2010 Ford Explorer Transmission Problems

While driving on the highway at 60 mph, your Explorer suddenly lost power and felt like it was out of gear, causing you to nearly crash. The vehicle then jerked hard and the engine revved into the red line. The dealership confirmed the transmission has multiple pressure code errors (P0798 and P0980) and needs to be replaced, though Ford has not issued a recall for your vehicle despite this being a known problem.

Your car's dashboard lights are flickering on and off while driving—including the ABS, brake system, engine, and airbag warning lights—and your radio shuts off at the same time. You're also experiencing random loss of power and acceleration at all speeds, with the transmission sometimes failing to catch gears. Your transmission has already been replaced, and a mechanic determined that your car's engine control computer (PCM) is burnt out and cannot be repaired; Ford currently has no replacement units in stock.

While you were almost completely stopped with your foot on the brake, your 2010 Ford Explorer suddenly accelerated forward at high speed with an extremely loud engine sound, causing a crash. Your vehicle hit a parked Yukon truck, which then struck another parked truck at a gas pump. You had to press hard on the brakes, but they didn't respond adequately to stop the vehicle. This incident resulted in your daughter hitting her head after unbuckling her seatbelt. The issue may involve unintended acceleration, brake system failure, or engine control problems that need immediate inspection.

Your vehicle accelerates on its own while driving on the highway, and you notice a warning light blinking at high speeds. When you come to a complete stop and try to drive away, the engine revs high but the truck moves slowly, then suddenly jerks into gear. The transmission may also jump in and out of gear during takeoff, which feels unsafe.

Your engine shut off while driving on the highway at 65 mph, and the wrench warning light appeared on your dashboard. You were able to safely pull over, and the engine started again on the second attempt. While the car is running fine now, this appears to be a recurring issue that you believe Ford should address proactively. The problem may require Ford to diagnose the fuel system or engine control module to prevent future shutdowns.

Your transmission and powertrain are experiencing problems, and you've been told you may need a full transmission replacement. You've noticed your vehicle tends to jump into gear and idle at high RPMs, though the transmission fluid level and condition are normal. You're concerned because transmission recalls appear for your vehicle model year online, but your specific vehicle's recall status shows as clear on the NHTSA website, creating conflicting information about whether a transmission replacement would be covered. The fix will likely involve a transmission rebuild or replacement, possibly covered under recall if your vehicle qualifies.

Your key got stuck in the ignition while your car was in Park. You had to manually push a pin on the shifter to remove the key, and you noticed the gear could be shifted out of Park even without the key in the ignition. The dealer said the shifter needed replacement, but after an independent mechanic repaired it, the same problem happened again. Fixing this will likely involve replacing the shifter assembly and any worn internal components that control the key lock mechanism.

During a routine oil change at a Ford dealership, you were told your rear differential is leaking and needs to be replaced. Your vehicle is currently waiting for this repair to be completed. The leak was discovered at 38,200 miles.

TRUCK RECENTLY START HAVING PROBLEMS, HAS CORRECT AMOUNT OF TRANSMISSION FLUID, EVERYTHING. TRANSMISSION LIGHT CAME ON CAR STALLED, RESTARTED THE CAR TGE CAR DROVE BUT ACTED LIKE IT WAS SLIPPING, LIGHT STILL ON, TOOK IT TO MECHANIC... THE LIGHT DID NOT GIVE ANY CODES OF ANY SORT ON ANY OF THEIR SCAN TOOLS CAR DRIVES FINE TODAY KIND OF, IT "FALLS" OUT OF GEAR WHEN I COME TO A STOP AND KINDA STUTTERS WHEN I BEGIN TO DRIVE. AGAIN THERE SHOULD BE NO REASON FOR THIS UNLESS A MANUFACTURER DEFECT IS THE CAUSE. CORRECT FLUID LEVELS, CLEAN FLUID, REGULARLY CHANGED AS SCHEDULED IN THE MANUAL. VEHICLE ONLY HAS 119,XXX MILES. RIDICULOUS. NOTE THE LIGHT DOES NOT EVEN COME ON ANYMORE.

"TAKATA RECALL"-DIAGNOSIS/ENGINE LIGHT(WRENCH COMING UP ON SCREEN)-CODE PO741 TRANSMISSION TORQUE CONVERTER SYSTEM STUCK OFF. PCM WON'T COMMAND TRANSMISSION TO SHIFT AND WHEN DOES COMMAND TRANSMISSION WILL SLIP. TAKEN TO FORD DEALER-SHEEHY FORD MERCURY LINCOLN MERCURY-10601 MIDLOTHIAN TURNPIKE, RICHMOND, VA 804-794-0500-AFTER MECHANIC WAS NOT ABLE TO OBTAIN PARTS 9L2A-12A650-FD & 9L2A-AA. ADVISED COST TO REPAIR WILL BE $5,600 OR MORE. HAD TO PUT 20% DEPOSIT OR $3,400.00 DOWN BEFORE WORK COULD BEGIN. AS I SPEAK TO OTHER FORD OWNERS, ADVISED THAT THEY HAD TO MAKE SAME REPAIR. WRENCH LIGHT WARNING APPEARS WHILE DRIVING.

COMING TO A COMPLETE STOP WITH MY FOOT ON THE BRAKE, THE ENGINE ALL OF A SUDDEN SURGED FORWARD. I WAS NOT ABLE TO STOP IT WITH THE BRAKES. IT SURGED SO FAST AND HARD THAT IT REAR ENDED A YUKON WHICH WAS PARKED ABOUT 10 FEET IN FRONT OF ME , WHICH FORCED THE YUKON FORWARD APPROXIMATELY 7 FEET WHICH THEN BROADSIDED A PARKED PICKUP. THIS ACCIDENT HAPPENED IN A PARKING AREA, ADJACENT TO A GAS STATION. MY DAUGHTER WAS UNBUCKLING FROM HER SEATBELT WHEN THE VEHICLE SURGED FORWARD AND CAUSED HER HEAD TO HIT THE WINDSHIELD. TURNING THE BILL INTO INSURANCE, OUR VEHICLE WAS TOTALED. WE HAD BEEN WITHOUT A CAR FOR 2 MONTHS WHILE INSURANCE TOOK ITS TIME TOTALLING IT. WE NOW HAVE TO PURCHASE A NEW VEHICLE, START A NEW CAR LOAN WHEN OUR EXPLORER WAS HALF PAID OFF. AFTER THE ACCIDENT WE RESEARCHED OUR VEHICLE AND LEARNED THIS HAS HAPPENED TO MANY OTHERS WITH FORD EXPLORERS YEARS 2002 THRU 2010. FORD HAS REFUSED TO DEAL WITH ANY OF THIS, ALTHOUGH WE READ HALF WAY THRU 2010 THEY DID START CORRECTING THIS PROBLEM.

CAR SITTING IN PARK WILL NOT SHIFT OUT OF PARK WITH BRAKE PEDAL FULLY PRESSED. CAN'T DRIVE CAR BECAUSE IT WILL NOT GO INTO GEAR.

THE WRENCH SYMBOL HAS COME ON SEVERAL TIMES. THE LAST TIME IT STAYED ON ALONG WITH AN ENGINE SYMBOL. FORD DEALERSHIP SAID THEY COULDN'T FIND ANYTHING TO INDICATE WHY THE WRENCH SYMBOL CAME ON BUT DID REPLACE THE THROTTLE BODY TO TAKE CARE OF THE ENGINE SYMBOL. I'M CONCERNED THAT IF THIS COMES ON AGAIN, IT MAY LEAD TO SERIOUS PROBLEMS. COULD THEY HAVE REMOVED A FUSE THAT CONTROLS THE WRENCH TROUBLE LIGHT? IN ALL CASES, I WAS DRIVING THE VEHICLE WHEN THE WRENCH SYMBOL CAME ON. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2010 FORD EXPLORER. WHILE DRIVING 30 MPH ENTERING THE HIGHWAY, THE CRANKSHAFT PULLEY FRACTURED AND CAUSED THREE OTHER VEHICLES TO BE STRUCK BY THE PULLEY. THERE WERE NO WARNING INDICATORS ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 81,000. UPDATED 01/06/2017*CT THE CONSUMER STATED THE HARMONIC BALANCER FELL APART WITHOUT WARNING. NOT ONLY DID IT FLY OFF IN TRAFFIC, IT RENDERED HIM WITHOUT BRAKES AND STEERING. UPDATED 03/01/17.*JB

TRANSMISSION INTERMITTENTLY SLIPS OUT OF A LOW GEAR PREVENTING ACCELERATION. APPEARS TO JUMP INTO A NEUTRAL REVVING ENGINE ONLY BEFORE CATCHING IN GEAR. VERY DANGEROUS FOR MERGING ONTO HIGHWAYS. ONLY OCCURS PERIODICALLY AND AT LOW SPEEDS. HAD SEVERAL TRANSMISSIONS REPLACED CONTINUES TO DO SAME.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2010 FORD EXPLORER. WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS PARKED, THE KEY FOB COULD NOT BE REMOVED FROM THE IGNITION. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT AN UNKNOWN PIN WITHIN THE TRANSMISSION FAILED AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 67,000.

A FAILURE OF THE ELECTRIC INTERLOCK BETWEEN THE IGNITION AND THE "PARK" POSITION OCCURRED WHICH MAKES IT POSSIBLE TO MOVE THE SHIFT FROM "PARK" TO SOME OTHER POSITION WITHOUT PRESSING ON THE BRAKE PEDAL. THIS CAN RESULT IN SOMEONE SITTING IN THE PASSENGER SEAT MOVING THE SHIFT FROM "PARK" WHILE THE VEHICLE IS ON AN INCLINE. THIS HAS BEEN SUCH AN EXTENSIVE/ONGOING PROBLEM WITH THIS VEHICLE, THAT THE PARTS TO REPAIR IT ARE ON BACK-ORDER FOR UP TO 6 MONTHS!! IT'S ONLY A MATTER OF TIME BEFORE THE SCENARIO I DESCRIBED ABOVE OCCURS, CAUSING DAMAGE IF NOT INJURY TO SOMETHING/SOMEONE. THE CURRENT CONDITION OF MY VEHICLE IS THAT I CANNOT ROTATE THE IGNITION KEY TO THE "OFF" POSITION, SO IT MUST BE LEFT IN THE VEHICLE WHEN I DEPART. THAT'S ILLEGAL IN THIS STATE, BUT I HAVE NO CHOICE IF I WANT TO/HAVE TO USE MY VEHICLE. I CHECKED 'BLOGS' ON THIS SUBJECT, AND DISCOVERED THAT THIS PROBLEM HAS BEEN OCCURRING FOR A LONG TIME, AND FORD IS AWARE OF IT.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2010 FORD EXPLORER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE CONTINUED TO ROLL WHEN THE GEAR WAS SHIFTED INTO PARK. THE CONTINUED JUMPED IN THE VEHICLE, BUT THE BRAKES FAILED TO RESPOND. THE VEHICLE CRASHED INTO THE WALL OF THE HOUSE AND AN IRON GATE. THE VEHICLE CAME TO A COMPLETE STOP. THE LOCAL AUTHORITIES WERE NOTIFIED, BUT NO REPORT WAS FILED. THERE WERE NO INJURIES. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC, BUT WAS NOT DIAGNOSED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED PER THE INSURANCE COMPANY. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 80,000.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2010 FORD EXPLORER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE GEAR SHIFTER FAILED TO SHIFT OUT OF PARK. THE FAILURE OCCURRED INTERMITTENTLY. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS UNAVAILABLE.

I OWN A 2010 FORD EXPLORER XLT 4X4 THAT I PURCHASED NEW IN 2009. AT APPROXIMATELY 30,000 MILES THE DRIVER'S SIDE FRONT WHEEL BEARINGS WORE OUT AND WERE REPLACED UNDER WARRANTY. A SECOND TIME AFTER WARRANTY AT APPROXIMATELY 55, 000 MILES THE SAME WHEEL BEARINGS WERE REPLACED AT A COST OF OVER $500. THE ENTIRE WHEEL HUB ASSEMBLY WAS REPLACED AND I WAS TOLD BY THE DEALER THAT THIS IS FAIRLY COMMON? THE TRUCK NOW HAS ONLY 66, 000 MILES ON IT AND HAS 3 SETS OF WHEEL BEARINGS ON THE SAME SIDE. WHAT KIND OF DEFECT IN THE FRONT END CAN BE CAUSING THIS? (I RARELY USE THE FOUR WHEEL DRIVE IF THIS HELPS). *TR

CAR IDLES AND SURGES WHILE EITHER IN PARK OR WHILE FOOT ON BRAKE QUITE SCARY AS YOU WATCH THE RPM RISE ON ITS OWN WONDERING IF THE CAR WILL JET OUT IN TRAFFIC. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2010 FORD EXPLORER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING AT NO PARTICULAR SPEED, THE VEHICLE SHIFTED INTO 4-WHEEL DRIVE WHILE DRIVING 70 MPH ON THE INTERSTATE AND AT OTHER SPEEDS ON DIFFERENT HIGHWAYS. . THE FAILURE RECURRED INTERMITTENTLY OVER A ONE YEAR SPAN. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER, WHERE THE FRONT WHEEL BEARING WAS REPLACED, BUT IT DID NOT RESOLVE THE ISSUE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 60,000. UPDATED 6/10/14*CN

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2010 FORD EXPLORER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT HE WAS UNABLE TO SHIFT THE VEHICLE OUT OF PARK. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE DEALER FOR DIAGNOSIS WHERE THE TECHNICIAN STATED THAT THE SHIFTER ASSEMBLY WOULD NEED TO BE REPLACED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 60,000.

MY WIFE AND I WERE LEAVING OUR LOCAL WALMART STORE AND WE WERE DRIVING IN THE PARKING LOT. WE WERE GOING DOWN A HILL AT APPROXIMATELY 10 MPH AND MY FOOT WAS COVERING THE BRAKE AND WAS NOT ON THE ACCELERATOR. SUDDENLY THE CAR ACCELERATED RAPIDLY WITH THE MOTOR RACING. I IMMEDIATELY PRESSED THE BRAKE WITH BOTH FEET AND STOPPED THE VEHICLE BUT THIS SUDDEN ACCELERATION CAUSED THE CAR TO TRAVEL APPROXIMATELY 50 FEET. IN ANOTHER 30 FEET THE CAR WOULD HAVE GONE OFF A HIGH EMBANKMENT. I AM AN EXPERIENCED DRIVER OF 43 YEARS WITHOUT AN ACCIDENT AND A TRAINED AND EXPERIENCED DRIVER EDUCATION TEACHER, HOWEVER, I WAS FRIGHTENED BY THIS SUDDEN ACCELERATION AND MY WIFE REMARKED THAT SHE WOULD HAVE NOT BEEN ABLE TO STOP THE VEHICLE AND WOULD HAVE BEEN DOWN THE EMBANKMENT. I TOOK THE CAR TO THE DEALERSHIP AND NOTHING WAS FOUND. I AM CURRENTLY DRIVING THE CAR BUT ARE GREATLY CONCERNED ABOUT THE SAFETY OF THE VEHICLE. *TR

2010 FORD MOUNTAINEER STOPPING AT A RED LIGHT, PUTTING THE BRAKE ON AND THE CAR WOULD NOT STOP. THE ENGINE WAS REVVING AND HAD TO TAKE IT OUT OF GEAR TO STOP THE CAR. *TR

I HAVE A 2002 FORD EXPLORER W/APPROX. 120M MILES. MY O/D LIGHT STARTED BLINKING AND I GOT A "CK TRANSMISSION" MESSAGE. AFTER EXPLORING THE INTERNET I FOUND OVER 200 OTHER OWNERS COMPLAINING ABOUT THE SAME PROBLEM. I TERRIFIED 2 TAKE 2 MY FORD DEALER AFTER READING COMPLAINTS FROM OTHERS. THE LIGHT STARTS FLASHING AFTER ABOUT 5 MILES FROM STARTING THE CAR. *TR

ON MARCH 29 AT 9PM WHILE DRIVING AT 30 MPH AND PASSING A VEHICLE, MY TRANSMISSION STOPPED WORKING. IF FELT LIKE IT DROPPED OUT OF THE BOTTOM OF MY FORD EXPLORER 2004 WITH 63,445 MILES. O/D LIGHT STARTED BLINKING AND CHECK TRANSMISSION WAS ON THE DASH DISPLAY. I IMMEDIATELY BROUGHT IT TO THE NEAREST FORD DEALERSHIP, UNABLE TO DRIVE FASTER THAN 20 MPH OR SHIFT GEARS. REVERSE WAS COMPLETELY NOT WORKING. I HAD REPORTED THAT I SUSPECTED TRANSMISSION PROBLEMS A YEAR PRIOR, AND DEALERSHIP STATED THAT NOTHING WAS WRONG. IN OCTOBER 2009 AT 59,492 MILES I BROUGHT IT IN TO THE SAME DEALERSHIP AND STATED THAT WHILE GOING INTO REVERSE AND OUT OF REVERSE THE CAR MADE A CLUNKING SOUND. SOLENOID BODY WAS REPLACED UNDER WARRANTY. APPROXIMATELY 3,000 MILES LATER TRANSMISSION WAS FOUND TO HAVE A BROKEN DRUM AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED - WARRANTY HAD EXPIRED. *TR