Transmission Troubles

[FordSploderXLT]

Okay, I have a 95 X with the 4R55E.... Heres the problem....... When I first start it up, exverything runs fine, up until it gets warmed up, then the transmission will start acting up. When I come to a stop, the tranny will not downshift into first, so I have to manually downshit it into first. It acts like its caught between second or first, because when I shift into second from drive at a stop, you can feel it shift into second, then first.....I have no clue what is causing this....so any help will be appreciated. Thanks

 

[Opera House]

Having trouble with the last couple sentences

If you don't manually shift into first when coming to a stop what does it do?

So you shifted into first manually and you are at a stop. If you put it in Drive, what does it do. Late shift? No shift into second?

Any problems going into reverse like delay or shudder? Try putting it in manual 1 and starting down a hill at idle. Do you have good engine braking with the engine going over 2K? This year still has the O ring that goes bad on the low/reverse servo. This leaking could lower pressure and cause shifting problems.

Any speedometer issues? Shifting into second is controled by the signal from the VSS sensor instead of the mechanical governor.

Does it run solidly in manual second. This would test the intermediate servo. this rubber piston sometimes hardens.

While the A4LD had a number of mechanical failures, the later versions of this transmission have valve body problems. This could be as simple as loose valve body bolts.

 

[FordSploderXLT]

When I come to a stop, and don't manually shift, it will only turn about 3000 RPM's when I take off if I floor it, it acts like its caught between second and first, or something like that.....

If I put it back into drive after I shift down into first, then it shifts fine, until the next stop.....

And yes, most of the time, there is a delay when I go into reverse, I've noticed it more before it gets warmed up.....

The speedo needle tweeks sometimes, and the shift into second is usually a pretty hard shift.....

And As far as I can tell, it does run pretty solid in manual second.

 

[FordSploderXLT]

I would like to add, this transmission has been rebuilt twice....and after both time, it keeps having the same problems, I have taken it back, and each time they tell me they drove it, and can't find anything wrong, except one time they told me my TPS was bad, so I replaced that, and SUPRISE! It didn't fix it.

 

[bluevolume]

With the way you describe the problem, and your dissatisfaction with the repair shop, I think you have really answered your own question. The all-too-elusive "common sense" clause comes into play here and says that you are getting taken. Explorers have been around for 13 years, and people keep on buying and driving them. If they had transmissions that couldn't be fixed, even through re-builds, then people would have stopped buying them long ago.

The repair shop probably never did rebuild the transmission, or their definition of "rebuild" is a far cry from a mechanic's text-book. If you can expect 70-80K miles from a new transmission then you should be able to get close to that again with a good rebuild. Any modern 4x4 vehicle is going to have a very complex drive train, but when the parts are good and are put together in the right way, they work very well.

In other words -- your transmission needs repair. Get it to someone who can fix it, and be honest with you in the process.

 

[Opera House]

All bets are off

When you don't have a virgin transmission. I would certainly consider replacing the VSS ($35) and at least checking the wiring. You shouldn't see any jumping of the speedometer. I would have suspected the low/reverse servo seal but if this was rebuilt they would have put a new one in. Intermediate section sounds like it is still good. These are often not replaced in a cheap rebuild. Unless you intend to work on this yourself, better find a new shop.