Ford Explorer Maintenance and Repair

klkrause · February 2001

I saw some '02 Explorers at the local Ford dealership today! They look pretty nice.

tallimeca1 · February 2001

$1500 for the 6 year/60k extended warrenty??? Jesus, I have a bag of rocks you may be interested in for only the low low price of $500....j/k.....wow though, i paid 900 and change for mine......

njdevilsrn · February 2001

Hello everyone. No major problems to report, just a concern about what I believe is poor gas mileage in my truck. I own a 2000 XLS 4WD with the OHV engine. Currently at about 7900 miles on the odometer. The truck runs good (I do miss the power but not the headaches of the SOHC in my previous trucks) but I've only been getting about 14.3 mpg in mixed driving. I noticed the poor mileage late last summer (got the truck in July), and reported it to the dealer. The reply from the service rep was that the truck was still breaking in yadayadayada. He recommended that I 1)let the truck warm up before driving (it was September and 80 degrees out) 2)try different types of gas. Well, winter is here and almost gone. I've been through 3 months of Amoco, 2 months of Exxon, and 3 months of Shell. No change in how the truck performs or mileage with and of the gas companies. The dealer told me they don't do diagnostics on engines under 10000 miles unless there is a major problem. Also I'm running on Michelin Cross Terrains which I thought would improve my mileage, but they have not. Any ideas?

sanandton · February 2001

Had the same problem in a 97 V-6 SOHC. Got only 14mpg at best. Ford and the service dept. could care less. We eventually dumpted the hunk of junk, but as I have been following the post here someone else mentioned a fix to their poor mpg problem. They had a bad thermostat (new explorer) and it wasnt' allowing the engine to reach the optimum operating temp.

mazman1 · February 2001

Do you have the V8 or the V6? The 14 mpg is right on for the V8.

If you have the v6, then Sanandton is right. Your thermostat may have failed.. and the new ones fail in the open position. If that is the case, the truck will take longer to come to operating temp.

To test this, have you taken any long trips, of say, 1 hour or more (60 miles)... if your gas mileage improves a lot.. that might be your culprit.

Another couple of cheap things you can do.. put some Gumout Xtra (or Chevron Techron) in your gas tank every other month.. to clean the fuel system...have you changed the gas filter?... also if you put a synthetic blend of oil in your truck, the mileage will improve and the synthetic oil will protect the engine a bit better... you are using 5W30, right? SYNTEC blend costs just a little more than regular oil and much less than full synthetic.

Lastly, I'd turn the radio up louder and try not to think about it. Most explorers get about 15-19 mpg anyway.

Good luck.

swn1 · February 2001

$800???????? Wow. I just had mine done on a '99 Explorer XLT and it was around $250 for everything listed in the book,tranny service,oil change,the works. Sounds like you're getting extra lube with that price.

njdevilsrn · February 2001

My truck has the 4.0 V6 with OHV engine. I called and spoke witht the dealer today, got them to agree to look at the truck next week. Is there any risk to putting a fuel system cleaner in a truck so new? I'm going to wait until next week anyhow, but I was just wondering.

masonmi · February 2001

There was a message about using Synthetic motor oil in the explorer's, is this good for both V6 and V8 engines? and what brands are the best to use?

mazman1 · February 2001

njdevilsrn,
You should use a fuel system cleaner at least once every six months, more often if you have problems... it also acts as a fuel system de-icer and drier (many gas stations have water mixed with the gas, so when it goes into your fuel tank, it floats on the top). I use Gumout Xtra about every oil change... Also, dont forget to change the Gas Filter every year.

masonmi,
I use Castrol Syntec blend 5w30 in my 2000. I would be careful not to put synthetic oil in a brand new engine as the dinosaur oil is best to prime it first.. and after say, 5,000 - 10,000 miles of regular dino 5W30 oil, then you can switch to a synthetic or a synthetic blend. I use a synthetic blend because it is a bit more protective than regular oil and not as expensive as pure synthetic. I also change my oil every 3,500 - 4,000 miles religiously. If you use dino oil, change it every 3,000 miles or 3 months, if you have synthetic you can go longer (maybe 5,000- 7,500).. but keep in mind that the oil filter probably can't go much longer than 7,500. Use a good oil filter.. not Fram... I've used PureOne and Bosch.

There is also a big discussion about Synthetic oil in the "maintenance" forum here... those guys like "Mobil 1" and "Purple" and "Amsoil". Check it out for more info, but take everything here with a grain of salt... some guys just want to promote their products here.

It should not matter whether you have a V8 or a V6.. oil characteristics affect both the same way. Better lubrication prevents premature wear... a lot of wear happens in the first 10 seconds that the engine is turned on, before the oil can circulate.... that's why Synthetics are touting their "bond to metal" properties to reduce wear before the oil can be pumped up into the cylinders.

jrdowney · March 2001

I'm looking for some much needed help. I purchased a 1994 Explorer in 97. It had about 37500 miles. Shortly thereafter the speedometer started behaving badly and would not indicate the proper speed. Ford replaced the speedo head unit. Well here's the problem. Even though Ford did it and recorded the change the vehicle is now classified as "true mileage unknown" which significantly affects the resale value. Has anyone heard about this before and do I have any recourse?

Thanks,

Jim d.

krg2 · March 2001

Mine is. Three years old & 50k miles.
7 recalls, rear wiper replaced twice, hood shocks failing, seat sagging (I weigh 165), paint cracking, transmission slow to shift, runs rough in cold (50 degree) weather.

Of the 6 people I know who have a 98 to 2000 explorer only one is happy. One of them is lucky enough to be able to return theirs under the lemon law. Others have had far worse problems than I have. Things like the front brake locking up at 65mph.

sanandton · March 2001

Also was a POJ. In addition to many of the problems you listed, I had an unpredicatable and dangerous stalling problem. It would leave me stranded in the path of oncoming traffic. I would have to quickly put it in neutral and restart it then shift to drive and floor it to get out of the way. Stay away from any explorer newer than a 96 model year.

dquig1 · March 2001

Due yourself a favor buy a toyota

emt480 · March 2001

hi all, Maybe someone can help me with my problem. Two years ago I bought a used '94 explorer 4wd and bought an extended warranty, the "powertrain plus" for $895. When I brought it in for the recall tire exchange (they gave me general tires) the mechanic said I needed new u-joints,bearings and ball joints.I asked if that was covered by warranty at the service desk and they said they didn't think so .I siad I would have to save up the money for the $800+ job and they said a wheel could come off. In january I came with a radiator leak and muffler noise. They told me I needed a new radiator and an entire AC system that would cost $409 for the radiator and $1200 for the AC system.I had them fix the muffler noise(it needed a sleeve) and they flushed the radiator and put in sealant,for a quick fix. I explained that I was worried about my dogs getting sick from the anti-freeze leak. Again I asked if anything was covered by warranty,again they said they didn't think so. I later checked the warranty and found that some of this was indeed covered by the warranty and the warranty expired the next day. I called the dealer the next day aand they called the warranty people who agreed to honor any work orders issued on that day.I brought the car in and a warranty guy looked at the problems the service people had listed and stated that nothing needed repair.Someone is not telling the truth and I'm out of luck.I called the owner of the dealership but no one has returned my call.Now the rear-end is making noise on take off.I work hard for a living and this car cost me nearly$16,000 and is going to cost alot more if I'm stuck with these repairs. Any advice out there?

enforcer · March 2001

You should contact a lawyer. It sounds like you have a good case against the dealer for fraud and misrepresentation. What state do you live in? In California you could also bring a case for unfair business practices. You may also have a case against the insurance company for breach of contract and bad faith. Litigation is unpleasant, but may be necessary to keep scum from cheating you.

P.S. to tallimeca - my extended warranty may not be cheap but it is bumper-to-bumper for six years and i can bring it to any auto repair shop. your simple powertrain warranty wouldn't have covered my repairs or those described above.

tallimeca1 · March 2001

my warrenty is bumper to bumper 6 years/60k aside from normal wear parts(brake pads, unless failure is caused by defect, engine oil and fluids, and tires-tires are covered under their own manufacturere's warrenty)....It is not just drive train. It has to be repaired in either a ford, or ford divisional (ie lincoln/mercury) shop. My repairs are done by the dealership anyway. Local garages have not done my vehicles any justice.......i would still be driving my 90'eddie bauer bronco hadn't they blown my engine repairing a coolant leak!!!!

bfluegie · March 2001

I have found this forum to be very informative. I recently had the throttle body recall fixed and the chain tensioners replaced, and I went into the repairs with a lot more information than I would have otherwise had. So far my '98 XLT is running much better. I also have the steering groan when turning left, especially at slow speeds. I have been told by the dealer that the Y-brace, U-bolt and PS hose need to be replaced for about $320. If that doesn't fix the problem the rack will have to be replaced--probably at least another $680. I do have an extended warranty that should cover the rack if that is necessary, but probably not the initial repairs. Does anyone know if Ford is covering any of the costs of the steering repairs since this is a known issue? No biggie if not, but if they will pay I will let them.

I bought my XLT a little over a year ago with 30K miles on it, and so far these plus a failing radio display (covered under warranty) are the only repairs other than normal maintenance. I now have almost 48K miles on it and I'm really pretty happy with the Explorer. I definitely enjoyed it during the December snows.

As far as extended warranties go, I purchased 48 months 48K miles (from the time and mileage of purchase) premium coverage when I bought the Explorer. I also paid a premium price of $1800. I was reviewing the contract to see if the steering problem would be covered when I noticed that repairs are covered up to $1500. I also have towing and rental coverage. I am concerned about the repair limit, and for the price I feel it should have been higher. I can cancel with a pro rata reimbursement, and I was considering doing that and getting one of Ford's plans. My dealer won't accept payment from any third party warranties, so it would make repairs easier. I would be very interested in hearing if Ford's plans have limits on repairs. Or if anyone is very happy with their third party plan I wouldn't mind more information.

Thanks in advance.

enforcer · March 2001

congrats tallimeca that is a good deal for the warranty! i'm sure i could have saved money if i had shopped around but i was able to throw it into the loan package and the coverage is comparable to yours. i am not sure if i would want to be wedded to ford dealers for repairs as there is reason to question their objectivity (as you can see from this forum) and i have a good independent mechanic.

to blfugie: it sounds like your warranty is overpriced, esp. with the cap. most of the ford plans i saw had coverage gaps and/or high deductibles but i don't think you can do much worse pricewise.

masonmi · March 2001

How many miles are on your 94 explorer when you purchased it and when all the problems started occuring? i have a friend that has a 94, and has had good luck so far, just had some minor fixes to do but nothing like multiple problems.

njdevilsrn · March 2001

Stopped at the dealer today to drop off the 2000 Explorer for eval of the poor mileage, loud wind noise from under the hood, and a creaking driver's seat - let you all know what happens.

While there, a 2002 Explorer was sitting in the bay - prepped for delivery in the morning. According to the service writer, they got a truckload, and that was the last one. Didn't get a good look at it because it was sitting in a line behind a Durango (Dodge and Ford share the same sales facility), but the Explorer looked almost as big as the Durango. We'll see how they do soon enough.

randyrandy · March 2001

I'm thinking about purchasing a used Explorer Sport 41,000 miles from a dealership. Any comments regarding reliability/repairs/dislikes, etc.

emt480 · March 2001

I bought my '94 EB Explorer in Wisconsin when it had 63,495 miles on it. The front end problem started at around 70,000 miles and the A/C,radiator problems at around 73,500 miles and it is now at 75,300. I also drive a F250 so I don't put many miles on either truck. My question to the service manager is; Why didn't he advise me at the time that the repairs were covered by warranty,when the warranty in fact comes up the computer screen when he views the trucks history? I have yet to get a call back from the dealer.

masonmi · March 2001

It doesn't sound like that dealers service department was fair, you'd think they would have fixed all of your problems before the warranty would have expired, I would seek out another Ford dealership for future work if i were you, seems that particular one was just out to make some bucks.

tallimeca1 · March 2001

yeah, when i was signing the financing, they brought up the warrenty coverages, which i was prepared for. For $16 bucks a month additional to my payments, it's worth it. I talked to a few people about them before I bought my vehicle, they said if you plan on keeping the vehicle for a while, the 6 year/60 was the way to go. Most of the stuff that fails after that won't be covered anyway because it would be considered wear and tear. Fortunately for me , my father has been dealing the the service department at the dealership for years and years, like my buisness, they are a family buisness and ususually you can find a way to be satisfied. Most of the repair shops other than dealerships in my area are refered to as "Slick and Son" operations, and they take you for their own ride!!!

Rietschel · March 2001

My check engine light went on in my Explorer and I took it to a Mechanic, and he said that it was a P1000 or T1000 Error, I don't remember the exact letter to the error. I asked him what it was and he said that it is nothing and that he could not fix it. I was told that I would have to take it to the dealer and have them re-program my chip. Has anyone else had this problem before with the check engine light not going off? It is a pain in the butt, and I know the dealer will charge me an arm and a leg to fix.

sportin · March 2001

Hello all, I Just bought a 99 explorer sport 4x4 and I'm wondering if I should buy the extended warranty. I have six months/ 6000 miles left on the original warranty it came with. It has 30000 miles on it now and I can extend it from ford for $1,540 up to 75,000/6years. Right now I don't think I am going to purchase it. Isn't after the 75,000 miles when stuff starts to go wrong? will I be wasting my money? It's a lot of money and I'm hoping I just bought a nice truck with out problems.

sadatx · March 2001

I bought a used 98 4x4 EB and I paid about $1100 for 100K/6Yrs. I got the premium care warranty. I'm not sure what kind of warranty you might me purchasing but if would like to keep the truck for a while, defenitely buy the extended warranty. Better to be safe than sorry. Explorers need a lot of tlc. There have been issues with explorers. I'm sure you can see that with the previous 2 million posts.

Good luck!!

mazman1 · March 2001

I bought the ESP warranty and I definitely think it was worth it, although I did not enjoy dropping the extra $1300 (!!!) for it. There is a lot of things that are reported on this site about owners that have issues with Tranny's and engine malfunctions that are covered under the warranty.... keep in mind that one tranny repair will cover the cost of the warranty.

Good luck.

njdevilsrn · March 2001

Well, my truck was at my dealer for 48 hours this week to have them tell me that I only get 14mpg in my 2000 XLS with the 4.o OHV (6 cylinder) because I have a bug shield on the hood and vent visors on the window. Their diagnostics reveal the truck is running "on specs". I told them I found that to be odd as my two previous Explorers had the same accessories, but the 4.o SOHC engine, and I made about 17mpg. Oh well...

The service writer also told me that they do not recommend putting a fuel system cleaner in a vehicle prior to 30,000 miles - no reason why.

I guess I might have to try another brand/grade of fuel. So far I've used 87 octane of Shell, Amoco, and Exxon. The only other big chains around here are Mobil (aka Exxon?) and Sunoco. Perhaps I will kick it up to the 89, but I remember hearing that the Explorer is designed to run on 87. Any opinions?

ryster · March 2001

14mpg does not seem that unusual for a 4.0 OHV Explorer. I too have a '00 XLS with this engine. My parents have a '00 Mountaineer with the 4.0 SOHC engine.

I average anywhere from 14mpg to 20mpg on a weekly basis in mixed driving. I see 14-16 much more often than I see 17-20mpg. The main issue I have is that the fuel gauge isn't the most accurate thing in the world. When it reads Empty, there is still 4 or 5 gallons in the tank. I have had other vehicles like this, so it is more of just a very small nuisance than anything else.

My parents average 15-17mpg with their 4.0 SOHC Mountaineer, so the mileage is very similar to the 4.0 OHV engine.

Extended warranties - I learned a long time ago that extended warranties are a waste on new vehicles. The manufacturers will refund the unused portion of the warranty should you sell or trade the car, but the refund is minimal. Generally the extended warranty runs concurrently with the standard bumper to bumper. When you trade the vehicle and request a refund, you are given a minimal refund. They take into consideration both time and mileage when they calculate a refund. If you keep the car 3-yrs and then request a refund they will automatically consider the extended warranty "used" for 3-yrs. Similarly, if you buy a 6/60 warranty, and put 50,000miles on the car in 3-yrs, you will end up with a refund for the remaining 10K miles you did not use the warranty. A great deal for the manufacturers as they charge approximately $1,000 for a warranty you will likely never use on the new car. If they need to issue a refund, you end up with $150 and a "thank you".

They make much more sense on used vehicles for which you are concerned about how the vehicle was maintained.

jhamner · March 2001

I just traded my '94 XLT for a '98 XLT with 4 wheel drive. I had them put my tires on it because they had some really chewed up Freestones (225R75/15) on the the '98. I put 235R75/15 Wranglers on but the dealer told me that was not the stock tire. This is the only size I've seen on Explorers. Any truth in this? Also I've never owned a 4X4 before. Is there any special care needed?

ryster · March 2001

It is true that 235/75 15 is not the stock size in the sense that it is an upgraded tire size from the factory. The standard OE tire size for those who do not opt for the 235/15 is, I believe, a 215/15 or 225/15 size. I can't recall the aspect ratio...However, most Explorers ship from the factory with the 235/15 tires, that is why they are so common...

ace10 · March 2001

on an exploder is an absolute necessity is you get one of the numerous explorer DOGS that f.o.r.d. puts out. if you feel lucky then do ahead and don't take it. does it make you wonder why someone wanted to ditch a '99? it most likely wasn't because it was off lease like with a '98. one tranny rebuild is at least $2,500. i know, ours went at 26K miles. along with a few other, MAJOR warranty claims, past the initial 6 month warranty.

by the way, $1,540 sounds quite high.

as to mileage... our '97 p.o.s. exploder 4.0 ohv with firestone at's was getting 13 to 14 in mixed driving. switched to michelins m/s and the mileage is now right around 15 in mixed driving.

as to engine malfunction codes... if you are positive that the code is not serious, you can generally clear it by disconnecting the battery for a couple of moments. you will lose the radio presets, but the dash light should stop blinking.

ace

fordonly · March 2001

My husband just bought a new 2001 Sport Trac and his check engine light is on. When he gets back from an extended trip he will have it fixed. My 1994 Limited had a check engine light problem while towing a trailer from the Midwest to the Southwest. After we unhooked the trailer the check engine light went out and I have not seen the light anymore. I now see the ABS(?) light ever so often. I ignore it as it is on only occasionally. It seems to be a computer glitch. There are many different computers on a Ford and it is not uncommon to see a glitch. I bought the extended warranty when I bought the car new and I really am sorry that I threw the money away. I was only able to use it twice and they were minor problems. They only would have cost me a few dollars. I am now advertising this car for sale as I have bought a new 2002 Limited which is suppose to be in soon. I would only own Fords after talking to non Ford repairman. They tell me that every SUV has some problems and that the Ford has the least. It seems that the Ford problem is the Brakes having to be replaced. Also when you take your Ford in for the major checkups and they give you a set price for everything, tell them you also want them to figure it by the hourly rate. My husband insisted I do this and it saved me several hundred dollars using the hourly rate.

tallimeca1 · March 2001

after a good foot and a half of snow from two consecutive storms up here in the north east, i've been using 4 wheel drive alot naturally. I have a 2000 sport with the electronic transfer case. I noticed yesterday that naturally when you put it knob to 4x4 high, the 4x4 high lights up on the instrument panel, when you move it to 4x4 low, the 4x4 high light stays on. If you move it from auto straight to 4x4 low, the light doesn't come on at all. Any ideas???

zman3 · March 2001

Are you putting the vehicle in neutral when you try to put it in 4 Lo? I don't believe that it will go into 4 Lo with the vehicle in driving gear. I wouldn't bet my life on this, but I think this is how my '95 behaves.

mazman1 · March 2001

Tallimeca1,

You are probably not engaging the Low range gear if you turn the knob while in Drive. I dont know why the light does not come on for 4x4 high, but it works fine on my truck.

Ace10,

I agree with you 1000%. The warranty is a bet, and if you have a big repair, you win. If you dont have a big repair, they win the bet. But, (and this is mentioned in bluewovalnews.com) FORD has been putting quality control is job 100 for the past 3 years... I hope I don't have the aggravation that some of the posters here have had with their vehicles. but I can tell from the sounds that my tranny and rear axles make that they are going to give me problems soon.. and by the way, the dealer repair shop says that there is nothing wrong...

Ryster,

Tires on all explorers built since 1996 have either 235/70R15 or 255/75R16 on them. The bigger ones go on the Eddie Bauer and Sport with premium Sport group.

Tires on 1st Generation Explorers were 215/70R15 or 23570R15 (built between 1990-1995)

NJDEVISLRN,

Its ok to use gumout in your gastank, just dont go crazy with the stuff. It also should ride best on 87 octane.. you will get poorer gas milage with higher octane (the reason is a long story)... also maybe try a different gas station.

stewert · March 2001

ZMAN 3,
IN ORDER TO PUT YOUR TRUCK IN 4 LO YOU MUST FIRST STOP THE TRUCK AND PUT IT IN NEUTRAL AND KEEP YOUR FOOT ON THE BRAKE IT SHOULD THEN GO INTO 4 LO. YOU THEN CAN PUT IT IN GEAR AND GO.YOU ALSO HAVE TO STOP THE TRUCK AND PUT IT IN NEUTRAL TO TAKE IT OUT OF 4LO. THIS IS A SAFETY FEATURE BECAUSE YOU ARE NOT SUPPOSE TO GO OVER 10MPH IN 4 LO.IF YOU JUST SWITCH IT IN 4LO IT WILL NOT ENGAGE.

94explorer · March 2001

I recently bought a 94 Explorer Eddie Bauer with 92000 miles on it. After having a lot of maintenance work done and performing some myself (tune-up, filters, brakes, fuel inj, intake, throttle body, radiator flush and fill, tranny service, power window switch, plug wires, oil) I still am unable to find the source of an annoying problem.

After I bought it I began to notice a vibration in the steering wheel and can actually feel the front end shake at certain speeds..mostly highway. I had the old tires balanced..helped a little. At the recommendation of Sears I replaced all four with 235/75R15 Pirelli Scorpions. They balanced and added weights on the outside as well as inside of the aftermarket rims. It pretty much went away but is still present. Now they say "Maybe a bent axle"?

What should I do to make this vibration go away?

marlin77 · March 2001

if you plan on keeping your truck, by all means get the warranty. my 96 with 73k has been repaired to well over the 900 i paid for it. and by many of the messages here, the 96 was one of the better years. and, the price of warranties ARE NOT CUT IN STONE. you can negotiate with any dealer for the best price. I purchased mine from a linc/merc dealer who beat my dealers price by 200 bucks.

TIRES: went from my original 235-75x15 to a wider 255-70x15, much better handling. this size is acceptable for the explorer.

sjk1 · March 2001

The O/D off light on my 95 Explorer with 65000 miles started flashing continuously today. The local Ford service cant get to it for 10 days. Anyone know what this typically is - should I park it for 10 days?

ryanestrella · March 2001

sjk1

I too have a 95 Explorer with about 65000 miles and my overdrive light is flashing as well. I'm taking it in this week so I don't know what the problem is. It's been on for a while but I've been driving it anyway. I don't know whether something is really wrong with the car or it's just a computer glitch. The check engine light comes on once in a while too. As of right now I'm ignoring it but I might have to pay the price later.

99fordeb · March 2001

I purchased a 99 Ford Explorer AWD Eddie Bauer last week and within 7 days the O/D light started flashing. It seems that I cannot switch the overdrive off light to normal overdrive. It says in the owners manual that it should switch back to normal overdrive when the car is restarted. Not the case here. I am curious to know the cause and hopefully a remedy before I get reemed at the dealership. Advice wanted.

mazman1 · March 2001

Why would you get reemed, its under warranty, isnt it? Take it back where you bought it and have them check it out.

99fordeb · March 2001

No warranty, it has 65,000 miles on it. Dealer had 1,000 mile/30 day warranty which has already passed as I have already driven it over 1,500 miles. Did notice some fluid on my garage floor. Didn't know if the leaking of this fluid would cause the light to blink.

swn1 · March 2001

What you have there is what is called an, "it does it." I have a '91 EB Explorer and no matter what I do to fix the problem at exactly 67 mph I will get a noticeable but not severe vibration. I've been told it has something to do with the motor mounts but even replacing them it will probably still do it. After 244,000 miles and climbing with no major problems, engine, tranny, etc., I'll live with it. I do notice it gets worse as the shocks start to go so you may want to replace them.

ace10 · March 2001

most likely scenario is that the torque converter, among other things is finished. that's why the dealer can't get to it for ten days. it's a two day job to replace the tranny. when our o/d light was blinking the svc mgr reserved a loaner car and a ordered new(rebuilt) tranmsission, without even looking at the car. there were other syymptoms, though. the tranny took about five biz days to come in. this was on our babied '97 with 26K/40 months. thank you extended warranty.

if you are sensing any vibration from the car that is newly present, or the transmission is shifting oddly or roughly, or it is dropping out of gear, then the tranny is definitely gonzo.

it shouldn't hurt anything to continue driving it, but i wouldn't be anywhere that i couldn't call a tow truck. stay local. is the transmission current on servicing???? does it have fluid? maybe the light is telling you to do some regular maintenance??? maybe?

ace

sjk1 · March 2001

Thanks for the reply. It is shifting roughly with a very noticable downshift when approaching stoplights. I just had the 60000 servicing so regular maintenance should be fine. Looks like I'll be spending my tax return money on a transmission. Bummer.

ace10 · March 2001

when decellerating is a dead give-away. has it dropped out of gear at all? be midful of that. it can and does happen, sometimes at really bad times. i have to turn left across a busy 4 lane road to get to my street. it dropped out twice in that situation. oh what a rush! just put in neutral and and try drive again....

the going rate for a complete tranny job (rebuilt tranny housing and mostly new guts) should be in the $2,500 to $3,000 range form a f.o.r.d. dealer.

good luck,

ace

sjk1 · March 2001

Thanks for the reply. It is shifting roughly with a very noticable downshift when approaching stoplights. I just had the 60000 servicing so regular maintenance should be fine. Looks like I'll be spending my tax return money on a transmission. Bummer.

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