1999 Ford Explorer - No Reverse??? PLZ help

scotty_medic · 03-15-2008, 03:27 PM

The other day i was trying to reverse and the reverse suddenly stopped working . The vehicle has 129,000 miles on it and has been properly maintained. The drive works PERFECT, but no reverse. It almost feels as though the reverse is in neutral or something. The RPM`s go up, but the tires don`t move. The first thing i did is fluid change, then cable adjustment, and finally range sensor for transmission. None of the above corrective actions worked. The only bit of information I have is when it went out I gassed it a little hard then almost felt as if I hit something. So I am thinking valve body, solenoid, or possible spring or something. I dont`t think transmission needs to be replaced because it runs too good in drive. As a matter of fact i did a cross country drive from el paso,TX to Aiken, SC a week ago(1700 miles). If anyone can help I would greatly appreciate.

storlied · 03-15-2008, 03:47 PM

Common problem with the SOHC trannies.. your reverse band is toast.. time for a re-build and it's not going to be cheap.. Sorry to be blunt but it happens.

scotty_medic · 03-15-2008, 04:29 PM

ok thanks alot for the reply. Is there any way that I can maually replace the reverse band?

storlied · 03-15-2008, 04:35 PM

It's inside the transmission.. and they're far from simple devices IMO...

bea · 03-23-2008, 09:17 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by scotty_medic

The other day i was trying to reverse and the reverse suddenly stopped working . The vehicle has 129,000 miles on it and has been properly maintained. The drive works PERFECT, but no reverse. It almost feels as though the reverse is in neutral or something. The RPM`s go up, but the tires don`t move. The first thing i did is fluid change, then cable adjustment, and finally range sensor for transmission. None of the above corrective actions worked. The only bit of information I have is when it went out I gassed it a little hard then almost felt as if I hit something. So I am thinking valve body, solenoid, or possible spring or something. I dont`t think transmission needs to be replaced because it runs too good in drive. As a matter of fact i did a cross country drive from el paso,TX to Aiken, SC a week ago(1700 miles). If anyone can help I would greatly appreciate.

SCOTTY MEDIC .. PLEASE LET ME KNOW WHAT ENDED UP BEING WRONG.. I HAVE A 98 AND THE EXACT SAME THING HAPPENED TO MINE YESTERDAY.RUNS GREAT IN DRIVE ,BUT SUDDENLY LOST REVERSE..THANKS SO MUCH BEA

*toypaseo* · 03-23-2008, 09:19 PM

My 96 did the same thing when my parent's owned it, although the transfer case was the problem...

storlied · 03-23-2008, 09:20 PM

Bea, there's many other threads that are about this.. search for them, you may be able to find the information you need.

Steeda90GT · 03-24-2008, 09:11 AM

Mine did this too and it was indeed the reverse band. Had to have the entire transmission rebuilt.

**BrooklynBay** · 03-24-2008, 09:58 AM

Welcome to this forum! It could be a broken shift fork in the transfer case.

gbic1 · 03-24-2008, 11:12 PM

Dont know how a transfer case cant do this....but. Usually it is reverse band or reverse high clutch. But if High works then broken band, Band is about the first thing you put in the bottom of the case on rebuild. I have not seen the reverse band break but if it is you can drop pan and pull the four bolts off the small thick cover toward back of valve body and remove piston and spring. If band is broken you should be able to push up through the piston pin hole and have no resistance. If not broken it should have spring tension. Good luck

*gijoecam* · 03-25-2008, 08:54 AM

A t-case can cause the same symptoms, but there's generally others... Like a grinding noise on coast-down from freeway speeds. Eventually when the shift fork/rail fails, the gears get forced apart when in reverse, but mesh and engage in drive. It's an oh-so-common problem.

Wouldn't a busted reverse band cause a loss of one of the forward gears too?

-Joe

**BrooklynBay** · 03-25-2008, 09:05 AM

The reverse band is also for low (1st) gear. It's called the low/reverse band.

donaldthacker · 03-25-2008, 09:21 AM

if you do not have engine braking in low 1 then it is the reverse band. Put the explorer in 1 and drive to run the rpms up, let off the gas. if the engine does not maintain the current rpm it is more than likely the band. Typically if it is broke the engine will fall back to idle. Of course it is at the back of the tranny so there is no simple fix.
I just went through this last fall

Blaze170 · 03-25-2008, 09:22 AM

the same thing happened to my 1999 exploder sport with the sohc motor. Wen i took it to a friends shop to get it checked he told me tat my reverse band had snapped. He said it is a common problem in the second gens but it wasn't that bad of a fix. I don't know how much it is gonna cost you but i got my reverse band fixed and my transmission completely rebuilt by ford certified mechanics who work directly for the ford dealership here near Danville. Good luck with your problem.

Darkeru · 05-02-2008, 08:39 PM

My explorer has the exact problem you described above. Just happened yesterday and I was wondering how much would this cost? I've been trying to get a good quote but the mechanics in my area are far from trustworthy

Racer10 · 05-04-2008, 12:15 AM

Mine's doing the same thing for the 2nd time.

1998 SOHC, 4x4

I got quotes of $600.00 from 2 different places to repair it

shadowless127 · 05-04-2008, 09:35 PM

Wow... the 5r55e really is the worst transmission ever made...

**BrooklynBay** · 05-04-2008, 09:44 PM

I wouldn't go that far.

shadowless127 · 05-05-2008, 05:52 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BrooklynBay

I wouldn't go that far.

I meant to say as far as Explorers are concerned

**BrooklynBay** · 05-05-2008, 09:13 PM

The internal parts are more upgraded than the A4LD. The Frankentranny is a combination of A4LD, and 5R55E parts which make it stronger.

03-15-2008, 03:27 PM	#1
scotty_medic Wannabe Elite Explorer Aiken, SC 99` XLT Join Date: Mar 2008 Posts: 2 Vehicle Specs (Original Poster)	1999 Ford Explorer - No Reverse??? PLZ help The other day i was trying to reverse and the reverse suddenly stopped working . The vehicle has 129,000 miles on it and has been properly maintained. The drive works PERFECT, but no reverse. It almost feels as though the reverse is in neutral or something. The RPM`s go up, but the tires don`t move. The first thing i did is fluid change, then cable adjustment, and finally range sensor for transmission. None of the above corrective actions worked. The only bit of information I have is when it went out I gassed it a little hard then almost felt as if I hit something. So I am thinking valve body, solenoid, or possible spring or something. I dont`t think transmission needs to be replaced because it runs too good in drive. As a matter of fact i did a cross country drive from el paso,TX to Aiken, SC a week ago(1700 miles). If anyone can help I would greatly appreciate.

03-23-2008, 09:19 PM	#6
toypaseo Flunked daycare outside shovelling snow ................ 96 XLT ™ Join Date: Jan 2003 Posts: 5,320 Vehicle Specs	My 96 did the same thing when my parent's owned it, although the transfer case was the problem... __________________ Kent - 1996 XLT - Hypertech Programmer, Gibson Catback, K&N FIPK, Alpine V12 MRV-100M, 8" round 2ohm Kicker Solobaric 1992 Toyota Paseo - Tein Super Street coilovers, Whiteline swaybars 22MM(F) 20MM(R), Prothane endlinks & mounts, VVR poly control arm bushings, K&N drop-in, Dynomax Ultraflo, Gibson stainless tip, Pirelli Winter Carving Edge(F) Kumho HP4 716(R) on steelies

03-24-2008, 09:58 AM	#9
BrooklynBay Aerostar Forum Moderator Brooklyn, NY 88 89 93 95 96 Aerostars Join Date: Nov 2005 Posts: 45,813 Vehicle Specs	Welcome to this forum! It could be a broken shift fork in the transfer case. __________________ My list of useful threads. My photo gallery. My product reviews. My list of items for sale. Aerostar owners thread. Aerostar parts work in Explorers, Rangers, and Bronco II thread. History of the Aerostar thread. Aerostar Forum. New Members Forum. Ford/Lincoln/Mercury Forum.

03-24-2008, 11:12 PM	#10
gbic1 Wannabe Elite Explorer Will County , Illinois 99 4 door SOHC 4x4 Join Date: Aug 2005 Posts: 23 Vehicle Specs	Dont know how a transfer case cant do this....but. Usually it is reverse band or reverse high clutch. But if High works then broken band, Band is about the first thing you put in the bottom of the case on rebuild. I have not seen the reverse band break but if it is you can drop pan and pull the four bolts off the small thick cover toward back of valve body and remove piston and spring. If band is broken you should be able to push up through the piston pin hole and have no resistance. If not broken it should have spring tension. Good luck __________________ 01 Sport 135k one owner 99 4.0 SOHC 155K Auto Sold 87 B2 91 4.0 swap auto SOLD 88 Bronco 351 C6 Semi retired 87 Bronco 302 AOD Gone 93 F350 Crew cab 351 E4OD

03-25-2008, 08:54 AM	#11
gijoecam Village Idiot Trenton, MI 98 ExSport, '00 F-150 Join Date: May 1999 Posts: 8,345 Vehicle Specs	A t-case can cause the same symptoms, but there's generally others... Like a grinding noise on coast-down from freeway speeds. Eventually when the shift fork/rail fails, the gears get forced apart when in reverse, but mesh and engage in drive. It's an oh-so-common problem. Wouldn't a busted reverse band cause a loss of one of the forward gears too? -Joe __________________ -98 Explorer Sport, 4.0 SOHC, K&N drop-in, LEMON in progress! -'00 F-150, mucho mods *"We need to allow Darwinism take it's course and let the idiots weed themselves out of existance."* ~ Rick Horwitz We must believe in free will — we have no choice. ~ Isaac Bashevis Singer I'm not smart, just a resourceful idiot. ~ Me

03-15-2008, 04:29 PM	#3
scotty_medic Wannabe Elite Explorer Aiken, SC 99` XLT Join Date: Mar 2008 Posts: 2 Vehicle Specs (Original Poster)	ok thanks alot for the reply. Is there any way that I can maually replace the reverse band?

03-24-2008, 09:11 AM	#8
Steeda90GT Wannabe Elite Explorer Central NJ 99 Sport Join Date: Jul 2006 Posts: 448 Vehicle Specs	Mine did this too and it was indeed the reverse band. Had to have the entire transmission rebuilt.

03-25-2008, 09:05 AM	#12
BrooklynBay Aerostar Forum Moderator Brooklyn, NY 88 89 93 95 96 Aerostars Join Date: Nov 2005 Posts: 45,813 Vehicle Specs	The reverse band is also for low (1st) gear. It's called the low/reverse band. __________________ My list of useful threads. My photo gallery. My product reviews. My list of items for sale. Aerostar owners thread. Aerostar parts work in Explorers, Rangers, and Bronco II thread. History of the Aerostar thread. Aerostar Forum. New Members Forum. Ford/Lincoln/Mercury Forum.

03-25-2008, 09:21 AM	#13
donaldthacker Wannabe Elite Explorer va 99, sport w/35" MTZ's Join Date: Oct 2004 Posts: 101 Vehicle Specs	if you do not have engine braking in low 1 then it is the reverse band. Put the explorer in 1 and drive to run the rpms up, let off the gas. if the engine does not maintain the current rpm it is more than likely the band. Typically if it is broke the engine will fall back to idle. Of course it is at the back of the tranny so there is no simple fix. I just went through this last fall

03-25-2008, 09:22 AM	#14
Blaze170 Wannabe Elite Explorer Danville, Pennsylvania 1999 Sport Join Date: Dec 2007 Posts: 33 Vehicle Specs	the same thing happened to my 1999 exploder sport with the sohc motor. Wen i took it to a friends shop to get it checked he told me tat my reverse band had snapped. He said it is a common problem in the second gens but it wasn't that bad of a fix. I don't know how much it is gonna cost you but i got my reverse band fixed and my transmission completely rebuilt by ford certified mechanics who work directly for the ford dealership here near Danville. Good luck with your problem.

05-02-2008, 08:39 PM	#15
Darkeru Wannabe Elite Explorer '03 Explorer XLT Join Date: Oct 2007 Posts: 9 Vehicle Specs	My explorer has the exact problem you described above. Just happened yesterday and I was wondering how much would this cost? I've been trying to get a good quote but the mechanics in my area are far from trustworthy

05-04-2008, 12:15 AM	#16
Racer10 Wannabe Elite Explorer russellville, ar 1998 sport 4x4 Join Date: Dec 2005 Posts: 17 Vehicle Specs	Mine's doing the same thing for the 2nd time. 1998 SOHC, 4x4 I got quotes of $600.00 from 2 different places to repair it

05-04-2008, 09:44 PM	#18
BrooklynBay Aerostar Forum Moderator Brooklyn, NY 88 89 93 95 96 Aerostars Join Date: Nov 2005 Posts: 45,813 Vehicle Specs	I wouldn't go that far. __________________ My list of useful threads. My photo gallery. My product reviews. My list of items for sale. Aerostar owners thread. Aerostar parts work in Explorers, Rangers, and Bronco II thread. History of the Aerostar thread. Aerostar Forum. New Members Forum. Ford/Lincoln/Mercury Forum.

05-05-2008, 09:13 PM	#20
BrooklynBay Aerostar Forum Moderator Brooklyn, NY 88 89 93 95 96 Aerostars Join Date: Nov 2005 Posts: 45,813 Vehicle Specs	The internal parts are more upgraded than the A4LD. The Frankentranny is a combination of A4LD, and 5R55E parts which make it stronger. __________________ My list of useful threads. My photo gallery. My product reviews. My list of items for sale. Aerostar owners thread. Aerostar parts work in Explorers, Rangers, and Bronco II thread. History of the Aerostar thread. Aerostar Forum. New Members Forum. Ford/Lincoln/Mercury Forum.