Which parts fail
Components named in complaints (automatic and manual transmissions, CVT, axles, driveshaft, 4WD/AWD).
Mileage when the problem started
Owner reports
Selected complaints filed with NHTSA by 1999 Ford Explorer owners, lightly cleaned up (personal details are redacted by NHTSA).
The transmission stopped going in reverse for no apparent reason. All other gears work fine. There's no lagging when driving and no other signs. I went to put it in reverse to back out of my driveway and when I pushed the gas it just reved the engine up and floated backwards causing me to apply the brakes quickly so I wouldn't hit my house. There was smoke coming up from the transmission fluid container.The smoke continues to this day and there's the proper amount/ plenty of transmission fluid in the transmission container.
On 17 February 2003, my husband left our residence in the Ford Explorer. After about 10 minutes on the highway, he started to hear strange noises. The automobile started to slow down and when my husband attempted to accelerate the gas pedal, the automobile just stopped. The car was then pushed to the side of the road and was towed to express auto service on 18 February 2003 due to the snow conditions. Express auto service checked the transmission for proper operation and it was determined after a second visit to express auto that the 'transfer case" needed to be replaced. We were told that we could not drive the automobile unless this gets repaired because this is what made the car drive! The problem occurred after we engaged the 4wd from low to high due to driving in the snow. …
1999 Ford Explorer eddie bauer edition... We had gone out to dinner and when leaving the parking space it sounded as if we ran over a glass bottle. My husband looked around the vehicle and could not find anything. I got in the drivers seat and it felt as if the emergency brake was on (was not) and was very hard to move. We returned to the parking space, turned off the vehicle getting ready to call aaa for services. We both heard a "release" sound. He turned on the vehicle, backed up and we drove home very carefully. The next morning the vehicle was at the dealership to look into this mystery. The brakes were fine; however, they found the following to repair: *seals to brakes *rear axle pinion seal *both lower ball joints on the front end I was told the front right tire ball joints were completely worn down and the tire was just wobbly held on by the lug bolts. …
I purchased my 1999 Ford Explorer in May of 2004 and within a month, I began experiencing problems with my transmission. More specifically, the vehicle would loose power while driving, the transmission could be heard shifting and also shifting movement was felt while driving. I took the vehicle back to rio valley in espanola, new Mexico where I paid cash ($8700.00) and was told that I did not purchase the warranty and my vehicle needed a new transmission and it would cost me $3200.00 to have it repaired. I complained and was told that my gasket was sealed with a sealant that went in to my gaskets and damaged my solenoid. I has just taken it for a transmission oil change and thought well that could be, however, after talking to the owner of hindi's oil stop, I felt certain that this was not the cause. …
Same 2-3 shift problem. Especially when cold...gas it on the on-ramp, all of a sudden it "pops" out of gear and you're hoping someone doesn't slam into the side of your vehicle. After my last near death experience, I took it to the dealer, they said it was a valve body gasket that was missing? (where did it go?) they said they installed the upgrade kit and put in a new gasket, said it worked better. About 4 months later (when it got cold), it started again. Work & parts are supposed to be under warranty, but the dealer "thinks" it might be something else. My complaint is, 4 months ago I paid $900 for them to fix what is a common problem with their product, the exact same problem is happening again and they are looking for ways to get more money out of me, or worm their way out of fixing what I've already paid them to fix. …
1999 Ford Explorer sport 112,750 miles. Car fine Tuesday night. Upon leaving driveway Wednesday morning, reverse was gone, but forward gears fine--no noise, no leaks. Vehicle has been maintained. Upon leaving to drive to get it diagnosed for repair, noises occurred, then fluid leaked. A component blew a hole in transmission case. Transmission needed replacement. Upon researching this problem, I found tens of thousands of similar complaints for this vehicle--mostly 2002 models, though all years were represented. Many experienced similar problems prior to 50,000 miles of use. Apparently this vehicle is called "exploder" by repair shops and Ford dealership service departments. A problem of this magnitude clearly needs addressing,, and it is obvious that the Ford motor co. …
The reverse in the transmission went out without any warning. How does this happen? Not taken to dealer yet. Probably is not worth it. Probably will have to get another car. At least for now. I pretty much use the car only after work now since I started taking public transportation for the last 2 years. Came home, drove the car from the train station, (about 1/4 of a mile) went into the house to drop off my workbags, came back out, started the car, put it into reverse and heard a loud ping. Put the car back in park and tried reverse again and the car would not move. Go figure. Tried going forward and the car moved. Neighbor came out and said that he heard the ping and that the pin broke when I tried reverse. Advised that I would need to get either a new car or a new transmission, because it cannot be corrected otherwise. …
When my 1999 Ford Explorer had approximately 60,000 miles, it went into the repair shop to have the transmission replaced. At that time, I complained that there was transmission fluid leaking near the radiator. About 6 months later, when the vehicle had approximately 70,000 miles, it went back to the repair shop for transmission troubles, at which time several of the clutches in the transmission had to be replaced. The car was released from the dealer on a Friday night, but was returned approximately 12 hours later due to hesitation of the vehicle when driving and because the overdrive light was blinking off and on. Approximately three weeks later the car went back into the shop, again for leaking transmission fluid near the radiator. The radiator has had to be replaced due to a crack where a transmission fluid line came into contact with the radiator. …
Gear shift indicator is misaligned since about September, 2003. There are other complaints about this problem indicating it is a common problem. There are probably many people who have experienced the problem but who have not filed a complaint. This is a potentially dangerous problem in emergencies that require you to immediately put the transmission into neutral or reverse. If you put the transmission into the position indicated by the n=neutral indicator, you are actually putting the car into reverse. This could cause death in certain situations where pedestrians are nearby, or death to occupants when an attempt is made to move the transmission of a moving vehicle to neutral. There May already have been deaths related to this defect. Moving a transmission to neutral is often a first attempt to disengage the engine and power to the wheels.
I purchased my Explorer about 1 year ago. I have had nothing but problems with it since I bought it. Just in the last 3 months it has been in the shop at hometown motors at least 4 or 5 times. And everytime they get it in they charge me a hundred dollar deductable plus what the warranty won't cover. I had to pay 1300.oo for my warranty and I have had to pay almost 700.00 since then on the work for everything going wrong with the Explorer. I have all of my receipts being gathered . Who can I get ahold of to tell them about this lemon that I bought. I cannot afford for this to keep going on.I still owe the car company almost 300 dollars from last week when my Explorer was in the shop for almost 2 weeks. Please email me back and tell me everything I should do to get this problem fixed. I really appreciate it.
Related recalls
Power train › Automatic transmission › Control module (TCM/PCM/tecm)
Vehicle description: sport utility vehicles equipped with the 3.27 or 3.55 axle ration. The subject vehicles have a powertrain control module that could allow the vehicle to exceed the design intent top speed. At these extreme speeds, the vehicle could be capable of exceeding the speed rating of the tire.
Remedy: Dealers will reprogram the powertrain control module.
NHTSA investigations
Vehicle hesitation/stalling
There is no summary currently available
Transmission complaints in other Explorer years
Frequently asked questions
How common are transmission problems on the 1999 Ford Explorer?
NHTSA has 115 complaints about the transmission & drivetrain of the 1999 Ford Explorer, 9% of the model year's 1,348 complaints. The component named most often is automatic transmission (61 mentions).
Is there a recall for 1999 Ford Explorer transmission problems?
Yes — NHTSA recall 00V-395 (control module (tcm/pcm/tecm), Nov 28, 2000). Recall repairs are free at authorized dealers.
At what mileage do 1999 Ford Explorer transmission problems start?
Half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 95,000 miles, and 4% before 25,000 miles.
Is it dangerous?
Owners linked 5 crashes, 2 fires and 3 injuries to transmission & drivetrain problems on this model year. If you notice symptoms, have the car checked before driving further.
Source: U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) — owner complaints through October 20, 2026, recalls and defect investigations; fuel economy from the EPA. Complaints are unverified reports and are not proof of a defect. How we rate model years.