03 windstar mo reverse

[huey224]

I just bought a 2003 windstar se it has 160000 miles and when you first start it in the mornings the reverse works just like it did when it was new. you drive it for a while get it warm and when u go to reverse nothing if you give it alot of gas it will start to barley pull. any solutions would b helpful. thanks

[olopezm]

Hello, Welcome to the forum!

When was the last time you replaced the transmission fluid?.

If the van is slipping it is very likely you'll need a rebuilt tranmission. The weird thing in your case is it only happens with a warm engine, you might be lucky and go away with it by replacing your old fluid.

Best regards,

Oscar.

[huey224]

well i just bought it yesterday and it does not slip one bit it pulls like mule in forward gears. but when u first start the van reverse works excellent but when engine and trans gets up to temp no deal everything else is perfect but reverse you can put in revers and floor it and it will barley pull. coulld it be the range selector switch?

[olopezm]

See if your van starts in P and N gears only be careful and keep the brakes applied, if it does then the switch is good. I don't know much about transmissions but i just read you could have a failing solenoid/ servo with high temperatures. Hopefully a more experienced user will show up soon!

Best regards,

Oscar.

[huey224]

yes it does start fine in park and nuetral. so i guess i can rule that out. ill look into the solenoid thanks a bunch. if anybody else has some tips or advice please let me know thanks.

[grog11]

I would check a few simple things 1st.
Did you check the fluid level of the transmission after the van has warmed up? The van takess mercon V atf fluid, a previous owner may not have used the right fluid which is critical in these transmissions.
Check the fluid condition, is it a nice red color, or is it brown looking?
You do not have any service engine light on the dash showing, right?
You have a 4F50N transmission in that van and it is a much improved version of the older windstars with a much better valve body revision.
Your transmission filter may be plugging up, sucking all the debris from inside the bottom pan up to it, causing a low fluid flow condition when the reverse gear is selected.

The transmission fluid level should be within the cross hatch mark when warmed by about 20 minutes of driving 1st before checking it with engine idling in park position..

I would drop the transmission pan, saving all the old fluid, check fluid condition,
change the transmission filter, install approx 5 qts. of new Mercon V fluid. then see if that does not help things. A fluid change can solve alot of problems, and these transmissions need a fluid change approx. every 25,000 miles to stay in good shape.

When I 1st read your post my 1st thought was a low fluid condition.

[kafkacell]

Hi, does the overdrive ligth flashes? If so, then the tranny has detected a problem and stored a code. In that case you must remove your battery cable for maybe 15 minutes (to clear the code from PCM). Then connect your battery again and try to drive it normally. If it stills feels "heavy" and doesn't move well then your problem is mechanical and the first thing to check is tranny fluid. In the case that your windstar runs well then your problem is not mechanical and you wont need to rebuilt your tranny. Maybe few wires are bad or a sensor/selenoid went bad too.

You can damage the transmission really bad by forcing it (since it doesnt runs well).

Do you have CEL on?

[huey224]

thank you so much guys I am going right now to get fluid and filter to try that but no there is no o/d light flashing or check engine light flashing. Ive seen alot of people ask if the o/d light is flashing but mine works and is not flashing. so i was thiking and correct me if im wrong trans filter or that range selctor but everyone says if its starting in p and n then its good. then i had a dealer tell me it could b the range selector thanks for all the info

[kafkacell]

Yes, it's called: Safety Neutral Switch. If it's wrong there should be a CEL with a code of it... or not.

Here is a video about how to change it: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3inAO9gORh0

[olopezm]

Originally Posted by huey224

thank you so much guys I am going right now to get fluid and filter to try that but no there is no o/d light flashing or check engine light flashing. Ive seen alot of people ask if the o/d light is flashing but mine works and is not flashing. so i was thiking and correct me if im wrong trans filter or that range selctor but everyone says if its starting in p and n then its good. then i had a dealer tell me it could b the range selector thanks for all the info

The Neutral Safety Switch can go wrong and cause different symptoms, weird things; we all have mentioned the fact that if your van starts in P or N it's OK, BUT WE ALL HAVE FORGOTTEN to say that the van SHOULD ONLY START in these two, if it's starts in any other gear the switch it's bad.

Regards,

Oscar.

[huey224]

it does not start in any other gear but nuetral or park. so im gonna change the fluid and filter tomorrow, would it b all right to add some lucas trans fix? I put it in everything else i own just to help. but ive hurd that those trans are picky. thanks

[grog11]

I would not put any Lucas transmission fix in the transmission. It is a totally different viscosity. The Mercon V only is what I would suggest.

[serge_saati]

It could be the range sensor switch. Does the rear backup lights work when you are on reverse when it happens?
When you said it barely move, which speed approximately? It could move because high rpm engine shake the car and move it a little bit (<1 mph) or because you're in a slight uphill (even few degrees) + engine shake the car. If you do the same in neutral, it goes at same speed?

So if the reverse is like neutral, problem could be the range sensor switch.
No start in other gear but P or N doesn't confirm that range sensor switch is good. This switch does several other things. Like light up backup lights and send gear selection data to PCM.

Bad reverse isn't caused by a bad shift solenoid if the 3 first gears work. You have 3 shift solenoids and combination of 3 solenoids + mechanic shift who decide which gear is used and whenever engine brake clutch is used (for lower gear). If 1,2,3 gear work, solenoids are ok.

If you're 100% sure it slipping, then you can try to change fluid and filter, but this trick rarely work. Hope it's not a mechanic failure.

[huey224]

Yes the reverse light's do work when it goes into reverse. And u can b on a flat surface put in reverse and it dont even move u dont feel it go in let off the brake dont move when it. Give it alot of gas and it will start to go backwards then pull in reverse just like low trans fluid or something but when u put it in any forward gear you feel it go in and it does not hesitate. I noticed yesterday though when i tried it it shuttered in reverse but not forward it shifts smooth drives great kicks down good. And it only does this when the engine and trans are warm, when you first start in the morning or if it set's and cools down it works perfect goes in as soon as you select it and pulls great no shutter or noting. thanks for all the info really helpful and its not really like it slipping after further inspection its like its not wanting to pull till rpms are high

[grog11]

Did the filter and fluid change help the condition?