2003 5.4 Won't shift out of first
 

2003 F150, with 5.4 engine.

My wife went to lunch today, and when she got back in to get back to her office, it wouldn't shift into second.

I have had it serviced properly during it's 120k mile lifespan, and haven't had anything to indicate to me that it was getting "worn out".

Is this likely some sort of solenoid problem? I haven't worked on any electronic transmissions before, but from what I can read, if it were something more serious, we would have noticed something, and even now the transmission runs fine, albeit in first gear.

Mark

My wife also says that it doesn't have reverse either.

Sounds like perhaps a broken reverse sun gear shell. That ain't good by the way.

Darrin

So, I the shop I took it to, did the diagnostics they could do without pulling the transmission or opening it up, and told me what I basically already knew, it needed a rebuild.

They figure it will probably run between $2200 and $2700.

Is there any value to my taking the truck to an actual Ford dealer? I generally haven't been very pleased by Ford service, to be honest.

Mark

You were spot on. The reverse sun gear shell broke, sending metal throughout the transmission.

2 bands
1 solenoid
all accumulator pistons
reverse sun shell

$1091.77 parts
$962.83 labor
(including 3 yr, 36k mile warranty)

He said they were putting in updated parts. Said that it is common for the reverse sun gear shell to break.

Mark

I slept at a Holiday Inn Express that night. :smoke:

Darrin

What trans do you have?

I have absolutely no clue. I special ordered the truck with the towing package, because I knew I would be occasionally taking long trips with a car on a flatbed trailer behind me (of which I haven't done as often as I thought). I thought that the towing package came with a transmission cooler that year, but now I can't say for sure, I have the paperwork at home that I'd have to look at. I am almost thinking now that it may have been a power steering cooler (but why would you need that??).

The only thing that I believe I could have done wrong to the transmission is that I have had an Edge evolution programmer on the truck for a couple of years now. I put it on mainly because I have been fighting a pinging problem since 15k miles on the truck. I found that if I put it in the performance mode, and run the truck on 93 octane, I had no issues with pinging whatsoever. That mode, however firmed up the shifts. Reading on the forums here, it sounded like that shouldn't be an issue, but it always nagged me in the back of my mind, and really exploded with this issue. It certainly makes me afraid to ever use any setting other than stock!

Mark

03 F-150 with 5.4 is the 4R70W trans.
Quicker and firmer shifts are better for the trans.
Slow sloppy shifts cause heat!

Phil

Does this truck run a 4r100?

mscott, good luckon the repair


more than likely like phil said 4r70, he's never wrong by the way (that I know of) good luck on the sale

I had similar concern
 

I recently had to replace my transmission due to when the trans was put in reverse it wouldn't move. Forward gears there was no 1,2. Transmission tech at my shop said planetary broke and sent metal throughout transmission. I guess this is a fairly common concern with the 4r70w. I purchased a Ford reman transmission from my shop same price anyone can get, I think it was 1500.00 with a 3 year 100k mile warranty. Good luck, I was also running an edge chip which is on its way back from Gryphon for the upgrade. Also the trans had 138,500 miles on it. I feel it should have gone farther than that. I also serviced it every 25k. Oh well, good luck!!