We have an 04 V-8 XLT 2WD and my wife complained a coupled of times about a delay or shudder when going into reverse but I have not expereinced it yet. Just rolled 12K and no tranny problems I am aware of. I know it is a "drive by wire" throttle and just figured it took some getting used to. The tranny shifts great when I drive it so figure it is driving habits.

 

I started this thread and appreciate the responses and encourage more. I spent a month documenting things every time it did something I wrote down the mileage. The maddening thing is it will go for several days behaving fine so when the dealer drives it around the block it will behave perfectly. The other thing it's doing now is when you back up and turn the wheels hard coming out of a parking space there is a shudder. Can't tell whether it's front end or back end. Talked to a woman in a gas station who had a 2003 with 20,000 miles she says hers was doing that and they replaced "clutches" in the rear end. I understand the drive by wire concept and that it could cause a delay but why not every time? Keep those cards and letters coming cause I'm taking all this to the dealer with me when I go. Thanks

 

I posted another thread discussing this same problem as the original post in this tread. I've had a 2002 AWD which I traded in after only 1 year because of the transmission problems. I got a 2003, same problem. My husband went ahead (against my recommendation) and traded it in for a 2004 4-Wheel drive instead of AWD thinking that this was the problem. We've had it for two weeks and already it bucks and hesitates on shifting. Each vehicle we've had several times to the dealer and they say they cannot duplicate the problem. Now I'm stuck with another lemon.

 

I posted this recently... it goes into the shop tomorrow!!!

2004 Explorer Drive "Clunk"

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I have a new Explorer XLT 4.0 with 4WD with the 5 sp auto. I notice the following symptom:

- from a stop
- steering wheel turned to one side or the other (when pulling out onto a road or maneuvering in a parking lot)
- put into drive
- give gas to accelerate

I get a clunk (sometimes).. it sounds like a late engagement into drive or something to do with the the 4x4 auto feature that this car has (I recall choppiness on my 94 XLT 4x4 when in 4wd hi turning at low speeds).

I am not sure if this is normal or I have a problem that I need to bring it in for.

Ha anyone ever seen this?

Chris

 

Sounds like more of the same, Chris. I've had other irons in the fire recently which have kept me from going to the dealer but I'm getting more infuriated every day by all the bumping and clunking that continues to occur in this vehicle. You'd think a company that has been in business for 100 years would know how to build a transmission by now.

 

john no hard feelings , i mean i know we all have the urge to get a new car, whether our first or our 10th new car but i wouldve kept the 96 5.0 unless it needed 3000 dollars worth of work too it.

 

It needed about $1000 worth of work, the steering box was giving me trouble. If I had it to do over again, I'd have paid the $1000, kept the "96 for towing and beach duty and bought a PT Cruiser to ride around in. Live and learn.

 

I have an '04 XLT Sport, with the 17" tires. I bought it Jan 2nd and I've logged 20,000 miles already. I get that clunk quite often if I'm backing up or just putting it in drive if I don't wait a second or two, or if the vehicle is moving a little when I make the shift. I also get that choppiness when turning in a parking lot with the wheels drastically, similar to what would happen with 4WD engaged on dry pavement. I'm planning on bringing it in next week.

The one thing I don't get is the hesitation while accellerating, it just gets up and goes, I have a 98 Ranger XLT with the 3.0 motor and it seems like a moped now that I've driven the 4.0.

Aside from this annoyance, I couldn't be happier with the SUV.

 

I have the same problem when driving the Explorer. I've wondered about the clunk or the hesitation, it didnt bother me much and I never considered it a serious problem. Im gonna start paying more attention and writing down when it happens, Im taking it in for its 15000 mile check and Ill talk to the mechanic about it.

 

Thanks, guys. I'm the original poster. Mine is supposed to go in Monday. Just returned from a 500 mile trip. Fine on the highway but going through towns and in traffic, continual clunking on shifting. Seems particularly bad if on a grade, upshifts and downshifts with a clunk, sometimes two clunks. Also a couple of time backing out of parking spaces while turning the wheel, that "4WD on dry pavement" chatter. If I take it in and get that "everything is in spec, we can't duplicate the problem" routine they're gonna have a problem on their hands. That's what I love about the internet. They can't hose you and think nobody else is ever going to know. Thanks again.

 

I am a Police Officer and have been issued a 2004 Explorer with a 4.0. It has a "Special Services package" and has 10,000 miles logged since June. I was having the engine oil changed the other day and I noticed a transmission fluid leak. The fluid was coming out of the bell housing where it meets the engine. I took it in to the dealer and they told me that it was too full of fluid which caused the excess fluid to be forced out a vent. They showed me a blown up diagram that showed the vent in the upper part of the bell housing. I watched them drain out about a quart, plus or minus. I also got to watch the mechanic check the fluid level with a plastic tube that treads into the drain plug hole. The tube extends above the fluid level in the pan. He left it in place with the engine running in park until the fluid quit running out, meaning that it was then full. (I cant wait to see how they add fluid) I have put about 500 miles on it since then. It doesnt slip and it seems to shift fine. It still has a very small leak, which is leading me to believe that the excess fluid blew out the seal around the input shaft. It has been scheduled in for a new seal. Anyway, my question is why on earth did Ford decide to do away with a dip stick. One cant check the level or add fluid anymore. The dealer told me it was to eliminate any chance of getting dirt in the system. Why then, does the Escape, the Expedition, Excursion and Crown Vics all have a dip stick? I told the Service Manager that my opinion was that I know exactly where the dip stick went. It is sitting behind a desk in Detroit designing new vehicles. I always thought that I would like to own an Explorer someday but that wont be happening until they put a dip stick back in it.

 

I've got the 02 4x4 exploder w/ 4.6L and mine does all the same things as the John B's does. I first started noticing trans issues at ~4 months and 7500 miles. Especially in cold temps, (Michigan Decembers) there would be a buzzing sound when you were accelerating through the first few gears, and when you were around 50 or so, and steady on the pedal, there'd be a quiet tick that would go away if you let up a bit, or gave it a little more gas, or hit the O/D off button on the shift lever. The noises generally went away after the vehicle warmed up.

I think in the end it was the TC slipping when it was supposed to be locked. After a few dealer visits and detailed descriptions and ride-alongs w/ the dealer techs, the shop supervisor, and their trans guy, they ended up replacing the trans with a reman at about 12k mi. The replaced trans has now got ~53k miles on it, and it from the beginning occasionally it did some of these same things as the first one though not as bad. So far so good, I guess. I think maybe this is just the way these are, like they say. This trans has seemed to do ok pulling boats and quads and pushing the vehicle around off road and over sand dunes, etc, so I'm hoping since it hasn't fallen out from under the truck yet that it's ok. We'll see how the noises are this winter.

I heard that the 5spd trans in the '02s and up (5R55W, I think?) was new for the '02s, and that it's from some German company that Ford acquired. It's a shame that after two more model years such shifting and drivability issues haven't been corrected.

 

Finally took mine to the dealer last week. They say they drove it for over an hour with diagnostic equipment attached and could not get it to misbehave, not surprising as I think the thing has a certain satanic quality to it. They did say that they've had some delayed engagement (which I'm also experiencing) problems. You're maneuvering in a parking lot, you back up then shift into Drive and nothing happens for 2-3 seconds then it slams into gear. They're going to replace a solenoid for that problem next week. Their position is that if they can't get it to do it when they're driving it, then Ford won't let them just replace things randomly, such as transmissions. In addition to the rough shifting and the bucking on upshifts it's developed a new wrinkle. Now it will hesitate on shifting from 2nd to 3rd then when it does shift, the truck speeds up even though you haven't depressed the pedal. It will do none of this however within 10 miles of the dealership.

 

I just posted in another topic, but I just had mine to the dealer and the replaced the master transmission something, i have to get the paperwork, I will post the exact part.

 

About the selenoid to fix the delay when going from park or drive to reverse. I just had mine replaced, and I think the transmission overall feels much better. It was definately doing the clunk into reverse though. I posted the TSB# eslewhere on this board, but if you need it, lemme know.

-Steve