'03 L with 600 miles on it. Started it up and it hesitated to turn over. Threw it in reverse and gave it a little gas. Nothing happening, like it was in neutral. Checked the parking brake, checked that it was in the R slot. Put it back in Park and threw it in Reverse again. Same deal. Threw it in Drive this time and it finally switched into gear and reverse worked fine.

Anyone have an idea what could be wrong? My local Ford dealer has a hard time figuring out how to take off the hitch so I am a bit leary taking it to them.

Also having a problem with hesitant starts. Seems only to happen when its been sitting for a while. It will crank but it takes a few seconds for it to turn over and then it idles very slow and almost seems like it is going to stop.

 

From my Haynes manual:

".....no drive in forward or reverse gears: There are many probable causes but the home mech should be concerned with only one possibility--fluid level." Before taking it in check the fluid level--if the problem persists, take it to the dealer.

Do you know the proper procedure to check the fluid level?

I took my hitch off my self--don't understand that 'problem'.

Hesitates to start: low battery charge--and a whole list of other possible reasons--fuel and ignition related.....

Dan

 

[QUOTE]Originally posted by LIGHTNINROD

I took my hitch off my self--don't understand that 'problem'.


I took mine off last weekend by myself, trying to hold up the side already loose with my feet, and remove the bolts on the other, damn thing fell and almost den*tted me.

 

I don' t know much about transmissons but I wonder if something may of airlocked being the truck is so new. Possible?. I don' t know.

Pat/bluelightning
.

 

Sounds like you have a sticky or bad reverse solenid valve. Best thing to do is page "factory Tech" on this one.

 

Reverse is not controlled by a solenoid, 2nd and reverse are fully mechanical so you can get it to the dealer if all the electronics die. If you have 3rd gear, it could be the seprator stiffener plate is loose, very easy to fix, just pull the pan, and behind the valve bodies you see a little plate the size of a cracker, it has "TOP" engraved on it and has 3 10mm bolts in it, check them to see if they're tight, torque to 90 in/lbs. If you also have a 3rd gear engage problem, it's the direct clutch leaking, could be an inttermetant problem, but more likely gonna be all bad or get worse once it starts to go. I do think it's possible that you had an air purge, but I don't know how likely it is, if it doesn't do it again, I wouldn't worry about it, if it does, try the stiffener plate first, if that doesn't work,see if you can get a new box under warranty.

Hope this helps,

G

 

Got to love FT...

Is there anything about this trans he doesn't know?

 

I know that I'm impressed!

 

I couldn't even begin to match FT's experience or knowledge on this trans, but I remember a while back about somebody having the wrong trans oil and dipstick in their stock '03. Not sure if this is at all related, but its worth checking:
http://198.65.157.241/forums/showthr...ghlight=Mercon

 

Damn , u must be takin about this chick I knew that slept with a very large amount of my friends!!!!!