Ford Automatic Overdrive transmissions?

[Donstang86]

I have a 1995 Ford Explorer that I have had since 1996. I drive moderately like an old man in the vehicle (because I am an old man lol). The Explorer has the filter / fluid changed every other year with about 20K in between changed. At 118K, the "OD OFF" light is flashing and the transmission upshift/ down shifts hard. Are the AODs nothing but a fragile piece of junk waiting to break? My Civic went 199,950 miles before the original transmission puked (I could not get to 200K..UGH).

Are all the AODs junk? I heard the GM 700R4 is pretty strong. Hate to have to get up $1500 for a transmission but its the way it is.

NOT A HAPPY CAMPER!

[PaxtonShelby]

Both of our Explorers - a 1993 XLT with the 4.0 and a 2001 Eddie Bauer with the 4.0 - had the tranny's go right around 100k. Only towed once with either of them - the '93 - and that was only for about 50 miles - with a U-Haul trailer and my '66 when it was a completely gutted shell going to the media blaster. So basically they were all familly-truckster miles. Had them both rebuilt for almost $2k each. Ouch. Sold the '93 about 6 months afterwards, but have put around 10k miles on the 2001 and no issues so far. So at 118k it doesn't surprise me that yours is on its way out. Sorry to hear about your troubles, but I don't think they're at all uncommon for the Explorers.

[Martin0660]

Is yours a 4.0? If so it should be the 4R55E transmission, wich is essentially a derivative of the A4LD (with more electronic controls) .... Yeah, probably the worst family of transmissions made. The flashing OD light means the trasnmission control module sees a fault, could be anything from fluid to slipping, but it's in "limp" mode with that flashing (why it's shifting as you describe).

[PaxtonShelby]

Yeah - I was pretty sure that isn't an AOD in there...