# 2002 FORD EXPLORER — POWER TRAIN:TRANSFER CASE (4-WHEEL DRIVE)
> NHTSA complaint `596816` · 2006-09-19 · Ford Motor Company
## Severity
- **Deaths:** 0
- **Injured:** 0
- **Fire:** No
- **Crash:** Yes
- **Police report:** No
- **Medical attention:** No
- **Vehicle towed:** No
## Vehicle
- **Make:** FORD
- **Model:** EXPLORER
- **Year:** 2002
- **Manufacturer:** Ford Motor Company
- **Component:** POWER TRAIN:TRANSFER CASE (4-WHEEL DRIVE)
- **Miles at failure:** 75,000
- **Speed:** 30 mph
## Narrative
MY FOUR WHEEL DRIVE FAILED, WHILE ELECTRONIC LIGHT SHOWED CAR IN 4 WHEEL DRIVE. CAR SLID BACKWARDS INTO A RAVINE. ON SNOWY ROAD. LOCAL FORD DEALER DID NOT KNOW HOW TO FIX IT, BUT PROBLEM WAS EVENTUALLY TRACKED TO A FAULTY ELECTRONIC MODULE THAT FORD KNEW ABOUT. THIS CAUSED THE SOLENOID THAT ENGAGES 4 WHEEL DRIVE TO FAIL/ THIS WAS AN EXTREMELY DANGEROUS SITUATION. I WAS DRIVING OVER A SNOWY MOUNTAIN ROAD PREVIOUS DAY AND COULD HAVE SLIPPED OFF ROAD IF IT FAILED ONE DAY EARLIER. I SEE NUMEROUS EXAMPLES OF THE SAME PROBLEM. WHY DOESN'T FORD RESPOND?
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*Source: [NHTSA ODI](https://www-odi.nhtsa.dot.gov/downloads/) · AI Analytics · CC0 1.0*