Torque Converter blew out 4 times in 4 days?!?!?!?

[JinXRacer18]

Hey guys I am in need of serious help. My explorer (95 XLT 4 door 4 wheel drive) was having trouble with the tranny so i brought it to a shop were i got ripped off beyond all belief. Here is the story. O/D light flashing and tranny was not shifting out of first unless you let off the gas and sometimes it wouldnt. Then if you gassed it it would just slip all the way to 1st and not hold a gear.He says i need a whole new tranny. $1700 and change later He gives me a rebuilt tranny and rebuilt torque converter. I drive it home. Next day start it up. SAME PROBLEM! I think he tried to do some easy fix for cheap that didnt work. Brought it back. He said the rebuilt torque converter blew out and he would fix it. Next day I go back. Pick it up and drive it home. 5 miles and the SAME PROBLEM! He said the rebuilt torque converter blew out AGAIN and he would fix it. Again I get the car back drive home. Ok seems good. Start it up about 2 hours later SAME PROBLEM! Its not shifting again. This time I bring it back again VERY mad. He gives me an attitude, yells at me, curses and says he will take care of it. This is the 4th time the same thing happened! I do not know what to do? I feel like he will never fix the problem. I always do all my own work and everything goes great but i didnt want to mess with an AUTO tranny so i bring it to him. How can this happen so much and not be fixed. Does this sound like a torque converter problem or is he lying? ANyone have a clue as to why its not getting fixed? I think he doesnt want to fix it right because he is trying to do it the cheapest way. I dont want to bring it somewhere else because i cant afford it. I just want it fixed and i feel like he will never do the work because to do it right will cost him money. Please help. Thanks in advance!!!!!!

 

[IZwack]

did this guy 'rebuild' ur old transmission or swapped in another 'rebuilt' transmission?

per say i dont think torque converters are rebuildable/'fixable' by any local shop - i mean it requires a specialized shop because they're welded shut (at least thats what i remember from handling my old one). is this shop that you went certified (ATSG/ATRA) ?

 

[Glacier991]

I am not thinking good thoughts. Your problem is not TC, does NY have \a Bureau of Automotive Repair? This guys sounds like a charlatan to me.

 

[Brian_B]

I agree with Glacier (as always). I have used rebuilt torque converters for years and never had a problem. Of course, we got them directly from a rebuilder not some local shop.

 

[JinXRacer18]

did this guy 'rebuild' ur old transmission or swapped in another 'rebuilt' transmission?

per say i dont think torque converters are rebuildable/'fixable' by any local shop - i mean it requires a specialized shop because they're welded shut (at least thats what i remember from handling my old one). is this shop that you went certified (ATSG/ATRA) ?

After he puts it in he tells me he buys transmissions and everything else "wholesale." He buys them from junkyards. This didn't make me happy either. Anyway he says he installed a rebuilt tranny and rebuilt torque converter. He never said he rebuilt it though. Im not sure if there certified. I will definately find out.

I am not thinking good thoughts. Your problem is not TC, does NY have \a Bureau of Automotive Repair? This guys sounds like a charlatan to me.

Im not happy either. Do you have any clue what the problem may be? Where can I go to get the tranny codes pulled? Im not sure if NY has a Bureau of Automotive Repair but i will also check on that.

 

[Glacier991]

The problem in your old tranny, which I am betting is still in the vehicle, untouched mainly, is most likely in the valve body. His claim that the TC "blew out" is totally bogus. I am sure NY must have a state agency dealing with this kind of stuff, call them. Right away. This guy is a cheat. You have likely been robbed. Most State agencies like the CA Bureau of Automotive Repair (BAR) have ASCE certified mechanics on staff.... they will tell you.....

 

[Glacier991]

Well I looked and it appears you don;t have one (too bad, ours is a GREAT agency). You do your thru the Dept of Consumer Affairs in the AG's office. their number is

1-800-771-7755

I doubt they will be as good as an agency dedicated to auto rip offs, but I hope they have folks who specialize in that.

 

[IZwack]

man this sounds like highway robbery!

 

[1IronMike]

I blew a TC once. When it happened, it was not a question of shifting or down shifting, it was just a NO GO. The TC is a pump to make high pressure. This guy is ripping you off. Get professional help.

 

[410Fortune]

You paid the $1700 for the initial repair correct?
The next day it failed again.
The shop is liable to get it fixed correctly.

 

[JinXRacer18]

You paid the $1700 for the initial repair correct?
The next day it failed again.
The shop is liable to get it fixed correctly.

Correct. $1700 for the "rebuilt" tranny and torque converter. next day it failed. He "fixed" it. Failed again. He "fixed" it. Failed again. He "fixed" it. Failed again. Ect. He is supposed to fix it, but my concern is i dont think he ever will.

 

[Kris Guilbeaux]

How long does it take for him to replace these Torque converter? Not a very easy job to replace one 4 days in a row. even a super fast shop would take more then a day to do that job.

 

[BeauJ]

How long does it take for him to replace these Torque converter? Not a very easy job to replace one 4 days in a row. even a super fast shop would take more then a day to do that job.

Exactly, does he have a NASCAR pit crew with him?

 

[Lloyd10977]

I'm willing to bet that he thought that he forgot to FILL the torque convertor when he installed it the first time, then he refilled the tranny fluid and let you have it back.

 

[410Fortune]

eventually they will get it right as long as you do NOT go away, because this is costing them $$$. I would DEMAND a good transmission immediatley.

 

[JinXRacer18]

How long does it take for him to replace these Torque converter? Not a very easy job to replace one 4 days in a row. even a super fast shop would take more then a day to do that job.

He is getting me the car back usually in 1-2 days. He is saying he replaced the torque converter once but three other times it was torque converter related. :thumbdwn:

 

[JinXRacer18]

eventually they will get it right as long as you do NOT go away, because this is costing them $$$. I would DEMAND a good transmission immediatley.

I really hope they do get it right I

 

[JinXRacer18]

***UPDATE***

I just got off the phone with the "mechanic". This is what he tells me. He says he cleared the codes from the transmission and cleaned some sort of connection/sensor/plug, and that its all good now. He said this time he test drove it more then around the block (because the problem would reoccur in under 5 miles with me).

Is all that was wrong was some dirty sensor? I am picking the truck up later tonight and if it comes back again i dont know what i am going to do.

 

[IZwack]

u should ask ur mechanic for the code(s) while ur there

 

[94explorer2x4]

I work at ford and see this problem alot, more than likely it was a bad transmission range sensor or like he said the connector was dirty/corroded. Its that black one on the left side of the transmission where the shifter cable goes to. If it is bad or not making contact or even out of alignment it will cause your trans to drop into neutral or shift erratic. If anyone else is having this problem and has a DMM avaliable I could give you the test procedure to to determine if it is at fault. On a related topic my father in law took his linclon mark VIII to a tranny shop when it started doing this slipping and they sold him a $2,000 dollar + labor trans but they had to switch the Trans range sensor over because they dont come with them and bam it started doing it again only this time he called me and I took it and found the sensor was no good. So he got his money back and made off with a new trans well he still paid for the labor (he did not have to but he did any way) but the trans was free!!! the code he cleared was to save his own ass because it was probably a T.S.S. out of range code and if you took it somewhere else and they saw this code they would have told you that he f$&%ed you on the trans. I GIVE THIS MECHANIC :thumbdwn: :thumbdwn: this is way screwed up

Nate