2000 Taurus transmission issue

gregk24

gregk24

Joined
Apr 13, 2013
Messages
9,246
Location
FL, USA
Yes, this is the Taurus we just bought. Tonight when driving home on the interstate I looked down and saw a blinking light on the dash (gear symbol with exclamation point). I noticed at that point that the transmission would not go into overdrive. Other than that it drove fine all the way to our next stop.

Upon stopping and restarting the engine all is running as it should again. I know the next stop is to pull codes, but no one in our area let’s you borrow scan tools anymore so I may wait and see if it acts up again before taking it to a shop to have it scanned.

Also worth mentioning, I just changed the fluid and filter last week. I check the level when we got home and it was right at the top of the cross hatching on the dipstick.

Hard to say without codes I know, but any chance this was just a fluke? The light didn’t start blinking until freeway speeds (60+ mph) and it did happen after getting up to speed using the on ramp (no I was not flogging it, 3500 rpm max).

Not seeing a lot on the Taurus forums, those are mainly slipping complaints or all our failures.

Here are some acceleration clips AFTER restarting the engine. It’s acting normal here, both videos show torque converter lock up.

At the end of the videos you can see where I lift off the throttle and the tc unlocks then locks back as it should, I do this a few times so the rpm fluctuation is due to that. Also, please ignore the power steering whine lol.


 
I’ve seen a few Ford transmissions of that era show the flashing warning lamp and lock out of OD when they are over a certain temperature, I think either 210 or 230 degrees. Every time the light went away and it acted normal again after restarting. I can’t imagine how your transmission would have gotten that hot just driving around unloaded. There will be a stored code when you scan it, probably no longer active since the light is off.
 
getawheel said:
I’ve seen a few Ford transmissions of that era show the flashing warning lamp and lock out of OD when they are over a certain temperature, I think either 210 or 230 degrees. Every time the light went away and it acted normal again after restarting. I can’t imagine how your transmission would have gotten that hot just driving around unloaded. There will be a stored code when you scan it, probably no longer active since the light is off.
Click to expand...
Unless something is failing internally, I don’t see how it could have been overheated. One moderate pull onto the interstate isn’t too much to ask of it.

Last week when I dropped the transmission pan there were no metal fragments or red flags that would indicate some sort of failure. The magnet only had some fuzz on it, no metal flakes or shards.
 
That's basically how my torque converter went. Check the fluid level to make sure you don't have a leak. Scan tools are pretty cheap and you should get a copy of Forscan which can do all the Ford specific codes. The BAFX one should work and it's only about $21 on Amazon. I think the torque converter is only about $100-$150 on rockauto but dropping the transmission will probably be at least $700-$1000 unless you can DIY it.

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Basically when my torque converter went, got the flashing exclamation mark. It tries a few times to lock up and when it can't, it will set a CEL. You can clear the error code with a regular code reader but after trying to lock up a few times and failing, it will set the code again. That's if it's gone, you could just be low on fluid or it could be something else. Get the code reader.
 
Last edited:
Wolf359 said:
That's basically how my torque converter went. Check the fluid level to make sure you don't have a leak. Scan tools are pretty cheap and you should get a copy of Forscan which can do all the Ford specific codes. The BAFX one should work and it's only about $21 on Amazon. I think the torque converter is only about $100-$150 on rockauto but dropping the transmission will probably be at least $700-$1000 unless you can DIY it.

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Buy Bafx Products - For Android Only - Wireless Bluetooth Obd2 Scanner Diagnostic Code Reader & Scan Tool - Scan, Reset & Clear Car Check Engine Light: Code Readers & Scan Tools - Amazon.com ✓ FREE DELIVERY possible on eligible purchases
www.amazon.com

Basically when my torque converter went, got the flashing exclamation mark. It tries a few times to lock up and when it can't, it will set a CEL. You can clear the error code with a regular code reader but after trying to lock up a few times and failing, it will set the code again. That's if it's gone, you could just be low on fluid or it could be something else. Get the code reader.
Click to expand...
Would turning the car off then on allow it to lock back up?
 
gregk24 said:
Would turning the car off then on allow it to lock back up?
Click to expand...
If the torque converter is gone, then it won't matter. It might be a sign that yours is on the way out or that it's just low on fluid. Mine did that once and then started locking up again, but then after a while, it didn't lock up anymore no matter how many times you shut it off. I think it tries something like 3 times or so to lock up before setting the code. Didn't help to clear the code to get rid of it as it would never get to a readiness state for a state emissions check. I think when I read the error code, it pointed to a solenoid but everything I read seem to indicate that it won't matter if that was replaced or not.
 
Wolf359 said:
If the torque converter is gone, then it won't matter. It might be a sign that yours is on the way out or that it's just low on fluid. Mine did that once and then started locking up again, but then after a while, it didn't lock up anymore no matter how many times you shut it off. I think it tries something like 3 times or so to lock up before setting the code. Didn't help to clear the code to get rid of it as it would never get to a readiness state for a state emissions check. I think when I read the error code, it pointed to a solenoid but everything I read seem to indicate that it won't matter if that was replaced or not.
Click to expand...
Is this something that you can drive on in “d” mode vs overdrive without damage?
 
It could be anything from something as simple as a control cable or throttle cable adjustment to valve body problems or all-out transmission failure. Take it to any good transmission shop, and you will find out. If it is something major, the repair will cost much more than your car's worth.
 
gregk24 said:
Is this something that you can drive on in “d” mode vs overdrive without damage?
Click to expand...
There's no additional damage beyond the fact it won't go into overdrive. You get slightly worse gas mileage. You can still put it in overdrive if you're used to that. I think I drove it that way for almost a year before finally getting rid of the car.
 
Gokhan said:
It could be anything from something as simple as a control cable or throttle cable adjustment to valve body problems or all-out transmission failure. Take it to any good transmission shop, and you will find out. If it is something major, the repair will cost much more than your car's worth.
Click to expand...
We won’t put any real money into it.
 
gregk24 said:
(no I was not flogging it, 3500 rpm max).
Click to expand...
3500 rpm on a 20 year old 200,000 mile car IS flogging it. It's like asking a 90 year old to run the 100 yard dash. On cars like that, I drive like I have an egg between the accelerator and my foot. Car went into limp mode. Maybe from tramsmission overheating or too much variation from input and output speeds.
 
Had the trans. check light on my old 200k mile '00 Duratec Sable wagon. Scan showed TC solenoid bad so no TC lockup. Drove it for a while like that and sold it as is to a local. And yes it saw WFO operation.
Still saw it on the road a year later.
It always got a 50k servicing and that's why it lasted that long.
 
atikovi said:
3500 rpm on a 20 year old 200,000 mile car IS flogging it. It's like asking a 90 year old to run the 100 yard dash. On cars like that, I drive like I have an egg between the accelerator and my foot. Car went into limp mode. Maybe from tramsmission overheating or too much variation from input and output speeds.
Click to expand...
... you've never driven a Vulcan V6 Taurus have you?
3500 rpm is called "moderate on ramp acceleration"
 
repairman54 said:
Had the trans. check light on my old 200k mile '00 Duratec Sable wagon. Scan showed TC solenoid bad so no TC lockup. Drove it for a while like that and sold it as is to a local. And yes it saw WFO operation.
Still saw it on the road a year later.
It always got a 50k servicing and that's why it lasted that long.
Click to expand...
Good to know. I am hoping it was just a fluke as after a shut down and restart it has been performing as it was before the incident.
 
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