Well I have had my 2005 SCREW FX4 about 6 weeks now, and have been fighting a trans problem since day 3.

The first time it happened I was driving up into the mountains after 1 hour of highway, and about 5 mins going up the mountains. Trans Fault went off on the dash, and the OD light was blinking. The truck shifted normal and had no other signs or issues. Pulled over turned off the engine, and turned it back on and the fault went away. Then came back in 5 mins. Parked and had lunch, about 3 hours later started it up and drove home never came back.

Truck was under a 30 day warranty so I brought it in. They had it 4 days and said they replaced the valve body.

Drove it for another 3 weeks without issue. Then parked it for 2 weeks while I was out of town.

Then this Monday on the way to work after about 45 mins of stop and go traffic same thing. Trans Fault, OD blinking, but shifting normal. I already had an appointment at ford for the airbag recall, so I went to that. They pulled the code and the report was "Converter or Valve Body".

So I had the recall done, and brought it to back for additional warranty repair. They had it one day but said when the airbag recall was done the battery was disconnected and the code was gone. So I had to take the car back till the light came back on.

Well today on the way into work in almost the exact same place I got the Trans Fault and blinking OD again. But this time I kept driving to try a few things. Truck still drove and shifted normal and using the OD button I would engage and disengage OD as normal.

Since my 30 day warranty has turned into a 6 month warranty because I brought it in the first time I want to keep it a little while and see if I can isolate it myself, since I dont have much faith in the dealer.

I have searched everywhere on the internet and read everything I could find on Trans Fault, and things related to the code.

Alot of people post with issues but never post with their resolution.

Anyone have experience with this? I would really appreciate any input.

The code is pointing to something mechanical but the fact everything continue to work normal, and I have 0 shifting issue or trans slipping, I am thinking it must be electrical.

 

i posted a while ago about mine, it was in the wiring harness search it on here, simple fix

 

Thanks.

Got the code it was P1744.

I had a couple other small issues I thought a reflash of the PCM might fix, so I had that done with the latest software. So far over 100 miles without an issue and the trans seems to have better shift logic. The problem was pretty intermittant so I am just waiting it out.

In the mean time I got a check engine light caused by P0430 which is a Cat code. Brought it to ford and the drivers side cat was bad. Being replaced on the 8yr 80k mile emmission warranty.

Bad things come in three's I hope the next one is small.

Thanks I will search for your thread.

 

mine has said trans fault once when i was going up a driveway. i got really worried but i cut the truck off then back on and it hasn't happened since. this was about 3 years ago.

 

I had actually read your thread earlier and it was something I looked at. I zip tied that wire forward slightly to see if it made a difference. I did get the light once after that, but who knows. So far I have not noticed much ryhme or reason for the light to come on.

I suppose it could be the TC going out and it is slipping enough to the comp to see it, but not enough for me to feel it.

 

Well it is back again. Happened this morning on the way to work. 200 miles after the reflash of the comp.

I dropped off the truck at ford for the emissions warranty work and started to talk to their trans guy.

He is going to do a service fluid change, check the valve body that was supposedly replaced, check continuity of the tcc solenoid, replace the internal wiring harness, and put in a trans fluid additive. He is also going to drive it and datalog to see if he can pinpoint the issue. If it is slipping he said he can find out how much, and if there is 0 slip it's likely electrical. Really hope it's simple. Other than this the truck has been great. I will post results tomorrow.

 

Oh and I wanted to add one more thing. The light came on again on the exact same stretch of road as the first 2 times. First time was tons of traffic about an hour to reach that spot. Second time no traffic about 25 mins to that spot. Third time "normal" traffic 35-40 mins.

Road conditions are slight incline for about 1/8 mile, nothing special.

Not sure if that info helps anyone with a theory on what's happening.

 

Not sure if I am the only one following this, but I got the diagnosis.

The trans tech stated he was 90% sure it was the TC. While dataloging he saw some slip. Not much but enough that the more drastic spikes are likely above the threshold and is why the light is fairly intermittant.

Solution is a new TC, and he recommended a refresh of the trans. Since it will be warranty work on the dime of the dealer I bought from, I doubt a "refresh" is in the cards, but a new convertor should certainly be.

I had already planned on having to overhaul the trans eventually so hopefully a new TC will buy me another 30k miles.

I am going to wait till I get the light again, should be no longer than a week or 2 and drop it off again at the original dealer for it to be fixed.

 

Good to hear... I've been lurking. I subbed right when you made the thread

 

Heres another update.

Finally got someone knowledgeable to tear it apart.

They replaced the front pump, TC, and valve body.

Should get it back on Friday. The original warranty covered this work, and since they changed so much stuff I have a 12 month, 12k mile warranty on these items.

But I really hope this should solve it, and I can move on and enjoy my truck.

 

Hope it solves it. You have been very patient with it.

 

x2... good luck man

 

I know. In hindsight I wish I had just given it back the first day it came on. I could have returned it for a full refund and found another truck. I just was sure at the time it was something small and an easy fix.

Lesson learned, next truck will be new or at least near new and under factory warranty. An ecoboost FX4 is calling in 2-3 years. Just loving no car payment at the moment.

Spark plugs, and new sway bar end links and I hope to have many miles of trouble free motoring.

On the drive into work today it was plainly obvious that it was holding Lockup in OD on hills it never used to. So fingers crossed it is fixed. I hope to see a MPG increase as well since it stays in locked OD more.

 

2005 . . I, too, was digging the no payments.

My truck is 5 years and 3 months old. It was financed for 5 years and, as if the demons knew it, the month it was paid off . . poof $2,534 to Gentillini Ford (note that I'd had a $1,500 brake job at 40,000 miles) . . then last a couple weeks ago . . $488 for an O2 sensor . . today I took the truck into one of the better Ford dealers.

Didn't take them 2 minutes . . low gear and OD are out. It will be ready for pickup on Monday . .total cost roughly $3,000.

Pretty distressing at 84,000 miles really. I bought the truck new, drove it home, changed to Mobil 1 and have chaged the oil every 5,000. Every year I have all the fluids drained (brake, power steeting, transmission and differential) and changed. I've kept it in what looks like showroom condition.

Frankly . . it's been a REAL disappointment from an engineering and qualify perspective.

I'll get rid of it next week but I've no clue as to what I'll get.

 

Edited.