Today, I went to the bank to cash my first unemployment check (yeah, how's this for the worst time ever to have vehicle problems?), my truck started giving me fits. I'm no gearhead, much to my old man's dismay, and so I'm not sure where / how to proceed.

When accelerating, I shift just fine into 2nd & 3rd, but when I should shift into 4th, it doesn't. The engine will just rev up into the 3k and 4k range if I stomp on it (over 3k, but guessing from my memory - I wasn't going to try and push anything). After 5-15 seconds or so (roughly guessing again) or me gassing it and then laying off and then repeating, it will shift up into 4th just fine - no jerking or hard shifting or anything.

Everything shifts down just fine back to 1st at stops.

The problem seems to be more pronounced when I'm going slow and at or under 2k rpm.

I think I have the 4R70E 4-speed tranny that Ford introduced in 2004, but to be certain I checked my door sticker. There are two TR codes on it (if that's what I need to check) - the first on the left says MW, and the second on the right is A.

And in a self-damning moment of full disclosure, I've treated my truck very poorly since a car wreck this summer. I haven't gotten any fluids or anything changed, just because I haven't wanted to open the hood (slammed tight due to the minor front end damage and haven't had the $500 deductible to get it repaired).

I'm hoping this may be a problem that can be solved with changing / flushing the transmission fluid and not a couple hundred dollar repair or two thousand dollar rebuild - I'm on war footing right now trying to pay the bills after getting laid off (b/c they sent my job to Malaysia, mind you).



I could really use some help here from you all-knowing gearheads!

 

here is a link to look around on, your problem could be anything form low fluid to clutches going bad. Good luck http://www.tccoa.com/articles/tranny...on/index.shtml

 

It's most likely a 4R70W, which is code U.

In the meantime, to prevent further damage, lock out overdrive.