general problems of the 2020 Ford Explorer - part 1

On the highway it was raining heavily, and my 6 years old was in car back seat. Suddenly wipers stopped working, steering wheel wasn't working, indicator was not working, I was getting multiple warnings on my screen. We would have ended up in a major accident.

The contact owns a 2020 Ford Explorer. The contact stated that while driving 50 mph in the rain, the awd disengaged and the vehicle started sliding. The contact attempted to correct the vehicle but crashed into a lamppost with the rear driver’s side door. A police report was filed. The vehicle was towed to a tow yard. The failure mileage was 187,307.

On [xxx], while driving on the freeway with my family, my 2020 Ford Explorer st violently and unexpectedly commanded a severe transmission downshift on its own. Upon stopping the vehicle, the transmission completely failed to engage drive or reverse, entirely immobilizing the vehicle and rendering it a severe hazard. The vehicle had to be towed 142 miles away to diamond Ford in lancaster, CA. Diamond Ford has officially diagnosed the failure as a broken parking pawl actuating rod. This mechanical failure perfectly aligns with the mechanical damage dynamics explicitly described in active safety recall 26s48 (NHTSA campaign 26v-402), where faulty transmission logic causes temporary park pawl engagement while the vehicle is in motion, destroying internal park components. I am filing this safety violation complaint because both Ford motor company corporate support and diamond Ford are refusing to honor the safety recall remedy mandated by federal guidelines. Under campaign 26v-402, the official remedy explicitly states that dealers will "inspect and replace any damaged transmission components as necessary, free of charge". However, a Ford corporate case manager explicitly stated on October 5, 2026, that because the software patch portion of the recall remedy is delayed until 2027, Ford will not cover the physical component replacement. They told me I am required to pay thousands of dollars out of pocket for a new transmission right now and apply for a refund years later, and they proceeded to unilaterally close my corporate case (case #[xxx]) forcing a consumer to pay out of pocket to fix a physically broken, catastrophic component caused by an active safety defect violates federal recall mandates. I request that NHTSA investigate Ford motor company’s refusal to execute component-replacement remedies on immobilized, defect-damaged vehicles under recall 26s48. Information redacted pursuant to the freedom of information act (foia), 5 u. S. C. 552(b)(6).

Vehicle: 2020 Ford Explorer XLT active recall: Ford #26s48 the transmission on my 2020 Ford Explorer has completely failed, leaving my vehicle inoperable and my family stranded. The vehicle is currently located at a local Ford dealership, just sitting there waiting for a fix. My vehicle started shifting gears randomly while driving, causing a lot of jerky movements. My wrench light came on the dashboard, and I instantly took my SUV to a local Ford dealership for inspection. After the inspection, the dealership described metal shards floating in my transmission fluid and stated that the only way to fix the issues is to pay for a brand-new transmission to be installed. Having both the dashboard warning light (wrench icon) and shifting issues alongside metal shards strongly points to active internal mechanical damage matching the 26s48 recall pattern associated with my exact VIN. Although my VIN is tied to active safety recall 26s48 for this exact component failure, the dealership refuses to repair it, stating that an official corporate remedy/parts are not available yet. Furthermore, the dealership attempted to quote me roughly $10,000 out of pocket for a transmission replacement for an emergency fix. When I contacted Ford corporate, they confirmed the lack of a current remedy and refused to provide alternative transportation (such as a loaner or rental vehicle), instead telling me to pay out-of-pocket for a rental or independent repair and "hope" for a future reimbursement. As a single-income family currently navigating an extreme financial hardship due to medical issues, paying thousands out-of-pocket or taking on high debt for a manufacturer defect seems impossible and an unfair burden. Forcing a family to choose between severe financial strain or being left indefinitely without a vehicle due to a delayed manufacturer remedy defeats the entire protective intent of the safety standards enforced by NHTSA.

The contact owns a 2020 Ford Explorer. The contact stated that while driving 35 mph, the vehicle unexpectedly shifted into park(p), and the message “shift system fault” was displayed. The vehicle restarted and shifted out of park. The contact stated that on several occasions the transmission was shifted into park but failed to remain in park(p). The contact received notification of NHTSA campaign number 26v402000 (power train); however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, where it was diagnosed with transmission failure. The contact was informed that the transmission needed to be replaced. The dealer informed the contact that there were metal shavings inside the transmission. The failure was associated with the recall. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure by telephone. The approximate failure mileage was 113,390.

The contact owns a 2020 Ford Explorer. The contact received notification of NHTSA campaign number: 26v402000 (power train); however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The contact stated that while driving 55 mph with her child inside the vehicle, the accelerator pedal was depressed, but the vehicle unexpectedly shifted into park and lost motive power, nearly causing a crash. The contact was forced to veer over onto the grass because there was no shoulder. Upon restarting the vehicle, the failure persisted. The vehicle was towed to the dealer, where the contact was informed that the failure was not associated with the recall due to the lack of the needed diagnostic trouble codes. The contact was provided the cost for a diagnostic test and informed that the repair was not covered under warranty. The contact declined to pay the fee. The vehicle was then towed to an independent mechanic, where it was diagnosed, and the diagnostic trouble codes associated with the failure were retrieved. The manufacturer was notified of the failure by phone, and a case was filed. The failure mileage was 142,722.

I purchased my 2020 Ford Explorer in December 2020. The first incident occurred around June 2021 while I was on a road trip. While driving, the vehicle unexpectedly shifted/downshifted on its own and caused a sudden change in the vehicle's movement. At first, I thought there might be an issue with the rotary gear selector. The problem occurred again, and in 2023 I took the vehicle to a Ford dealership and reported the issue. I was told there was a recall and recall-related work was performed. However, the unexpected shifting continued afterward. I contacted the Ford dealership multiple times about the continuing problem but was told that without an applicable recall I could be charged for diagnosis and that the problem might not be detected unless it occurred during a test drive. I reported the shifting problem again when the vehicle was at a Ford dealership for recall service in 2025. I specifically told the service advisor that the vehicle was still unexpectedly shifting while driving. The advisor told me the vehicle was driven but the problem did not occur during their test drive. The problem has continued. During a recent incident, the vehicle unexpectedly shifted/downshifted while I was driving and I nearly had an accident with my children in the vehicle. I am concerned that the sudden change in the vehicle's movement could cause me to lose control or be struck by another vehicle. I recently contacted the Ford dealership again and was informed that my vehicle has another open recall related to the transmission/park system. I was given an appointment for October 23, 2026, but was told Ford does not expect the recall remedy to be available until November. I am concerned about continuing to drive the vehicle while waiting for a remedy because this malfunction has occurred repeatedly while the vehicle is in motion and the most recent incident nearly resulted in an accident. The vehicle is available for inspection. The dealership has previously inspected/test-dr.

I own a 2020 Ford Explorer XLT awd, VIN 1fmsk8dh6lga35229. While driving, my vehicle displayed “4wd fault – service required” along with the powertrain wrench warning. I then became unable to select/change drive modes. Pre-collision assist became unavailable, I experienced lane keeping/lane assist problems, and additional stability/traction warnings appeared. A professional diagnostic scan found awd codes c0631:7e-68 and c0631:7f-6c related to the front axle disconnect actuator. The abs module also stored u0102 (lost communication with transfer case control module) and u0155 (lost communication with instrument panel cluster). My mechanic diagnosed failure of the front axle disconnect actuator/intermediate-shaft system. The repair requires removal of the original disconnect system and installation of Ford’s revised intermediate shaft/axle components, replacement of the vent/breather hose, and awd programming. I was quoted approximately $1,337. The mechanic will then determine whether the transfer case/awd control module also requires replacement, which would cost approximately $828 additional. Ford has issued TSB 25-2373, superseding TSB 23-2174, for certain 2020-2021 Explorer awd vehicles. The bulletin specifically identifies c0631 and/or c00a6 and the front axle disconnect actuator/intermediate shaft and directs replacement with a revised intermediate shaft. I am concerned this is a safety defect because the failure resulted in awd/drive-mode malfunction while multiple driver-assistance systems became unavailable. I request that NHTSA investigate this known failure and determine whether a safety recall is warranted.

The contact owns a 2020 Ford Explorer. The contact received notification of NHTSA campaign number: 26v402000 (power train); however, the part to do the recall repair was unavailable. The local dealer was contacted, and it was confirmed that the part was not yet available. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was made aware of the issue. The contact stated that while driving at various speeds, the vehicle was shaking and vibrating abnormally. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer, who confirmed that the failure was associated with the recall. The failure mileage was 70,000.

My 2020 Ford Explorer experienced a catastrophic mechanical failure directly tied to active safety recall 26s48 / NHTSA campaign 26v402000. While operating the vehicle, the transmission's internal parking pawl failed/shattered, completely locking the rear wheels mechanism. The vehicle is entirely immobilized and cannot move even an inch, even when the gear selector is manually turned to neutral or when the manual park release (mpr) tether is fully engaged. [1, 2] the vehicle had to be flatbed-towed using specialized wheel dollies to prevent severe structural and drivetrain destruction because the wheels are locked solid. When attempting to have the vehicle received at an authorized Ford dealership, the dealership refused to accept the vehicle or open a formal repair ticket, claiming that because the final recall remedy parts are delayed until 2027, they "cannot take the vehicle. " [1] Ford motor company is failing to provide a timely safety remedy or manage its dealership network to accommodate a vehicle that has already suffered a total mechanical failure due to this exact recalled defect. The vehicle is a severe rollaway and structural hazard, completely undriveable, and Ford is denying responsibility or alternative transportation assistance because the parts do not yet exist. I am requesting immediate federal intervention to compel Ford to ground this vehicle, provide a safe loaner, and initiate a manufacturer buyback.

Ford corporate office has responded with the following: “you are not responsible for paying the actually recall remedy out of pocket. The recall remedy has not yet been released. At this time, the costs being discussed are specific transmission repairs related to damages the recall may cause. The dealership is offering to complete those repairs at your expense, and we recommend keeping all receipts for potential reimbursement once the official recall remedy becomes available. Again, I want to clarify the reason for the costs of the needed repairs, those are being done under normal diagnosis and because the vehicle is outside of nvwl, it is coming up as a customer pay repair. The advanced notice recall also does not authorize for a rental vehicle to be provided” we are requesting additional review of this case and are rejecting the proposal to complete repairs at my own expense or through partial "financial assistance”, which is not the case since we are being asked to pay $4,400 for an interim repair. I explicitly request that you do not close this case file. The physical damage to my vehicle's transmission pump, valve, and park pawl is not a "normal diagnosis" issue. The servicing dealership and corporate office have explicitly confirmed that this mechanical failure is the exact manifestation of the safety risk detailed under Ford safety recall 26s48 / NHTSA 26v402. Under federal regulation 49 cfr § 573. 13 (I)(1)(ii), a manufacturer's recall program cannot exclude or deny coverage simply because an interim or pre-notification.

I am concerned this is a known and widespread defect. The 10r60 transmission is the subject of multiple Ford technical service bulletins and an active Ford/NHTSA safety recall (26s48 / NHTSA 26v-402) addressing transmission-related park-system and rollaway defects on this same transmission, model, and year. My vehicle was well maintained with routine service, yet the transmission failed internally at approximately 87,000 miles. Given the documented history of failures with this unit, I believe this defect warrants further investigation into transmission reliability and safety on 2020–2021 Ford Explorers equipped with the 10r60, beyond the current recall scope. Repair was quoted by the dealer at approximately $5,000–$8,000. I am filing this complaint so that this failure is documented in NHTSA's database and to support identification of any broader safety defect trend.

The transmission is sporadically shifting causing the vehicle to lose or stop during acceleration and deceleration making it unsafe to pull away from a stop or during deceleration and causing it to stop in the in the rd and then it would shift extremely hard after it would gain power to the transmission again. The vehicle is available for inspection and no codes indicated a transmission issue. Only codes are vacuum leak codes. I've had my snap on scanner attached and have had it at 3 different garages. The vehicle had transmission issues repaired shortly after purchasing at a certified Ford dealer (fred beans) of mechanicsburg. My family and I have been in quite a few near miss accidents stemming from this issue. I've had fluids checked multiple times for the transmission and even had a Ford tech do a complete transmission flush.

The contact owns a 2020 Ford Explorer. The contact received notifications of NHTSA campaign number: 23v675000 (power train), 25v093000 (seat belts), 26v402000 (power train), and 26v451000 (seats) and would like to be removed from the recall distribution list. The local dealer and manufacturer were contacted.

The contact owns a 2020 Ford Explorer. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the accelerator pedal was depressed; however, the vehicle failed to accelerate as intended. The contact stated that whenever the transmission shifted into sixth gear, the vehicle failed to accelerate as intended, and the vehicle was shaking erratically. No warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, where it was diagnosed with a transmission parking system failure. The contact was informed that the failure was associated with an unrepaired recall. The vehicle was not repaired. The dealer was made aware of the failure. The contact was informed that the parts were unavailable. The contact received notification of NHTSA campaign number: 26v402000 (power train); however, the part to do the recall repair was unavailable. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 79,000.

The contact owns a 2020 Ford Explorer. The contact stated that while driving 25 mph, the accelerator pedal was depressed; however, the vehicle failed to accelerate as intended. The transmission independently shifted into neutral(n) and later shifted into park(p), and the vehicle jerked. The contact stated that the power train warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was towed to the residence. The contact's husband, who was an independent mechanic, diagnosed the vehicle with transmission failure. The contact was informed that the transmission needed to be replaced. The dealer was contacted by phone and made aware of the failure. The contact received notification of NHTSA campaign number: 26v402000 (power train); however, the part to do the recall repair was unavailable. The manufacturer was contacted by phone, and a case was filed.

Transmission downshifts hard, jerks at take off.

While driving my car, the transmission suffered a mechanical failure. The vehicle is shuddering when decelerating, causing sudden jolting and knocking sounds with no warning or error messages. Because of this defect, the vehicle poses an immediate hazard and cannot be safely driven. The vehicle was dropped off on Monday August 24 with the Ford dealership and the service team has made contact to confirm the transmission valve body, pump and park pawl are damaged and confirmed that this is a result of NHTSA recall 26v402 (Ford recall 26s48). The Ford service team have advised that they are able to complete a temporary repair to get the car working again only if I agree to pay them $4,400 despite the recall. Ford’s interim remedy involves replacing failed components with identical, un-remediated parts that possess the exact same engineering flaw, which fails to permanently resolve the safety crisis. Furthermore, I am facing severe difficulties obtaining immediate vehicle recovery, interim repairs, and alternative transportation (such as a loaner or rental vehicle) from authorized Ford dealerships while the vehicle remains grounded due to this manufacturer safety defect. Ford’s corporate office was also contacted on Tuesday to discuss after we were advised that we would need to pay to get the car drivable and the dealership refused a temporary vehicle or rental during repairs. A Ford corporate employee replied that they would make contact within 24 hours. When we did not hear back, we contacted the corporate office again on Thursday and spoke to a rep who stated they would escalate and we would hear back Friday (today). Ford has failed to make contact with any resolution. I am filing this complaint to document a premature, complete component failure under this recall, and to request that NHTSA review the manufacturer’s remedy timeline, as leaving safety-compromised vehicles un-remediated on the road or stranded presents an unreasonable risk to public safety.

While driving down a main road, the speed limit changed from 40 to 55 mph. When the gas pedal was pushed, the car violently jerked, did not speed up, and proceeded to have a grinding sound emitting from the engine. No warning lights appeared. The grinding noise continued until the vehicle was placed in neutral and back in drive. We began looking into it and found a recall for the transmission. We contacted a local dealership and were told that they would not be able to inspect or address the issue until Ford issues a remedy (projected to be 8-11 months from now). Since then, the car has experienced harsh upshifting, hesitation with acceleration, jerking, and grinding along with significant rolling when put in park and let off the brake. We contacted Ford directly with no avail. No one has had any advice to “help” with the issue until Ford decides to issue the remedy. We have essentially been told to either park it and continue to make payments on something that is of no use, or to keep driving it and go until it stops. The concern is we have two small children and can not risk engine/transmission failure while driving down the road. The safety of our children comes before anything else, and this vehicle no longer provides safety for them.

My car was banging into gear when downshifting. I took to the Ford dealer and they told me it was TSB 20-2337 a known issue. My warranty had just expired and I had to pay out of pocket for the damages. If this is a known issue, it should be covered by Ford not an out of pocket expense. I was told by the dealer if may turn into a recall and if it does, I can they get reimbursed for it. How can a known issue be the consumer's responsibility to pay for when there is a flaw in their building of this expensive vehicle. I do not even have 70k miles and the transmission is failing??.

Illuminated powertrain malfunction (wrench) indicator with dtcs c00a6 and c0631, caused by failure of the front axle disconnect actuator/intermediate shaft on an awd 2020 Explorer at 46,821 miles. The vehicle displayed the wrench light along with "service advancetrac," "4wd fault," "hill start assist not available," and "pre-collision assist not available. " multiple driver-assistance and stability systems disabled themselves simultaneously, including advancetrac stability control and pre-collision braking. Loss of stability control and automatic emergency braking without warning is a safety concern, particularly at highway speed. The fault was intermittent at first. The dealer had the vehicle five days and could not duplicate it. Within a week of getting it back the condition became nearly constant. The repair is Ford TSB 25-2568, which replaces the front axle disconnect actuator/intermediate shaft with a revised, non-disconnecting design and a new halfshaft. Ford has published this bulletin repeatedly since spring 2023 — 23-2114, then 23-2174 (July 2023), then 25-2373, then 25-2568 (January 2026) — for 2020-2021 Explorer and aviator awd vehicles built on or before 30-Aug-2021. Ford has redesigned the part and eliminated the disconnect feature entirely, but has issued no recall or customer satisfaction program. Because this vehicle is out of factory warranty by age at 46,821 miles, the roughly $2,500 repair fell to me. I request that NHTSA review whether a known design defect that disables stability control and pre-collision braking warrants a safety recall rather than a service bulletin.

The contact owns a 2020 Ford Explorer. The contact received notification of NHTSA campaign number: 26v402000 (power train); however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the transmission was shifting roughly. The vehicle was taken to the dealer and it was determined that the transmission needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 114,000.

The contact owns a 2020 Ford Explorer. The contact received notifications of NHTSA campaign numbers: 25v685000 (equipment), 26v117000 (visibility), and 26v402000 (power train); however, the parts to do the recall repairs were not yet available. The contact was concerned that the incomplete recalls presented significant safety risks, specifically because the contact resided in alaska, where it rained constantly with low temperatures. The dealer was contacted and confirmed that parts were not yet available. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repairs. The manufacturer was not made aware of the issue. The contact had not experienced a failure.

The contact owns a 2020 Ford Explorer. The contact received notification of NHTSA campaign number: 26v402000 (power train); however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The local dealer and sam wampler's freedom Ford of mcalester (720 s george nigh expy, mcalester, ok 74501); were contacted. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was not made aware of the issue. The contact had not experienced a failure.

The contact owns a 2020 Ford Explorer. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the brake pedal was depressed; however, the vehicle failed to stop as intended. The contact stated that while decelerating to approximately 25–30 mph, the vehicle jerked abnormally. No warning lights were illuminated. The dealer was made aware of the failure. The contact was informed that parts were unavailable to repair the vehicle. The vehicle was later taken to an independent mechanic, where it was diagnosed with an incorrect response from the immobilizer control module. The contact was advised not to continue driving the vehicle. The contact relayed the diagnostic information to the dealer. The contact received notification of NHTSA campaign number: 26v402000 (power train); however, the part to do the recall repair was unavailable. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The contact was informed that the repair could be paid out of pocket with a possible reimbursement whenever the parts became available. The failure mileage was approximately 94,600.

The contact owns a 2020 Ford Explorer. The contact received notification of NHTSA campaign number: 26v402000 (power train); however, the part to do the recall repair was unavailable. The contact stated that while driving and decelerating to merge onto the highway, the brake pedal was depressed and the vehicle felt as if the vehicle had been struck in the rear. The contact stated that the failure had occurred on several occasions while decelerating between 25-30 mph. No warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer but was not yet diagnosed or repaired. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was not contacted. The failure mileage was approximately 76,000.

The contact owns a 2020 Ford Explorer. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, there was an abnormal grinding sound coming from the vehicle, and while the accelerator pedal was depressed, the vehicle failed to accelerate as needed. No warning lights were illuminated. The failure had occurred on several occasions. The contact received notification of NHTSA campaign number: 26v402000 (power train); however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The vehicle was taken to a dealer to be diagnosed; however, the cause of the failure was not yet determined. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact stated that while driving approximately 25 mph, the vehicle shuddered and failed to accelerate above 40 mph. The vehicle was taken back to the dealer to be diagnosed; however, the cause of the failure was not yet determined. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact stated that while the vehicle was parked, the vehicle shuddered abnormally. The vehicle was taken back to the dealer to be diagnosed, and it was determined that there was an unknown black fluid inside the transmission. The contact was informed that the transmission needed to be replaced. The dealer stated that the failure was not associated with NHTSA campaign number: 26v402000 (power train). The vehicle was not repaired. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 102,000.

The contact owns a 2020 Ford Explorer. The contact stated that while driving 70 mph, the transmission unexpectedly shifted to park(p). The transmission was inoperable after the failure. The vehicle was towed to the dealer and was diagnosed with transmission failure. The vehicle was not yet repaired. The contact associated the failure with NHTSA campaign number: 26v402000 (power train). The dealer informed the contact that the vehicle could be repaired out of pocket because the part was not yet available, and then to submit documents for reimbursement after the part became available. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 114,000.

While operating the vehicle it is jerking like the parking brake is activating or jerking transitioning from first and second gear. Received an alert: the powertrain control system has detected a transmission fluid over temperature condition. The engine continues to operate at a reduced power level.

While traveling uphill in a turn on a county highway the 4wd fault notification arrived on the dash cutting power to the front 2 wheels. The vehicle slipped however was able to regain control. If road condition had been poor I could of slipped into on coming traffic causing a wreck. I took the vehicle to the dealership and they identified that the front axle disconnect actuator was failing and needed to be replaced. Two weeks prior to the code appearing, I had two episodes of unusual binding while in reverse. Ford has issued a TSB long ago to fix this failed design however will not fix it until it fails.

The contact owns a 2020 Ford Explorer. The contact stated that while his daughter was depressing the accelerator pedal to drive from a stop, the vehicle failed to respond, and the transmission failed to properly shift to the next gear and the vehicle went into limp mode. An independent mechanic was contacted. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic where it was diagnosed and determined that the transmission needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and informed the contact that the vehicle was out of warranty. The approximate failure mileage was 127,000.

The contact owns a 2020 Ford Explorer. The contact stated that while driving 55 mph, the transmission unexpectedly downshifted and failed to shift properly. The contact stated that the failure was a recurring failure. The dealer was contacted, and the vehicle was diagnosed with transmission failure. The vehicle was not repaired because parts for the repair were not available. The contact associated the failure with NHTSA campaign number: 26v402000 (power train). The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 116,781.

The vehicle was parked on a slight incline and they were inside the vehicle rolled away and struck a fire hydrant. The vehicle was in park and rolled down the hill and struck multiple stationary objects.

The contact owns a 2020 Ford Explorer. The contact received notification of NHTSA campaign number: 26v402000 (power train); however, the part to do the recall repair was unavailable. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The contact stated that the vehicle made an abnormal sound while downshifting, with a loud boom coming from the underbody of the vehicle. The vehicle was bouncing while downshifting from 4th gear to 3rd, 2nd, and into 1st gear. The failure reoccurred while downshifting. The vehicle was taken to the dealer and was diagnosed with transmission failure. The contact was informed that the transmission needed to be repaired. The vehicle was not repaired by the dealer. The vehicle was taken to a certified mechanic, and the transmission was replaced. The manufacturer was not made aware of the issue. The failure mileage was approximately 54,000.

The transmission malfunctioned on the interstate. The car started jumping and then would slow way down to about 33 mph with the rpm's super high and then kick back in and speed up super fast and I would have to brake constantly. I almost hit the car in front of me at one point. A different point in the same trip the car behind me had to slam on it's brakes to stop from hitting me when the car lost power. I got off the interstate at the very next exit and took back roads home. The transmission has been inspected by a Ford dealership and they said it was the transmission going out. At first there were no warning lights and after it started jumping and starting. Then a few days later the engine light and power train warning lights came on.