Flashing "tow haul" light, CEL and dead tranny temp gauge

[Reverend Suede]

I was on my way to work, doing aroing 45mph and my tow haul light came on for no reason and started flashing. my odometer display said "check gauges" and I noticed my tranny temp gauge was completely dead. I got to the parking lot, and turned it off, waited a few seconds then started it again and everything was still the same only now my check engine light was on aswell. Truck ran fine for the 2-3 miles it was acting up.

This morning, I start my truck, an the CEL is still on but nothing else is happening. I checked my tranny fluid, and started home. about 2/3rds of the way home, same thing. flashing tow haul and check gauges and dead tranny temp gauge. Truck seemed to be running fine but what the hecks going on!

It always seems these things happen on a monday when I go back on shift and have no way of getting the truck in to have the codes read.

If anyone has any ideas of what it could be, or if I can at least limp my truck around for 3 more days without destroying something....Sure would appreciate it....

Thanks for your time guys...This will be the 2nd time this forum has saved my ***!

[80RTR]

I'd say it's the internal fluid temperature sensor.

Does it still shift fine or is it in limp mode?

[m-chan68]

TFT sensor failures seem to be the only failure I have seen on these transmissions, and the failure is relatively few, out of the thousands of them out there. There used to be a few that would let go the reverse clutch drum snap ring on late-2004 and early-2005 model years. Other than that, these transmissions have been very trouble free compared to the 4R100 transmissions they replaced when the 6.0L was introduced.

[northernpointer]

I had exactly the same thing happen except that my transmission fluid temperature gauge went to hot after driving a few miles. Replaced the transmission fluid temperature sensor, and the problem was solved.

[scotty2280]

same thing happened to my truck. replaced sensor and all was good again.

[Reverend Suede]

Yep it was the tranny fluid temp sensor. When I called the first time to price the parts, they said it would be 79 bucks for the sensor. I tried shopping around but nowhere else carried it. 2 weeks later I went in to bite the bullet and buy it, and turns out, Ford decided to drop the price down to 13 bucks!

Changed the filter why I was in there, and shes been running good since then!

Thanks for all the help guys.

[northernpointer]

Originally Posted by Reverend Suede

Yep it was the tranny fluid temp sensor. When I called the first time to price the parts, they said it would be 79 bucks for the sensor. I tried shopping around but nowhere else carried it. 2 weeks later I went in to bite the bullet and buy it, and turns out, Ford decided to drop the price down to 13 bucks!

Changed the filter why I was in there, and shes been running good since then!

Thanks for all the help guys.

13 bucks??? Wow!!! You got one hell of a deal. I wonder if that's a new price across the board or just at your dealership. When I changed mine, it cost me $100..yeah, $100...just for the sensor.

[Reverend Suede]

The guy at the parts counter said its price got dropped throughout ford and it has a new part number now too.

[rvincent]

Well problem free for a while now, quick question, maybe. I kinda went off road today got the truck jumping pretty good was coming out of the seat and did use 4x4. anyways drive back to a main road and hit it pretty good get up to 65 and notice my tow/haul is flashing Never looked at my dummy gauge only was watching my actual temp gauge never above 140* so i kept going truck drove perfect no problems shifting just light flashing. got home turned the truck off then back on and not only is it still flashing but now my cel is on. I haven't gotten codes read yet, but other than the temp sensor could I have jarred something loose. hopefully I can get codes read tomorrow.

[Gearhead2012]

Is it locking the converter normally? And, if there's a check engine light, you can check the code at advance or AutoZone, wont tell you much, but maybe could point you in the right direction. There is probably manufacturer specific codes stored that the advance auto scanners won't read. How often do you change the fluid and all?