general problems of the 2003 Ford Explorer

I have a 2003 Ford Explorer. I have had several incidents of it not easily changing from park to reverse, and reverse to park. Last night, I was unloading some items from the Explorer. The car was in park, and the emergency brake was engaged. I was standing in the right side passenger doorway. I reached over to turn off the ignition. Upon turning it off, the Explorer immediately began to roll into reverse. My mother was sitting in the backseat at this time as well as my two babies, who were strapped in their car seats. My driveway is an incline, so the Explorer rolled backwards. I tried to run with it as I was trapped in the doorway. The Explorer gained speed going down the driveway, causing me to be knocked down, unsure of whether or not I was about to be run over, or whether my mom and children were going to be injured. I was thrown down, landed on my buttocks which has caused severe bruising, hit my head on the concrete, and was left with painful, open cuts on my left arm. My mother was tossed about causing pain to her back. My kids were thankfully restrained in their car seats. They rolled backward into a neighbor's yard, then proceeded to roll forward back across the street into my yard. When the car finally stopped, the emergency brake was still engaged, and the gear shift was stuck between park and reverse. It would not come out of this position. It took quite a lot of work to get the car to go into reverse or drive so that the Explorer could be properly moved. I am very upset at the incident which could have left myself, my kids, or my mom critically or fatally injured. I am very afraid to drive this vehicle now, and I am very afraid to park it. If I had another vehicle to drive right now, I certainly would be driving it instead of the Ford Explorer.

Brake pads completely disintegrated when inspecting pads, front edge of rotors have completely rusted. Pads were in good shape thickness wise in some areas and rotted in other areas. Pads and rotors were replaced now 5 months later it's starting again. Parking brake pads delaminated again. Abs light came on during trip for no reason?.

Emergency brake would not engage in November, 2003. Dealer "oiled" the pedal. On July 28, 2005, loud squealing sound coming from rear, and emergency brake would not engage at all. Dealer had to replace rear drums, rear shoes, and pads at a cost of $390. Emergency brake is considered a "maintenance item" and was not covered under warranty. If brakes were to fail, emergency brake would not have worked either.