• Sign Up! To view all forums and unlock additional cool features

    Welcome to the #1 Explorer ST Forum and Explorer ST community dedicated to Explorer ST owners and enthusiasts. Register for an account, it's free and it's easy, so don't hesitate to join the Explorer ST Forum today!


Transmission woes

Messages
107
Reactions
38
Points
27
Location
Chicago IL
Vehicle
2022 Explorer ST
#1
Well, she took us from IL to NJ and back last week and today she barely made it home from work. My ST with 30k miles threw a wrench on the dash for a brief second and then it went away during my lunch break.

As I’m driving home, I go to pass some cars and the car is not moving. I was able to stay in the right lane and keep it at speed of 60. I get off the highway and try to accelerate from a stop and it is barely moving. So now I’m in an empty parking lot waiting for a tow. Irony… there’s a ford dealer right behind me, but, they suck and I refuse to get service there. Waiting on a tow to my desired dealer that is 23 miles away.

I just hope that code is stored, as it went away and there’s nothing in the app.
 

Messages
297
Reactions
177
Points
37
Location
San Francisco
Vehicle
2022 ST
#2
I am really sorry to hear that.
It sounds like you're stuck in a gear that wont budge you and that trans is likely toast.
Good luck getting to the good dealer, sir
 

hbalek

Active Member
Messages
978
Reactions
548
Points
232
Location
Kensington, MD, USA
#3
I am really sorry to hear that.
It sounds like you're stuck in a gear that wont budge you and that trans is likely toast.
Good luck getting to the good dealer, sir
Mine was rebuilt at about 25K miles. The A-clutch et al TSB thingie. It was shifting rought 6-7 gear.
 

DaveG ST

Member
U.S. Army Veteran
Messages
390
Reactions
169
Points
37
Location
Hurlock, MD, USA
#4
This sounds similar to what my ST did early on. It ended up being the throttle body.
 

OP
E
Messages
107
Reactions
38
Points
27
Location
Chicago IL
Vehicle
2022 Explorer ST
Thread Starter #5
This sounds similar to what my ST did early on. It ended up being the throttle body.
I did read that wrench can be caused by throttle body. What is weird was the shifting seemed very odd on the highway. Like it didn’t know what gear to be in. Unless the TB can also cause that behavior.
I waited three hours for the tow. I drove it back and forth in the parking lot while waiting and it seemed OK, but, wasn’t brave enough to take it out on the busy street to see what happens after 2nd gear.

Hoping for the best, maybe it’s just a weak battery at the end of the day lol. Either way, it will be under warranty (except the battery).
 

OP
E
Messages
107
Reactions
38
Points
27
Location
Chicago IL
Vehicle
2022 Explorer ST
Thread Starter #6
Got an update from the dealer. They diagnosed it as a bad output shaft sensor. They ordered the part and I should have the car back early next week.
 

OP
E
Messages
107
Reactions
38
Points
27
Location
Chicago IL
Vehicle
2022 Explorer ST
Thread Starter #7
So I picked up the car today. As I was driving home, the wrench light turned on for a minute and back off. This time I got a notification from FordPass app. I turned around and headed back to the dealer. SA checked and said maybe the systems are still calibrating. Car drove fine, he said to give it a day or two and bring it back. They had no loaners available and I had no ride to go back home. So I said screw it, I’ll drive it home. Drove fine, but the light popped up twice on the way home and always goes away soon after.

Plugged into my obd2 reader and I see code P0722. So it looks like I’m back to square one. Maybe a connector was damaged or the sensor wasn’t bad after all and the problem is else where. Tomorrow I’m going to text the SA and ask for a loaner before I drop it off again.
 

Messages
301
Reactions
299
Points
67
Location
Michigan
#8
So I picked up the car today. As I was driving home, the wrench light turned on for a minute and back off. This time I got a notification from FordPass app. I turned around and headed back to the dealer. SA checked and said maybe the systems are still calibrating. Car drove fine, he said to give it a day or two and bring it back. They had no loaners available and I had no ride to go back home. So I said screw it, I’ll drive it home. Drove fine, but the light popped up twice on the way home and always goes away soon after.

Plugged into my obd2 reader and I see code P0722. So it looks like I’m back to square one. Maybe a connector was damaged or the sensor wasn’t bad after all and the problem is else where. Tomorrow I’m going to text the SA and ask for a loaner before I drop it off again.
Complete bull$hit excuse the dealer gave you. As soon as the wrench light came back on, that was proof it wasn't fixed. Nothing is learning or calibrating anything to make the wrench light come on. Just another incompetent dealer.
 

OP
E
Messages
107
Reactions
38
Points
27
Location
Chicago IL
Vehicle
2022 Explorer ST
Thread Starter #9
Complete bull$hit excuse the dealer gave you. As soon as the wrench light came back on, that was proof it wasn't fixed. Nothing is learning or calibrating anything to make the wrench light come on. Just another incompetent dealer.
yeah, giving them another shot. Besides this, they have been really good to me, even their sales dept.

Today I was driving it and the transmission started acting up again. While it was going 30-40mph, I put it into manual mode and shifted gears, but, rpm’s never changed or felt the gears change. Even went as high as 7 and just put it back into auto. Once I put it back into P, seems to reset things and it works fine for who knows how long.

They don’t have a loaner until the 9th. So dropping it off then.
 

OP
E
Messages
107
Reactions
38
Points
27
Location
Chicago IL
Vehicle
2022 Explorer ST
Thread Starter #10
I dropped off the car this morning, and now to play the waiting game. The good news (bad news), on the way there, the transmission was getting stuck in certain gears again and the wrench light was coming on and off way more than before. I got lucky and caught all green lights on the last 5 miles. As soon as the porter drove the car out of the service area, I got more alerts from Ford Pass. So it sounds like whatever is going on, is getting worse, so hopefully, it's easy for them to reproduce the behavior to diagnose, on top of the warning lights.
 

Cruising68

1000 Post Club
Messages
1,675
Reactions
1,225
Points
262
Location
Chicago, IL, USA
#11
I dropped off the car this morning, and now to play the waiting game. The good news (bad news), on the way there, the transmission was getting stuck in certain gears again and the wrench light was coming on and off way more than before. I got lucky and caught all green lights on the last 5 miles. As soon as the porter drove the car out of the service area, I got more alerts from Ford Pass. So it sounds like whatever is going on, is getting worse, so hopefully, it's easy for them to reproduce the behavior to diagnose, on top of the warning lights.
Fingers crossed for a good outcome!


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 

OP
E
Messages
107
Reactions
38
Points
27
Location
Chicago IL
Vehicle
2022 Explorer ST
Thread Starter #12
Received an update from the SA yesterday evening. The tech strongly believes it is a connection issue somewhere. They have been inspecting/testing the wiring and plugs and reseating anything that is related to the code(s). I asked the SA if he can get me the codes that the vehicle was reporting from yesterday's drive.

I can see so far this morning they have been driving it and idling it and no codes have been thrown so far... Looks like they have put about 30 miles on it. Crossing my fingers.
 

OP
E
Messages
107
Reactions
38
Points
27
Location
Chicago IL
Vehicle
2022 Explorer ST
Thread Starter #13
I picked up the car today. They did a bunch of testing, reseating, tracing, checking connectors, and re-installing the OSS, and after 75 miles of them driving it (I approved an extended test drive), no codes. Hopefully, this is the end of this saga!
 

OP
E
Messages
107
Reactions
38
Points
27
Location
Chicago IL
Vehicle
2022 Explorer ST
Thread Starter #14
Well, guess what code(s) came back, yup, same ones. Only this time the transmission shifted fine, just kept getting the wrench light and messages on FordPass.
I’m ready to drive this thing into a wall. Calling the dealer tomorrow.
 

Messages
301
Reactions
299
Points
67
Location
Michigan
#15
Well, guess what code(s) came back, yup, same ones. Only this time the transmission shifted fine, just kept getting the wrench light and messages on FordPass.
I’m ready to drive this thing into a wall. Calling the dealer tomorrow.
There is so much computerized BS on vehicles that Ford or the dealers don't know what causes what anymore.. Simplicity was so much better IMO.
 

Last edited:
OP
E
Messages
107
Reactions
38
Points
27
Location
Chicago IL
Vehicle
2022 Explorer ST
Thread Starter #16
There is so much computerized BS on vehicles that Ford or the dealers don't know what causes what anymore.. Simplicity was so much better IMO.
We have lost confidence on my ST, haven’t taken it on road trips, more so after today. Which sucks because we travel often and drive to our destinations. Might even just consider trading it in after this depending on the outcome and taking a loss on it (it’s paid off too).
 

Messages
301
Reactions
299
Points
67
Location
Michigan
#17
We have lost confidence on my ST, haven’t taken it on road trips, more so after today. Which sucks because we travel often and drive to our destinations. Might even just consider trading it in after this depending on the outcome and taking a loss on it (it’s paid off too).
I had major transmission issues with a 2019 Edge ST that I purchased brand new. It left me on the side of the highway twice on holiday weekends going away for weekends and was in several times for trans issues. Ford would only allow the dealership to do certain things to the trans. (bullshit software updates, etc.) until the trans ultimately destroyed itself and the dealer gutted it and replaced everything inside. This was in 2020 and with all of the supply chain issues they couldn't just get a new trans. .

I traded it in shortly after that. I was done with it and like you said, all confidence in the vehicle was gone.
 

Chamorro85

Active Member
Messages
535
Reactions
254
Points
52
Location
Round Lake, IL USA
Vehicle
'21 Explorer ST
#18
Sorry to hear you're having such bad problems. I saw the opening line about driving to NJ and back here to IL. Did that drive many times from Jersey City before finally moving back here to IL.

Keep us in the loop with what happens.
 

OP
E
Messages
107
Reactions
38
Points
27
Location
Chicago IL
Vehicle
2022 Explorer ST
Thread Starter #19
Sorry to hear you're having such bad problems. I saw the opening line about driving to NJ and back here to IL. Did that drive many times from Jersey City before finally moving back here to IL.

Keep us in the loop with what happens.
thanks, will do. I drop it off Sunday night so they can have it for a day or two. They do not have any loaners right now and our week is so busy, no one can pick me up from the dealer Monday morning.

Just took it for a 30min drive and it was fine, no issues or wrench light. So this upcoming appointment doesn’t look promising and I’ll probably end up with “no issue found”. I’ll probably take it for another spin tomorrow to see if I can get it to throw a light or transmission act up.
 

Messages
301
Reactions
299
Points
67
Location
Michigan
#20
thanks, will do. I drop it off Sunday night so they can have it for a day or two. They do not have any loaners right now and our week is so busy, no one can pick me up from the dealer Monday morning.

Just took it for a 30min drive and it was fine, no issues or wrench light. So this upcoming appointment doesn’t look promising and I’ll probably end up with “no issue found”. I’ll probably take it for another spin tomorrow to see if I can get it to throw a light or transmission act up.
Video and take pictures as soon as it happens again. get the mileage in the pics or video.
 



Top