I just purchased a 2003 Explorer Eddie Bauer V8 with about a year left under warranty. During the test drive I noticed it pauses a bit between up shifts. It shifts fine into rev and drive but a definite lag when upshifting but not every time. Having read a number of messages regarding transmission shifting issues I have some concern. I traded in a 1996 Explorer Limited V8 AWD that has been great with no driveline problems with 160,000Km. I've asked the dealer to correct the problem before they ship to my home. Since I bought out of town I'm hoping they fix properly, otherwise I will be wasting my time taking to the local dealer where I live. I will unfortunately not have the opportunity to drive again before delivery. You might ask why I bought this one with a shift concern. I've been searching for a while for the right ext/int colour, seating layout, overall condition, mileage. Some others had other issues and this one was just mint without many scratches, dings and scuffs some of the others had. And it still has warranty!

For those who have had a slow shift/pause what has the problem been? Are there any special servicing I should be doing in the future to reduce that chance of transmission problems? Should I have the transmission fluid changed more frequently and only at a Ford Dealer to ensure the correct fluids are used? Filling/checking level seem to be a bit of a nightmare due to the lack of a dipstick. I'm a bit worried that even the lube guy at Ford Dealer may not always get it right. I read a number of posts that take of 2004 & 2005 models. Are there some differences with 2003 shifting mechanisms? I just want to be armed with a bit of info if for some reason it is not correctly immediately and I have to make repeated dealer visits. I've had issues in the past and it's good to let them know you you are familiar with a problem and know what some others have had done to correct.

My last Explorer was very reliable for almost 9 years and I'm hoping this one will also be with good maintenance.

 

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Well, my 2002 V8 4x4 does the same thing and our extended warranty is up this week so I decided to bring it in. I am going to have them look at a bunch of things. I bring it in at 9:30 this morning. I also got worried after reading a bunch of posts about the tranny immediately after buying the Explorer.

Sometimes the motor will actually rev up as it shifts. An automatic should never do this. It feels like you are pushing in the clutch with a manual. It tripped an EGR Low Flow code, so the service engine soon light is on. The 4x4 auto feature has a rough engagement. Under hard acceleration, the power is oscillating to and from the front wheels. It feels like a pulsating acceleration. If I remove some fuses to disable the 4x4 auto, it pulls smoothly. Is this a sensor or a transfer case clutch problem? The wife parked on our driveway and then put it in reverse. The car did not want to back up until she gave it some gas and then I heard a loud clunk and the truck jerked backwards. I think this might be the low tranny fluid issue.

I'll let you know if they find anything. I'll bet that they don't find anything wrong with the shifting or the 4x4 auto feature, but maybe I will get a tranny fluid change out of it.

Craig

 

Well, I got the Explorer back yesterday. I got lucky. None of the warranties would cover the EGR Failure, but luckily there was a "customer satisfaction" service bulletin on the EGR failure and they covered it. I took a gamble because if the failure wasn't caused by what was in the service bulletin, then they were going to charge me $150 for diagnostics. I didn't have them look into the 4x4 auto issue because it is minor and I am sure they wouldn't have found anything. He said that if they don't find anything wrong or if what they find isn't covered by my warranty, then I will be charged for the diagnostic. I told him to just investigate the tranny. At first they couldn't find any issue with the shifting, but they reprogrammed it and were not going to charge me. Then they called back and told me that the service manager drove it and heard the buzzing sound that I was complaining about. There is a service bulletin about this, but they changed a different part than what the bulletin called for.

Bottom line, for $50 (deductible) I got the EGR fixed, shift solenoids changed, new fluid put in the tranny, and a new program in tranny computer and it shifts much better. I am now happy with how it shifts at light throttle. It always shifted good at full throttle. The only problem is that I don't know if the solenoids fixed the problem or the program. I think that it was the program because the thing used to shift better if I disconnected the battery and then reconnected it.

 

Sorry to hear, but glad to know I'm not the only one dealing with these issues. My 03 EB V8 has two very prominent issues: 1) shifting hesitation between gears 2) slippage sensation. It's been in the shop 7 times. The only REAL work done was the replacement of the transfer case, which didn't solve the problem.

The slippage problem got REALLY bad with a new set of tires. I think the onboard computer is sensing a form of slippage due to the softer compound tires. So it's linked to the auto-4X4 as someone else stated. When I put it in 4x4 high, the problem goes away. I'm concerned however with the long-term affects on my driveline as this slippage issue just seems to be getting worse over time.

I've taken two brand new 'like' Explorers out for a test drive comparison, and even the new ones do this. Just not as bad or as frequent / consistent. As for the hesitation between shifts: interested to learn more about what you found. I've been so concerned with the slippage, I haven't even attempted to ask my Service Center to fix that problem, since they haven't found a way to address the slippage. Can you expand on the 'buzzing' sound. I get buzzing sound also on occassion, which I haven't figured out. Sounds kind of like a electric fuel pump, but I know better. No codes coming up on my vehicle - unfortunately. I've actually found that if you tapper the gas pedal between shifting, you can MAKE the problem happen with real consistency.

 

The sound I heard did kind of sound like a big electric fuel pump. There is a service bulletin out on the 2002 Ex about this being caused by the main control valve, but they changed my shift solenoids. I would only hear the buzz when the torque converter was locked. If you hit the brake, let off, or do anything to unlock the converter, the sound would go away. It was also only when it was cold. After it warmed up, I would not hear it. I have not driven the truck enough to know that the sound is gone. I am not sure if it was still warm when I picked it up yesterday, so I will have to drive it cold and make sure that the buzz is gone.

 

Thanks for the replies. I'm taking mine in on Monday and am going to make sure we do a road test so I don't get that classic "shifted fine when we took it out". Another issue that I've started noticing is the engine is much noisier than my previous 96 Explorer which had the 5.0 V8 AWD combo. As I've been driving more in the city in stop and go traffic the engine seems overall noisy, almost like one in an old car. It runs perfectly smooth and idles fine but sounds loose overall. It has about 45,000Km on it now and should sound like new still. It's quiet when at idle but as you accelerate it's worst as it reaches 2000rpm or so before shifting into the next gear. Are the 4.6 V8 all like this or could it be developing a problem. I've driven some others in the recent past but they seemed quieter.

 

My 4.6 is quiet under the hood. When you get on it hard, you can hear the intake but it sounds good, no rattling or any bad noises. Now I hear my Magnaflow exhaust, which sounds really good. I also cut a hole in the airbox and removed the snorkel, so the intake is a little louder, but not as loud as the 24" Magnaflow I put on it. The service manager even comented on how good the pick-up was when he drove it and how much he liked the sound of the exhaust. It picked up almost a half a second in the quarter and 3mph.

My Explorer shifts much better than it used to, but they thought that it shifted fine when they did the road test. I got lucky that they reprogrammed it for me and the buzz came back so they had to replace the shift solenoids. If they say it is fine, make them at least reprogram the transmission's computer. Others have had luck with this and there are a bunch of TSB's on the programing.

 

You say yours is quite. I guess it's hard to describe a noise without hearing it. I'm used to my 5.0 with a 4speed auto. The 4.6 is a OHC engine. Is there more noise related this design? Is it the valve train likely? When I'm accelerating (and I don't mean hard) normally as it revs to 2000 before shifting I feel like I'm in a diesel or something. Very truck like sounding At idle is very smooth and quiet. It's just noisy overall. When on the highway cruising at 2000rpm the wind noise is more and it seems quieter. It's doesn't have the nice new tight engine sound although it runs smoothly. I've read a lot about piston slap, but that seems to be a big problem with the older ones and also a cold engine problem. My noise is the same warm or cold. I looked up the code and my engine came from Romeo and the truck build date was Apr 2003.

 

It is hard for me to say now that I have modified my wife's, but it should sound nothing like a diesel. I remember it being very quiet until you really stepped on it. I don't think that it was any louder than my 5.0 in my Mustang, but it has been a long time since the Mustang was stock. It now has a supercharger, offroad exhaust, and many many other things. You should just go and drive another 02-05 with the 4.6 and see how it sounds.

 

Good luck to all with the 5 speed O/D transmission problems in 2004-05 Ford Explorers, if yours was corrected you are extremely fortunate and in the minority. FoMoCo's approach to this widespread problem is lies and B/S. They cannot cure my 2004 EB 4.0 SOHC 5 speed transmission after at least seven attempts and nearly thirty business days out of service in the servicing dealer's shop, including two visits by the area Field Service Engineer. I do not think they know how to fix it-or they are afraid that doing so would expose them to incredible expense and ridicule for their incompetence in engineering; support for the accuracy of my contention is that at least two of FoMoCo's latest recalls are caused by inept engineering design mistakes that any competent mechanic would not make if designing it in his back yard.
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