Friday, August 21st, 2020 AT 9:54 PM
DANIEL NELSON2
- MEMBER
- 2002 FORD WINDSTAR
- 1.6L
- 2WD
- AUTOMATIC
- 173,000 MILES
The transmission will hardly go forward.
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Overdrive light off keeps flashing
48 Replies
4DRTOM
- MECHANIC
- 467 POSTS
Hello,
I'm Tom, you have to check your transmission fluid level. when it gets low it wont go into gear. Have you noticed a leak at all.
This guide can help
https://www.2carpros.com/articles/automatic-transmission-problems
You should be able to see the dip stick on the drivers side of the engine somewhere by the battery. It should be checked on level ground,warmed up and running in park. Notice to see if its red and clear. If its dark and blackened then you will want to do a fluid change on it. It's probably low,
Let me know what you find.
Tom
I'm Tom, you have to check your transmission fluid level. when it gets low it wont go into gear. Have you noticed a leak at all.
This guide can help
https://www.2carpros.com/articles/automatic-transmission-problems
You should be able to see the dip stick on the drivers side of the engine somewhere by the battery. It should be checked on level ground,warmed up and running in park. Notice to see if its red and clear. If its dark and blackened then you will want to do a fluid change on it. It's probably low,
Let me know what you find.
Tom
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Friday, August 21st, 2020 AT 10:49 PM
DANIEL NELSON2
- MEMBER
- 35 POSTS
My undercarriage also caught on fire last time I started the car. Could that be related or is that just garbage that got underneath?
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Friday, August 21st, 2020 AT 11:47 PM
DANIEL NELSON2
- MEMBER
- 35 POSTS
What is this hose for because I just realized it was not connected?
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Saturday, August 22nd, 2020 AT 8:23 AM
4DRTOM
- MECHANIC
- 467 POSTS
Oh boy, that's not good you are going to have to take a good look at that. Yes that absolutely could be part of the problem, it caught on fire? For that to happen there must be oil that has leaked out to catch it probably got onto your catalytic converter. How did you put it out? Your going to have to look under there and see what burnt. Was it oil or dry grass up there. That's dangerous can you send a pic of under there?
Which one in the picture wasn't connected? I believe that's part of the evap system. How is the transmission fluid level? Have you checked it yet?
Tom
Which one in the picture wasn't connected? I believe that's part of the evap system. How is the transmission fluid level? Have you checked it yet?
Tom
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Saturday, August 22nd, 2020 AT 8:26 AM
DANIEL NELSON2
- MEMBER
- 35 POSTS
Yes, it is fine. Could that hose be the whole problem?
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Saturday, August 22nd, 2020 AT 8:50 AM
DANIEL NELSON2
- MEMBER
- 35 POSTS
Here is the photo of where it was removed from:
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Saturday, August 22nd, 2020 AT 8:53 AM
4DRTOM
- MECHANIC
- 467 POSTS
Okay, the fluid level is good? What caught on fire then if it wasn't oil leaking can you tell? The hose probably not but hooked it back up and see what happens. You are going to need to get a scan on the system ans see what code it has in there. That will guide us to the issue.
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Saturday, August 22nd, 2020 AT 8:56 AM
DANIEL NELSON2
- MEMBER
- 35 POSTS
I'm guessing it's dry grass cause I had to go into a dirt road got out and then saw the smoke no smoke before then.
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Saturday, August 22nd, 2020 AT 9:01 AM
4DRTOM
- MECHANIC
- 467 POSTS
Okay yes, I don't think that vacuum line would cause the transmission to stop going into gear but hook it up anyway. That's part of your evap system. Can you get the car scanned?
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Saturday, August 22nd, 2020 AT 9:19 AM
DANIEL NELSON2
- MEMBER
- 35 POSTS
I am on my way to buy a code scanner now.
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Saturday, August 22nd, 2020 AT 9:24 AM
DANIEL NELSON2
- MEMBER
- 35 POSTS
Also, when I was first driving it like that I could get the transmission to go into gear eventually but tapping the gas pedal but going backwards works just fine.
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Saturday, August 22nd, 2020 AT 9:26 AM
4DRTOM
- MECHANIC
- 467 POSTS
Yes, I'm surprised the fluid is full it has all the symptoms of being low. You should smell the fluid and see if it smells burnt to. Let me know what codes it has and we'll go from there.
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Saturday, August 22nd, 2020 AT 9:31 AM
DANIEL NELSON2
- MEMBER
- 35 POSTS
Okay.
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Saturday, August 22nd, 2020 AT 9:46 AM
DANIEL NELSON2
- MEMBER
- 35 POSTS
I'm actually kind of a little worried that if I start it up again it will catch fire so I just know that the transmission oil didn't look or smelt burnt as for it being low I am not sure yet so I'm going to throw caution to the wind and put some transmission fluid in and then start it and see if that helps.
I really hope it does though cause I am a doordasher and I need my vehicle to make a living and have been on the side of the road for around 2-3 weeks so if that does work I am going to feel pretty stupid that I wasted three weeks for nothing. On something I should have honestly checked.
I just filled it how long should I leave it on for?
That still didn't help the overdrive light off is still flashing and the transmission still shifts rough.
I really hope it does though cause I am a doordasher and I need my vehicle to make a living and have been on the side of the road for around 2-3 weeks so if that does work I am going to feel pretty stupid that I wasted three weeks for nothing. On something I should have honestly checked.
I just filled it how long should I leave it on for?
That still didn't help the overdrive light off is still flashing and the transmission still shifts rough.
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Saturday, August 22nd, 2020 AT 11:08 AM
4DRTOM
- MECHANIC
- 467 POSTS
Hello,
Definitely get your a look under the car at the muffler pipe and catalytic converter. Look for loose grass or oil down there. We need to absolutely know why is caught fire before you do anything else besides pull the code. We need to know before you start it and run it to warm up to check the fluid level.
That's super important to figure out before we go any farther. Can you snap some pictures of under the car where the fire happened?
Tom
Definitely get your a look under the car at the muffler pipe and catalytic converter. Look for loose grass or oil down there. We need to absolutely know why is caught fire before you do anything else besides pull the code. We need to know before you start it and run it to warm up to check the fluid level.
That's super important to figure out before we go any farther. Can you snap some pictures of under the car where the fire happened?
Tom
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Saturday, August 22nd, 2020 AT 1:22 PM
DANIEL NELSON2
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- 35 POSTS
Yeah of course.
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Saturday, August 22nd, 2020 AT 1:39 PM
DANIEL NELSON2
- MEMBER
- 35 POSTS
This is what caught fire:
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Saturday, August 22nd, 2020 AT 1:47 PM
4DRTOM
- MECHANIC
- 467 POSTS
Good morning,
Okay, that is the catalytic converter and it gets super hot. I don't see oil on it so that's good. I do see oiliness on the bottom of the pan beyond it. You should be good to run it to check the transmission fluid level and to get codes out of it.
Tom
Okay, that is the catalytic converter and it gets super hot. I don't see oil on it so that's good. I do see oiliness on the bottom of the pan beyond it. You should be good to run it to check the transmission fluid level and to get codes out of it.
Tom
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Sunday, August 23rd, 2020 AT 7:27 AM
DANIEL NELSON2
- MEMBER
- 35 POSTS
Okay well, I started up the car after switching the spark plugs with wires because I got them crossed. But started up the car minimal shaking like hardly at all still a little rough when shifting, but I now actually have power when stepping on the gas but make sure I turned it off after like 10 minutes. Because the overdrive light it was still flashing. How do I get rid of that?
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Sunday, August 23rd, 2020 AT 2:11 PM
DANIEL NELSON2
- MEMBER
- 35 POSTS
But there seems to be some strange sort of smell coming from inside the van I think.
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Sunday, August 23rd, 2020 AT 5:44 PM
