My 04 Freestar left me sitting along Interstate 81 with my family yesterday and the transmission would not engage. Reverse, Drive, 3, and 1st did nothing. Went out while driving 70 mph. Had van towed to local Ford dealership (120 miles from home) and am awaiting technicians analysis. Only have 46,000 miles on van and warranty expired Feb 25, 2007. Any history of tranny failure? Only sign was a high pitched noise that occurred randomly and would stop when turning slightly right or left. Back in March a local dealer thought it might be a hard spot on brake pad.Could the tranny failure and noise belinked?

 

The high pitched noise is from the seal on either the left or right wheel hub (known problem). Only fix is to replace the hub. List is $183, Dealer cost is $110. You can find them on EBAY for $40-60. There are left and right sides. Left side ends in "AA" and Right sides ends in "AB".

The tranny (4F50Nalso known at theAX4N) is known for infant mortality in the Freestar.Monterey. Most from neglect and not following the service schedule. If it wan't doen, you should of had your tranny fluid changed 16,000 miles ago. I changed the fluid and filter on my 04 Limited at 33,000 miles of which about 20,000 of them were highway miles.I was very surprised as to how much crude in the panand about 1/4" of particles on and around the magnet. The filter was black from crud. All this even though the fluid looked and smelled OK.

 

Thank you for the information. I need to verify if the previous owner changed the tranny oil at 30k. I did not own the vehicle at that time.

You noted infant mortality, if this is the case why has Ford not stepped up to the plate? I must not be the first.

 

Why hasn't Ford stepped up to the plate? My guess is that it would cost way too much and definately be non profittable for them. Especially since they don't MFG the Freestar and Monterey any more. They also normally get out of warranty so Ford gets to wipe their hand of it. Why did it take Ford years to finally build the forward clutch pistonout of steel instead of keep modifying the aluminum one numberous times on the AX4S tranny? Who knows. They were also prone to failure shortly after 36,000 miles. Those, they finally engineerd a fix for, but then again the Taurus/Sable was a cash cow for Ford. That's whey the redesigned Ford-500 is now the new Taurus/Sable (Lost sales). Like you, my 04 Limited got a 3/36 warrany unless you coughed up $$$ for an extended warranty. I had the tranny on my 1994 Sable die at 115,000 miles. Parts everywhere inside the tranny case. I got a rebuit unit from AAMCO (This is where some people will interject their opinion, but I had my reasoning). Total cost was about $1500 for tranny and install at Ford Dealership. This was a rebuilt tranny w/New torque converter and a lifetime warrany.

 

What is a surprise to me that the 2004 Freestar/Monterey shop manual does not mention removing the transmission oil pan and replacing the filter and gasket but instead recommends flushing the tranmission by disconnecting the oil line and removing the oil. This method was also recomended when I phoned my dealer.
I had a look at a new oil filter and it is a real type filter not a screen type.
In the next few weeks I will remove the pan and replace the filter by the way here in Canada is priced at $45 the gasket is another $45 but the dealer claims the gasket is re-useable which also seems odd to me so I will get a new one just in case.

 

Yep, the screen type filters went away years ago being replaced by felt type designed filters. Not replacing the filter and only doing a flush on a high mileage tranny is the main cause of failures soon after the flush. Seen many mortalities soon after the flush. The filter needs to be replaced after a flush as the flush normally loosens up crud that soon plugs the filter causing oil starvation in the tranny. Fo the price of the filter, it only makes sense to replace it. Most filters (WIX being the top) come with the gasket.Most wear particals are created withing the first few thousand miles, why would anybody want to leave them in their tranny. I would recomment AMSOIL's ATF for the tranny and P/S unit. I use AMSOIL products in everything I own from my 1979 Gilson snowblower, 2006 Generac 17.5kw Generator to my 2004 Freestar Limited. I have been using their products since 1983 with no problems.

 

I fail to see what advantage can be optained by flushing the ATF as described in the manual. I do know the torque converter acts as a centifigal filter (for years this system was used on the older Honda motorcycles and worked very well)
and I would not like to disturb that as it might get into the transmission before it is flushed out. I also again have to disagree with my "Common Sense" friend that unless Amsoil can give me a 500.000 mile warranty when using their oil I will stick with regular oils. Some of my friends have cars with 500.000 miles on them with regular oil and the engine still runs good of course one has to maintain all mechanical equipment and oil any kind is cheap insurance. Just my opinion.

 

The tranny flush systems will perform about a 100% fluid change without dropping the pan and replacing the filter. The problem with the flushes is that it does loosen up the crud that it setting in the creveses, corners of the tranny and the converter fins. This is where the failures come from. Old dirty filter and lots more crud to stop. Just dropping the pan gives you a chance to replace a dirty filter, clean pan and partical inspection along with about a 30-40% fluid changethat replentishes enough additives to keep the tranny happy regardless of using either a DINO juice or SYNTHETIC ATF. If you buy it new, take care of it from the start. If you buy it used, change everything yourself or have it done and start from that point. It boils down to what Jakers and myself have stated..."REGULAR MAINTAINENCE". If it isn't done, then one can't complain about something failing due to neglect.

 

Thetranny pan does have a reuseable gasket. The dealer is right and if you look at the pan it will say "This pan has a reuseable gasket. I just changed my tranny filter a couple weeks ago. Easy to get to. Nothing blocking the pan. Just a messy job.

 

The so-called REUSABLE gasket was hard as a rock in most places after being exposed to the high temps when I did my tranny fliud/filter change at 31,000 miles.. I could not see how it would not leak. I just used the new gasket that came with my WIX tranny filter. Placed a light coating of COPPER PLUS silicone on both sides of the gasket and snugged. Have always done it this way and never had a tranny leak doing it this way. But that's just me and my thinking (Is it really worth the chance of leakage to not use a new gasket that normally comes with the filter?).