Car experts talk to me
 

My son was driving home from school in his 2003 Ford Explorer. About 60 miles from home, the truck lost transmission functionality. He was driving and then no power to the wheels. The engine was running fine but the truck would not move. I went to pick him up and have it towed. No forward gears and no reverse. There was no idiot lights on for the transmission or engine. I could not see any fluid leakage at all. The transmission was rebuilt 4 years ago. I am wondering if this could be anything other than a completely failed transmission. Let me know your thoughts. I will be pacing.

MCS

Re: Car experts talk to me
 

Lemme ask a friend that might know. Did you have it towed home or to a shop? Chances are they can run a code scan on it which might show something.

Re: Car experts talk to me
 

I had it towed to a shop. I ran my OBD reader and got no code.

Thanks,

MCS

Re: Car experts talk to me
 

Just heard from my friend. Said it's probably the trans. Didn't offer up much more than that. Sorry couldn't be of more help.

Re: Car experts talk to me
 

Are we talking automatic or manual?

Just as something else to check, can you rev up the engine? Possible that the accelerator cable snapped.

Re: Car experts talk to me
 

I have seen something similar to this. Friend of mine has a Ford Explorer and same thing happened. What happened was water got into the differential and rusted everything out.

Re: Car experts talk to me
 

If you're not getting any codes, maybe sheared bolts on the torque converter? That happened to one of our trucks at work.

Re: Car experts talk to me
 

Same thing happened to my 03 Ford Taurus when I had it. Was driving to work at night and totally lost power transfer to the wheels. Coasted into a parallel spot on the street and walked the rest of the way. Had it towed to the shop the next day. Tranny had to be rebuilt. There were no CE lights or anything.

Re: Car experts talk to me
 

If you're lucky, could be just a really worn out pilot bearing or a broken link on your shifter

Re: Car experts talk to me
 

(I'm assuming it's an automatic) Crank it, put it in gear. Rev up and watch drive shaft. If DS not turning, Tranny probably dead. Hard to imagine ALL the bolts connecting the torque converter to flywheel would break all at the same time, and that would involve much loud noise! There is possibility torque converter came apart inside, but that has more chance of locking every thing up instead of allowing a "free-spin".

If the tranny wasn't exhibiting ANY symptoms before (slipping, long shift times between gears, difficulty in engaging when cold, etc...), then possible it's a pump gone bad. But that can damage other components. So a Trans shop would rebuild the whole trans. And really, if you get a trans out and opened up, rebuild it all if it makes financial sense. Rebuild prices will vary based on length of warranty you want. I always go with standard one years warranty. If built wrong, it will fail again well within the one year time. If built right and maintained correctly, will last past three year warranty most shops will go to. Here, expect $2000 cost for one year warranty repair.

Re: Car experts talk to me
 

Thanks for the replies. I'm pretty sure the tranny just died again. We will have to make some decisions. Humbug.......


MCS

Re: Car experts talk to me
 

Check out your local junkyards, grabbing a tranny from them, replacing the fluid, and swapping it in should save you lots of coin.

Re: Car experts talk to me
 

Sounds like the main engagement clutch in the tranny is gone. Sorry.