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You'd be surprised at how many people neglect basic maintenace such as oil changes. I don't plan to buy brand new again either but just make sure you have any used car inspected before you purchase, no matter how "new" it may be.

 

Those certified pre owned cars are often a good deal. You usually get a better warranty on them than on new cars and they have taken the big depreciation hit already.

 

Get a second opinion on that transmission Thelt. Is the explorer a 4*4. Those transmissions have an electronic shift sensor on the side of the transmission that can make all kind of shit happen when the go bad. If the transmission is shifting smoothly into every gear including overdrive I doubt you need a rebuild.

 

I have had two different mechanics tell me that. It is a 4x4 and it is still shifting well. Is there anyone to know if it is just that sensor? How expensive is the sensor?

 

The sensor costs about $65. It's kinda tight to change especially if the vehicle is not on a lift. I have seen the GEM module go bad in a few explorers but the truck will usually act up in 4*4 when this is bad. The shift sensor works with the computer to tell the tranny when to upshift and downshift. Usually when it goes bad the tranny will downshift from 4th the 3rd without warning. What are the symptoms on your transmission other that the warning light?

 

There are none. If the light had never came one I would think nothing was wrong. I have had the codes cleared out though and they keep coming back. The light seems to come on when I am driving up a steep hill like driving to Boone it came on twice.

 

Does the o/d light flash or the check engine light?

 

Yes the O/D indicator flashes, it beeps and then is says "check transmission". After a little while it changes to "service engine soon".

 

Not good man. You're running on borrowed time. Soon it will start shifting from 3rd to 4th very hard. This seems to be a problem with the 2002 models. I would go for a used tranny instead of a rebuild. Pm me. I can help save you a bunch on this if you want to keep it and drive it for a while.

 

I have been told that a used tranny is a bad idea because Ford has so much trouble with this transmission that a used one had a good chance of being bad as well.....