED INTO REVERSE AND ROLLED INTO A PARKED VEHICLE. TRANSMISSION SLIPPED INTO REVERSE AND CAUSED THIS MISHAP. VEHICLE IS CURRENTLY PARKED, AND CONSUMER IS AFRAID TO DRIVE IT. *AK
DOOR HANDLES ON PASSENGER SIDE INTERIOR BROKEN. TRANSMISSION SLIPPING. *AK
THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN FOR INSPECTION TO AN INDEPENDENT REPAIR SHOP. CONSUMER NOTICED, AFTER RECEIVING THE VEHICLE THAT IT WAS NOT DRIVING RIGHT. CONSUMER PULLED OVER, AND PUT VEHICLE IN PARK. AFTER A FEW MINUTES, CONSUMER STARTED THE VEHICLE AND TRIED TO PUT THE VEHICLE INTO THE REVERSE. THE SHIFTER WENT PASSED ALL THE GEARS AND WOULD NOT MOVE. *AK
CONSUMER STATED THAT THE VEHICLE HAD GEAR SHIFT PROBLEMS. *YH
CONSUMER STATES 4 TIRES AND 1 SPARE WHICH ARE FIRESTONE WILDERNESS AT 15 INCH TIRE(S) (DOT # UNKNOWN) ORIGINAL EQUIPMENT ARE HIGHLY DEFECTIVE. CONSUMER REPLACED THEM DUE TO SAFETY CONCERNS, HOWEVER MANUFACTURER WILL NOT REIMBURSE OR REPLACE TIRES STATING THE CAMPAIGN WAS OVER. *TT THE FUEL PUMP WAS REPLACED 2 TIMES AND THE AIR CONDITION WAS REPLACED. UPDATED.*JB
WHILE PARKED GEAR JUMPED FROM PARK TO DRIVE AT A VERY RAPID SPEED. HOWEVER, AN ACCIDENT DID OCCUR. THERE WERE NO INJURIES. *AK WHILE VEHICLE WAS PARKED CONSUMER REVVED ENGINE TO 3000 RPM, TRANSMISSION VIOLENTLY BANGED IN TO DRIVE, LURCHED FORWARD AND RAN INTO A ROCK WALL. *YD
CHECK ENGINE LIGHT COMES ON AT TIMES WHEN THE VEHICLE IS TOWING A SMALL TRAILER AND USING THE TRANSMISSION IN DRIVE INSTEAD OF OVERDRIVE. VEHICLE MILEAGE AND DRIVEABILITY/PERFORMANCE SUFFER. O2 SENSORS HAVE BEEN REPLACED BY DEALER WITH NEW YET PROBLEM STILL EXISTS.*AK
WHILE DRIVING, CONSUMER NOTICED SMOKE COMING FROM THE BACK OF THE VEHICLE, AND WAS UNALBLE TO ACCELERATE AND HAD TO COAST TO A STOP, IT WAS DETERMINED THAT A TRANSMISSION WAS NEEDED, HOWEVER TWO YEARS LATER @ 76,000 MILES THERE WAS A ROARING NOISE, CONSUMER TOOK VEHICLE INTO DEALERSHIP AND WAS INFORMED THAT ANOTHER TRANSMISSION WAS NEEDED, AFTER THE SECOND TRANSMISSION WAS INSTALLED CONSUMER BEGAN HAVING PROBLEMS WITH THE PARKING GEAR, THE AUTOMOBIE TOLLED FOWARD, ALSO THERE WAS A LACK OF POWER.*JB
TRANSMISSION OVERHEATED CAUSING MAJOR MALFUNCTIONING IN TRANSMISSION.. THIS IS SECOND TIME THIS HAS HAPPENED WITHIN A YEAR AND A HALF. TRUCK HAS NEVER BEEN OFF ROAD TO MY KNOWLEDGE(BODY AND UNDERNEATH ARE IN EXCELLENT CONDITION, I.E. NO RUST). AFTER TALKING TO A FEW REPAIR SHOPS AND DEALERSHIPS I WAS TOLD THAT THIS IS VERY COMMON WITH THE FORD EXPLORER. I HAVE ALWAYS HAD THE VEHICLE SERVICED REGULARLY AND TAKEN PRIDE IN IT'S APPEARANCE. IT RUNS GREAT BUT THERE HAS TO BE A PROBLEM WITH THE MANUFACTURING OF THE TRANSMISSION, OR THIS PROBLEM WOULD NOT HAVE OCCURED TWICE. I STAND BY FORD'S BUT, THIS MAKES ME LEARY OF EVER BUYING ANOTHER FORD PRODUCT THAT THE COMPANY WILL NOT STAND BY. SINCERELY, [XXX].*AK PARTS OF THIS DOCUMENT HAVE BEEN REDACTED TO PROTECT PERSONALLY IDENTIFIABLE INFORMATION PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6).
WHILE DRIVING 65 KM THE RPMS WILL GO UP IN RED, AND NOT GO BACK DOWN UNTIL CONSUMER SLOWS DOWN TO ABOUT 30 KM. THEN, SHE CAN FEEL TRANSMISSION KICK IN, AND RPMS GO DOWN. THIS HAS HAPPENED 3 TIMES . MECHANIC STATED TRANSMISSION NEEDED TO BE REBUILT AND UPGRADED. CONSUMER CALLED FORD, AND WAS TOLD THERE WERE A LOT OF COMPLAINTS ON EXPLORER'S TRANSMISSIONS WITH THIS PROBLEM. *AK
THIS APPEARS TO BE A COMMON PROBLEM FOR THE 1994 FORD EXPLORER THAT THE MANUFACTURER WILL NOT ACKNOWLEDGE. I KNOW OF 3 OTHER OWNERS PERSONALLY THAT HAVE THE SAME COINCIDENTAL PROBLEM. THE AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION WILL NOT SHIFT OUT OF FIRST GEAR UNLESS NURSED TO DO SO. THIS HAS NEARLY CAUSED SEVERAL POTENTIAL CRASHES. NOT TO MENTION VERY VERY POOR FUEL ECONOMY. *AK
VEHICLE WAS PARKED AND THEN WAS TURNED ON AND TRANSMISSION JUMPED INTO REVERSE, AND HIT CONSUMER'S WIFE. CONTACTED DEALER, AND DEALER WAS NOT WILLING TO DO ANYTHING ABOUT PROBLEM. *AK
WHILE DRIVING VEHICLE WILL NOT UPSHIFT, AND HAS PROBLEMS SHIFTING INTO DIFFERENT GEARS, CAUSE UNKNOWN. PLEASE GIVE ANY FURTHER DETAILS.*AK
LOW RANGE SYSTEM APPEARS TO OPPERATE BUT REGUALAR 4X4 SYSTEM DOES'T ENGAGE THE HUBS. *AK
CLUTCH, SLAVE CYLINDER, AND 5HT GEAR IN TRANSMISSION REPLACED
NO SUMMARY LISTED FOR ABOVE VEHICLE. *AK
WHEN PUTTING CAR IN PARK IT WILL ROLL FORWARD. CONSUMER FEELS THERE IS A PROBLEM WITH TRANSMISSION. THERE IS A RECALL FOR SAME PROBLEM, BUT THIS VEHICLE IS NOT INCLUDED DUE TO VIN. *AK
THE UPPER AND LOWER BALL JOINTS FAILED. *MJS
VEHICLE ENGAGED INTO FOUR WHEEL DRIVE MODE. BECAUSE VEHICLE WAS DRIVING IN FOUR WHEEL DRIVE MODE FRONT END NEEDED TO BE REPLACED BY THE DEALER. ALSO, FRONT DISC PADS AND CALIPERS NEEDED TO BE REPLACED AGAIN BECAUSE VEHICLE CONTIUED TO ENGAGE IN THE FOUR WHEEL DRIVE MODE.*AK
MY ORIGINAL TRANSMISSION FAILED AT 79,484 MILES. I DID NOT PURCHASE AN EXTENDED DRIVE TRAIN WARRANTY. I ASKED MY MECHANIC IF TRANSMISSION PROBLEMS WERE COMMON WITH EXPLORERS AND HE SAID YES. HE PROVIDED ME WITH A COPY OF SEVERAL YEARS OF ADVISORIES THAT FORD SENT TO MECHANICS, WARNING THEM OF PROBLEMS WITH THE TRANSMISSIONS, AND SPECIFICALLY WITH THE TORQUE CONVERTER. THIS IS THE MAIN PART WHICH WENT ON MY TRANSMISSION. I FELT THAT IF FORD FELT THE NEED TO SEND REPEATED ADVISORIES TO MECHANICS, THAT THERE WAS A PROBLEM(S) THAT SHOULD HAVE INVOLVED A RECALL. I SENT A LETTER TO FORD ON NOVEMBER 4, 1998 AND NEVER RECEIVED A REPLY. I AM ENCLOSING A COPY OF THIS LETTER. I SINCE HAVE HAD TO REPLACE THE SECOND TRANSMISSION AT 100,000 MILES. THE FIRST ONE COST ME $1881.50 AND THE SECOND ONE $1465. I FEEL THAT FORD SHOULD REIMBURSE ME FOR THE COST OF BOTH TRANSMISSIONS BECAUSE THEY FAILED TO ACCEPT RESPONSIBILITY FOR TRANSMISSION FAILURES DUE TO PROBLEMS THEY NOTIFIED MECHANICS ABOUT IN THEIR ADVISORIES. I LOOK FORWARD TO YOUR RESPONSE. *AK
EXCESSIVE VIBRATION AROUND 65 MPH DISCOVERED NOT LONG AFTER PURCHASING USED WITH 19,000 MILES ON VEHICLE. I INITIALLY THOUGHT IT WAS DUE TO THE TIRES, WHICH I DIDN'T REPLACE UNTIL 40,000 MILES. AFTER INSTALLING NEW TIRES AND DOUBLE CHECKING BALANCE, ETC. THE DEALER INFORMED ME THAT IT WAS A KNOWN DEFECT IN THE VEHICLE DUE TO ENGINE AND DRIVE TRAIN MISALIGNMENT. THEY SAID AN ANTIVIBRATION KIT WAS AVAILABLE FOR $1,000 BUT THEY WOULD NOT COVER THE COST DUE TO NOW BEING OUT OF WARRANTY. THE SERVICE MANAGER AT ONE DEALERSHIP TOLD ME THAT THE KIT WOULD NOT REALLY CURE THE PROBLEM. HE SAID IT WOULD ONLY CHANGE THE SPEED AT WHICH THE VIBRATION OCCURRED. I WROTE A LETTER TO THE PRESIDENT OF FORD ON 7/26/98 EXPLAINING THE PROBLEM AND EXPRESSING MY CONCERN THAT THE VIBRATION COULD LEAD TO FURTHER PROBLEMS IN THE FUTURE. I EXPRESSED THE FACT THAT IT WAS A KNOWN DESIGN PROBLEM AND DEFECT AND THAT IT EXISTED WITHIN THE WARRANTY PERIOD AND THAT THE CUSTOMER SERVICE DEPARTMENT WOULD NOT DUE ANYTHING TO CORRECT THE PROBLEM. I NEVER RECEIVED A REPLY FROM MR. TROTMAN, NOR ANYONE ELSE. I SENT A FOLLOW UP LETTER ON 10/28/98 BUT NEVER RECEIVED ANY ACKNOWLEDGEMENT OR REPLIES TO THAT LETTER EITHER. I SINCERELY FEEL THAT FORD MOTOR COMPANY HAS NO CONCERNS OR DESIRES TOWARD THEIR CUSTOMERS SAFETY OR PRODUCT SATISFACTION. I STILL OWN THE CAR BUT HAVE REAL MISGIVINGS ABOUT IT'S SAFETY OR DEPENDABILITY DUE TO THIS PROBLEM. I WOULD LIKE TO GET RID OF IT BUT HATE TO PASS THE PROBLEM ON TO SOMEONE ELSE.
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.
Categories with enough reports to have a page of their own
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