OMG!! Same thing happened to me in my 2003 Explorer XLT a week before Christmas last year. The OD light comes on and next thing you know, I'm replacing the transmission a mere year and a half after I purchased it from the Carmax off Southwest FWY!!! Ditto........Ford......NEVER AGAIN!

I HEAR YA! My OD light came on and wouldn't go off no matter what I did! I was finally told that I needed a new transmission at 85K? I bought this one new in 2000 and my other explorer, 1999, had over 100K with NO problems? Ford sucks once the warranty is over! I am looking to the foreign models next time!

I have owned 2 Explorers... a 95 Sport and a 2001 Sport Trac... both Transmissions blew around 60K miles. I was fortunate enough to have an extended warranty on the 2nd one, but the first one I had to pay for. I am with the rest of you...NEVER AGAIN!

Sorry to hear of all of your troubles. I have a 98 Explorer Sport, It has 299018 miles on it today (7/7/08) Bought it new with 13 miles on it Sept 98. I run nothing but synthetic oil and the engine and trany are both tight as a drum. Everytime I take it in for oil change my mechanic is astounded. Had to have the gaskets replaced on the fuel intake manifold because they rotted out at 210000 miles. This was my first Explorer and I have heard of other problems with the trany but the engine in this vehicle was manufactured in Germany and the trany in France. The only other maint has been battery, alt and replaced all of the front end parts with new shocks all over. Of course tires have been purchased twice.Belts and hoses also replaced as required. By the way I am a retired Jet engine mechanic and female. I believe in good maintenance practices and if gas wasn't so expensive I would love to have another one but Ford will likely drop them as well.

Same thing happened to me. 2003 Ford Explorer - OD light came on and after reading about this online, we took it to the transmission shop. They had to rebuild the transmission. Oh, we had about 77,000 miles on it. Yeah, $2800 later - and the warranty expired this past February. I heard it was mostly the early 2000 vehicles with this problem. I will never buy another Ford again.

My 2002 as well.... Right after warranty expired. The dealership covered it though... They said because I had all service done by them.

my 2004 needed a new tranny at 85k... ford dealer quoted 4k, local tranny guy replaced it for $1600...