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2000 Ford Taurus SES 24V DOHC AX4N Transmission 149,000 miles
Hey guys, I'm Having a run of bad luck with this car this month.
A few minutes ago on my way home from work I was decelerating on an off-ramp from the interstate into a commuter lot area.
As I was slowing to about 40mph it felt and sounded like someone threw the gearshift lever into Park. It was a fast wash-boarding sound and car felt like it was at least halfway in Park as there was a lot of drag on the engine. I got the car into a safe place parked in a parking space on a service road to the commuter lot.
Doing a little experimenting, it doesn't like overdrive. feels like front wheels are locked up, although I can ease the car forward at a very low speed and it feels normal but then front wheels randomly lock up and car jerks to a stop. Drive works a bit better, I can go maybe twenty feet before front wheels want to lock up. Gear "1" works the best, cr will drive maybe 30 feet very slowly before wheels lock up. Though on some tries in any forward gear it locks up from the get-go. Literally feels like somebody is throwing it into Park. Reverse definitely seems like the most reliable gear right now.
I did visually inspect the linkage at the Transmission Range Sensor and that seems fine. Not loose or anything like that. No check engine light, but I do not have my code reader with me.
Bottom line, it feels like transmission has a mind of its own and jams itself into Park almost whenever it pleases.
Just kind of thinking through things while I am waiting for my wife to come pick me up, and I guess some things I can do is come back with my code reader and DVOM and check for codes, and check whether output voltages from TRS are withing spec or not as I did with the 2005 Taurus I was having TRS troubles with a couple weeks ago.
But if you guys have any ideas to add to the mix, by all means, say on!
Thanks!
Pop
Last edit: 1 year 10 months ago by popoften. Reason: Typos
Pop, I got nothin', man. :blink: It's been a few days, have you had a chance to do some testing?
On a WAG, I'd wonder if something came loose in the shifter cable, causing the shift lever at the transmission to grab Park unintentionally. Is this a column shift or a floor shift? I know the older Ford trucks use those T30 screws at the back of the steering column that like to come loose/fall out and results in goofy shifting. Not sure if the Tauri are the same...
Turns out I left a caliper bracket bolt loose when I was working on the brakes. Stuff got jammed up against the wheel. I admit it, this was DIY fail on my part. Car is fine now. Sure felt and sounded like trans had been thrown into Park. Thanks!
Turns out I left a caliper bracket bolt loose when I was working on the brakes. Stuff got jammed up against the wheel. I admit it, this was DIY fail on my part. Car is fine now. Sure felt and sounded like trans had been thrown into Park. Thanks!
Ah don't sweat it. EVERYONE has left bolts loose (or not quite tight enough) at some point.
EVERYONE has left bolts loose (or not quite tight enough) at some point.