speedaddict02

Hey Guys/Gals. I am a new member here.. I own a '98 Windstar with the 3.0V6 motor.
I have been having some issues with the tranny.. (surprised?) It has been acting up for quite a few months.. I have had it for a year. And it sat for a year b4 I got it due to a collision. I bought it and did the bodywork.
It now has 109xxx miles.

Basically, on long trips (2hrs hwy), when I would come off the hwy and start doing local stop/go driving, the transmission started to shift erraticly, and a few times when I came to a stop, put it in Park, then tried to put it back into Drive, it was very very hard to come out of Park..

On these long trips, it would usually trigger a code. After about 3 days of normal driving, the engine light would go off and the car would go back to normal.

I finally checked it out with a code scanner at advance auto parts. Came up with a P1744, TCC Solenoid.

I finally ordered the solenoid from the Ford dealer, and paid a mechanic to replace it. Cost me $300 total. He also replaced the fluid & filter at that time. (think this was my mistake)

My wife picked up the van, drove it around and said it felt fine. Shortly after, the engine light came back on and it started shifting very erratic. She went back to the mechanic that changed the sensor. He checked the code and it came up with a P1742. He says something is wrong internally. Quoted me $950 for a rebuilt with a 6month/20k mile warranty.

I finally drove the car. B4 it felt like the converter wasnt locking up on the highway, it would rev a little too high. Now it feels like that is fixed. But now it feels like it downshifts too hard; the 1-2 shift feels like it flares up; when it is cold and I shift down into 2, it will stall; it idles pretty rough now...

Also I am having a problem with the brakes, but someone told me it might be related to the torque converter if it is bad. When I come to a stop, just b4 it is about to stop, it feels like the brakes let go a little, and there is a pulsation, then it catches and finally stops.. Almost as if the brakes are bleeding off pressure, then it regains the pressure.. The ABS light also does not come on.
Last year I did have an issue with the ABS. The ABS ring onthe P/S front axle was cracked. So I had to replace the axle. It would trigger the ABS on occasion in a similar fashion, but not all the time.. Now, the part was replaced, the light does not come on anymore, but it happens all the time now..


I dont know if this car is worth keeping and fixing.. I can get a new transmission from Gibraltar for $2k, with a 3 yr/50k mile warranty.. But then I still have this brake issue to contend with, plus it needs struts,shocks, tires and an alignment.

In the past year, I have done the body work in the front, replaced the fuel pump, complete tuneup, front brakes, front axle, sway bar endlinks.. The only thing I actually like about it is the A/C works.. lol The interior lights dont shut off, so I had to remove them. Have a constant door ajar light on..


Anyways, any ideas on the trans issue and brake issue??

thanks alot
appreciate your time.

jangman

Once you got the P1742 code its behaving just like my 97 Taurus wagon.
Will try to change solenoid now and see how it goes.

Did you ever fix the problem?