balhawk
New Member
- Joined
- November 9, 2013
- Messages
- 3
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- Year, Model & Trim Level
- 2000 Ford Explorer XLT
My 2000 Ford Explorer XLT 4X4 very suddenly started behaving oddly, not shifting properly into gear in drive (D), apparently not getting out of 1st gear; and poorly shifting in reverse, but running normally, as best I can tell, in 2 and 1. It lurched into gear a bit in drive, but didn't stay in gear properly. Again, there no indications of such problems until this evening: ran just fine in the afternoon and previous days, with no indications of any such problems, or even the least bit of slippage.
In fact, even after the problem arose, the way it was running and accelerating in 2 at surface street speeds felt almost like it was in drive, shifting very nicely. I only ran a couple blocks, thinking the fluid may have run low, and gingerly drove it home in 2, parking on the street in front of my house. Then took my other car where I was going.
First, some background: the vehicle has about 146,000 miles, purchased a few months ago (about the beginning of August), at which time 2 mechanics checked it out and gave a clean bill of health. I did not properly check the transmission fluid level (assuming the mechanics did, which may have been a very bad assumption), but did check the color, and it was (and is) a nice pinkish/reddish color, with no "burnt" odor.
I have not done anything other than change a flat and routinely check the oil. I have towed a small boat on a few occasions.
I ran the vehicle for a short (~10 mile) round trip in the afternoon, and everything was fine. Weather was dry, with a temperature in about the upper 40s. When I headed out this evening under similar but slightly cooler weather conditions I noticed the problem, and that I somehow managed to set the 4X4 in "Low" inadvertently. I pulled aside, parked, and switched the 4X4 setting back to "Auto", thinking the 4X4 setting may have been why she was going slowly, but the problems continued. Then I put her in neutral and once again cycled the 4X4 setting through the options back to "Auto" to be sure. No difference.
Then headed home and took my other car to the event to which I was headed.
When I got back I warmed her up and checked the tranny fluid according to recommendations as best I could (being near the curb, the car was on a gentle slope downward from the driver to passenger side), but level front to back. The fluid level seemed very high, well above the "do not add above this point" mark, with scattered tiny bubbles. I wiped and checked the dipstick several times, with the same result. Again, the fluid looked and smelled relatively fresh.
Only one thing has been wrong lately, that being the "check engine" light being on. I've meant to get that checked out, but have been mad busy and haven't noticed any driving issues... until now.
I hope it's something as simple as having the filter changed and/or draining some fluid, and I won't have to dump this vehicle (for which I just paid a $3300ish altogether) for next to nothing as a "mechanic's special". No point fixing a vehicle if the repair costs almost what the vehicle will be worth fully repaired. I'd just downgrade instead. Any insight would be much appreciated.
In fact, even after the problem arose, the way it was running and accelerating in 2 at surface street speeds felt almost like it was in drive, shifting very nicely. I only ran a couple blocks, thinking the fluid may have run low, and gingerly drove it home in 2, parking on the street in front of my house. Then took my other car where I was going.
First, some background: the vehicle has about 146,000 miles, purchased a few months ago (about the beginning of August), at which time 2 mechanics checked it out and gave a clean bill of health. I did not properly check the transmission fluid level (assuming the mechanics did, which may have been a very bad assumption), but did check the color, and it was (and is) a nice pinkish/reddish color, with no "burnt" odor.
I have not done anything other than change a flat and routinely check the oil. I have towed a small boat on a few occasions.
I ran the vehicle for a short (~10 mile) round trip in the afternoon, and everything was fine. Weather was dry, with a temperature in about the upper 40s. When I headed out this evening under similar but slightly cooler weather conditions I noticed the problem, and that I somehow managed to set the 4X4 in "Low" inadvertently. I pulled aside, parked, and switched the 4X4 setting back to "Auto", thinking the 4X4 setting may have been why she was going slowly, but the problems continued. Then I put her in neutral and once again cycled the 4X4 setting through the options back to "Auto" to be sure. No difference.
Then headed home and took my other car to the event to which I was headed.
When I got back I warmed her up and checked the tranny fluid according to recommendations as best I could (being near the curb, the car was on a gentle slope downward from the driver to passenger side), but level front to back. The fluid level seemed very high, well above the "do not add above this point" mark, with scattered tiny bubbles. I wiped and checked the dipstick several times, with the same result. Again, the fluid looked and smelled relatively fresh.
Only one thing has been wrong lately, that being the "check engine" light being on. I've meant to get that checked out, but have been mad busy and haven't noticed any driving issues... until now.
I hope it's something as simple as having the filter changed and/or draining some fluid, and I won't have to dump this vehicle (for which I just paid a $3300ish altogether) for next to nothing as a "mechanic's special". No point fixing a vehicle if the repair costs almost what the vehicle will be worth fully repaired. I'd just downgrade instead. Any insight would be much appreciated.
