Problem with 2003 transmission.

[jjuranko]

Hello all! Wanted to ask all 3rd gen Explorer owners if they have had any problems with the transmissions. I have starting to feel a "delay" when in park and I put it in reverse. The engines revs a little then I feel the car snap into reverse. I also feel a slight delay when stepping on the gas to get onto the freeway. Are these normal Explorer problems or should I start saving for a new tranny? I have a 2003 Explorer 4.0 V6 with just over 100,000 miles.

 

[jjuranko]

Anyone?

 

[BrooklynBay]

Welcome to this forum! I've moved your thread into the transmissions & transfer cases section. Your post says that you have a 2003, but your profile says that you have a 2004. These transmissions have known issues with the solenoid blocks, and the servo bores which tend to act up after 60K miles.

 

[jjuranko]

Thanks BB. Are these repairs difficult, specialized tools, ect?

 

[BrooklynBay]

The solenoid block is an easy but messy swap. The servo bore issue is more complicated. If you want to ream & resleeve the bores, then you will need to remove the transmission, and buy specialized tools. The second option which could be performed while the transmission is still in the vehicle is to use a special servo with O rings. A member on this site sells them on EBay, and on his website. The 2 servos are over $200, but compared to the cost of dismantling the entire transmission to resleeve the bores, it comes out cheaper. Check the sticky thread on the top of the transmission section on replacing the servos.