Wife's Vehicle's Transmission is Toast!

[Bret]

Kind of a rant so feel free to ignore if you want.

Well if finally happened - the wife’s 1995 Explorer that we purchased new finally lost it’s second gear. It all started innocently enough when my wife got home a couple of days ago and asked me about a flashing O/T off (overdrive off) light.
/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/cryin.gif
Took it out for a test drive and noticed that on take off from a dead stop the engine would rev almost to its red line (5500RPMs) and not up-shift into second. The only way I could get it to shift was to let off the accelerator at about 25 to 30 MPH and it would shift up into third. While I am pretty handy around most anything automotive – I don’t do automatic transmissions. So we took the old war horse to a local tranny shop where to have a look at it. The guy basically confirmed my assessment but said it would have to come out and be rebuilt – replacing whatever items that are damaged. Guessing between $1500 to $2500 for a complete rebuild. That’s a significant chunk of change considering the vehicle itself without the transmission problem isn’t worth more that $4000 according to the Kelly Blue Book. Too bad really because the vehicle is a really nice XLT that is fully loaded with just about every option available at the time and has until now been a really reliable vehicle.

Another option I am considering is trying to locate a used transmission at a local pick-your-parts and installing it myself. But I am a bit apprehensive about purchasing another transmission in an “unknown” condition.

The last option is to just sell it outright or donate it with full disclosure of the transmission problem and take whatever I can get for her. Then just break down & get my wife that new vehicle we’ve been talking about for the last year or so.

Rant over /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/frown.gif

 

[Guest]

Man, I feel your pain. I was just going to post a thread later tonight about my transmission woes in my Volvo and low and behold, there are two new threads here about, you guessed it, blown transmissions.

Like yourself, I've tackled just about anything I can think of on a car. Engines, no problem, rear ends, sure, I'll have a look, but automatic trannys, no way. There seems to be a lot of arcane magic going on inside those things, something that man was probably not meant to know about outside of the high priesthood of transmission repair specialists.

I'm sort of in the same boat, my car is not worth what it would cost to rebuild and replace the unit. However, I'm not sure that anything major is even wrong with it at this point, it's slipping in first gear a bit but aside from that it's running great. It's going into my local tranny shop for a checkout next week, hopefully it will be something relatively minor. Otherwise I will forced to just drive it till it drops, then find some beater for a few hundred bucks and sell the Volvo for whatever I can get for it with the blown trans. I need something to drive, anything, that will get me through the next 6 months or so, which is when I will get my new Stang. i spent part of today scouring the local ads for 15 year old Hondas and Toyotas, just as a contingency plan. Turns out my brother in law said he'd probably let me have his old 92 Celica, which has been sitting in his driveway for 6 years now, for nothing. It's in good shape, just needs some maintenance (fluids, hoses, belts, maybe tires and a battery) and a good cleaning. We'll see, hopefully my beloved brick will live for awhile longer without bleeding me dry.

 

[aeronca65t]

Really sounds like a bad vacuum shift modulator or vacuum line to the modulator.
On GM cars, the modulator is external (right side) and is about $20. I'm not sure how it works on 4-wd Ford transmissions, but I think it's a similar setup.
Look for a vacuum line going from intake manifold to trans and that may point you in the right direction.

 

[mailbox]

I don't believe transmissions now days have a modulator valve anymore. Most are controled thru the onboard computer. As far as used transmissions go, it might be in your best interest to look deeper in to this. If you are able to get a decent trans for $1000, you might be able to drive your car for a few more years. A WHOLE lot cheaper than a new car!!! /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif

 

[Bret]

Actually the last Explorer to have the vacuum line was 1994 model year - as luck would have it that was the year previous to the year of my wife’s vehicle. Adding insult to injury, is that her 1995 is kind of an odd ball production year with a lot of firsts & carry over lasts from the previous model year. Even weirder is that 95 was the last year for OBDI in the Explorer too. So my OBDII code reader/eraser won’t read what the actual error code is.

There is a slight possibility that the problem could be Transmission range sensor or a stuck (jammed) kickdown cable to the downshift lever - which I will be testing this weekend. But I’m not holding any high hopes that that is what the problem.

Again it’s too bad really – as the Explorer has really been a great vehicle for the last ten years and until now she’s been pretty much trouble free. But regardless my wife & I’ll be making the final decision early next week on what to do with the old war horse – new vehicle or not.

 

[mailbox]

Good luck!!! You'll need it. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smirk.gif

 

[R6MGS]

My mom's 95 Caddy STS had a similar problem where it wouldn't shift into third....turned out to be some kind of sensor....relativly cheap repair...maybe you'll get lucky.

Zack

 

[philman]

wife had a problem with my s10 blazer once. she accidentally put it in 4low. she had trouble getting on the freeway, it wouldn't shift properly, etc. she parked it for a month until i got home to tell her what had happened. she was pretty chagrined.

 

[jsneddon]

[ QUOTE ]
and until now she’s been pretty much trouble free.

[/ QUOTE ]

Your wife or your car ???? /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif

 

[Bret]

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
and until now she’s been pretty much trouble free.

[/ QUOTE ]

Your wife or your car ???? /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif

[/ QUOTE ]

I thought I was clear... The car of course. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif