Transmission slips into neutral

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Apr 17, 2004 | 10:45 PM

silverhotrod

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Transmission slips into neutral

My 2001 F150 4x4 will slip into neutral doing 80 mi an hour. It's just for a second and then gets in gear. The garage has put in a new torque convertor in, a new pcm and an idle valve assembly. Still does it, tho it used to die when it happened. Does this happen to anyone else? and what can I do about it.

Apr 18, 2004 | 03:45 PM

Racerguy

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From: BC, Canada

Hi silverhotrod and welcome to the forum

I've seen a bad TRS (transmission range sensor) cause a transmission to go into neutral while driving at highway speeds. The TRS is what used to be called a Neutral Safety Switch and is bolted to the side of the transmission where the shift lever goes in.
As for it dieing when it happened I have never seen that.

Apr 20, 2004 | 09:09 AM

silverhotrod

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Thanks

Will that show up in any codes that the garage uses? They just told me that if they didn't see any codes they would pull my tranny agin and look for damage. How can I make them look at there?

Apr 20, 2004 | 09:24 AM

Racerguy

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From: BC, Canada

It might not show any codes. A Ford garage can look at the readings from the sensor with their WDS or NGS scan tool and see it they are right. I'm not sure but I think that most other good scan tools should show the same thing too.
Since it's an intermittant problem it might be hard to get it to show up. I think I'd try replacing the TRS before I tore into the transmission again.

Apr 21, 2004 | 09:50 AM

JustinH

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Dave is 100 percent right.

Some places call it the MLPS sensor (manual lever position sensor), some call it the TR sensor (transmission range), some call it a neutral safety switch.

This item needs to be replaced, it is a 40-50 dollar item if I recall correctly. It bolts right onto the outside of the transmission case, and plugs into an electrical harness.

You need to align it when its on the truck, remove the old one with the truck in neutral, then install the new one with the truck in neutral.

Then you need a buddy with you with the truck in reverse and foot on the brake, you need to turn the dial on the MLPS until your reverse lights come on.

Its an easy deal, ford says you need a MLPS aligning tool to align the unit, but the way I do it works fine.

JH

Apr 21, 2004 | 06:03 PM

drighten

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From: North Bay, ON

Hey Justin H;

Is this the same on as early as 1996 Winstars? My wifes back up lights aren't working, so could it just be an adjustment on the neutral safety switch?

Thom

Apr 21, 2004 | 06:14 PM

LxMan1

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From: Louisville,Ky.

Yes, I replaced mine on my 96 Windstar awhile back because it would not upshift at times. It was under $25 at AutoZone and it has been fine every since. The one that I bought was a Wells unit I believe, but it was a Ford unit with the Ford part # scratched out in the plastic housing.