Overdrive Light Not Working After Gear Box Overheated Towing Van
#1
02-13-2014, 12:39 PM
Overdrive Light Not Working After Gear Box Overheated Towing Van
Hi All,
We love our 2004 Tribute and recently bought a small caravan to take our twins away.
Unfortunately on the way home from collecting the caravan, the car. It revved but would not go. Apparently the overdrive button went off about half an hour before the car had this problem.
After having the car and caravan towed home, we took it to the mechanics. He had the car for 3 days and told us there was no oil left in the gear box, it had actually sprayed out, even up the rear window. He filled it back up with oil and waited to see if there was a leak.
His diagnosis is that towing the van caused the gear box to overheat thus the oil spurting out. We asked him to put in an extra cooling system to help when towing and he told us it wasn't needed as Tribute's already have a effective cooling system.
From what we have read dirty, old gear box fluid or a blockage in the cooling lines? could have caused the gear box to overheat.
By the way, our Tribute is automatic.
So we picked up the car and the first thing we noticed is the overdrive button no longer works so it is back to the mechanic today. We are not financially well off and am concerned what is in store.
Does the overdrive have a fuse? Is it possible it has blown? Could it be the light bulb for the overdrive in the instrument panel and can that have blown by an over heated gear box? What else could have caused this? I find it impossible to believe that it is a coincidence as the mechanic feels it is.
Any ideas would be appreciated and any suggestions on towing our van but not at the risk of damaging our Tribute.
Thank you.
We love our 2004 Tribute and recently bought a small caravan to take our twins away.
Unfortunately on the way home from collecting the caravan, the car. It revved but would not go. Apparently the overdrive button went off about half an hour before the car had this problem.
After having the car and caravan towed home, we took it to the mechanics. He had the car for 3 days and told us there was no oil left in the gear box, it had actually sprayed out, even up the rear window. He filled it back up with oil and waited to see if there was a leak.
His diagnosis is that towing the van caused the gear box to overheat thus the oil spurting out. We asked him to put in an extra cooling system to help when towing and he told us it wasn't needed as Tribute's already have a effective cooling system.
From what we have read dirty, old gear box fluid or a blockage in the cooling lines? could have caused the gear box to overheat.
By the way, our Tribute is automatic.
So we picked up the car and the first thing we noticed is the overdrive button no longer works so it is back to the mechanic today. We are not financially well off and am concerned what is in store.
Does the overdrive have a fuse? Is it possible it has blown? Could it be the light bulb for the overdrive in the instrument panel and can that have blown by an over heated gear box? What else could have caused this? I find it impossible to believe that it is a coincidence as the mechanic feels it is.
Any ideas would be appreciated and any suggestions on towing our van but not at the risk of damaging our Tribute.
Thank you.
#2
02-13-2014, 01:01 PM
Fluid ever changed?
It doesn't take long for the automatic transmission fluid (ATF) to heat up once the vehicle is in motion. Normal driving will raise fluid temperatures to 175 degrees F., which is the usual temperature range at which most fluids are designed to operate. If fluid temperatures can be held to 175 degrees F., ATF will last almost indefinitely -- say up to 100,000 miles.
As a rule of thumb, every 20 degree increase in operating temperature above 175 degrees F. cuts the life of the fluid in half! At 195 degrees F., for instance, fluid life is reduced to 50,000 miles. At 220 degrees, which is commonly encountered in many transmissions, the fluid is only good for about 25,000 miles. At 240 degrees F., the fluid won't go much over 10,000 miles.
Guess what towing does to your lifespan!
According to the Automatic Transmission Rebuilders Association, 90% of ALL transmission failures are caused by overheating. And most of these can be blamed on worn out fluid that should have been replaced.
I get mine changed every 30,000 miles with synthetic oil and have a proper external tranny cooler, not those stupid stock coolers that runs through the bottom of your stock rad!
It doesn't take long for the automatic transmission fluid (ATF) to heat up once the vehicle is in motion. Normal driving will raise fluid temperatures to 175 degrees F., which is the usual temperature range at which most fluids are designed to operate. If fluid temperatures can be held to 175 degrees F., ATF will last almost indefinitely -- say up to 100,000 miles.
As a rule of thumb, every 20 degree increase in operating temperature above 175 degrees F. cuts the life of the fluid in half! At 195 degrees F., for instance, fluid life is reduced to 50,000 miles. At 220 degrees, which is commonly encountered in many transmissions, the fluid is only good for about 25,000 miles. At 240 degrees F., the fluid won't go much over 10,000 miles.
Guess what towing does to your lifespan!
According to the Automatic Transmission Rebuilders Association, 90% of ALL transmission failures are caused by overheating. And most of these can be blamed on worn out fluid that should have been replaced.
I get mine changed every 30,000 miles with synthetic oil and have a proper external tranny cooler, not those stupid stock coolers that runs through the bottom of your stock rad!
Last edited by UseYourNoggin; 02-13-2014 at 01:05 PM.
#3
02-13-2014, 02:57 PM
Thank you!
Fluid ever changed?
It doesn't take long for the automatic transmission fluid (ATF) to heat up once the vehicle is in motion. Normal driving will raise fluid temperatures to 175 degrees F., which is the usual temperature range at which most fluids are designed to operate. If fluid temperatures can be held to 175 degrees F., ATF will last almost indefinitely -- say up to 100,000 miles.
As a rule of thumb, every 20 degree increase in operating temperature above 175 degrees F. cuts the life of the fluid in half! At 195 degrees F., for instance, fluid life is reduced to 50,000 miles. At 220 degrees, which is commonly encountered in many transmissions, the fluid is only good for about 25,000 miles. At 240 degrees F., the fluid won't go much over 10,000 miles.
Guess what towing does to your lifespan!
According to the Automatic Transmission Rebuilders Association, 90% of ALL transmission failures are caused by overheating. And most of these can be blamed on worn out fluid that should have been replaced.
I get mine changed every 30,000 miles with synthetic oil and have a proper external tranny cooler, not those stupid stock coolers that runs through the bottom of your stock rad!
It doesn't take long for the automatic transmission fluid (ATF) to heat up once the vehicle is in motion. Normal driving will raise fluid temperatures to 175 degrees F., which is the usual temperature range at which most fluids are designed to operate. If fluid temperatures can be held to 175 degrees F., ATF will last almost indefinitely -- say up to 100,000 miles.
As a rule of thumb, every 20 degree increase in operating temperature above 175 degrees F. cuts the life of the fluid in half! At 195 degrees F., for instance, fluid life is reduced to 50,000 miles. At 220 degrees, which is commonly encountered in many transmissions, the fluid is only good for about 25,000 miles. At 240 degrees F., the fluid won't go much over 10,000 miles.
Guess what towing does to your lifespan!
According to the Automatic Transmission Rebuilders Association, 90% of ALL transmission failures are caused by overheating. And most of these can be blamed on worn out fluid that should have been replaced.
I get mine changed every 30,000 miles with synthetic oil and have a proper external tranny cooler, not those stupid stock coolers that runs through the bottom of your stock rad!
#4
02-13-2014, 10:04 PM
Kob: a light bulb can be tested. If it fails the test then replace it. If it is still not going on when you put it in OD then it does not shift into OD. Also you should be able to tell if it shifts into OD. The rpm should drop when that happens. When leaserly accelerating from stop to highway speeds you should feel 3 distinct shifts.
You certainly were not kind to your beloved Tribute. Having no oil left means you did damage to the transmission. I could not assess from where I am sitting how much damage has actually occurred. The mechanic is trying to avoid a major bill for you.
Do yourself a favor and check the owners manual to see what it says about towing.
You certainly were not kind to your beloved Tribute. Having no oil left means you did damage to the transmission. I could not assess from where I am sitting how much damage has actually occurred. The mechanic is trying to avoid a major bill for you.
Do yourself a favor and check the owners manual to see what it says about towing.
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