2006 X: "Wrench" Icon on Dash Panel?

[mweiss]

My wife's 2006 Explorer has had the 'drivetrain malfunction' indicator illuminate intermittently twice in the past 12 months or so. The first time it happened on a slipperly hill while turning onto the steep uphill road. The second time it happened while idling in a parking lot. Each time, the error ceased by shutting off the vehicle and restarting it.

The second time this happened, I drove it home from the supermarket and noticed the shifting was a little rough. It was back to normal after shutting off and restarting the vehicle later that day.

Is this a quirk or anomaly, or a sign of serious trouble with the tranny? If you've had this indicator light up and had it in for service, what was the diagnosis?

 

[thebrakeman]

Sounds like a PTU/transfer case issue.
Does your Ex have the 4x4-Auto system, or is your default RWD?
What setting are you in when this happens?
How many miles?
Have you had any 4x4 issues in the past?

 

[edwx]

Just powertrain light? Any other lights?

 

[waskly]

scan the car. lights these days can mean 100000 different errors in 1 or 2 lights.

 

[mweiss]

No other lights, just the 'wrench' icon.
Would an OBD II code scanner also pick up the drive train fault codes? I do have a scanner, but I thought it was strictly to read engine codes.
This truck has that AdvanceTrac traction control system that was new for '06. I think it's 4x4 auto, as it will kick into 4WD by itself when slippage occurs.
It was in "auto" when it happened. Happened one other time back in the early spring when my wife said she had just made the turn onto our very steep hill and she noticed the Advance Trac (the light on the dash with the slippery road icon) light up briefly as the road was wet and she tends to be a bit heavy on the pedal. When she got home, the wrench icon was lit. The second time it happened was while idling in a grocery store parking lot with the a/c running. I stepped out to get some milk and returned five minutes later and the wrench light had come on. Those were the only times this has happened. Both times, these errors cleared after shutting the vehicle off and starting it up later.
The truck just turned 40K miles this spring.

 

[mellang]

Hey, this has happened to me several times now and I took it to the mechanic and no codes would come up. Does anyone know what causes this so I can get it fixed? It seems to happen maybe twice a week, but not every week, very inconsistent. Someone had mentioned TPM, something to do with the throttle. Is this expensive to fix? Thanks.

 

[Zanymom]

I was driving down a semi steep grassy hill in a cemetery and now my ABS light is on solid with a wrench light. Does it just need to be reset or is something really wrong? I have a 2006 Mercury Mountaineer and never had this problem before. There were no noises or anything and I have driven it a bit afterwards tried to reset by the button in the car but it came back on.