2014 Transmission issues

[Nielsen7]

I have a 2014 Ford Explorer Limited 3.5L engine. 118,000 miles. Trying to troubleshoot the issue. I was driving normally, When I went to go into a parking garage that was slightly uphill, it acted like it was in park. It would overrev the engine when I was pushing on the gas to try to accelerate. After many times of putting it in park and back into drive, It finally made it up into the parking garage. When it is cold it will appear like it is shifting into drive then it just doesn't work. It goes in reverse just fine. did not throw any codes at the time. We were able to get it to throw 02 sensor codes, It is saying sensor 1 bank 1. Any advice on where to start would be much appreciated.

 

[jzphilly]

Hopefully, it's not front differential going on you, which just happened to me 3 weeks ago on my 2012 Explorer. I was having very similiar problems to what you described.

 

[mguy13sport]

There is no front differential on the 5th gen Explorer. There is a Power Transfer Unit bolted to the transmission which is front wheel drive. The PTU connects the FWD transmission to the rear differential. Just clearing that up.

If you press the gas while in gear and it just revs then your torque converter may be junk. At that mileage, any repair that will require taking the transmission out you are better off just going with a full rebuilt / warrantied replacement.

 

[Nielsen7]

There is no front differential on the 5th gen Explorer. There is a Power Transfer Unit bolted to the transmission which is front wheel drive. The PTU connects the FWD transmission to the rear differential. Just clearing that up.

If you press the gas while in gear and it just revs then your torque converter may be junk. At that mileage, any repair that will require taking the transmission out you are better off just going with a full rebuilt / warrantied replacement.

Would the Air filter falling off slightly possibly cause this issue? and maybe that's why there was no code thrown initially?

 

[mguy13sport]

You said it was fine going into reverse? So that kind of eliminates the engine. I suppose if it only fell off while in drive

 

[Old Hands]

I am also familiar with this same issue and any help would be greatly appreciated. It acts as if it goes into limp mode and the computer de-rates the trans after the same elapsed amount of time. Here are some more detailed observations.

After starting and putting in drive it tries to pull solid. Downshifting into manual and dropping down into first it still tries to pull solid. Shifting up into 2nd it still tries to pull solid. Then after the same amount of elapsed time something in the trans clicks and it starts to slip in every gear after. Then the gear selection light starts bouncing between 1st and 5th, obviously controlled by the computer. The cycle is repetitive like clockwork.

I ran across this one time in a ford Focus. Got a code for an O2 sensor, replaced it, then the trans worked again as it should. I now got a one time code on this Explorer for both bank1 and bank2 upstream O2 sensors but cannot get it to throw these codes again. The chances of both going bad at the same time are pretty slim? I found elsewhere here that a bad EVAP purge solenoid could create this same transmission limp mode situation.

Bench tested the purge solenoid, and with 12.2 volts the valve/solenoid are opening. Voltage going to the solenoid is around 9v. I am at a loss for what could be causing this situation and still not throw any codes. It seems the physical mechanical of the trans is fine because it pulls solid in all gears until it does it's timely self disengage action. Turning off and starting again cycles the very same conditions again.

I have a 2014 Ford Explorer Limited 3.5L engine. 118,000 miles. Trying to troubleshoot the issue. I was driving normally, When I went to go into a parking garage that was slightly uphill, it acted like it was in park. It would overrev the engine when I was pushing on the gas to try to accelerate. After many times of putting it in park and back into drive, It finally made it up into the parking garage. When it is cold it will appear like it is shifting into drive then it just doesn't work. It goes in reverse just fine. did not throw any codes at the time. We were able to get it to throw 02 sensor codes, It is saying sensor 1 bank 1. Any advice on where to start would be much appreciated.