2004 Ford Explorer Transmission Problems

ON THE BODY THE TAILGATE PANEL KEEPS CRACKING THIS MAKES MY TRUCK LOOK BAD COMPARED TO THE MONEY I PUT INTO IT. MY ENGINE OR TRANSMISSION ACTS AS IF SOMETHING IS WRONG IT IS NOT SHIFTING GEAR RIGHT. ON THE ELECTRICAL TIRE PRESSURE LIGHT KEEPS COMING ON AND IT ALSO KEEPS LEAKING WATER FROM SOMEWHERE. FORD NEEDS TO GO OUT OF BUSINESS FOR SELLING THESE PIECES OF JUNK. IT MAKES NO SENSE. *TT

NHTSA ID

10537794

Incident

Dec 20, 2012

Mileage

140,000 mi

2004 FORD EXPLORER. CONSUMER WRITES IN REGARDS TO TRANSMISSION PROBLEM *TGW THE CONSUMER STATED THERE WAS A DELAY IN THE TRANSMISSION WHEN HE ATTEMPTED TO PUT THE GEAR IN REVERSE. THERE WAS ALSO A HARD SHIFT WHEN THE VEHICLE WAS WARM AND ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS, IT WOULD SLAM INTO GEAR. *JB

NHTSA ID

10459410

Incident

May 1, 2012

SHORTLY AFTER I FIRST PURCHASED THE VEHICLE AFTER ABOUT 2-3 YEARS AGO. I NOTICED IT WOULD JERK & WAS HARD TO SHIFT GEARS. IT WOULD SOMETIMES BE IN GEAR & NOT GAS. AFTER I TOOK IT TO A SHOP TO HAVE IT LOOKED AT IT WAS A WIRE OR CABLE LOOSE TO THE TRANS. EVERYTHING SEEMED OK FOR AWHILE THEREAFTER BUT THEN IT STARTED AGAIN. JUST RECENTLY AS I WAS ON THE EXPRESSWAY THE TRANSMISSION OVERHEATED LIGHT SENSOR CAME ON & THEN THE CHECK TRANSMISSION SENSOR FOLLOWED. I RESEARCHED AND FOUND THAT 1 OUT OF EVERY 10 CUSTOMERS WITH A FORD EXPLORER BETWEEN 2000-2004 HAVE TRANSMISSIONS ISSUES. ALSO I CALLED TO FORD CUSTOMER SERVICE AND WAS ADVISED THAT THERE IS NO RECALL EVEN WITH SEVERAL COMPLAINTS AND THAT NO GOODWILL OR FINANCIAL SERVICES COULD BE OFFERED TO ASSIST ME WITH THE REPAIRING OF MY VEHICLE, EVEN AFTER I STRESSED MY COMPLETE DISSATISFACTION WITH THE OUTCOME. *KB

NHTSA ID

10452387

Incident

Mar 14, 2012

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 FORD EXPLORER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE TRANSMISSION FAILED WITHOUT WARNING. THE CONTACT TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER AND WAS TOLD THAT THE TRANSMISSION OVERHEATED, THE FIFTH GEAR FAILED AND THE HOUSING ROD WAS FRACTURED. THE DEALER ALSO STATED THAT THE FAILURE WAS COMMON IN THE PARTICULAR YEAR, MAKE AND MODEL VEHICLE. THE FAILURE AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 153,435. UPDATED 04/19/12*LJ UPDATED 04/30/12

NHTSA ID

10450648

Incident

Mar 7, 2012

Mileage

153,435 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 FORD EXPLORER. THE CONTACT WAS DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 45 TO 50 MPH WHEN THE VEHICLE BECAME HESITANT TO ACCELERATION ATTEMPTS. IN ADDITION, THE GEARS WERE SLIPPING WHEN SHIFTING GEARS. THE VEHICLE WAS INSPECTED BY A DEALER AND THEY ADVISED HIM THAT THE TRANSMISSION WOULD NEED REPLACING. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED AND THEY ADVISED THAT THERE WERE NO RECALLS FOR THE VEHICLE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 100,000.

NHTSA ID

10422569

Incident

Aug 30, 2009

Mileage

100,000 mi

IT SEEMS THAT MY TRANSMISSION IS STARTING TO SLIP AND SHIFT HARD. *TT

NHTSA ID

10414683

Incident

Jul 21, 2011

Mileage

99,000 mi

I HAVE A 2004 FORD EXPLORER WITH LESS THAN 75,000 MILES ON IT. I AM A VERY CONSERVATIVE DRIVER AND DO NOT PUT A LOT OF MILES ON MY CARS. THE TRANSMISSION WENT OUT AND THE GUY AT AAMCO SAID THE INSIDE OF IT WAS A MESS, EVERYTHING WAS CHEWED UP. IT COST ME $3,550 TO HAVE IT FIXED. AT THE TIME IT FAILED I WAS GOING DOWN THE HIGHWAY AT 55 MPH AND IT SUDDENLY DROPPED TO ABOUT 25MPH. *KB

NHTSA ID

10413432

Incident

Jun 19, 2011

Mileage

47,435 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 FORD EXPLORER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING, THERE WAS AN ABNORMAL INCREASE IN ENGINE RPMS YET THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT ACCELERATE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHO DIAGNOSED THAT THE TRANSMISSION SOLENOID WAS DEFECTIVE AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE AND THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 64,000.

NHTSA ID

10408714

Incident

Jun 4, 2011

Mileage

64,000 mi

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.

NHTSA ID

10407125

Incident

May 31, 2010

Mileage

49,000 mi

ORIGINAL OWNER OF VEHICLE,CAR SHIFTS ROUGHLY INTO GEAR WHILE DRIVING FEELS LIKE IT IS DRAGGING,TRANSMISSION HAS A HARD CLUNK ENGAGEMENT WHEN PUTTING IN REVERSE THEN ENGAGES HARD WITH A SUDDEN UNEXPECTED JOLT BACKWARDS WHEN CAR ONLY HAD 3,945 MILES IN OCT 2004. WHEN CAR IS IN PARK I START THE CAR IT WILL SOMETIMES JOLT FORWARD. TOOK CAR TO DEALER WITHIN 90 DAYS OF PURCHASE FOR TRANSMISSION & THEY REPLACED A SOLENOID IN THE TRANS. TOOK CAR BACK 2 MORE TIMES WITHIN A YEAR STILL HAVING SAME PROBLEMS NOW WARRANTY UP & FORD WILL NOT HELP CAR HAS 170K= MILES & IS 6 YRS OLD STILL RUNNING BUT SAME TRANSMISSION ISSUES DAILY. THIS IS VERY UNSAFE WITH THE CAR JOLTING INTO GEAR ESPECIALLY WHEN I START THE CAR. THEY NEED TO RECALL & REPLACE THE TRANSMISSION. *TR

NHTSA ID

10406952

Incident

Oct 19, 2004

Mileage

146,639 mi

FORD EXPLORER TRANSMISSION FAILED AT 84000 MILES. THIS VEHICLE WAS RELEASED FROM THE FACTORY IN 2004 WITHOUT PROPER TRANSMISSION FLUID ADDITIVE. FORD ADDRESSED THE PROBLEM 1 YEAR LATER, BUT THIS TRANSMISSION IS FAILING WELL BEFORE ITS TIME. REPAIR COSTS ARE $4500. FORD WILL NOT OFFER ANY ASSISTANCE. *TR

NHTSA ID

10396078

Incident

Apr 1, 2011

Mileage

84,000 mi

THE TRANSMISSION ON MY 2004 FORD EXPLORER HAS STARTED SLIPPING. IT DOES NOT WANT TO GO INTO GEAR CORRECTLY. IT ONLY HAS 107,600 MILES ON IT. I LIVE JUST OUTSIDE BIRMINGHAM, AL AND THE TRAFFIC IS VERY HEAVY AND DANGEROUS HERE. NOT A PLACE I WANT MY VEHICLE BREAKING DOWN. I JUST HUNG UP THE PHONE WITH FORD MOTOR CO AND THEY HAVE NOTHING TO OFFER IN THE WAY OF HELP. THEY SAID TO HOLD ON TO RECEIPTS IN CASE OF RECALL. :-( YOU BET YOUR LIFE I WILL! MY SISTER'S 2005 DID THE SAME THING AT JUST OVER 100,000 MILES. *TR

NHTSA ID

10395852

Incident

Apr 13, 2011

Mileage

107,600 mi

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. *TR

NHTSA ID

10395327

Incident

Jun 13, 2010

Mileage

68,312 mi

I HAVE HAD ISSUES WITH MY TRANSMISSION JUMPING OUT OF DRIVE WHEN I AM GOING DOWN THE HIGHWAY. I HAVE THREE CHILDREN AND I FEEL THIS IS VERY VERY UNSAFE. I HAVE HAD THE CAR IN THE SHOP THREE TIMES FOR THE SAME ISSUE AND EVERYTIME THEY HAVE TOLD ME IT WAS THE REARDIFFERENTIAL/TRANSMISSION. I HAVE CALLED FORDS CUSTOMER SERVICE LINE AND THEY WILL NOT DO ANYTHING. MY EXPLORER IS NOW HAVING ISSUES GOING INTO REVERSE AND STAYING IN ANY GEAR. PLEASE LOOK INTO THESE PROBLEMS WITH THE 2004 EXPLORER BEFORE SOMEONE GETS KILLED OR INJURED FROM THIS. I HAVE RESEARCHED THIS PROBLEM AND THOUSANDS OF OITHER 2003-2004 EXPLORER OWNERS ARE HAVING THE SAME ISSUES WITH THE TRANSMISSION AND REAR END. THE 2004 FORD EXPLORER IS A DEATH TRAP.

NHTSA ID

10393567

Incident

Feb 1, 2011

Mileage

68,000 mi

TRANSMISSION HAS A HARD CLUNK ENGAGEMENT WHEN PUTTING IN GEAR AND TOTAL DISENGAGEMENT WHILE DRIVING, THEN THE OD LIGHT STARTS TO BLINK, AND YOU HAVE TO EITHER LET OFF THE GAS, OR TAP THE GAS TO GET IT TO ENGAGE AGAIN, IT STARTED AROUND 50,000 MILES, AND CONTINUES TO DO SO, THE IS NO RECALL AND NO WARRANTY FOR IT, DEALER SHIP SAID IT NEEDS REBUILT OR REPLACED 2200.00 OR 4200.00 DOLLARS, WE DON'T HAVE. *TR

NHTSA ID

10392736

Incident

Sep 1, 2006

Mileage

51,000 mi

2004 FORD EXPLORER. CONSUMER WRITES IN REGARDS TO HAVING TO REPLACE THE SOLENOID FOR THE THIRD TIME. *TGW THE CONSUMER STATED THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT ENGAGE INTO REVERSE WITHOUT JOLTING AND HARD SHIFTING. *JB

NHTSA ID

10393198

Incident

Mar 1, 2011

TRANSMISSION SLAMS HARD INTO GEAR UPON ACCELERATION AND WHEN BRAKING. DOES THIS ALL THE TIME. WHEN SHIFTING INTO REVERSE, IT DOES NOT ENGAGE IMMEDIATELY AND THEN ENGAGES HARD WITH A SUDDEN AND UNEXPECTED LURCH BACKWARDS. THIS HAPPENS 8 OF 10 TIMES WHEN SHIFTING TO REVERSE. NO ATTEMPT TO CORRECT AS IT APPEARS THERE IS NO FIX SHORT OF A NEW TRANSMISSION = $$$ I DON'T HAVE. *TR

NHTSA ID

10384183

Incident

Feb 22, 2011

Mileage

65,000 mi

TRANSMISSION FAILURE!!! !THE O/D WARNING BEGAN TO FLASH...THE RECOMMENDATION IS TO SERVICE TRANSMISSION ASAP. THE ONLY ISSUE IS THAT MY 2004 FORD EXPLORER ONLY HAS 61,672 MILES. THE ESTIMATED REPAIR COST IS APPROXIMATELY $2000-3000. *TR

NHTSA ID

10384007

Incident

Feb 20, 2011

Mileage

61,672 mi

I FINANCED A 2004 FORD EXPLORER IN 2008 AND ABOUT 6 MONTH LATER I NOTICED THE TRANSMISSION STARTING TO SLIP. SOON AFTER IT WOULDNT HARDLY GO INTO GEAR UNLESS I REVED UP THE ENGINE THEN IT WOULD SLAM INTO GEAR REALLY HARD. NOW IT IS GETTING WORSE. IM A DISABLED SINGLE FATHER OF MY SON WHO IS ALSO DISABLED AND WE ARE ON A FIXED INCOME AND DONT HAVE THE MONEY TO FIX THIS, [XXX] I STILL OWE ON IT. I PAY ALMOST 300 BUCKS A MONTH CAR PAYMENT ON IT. 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). *TR

NHTSA ID

10383973

Incident

Aug 1, 2009

Mileage

76,000 mi

THE OD LIGHT IS FLASHING AND THE TRANS IS SLIPPING. YOU CAN NOT EXCELERATE IN A HURRY BECAUSE IT WONT GO MAKING THIS TRUCK A ACCIDENT WAITING TO HAPPEN. *TR

NHTSA ID

10382862

Incident

Feb 1, 2011

Mileage

79,000 mi

IN 2005, MY 2004 FORD EXPLORER WAS PART OF A RECALL FOR THE TRANSMISSION. I TOOK IT TO FORD SERVICE AND THEY PUT SOME TYPE OF ADDITIVE. THEY TOLD ME THE PROBLEM WAS FIXED. FROM 2005 TO 2011 THE TRANSMISSION WOULD HAVE PROBLEMS, IT WOULD TURN OFF WHEN I PUT IT IN REVERSE. FURTHERMORE, WHEN I PUT THE CAR IN REVERSE IT WOULD PAUSE THEN SHIFT BACK HARD. UNFORTUNATELY, I NEVER TOOK THE CAR BACK TO FORD TO GET IT CHECKED BECAUSE THE CAR WOULD ALWAYS TURN RIGHT BACK ON. IN JANUARY OF 2011 MY CAR HAD 72,000 MILES. WHILE I WAS DRIVING THE CAR SUDDENLY TURNED OFF ON ME. IMMEDIATELY, THE SERVICE ENGINE SOON LIGHT CAME ON. ALSO, THE O/D OFF LIGHT BEGAN FLASHING. WHEN I WOULD RESTART THE VEHICLE IT WOULD TURN ON. HOWEVER, WHEN I SHIFTED INTO DRIVE IT WOULD TURN OFF. SO I WAS UNABLE TO DRIVE THE VEHICLE. I TOOK THE CAR TO FORD SERVICE AND THEY EXPLAINED TO ME THAT I NEED A NEW (REMANUFACTURED) TRANSMISSION AT A COST OF $4,000. MY CAR IS CURRENTLY IN THE SERVICE DEPARTMENT WAITING TO BE FIXED. *LN

NHTSA ID

10379878

Incident

Jan 27, 2011

Mileage

72,000 mi

THE PROBLEM THAT I'M CONCERNED ABOUT IS THE TRANSMISSION AND REAR END. FOR THE TRANSMISSION-THIS IS THE THIRD TIME FOR THIS PROBLEM WITH OUR TRUCK. HAD IT AT THE DEALER SHIP JUST AFTER THE WARRANTY WENT OUT AROUND 37,000 AN PAID A LITTLE OVER $600.00 TO FIX IT . LASTED TILL 80,000 THEM TOOK IT BACK AND PAID AROUND $200.00 TO FIX. NOW AT 136,000 AND THE TRUCK WILL NOT MOVE AT ALL. DEALER SHIP WANTS ANOTHER $3,306.00 TO FIX IT AGAIN. THE REAR END IS MAKING A LOUD WINE NOISE. *TR

NHTSA ID

10378719

Incident

Jan 26, 2011

Mileage

131,186 mi

TRANSMISSION FAILURE ON 2004 FORD EXPLORER AT ~109K MILES. CRASH/BANG NOISE HEARD JUST BEFORE FAILURE: HIGH ENGINE RPMS AND NO FORWARD PROPULSION, FLASHING OD LAMP AND ILLUMINATED SERVICE ENGINE SOON LAMP. PROBLEM PRECEDED BY INTERMITTENT FAILURE TO ENGAGE REVERSE GEAR, OR SUDDEN JERKING/ROUGH ENGAGEMENT, OCCASIONAL SLIPPING OF GEARS ON ACCELERATION. UPON TOTAL FAILURE, DEALERSHIP INVESTIGATED, SAYS "KNOWN PROBLEM WITH THIS VEHICLE", RECOMMENDED COMPLETE TRANSMISSION REPLACEMENT AT $4000. VEHICLE IS ONE OF THOSE RECALLED IN 2005 FOR BAD TRANSMISSION FLUID FORMULA INSTALLED AT FACTORY. THIS VEHICLE HAS ALWAYS HAD PECULIAR SHIFT BEHAVIOR WHICH FORD CONSISTENTLY SAID WAS NORMAL FOR THE VEHICLE. APPARENTLY, AS MANY OTHER OWNERS HAVE SINCE EXPERIENCED, THE ROUGH SHIFTING (PERHAPS PRECIPITATED BY BAD FORMULA FLUID AND/OR DAMAGE THIS MAY HAVE DONE TO OTHER COMPONENTS) WAS INDICATIVE OF EVENTUAL TOTAL FAILURE. *TR

NHTSA ID

10378380

Incident

Dec 31, 2010

Mileage

109,000 mi

I HAVE A 2004 FORD EXPLORER AND IT RECENTLY STARTED MAKING A RUMBLING NOISE. I BROUGHT IT TO MY MECHANIC AND HE LOOKED AT IT AND SAID IT WAS MY TRANSMISSION. HE ALSO SAID THAT IT WAS AN EXTREMLY COMMON PROBLEM FOR 2004 EXPLORERS. IF YOU GOOGLE "2004 EXPLORER PROBLEMS" AND CLICK ON ANY OF THE LINKS THE FIRST PROBLEM IS TRANSMISSION ISSUES. I HAVE OWNED THIS CAR SINCE IT WAS NEW IN 2004 AND HAVE NOT ABUSED THE CAR. FOR A 2004 CAR WITH ONLY 75000 MILES ON IT TO HAVE A TRANSMISSION GO IT IS A PROBLEM. I HAVE BEEN QUOTED $3000 TO FIX THIS PROBLEM THE FIX BEING A NEW TRANSMISSION. WHEN FORD KNOWS ABOUT THIS PROBLEM THEY SHOULD DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT. *TR

NHTSA ID

10376318

Incident

Dec 13, 2010

Mileage

74,692 mi

TRANSMISSION WENT OUT ON MY 2004 FORD EXPLORER ONLY A DAY AFTER I BOUGHT IT FROM A DEALERSHIP. THE REPLACEMENT TRANSMISSION WILL COST ME $3400 PLUS THE $10550 THAT I PAID FOR THE VEHICLE THE DAY BEFORE. WHAT A BIG MESS THIS IS. *LN

NHTSA ID

10375208

Incident

Jan 6, 2011

Mileage

75,000 mi