1999 Ford Explorer Transmission Problems

TRANSMISSION PROBLEM,FAILURE AND SLIPING,OF MY FORD EXPLORER 1999... *TR

NHTSA ID

10404515

Incident

Aug 14, 2010

Mileage

95,000 mi

MY FORD EXPLORER "O/D OFF" LIGHT FLASHES AND IT HAS PROBLEMS SHIFTING INTO 2ND AND 5TH GEAR. FROM WHAT I UNDERSTAND MY TRANSMISSION COULD GO OUT AT ANY MINUTE, COSTING THOUSANDS TO REPAIR. IF I AM DRIVING ON A CROWDED HIGHWAY OR MERGING THIS COULD BE DANGEROUS. I HAVE READ COUNTLESS COMPLAINTS ON OTHER WEBSITES. THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM AND FORD NEEDS TO RECALL THESE TRANSMISSIONS BEFORE SOMEONE GETS KILLED *TR

NHTSA ID

10383020

Incident

Feb 15, 2011

I HAVE OWNED MY 1999 FORD EXPLORER FOR ABOUT 1 YEAR. ABOUT 2 MONTHS AGO I NOTICED A DELAY WITH THE TRANSMISSION ENGAGING WHEN SHIFTING INTO DRIVE OR REVERSE. THEN ABOUT A MONTH AGO IT STARTED HAVING TROUBLE SHIFTING FROM 2ND TO 3RD GEAR AND VERY SOON AFTER THAT MY OVER DRIVE LIGHT COMES ON INTERMITTENTLY AND BLINKS WHICH MAKES THE VEHICLE SLUGGISH LIKE I AM TOWING SOMETHING. UPON RESEARCHING THIS PROBLEM I HAVE FOUND THAT I AM ONLY ONE OF THOUSANDS OR MORE THAT HAVE THIS SAME ISSUE BETWEEN THE YEARS OF 1995 - 2004. ALSO FINDING OUT THAT THIS IS ANYWHERE FROM A $2000 - $5000 FIX. FROM MY RESEARCH AND I DON'T SEEM TO BE ALONE. THIS SHOULD BE A FORD RECALL. *TR

NHTSA ID

10376413

Incident

Nov 26, 2010

Mileage

130,000 mi

THE REVERSE IN THE TRANSMISSION WENT OUT WITHOUT ANY WARNING. HOW DOES THIS HAPPEN? NOT TAKEN TO DEALER YET. PROBABLY IS NOT WORTH IT. PROBABLY WILL HAVE TO GET ANOTHER CAR. AT LEAST FOR NOW. I PRETTY MUCH USE THE CAR ONLY AFTER WORK NOW SINCE I STARTED TAKING PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION FOR THE LAST 2 YEARS. CAME HOME, DROVE THE CAR FROM THE TRAIN STATION, (ABOUT 1/4 OF A MILE) WENT INTO THE HOUSE TO DROP OFF MY WORKBAGS, CAME BACK OUT, STARTED THE CAR, PUT IT INTO REVERSE AND HEARD A LOUD PING. PUT THE CAR BACK IN PARK AND TRIED REVERSE AGAIN AND THE CAR WOULD NOT MOVE. GO FIGURE. TRIED GOING FORWARD AND THE CAR MOVED. NEIGHBOR CAME OUT AND SAID THAT HE HEARD THE PING AND THAT THE PIN BROKE WHEN I TRIED REVERSE. ADVISED THAT I WOULD NEED TO GET EITHER A NEW CAR OR A NEW TRANSMISSION, BECAUSE IT CANNOT BE CORRECTED OTHERWISE. NEEDED TO GET ANOTHER CAR FOR NOW, BECAUSE NOT SURE IF IT MAY BE WORTH IT TO GET A NEW TRANSMISSION FOR AN 11 YR OLD VEHICLE. JUST REPLACED A TIMING BELT, TENSIONER AND PULLEY JUST 2 1/2 MONTHS BEFORE THAT. NOW REPAIRS ARE STARTING TO ADD UP JUST TO KEEP IT RUNNING AND THE CAR LOOKS VIRTUALLY LOOKS LIKE IT IS ONLY ABOUT 5 YEARS OLD. WOULD UNDERSTAND BETTER IF IT WAS SLIPPING, BUT AGAIN, NO PRIOR WARNING. ONE DAY IT WORKED FINE AND THE NEXT DAY IT WAS NOT. *TR

NHTSA ID

10365676

Incident

Sep 9, 2010

Mileage

122,027 mi

TRANSMISSION FAILURE REVERSE GEAR AT 115K MILES IN JULY 2010. *TR

NHTSA ID

10346962

Incident

Jul 15, 2010

Mileage

115,000 mi

1999 FORD EXPLORER- REVERSE WENT OUT IN TRANSMISSION, THEN AFTER SPENDING 1500. TO GET THAT FIXED , WORKED GOOD FOR AWHILE, NOW THE O/D LIGHT FLASHES AND WON'T KICK INTO OVERDRIVE, NOW I AM TOLD I NEED A NEW TRANSMISSION. THIS VEHICLE ONLY HAS 110,000 MILES SHOULD NOT BE ON IT'S 3RD TRANSMISSION FIX.. VERY DISAPPOINTED ! *TR

NHTSA ID

10311945

Incident

Sep 1, 2009

Mileage

110,000 mi

TRANSMISSION SLIPPING WHILE TRYING TO ENTER ON RAMP ON BUSY HIGHWAY SOUNDS TRIVIAL HOWEVER ENDANGERING LIVES OF OCCUPANTS OF MANY VEHICLES. *TR

NHTSA ID

10299741

Incident

Jan 1, 2010

Mileage

153,000 mi

1999 FORD EXPLORER SPORT 112,750 MILES. CAR FINE TUESDAY NIGHT. UPON LEAVING DRIVEWAY WEDNESDAY MORNING, REVERSE WAS GONE, BUT FORWARD GEARS FINE--NO NOISE, NO LEAKS. VEHICLE HAS BEEN MAINTAINED. UPON LEAVING TO DRIVE TO GET IT DIAGNOSED FOR REPAIR, NOISES OCCURRED, THEN FLUID LEAKED. A COMPONENT BLEW A HOLE IN TRANSMISSION CASE. TRANSMISSION NEEDED REPLACEMENT. UPON RESEARCHING THIS PROBLEM, I FOUND TENS OF THOUSANDS OF SIMILAR COMPLAINTS FOR THIS VEHICLE--MOSTLY 2002 MODELS, THOUGH ALL YEARS WERE REPRESENTED. MANY EXPERIENCED SIMILAR PROBLEMS PRIOR TO 50,000 MILES OF USE. APPARENTLY THIS VEHICLE IS CALLED "EXPLODER" BY REPAIR SHOPS AND FORD DEALERSHIP SERVICE DEPARTMENTS. A PROBLEM OF THIS MAGNITUDE CLEARLY NEEDS ADDRESSING,, AND IT IS OBVIOUS THAT THE FORD MOTOR CO. WILL NOT DO IT, AS THEY HAVE BEEN AWARE OF THIS PROBLEM FOR YEARS AND HAVE MADE NO MODIFICATIONS TO PREVENT IT FROM HAPPENING--IT SEEMS THAT THEY SIMPLY DO NOT CARE TO TAKE THE TIME, MONEY AND EFFORT [MOSTLY THE MONEY, I'M SURE] TO REMEDY THIS PROBLEM--THEY JUST WILL NOT CARE UNLESS FORCED TO--AND YOU ARE THE ONLY ONES WHO CAN FORCE THEM TO DO SOMETHING. I AM LOOKING INTO STARTING A CLASS-ACTION SUIT PRESENTLY. PLEASE DO NOT MAKE IT NECESSARY TO CONTINUE.... *TR

NHTSA ID

10274374

Incident

Jun 13, 2009

Mileage

112,750 mi

FORD EXPLORER 1999... O/D BLINKING, TRANSMISSION MISSED 2ND OR 3RD GEARS, FIXED COUPLE TIMES INCLUDING SWITCHES, SOLENOID,ETC. THE MECHANIC SUGGEST TO REPLACE TRANSMISSION, BUT NOT GUARANTEE THAT WILL FIX IT. *TR

NHTSA ID

10249395

Incident

Aug 4, 2008

Mileage

84,000 mi

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1999 FORD EXPLORER. WHILE CONSTANTLY ATTEMPTING TO SHIFT THE VEHICLE INTO DRIVE, IT FAILED TO PROPERLY SHIFT INTO GEAR. AS A CONSEQUENCE, THE VEHICLE DRIFTS INTO NEUTRAL. THE CONTACT TOOK THE VEHICLE TO A LOCAL MECHANIC AND WAS INFORMED THAT THE TRANSMISSION MAY NEED TO BE REPLACED. SHE IS IN THE PROCESS OF CONTACTING AN AUTHORIZED DEALER TO HAVE THE VEHICLE INSPECTED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 95,000 AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 118,000.

NHTSA ID

10243231

Incident

Apr 23, 2008

Mileage

95,000 mi

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1999 FORD EXPLORER. WHENEVER THE CONTACT ATTEMPTS TO PLACE THE VEHICLE INTO DRIVE, IT FUNCTIONS AS IF IT IS IN NEUTRAL. THE VEHICLE HAS NOT BEEN DIAGNOSED BY THE DEALER. THE CONTACT DID NOT NOTICE ANY DIFFERENCES BEFOREHAND. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 72,204.

NHTSA ID

10243230

Incident

Sep 23, 2008

Mileage

72,204 mi

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1999 FORD EXPLORER. THE CONTACT NOTICED THAT WHENEVER SHE PLACES THE VEHICLE INTO DRIVE, IT FUNCTIONS AS IF IT WAS IN NEUTRAL. THE VEHICLE WILL NOT OPERATE WHILE IN THE NORMAL DRIVING GEAR. THE DEALER HAS NOT DIAGNOSED THE VEHICLE. THE CONTACT DID NOT NOTICE ANY DIFFERENCES BEFOREHAND. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 80,000. UPDATED 10/16/08 *BF UPDATED 10/20/08. *JB

NHTSA ID

10243222

Incident

Sep 23, 2008

Mileage

80,000 mi

O/D LIGHT STARED FLASHING AND IT WOULDN'T SHIFT OUT OF THE LOWER GEAR. PAID AROUND $1400 TO HAVE SOME BANDS REPLACED IN THE TRANS AND THE COMPUTER FLASHED. NOW HAS A HESITATION BETWEEN 30 AND 40 MPH. TRANSMISSION ISSUE. *TR

NHTSA ID

10236555

Incident

Nov 7, 2007

Mileage

72,000 mi

MY TRUCK BEGAN REVVING FOR NO REASON, IT ONLY HAPPENS BELOW 40 MPH. IT DOESN'T ALWAYS HAPPEN AND HAPPENS MORE WHEN IT IS COLD OUTSIDE. A FEW WEEKS BACK, I COULDN'T DRIVE FORWARD, I HAD TO BACK UP AND THEN IT FINALLY DECIDED TO GO FORWARD. I JUST TOOK THE TRUCK IN AND HAD A NUMBER OF THINGS CHECKED AND REPLACED. I WAS TOLD THAT THE TRANSMISSION IS GOING AND IT IS JUST A MATTER OF TIME. I DON'T UNDERSTAND WHY FORD IS NOT DOING ANYTHING ABOUT THE PROBLEMS WITH THEIR TRANSMISSIONS. I DO NOT HAVE MONEY TO THROW AWAY ON A NEW TRANSMISSION, ESPECIALLY WITH THE PRICE OF GAS. PLEASE FIX THESE PROBLEMS. *TR

NHTSA ID

10231354

Incident

Jun 13, 2008

Mileage

117,000 mi

A FEW MONTHS A AGO MY SUV STARTED TO MAKE A TAPPING NOISE FROM THE ENGINE ESPECIALLY WHEN IT WAS COLD. IT HAS PROGRESSIVELY GOTTEN WORSE AND IS NOW ALL THE TIME. I HAD THE SUV CHECKED BY A MECHANIC AND WAS TOLD IT WAS THE TIMING CHAIN. AND HE WOULD NOT FIX IT BECAUSE IT WAS TOO INVOLVED AND WAS NOT WORTH IT. PLUS IT WOULD COST ME $1500+. HE EVEN CONTACTED FORD AND WAS TOLD THAT IT WAS A 'PROBLEM' AND THAT THE DEALERSHIP THAT I BOUGHT THE CAR FROM WON'T EVEN TOUCH IT! I WAS TOLD BY A FORD REPRESENTATIVE TO 'DRIVE IT TIL IT DIES' AND I GOT MY MONEY OUT OF IT. THERE IS NOTHING ELSE WRONG WITH MY SUV, NOT EVEN RUST. I CAN'T BELIEVE THAT FORD KNOWS THAT THE TIMING CHAIN IN THIS VEHICLE IS A PROBLEM AND REFUSES TO FIX IT. PLEASE HELP! *TR

NHTSA ID

10229154

Incident

Oct 1, 2007

Mileage

105,000 mi

SAME 2-3 SHIFT PROBLEM. ESPECIALLY WHEN COLD...GAS IT ON THE ON-RAMP, ALL OF A SUDDEN IT "POPS" OUT OF GEAR AND YOU'RE HOPING SOMEONE DOESN'T SLAM INTO THE SIDE OF YOUR VEHICLE. AFTER MY LAST NEAR DEATH EXPERIENCE, I TOOK IT TO THE DEALER, THEY SAID IT WAS A VALVE BODY GASKET THAT WAS MISSING? (WHERE DID IT GO?) THEY SAID THEY INSTALLED THE UPGRADE KIT AND PUT IN A NEW GASKET, SAID IT WORKED BETTER. ABOUT 4 MONTHS LATER (WHEN IT GOT COLD), IT STARTED AGAIN. WORK & PARTS ARE SUPPOSED TO BE UNDER WARRANTY, BUT THE DEALER "THINKS" IT MIGHT BE SOMETHING ELSE. MY COMPLAINT IS, 4 MONTHS AGO I PAID $900 FOR THEM TO FIX WHAT IS A COMMON PROBLEM WITH THEIR PRODUCT, THE EXACT SAME PROBLEM IS HAPPENING AGAIN AND THEY ARE LOOKING FOR WAYS TO GET MORE MONEY OUT OF ME, OR WORM THEIR WAY OUT OF FIXING WHAT I'VE ALREADY PAID THEM TO FIX. THE TECHNICIAN SUGGESTED IT MIGHT BE AN INTERNAL LEAK, THE TORQUE CONVERTER, THEN SUGGESTED I MIGHT WANT TO REPLACE THE TRANNY. MY RESPONSE WAS YOU HAD IT TORN APART LAST TIME, YOU DIDN'T FIX THE PROBLEM, WHY SHOULD I TRUST YOU NOW? I DON'T SUBSCRIBE TO THE THEOLOGY OF "REPAIR THROUGH ATTRITION". THIS IS A SERIOUS PROBLEM THAT FORD SHOULD ADDRESS OR BE SUED FOR. *TR

NHTSA ID

10222156

Incident

Aug 7, 2007

Mileage

101,000 mi

TRANSMISSION FAILURE, TWICE. FIRST @ 90,000 MILES, SECOND @ 115,000 MILES. *TR

NHTSA ID

10219080

Incident

Jul 4, 2006

Mileage

117,000 mi

1999 FORD EXPLORER TRANSMISSION O/D LIGHT FLASHING. TRANSMISSION HAS NOT FAILED YET, BUT IT WON'T BE LONG. I AM WRITING TO ADD MY VOICE TO THE TEN'S OF THOUSANDS OF UNHAPPY FORD CUSTOMERS WHO HAVE HAD THE SAME PROBLEM FOR A DECADE OF FORD TRANSMISSIONS THAT NO ONE SEEMS TO WANT TO HEAR ABOUT OR HELP US WITH. *TR

NHTSA ID

10218484

Incident

Jan 11, 2007

Mileage

150,000 mi

TRANSMISSION FAILURE 1999 FORD EXPLORER 1. TRANSMISSION STARTED SLIPPING, AFTER A TRANSMISSION FLUSH AT THE VALVOLINE OIL CHANGE COMPANY. MILEAGE ON VEHICLE APPROX 75000 MILES WHEN SERVICE WAS COMPLETED. 2. CATASTROPHIC FAILURE OF TRANSMISSION, RESULTING IN COMPLETE TRANSMISSION REBUILD AT COST OF $3000.00. *TR

NHTSA ID

10216605

Incident

Jan 13, 2008

Mileage

86,872 mi

1999 FORD EXPLORER CAUGHT FIRE. CONSUMER STATES THAT HIS VEHICLE WAS IN THE SHOP FOR ABOUT 5 TO 6 WEEKS GETTING A NEW ENGINE TRANSMISSION AND RADIATOR, AND RECALL REPAIR DONE. THE VEHICLE CAUGHT FIRE A MONTH AFTER THE REPAIRS WERE MADE. *KB

NHTSA ID

10213904

Incident

Oct 31, 2007

THE OVERDRIVE LIGHT ON MY 1999 FORD EXPLORER(104,510) BEGAN FLASHING TODAY AND THE TRANSMISSION IS NOT SHIFTING PROPERLY. *NM

NHTSA ID

10179402

Incident

Jan 11, 2007

Mileage

104,510 mi

THE OVERDRIVE LIGHT IN MY 1999 FORD EXPLORER (105,000 MILES) BEGAN FLASHING TODAY & THE TRANSMISSION IS NOT SHIFTING PROPERLY.*JB

NHTSA ID

10172175

Incident

Oct 30, 2006

Mileage

105,000 mi

WHILE BACKING UP ON LEVEL GROUND, AFTER HEARING A LOUD BANG, MY EXPLORER LOST REVERSE. CONTACTING A REPUTABLE TRANSMISSION SHOP, THEY TOLD ME MINE WILL BE THE 10TH EXPLORER TRANS THEY WILL BE REBUILDING THIS WEEK. THEY ALSO SAY TO NEVER TOW WITH THIS VEHICLE. *NM

NHTSA ID

10141883

Incident

Nov 2, 2005

Mileage

113,000 mi

I PURCHASED MY 1999 FORD EXPLORER IN MAY OF 2004 AND WITHIN A MONTH, I BEGAN EXPERIENCING PROBLEMS WITH MY TRANSMISSION. MORE SPECIFICALLY, THE VEHICLE WOULD LOOSE POWER WHILE DRIVING, THE TRANSMISSION COULD BE HEARD SHIFTING AND ALSO SHIFTING MOVEMENT WAS FELT WHILE DRIVING. I TOOK THE VEHICLE BACK TO RIO VALLEY IN ESPANOLA, NEW MEXICO WHERE I PAID CASH ($8700.00) AND WAS TOLD THAT I DID NOT PURCHASE THE WARRANTY AND MY VEHICLE NEEDED A NEW TRANSMISSION AND IT WOULD COST ME $3200.00 TO HAVE IT REPAIRED. I COMPLAINED AND WAS TOLD THAT MY GASKET WAS SEALED WITH A SEALANT THAT WENT IN TO MY GASKETS AND DAMAGED MY SOLENOID. I HAS JUST TAKEN IT FOR A TRANSMISSION OIL CHANGE AND THOUGHT WELL THAT COULD BE, HOWEVER, AFTER TALKING TO THE OWNER OF HINDI'S OIL STOP, I FELT CERTAIN THAT THIS WAS NOT THE CAUSE. RIO VALLEY FORD DID CLEAN OUT THE TRANSMISSION A COUPLE OF TIMES AND CHARGED ME $340.00 AND I WAS TOLD THAT THIS WAS BASICALLY GOING TO HAVE A BAND-AID EFFECT AND I WOULD ULTIMATELY NEED TO GET MY TRANSMISSION FIXED. IT WAS GETTING ME AROUND FOR AWHILE BUT LATELY THE SAME SHIFTING NOISES AND FEELINGS I HAD HEARD AND FELT ARE RECURRING. MY OVERDRIVE LIGHT ALSO GOES OF AND ON CONTINUOUSLY SOMETIMES WHILE I AM DRIVING THE VEHICLE. *JB

NHTSA ID

10104035

Incident

Jun 24, 2004

Mileage

80,016 mi

I HAVE A 1999 FORD EXPLORER AND THE REVERSE WENT OUT IN IT. THE REST OF THE OTHER GEARS WORK. IT WILL COST 1500.00 TO FIX THRU A TRANSMISSION DEALER. I CONTACTED A RECENTLY RETIRED FORD MECHANIC WHO WORKS OUT OF HIS GARAGE NOW. HE TOLD ME THIS REVERSE IS A PART IN THE TRANSMISSION THAT CAN BE REPLACED WITHOUT A TOTAL REBUILD. HE SAID LAST MONTH WHEN HE LEFT THE DEALER, THE PART WAS ON BACK ORDER FROM FORD FOR 3 WEEKS DUE THE EXTENT OF IT BEING A SERIOUS PROBLEM IN THE 99-00 FORD EXPLORERS. I CONTACTED FORD CUSTOMER SERVICE AND THEY WONT FIX IT BECAUSE IT IS NOT ON A RECALL LIST RIGHT NOW. CAN YOU PLEASE CHECK INTO THIS AND LET ME KNOW HOW I GO ABOUT GETTING THIS FIXED THROUGH FORD? THANK YOU. *AK

NHTSA ID

10096272

Incident

Oct 12, 2004

Mileage

144,000 mi