I have a 2000 Ford F150 XLT, 5.4L v8 Automatic transmission, 76,000 miles.

History: Last Fall the Overdrive light started flashing (on the end of the gear shift that lets you manually disengage the overdrive). I looked it up in the manual and it basically said "get service NOW". I took it to my preferred transmission service station (Cottman Transmission in Columbus, OH who has done good work for me in the past). They tested it, etc. and said that they didn't think there was anything physically WRONG with the transmission, but rather the electronic control sensors were mis-reporting. They claimed to have seen this in the past and suggested replacing these first. Cost: ~$500 (which they offered to apply to a rebuild within 90 days if the problem persisted). All seemed well.

Today, about 10 months from the last repair, it started flashing again. I noticed that it was slipping between 2nd and 3rd on the way up and that was the EXACT point that the O/D light started flashing again.

If I "baby it" (accelerate SLOWLY) it doesnt slip. Only during normal acceleration (or I assume aggresive as well, have been afraid to try that) does it slip and trigger the indicator light.

I checked the transmission fluid level after driving for about 150 miles. It was right to the top of the "hot" mark.

So the questions:

1. Do you think the repair place fed me a load of **** and just took my $500 knowing it was a patch fix and I would be back?

2. Any thoughts on what I could do, short of a rebuild (I really don't have the $2000 right now ).

Thanks in advance for any help, and if I left out any pertinent info, just ask.

 

Yes, I do. It is extremely unlikely that ALL of the sensors would go bad and need to be replaced. When the OD light flashed a code was stored that tells what went wrong. There are troubleshooting charts that take that code and lead a tech to find out what's wrong. Replacing everything is the sign of someone that doesn't know what they are doing.

Find someone that will read the code and do the proper diagnosis. It may or may not lead to a rebuild.

 

I should say that the only reason I took it there was that I had used them previously for tranmission work on my old manual Cavalier and I was happy.

They had told me at the time that the COULD open up the transmission casing and look further, but that would be $300 minimum and that they saw/felt no evidence of slippage which is why they figured sensors. They also offered to credit the whole $500 for the senors towards a rebuild in 90 days if it presented problems again.

I know it may or may not lead to a rebuild, but all the dealers here want $100 + JUST to look at the codes. That seems high to me. One of the reasons I went to these folks in the first place, they do a free inspection including reading the codes.

Also, I SHOULD further state that when it first presented last fall, it was intermittent at best. Maybe they just couldnt get it to "act up" ?

 

One more thought:

In talking with some folks here at work who know a bit about car repair, they seem to think it is a good chance its just the filter.

Thoughts?