Transaxle Light coming on on 02 taurus

Hey guys. I was going down to Atlanta today when the transaxle light start started to blink on and off. I was going about 75 mph at 2500 rpms. Nothing in the cars performance was effected. When I got off the interstate I floored it and the car shifted into all gears including overdrive just fine. I turned it off then back on started driving again and it happened again going about 55 mph, again no performance was effected. The person at Autozone said he couldn't help me since there was no engine light he could not pull any codes and maybe a whell bearing was going. The people at Firestone said my transmission was going and was looking at 3 grand to fix it because it was the turque converter and because he said he had the same problem. Now it has happened once before months ago and I drive it around town everyday and I have had no problems what so ever and the light doesn't come on. Now I'm faced with paying large amounts of money to fix ($2000 or more) or get a new car and I can't afford either. Any suggestions?

You need to find someone/shop with a scan tool that can pull the transmission diagnostic codes. If you're lucky, you just have a bad shaft speed sensor or another easy fix.

-Rod

The transaxle light illuminates (flashes) if the transmission temperature is too high. It will also flash if a problem with a sensor or sensor parameters is detected.

You really need a transmission shop, dealer, or independent mechanic with the proper scanner to pull the codes.

I had the problem on my '02 and it was a valve on the transmission valve body sticking that caused the light to illuminate. It continually got worse and caused the car to stall any time it was put in drive. A replacement of the valve body took care of it. Good Luck.

top two guys are giving you the right directions to go. but if I was in your shoe, I'll try the cheaper things first. tranny oil change, with filter. and don't forget the lucas treatment. put a oil cooler on the tranny line. I had same problem, and these little things sometimes does wonders. specially when you don't have 3 grand to fork out.and as you said you don't have the doe. specially in this yucky economy.. good luck. jc.

Hey guys. I was going down to Atlanta today when the transaxle light start started to blink on and off. I was going about 75 mph at 2500 rpms. Nothing in the cars performance was effected. When I got off the interstate I floored it and the car shifted into all gears including overdrive just fine. I turned it off then back on started driving again and it happened again going about 55 mph, again no performance was effected. The person at Autozone said he couldn't help me since there was no engine light he could not pull any codes and maybe a whell bearing was going. The people at Firestone said my transmission was going and was looking at 3 grand to fix it because it was the turque converter and because he said he had the same problem. Now it has happened once before months ago and I drive it around town everyday and I have had no problems what so ever and the light doesn't come on. Now I'm faced with paying large amounts of money to fix ($2000 or more) or get a new car and I can't afford either. Any suggestions?

I once drove about 10 miles in my 99 mercury mountaineer with the shifter half way in between drive and 2nd gear. That caused my transmission light to start flashing. As soon as I put it in drive and drove it for a while, the light went out. Yours may need a cable adjustment or something similar. It may be shifting the tranny only half way into drive.