OD. Check Engine and Trans Slipping

[docharmon]

Earlier this weekend, I had my OD light start flashing off and on and my service engine soon light come on after running over a dead deer on the interstate. I took it to my local repair shop and they put the Explorer on their machine. Stated it needed two new turbine speed sensors due to the codes being read. They replaced them and reset the check engine light. In pulling out of the parking lot, the service engine soon light along with the OD light came back on. They advised me to take it to a transmission shop. So I did and they advised me that it was still showing the turbine speed sensors were malfunctioning but also that in park and idle that it should be reading an output on the computer and it was showing 0. They looked the transmission over and checked all the wiring and came up with nothing broken, out of place,missing, etc. Just curious if anyone out there had anymore ideas? They state it was a possible vehicle computer issue. Any ideas? The transmission also started slipping between first and second gear with a hard shift between 1st and 2nd as well.

 

[matt0248]

If it al started after you hit and ran over a deer, there has to be somephisical damage to something. Take it somewhere else to get a second opinion. The trans shop that you took it to sounds lazy.

 

[Joe Dirt]

I does sound like a sensor issue, something might have been unplugged, broken, or cracked by the deer. I would also get another opinion, neither of those places seem eager to fix your problem. I'd go back to the dealer and tell them to give you your old parts back and refund your money, especially if that did nothing to fix the problem. DO you have a code reader? If not, hit an auto parts store, have them read, and being them back here and we can try to figure it out...

 

[docharmon]

Hey Guys,

Thanks for the input so far. I have taken the Explorer to three different shops. All said the same thing, it was reading turbine speed sensor malfunction. The first place wouldn't replace it for whatever reason. The second shop replaced them and then reset the check engine light. Pulling out of the parking lot, they both came back on, so I turned back around and they put the computer back on it and it said the same code for the turbine speed sensors. So they said since they didn't fix the problem they refunded my money back and allowed me to keep the new sensors since I was a loyal customer. They recommended me take it to a transmission specialist. So I did. They spent about 2 1/2 hours checking everything and they stated it had to be something electrical. Everything else checked out minus the 0 output reading from the transmission. So they did not charge me anything and advised me to take it to the dealer. Which I just dropped it off there. The transmissions specialist stated that he strongly believes its electrical and just maybe needs to have the vehicle computer re-set. So hopefully later today or tomorrow I should know something.

On a side note, every shop said that since my vehicle has over 168,000 miles on my vehicle and still has the original transmission and engine I was doing better then 99% of the other Explorer owners. I chalk that up to good routine maintenance and being gentle with my vehicle!!

 

[Joe Dirt]

They're still not trying to fix the problem though- I think somewhere something was knocked off by the deer going under the vehicle- like a wiring harness, or something like that. I don't know why 3 places wouldn't take some time to try to figure out what the problem is rather than replace the most accessible part and then throw up their hands.

No reason why your Ex can't go 200k+ on that trans!

 

[imp]

........ I chalk that up to good routine maintenance and being gentle with my vehicle!!

Reasonably careful driving habits will definitely prolong transmission life in these vehicles, IMO. Allowing easy, part-throttle shifting rather than hard acceleration certainly must reduce wear on parts which while spinning, must come to a stop by clutches and bands gripping them.

I agree that some data is being lost to the computer, probably as a result of a wire broken within the harness connecting to the transmission. Going further, I believe the actual outputs of the shaft speed sensors should be checked, AT the computer itself, to determine whether that info. is reaching it. imp

 

[docharmon]

Hey Guys,

Just wanted to give you all an update. The Ford Dealership (which has had my vehicle for exactly one week now) called me today and found the issue. First I had a crushed wire near the firewall. They fixed that, but the problem still was happening. So they traced more wiring and found that the wiring harness had fallen off and fell on the ERG and it had burned 6 or so wires. So hopefully sometime today I will be getting the baby back. The bill is just under $400.

 

[Joe Dirt]

Glad you got 'er fixed!

Thanks for the update on the resolution, as well- seems like a lot of posts have a ton of discussion, then when the problem is finally resolved, the OP doesn't update the thread so nobody has an idea what ended up fixing it, which sort of makes searching pointless...

Was the wiring issue deer related or a problem from wire location? Might ask the tech... Could be something for everyone with Gen III's to peek at...