How many miles on original 3rd Gen Tranny?

[pet575]

I believe the only ones that have the separate cooler are the ones with the stock towing package or those who have added an aftermarket auxiliary cooler.

 

[jrford]

All 3rd Gens have a separate trans cooler. They are not connected to the Rad in any way. One reason was if the engine runs out of coolant it goes into something called FMEM mode; which shuts down the alternating cylinders; allowing them air cool; this should minimize permanent damage and allow you to pull over. Never seen it in action but that was the theory.

 

[explorerguy86]

106K on the original transmission and never changed the transmission fluid.Only thing i have to do now is replace the front differential gasket.

 

[kworonowski]

126k i had fluid flushed at 105k and 126k (bought it with 95k) my guy recommend every 25k and prefers new filter but have not changed that yet (next time )

 

[liftdmountaineer]

108946 then the od planetary grenaded coming back from a weekend of camping. new is in and waiting. today is the day.

 

[HCCA 250]

I bought my 02, new. At 30K miles, I took it to the dealer to have the trans fluid changed. The service manager, there, told me the fluid did not need changed, as it was a "sealed" transmission. WTF???? I told him there was no such thing as a transmission that did not need fluid changed, at regular intervals. After arging with him for a few minutes, he said that I did not want to do it. Because, he had had a customer come in to do what I was asking. He had said that this guys transmission began to slip immediately there after. Of course, I argued with him some more. I said, "Sure, if it has 100K on it, and has never been changed." He said, no it was a new vehicle. I all but got on my knees, and begged him to change the fluid, and he flat refused.

So, I took it to the local 4 Corners Lube (kinda like a Jiffy Lube), and they ALSO refused!! So, I never changed my trans fluid. And, it went out at 125,700 miles. Now, I suppose, I should have tried harder. If I had taken it to Springfield, I suppose, as a larger town, there would be a true, Transmission Shop that would have done it for me. But, knowing only that not one, but TWO, places that can change trans fluid, BOTH refusing to touch it, I was wonding what kind of lovely transmission had Ford put under my vehicle?!?!

Now, that I have a new transmission in my Exploerer, I WILL get it flushed, and filled ever 30K. And, oh BTW, the service manager that told me that he wouldn't change my trans fluid...he's no longer employed by that dealer!

 

[Artbaileyjr]

I had the same experience with my '02, except that it was shifting badly. Two shops flatly refused to drop the pan, change the filter and replace the fluid. They insisted that a rebuild was the only answer. I stopped by a small one-man operation working out of an old filling station and told him exactly what I wanted; no diagnosis; no BS; no predictions; Just do what I ask! He agreed.

Within a few miles the shifting issue started getting better. Within about a hundred miles, the shifting issue was almost gone under normal conditions. About a thousand miles later, I had the same guy do it again.

10,000 miles later: It pulls strong from the bottom, smoothly shifts through all the gears, without any slippage, although, I don't ordinarily drive it hard, except to diagnose the transmission under load.

I'll have it done one more time in the next few weeks and hold up there for about 30,000 unless it grenades for some reason.

I have been warned about changing fluid on high mile cars. (I'm a car collector) I ignore the warnings and have had nothing but improvement on all of them.

When I am told that I need major work rather than routine service, I run like hell. My checking account has $1,800.00 more in it than if I had listened to the gurus.

I'm at 164,x.. and just returned from a very smooth, 1,000 mile trip through the Rocky Mountains.

If you can't get a shop that will do exactly what you want, find one that will.


Art

 

[94Eddie]

So, I took it to the local 4 Corners Lube (kinda like a Jiffy Lube), and they ALSO refused!!

The quick lube places won't change the fluid because the transmission in the 3rd gen Explorers have no dip stick. The grease monkeys they employ can't easily verify the fluid level is proper after refilling so they don't take on the risk of changing the fluid.

 

[94Eddie]

If you can't get a shop that will do exactly what you want, find one that will.

Any shop that knows what they are doing will change the fluid/filter. I took mine into a small, local transmission shop right after I bought the 2002 XLT with 49k miles and asked them to change the fluid/filter. They didn't bat an eye and did the change. They even told me that the rattling torque convertor (common on 2002s) was not something I needed to fix unless the sound bothered me. One of the best ways to find a good tranny shop is to ask people that are seriously into hot rodding cars/trucks. They all share information with each other and a good shop gets their business and the bad shops don't. It is how I found this transmission shop.

 

[03Explorer4x4]

Haaaa....

Yup been down that road, I purchased my 2003 ford explorer sport Brand new at 50'000 K i decided it was time for a transmission flush, I went to quick lube as thats were i get my etests done i asked for a transmission service, he looked at me and asked me why ? I looked at him and said cause id like to have it done, he then looks at me and said why is there a problem? im like nope i just like to keep my oils clean, he looks at me and says NO i cant do it? i looked at and him and asked nice why not? he looked at me and said its funny its a friday before the long weekend we are about to close in 2 hrs and you want a tranny flush and fill with your e test theres gotta be something wrong with the tranny i can see you coming back Monday and telling me its ####ed and you want a free transmission, I took my keys back from him i looked at him and said " Are you f**king serious man" im a customer i come here every 2 years for my etest i have NEVER given you issues i asked for a very simple task to be completed then you jump the gun and try to tell me ill ###### you come monday. I was MAD ( sorry about bad language but you all woulda said the same thing), I spun my tires HARD leaving that garage after i had truck out of garage, I looked at buddy and said you think id do that if my tranny was f**ked!!? he was white in the face, I yelled at him that he wouldnt be employed any longer come monday and i promissed him that as i left a good patch of rubber leaving the yard,, Monday he was fired!! long story short YES talking with others about shops they use is GOOD, I found a good shop very close to home, the guys there are great when i go there every 50'000 K he askes me if i have had any issues like i always say I say NO cause there has never been any issues, hes like OK he takes it for drive then changes oil comes back out hands me keys and bill and tells me to have a nice day.. now thats how service should be.. MY 2003 ford explorer sport has been the BEST truck ive ever owned, I change plugs and wires every 50'000 K, oil gets changed every 3000 K, I run reg gas, tranny gets flushed every 50'000 K, since I purchased truck new in 2003 Ive ONLY replaced the following parts.

1. Front brakes 3 times
2. Rear brakes ONCE
3. Battery ( just this past winter)
4. K @N air filter when i got it new
5. plugs and wires 3 times.

Truck now has 146'900 K on it and still runs perfect, I tow an 18 ft bass boat in the summer all over canada, I also tow my Tent trailer all over canada and the united states, I do ALOT of towing
the only real complaints I have are fuel milage,, I average about

23 MPG Highway ( just me in truck straight run fill to fill)

with family and tent trailer / boat I average 18-20 MPG pending on weather and wind.

reg city driving I get around 14-16 MPG just city alot of stop and go....

the heated seats no longer work the cd changer works sometimes but all and alli really cant complain i love my explorer.

Dave


Ya its a bit off topic but oh well LOL

 

[fcfd988]

In an effort to replace my tired 94 EB, I just bought my 03 XLT 4x4, 4.0 V6 this Thursday. It has 67,000 on it and according to the carfax the previous (1 owner) had every fluid in it flushed and replaced at 57,000. I am hoping I am good for several miles. This will be my daily driver and I am looking forward to at least the 200,000 mark......

Wes

 

[shadowless127]

my 03 had new clutch packs and shift solenoid done at 60K, and it was starting the 2-3 shift flare before I got rid of it at 85K.

My mom's aviator has almost 90K on the original transmission.

 

[Kerminator]

Well having driven a 02 Explorer XLS {w.182K} since new; had orig Xmission replaced by Ford at 35K then Had rebuilt unit @ 70k; learned that if you will get the Trany serviced {need complete fluid exchange} at about 35k intervals it will last much longer...

This is one way to get better service from this great handling SUV!

 

[Kerminator]

02 XLS - sudden loss of power

Back a few months {@177K} ran into the loss of power thing... One day {happened fast} could not get over about 35 MPH had a great loss of power! Check many things (did not have any DTC) finally after several weeks of trouble shooting s(spare time) found that the final or rear Cat was restricted... Had the one piece Exhaust system replaced $1400... That fixed that good to go now like new...

 

[05explorerXLT]

So far I have 88K on mine.

 

[RKelly2233]

03 V6 with 190k- only one PCM flash @ 160k which really smoothed it out. but have had flushes at ford @ 100, 150 and ill do another one at 200... as long as it gets there

 

[JethroBodine]

Lost 2nd or 3rd gear at about 100k, repaired just those gears instead of total rebuild. Going strong at 179k.

 

[Dwelves02XLT]

18 months later since last post here. Still running strong, debating on whether to sale or keep and ship back to U.S. when next June comes around.

 

[D Hook]

My Ex has never had a fluid change to my knowledge. Previous owner(s) just replaced the transmission. It's on it's third one now and about due for a filter change.

 

[nfb987]

My Factory Transmission on our 2004 Explorer XLS went bad at 4.5 years and 74,000 miles. We had it rebuilt for parts and labor $3,000. (I presume I was taken but I do live in a high cost area and not too good at haggling.) It came with a two year warranty. This winter it started acting up again, 4 years, 50,000 more miles (not the worst return, but I think having to replace transmissions doesn't make sense.) I had it diagnosed this morning. Same deal rebuild part $2,200 (new tranny from Ford $2,600) plus $700 in labor. Its now a third car for us and I'm not paying for this.

What is the market for 2004 Explorer XLS with 124K miles, needing a new transmission? On Cars.com working models sell between $5,000 and $7,000. So to me that sounds like $3,000 obo and if I get more than $2,000 then I'm out even.