2002 Ford Explorer Problem.

Hello All,


I purchased my explorer over 2 years ago when it had 70k miles. It was
a salesman's truck that drove up and down the highway everyday. When I
got it , it occasionally shuddered when it shifted and more infrequently
then that was that it slipped when shifting. These problems never got
worse in the 2.5 years I've had it. The other day it was slipping more
then usual and the overdrive light came on and was flashing very fast.
I was unable to shut overdrive off with the button at the end of the
shift knob. During the flashing it was shifting hard into gears and I
had to let off the gas at the shift point in order for it to shift
properly. Once I shut the truck off and turned it back on, the light
did not come back on but it shifts rough.

I did research on the problem on the net and there are tons of possible
causes. The listed causes a Valve body, Solenoid pack, Torque
Converter clutch, electronic pressure controller, speed sensor, and the
fluid pump support seal. I recently moved and took it to a repair shop
that I was told is reputable. They said that replacing the solenoid and
torque converter would be about 600-800$ and they would not guarantee
that it would fix the problem with the shifting. They recommended a re
manufactured transmission for $2500 + labor and fluids.


Does anyone know if Ford would do anything as they know of the problem
with the 02 explorer's transmissions and TSB or if I should try the
solenoid pack, torque converter, valve body fixes w/o the guarantee it
will fix the shifting problem? I was planning on selling the truck in
Dec to get another vehicle and this happened with extremely bad timing.

Is there a possibility to get a used transmission from somewhere or get
a junkyard transmission for a reasonable price?

Im at a loss and don't want to put 2700$ into it when h'm selling it in
2 months.

Not sure if this applys:
Ford has a Technical Service Bulletin (TSB) to all its dealers about
this KNOWN issue:

03-25-4 DEC 03 A/T - 5R55W No 3rd Gear/Slipping 2-3 Shift/DTC's Set




Any help would be greatly appreciated!


Thanks in advance!

VJF
Raleigh, NC

Just curious, how many times have you changed the transmission fluid?? Ford
transmissions seem to be very sensitive to neglectful owners.....I change
mine every 25k miles, and some people say thats not often enough!

"VJF" > wrote in message
...
> Hello All,
>
>
> I purchased my explorer over 2 years ago when it had 70k miles. It was a
> salesman's truck that drove up and down the highway everyday. When I got
> it , it occasionally shuddered when it shifted and more infrequently then
> that was that it slipped when shifting. These problems never got worse in
> the 2.5 years I've had it. The other day it was slipping more then usual
> and the overdrive light came on and was flashing very fast. I was unable
> to shut overdrive off with the button at the end of the shift knob.
> During the flashing it was shifting hard into gears and I had to let off
> the gas at the shift point in order for it to shift properly. Once I shut
> the truck off and turned it back on, the light did not come back on but it
> shifts rough.
>
> I did research on the problem on the net and there are tons of possible
> causes. The listed causes a Valve body, Solenoid pack, Torque
> Converter clutch, electronic pressure controller, speed sensor, and the
> fluid pump support seal. I recently moved and took it to a repair shop
> that I was told is reputable. They said that replacing the solenoid and
> torque converter would be about 600-800$ and they would not guarantee that
> it would fix the problem with the shifting. They recommended a re
> manufactured transmission for $2500 + labor and fluids.
>
>
> Does anyone know if Ford would do anything as they know of the problem
> with the 02 explorer's transmissions and TSB or if I should try the
> solenoid pack, torque converter, valve body fixes w/o the guarantee it
> will fix the shifting problem? I was planning on selling the truck in Dec
> to get another vehicle and this happened with extremely bad timing.
>
> Is there a possibility to get a used transmission from somewhere or get a
> junkyard transmission for a reasonable price?
>
> Im at a loss and don't want to put 2700$ into it when h'm selling it in 2
> months.
>
> Not sure if this applys:
> Ford has a Technical Service Bulletin (TSB) to all its dealers about this
> KNOWN issue:
>
> 03-25-4 DEC 03 A/T - 5R55W No 3rd Gear/Slipping 2-3 Shift/DTC's Set
>
>
>
>
> Any help would be greatly appreciated!
>
>
> Thanks in advance!
>
> VJF
> Raleigh, NC
>

Barney Gumble wrote:
> Just curious, how many times have you changed the transmission fluid?? Ford
> transmissions seem to be very sensitive to neglectful owners.....I change
> mine every 25k miles, and some people say thats not often enough!
>
> "VJF" > wrote in message
> ...
>> Hello All,
>>
>>
>> I purchased my explorer over 2 years ago when it had 70k miles. It was a
>> salesman's truck that drove up and down the highway everyday. When I got
>> it , it occasionally shuddered when it shifted and more infrequently then
>> that was that it slipped when shifting. These problems never got worse in
>> the 2.5 years I've had it. The other day it was slipping more then usual
>> and the overdrive light came on and was flashing very fast. I was unable
>> to shut overdrive off with the button at the end of the shift knob.
>> During the flashing it was shifting hard into gears and I had to let off
>> the gas at the shift point in order for it to shift properly. Once I shut
>> the truck off and turned it back on, the light did not come back on but it
>> shifts rough.
>>
>> I did research on the problem on the net and there are tons of possible
>> causes. The listed causes a Valve body, Solenoid pack, Torque
>> Converter clutch, electronic pressure controller, speed sensor, and the
>> fluid pump support seal. I recently moved and took it to a repair shop
>> that I was told is reputable. They said that replacing the solenoid and
>> torque converter would be about 600-800$ and they would not guarantee that
>> it would fix the problem with the shifting. They recommended a re
>> manufactured transmission for $2500 + labor and fluids.
>>
>>
>> Does anyone know if Ford would do anything as they know of the problem
>> with the 02 explorer's transmissions and TSB or if I should try the
>> solenoid pack, torque converter, valve body fixes w/o the guarantee it
>> will fix the shifting problem? I was planning on selling the truck in Dec
>> to get another vehicle and this happened with extremely bad timing.
>>
>> Is there a possibility to get a used transmission from somewhere or get a
>> junkyard transmission for a reasonable price?
>>
>> Im at a loss and don't want to put 2700$ into it when h'm selling it in 2
>> months.
>>
>> Not sure if this applys:
>> Ford has a Technical Service Bulletin (TSB) to all its dealers about this
>> KNOWN issue:
>>
>> 03-25-4 DEC 03 A/T - 5R55W No 3rd Gear/Slipping 2-3 Shift/DTC's Set
>>
>>
>>
>>
>> Any help would be greatly appreciated!
>>
>>
>> Thanks in advance!
>>
>> VJF
>> Raleigh, NC
>>
>
>
I have not changed it since I bought it. I have put approx. 20k miles
on it.

VJF > wrote in
:

> Barney Gumble wrote:
>> Just curious, how many times have you changed the transmission
>> fluid?? Ford transmissions seem to be very sensitive to neglectful
>> owners.....I change mine every 25k miles, and some people say thats
>> not often enough!
>>
>> "VJF" > wrote in message
>> ...
>>> Hello All,
>>>
>>>
>>> I purchased my explorer over 2 years ago when it had 70k miles. It
>>> was a salesman's truck that drove up and down the highway everyday.
>>> When I got it , it occasionally shuddered when it shifted and more
>>> infrequently then that was that it slipped when shifting. These
>>> problems never got worse in the 2.5 years I've had it. The other
>>> day it was slipping more then usual and the overdrive light came on
>>> and was flashing very fast. I was unable to shut overdrive off with
>>> the button at the end of the shift knob. During the flashing it was
>>> shifting hard into gears and I had to let off the gas at the shift
>>> point in order for it to shift properly. Once I shut the truck off
>>> and turned it back on, the light did not come back on but it shifts
>>> rough.
>>>
>>> I did research on the problem on the net and there are tons of
>>> possible causes. The listed causes a Valve body, Solenoid pack,
>>> Torque Converter clutch, electronic pressure controller, speed
>>> sensor, and the fluid pump support seal. I recently moved and took
>>> it to a repair shop that I was told is reputable. They said that
>>> replacing the solenoid and torque converter would be about 600-800$
>>> and they would not guarantee that it would fix the problem with the
>>> shifting. They recommended a re manufactured transmission for $2500
>>> + labor and fluids.
>>>
>>>
>>> Does anyone know if Ford would do anything as they know of the
>>> problem with the 02 explorer's transmissions and TSB or if I should
>>> try the solenoid pack, torque converter, valve body fixes w/o the
>>> guarantee it will fix the shifting problem? I was planning on
>>> selling the truck in Dec to get another vehicle and this happened
>>> with extremely bad timing.
>>>
>>> Is there a possibility to get a used transmission from somewhere or
>>> get a junkyard transmission for a reasonable price?
>>>
>>> Im at a loss and don't want to put 2700$ into it when h'm selling it
>>> in 2 months.
>>>
>>> Not sure if this applys:
>>> Ford has a Technical Service Bulletin (TSB) to all its dealers about
>>> this KNOWN issue:
>>>
>>> 03-25-4 DEC 03 A/T - 5R55W No 3rd Gear/Slipping 2-3 Shift/DTC's Set
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>> Any help would be greatly appreciated!
>>>
>>>
>>> Thanks in advance!
>>>
>>> VJF
>>> Raleigh, NC
>>>
>>
>>
> I have not changed it since I bought it. I have put approx. 20k miles
> on it.
>

Change the fluid. I did in my 2002 at 60K. I had rough shifing since new
and it helped alot. Make sure the shop uses not only the right fluid, but
the right friction additive as well. These transmissions seem very
sensitive to fluid issues. I think there might even be a TSB on the
friction additive.