do I change the transmission oil or not -am moving from the west coast to the east coast with trailer

[Fix4Dirt]

true! that too... i still follow the severe schedule, regardless of whether im towing, offroad, etc but wouldnt the 150k interval also create warranty issues? how long was the pwoertrain warranty on these?

 

[94Eddie]

true! that too... i still follow the severe schedule, regardless of whether im towing, offroad, etc but wouldnt the 150k interval also create warranty issues? how long was the pwoertrain warranty on these?

I think a modern day transmissions can go 100k miles without service reliably but there is damage done when doing this. It shortens the life of the transmission and probably by a lot in some of them. The automakers have become very good at designing a car to be very reliable to a point just after most extended warranties expire. The CAD modeling software is very good these days and makes this possible. They design a part to lasts as long as they need while reducing its manufacture cost as much as possible. Then they spec longer maintenance intervals for marketing purposes and to ensure they have a steady supply of new car buyers down the road.

 

[Fix4Dirt]

interesting!

 

[dB2000]

Before I left, I had a mechanic drop the pan and replace the oil filter and transmission oil. I provided the oil, filter assembly and pan gasket. It took 5 quarts of Mercon V. Since the transmission holds about 7 gallons, I will now need to replace the oil again soon.

So I ended up not towing a trailer across the USA. I left a lot of the big items behind. I spent about $800 shipping 7 large boxes to South Carolina. Then I jammed full the Explorer using a Thule medium size carrier on the roof and a Harbor Freight hitch carrier mounted with 6 plastic totes. Totes were wrapped up in a large tarp. I weighed my empty truck at a weigh station before loading it, which turned out to be about 30 lbs less than the curb weight listed on the door sticker. Then I weighed ALL the stuff I put into the vehicle. This ended up just about 30 lbs over the max gvw. After watching a video showing how loaded my truck was, a friend commented that he thought I could add a thin mint to the load. Taking I-10 and I-20 most of the way to South Carolina the truck averaged 17 to 19 miles a gallon most of the way. Going over the mountains east of San Diego it only got 14 mpg.

The Explorer handled real well all the way. I had one problem that would have been a big problem if I had not already experienced it. The shifter got stuck two times in park on different days. This time, I knew precisely how to position a long shaft screwdriver in the access hole, under the cup holder insert, to push the interlock actuator down which releases the part holding the shifter in park.

About a year ago, I had to leave my truck stuck in Vons' parking lot overnight due to the shifter not moving. Thanks to this forum I was able to figure out what needed to be done. The next morning, myself and a mechanic that happened by could not figure out how to push the switch lever down to release the shifter. After tearing the center console apart, I replaced the interlock printed circuit board assembly and the brake pedal switch. After re-assembly I figured out how I would need to position a screwdriver in the access slot to depress the end of the actuator manually for the next time I had a problem with it. I then practiced once before I left on this journey across the continent.

 

[Fix4Dirt]

congrats on the drive!!!! glad it all worked out!

 

[allmyEXes]

Welcome to the southeast United States. The regional vernacular will grow on Y'all.

 

[jr230]

check the fluid look at it if its reasonably clean and no burned smell your ok . it fairly cheap do it at 50-60k intervals 30k if you tow heavy and often
but if any of you have cvt change then 30-40k.

 

[dB2000]

Welcome to the southeast United States. The regional vernacular will grow on Y'all.

Howdy Partner,
Thank ya kindly.
Got some of that there vernacular with 20 years living in various parts of Texas. Along with such sayings as "Shiner than a new dime in a donkey's a...... "

 

[Fix4Dirt]

check the fluid look at it if its reasonably clean and no burned smell your ok . it fairly cheap do it at 50-60k intervals 30k if you tow heavy and often
but if any of you have cvt change then 30-40k.

the 2nd. gens dont have a cvt

 

[94Eddie]

Welcome to the southeast United States. The regional vernacular will grow on Y'all.

Also, "Bless your/his/her little heart" isn't always meant as a blessing.

 

[allmyEXes]

At one of the Talledega races that I went to, I kept hearing, "hold my beer and watch this". I was quite entertaining.

 

[azpima67]

Back in 2004 I rented the large U-Haul trailer but picked it up with my 1970 F250. The F250 went on a Budget trailer behind a large truck. I pulled the U-Haul with my 2002 Explorer with tow package from UT to AZ. And changed the tranny fluid before hand. Turned in the UHaul using the Exp and nothing was said by U-Haul about the Exp. Then in 2006 I had a friend in UT pick up another large U-Haul trailer for me and made the same trip using the Exp. Turned it in and nothing was said. Often wonder if I said I had a Mercury, if they would have let me have the trailers. Mercs don't have the ban even though they are basically the same vehicle. Now have a 2010 Exp 4.6 L and have changed the tranny fluid 3 times including filter and only have 109,000 miles. Very strong tranny but not taking any chances.