2002 Ford Explorer transmission problems!!

[FLG]

Well heres the story.

I sold my 95 Nissan pathfinder (wish i kept the damn thing, never a single problem with this car...normal maintenance and alternator since owning it in 96). Anyways, pops said since im graduating college in June i can have his Explorer. Newer car, he just had EVERYTHING serviced (including the tranny, he should have left it alone!!.) all work was done by Ford.

Anyways, mom is driving up from florida with it, i get a call with her telling me the OD light is flashing and is going in and out of overdrive. I tell her theres no point in getting it fixed and wasting time, if the tranny is going, well its going just keep driving. So she continues, every now and than it acted up on the highway. Off the highway she said if she stopped at a light and drove it was slipping BAD.

BTW, there is NO dipstick...these are sealed units...so its not the fluid but either way i cant check.

She will be here tomorrow and now i have to fix the damn thing cause its my car. Father was really upset, because it was never abused and he maintained it meticulously. After some research we found out this is a common problem with these year explorers and besides hoping that Ford covers the damage ill be needing a new tranny.

Does anyone on here fix these things? Also where can i get a good deal on a new one if i wind up having to do it myself?

Thanks Guys and gals!

[bordin34]

Cant help you much but maybe the people servicing the trans didn't put enough back in? OT too bad you sold your Pathfinder mine is great and reliable.
I searched craigslist and found this.
http://newjersey.craigslist.org/pts/1477368998.html
http://newjersey.craigslist.org/pts/1499238106.html

[resq302]

Frank,

My wife has a 2005 Explorer and the trans is NOT a sealed unit but also does not have a dipstick in it.  I have a factory service manual for her explorer and you are more than happy to borrow it.  I have changed out the trans fluid and filter in my wifes car a couple times and am getting ready to do it again in about 3000 miles.  There is a very large nut on the bottom of the trans pan with a torx head plug inside of the large nut.  If you unscrew the large nut, you will see when you remove it that it is actually a fluted nut with a tube on it that goes up inside the trans pan.  You remove this large fluted nut to drain out the fluid, in order to fill the fluid, you need to purchase a nipple adapter that screws into where you removed the torx plug.  You have to fill the trans by pumping Mercon 5 up into the trans.  The reason the fluted tube is on the nut is that when the fluid reaches the top of the tube, any excess will drain back out of the trans.  Ford did this to prevent people from damaging the transmissions by overfilling them.  Kinda smart in a way but also sucky cause if you have a leak, you would never know about it since you have no easy way of checking the fluid in the trans.  I will try to find a link on some of the ford sites that I belong to.

[FLG]

Thanks Brian and Bordin.

I figured it was sealed since no dip stick.

I honestly think this is directly related to Ford changing the fluid. I think it just went too long on the original stuff and thus wore into it. Now with the new tranny fluid the pressure is all different and threw it out of whack.

Do you think this is time for a new tranny or maybe something that can be fixed with some additives for now?

Might be borrowing that book!

BTW, call me when you get some time and want to network the PC's so you can print.

[resq302]

Frank,

Im at work right now but might take you up on that either Tues or later Monday night.  Personally what I would do is to try and change out the fluid first as they may not have added enough.  This way if there is any crap that worked its way free, you might be able to "flush" it out by putting new fluid in an changing out the filter after you change out the fluid a couple times.  FYI- the Mercon 5 that Ford uses now goes around $5 a quart but trying to change out the fluid a couple times is definitely cheaper than replacing the tranny.

[A383Wing]

We have replaced a couple of the solenoid packs inside the trans .....OD light was flashing and had harsh shifting...

As stated above...trans is not "sealed"....to check the trans fluid level, trans must be warm and idling...while engine is running in park, you must remove the little torx set screw and see if fluid comes out....you have to fill it through that hole also....I made a special adapter to fit our trans fluid hose.

[FLG]

Thanks Wing.

Do you recommend i get this one fixed? Or just get a new one?

[A383Wing]

Find out what's wrong first...there should be a code in there if light is flashing....there are also TSB's (Technical Service Bulletins) for flashing light also. Either drop the pan or have a shop do it...see if there are any large chunks of something in there, if none, the solenoid pack may be the entire issue...they are not that expensive...around $200 plus labor & fluid

New trans ain't gonna be cheap...

[FLG]

Will do!

Figured trans will be $$$$

Ill get the codes this week and post back. If its a solenoid issue ill do it myself.

[resq302]

Frank,

I read on the Ford site that I forwarded to you that it cost someone at least $4000 for a tranny.  If it was me, I would try changing out the fluid a couple times and see if that fixes it.  Gotta be a lot cheaper than $4000, heck while you are in there, you might even want to change out that solenoid which seems to be a weak link in that trans.  Luckily it seems that they fixed it for 2005.

[FLG]

Yep,

Will find out the damage soon. Hope its just a solenoid issue.

[resq302]

Frank,

Another link for ya!

http://www.explorerforum.com/forums//archive/index.php/t-118654.html

[FLG]

Thanks guys,

Heres the codes i have

P0732 - Gear 2 Incorrect Ratio
P0735 - Gear 5 Incorrect Ratio
P0775 - Pressure Control Solenoid B

So its either bad solenoid pack, broken OD clutch, or servo.

[A383Wing]

Sounds like the same codes I had a while back in a customers car....I bet on the solenoid pack.....but don't take my word for it....check the TSB's and do your homework....contact a reputable trans shop and pick their brains....

Bryan

[69bronzeT5]

The tranny was going fast on our '99 Odyssey to the point where we didn't want to drive it because it would constantly lurch in and out of gears. We had someone suggest the solenoids to us so we replaced them and that didn't work. So we ended up having to get the tranny rebuilt. Cost $2,600 I hope for your sake Frank that it's just the solenoid packs.

[FLG]

Thanks wing and bronze!

I will be getting the repair manual from brian this week. I can easily check the bands and the solenoid pack. If its neither then its most likely the servo. They have some issues with wearing out the case. If its the problem i need to drop the trans pull the servos, ream out the holes, install brass sleeves and new servos.

I will pull the solenoid pack tomorrow and check the ohm readings i should be getting. I will also try to max out the OD band. If it dosnt bottom out then its shot.

Im hoping it be the solenoid pack. If its the servo or bands ill drop the tranny and just do a partial rebuild and throw in a shift kit to help maximize the rest of its life.



Also would like to note, there is a wining sound on the first to second shift, along with if you rev it up in neutral or park. Also, the fluid is damn burnt...i mean it looks like motor oil burnt.

This isnt looking very good is it?

But there is no abnormal clunks or clanks, no harsh shifts, just laggy.

[FLG]

Let me slightly take that back. Not really your standard tranny whinec More like a pump sucking in air sound or similar to a power steering pump noise. It sometimes fluctuates and is more pronounced at higher rpms even heard in the rest of the gears but more so on 1~2 shift.

[A383Wing]

Also would like to note, there is a wining sound on the first to second shift, along with if you rev it up in neutral or park. Also, the fluid is damn burnt...i mean it looks like motor oil burnt.

This isnt looking very good is it?

But there is no abnormal clunks or clanks, no harsh shifts, just laggy.

No...not looking real good here.....the only thing I can say is "Prepare for the worst, hope for the best"

This is one of the issues with the newer vehicles....not real "service by owner" friendly........

Your "motor oil looking" trans fluid is not good.....but the bright side is that there are no "abnormal chunks" in the pan

[FLG]

Update for ya wing.

Did a partial fluid change. It did somewhat improve things, nothing to write home about but things did slightly improve.

So im thinking the tranny might be OK.

Hoping so!!

[resq302]

Frank, I'm kinda hoping that your motor oil looking tranny fluid was from it being low on tranny fluid.  IF that is the case, if you keep changing out the fluid to get rid of all of the burned, bad fluid out, you might be good.  Might cost a little bit of money but would be a darn sight cheaper than replacing a tranny.  Shame you didnt pull the fill plug out first to see if any fluid dribbled out.  If it was bone dry, you know darn well that they underfilled the tranny.  Sometimes I think dealerships do this on purpose since people rarely check out work that was performed.  Then you bring it back to them a certain amount of miles or time frame later and then all of a sudden they say, "Oh, your trans is bad or your engine is seized" and now they have a big dollar repair for something they ultimately caused.

[bordin34]

now they have a big dollar repair for something they ultimately caused.

I agree with that, I recently changed my brother's oil and only 3.5 quarts came out, 6 is full, that little filter barely holds a cup of oil. Its not burning oil and the synthetic I put in there is still at the full mark. I am now changing all of our family's oil.
Frank, if you are pretty confident the trans is toast and are about to rebuild it, I would try some Lucas Trans Fix. That stuff works in my 74 Charger the trans slipped terribly in first and I had no reverse. After putting that stuff in it I could do powerbrake burnouts in first and back up pretty good. I say only as a last resort because I don't know how picky that trans may be with the kind of fluid it likes.

[FLG]

Bordin,

I added it in with the fluid change. She still is the same.

Im figuring its toast and am searching for a low mileage used one. All that burnt/dark fluid means clutch material, well it had to come from somewhere.

If i get my hands on one, i will change the solenoid body and a new torque converter. Also possibly going to also add a shift kit in it. Not that i need the firmer shifts, but they are easier on the transmission.

[FLG]

Ordered tranny.

$1,300, free shipping no tax.

3 year/unlimited mileage warranty.

Will be putting it in hopefully before Christmas.

[resq302]

Wow!  thats really cheap compared to some prices I've seen on the Ford site.