Transmission problem? Need advice.

[micromack]

Hello all looking for some advice. daughter called from college this morning saying her 2003 ford explorer v6 would not go faster than 30 mph and the o/d light was flashing on her way to work. So i did a video call with her so i could see the dash and observe.

I observed with the car in drive, she could accelerate and everything looked normal as far as rpm and mph gauges until she reached about 20mph. At 20mph the rpms would spike until she took her foot off the gas but the car wouldnt go any faster and would not accelerate past 20 mph. Was hard to hear anything over the video call but looked like the transmission was slipping

I had her put it in 1. She was able to accelerate. Had her put it in 2 it continued to accelerate then had her put it in 3 and she was able to accelerate to about 35mph at about 3000 rpm. Told her to drive it home like that and park it.

So it looks to me like it runs and shifts fine in gears 1 - 3 when manually shifting but tranny appeared to be slipping when in drive past 20 mph.

Does this thing sound like its in need of tranny work to you experts? Anything i should have her check first?

She's away at college i'm not there to help her and i dont want to send her to the first tranny shop she can find where she could be soaked for an expensive repair without knowing what to expect and possible causes ahead of time.

Any opinions on what might be wrong and what i can have her check before taking it to the shop would be greatly appreciated!

 

[imp]

Hello all looking for some advice. daughter called from college this morning saying her 2003 ford explorer v6 would not go faster than 30 mph and the o/d light was flashing on her way to work. So i did a video call with her so i could see the dash and observe.

I observed with the car in drive, she could accelerate and everything looked normal as far as rpm and mph gauges until she reached about 20mph. At 20mph the rpms would spike until she took her foot off the gas but the car wouldnt go any faster and would not accelerate past 20 mph. Was hard to hear anything over the video call but looked like the transmission was slipping

I had her put it in 1. She was able to accelerate. Had her put it in 2 it continued to accelerate then had her put it in 3 and she was able to accelerate to about 35mph at about 3000 rpm. Told her to drive it home like that and park it.

So it looks to me like it runs and shifts fine in gears 1 - 3 when manually shifting but tranny appeared to be slipping when in drive past 20 mph.

Does this thing sound like its in need of tranny work to you experts? Anything i should have her check first?

She's away at college i'm not there to help her and i dont want to send her to the first tranny shop she can find where she could be soaked for an expensive repair without knowing what to expect and possible causes ahead of time.

Any opinions on what might be wrong and what i can have her check before taking it to the shop would be greatly appreciated!

@micromack
I would have her get the codes read by one of the auto parts stores. Most do this free. Must request actual copies of the codes, thus preventing them taking advantage, wanting to sell parts.

We could come up with probable diagnoses based on your information, but that's a crapshoot largely. In any event, it sounds as though repair is imminent, cost will be pretty high. imp

 

[micromack]

I asked her to try to drive it in manual shift mode to autozone to have them pull the codes. Hopefully she makes it there and back ok. I'll post them back tonight after i have them. I'm hoping its something simple like low fluid due to a leak that has gone unnoticed its a sealed trans so no dipstick to have her check it.

 

[domct203]

I asked her to try to drive it in manual shift mode to autozone to have them pull the codes. Hopefully she makes it there and back ok. I'll post them back tonight after i have them. I'm hoping its something simple like low fluid due to a leak that has gone unnoticed its a sealed trans so no dipstick to have her check it.

Were you able to get those trouble codes?

 

[Jim L.]

I just had the exact same problem today on my 03 xlt, took it into my mechanic, and even though he did not run the codes he's almost positive that it's got to be a replaced transmission. I tend to believe him because he's got about 30 years experience, he's honest as hell and he's just good...