Well heres the story, I have a 1995 Explorer 4x4, and starting last month i have been having an intermittent problem with bang shifting, the only time the bang shifting occurs is when the overdrive off light flashes, the only time the O/D Off light flashes is after driving the interstate or driving around town on hot days, after a few days or a few weeks the light turns off and its shift normal and no bang shifting, but i have a new problem now, the O/D Light off started flashing last night after driving the interstate and i noticed on my way home that it wont shift, it hit 4000rpm and i had to tap the break and accelerate again to make it shift, i went to AAMCO and they wont give me the codes the only thing they said is they want to do a soft parts rebuild, and something about hte gear ratio being off, i dont have the money to spend $1500 for a new trans or have one rebuilt, i would like to fix this myself.

 

You need to pull the codes yourself so you have a starting point.

Could be a number of things, problems when hot/humid in stop and go traffic is a sign the clutch fan's clutch may not be locking up like it should.

Need more information, could be showing signs of severe and or total failure or may need a shift solenoid replaced or maybe just a bad connection between the PCM and solenoid/solenoid pack in the trans.

You really need the codes.

Also post the tranny it has, A4LD id think?

 

I personally wouldn't get an aamco repair. I think you can get a ford refurbished transmission for that price.

 

When the OD light starts blinking, the trans goes into 'limp' mode which causes the hard shifting you are experiencing. This is tough on the trans so you should not drive in limp mode for an extended period of time. Disconnecting the battery for 5 minutes will reset the code. However, depending on how severe the problem is, the code may just kick right back in. I suggest you reset the code, drive it to see if it reappears. If so, get the codes pulled (or you could pull the codes before you reset it). Most autozones will pull codes for free. Call ahead to verify. Then post the codes to this forum.

 

Ok well, i disconnected the negative battery terminal for a few minutes, then connected it again, the overdrive off light that was flashing before is no longer on, i took it for a drive but i still seem to have a problem with shifting into second, it goes up to 4000rpm and never shifts, i have to let off the gas for it to shift. The bang shifting stopped when the Overdrive Off Light stopped flashing, it seems to shift fine into every gear with any banging or jerking of the car, but like i said wont shift into 2nd properly. When i went to AAMCO the first time the OD OFF light started flashing they said that the 3rd Gear Ratio was off and to fix it the trans would need to have a soft parts rebuild, I'm almost thinking since its such an intermittent problem it may be electrical, any thoughts on what to check and possibly replace?

 

Dude, didn't you listen, you need to pull the codes prior to clearing them. You need to find out what is wrong, otherwise you are driving a broken vehicle, and as you do so, it is becoming more broken an what might actually be a simple fix now could result in total tranny failure if neglected much longer.

 

There is no way for me to pull the codes, Autozone cant pull any codes unless its a check engine problem, the check engine light isn't and was never on, and they cant pull a check engine code on my car anyways because its a 95' and it has to be a 97' or newer, i took it to AAMCO when the OD OFF light started flashing the first time and they said that the 3rd Gear Ratio was incorrect and thats why the OD OFF light was flashing. Since then it goes on and off when ever it pleases. So I took the negative battery terminal off to see if the OD Off light would stop flashing and it did, but like i said before the problem i am having now is it will not go into 2nd gear it will go up to 4000rpm and i have to let off the gas for it to shift into second even when the OD Off light is not flashing or on.I dont know who to take it to or what to do to pull the codes consider i already took it to AAMCO twice and they tell me the same thing 3rd gear ratio incorrect and that i need a soft parts replacement. And I'm pretty much broke and cant afford to spend an extra $100-300 to get a code or have someone tell me what the problem could be, i just need and idea on what to check and what to replace so i dont go out and spend extra money just to get the codes and still have no real answers

 

I just don't know what to do, if the 3rd Gear Ratio is off why is it now having trouble shifting into 2nd. I had a friend that bought a car with a shift kit and he thought it was nt shifting right, took it to AAMCO and they said the same crap, took it to another place and they told him its because of the shift kit, the way the trans is shifting is normal, so i dont trust AAMCO and i dont know any place else to take it that wont charge me and arm an a leg for a diagnosis or for codes.

 

Don't go to AAMCO, simple as that, they just want your money. There is no way ford the 3rd gear ratio to be off. Gears and planetary gear sets just don't magically change sizes. Bring it to go a good tranny shop.

 

What the Aamco guy probably said is that there are gear ratio codes. I own a tranny shop & they are very common codes. He probably pulled a PO753 which is a 3rd gear ratio error. That basically means that the clutches are slipping & it will make the OD light flash.
Where do you live? My shop is on Long Island, if you're anywhere close I'll look at it for you. BUT it does sound like you need a rebuild & $1,500. for parts & labor is a fair price IF they are building it properly.

 

I live in Colorado, if i do need a rebuild then I'm screwed, i cant afford $1500, are there any sensors that could be replaces or solenoids or anything that could be causing the OD Off light to flash or it not wanting to shift into 2nd gear when accelerating without having to let off the gas? Valve Body maybe?

 

How many miles are on the truck?
When does the problem happen...hot, cold, all the time, etc.

 

If you can't afford it, driving it broken is not a solution, nor do you know that its that expensive. Find an independently owned shop where the owner is present in the shop. Make sure they actually work on transmissions as opposed to swapping in rebuilt transmissions.

Also, what is the maintenance history of the trans. Has it had the fluid and filter replaced every 30,000 miles? Has it ever been run low on fluid?

 

It has never been run low on fluid, i have had it since 2002 so i dont know what the history was before i bought it, but i have changed the fluid and filter about every year and a half, never had a problem until now, I havn't driven the car since it started not shifting into second like it should, and like i said before, i don't have the money to take it to a shop to have them look at it and get codes which it wont put out since i cleared the codes, i think I'll just go in and replace the solenoids, valve body, and sensors, i don't think its the gears inside the trans but an electrical issue since the OD Off light would come on every now and then and go away, and the times when it came on were always in different situations, i have a friend thats a mechanic and he thinks as well that its an electrical issue but he hasn't had time to take a look at it and figured i could get some answers here, but i guess not.

 

Go back and re-read this thread, knowledgable people have been trying to help you, and have given excellent advice, but its obvious YOU are not listening.



so go ahead and change out the sensors, valve body and solenoids