Okay I am so miffed now my hackles are up.
I have a 2000 ex 5.4 with 120,000 miles on it. Friday it was making a loud whiney sound like air being sucked wrong somewhere under the hood. It began making a metal clanking sound. I was in the middle of Greenville NC and could not get over right away. When i went to come out from a stop light I tried to accelerate and the speedometer went to 10 mph but the RPM went to the line between 3 and 4. It finally gave a huge kick and went into gear with the noise getting louder. I pulled into mall parking lot (yes that was nearest place I could pull over and no shopping was not on my mind a kewl break down perk) I called my husband who had me check the tranny fluid. I did and it was in the good zone. I wiped it on a white cloth and saw only pink.
Hubby came to my rescue and he too checked fluid and same thing. Tow truck driver came and said it was good level and didnt smell burned and didnt see any metal. It only made the noise in gear. Had it towed to AAMCO, closest place.
AAMCO calls and says its 485.00 just to take tranny apart and look at it they also said tranny fluid was low and they found metal in it. to do a basic rebuild is 1491.00 but the 485 is taken off that. If it is the torque converter that 439.00 This is soooo unreal. they also said if its a gear or hard part that is not included in the price.
I hate this so much. I have babied my ex with transmission services and oil changes. Now this. I have just a few months left to pay on this big green sucker and then its gone. I will stick with a Ford p/u. Never again am I going to do the SUV thing. Especially an excursion. I really love it excpet for all the repair issues.
Any thoughts on the tranny issue? Am I being scammed? I went with AAMCO because they seem to be a reputable place. they have been around forever. Now I am scared i am getting ripped off. HELP!
Okay I feel better now...i got to vent.

 

Sadly, welcome to the club. My transmission went out in my Ex on a trip from Alabama to Washington, D.C. The shop I took it to told me that the solinoid was bad and needed to be replaced - cost $380.00. On the way home, the trans began to slip. I took it to a franchise near home ( I thought it was the solinoid). I was informed that I needed a rebuild, $1100.00, $1700.00 with lifetime waranty. By the way, I only had 46,000 miles on my Ex. I can understand how you feel. Other than that, I love the truck, even though it has been high maintenance.

 

Whoa, there quarterhorsemom !!!!

120K miles is a lot of miles and well past the lifetime of MOST cars a few years ago....

Understand it's not something you want to fix every day.... but that means 120,000/1700 = 70 miles per dollar of use.... so it's not like a lot except it's all at once....

All I can tell is of my experince - 38K hard miles and the tranny is the best part of the truck.... other than the power... and the comfort on long trips....

and....

 

Hmmmm.......if you can, get a second opinion. Nowadays everybodys looking to make a buck and they don't care what they have to do to get it. Take it to another shop or maybe even a Ford dealer that you trust and have them look at it.

 

Well, if you go to the F-250/350 of the same vintage you'll be gettin' the same tranny...

Sorry to hear 'bout that... 120K is a good amount of miles before your tranny goes. How often did you do your tranny service?

 

The Excursion is basically an F-250.

 

With a shell and a third row seat.

 

I agree with the others that suggest you get another opinion. While there have been problems with transmissions in these trucks, both the Excursions and Super Dutys, I don't think it is what one would call a chronic problem. (I've gone through two Suburbans, and prior to '94, they had chronic transmission problems.)

My X has over 140k miles on her, and I have not yet had a transmission problem that sent it to the shop. Nor have any of the folks I know driving X's and Super Dutys. Not to say that my tranny won't fail tomorrow. Anything can happen.

And unfortuanately it appears that you're experiencing a major problem. But go get a second opinion, even if it costs you another $100 up front. I'd spend $100 to save $300, or $700, or more. You may even find, if the second opinion is that the same work is required, that you can get it done for less than the $1500 AAMCO has quoted you. Worse case is that you'll end up spending $1600.

 

Had the transmission replaced in my 2001 Excursion at about 72k miles. It started making a high pitched sound...it did not fail completely, it continued to function like normal. Took it into Ford and they diagnosed a faulty second gear sprag clutch...metal throughout the hydraulic circuit. A complete rebuild from stem to stern was in excess of $3000. I payed to install a Ford factory trans cooler and a Magnefine trans filter. Extended warranty covered the trans...I paid for cooler and filter.
If you have this repaired and intend to keep the "X" then I would have a trans cooler and a filter installed at the time of the repair. I believe the Excursion is a good vehicle...I have only had the problem with the trans...and at the mileage that you have on yours I think you have recieved good service from the trans, altgough I have seen some go longer. The Excursion is a very heavy vehicle and that will take it tool on the service life of components. Good luck....

 

why would you put a trans cooler on when they have one on.

 

It is an auxiliary cooler in addition to the cooler present in the radiator...It was installed on the advice of many transmission mechanics who have seen the problems with various auto trannys...and heat is a big problem with auto trannys. It is the same cooler that Ford put on my F-250 SD CC at the factory.

 

the factory trans cooler on a ex is in front of the radiator. not in the radiator. it is same one they use on 250 and 350 they saw you comming.

 

there has been problems with the 5 speed torqueshift ????
Wow - since they just came out at the end of 2003, I thought they were too new for that... and honestly I haven't heard anything but good reports on the TS ?!?

 

I'd call this one a faulty-part (marginal specs) ... not a transmission design problem.

 

On my 2001 Excursion there is a small cooler (power steering) low and in front of the A/C condenser. There was not a cooler in front of my radiator, and there is a cooler (trans) in the lower radiator tank. The cooler I had them add was placed between the radiator and the A/C condenser. That cooler is the same cooler that my 2003 SD CC has from the factory.