2016 Explorer transmission issue

[Pricemom]

2016 Explorer Platinum 4 wheel drive with 3.5 eco boost appears to suddenly be having a transmission issue. Reverse worked fine backing out of a parking place. 40 miles up the mountains home, was put in 4 wheel drive to go up our 13% grade gravel driveway, everything was fine. Put in reverse in the level to back into parking spot and it wouldn't back up. We checked trans fluid and it is full, looks and smells clean. With all four wheels in the air, all four wheels move forward in both drive and neutral, but does nothing in reverse. It seems to momentarily grab reverse in between reverse and neutral, but stops moving by itself. I'm wondering if anyone else has had a similar situation? Thanking you in advance for reading this and any advice.

 

[peterk9]

Welcome to the Forum.
The Explorer is actually AWD. What did you do to engage AWD? Put into 'Sand' mode? I would think that even in 'Normal' mode it should navigate that driveway and if necessary, it would automatically engage AWD.
Have you tried cycling through the drive mode? Perhaps it's an electrical issue with the TMS (terrain Management System).

Peter

 

[Pricemom]

Welcome to the Forum.
The Explorer is actually AWD. What did you do to engage AWD? Put into 'Sand' mode? I would think that even in 'Normal' mode it should navigate that driveway and if necessary, it would automatically engage AWD.
Have you tried cycling through the drive mode? Perhaps it's an electrical issue with the TMS (terrain Management System).

Peter

Welcome to the Forum.
The Explorer is actually AWD. What did you do to engage AWD? Put into 'Sand' mode? I would think that even in 'Normal' mode it should navigate that driveway and if necessary, it would automatically engage AWD.
Have you tried cycling through the drive mode? Perhaps it's an electrical issue with the TMS (terrain Management System).

Peter

Thank you for your response. It makes a little more sense to me finding out it is AWD. I was going by the "ECOBOOST 4WD" on the back of the car. My daughter was driving it and said she the tires slip and spin a lot coming up the driveway which is 13% grade with ruts in the dirt. She switched the TMS control to the mud/ruts mode (probably should have been in another mode). We lifted the four wheels in the air so we could see what it was doing in the different gears. It seemed to momentarily catch reverse in between reverse and neutral and in both drive and neutral, all four wheels are spinning forward. I assume the system won't allow you to switch to AWD while the wheels are in the air.

 

[peterk9]

Thank you for your response. It makes a little more sense to me finding out it is AWD. I was going by the "ECOBOOST 4WD" on the back of the car. My daughter was driving it and said she the tires slip and spin a lot coming up the driveway which is 13% grade with ruts in the dirt. She switched the TMS control to the mud/ruts mode (probably should have been in another mode). We lifted the four wheels in the air so we could see what it was doing in the different gears. It seemed to momentarily catch reverse in between reverse and neutral and in both drive and neutral, all four wheels are spinning forward. I assume the system won't allow you to switch to AWD while the wheels are in the air.

I believe 'Sand' mode may be as close as possible to putting it in AWD. Although it has never been brought up before, I see no reason why the TMS cannot be switched with all wheels off the ground.

Peter

 

[Pricemom]

Also, sorry to ask, but

I believe 'Sand' mode may be as close as possible to putting it in AWD. Although it has never been brought up before, I see no reason why the TMS cannot be switched with all wheels off the ground.

I'm not familiar with how to cycle through the drive mode. The first time we tried switching the TMS control it said there was an error. I guess they tried it again today and it seemed to go into AWD but still has the same problem. It goes forward in both drive and neutral but doesn't seem to reverse.

 

[peterk9]

To activate the various modes, you simply turn the dial to the desired mode. If it is giving you an error, then that may be the place to start. It is probably best to do all this work with the vehicle sitting on the ground. What is the error message that it shows? Chances are it may also then have stored a trouble code which could help in determining the problem or at least where to begin. You would have to get or borrow a DTC code reader.

Peter

 

[mguy13sport]

I would see if you can get a scan tool hooked up. There more than likely are codes present. AutoZone can scan your car for free FYI

Does the backup camera activate when in reverse?

Try putting in neutral and roll the car backwards about a foot. Then try putting it into reverse.

Based on some other threads I remember this also can be indication of early PTU failure

 

[Pricemom]

To activate the various modes, you simply turn the dial to the desired mode. If it is giving you an error, then that may be the place to start. It is probably best to do all this work with the vehicle sitting on the ground. What is the error message that it shows? Chances are it may also then have stored a trouble code which could help in determining the problem or at least where to begin. You would have to get or borrow a DTC code reader.

Peter

When the problem first started, we checked for codes and it didn't have anything. We had tried running it through gears (both trans gears and AWD gears on the ground and then it caught the P177F code which didn't sound good. Guess I was just hoping it could mean something besides the trans because that isn't affordable on a social security budget.

 

[Pricemom]

I would see if you can get a scan tool hooked up. There more than likely are codes present. AutoZone can scan your car for free FYI

Does the backup camera activate when in reverse?

Try putting in neutral and roll the car backwards about a foot. Then try putting it into reverse.

Based on some other threads I remember this also can be indication of early PTU failure

We live in the mountains and the nearest auto parts is about an hour away. When the problem started, we checked and no codes. We tried running through the trans and AWD gears and eventually it caught the P177F code. We cleared it and so far it hasn't come back on. It has been a couple days since we checked anything on it, but I don't recall the back up camera coming on when the gear selector was in reverse. I will definitely try pushing it backwards and seeing if I can get reverse.

 

[peterk9]

P177F - Ford Diagnostic Trouble Code (DTC) Definition, Causes and Diagnosis

P177F Ford Diagnostic Trouble Code (DTC) Definition, Causes and Diagnosis

www.dtcdecode.com

 

[Pricemom]

2016 Explorer Platinum 4 wheel drive with 3.5 eco boost appears to suddenly be having a transmission issue. Reverse worked fine backing out of a parking place. 40 miles up the mountains home, was put in 4 wheel drive to go up our 13% grade gravel driveway, everything was fine. Put in reverse in the level to back into parking spot and it wouldn't back up. We checked trans fluid and it is full, looks and smells clean. With all four wheels in the air, all four wheels move forward in both drive and neutral, but does nothing in reverse. It seems to momentarily grab reverse in between reverse and neutral, but stops moving by itself. I'm wondering if anyone else has had a similar situation? Thanking you in advance for reading this and any advice.

Just to update the situation, we towed it to a transmission shop and diagnostics determined it was an internal transmission problem. $4,250 later and we are hoping it doesn't have the same issue further down the road after the warranty expires. Thank you to everyone that offered help and advice.