zpn_by
Well-Known Member
- Joined
- November 5, 2012
- Messages
- 123
- Reaction score
- 3
- City, State
- Ontario
- Year, Model & Trim Level
- 2002 Explorer EB
Hi all - I hope it's not the death knell for my tranny, but as it looks to be the second transmission in the truck, who knows....
First, I haven't gotten any formal diagnosis done yet - that's coming tonight, after I get the code read and the fluid checked. (2002 4.6L 4x4, class II hitch, 167,000 km/just over 100,000 mi)
Yesterday I was driving the truck and had to take off kind of quick from a driveway to make a left across a busy 5-lane road. As I was doing so, I noticed that it didn't shift into second when it usually would, and held first for a while longer than normal. Further drive testing confirmed this to be the case. What's happening is that the trans will hold first until about 3000 rpm, then shift to second. This happens regardless of how I accelerate. It will carry on in second for a short time, then eventually shift into third and so on. 3-4 and 4-5 happen at normal RPM. At one point during the remaining 5km (3mi) drive home on city streets, the truck beeped and the OD light started flashing, with the usual (oh no!) CHECK TRANSMISSION warning. (I'd love to check the transmission, but someone forgot to put in a dipstick!!!!). The light kept flashing until I got home and shut down. Upon restarting, the light was off and hasn't re-occurred. My scanner only does engine DTC's, so I'll be taking it to my neighbour's garage tonight to get the transmission code scanned, which I'll post here. I also don't know the fluid level or condition at this time.
The delayed shift problem repeats every time it accelerates, so it's always present now. I've been able to get the transmission to shift into second a little earlier by accelerating to 2500 in first (gently) then lifting off as if doing a granny shift with a manual, and then easing into the throttle again. That said, i was able to get to "lockup" speed this morning, and the converter didn't lock, so now my drive is taking a bit more gas...
Any thoughts on what it might be? I'm wondering if it's simply a low fluid problem, meaning that the transmission can't build enough line pressure to trigger a shift out of first, and to lock up the converter. Please don't let that comment steer the responses though. I've never had a full-on leak from this, only a little seepage from the drain plug since I bought the truck two years ago. I've only put on 25,000 km (less than 16,000 mi) and most of that was in the past year. There has never been a drip on the driveway, just a damp drain plug. The fluid that has come out looks like the normal red Mercon V fluid. I know, I should have checked it sooner, but being in school with two young kids determined where the money went.
I hope to have more info to post here shortly, as to fluid level and condition, and the code which was generated. Thanks for your constructive input!
First, I haven't gotten any formal diagnosis done yet - that's coming tonight, after I get the code read and the fluid checked. (2002 4.6L 4x4, class II hitch, 167,000 km/just over 100,000 mi)
Yesterday I was driving the truck and had to take off kind of quick from a driveway to make a left across a busy 5-lane road. As I was doing so, I noticed that it didn't shift into second when it usually would, and held first for a while longer than normal. Further drive testing confirmed this to be the case. What's happening is that the trans will hold first until about 3000 rpm, then shift to second. This happens regardless of how I accelerate. It will carry on in second for a short time, then eventually shift into third and so on. 3-4 and 4-5 happen at normal RPM. At one point during the remaining 5km (3mi) drive home on city streets, the truck beeped and the OD light started flashing, with the usual (oh no!) CHECK TRANSMISSION warning. (I'd love to check the transmission, but someone forgot to put in a dipstick!!!!). The light kept flashing until I got home and shut down. Upon restarting, the light was off and hasn't re-occurred. My scanner only does engine DTC's, so I'll be taking it to my neighbour's garage tonight to get the transmission code scanned, which I'll post here. I also don't know the fluid level or condition at this time.
The delayed shift problem repeats every time it accelerates, so it's always present now. I've been able to get the transmission to shift into second a little earlier by accelerating to 2500 in first (gently) then lifting off as if doing a granny shift with a manual, and then easing into the throttle again. That said, i was able to get to "lockup" speed this morning, and the converter didn't lock, so now my drive is taking a bit more gas...
Any thoughts on what it might be? I'm wondering if it's simply a low fluid problem, meaning that the transmission can't build enough line pressure to trigger a shift out of first, and to lock up the converter. Please don't let that comment steer the responses though. I've never had a full-on leak from this, only a little seepage from the drain plug since I bought the truck two years ago. I've only put on 25,000 km (less than 16,000 mi) and most of that was in the past year. There has never been a drip on the driveway, just a damp drain plug. The fluid that has come out looks like the normal red Mercon V fluid. I know, I should have checked it sooner, but being in school with two young kids determined where the money went.
I hope to have more info to post here shortly, as to fluid level and condition, and the code which was generated. Thanks for your constructive input!