GearBox problem 01 taurus

01' Ford Taurus vulcan engine automatic

Some times when driving the engine will shift into nuetral when I am in drive. I can get it to switch by moving into nuetral or 2nd and switching back. Some times it will go back on its own. This seems to only happen in the lower gears like from 1-2. Also if I acell hard and shift quick I dont see any problems shifting but when just crusing it will act up. I hope its a gearbox problem and not the tranny. Any one know whats up and has any one know how to fix it?

Check your transmission fluid with the car running, in park, on a flat surface and after warmed up. A Ford tranny loves nothing better than to slip when it is low on fluid. If it is low and you let it go too long, then a rebuild is in your future. Knowing the level in a reply; low, normal or high, will help with further diagnosis.

I checked the level (Iam not that good at reading fluid levels) and its about a inch up from the cross scratches. O and my check engine light is on since yesterday so... thats not good is it? Also what price range would a re-build be? I hope its not as much as I think it would be.... O and I checked the level in park and a slight slant... going to move it later and try again.

Okay now that I have checked the transmission fluid level to find that it was at a okay level I went to a tranny place to find out whats up. After leaving my car with them for like 3 hours, I get there and he tells me that a part in my transmission is cracked or something and that I am losing pressure, and that is burning my clutch.

SO he tells me that for me to get it fix he would put it on a lift and remove it and take it apart and see whats going on. Then he would know what part is messed up and he can order a new one.

BUT while the first check, which was driving it and looking at the engine light code, to get it up on the lift and to take a llok at it would be around $280.00. Then he can find out which part is cracked and order a replacement, Is this a good price or am I getting screwed?

O and to further make things worse I live in Houston, TX which if you have been following the news is about to get hit with a Hurricane named RITA. So anyway whats going on here, what do I do?

I think this guy is jerking your chain, I'd try to get your car back before the hurricane hits

Okay if you have been following the news Houston barely got hit. The worst thing that happeed was a tree cracked at the roots and almost hit the building we were in. O and all the work and money we put in to get ready for it.

ANYWAYS, I took the car back to where I was holding up so I dident have to worry about it then. After talking to some friends they know a better machanic and he is going to look at it. BUT, just so I know was the $280 price to just check out the transmission to much or about right?

O and I forgot to say this in my last post, the level was fine but it smelled burnt. I would think this changes some things...