Is this normal???

[RIKK03]

At incline, I'm having a hard time putting my 03 Explorer in reverse. It's really hard engaging it and it makes a really hard clunking sound. I had the solineod replaced before. It only happens at incline and wanted to know if anybody else have the same problem. I have an extended warranty.

 

[jimbo74]

are you talking about when its parked and you throw it into reverse? that it clunks louder than usual or worse than in forward? as a general note, most vehicles do at least something liek this as reverse is a steeper gear than the forward gears....

my toyota truck is a stick, but it always has more trouble going into reverse than in any forward gear as its internals are trying to redirect power

 

[DeRocha]

Are you using the E-brake? If you don't use your E-brake when you shift into park and ease off the brake peddle the vehicle will roll back and rest against the parking prawl within the Transmission. The steeper the grade the more force against the prawl and the harder it will be for you to shift out of park. The solution is to shift into park (with the brake peddle depressed), set the E-brake and slowly ease of the brake peddle and verify the vehicle does NOT roll. If the vehicle starts to roll depress the E-brake more.

 

[RIKK03]

Yes...This is fromm Park to Reverse and the steeper the grade, the harder it is to throw in reverse.I guess this is normal for most vehicles. Thanks for the info.

 

[jimbo74]

if its resting on the pawl as mentioned above, it is normal... if its a driveway, i have never had any problems with an automatic..... but if its a hill use the ebrake, it could potentially damage the tranny....

 

[neoboy05]

Aside from the e-brake, which is totally correct btw, I have the same issue. It has been taken to the shop 3 times now for the same problem. In the shop now for the same issue. I dropped it off before going on vacation. The have replaced the tranny fluid/filters, couple of solinoids and the problem comes and goes. My 03 only has 26,700 miles on it. I also had a rear differential whirl which they didn't even try to fix. They replaced the entire rear differential housing which has come back now. So this isn't normal and you should well document it and report it to your dealership. There is service bulletin out on the problem. Just FYI.

 

[Brian_B]

I assume some of you guys have rebuilt a few automtics. If you have, you know that parking pawl is very small to be holding the entire weight of our Xs (4800#???). Always using the E-brake is a good habit to get into. I have seen those pawls break from being stressed (maybe over time?) and let a vehicle roll off with no E-brake to hold it. They are there for a reason. Use it!

 

[neoboy05]

I know all about the parking pawl, and yes I do know it is really small and holds the entire weight of the truck. I didn't deny the use of the e-brake. I can't say I always use it but whenever I park on an incline I do. I figure if the truck rolls back with the e-brake then thats less liability on me. My issue is not with the use of the e-brake. It is an issue with the tranny having issues and clunking even with the use of the e-brake.

 

[BenS]

Do you have a link to the service bulletin for this? Thanks.

 

[neoboy05]

http://www-odi.nhtsa.dot.gov/cars/problems/tsb/tsbsearch.cfm

For all your recall and TSB needs.

FYI, my truck came back from the repairs:

Replaced the rear differential casing for the whirling sound @ 50 to 70 mph.
- They tried to fixed it but ended up ordering a new revision model.
For the tranny (3rd time they do this)
- replaced the control solinoid
- reprogrammed it
- flushed it, new fluid (only 25k) (for the clunking, hard shifts and hesitation)