What is Limp Mode? | Ford Explorer Forums - Serious Explorations

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What is Limp Mode?

no164ford

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Joined
May 19, 2008
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City, State
N-Cambria PA
Year, Model & Trim Level
2000 Explorer XL
I am haveing probblems with my 2000 explorer tranny and have been reading over old post to see if I can find any info. I keep seeing " transmission going into limp mode"? I think this is what mine is doing. What does this mean, How does the tranny react when this happens?
Thanks, Paul
 



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basically, the system detects a problem, and then dumbs down its sensor inputs to barely reacting to anything.... its like brain damage, but not permanent.... the computer senses there is a problem, and cuts off what it wants to do to just barely function to save itself from further damage
 






Welcome to the site. Do you have a Check engine light, or flashing OD lights? If not then I doubt your going into limp mode. if so then there are codes stored in memory and you need to have those scanned. With a code someone here can point you in the right direction. What is the trans doing? Shifting sluggish, not holding a gear, waiting to long to shift?
 






It's a fail-safe programming strategy that the system reverts to in the event there is a fault detected with the system. For example, if the VSS was to say, short out, and it saw 150 mph in 1st gear, the system would say, "That sensor must be off because it's way out of range. Use this programming strategy to run the trans for now, store a trouble code, flash the lights, and limp-home until the sensor reading is back in its specified value."

Make sense?
 






Welcome to this forum! In FMEM or limp mode, the computer increases the pressure threshold of the EPC solenoid to apply more hydraulic pressure to the internal pistons, clutch packs, and valves in a situation where there might be some sort of malfunction. In regualar driving, it's not necessary to have such high pressure, but if a part is leaking like the valve body gasket, the vehicle won't be able to go into gear unless it has sufficient pressure to apply the before mentioned parts.
 






Thanks for the anwers, I figured that it was something like that. Here is my probblem.

I have a 2000 4.0L 4x4 5 speed auto 5r55e I think 74,000 miles We bought it about 3 months ago and I don't know the history of the car except that it was vary well taken care of the thing is almost like new. My wife drove it for about 1,500 miles after we bought it then on a normal 20 min trip the od light started flashing, she turned the car off and restarted it and the light quit flashing brought it home and told me.

I took it for a ride to see what was up transmisson shifted great and still does untill around 15-20min running then the od starts flashing. When the od is flashing if you come to a stop and try to pull out it is stuck in 5th gear and will stay there untill you shift it into N then back to D then it pulls out fine. I did have a local tranny shop hook up a scan tool and go for a ride with me he got 3 codes I did not get the numbers but I think they were
Incorrect gear ratio 2nd gear
Incorrect gear ratio 3rd gear
Incorrect gear ratio 5th gear
He also vearfied that when I stoped the truck that the computer was comanding it to be in 5th gear?? And when this happens if you manualy shift it from D to 1st gear and try to pull out it gets stuck between 2 gears 1st and 5th I think (it is like trying to pull out with the E-break on) but the scanner said the computer was comanding 1st gear. He told me to take it to a Ford dealer he did not know what was wrong.

I did some reaserch and found out about the separator plate and pressure relef valve, called up Ford got all the parts and installed them yesterday put it back together with a new filter and some fresh mercon V tranny fluid took it for a ride and the same thing happened:(.

P.S. The valve body gasket was blowen in 2 places. Any idea what else it could be?

Thanks, Paul
 












Feed the truck Viagara....no more "limp" mode...:D:D:D






Sorry...couldn't resist. Welcome to the site!

It almost sounds like you have a bad sensor that is feeding the computer bad information.
 






Feed the truck Viagara....no more "limp" mode...:D:D:D





Sorry...couldn't resist. Welcome to the site!

It almost sounds like you have a bad sensor that is feeding the computer bad information.

If I thought it would work I would shove 10 of them in the tank:D
 












Check the wiring harness, and the DTRS. This is the range sensor which is located near the shift linkage on the driver's side of the transmission.

I will check the wiring tomarrow, How do you test the sensor?
 












Check the wiring harness, and the DTRS. This is the range sensor which is located near the shift linkage on the driver's side of the transmission.

wiring looks fine kinda like new did not test sensor yet got to get a new battery for my meter. You don't that it is in the valve body?
 


















I occasionally have the same, well kind of the same, problem. Sometimes when taking off from a start, typically right after I start the truck, the tranny seems like it is stuck in 2nd or 3rd gear...it will shift ONCE and then the RPM's will just climb with no other shift.

If I put it in Neutral and then shift it back to Drive, it corrects itself.
 






I occasionally have the same, well kind of the same, problem. Sometimes when taking off from a start, typically right after I start the truck, the tranny seems like it is stuck in 2nd or 3rd gear...it will shift ONCE and then the RPM's will just climb with no other shift.

If I put it in Neutral and then shift it back to Drive, it corrects itself.
 






I have the exact same problem. Did you ever get it fixed, if so how?
 






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