I apologize for an introduction such as this, but I find it important to report and share such issues. Personally, I think this thread should be sticky and up top as the danger it presents to warn potential buyers as I certainly would never have purchased my Explorer knowing such gross negligence exists within Ford. This has been a known issue since 2011, coincidentally the same duration that they've known about the DSP6 dual clutch auto transmission issue that they continued to push into production until at least 2016 that seems to be gaining momentum with a class action lawsuit that exists in my daily driver, a 2015 focus, but thats another problem and not nearly as fatal.
What You Need to Know about Ford's PowerShift Transmission Problems
Greetings, I'm an owner of a 2015 Explorer Sport with 77,000 miles. On Sunday 4 August 2019, the truck attempted to kill my wife and 2 month old son while traveling on 495 south near Washington D.C. She experienced identical symptoms to others on the message board, and I've received the same responses from Ford. What really grinds my gears- after explaining that my wife had the steering system lock up on her with my 2 month old son in the back, forcing her to stop in the middle of a highway the dealership asked me if I wanted to sell the truck. Transferring the murder machine to another unsuspecting family seems the only real solution.
495 has a posted speed limit of 55, but when the roads are open most do 65-70 as it is 4 lanes wide. She heard the alarm ring and immediately lost any ability to steer the Explorer forcing her to illegally cross multiple lanes of the highway effectively dead reckoning until she could stop the vehicle. With the vehicle stopped the vehicle in the best position possible, but with 100% loss of steering she still ended in a highway lane. Could she have continued to dead reckon across multiple lanes until she eventually came to a shoulder? Possibly, but that was a decision made in the situation and who are we to question actions during such hostile situation without being in it. She had traffic routing around her on both sides at highway speeds with our 2 month old in the back, she called me crying hysterically not knowing what to do. She took pictures of the error messages displayed, shut down the vehicle and restarted. Upon restart, steering was restored and all error messages disappeared from the display.
If not for her own safety then for the baby in the back her adrenaline certainly spiked, I fully believe beyond doubt if the wheel could have moved she would have.
Yesterday I drove the vehicle and had no issues, no mechanical sounds out of the ordinary nor any display problems so this is an intermittent issue. Despite being intermittent, I hate to think what would have happened if she were on a back road and the lock caused her to swerve into oncoming, a tree or on the highway to swerve into a dump truck or 18 wheeler. I consider my family and myself fortunate that no one was texting on 270 south that day and had the situational awareness to move from flashers and the effectively disabled vehicle.
The vehicle was purchased to provide a safe and comfortable ride that would protect my family in the event an accident ever were to occur, instead I purchased an instrument that will cause one.
I have filed a case with the NHTSA and attached images of the error messages for anyone interested.
I own a 2015 Focus and a 2015 Explorer, we have a 2004 honda civic with 167,000 miles that we picked up to move the baby as neither ford vehicles are roadworthy in their current state and I remain conflicted as to what to do with them.
Ford-
When other companies needed government bailout's, I cheered for you as I believed in your company providing a good product with honest business practices - Over 17 years of driving I've owned a Mustang, Taurus, Escort briefly and now the two vehicles mentioned. You've taken my money and continue to threaten my family's well being. The only real power we have is the power to purchase, I'll never buy from you again and hope to inform as many people as possible of the incident and your behavior.
I committed my family and finance to you and you are effectively a gunman holding a revolver to the head of my family with 1 round in it and you continue to pull the trigger.
edit - I stated 270 south, it was 495 south. Corrected.