2007 4.0 V6 Transmission Problems - Solenoid Pack?

[07explorerxlt]

Picked up an ultra-clean '07 XLT with 125,000 miles on it a few weeks ago. I was aware that transmission issues are common for this era of Explorer, but a few sources maintained that the problem had been mostly resolved by the 2007 model year. The truck checked a lot of boxes for me, was cheap, and I'd always wanted an Explorer, so I bought it.

It's running fine and shifting okay, but it does shift hard into either 3rd or 4th a good percentage of the time. Not all the time, oddly. Also, it'll bang into reverse and then bang back into drive if I shift back and forth into those gears after driving around for a while. It seems to shift into reverse and drive perfectly smoothly if it's just after I've started up the truck for the first time in a while. Similarly, it'll cycle through the gears pretty smoothly every now and then too.

I've been all over forums and youtube trying to find accounts of similar symptoms, and I'm seeing a lot of people with similar stories to mine saying it's just the transmission solenoid pack. Parts and labor for replacing that are estimated around $500 to $600. I just got an estimate for rebuilding the transmission from a local—albeit general, full-service—auto shop, and they quoted me between $3K and $4K.

So, how likely is it that my problems could be solved by just replacing the transmission solenoid pack and not replacing/rebuilding the whole transmission? What about Lucas Oil Transmission Fix? Does that have any effect, even short term?

If you're familiar with these particular transmissions and their problems, any insight or advice would be greatly appreciated.

 

[94Eddie]

My thoughts on throwing parts at most 5R55 transmission problems hoping it fixes them is it typically is a waste money. Also, the price of $3k-$4k to REBUILD a 5R55 is high. It should be around $2k for the transmission and no more than $1k for the installation. I advise you to get a remanufactured (there is a difference between rebuilt and remanufactured) transmission from a reputable company with a 5 year/100k warranty and have a reputable shop install it. I was pricing transmissions a couple of years ago and found the company linked below. They have 5 year/100k warranties on their remanufactured transmissions and have been around since the early 1980s. If they did bad work I doubt they would be around this long while offering this long of a warranty. They will also pay about half the cost of reinstalling another transmission if the first one fails under warranty. Check the requirements regarding what shop they require to do the initial installation.

5R55 Transmission - $2,295 | 5-Year Warranty | Money Back Guarantee.

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[Blackhawkxx]

I had a few very minor symptoms with mine that went away by changing the trans fluid. Since it is the cheapest thing to try and can be done at home, you might think about that. I would only use Ford fluid though.

 

[D Hook]

Second that suggestion of changing the fluid. Not a flush, just a pan drop.

 

[FordThornley]

I am having the same issue. Trans fluid change did not improve. The truck isn't worth rebuilding the transmission. Is it worth replacing solenoid pack?

 

[Ferrara77]

I am having the same issue. Trans fluid change did not improve. The truck isn't worth rebuilding the transmission. Is it worth replacing solenoid pack?

If you don’t mind throwing up $200 for one go for it , mine wouldn’t go into first unless I revved it to 3k rpm’s and then idle back to normal , I changed the solenoid pack and then I lost 4th gear , if you do buy one make sure it’s the updated one that begins with 9