This past weekend I had a strange situation with my '99 Ford Explorer. I was driving down the road, stopped at an intersection put the truck into neutral, and when I tried to put it back into gear it would not go. I tried several times and it wouldn't go into any gear. I called a tow truck and it was taken to the ford dealership and they turned the truck on and it went into gear as if nothing had happened.....as i was in a hurry they suggested that I later get it checked out. The truck has been working just fine since then. Has anyone heard of this, or have any suggestions as to what went wrong??

thanks,

 

I will assume its a manual trans., how many miles do you have on it? Is it the origional clutch? When you are going to shift into second and third after you let the clutch out floor it see if theres any variations in the RPMs, I would also check the clutch res. it should be filled up to the step with dot 3 brake fluid. Also how was the pressure on the clutch when this happend? Your clutch could be going, miles on the vehical is a good idication.

 

I have 102,000 miles on the truck..yes its manual trans. the dealership checked for leaks, fluid levels, ex....and found nothing. yes it is the original clutch and the service man said my clutch will have no variation in the "feel" of the clutch because it is a hydraulic clutch...does this help??

 

Yea thats true unless your low on fluid, then it will feel like theres nothing there and you will not be able to get it into gear, theres a diafram in the clutch res. which is to the right of the brake master very small, what happend sometimes is if the fluid is low the diafram will stick to the bottom and will not allow fluid to get into the clutch master cylender but if there were not fluid leaks proablly not your problem. Your probally going to need a new clutch, try this, as your driving and when you shift into second third and fourth gear, let the clutch out like normal but instead of giving it a little gas floor it and see if there is any variation in the rpms, but make sure the clutch is all the way out, if there is the clutch is slipping and will need to be replaced soon, also if the clutch is catching high it will need to be too, but you cant always tell since these clutchs are hydrolic and are auto adjusting, but i think you will need a new clutch with a 102,000 on it, its about time for a new one, they ussally last about 90k. Take it to a tranny shop they can ussually give you a free diagonose, also if you have it done make sure they replace the slave cylender as well which is in the tranny and they tend to leak after the clutch is replaced and if not done you will have to pay to have the tranny removed again. But if you cant get it into gear again, shut the car off and put in into gear then start it and go, you will be able to go as long as you have a little bit of the friction material left

 

Thanks for the information.....I will try the 2nd and 3rd gear thing tomorrow....but i think that you are right...if they only last for 90k then i'm due for a new clutch. I just didn't want to go to a shop and have them rip me off. I broke down in Ft. Stockton, TX and the shops that I went to before the ford dealership told me I would need a lot of trans. repair because my ford has a aluminium trans. and that it often binds up(and that they couldn't fix it until tues). I was almost in tears. I finally took it to a Ford dealership. where they started it right up and sent me on my way....(I was 8hrs from home)

 

Should be about 600