Contour Enthusiasts Group Archives Forums General Troubleshooting electronic, transmission, or something else?

I have a 95 ford contour automatic-transmission that seems to be slipping gears. I can be driving it and it acts fine, but then around 60-75 miles per hour it acts as if you were driving a manual transmission and were keeping your foot on the gas while pushing in the clutch and then dropping the clutch - causing a jerking motion. When my car does this, it will act as if it pops out of gear into neutral and then jerks back into gear. It will do this a couple times simultaneously and then be fine for a month or two and then do it again. I have taken it to the local ford dealer and they have had it for 2 1/2 weeks trying to duplicate the problem and get it figured out. I am getting impatient with them because they are a dealer, they should be able to figure this kind of thing out after having the car in there for the third time in a month and them having it now for 2 1/2 weeks on the third try. When the car "pops out of gear" if you still have your foot on the gas and go to accelerate, it will act like you are trying to accelerate in neutral. I don't think it is the engine, but I do think it is electronic - which the ford dealer does not. I believe that it is something in the computer that is telling the torque converter in the transmission to shift when it doesn't need to shift. Am I on the right track? Does anyone have any suggestions as to what it could be to help me out?

Welcome. I hope it is not a torque converter problem.

Check out this thread and see if the symptoms are similar. If you decide to retrieve your car from the dealer, try the ATF change first.

http://www.contour.org/ubbthreads/showflat.php?Cat=&Board=tranny&Number=1047360&page=&view=&sb=5&o=&fpart=1&vc=1

Could it be the Tranny gear selector switch on top of the tranny.

I would definely look into that first

I have the same problem with my 1998 2.5 liter with the CD4E transmission. It is popping in and out of overdrive. It will be fine for weeks, then barely driveable. I flushed the transmission fluid - no luck. I even tried a very good additive ( against my better judgement! ) Lucas brand. No dice. I have access to Alldata and Identifix, and there were no TSB's or commonly related problems. I talked to a transmission rebuilder friend of mine. He says it is a high pressure transmission and the drums crack and it will lose enough pressure at times to cause this problem, and the transmission will need to be rebuilt. I have not done this yet. I just parked it out in the back forty until I decide what to do. I really believe it is a valve body or shift solenoid problem, but have been too lazy to dig into it. Good luck, hope I was some help.

branchingout,

So are you convinced that the drums are cracked and the transmission needs to be rebuilt concerning your issue? Just wondering because I am now wondering if I should have the Ford dealer pull the trasmission and look to see if the drums on my car are cracked and see if the trani needs to be rebuilt?

Two things here...

When I first bought my Mystique (God how the years go by) it had worn plugs and wires and I had sorta the same problem. Only difference was the fact that it happened so fast, you had no time to actually take your foot off the gas or press it. It would just BANG at highway speeds, with no pattern at all. Changed the plugs and wires and that took care of that.

If it is a tranny issue, then I would go for the MLPS first. It is right on top of the tranny. If it's a V6, then you will have to look under a tight knit of hoses to see it, but you will find it under the thermostat housing. On the 4cyl models, it is right there in your face. It will have a wide connector on it, so it is not hard to find.

I would also try a fluid change too. You just can't beat new ATF in a transmission.

branchingout,

The Ford dealer finally think they figured out what is wrong with my car. It is the MLP sensor. You could try this and see. It is fairly cheap, around $50.

swhich01

Thanks, Dude. I'll try the MLP. I have a hard time believing I could be so lucky as to fix it that cheaply, but you just never know. Thanks again!

I actually have my 2000 2.0L contour in the shop today getting the Range Sensor (MLP or whatever, same thing i was told). My car was doing the exact same thing for 2 weeks and everyone was telling me differnt things. Finally got to transmission shops to verify by testing that it was the range sensor. And they generally do run around $50 (i think mine was $53) if you tack labor on obviously more than that. But considering yesterday i was convinced i needed to get a new transmission, sure is nice to know it's just a sensor.