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Q: "Ford Tarsus Automatic Transmission intermittently fails to engage" ( Answered,   1 Comment )
Question  
Subject: "Ford Tarsus Automatic Transmission intermittently fails to engage"
Category: Miscellaneous
Asked by: brucereid-ga
List Price: $20.00
Posted: 09 Jan 2003 13:26 PST
Expires: 08 Feb 2003 13:26 PST
Question ID: 140043
Unpredictably my 1998 Ford Tarsus V-6 3.0 automatic transmission fails
to engage. The engine revs up and the car creeps forward. While still
revving the transmission will reengage in one or two min. and fully
engages in a hundred yards or less - everything is back to normal.
This occurs once every 1000 to 1500 miles. It always occurs when just
starting, never while engaged and running.

Request for Question Clarification by revbrenda1st-ga on 09 Jan 2003 20:06 PST
Hi Bruce,

Have you taken your vehicle to a tranny shop? If so, what were the results??

rev
Answer  
Subject: Re: "Ford Tarsus Automatic Transmission intermittently fails to engage"
Answered By: tutuzdad-ga on 09 Jan 2003 20:53 PST
 
Dear brucereid-ga;

Thank you for allowing me an opportunity to answer your interesting
question.

Relax - This doesn’t sound like major surgery. You may have a faulty
vehicle speed sensor in the transmission. This sensor signals the
computer to shift the transmission and also drives the speedometer.
When it fails, it can cause your engine to rev up to pretty high rpm’s
without producing much power, then respond sluggishly or even jerk
hard into gear after a few minutes. If this is the problem (and I
believe that it is) it will eventually fail and the problem you are
having every 1500 miles will become a problem every time you drive
your car.

To be certain if I am right though, you’re going to have to ask the
vehicle’s computer. The onboard computer will provide a Diagnostic
Trouble Code (DTC) indicating what is not operating correctly. If you
take your car to AUTOZONE or some similar big name parts retailer,
they usually have a portable diagnostic machine that they will hook up
to your car for you right there in their parking lot. Usually they
don’t charge and don’t mind doing this as a customer courtesy because
they hope that if something is wrong you will buy your part from them.

This sensor costs about US$18.50 (perhaps a bit more outside the US)
and they usually have one in stock. If you cannot install it yourself,
BUY IT (if this is the problem) and take it to a mechanic to install.
Don’t buy one from the mechanic, because he will go to the parts house
and buy the same $18.50 part (or even less if he is a regular
customer) and will very likely mark up the price for his trouble. In
fact, he may charge you as much as $35-$50 for it PLUS labor!

Your other option is to buy a Chilton’s manual for US$16.72 from
AMAZON and repair the sensor yourself for an overall investment of
roughly $35.00 (your cost for the part plus your cost for the book).
The parts house may also have the book in stock, and a clerk there
(many of them are mechanics or former mechanics) can tell you how to
do it yourself. If you are mechanically inclined, or know someone who
is, this is really not a big job.

Go do the diagnostics thing, and if this isn’t the problem, I’ll eat
my hat!

GOOD LUCK!

Below you will find that I have carefully defined my search strategy
for you in the event that you need to search for more information. By
following the same type of searches that I did you may be able to
enhance the research I have provided even further. I hope you find
that that my research exceeds your expectations. If you have any
questions about my research please post a clarification request prior
to rating the answer. Otherwise, I welcome your rating and your final
comments and I look forward to working with you again in the near
future. Thank you for bringing your question to us.

Best regards;
Tutuzdad-ga


INFORMATION SOURCES


FORDF TAURUS PARTS
http://www.fordpartstore.com/Ford_Taurus_21063.html

AMAZON.COM
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/080199117X/ref%3Dnosim/broughsbooks/103-5986155-5589465



SEARCH STRATEGY


SEARCH ENGINE USED:

Google ://www.google.com


SEARCH TERMS USED:

“1998 FORD TAURUS” TRANSMISSION PROBLEMS

“98 FORD TAURUS” TRANSMISSION PROBLEMS

“FORD TAURUS” TRANSMISSION PROBLEMS

“FORD TAURUS” TRANSMISSION SENSOR

“FORD TAURUS” SPEED SENSOR

“FORD TAURUS” CHILTON’S MANUAL
Comments  
Subject: Re: "Ford Tarsus Automatic Transmission intermittently fails to engage"
From: jickster-ga on 09 Jan 2003 17:43 PST
 
Check the Auto Trans. Fluid level, and also possibly have someone
check for leaks in the system. Might be difficult to get a vacuum
build up with any sort of leak, and hence the engine spins without the
converter engaging the drive axles to any real extent.
Old/contaminated fluid might be a problem too, but I'd take a look at
level first. I've seen this problem on several cars, and it's a good,
inexpensive area to check first.

jickster-ga

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