Trans issue and CEL help please

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Trans issue and CEL help please

October 20, 2016, 04:45:09 pm

Going south on I 95 at 55-60 mph when the trans downshifts for no reason. That is I was not increasing speed or on a hill. I pulled over and checked the trans fluid. It was at a normal level, pink and smelled slightly sweet, not burnt. I
I decided to go to the next exit. The dash showed no warning lights and guages all normal at the time.
As I pulled back onto the interstate the van shifted normally through 1, and 2 but did not shift up out of 3. As I was only going 45 mph I manually shifted from D to 3 and there was no change in speed or RPM.
At the next exit as I pulled off the interstate I got a Check Engine Light (CEL). I do not have a reader. I am about to call coach net. Is there a link or fuse or something I should check? I believe the shifting is programmed and electronically controlled.
John

Re: Trans issue and CEL help please

Reply #1 – October 20, 2016, 04:54:04 pm

Trans flush performed at 31,256 miles. Current mileage 34,116.

Re: Trans issue and CEL help please

Reply #2 – October 20, 2016, 05:18:22 pm

this happened to me a few years ago in downtown atlanta while i was in the hov lane. it felt like it shifted into first. speed dropped from sixty to about twenty five and rpm shot way up by the time i could get over five lanes while in a panic it started working ok. didn't throw a code and it has never happened again. i have not had the transmission flushed but have had the fluid changed before this happened. a mechanic couldn't find anything wrong. joe

Re: Trans issue and CEL help please

Reply #3 – October 20, 2016, 05:25:42 pm

Called Coach-Net. Waiting for a tech to call. Sitting near Kings Bay, GA.

Re: Trans issue and CEL help please

Reply #4 – October 20, 2016, 05:27:39 pm

Joe, thanks. Please forgive the bad manners. I hope I'm as lucky.

Re: Trans issue and CEL help please

Reply #5 – October 20, 2016, 05:33:38 pm

John ... I'm working the Internet for anyone with a similar problem. So far, I haven't found anything. I'll keep searching. Btw, is your tow/haul off? And do you have an OD button on the end of the shift arm? I've never tried to drive the E450 with both the tow/haul engaged and the OD turned off. Please know that I'm grasping at straws.

I'll go back to the Internet search.

Quick Edit:

Found this Ford CS phone number for Ford E 450 ... 800-444-3311. My Ford manual has a CS phone number that I used last year, but I don't have that number so I hope this one will work if you need help from Ford.

Re: Trans issue and CEL help please

Reply #6 – October 20, 2016, 05:48:30 pm

Called Coach-Net. Waiting for a tech to call. Sitting near Kings Bay.
Traxless, thanks. It is a 07 so no OD button. The Tow Haul was off. When doing the driving check toggeling the Tow Haul on and off at the dash (button not brake) made no difference in gear.

Re: Trans issue and CEL help please

Reply #7 – October 20, 2016, 06:07:32 pm

John ... your truck may be in Limp Mode. Please note the following cut & paste.

"Limp home mode is when the PCM detects a severe transmission problem. The PCM limits the transmission operation to try and prevent damage. A lot of people say that limp home is only a certain gear, but that isn't correct. The PCM decides what the trans can still do with the failure that it has, and uses what is still useable.

An example of limp home would be if the PCM detected that the pressure control solenoid that operates the overdrive clutch didn't work. In that case 2nd and 5th gears wouldn't work, so the trans will shift 1-3-4, since that's all that it can do."

So sorry for your troubles. I wish I could be of more help.

Re: Trans issue and CEL help please

Reply #8 – October 20, 2016, 06:21:14 pm

John. If you are on I95 near Kingsland, GA, there is a highly rated Ford Superstore called Murray Ford of Kingsland. Some of the reviews came from all the usual places like FB. This Ford shop received very good reviews from consumers at New Cars, Used Cars, Car Reviews and Pricing | Edmunds.com. The dealership's phone number is 888-375-3630 and the address is 2030 Hwy 40E, Kingsland, GA. If you need for me to search for another transmission resource, please let me know.

Re: Trans issue and CEL help please

Reply #9 – October 20, 2016, 06:38:07 pm

Coach Net called the local Ford dealer, they did not say which one, but this is a small town. The dealership could not take an RV. Looks like a tow to Jacksonville tomorrow. Luckily I was across the street from a Good Sam campground. So I have air conditioning. Time for dinner and a book and maybe one Belgian Ale. It will be to dark to do anything on the car soon.
I will let the pros handle this tomorrow. Traxless confirmed my suspicion of the "limp home mode".

Re: Trans issue and CEL help please

Reply #10 – October 20, 2016, 06:48:16 pm

John ... maybe two (2) Belgian Ale. Crossing my fingers it's something like a bad sensor. Please take care and keep us in the loop as you move forward on this matter.

Re: Trans issue and CEL help please

Reply #11 – October 20, 2016, 06:53:51 pm

Best of luck, John and do keep us posted!

Re: Trans issue and CEL help please

Reply #12 – October 20, 2016, 10:37:41 pm

Good luck John, glad your able to Rick in for the night in a decent place. Hope things look better in the AM.

Re: Trans issue and CEL help please

Reply #13 – October 21, 2016, 10:32:12 am

Coach Net will cover the tow to a qualified repair shop in Jacksonville as there is not a place that can take a RV in Kingsland, GA. The timeline for a Ford Dealership was 3-4 weeks, so we are going to a transmission shop Coach Net knows about. I would have preferred a Ford dealership but not willing to wait that long. I did not write the name of the shop down. I will have to trust Coach Net's directory as I have little ability to research. I am about to empty the black and gray tanks and secure things as I would for a drive.

Re: Trans issue and CEL help please

Reply #14 – October 21, 2016, 10:35:58 am

Good luck! We used their reco once, turned out very well.

Re: Trans issue and CEL help please

Reply #15 – October 22, 2016, 12:09:10 am

Coach Net had the RV towed to a shop in Jacksonville Fl. After looking at it they found the fluid contaminated and it not using gears 2, 4, and 5. I have them the go ahead to do the work. The shop seems well respected and there was a nice mix of cars and trucks ranging from cheep to expensive. There was a ventage Willies Wagon and new vehicles. The floor and work benchs were spotless. This is a large shop and all the car bays were busy. They had several heavy lifts that would handle trucks much bigger than our Ford E450s.
They said that there should be no issue with parts.
If all works well I will post the name of the shop.

Re: Trans issue and CEL help please

Reply #16 – October 22, 2016, 11:09:07 am

John, any idea what the contaminate is or how it got that way?

Jim

Re: Trans issue and CEL help please

Reply #17 – October 22, 2016, 11:36:55 am

I have no idea what the contaminated the fluid. Or for that mater what it means. For example it could be the wrong fluid was used in the last trans service (unlikely); the fluid was burnt by high temps; or something broke into small bits. That is why they will take it apart, clean and replace what is needed.

Re: Trans issue and CEL help please

Reply #18 – October 24, 2016, 09:13:32 am

The torque converter scattered. A rebuilt trans is required. The warranty is only good locally. A big hit to the piggy bank but I should be on the road Wednesday or Thursday.

Re: Trans issue and CEL help please

Reply #19 – October 24, 2016, 09:53:15 am

John, sorry to hear about your expensive problem.

A major failure like that at such low miles seems strange. When you had the transmission serviced recently, was it at a Ford dealer? And do you know for a fact that the correct transmission fluid was used?

Good luck,
Steve K

Re: Trans issue and CEL help please

Reply #20 – October 24, 2016, 10:14:50 am

Quote from: John DaCrema - October 24, 2016, 09:13:32 am

The torque converter scattered. A rebuilt trans is required.

Dang as in big time DANG. I wish I had a spare transmission. Maybe in another year, it won't feel so bad? It usually takes me about a year to heal from those kinds of hits. Take care/

Re: Trans issue and CEL help please

Reply #21 – October 24, 2016, 10:15:40 am

The service was not at a Ford dealership. I do not know what fluid was used. The shop I used worked on trucks and RVs and has a good reputation so I will not mention them. That said I will not return there, I can't help but feel the work done there trashed the trans. There is no evidence that is the case, just a gut feeling.
John

Re: Trans issue and CEL help please

Reply #22 – October 24, 2016, 10:44:12 am

Something of this nature shocks many of us to the core. We wait anxiously to hear the good news and dread the bad.

The latter is the case and not much can be said at this point. One thing, though, you are safe and still with us. We are grateful for that.

Take care, John and we will see you on the road.

Kent

Re: Trans issue and CEL help please

Reply #23 – October 24, 2016, 11:02:17 am

It's too bad GM owned Allison and would't let others use them in certain situations.
Allison seems to be one of the few automatic transmissions that hold up well enough under adverse conditions such as
in our RV's.
On my 96, the E4OD transmission went out at 97,000 miles, something I learned was common to that model.
It overheats and eventually blows out the front pump seal. I used a Ford re manufactured that came with a 3 year 75,000 mile warranty good at any Ford dealer.

Re: Trans issue and CEL help please

Reply #24 – October 24, 2016, 12:28:58 pm

"I do not know what fluid was used. The shop I used worked on trucks and RVs and has a good reputation so I will not mention them. That said I will not return there, I can't help but feel the work done there trashed the trans. There is no evidence that is the case, just a gut feeling. "

John, if you saved the receipt, you might see what fluid they used. Even when I have service at a non Ford location, they will have a parts list of what they used.

If it were me, I would ask the shop doing your repair to save some of the fluid. There must be a place that can test the contaminated fluid to see if the wrong kind was used when you had the transmission flushed a few thousand miles ago.

Steve K

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