Transmission failure, but no codes??? | Ford Explorer Forums

  • Register Today It's free!

Transmission failure, but no codes???

StuartT

Member
Joined
August 5, 2008
Messages
34
Reaction score
0
City, State
La Conner, WA
Year, Model & Trim Level
98 XLT
I have a 1998 4wd Explorer with a 4.0L SOHC with a 5R55E AT. There is 174,000 on the odometer and it has been running strong until now. My wife called and told me the oil pressure gauge went to "zero" while on the freeway. She pulled off and checked the oil, it was full, no unusual noises, so I told here to take the surface streets and continue on home. Fifteen minutes later she called again. She had heard a moderate "bang" under the car so she parked it.

When I got there the fluid was full, there was no check or warning lights displayed, so I decided to see if we could make it home with her following. The Explorer would not go into reverse but would go forward. As I pulled away, I heard some funny mechanical noises from under the chassis, but they quickly went away. The tranny would not shift up from low, but rather started out from stops as usual, then about when it should shift from low to second, it actually shifted to something lower than low, with the rpms jumping up another 500 rpms. I limited my speed to 32mph at 3500 rpms for the 8 mile drive home, which seemed like a limp home mode to me.

When I went out started it up this morning in the driveway, I noted a slight "whirring/buzzing" sound from the transmission. Still no reverse, but it did go into gear in all forward selections.

Would appreciate any thoughts from those of you with strong diagnostic skills? And could there be any relationship here with the oil pressure gauge going to zero?
 



Join the Elite Explorers for $20 each year or try it out for $5 a month.

Elite Explorer members see no advertisements, no banner ads, no double underlined links,.
Add an avatar, upload photo attachments, and more!
.





Don't know about the oil pressure but the symptoms of a bang, no reverse and a whirring/buzzing sound could either be a transmission problem (broken band) or a transfer case problem (failure of internal gears). There is a common problem with the 4405 transfer case that causes no reverse.
 






Shouldn't I have at least seen the check engine light on?

(BTW, I'm with you 110% on the best-friend memories. Been there.....in fact I still am.)
 






I don't think you will get any codes with a transfer case failure. You may get codes with a trans failure depending upon what fails.
 






Moved to Transmission forum. You will get more help here.
 






Not so Glacier991. I'm getting no help here.
 






Featured Content

Back
Top