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Transmission Problems?

5K views 25 replies 7 participants last post by  pageyjim 
#1 ·
2005 Ford Taurus SE Vulcan V6 app 120k miles
Was a hot day today took a 120 mile trip (each way) for my wife to see some doctors. I did idle the car some when waiting for her and just a few miles from home I felt like I lost power. I thought the car stalled I revved the engine I don't think the tachometer moved it was showing app 2000 RPM. I made sure the transmission was in drive and gave it gas again and it sputtered for a second then the engine and transmission felt normal. Fluid level wasn't low it was pink with no particles and no burnt smell or anything. Engine light did not come on and no codes. About 30K ago the transmission pan was pulled filter changed and fluid changed. Once about 6 months ago in about the same spot ironically enough it did stall out while driving and nothing abnormal since. I am not positive about the tach etc because my wife was talking and there was a bit of traffic. It didn't feel like a normal slip that I have seen in other vehicles.
Thanks in advance for any input.
 
#2 ·
Sounds more like an engine performance problem to me. Can you check fuel trims at idle and at 50 mph cruise with a scan tool? Can you check fuel pressure? Any pending codes? Where the plugs ever changed? Original coil pack?
 
#4 ·
Thanks again for the reply, a partial update. I cleaned the throttle body and it runs much better but it still is stalling and is even more frequent. So my guess is the throttle body needed to be cleaned but is not the problem. I am installing a Motorcraft IAC valve tomorrow and doing oil and gas filters, basic maintenance.
My basic code reader read no codes again but I got an Actron 9670 tonight I didn't start it or get any live data yet but it picked up 2 codes that my other scanner did not pick up. P1000 which I assume is because I recently unhooked the battery to clean the throttle body and a P0104. So probably tomorrow I will attempt to get the live data etc to chase after the P0104.
 
#3 ·
That's what I am hoping I think I have a habit of going for the worse case scenario.
Plugs, wires and coil pack were replaced app 10K miles ago or possibly less. I changed those because I was getting an intermittent miss. I also cleaned MAF sensor about the same time. The problem did not go away with the above repairs but did so by themself after time. I was thinking a vacuum leak regarding that issue but again those problems went away on their own. Or it seemed to.
Went to the store this morning app a 10 mile trip and all seemed fine.
I will see if my scan tool performs fuel trim.
Thanks for the response!
 
#7 ·
I am just playing some with the live data and I was curious about the fuel pressure. On cold startup and idleing it was 40 psi but after warming up and running app 2500 rpm it was steady around 60 psi. Is this a sign of a possible restriction or normal? I am changing fuel filter tomorrow.
What else I gleaned from the data was the baromettric pressure seemed normal at 30.1. Cloudy and rain here.
O2S11 0.6
O2S12 0.2
O2S21 0.7
O2S22 0.2 all averages more or less
LTFT1 cold idle was -5.5 2500 rpm was -3.1 idle warm was -6.3
LTFT2 cold idle was -1.6 2500 rpm was 0.0 idle warm was -3.9
I didn't get theh STFT but I remember on cold idle it was 0 to 4 or -4 for both

Again I am really curious of the fuel pump pressure readings. Maybe they are normal I am not sure.

These are close but not exact thanks again to all here.
 
#8 · (Edited)
Your fuel pressure is managed by the PCM and it will do what it needs to do. If it can't do what it wants to get done, you will get a code. Nothing you can do about it anyway.
On the remote chance of this: your fuel pressure sensor has a vacuum hose on it. With the engine idling, pull the hose off and put a finger over the hose end to be sure it has vacuum, then put it back.
-chart-
 
#10 ·
120k miles on car has the fuel filter ever been changed? Very overlooked maintenance item that won't set a code.
 
#11 ·
Yes the fuel filter was changed 25-30K ago and again yesterday. Thanks for the response. I believe the fuel presure is fine I am not sure about the duty cycle of the fuel pump. It doesn't seem to be one of the PID's or my reader doesn't read it or calls it something else that I am not familiar with yet.
Just cleaned the MAF sensor and am changing the IAC today and if that is not it I start looking for vacuum leaks.
 
#12 ·
Cleaned MAF this morning it looked a bit dirty actually. Waited an hour and started it up. One thing I noticed was my ABS Load and Calc Load went down when I revved the engine. That seemed counter intuitive to me.
At Idle 700 RPM ABS Load app 19.5 at app 2000 RPM 16
At Idle Calc Load 30 and at app 2000 RPM 24
MAF LB/MIN .52 at Idle and 1.45 at 2000 RPM.

The car stalled after app 15 min did not restart on first attempt and I am letting it cool down. No CEL.

A side note I ran some errands yesterday and it stalled right near a Firestone Dealer where I had some work done in the past. Took it in they said it was the cam sync sensor. I said I replaced that 4 years ago with a Motorcraft part. I said ok replace it they did and when they brought it out for me to take home it stalled 3 times for me (almost start and stall) I went back in. They brought it back in put it back on the scanner and said all was ok etc. LOL I will deal with that later but just passing that on.
 
#13 ·
Firestone strikes again..... First of all, a failed cam sync sensor, or even an out of phase sensor will turn on the CEL. Also, even a completely failed cam sync sensor will not cause a stall or a no start.
 
#15 ·
Well I replaced the IAC valve today and all seems to be well. Of course it's hard to tell given it was intermittent. But the last few days it would present itself more and more especially when it warmed up. I would have cleaned the old IAC but I was hesitant to because I could not see a gasket and there was no gasket available locally. The gasket is just a couple of rubber rings that you cannot see until you remove the IAC. The port closest to the engine was really fouled a lot if that means anything. The one on the outside not so much.
I plan to do a search for vacuum leaks while I am at it to be sure. Check vacuum hoses for fouling and leaks etc.

Any advice on how to deal with Firestone would be welcome. I knew that was a mistake lol.

Thanks to all for the help. Any further thoughts are welcome.
 
#17 · (Edited)
Well the problem has returned. I bet many of you knew that would happen.
Code P0104 Mass Airflow Sensor
I did a quick search for leaks and did not find any as of yet. I used propane. I stopped because of some concrete work being done by a neighbor so I couldn't hear as well and I want to work on a cooler engine.
I did notice that two relays were very warm app 130+ degress as opposed to the neighboring ones at app 105 degrees. They were the fuel pump relay and the PCM power relay. I have made notes previously on the fuel pump pressure. I don't have duty cycle of fuel pump. Or not that I know of.
Guessing Fuel pump, fuel pump pressure regulator or PCM at this point? But would that give a P0104?

Thanks again as always sorry this is so long again.

The tank is at 1/4 or less. I thought I had it licked and was going to put in some Techron. I guess that will wait. But lower level may be making the pump work harder?
 
#18 ·
Basically this means that there is a problem with the Mass Air Flow High (MAF) sensor or circuit. A more technical description would be that the MAF is producing incorrect air flow readings. Other MAF sensor circuit DTC trouble codes are P0100, P0101, P0102, and P0103.

Symptoms

You will likely not notice any serious drivability problems, although there may be symptoms such as a general decrease in power or sluggishness.
Causes

A code P0104 may mean that one or more of the following has happened:

  • The mass air flow (MAF) circuit is incomplete (broken / frayed wire, etc.)
  • There is an air leak in the intake system
Possible Solutions

The simplest thing to do is to reset the code and see if it comes back. Then start with the cheapest, easiest repair procedures:

  • Verify that the Mass Air Flow Sensor wiring is connected properly and that there are no broken / frayed wires.
  • Inspect for any air leaks near the MAF sensor.
  • Check the voltage of the MAF sensor (refer to a repair manual for vehicle specific information)
  • Replace the MAF sensor.
Look up any code by putting it in a search engine.

-chart-
 
#21 · (Edited)
Firestone put in a fuelpump and it wasn't the problem. They said they couldn't fix it and take it to Ford.
Took it to Ford dealer. They replaced the harness to the MAF sensor and flashed the PCM and it is not the problem.
I asked if there were any vacuum leaks and they said no. I am not sure if they checked or not. They are leaning towards the PCM because it stalled and did not throw a code. I said there are problems that do not throw a code and he said it should. Regarding always throwing a code who is right or any other thoughts.
 
#22 ·
PCM if right will detect a lot of things. Just look at the length of the code list and what they mean.
Bad fuel pump will stall motor and not set a code, been there many times. Good fuel pressure then it's not the pump.
IMO if dealer is leaning to PCM then it may very well be, they see more weird issues and get all the weird issue bulletins.
Something could be heating up in PCM causing it to drop out, so no codes. I'm a factory appliance tech and I see odd electronic issues all the time. Sometimes it's a educated guess when codes and symptoms don't align and in most Mfgr's. solutions / diagnostics flow charts the last step is a module.
I belong to a Malibu group, member on there couldn't get inspected as PCM didn't set emission monitors as checked. 1500 miles later after being told to drive the car more several times the monitors still were not set it became a PCM replacement. No fail codes or CEL and car ran perfectly but the PCM never set the drive cycle monitors. PCM fails are not common but do occur.
 
#23 ·
Thanks for the reply. It is just when they cannot commit to saying it will fix the problem or they cannot say this or that is wrong it means they are just guessing. Also knowing that app 50% of the boards replaced under warranty are not the problem. This isn't warranty so i pay for it obviously. I think they should replace it and see if it fixes the issue personally. I haven't heard from them since early yesterday afternoon so I hope this is what they are doing.
 
#25 ·
After Ford having it for over a week I got it back after they replaced the pigtail, flashed the ecm and replaced the FPDM. Can't get a few miles away and it is stalling again.
Codes are P0104 again, P0102 twice, P1270(I was going 120 mph while I was coasting to a stop.) and P1500 VSS intermittent.
 
#26 ·
Get the car back from Foed again today. They said they did some wire repairs on grounds etc. Had a leaking wiper washer. Said all was good and that was effecting the ac also as pointed out in last post. Car gets to about the same spot app 5-10 mins driving and sputters, stalls with speedometer going up to 120 mph while I give it gas and coasting to a stop.
Codes, P0104, P0102 twice, P1270 and P1500.
Does this look like the VSS or the other speed sensor, anybody?
 
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