2001 F-250 Transmission problem

my F-250 4X4 with an auto transmission has been babied since it was bought new. The engine runs fine and it has been a good truck. I rarely tow anything with it. I recently was towing an empty flatbed trailer and found that when I pushed the overdrive button the transmission would not engage in 3rd gear to slow the vehicle down when going down hill. The overdrive light started flashing and I pulled over and turned the truck off. Upon starting it again, it ran fine and I took it immediately to a dealership. They installed a new water pump saying it may have been an overheating problem (the water pump was apparently leaking). I drove it back home pulling a 9000lb load about 150 miles and had the same problem with the overdrive. The truck ran fine otherwise, had good power and ran cool. I took into another dealership and they said the transmission needs to be replaced - stating that the clutch plates overheated and are ruined. The truck has 52000 miles on it. Is this normal that a truck with 52000 miles requires a new transmission? Has anyone experienced transmission problems with an F-250?

If it were me I would get another shop to look at it. Take it to a shop that specializes in transmissions they do the best work because they know all the weak points in your trans.

Not really an answer but you probably burned the discs by towing with overdrive...It's always been a rule of thumb to not tow with overdrive engaged.

Catback23 is right, you should not tow in overdrive. A lot of the internal trans parts (pumps ,valves, ETC) are plastic. It does not take much to burn them up.

I called a transmission shop for an appointment to have an analysis done by a technician that knew more about the transmission as the Ford dealership could give me no details other than they wanted to put in a new transmission for $3650. Ford would not assist in spite of the assurances that Ford would probably pay 80% of the repairs. When I went to pick up the truck, the dealership all of a sudden was very interested in hanging onto it to perform the repairs and they offered to cover all the costs except $495 and a warranty to 100,000 miles. They "discovered" I had purchased two vehicles from them and they serviced the truck since new and actually serviced the transmission at 44,000 miles. Upon receiving their offer, I let them fix it. I have since learned that other dealerships will do the same deal if you sweet talk them.

They stated that pulling trailers in overdrive was not problematic and the manual states the same. Apparently, there is no Ford publication that says that I should not pull a trailer in overdrive or use the transmission to slow the vehhicle and trailer when going downhill. Nonetheless, I now understand that downshifting is very hard on the transmission as the Ford transmission is much too weak and that I should not pull in overdrive. It would be a good idea if Ford would let its purchaser know that these ideas would lengthen the transmission life.

I don't know about 2001 f250's, but every Ford truck that I have ever owned with an OD equipped auto specifically says in the manual not to tow in OD, some have even said to switch to drive when going up steep hills or mountains, A couple even had it printed on the visor. I've had Rangers, Econolines, F150 and 250's from 87's to 02's.

I learned my lesson after having to have one rebuilt and seeing others have to do the same.