2002 Ford Windstar Automatic Transmission Dying?
Greetings--I have a 2002 Ford Wiindstar with nearly 200,000 miles. Although it has had its share of nuisance problems, the engine and transmission have always been very strong. About three weeks ago, however, I noticed two things: a hard "clank" and jerk when shifting into drive, and sometimes when accelerating in drive after a full stop. This was sometimes accompanied by a buzzing sound that seemed to come from toward the back of the car that I thought might be a separate exhaust problem--until now.
In the past several days, however, it has started to develop a noise that sounds like rough exhaust noise when shifting through first and second gears (it is an automatic). Then it smooths out once it's at cruising speed. However, today I tested it by putting it into neutral and revving the engine and: viola: no exhaust noise! So now I am concluding that it is the transmission that is making that rought, exhaust-like noise in the lower gears?
Hoping someone can offer an opinion on whether all of the noises/issues in question are transmission-related and, if so, what the nature of the transmission problem might be?