06 ford explorer Transmission high miles, slipping, bucking..

[SmokeyBear]

My 06 explorer transmission almost 100k is slipping and bucking when downshifting... SOMETIMES. Makes me wonder if I need to change the transmission fluid and check the screen/filter . Will this help? The old fluid is probably at 35000 miles. I want to get as many miles as I can.
What sort of change would you do? Flush and fill/ drain and fill 3 times... what's best.

 

[SmokeyBear]

Oh yeah I love the car, but don't want to pay for a new tranny.

 

[EA82]

Do a drain and fill once, see if it improves and go from there. Dont forget the Transmission fluid fill adapter.

 

[SmokeyBear]

Do a drain and fill once, see if it improves and go from there. Dont forget the Transmission fluid fill adapter.View attachment 58359

Okay, I'm probably going to take it to a shop. I am getting too crippled and old to do it myself. I used to though and loved it. Age and arthritis catches up when you're not looking. Thanks for the reply.

 

[wpod]

I also would bring it in to a good trans shop.

 

[samven]

Many times if it is slipping changing the fluid makes it worse. I doubt the fluid is bad with 35k on it but if it has been overheated for some reason it may help to do a pan drop. Have you noticed the fluid change color or smell.

 

[atikovi]

My 06 explorer transmission almost 100k is slipping and bucking when downshifting... SOMETIMES. Makes me wonder if I need to change the transmission fluid and check the screen/filter . Will this help? The old fluid is probably at 35000 miles. I want to get as many miles as I can.
What sort of change would you do? Flush and fill/ drain and fill 3 times... what's best.

100K isn't high miles by any means. And transmission problems are sometimes engine related. At 100k, have the plugs ever been changed as well as wires if it has them? That'll cause bucking.

 

[stanlee]

There's no way the transmission fluid is bad at 35k miles (trust me I've changed Mercon V countless times on my 300k plus on tranny #2 explorer. Band broke at 230k miles and the part that broke off the band was in the pan. Drove 20k miles like that, just no 2nd gear).
That being said the pan is going to have to be dropped to make any of the "easy" fixes which are primarily valve body solenoids going bad. They can be changed individually or the whole valve body can be replaced. Neither job is particularly difficult (you pull about 15 bolts to take the pan off and filter then you'll see more smaller bolts and a few connectors to take the valve body off. Solenoids are just press fit into the valvebody. I can remove one in 30 minutes with an electric ratchet and I have no particular skills/knowledge).
a) you'll need a transmission shop to diagnose IF that's your issue and which solenoids are bad (and finding an honest shop that won't try to pull a fast one and actually test and diagnose what's wrong will be the biggest challenge).
b) if the problem is not the valvebody/solenoid(s) ANY other problem will be internally which means removing and tearing down the tranny. On a vehicle that old a salvage tranny for $500-700 and about the same for labor will be your cheapest option. On Ford's solenoids going bad are common and cause all kinds of slippage and acting up when they do.

 

[daves87rs]

Willing t bet it is not a trans issue....

 

[MNgopher]

Which engine/transmission? There are different transmissions between the V6 and V8... (on the 06-10 Explorers)... Talk about Mercon V isn't going to do much if its the V8 with a 6r60 OR 6r80 in it...

 

[SmokeyBear]

Which engine/transmission? There are different transmissions between the V6 and V8... (on the 06-10 Explorers)... Talk about Mercon V isn't going to do much if its the V8 with a 6r60 OR 6r80 in it...

It's a V6.