Transmission staying in low gear sometimes

[sb2463]

Hello All,

I Need to get some input. My 03 last week on a very hot day 109 degrees here in the desert, was stuck in 1st gear after it had idled for a while. I had stuff and the dog, in the car and let it run for a while. I have done it prior with no issue. 49000 miles. This event also happend in July once as well. Again very hot day. After setting for a few minutes the MM returns to normal. In both cases it was at idle. Does not happen at any other time.

Is a transmission sensor reacting to the heat? Any ideas to check for? I think it is shifting controlled electronically?

Thanks
Steve

[fastblackmerc]

Hello All,

I Need to get some input. My 03 last week on a very hot day 109 degrees here in the desert, was stuck in 1st gear after it had idled for a while. I had stuff and the dog, in the car and let it run for a while. I have done it prior with no issue. 49000 miles. This event also happend in July once as well. Again very hot day. After setting for a few minutes the MM returns to normal. In both cases it was at idle. Does not happen at any other time.

Is a transmission sensor reacting to the heat? Any ideas to check for? I think it is shifting controlled electronically?

Thanks
Steve
Check the fluid level using the procedure in the owners manual. Also check the color and smell of the fluid. If it smells burnt and/or is not red you may be looking at major repairs.

[Marauderjack]

Have you ever serviced the trans??:confused:

Might be something as simple as the OEM filter semi blinded with clutch dust??:eek:

A trans flush could fix it right up if you haven't ever dropped the pan!!:beer:

Marauderjack:burnout:

[RF Overlord]

^^^what they said^^^

If you've been 49,000 in 109° weather with lots of idling, you're WAY overdue for a transmission fluid change.

[sb2463]

Was at dealer late today. The tranny was flushed at 35,000. Fluid is ok and full. They think there might be a falesafe on the computer to shut it down. They never had a MM here with this issue, prior. There are only a few MM;s in the area. They are researching this with Ford.

Thanks to you all. I will report the outcome. They tried a bunch of stuff to get it to do it again. Not as hot now here either.

Steve

[RF Overlord]

They think there might be a falesafe on the computer to shut it down. Uh...Darrin would be the expert here, but I've never heard of a "failsafe" on the 4R70W...I think your dealer is clueless.

[juno]

Yes, PM Darrin. He is usually very helpful.

[sb2463]

Thanks everyone. I rechecked all my records and since I have moved a couple of time in the last 6 years, it took a while. Anyway I could not verify the changing of the trans fluid. So yesterday I had it done.

I will try it later, as the month proceeds. According to the book I should have done it at 30K. O well. Nice to have it warn me if that was the problem. I will advise.

Thanks to you all for the input. It is nice to have a group to contact. There is a lot of BS out on the street.

Thanks again
Steve

[B.C. Bake]

Thanks everyone. I rechecked all my records and since I have moved a couple of time in the last 6 years, it took a while. Anyway I could not verify the changing of the trans fluid. So yesterday I had it done.

I will try it later, as the month proceeds. According to the book I should have done it at 30K. O well. Nice to have it warn me if that was the problem. I will advise.

Thanks to you all for the input. It is nice to have a group to contact. There is a lot of BS out on the street.

Thanks again
Steve

Hey Steve, I live in the Henderson area as well. I've done all my own work on my Marauder " although never had that problem yet". Feel free to pm me for some chat? :beer:

[sb2463]

call me please

[babbage]

It's bad to let the car idle (heat soak) especially when it's 109F. I understand you probably had the AC on for the dog too - can't let him overheat.

I'd invest in an extra capacity pan (+3quarts) the extra will help keep the trans temps down. I'm quite sure your transfluid is overheating and wierd things happen then.

I bought mine here: http://www.yourcovers.com/transpan_9685.php
You want the 4r70w pan - good investment for hot temps. Drain plug makes it easier to fluid change. You are definitely in a severe service schedules area with 109F temps. Change the fluid every year!

[Green96]

Probably the fluid/temp like everyone else said. I have heard of occasional problems with the MPLS (manual lever position sensor - tells the computer what position your shifter is in). It is not a Marauder specific problem, more of an occasional problem with any car using our transmissions. It is relatively inexpensive to change yourself if you just want to rule it out. I think it is on the drivers side bolted to the trans case.

[sb2463]

Need some more input from you all,

Even after all the checking, this last week. At this point it is still getting stuck in low gear sometimes. I found that is I turn off the key and then turn it back on it will usually clear the problem. I made an appointment and am taking it in to Ford on Monday.

They are going to check out the problem. I think I can re-create it for them. Will they damage my settings by running tests on the car? I have a Diablo chip on the car that has been there since it was new. The dealer installed it when I bought the car. All the trans andengine temps are normal even at the extreem temps.

Anyone got any thoughts on what might be going on? I wanted to explain it better to the trans guy at the dealer

Thanks
Steve

[Marauderjack]

Remove the chip and reset the "Adaptive Learning" by disconnecting the negative battery terminal for a few minutes and see what happens!!:cool:

If it works just stick you chip back in and boogie!!:burnout:

[Darrin]

The computer saw an overtemp from the temp sensor and put the transmission into limp home mode which is actually 2nd gear with no converter lockup. A LOT of people think it's first gear, but that's only because it doesn't shift and they don't know that it's actually starting out in 2nd.

They weren't lying to you. Ford does this on purpose with their programming.

I woudl suggest a fluid change and a quality aftermarket transmission cooler. For this purpose a deep pan isn't a good idea because you are adding extra fluid that way and while it heats up quickly when the vehicle is in extreme conditions, it won't cool down nearly as quickly because it has more hot fluid to deal with.

There is a place for the aftermarket pans for sure, but in my opinion this is exactly the opposite of one. This situation screams for a good aftermarket cooler.

Darrin

[sb2463]

I got the car back today. They rebuilt the whole tranny. You are correct on the comments you made about the shutdow process. They found 1-2 valve was sticking? and the intermeadiate clutches and band was burnt. They rebuilt the whole thing an added a quality external filter. They also went though the cooler. Seems fine now. The warning lite flashing when I went in this time was helpfull to the process. The O/d lite flashes when there is a code problem. Thank goodnes I had the ESP extension. I could afford the 50.00 deductable

Thank you for the input you gave me.
Steve

[RF Overlord]

I've never heard of a "failsafe" on the 4R70W.


The computer saw an overtemp from the temp sensor and put the transmission into limp home mode which is actually 2nd gear with no converter lockup. A LOT of people think it's first gear, but that's only because it doesn't shift and they don't know that it's actually starting out in 2nd.

They weren't lying to you. Ford does this on purpose with their programming.
Alright, NOW I've heard of a failsafe mode on the 4R70W. :D

Thanks for the education, Darrin. :up:

[sb2463]

Hello Darren,

Rookie here, I got the car back. What is the best way to re-enter my Diablo revolution chip, programmed at Diablo many moons ago, to the car? Somone said besides the key away from everything, to remove the positive battery terminal for a few minutes to re start the memory. Replace the batt terminal. This chip has no switch on it.
Then install the chip. Will it, learn and work to just put the chip back only, with the ignition off and no key in the area? (Not messing with the battery) I have put about a 100 miles on since the rebuild.

I have had the car since new it was the 1st time I removed it.

Thanks
Steve

[Darrin]

If you want to clear the memory in the computer you can do that by disconnecting the battery like you said. You can also just re-install the chip and the computer will still use adaptive learning to adjust as long as it wasn't turned off in the program. If they did turn off adaptive then it won't use it no matter what.

Being that the car runs fine without the chip I assume that you don't have any major mods that would really interfere with anything. So, just putting the chip back should be fine.

Darrin

[sb2463]

Darrin,

I removed the chip prior to taking the car in for the repair. I will just re-insert the chip. Based on your info t should be ok. It was so long ago when the TX dealer installed it. I had never removed it before. I can't find the tuner sheet, that Diablo sent with the Chip. I know it is a lot more aggressive than the original factory tune.

I do remenber when new, prior to the chip, it stumbled when accelerating at lower speeds. I am not sure if they updated the computer at this visit? Now, since its return, without the chip it seems better than it was in the original settings. Maybe they did flash the computer, for a update? I have never had any work done except oil changes and the like.


Thanks again
Steve