OK..so I am new to this forum and I hope I can get some advice and also pass on some recent learnings. I was headed across rural Ga in my 2004 Excursion when tow/haul light starts flashing and truck goes into limp mode. This is not too alarming as I have already experienced the dreaded temperature gauge issue and survived so I am not too worried (should have been but wasn't). Decide to stop at my local Walmart to check it out and when I shut down the truck it will not crank...I don't mean it wont start I mean that the starter will not activate. Long story short I am able to jump the starter circuit and get it home. Now after looking at wiring diagram am pretty sure this is related to the Transmission Position Sensor (aka Neutral Safety Switch). Not only does the truck not crank but it also shows no reverse lights so this sensor is not getting any power.
But in their infinite wisdom Ford now located this sensor inside the transmission. I have dropped the pan and taken a look but this seems quite complicated to remove and I can not find any videos or advice on how to remove.
So 2 questions. 1) Anyone know how to remove this and successfully reinstall? (There is a note printed on the mounting bracket telling one to not bolts as it requires recalibration). And 2) If there is something in the wiring other than the Neutral Safety Switch that could be causing this?
Thanks for any help you can send my way. I am hopeful that this is not one of those $30 parts that cost $500 to replace.
OK...so called my local shop today and they referred me to a local transmission guy. He was kind enough to provide some feedback on my diagnosis. 1) It is likely not the Neutral safety switch. Ford put them inside the transmission when the built the Torqshift to eliminate the problems they were having with them on the outside. Rarely does it go bad so replace this only as a last resort. 2) Likely issue is wiring and it is either in the wiring harness entering the transmission (check the bundle coming into the transmission after you drop the pan) or check the wiring harness coming down on teh right side of the car (passenger side) by the manifold. If it comes loose it will melt on the manifold and over time short various wires out. These two issues are common and should be focused on first before tearing apart the neutral safety switch. nice of the guy to provide all this information. More to come (with a solution) I hope.
I have been posting my progress of solving a transmission (limp mode) issue and no crank issue (could jump it). Wiring diagram takes one to the neutral safety switch (but local guy told me this was not likely the issue) and I should focus on wiring (melting on the passengers side or chaffing in the inlet to the transmission.
Checked all the continuity this morning and found nothing...even checked the fusible links and they are all fine). But I remembered that others had talked about clutch fan. I had ignored this as I could not understand how a vehicle with the clutch driven by the engine would need a sensor. (I thought it was a standard heat driven clutch but now see it has an electric clutch that is connected to the fan. But this morning I noticed the plug on the fan shroud so I unplugged it and magically the truck now starts. Wow! My tow haul light is off but I have not driven the truck yet so will have to see if that problem is solved.
Thanks to all who have provided some clues (not in replies as I have not had any) but who have taken the time to write up what they found. I hope this will be useful to someone else as well.
If anyone has a link that shows how to replace the sensor without pulling radiator that would be appreciated. Also can I replace this with a mechanical driven fan without causing other electrical issues (it just seems a mechnically driven fan (without the electronics) would make much much much (did I say much) more sense. Any info is appreciated.
Glad you got it figured out. I am guessing that there's some sort of "safety" feature to ensure that without the ability to cool with the fan (a necessity in TX), the truck bypasses the starter. Now in MT, I don't think the fan clutch ever engaged in my Excursion...at -55 below and the fact it was already a cold blooded beast, I am betting the fan got rare usage. Now my 6.4L on a 104 degree day with the A/C on, climbing hills you can hear the roar of the fan come on. My 6.0L always pitched a fan clutch code yet it worked as it should. Was fixing to tear into it and replace the peeling grille at the same time and on the way home to order the grille the truck was totaled when a man ran a stop sign.
As already said, thanks for updating this. I know for me, the fan clutch is not something I would have considered especially with the tow/haul light flashing. Usually that means there is/are DTC(s) stored for the transmission.
Just out of curiosity, did you ever try to have it read to see if any codes were present?
Awesome thread. Same thing happened to me, I'm hoping i can drive the same results by unplugging the clutch fan. It will be comical if this is the problem, i just recently replaced the radiator.
I am going to try this on the weekend, as I think mine is doing the same thing. Could this be why the truck all of a sudden loses all gears and just revs because the truck thinks its going to over heat? Mine did not start as well after losing all the gears as well but would start if I A.) removed the batteries and put them back on. Or B.) jump start the starter circuit. Thanks for updating what fixed you problem.
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