# 2002 FORD EXPLORER — POWER TRAIN:TRANSFER CASE (4-WHEEL DRIVE)
> NHTSA complaint `614453` · 2007-02-25 · 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:** 64,600
- **Speed:** 25 mph
## Narrative
IN JANUARY, 2006, MY CAR STOPPED DEAD ON THE HIGHWAY.  AFTER IT WAS TOWED TO THE DEALERSHIP, WE WERE TOLD THAT A VALVE HAD BROKEN AND HAD BEEN SUCKED INTO THE ENGINE, CAUSING ENGINE FAILURE.  OUR ONLY ALTERNATIVE WAS TO  HAVE THE ENGINE REPLACED - WHICH WE DID FOR OVER $5000.00.  THE FOLLOWING JANUARY, (2007), AFTER THE FIRST MEASURABLE SNOW FALL OF THE YEAR (SINCE OUR ENGINE HAD BEEN REPLACED), THE CAR WENT INTO A HUGE FISHTAIL SKID ON A SNOWY ROAD AND AFTER THE FIRST SKID, WAS CAUGHT BY THE CABLE GUARD RAIL ON THE SIDE OF THE ROAD - CAUSING ANOTHER $5000.00+ REPAIR.  WHEN BROUGHT TO THE DEALERSHIP AFTER THE ACCIDENT, WE WERE TOLD THAT THE 4 WHEEL DRIVE ELECTRONIC MONITOR HAD FAILED AND WE HAD NO 4 WHEEL DRIVE.  MY CONCERN - BESIDES THE COST AND INCONVENIENCE AND SCARE OF THE ACCIDENT IS THAT THERE WERE NO WARNING LIGHTS TO LET ME KNOW THAT THE CAR'S 4 WHEEL DRIVE HAD FAILED.  I HAD GOTTEN INTO THE CAR ASSUMING THAT THE 4 WHEEL DRIVE WAS WORKING (AS THE CAR GOES INTO 4 WHEEL DRIVE AUTOMATICALLY AND THERE ARE NO INDICATOR LIGHTS NORMALLY TO LET YOU KNOW THAT THE 4 WHEEL DRIVE IS WORKING).  WITH NO INDICATOR LIGHTS THAT THE 4 WHEEL DRIVE IS WORKING AND NO INDICATOR LIGHTS THAT IT IS NOT WORKING, FORD PUT ME IN A VERY UNSAFE SITUATION.  HAD THE CABLE GUARD RAIL NOT BEEN THERE TO CATCH THE CAR, WE WOULD HAVE GONE OVER THE EMBANKMENT AND BEEN MORE SERIOUSLY INJURED.  *NM
---
*Source: [NHTSA ODI](https://www-odi.nhtsa.dot.gov/downloads/) · AI Analytics · CC0 1.0*