Special K

Right now there are no symptoms other than the transmission light that came on once a couple weeks ago and hasn't come on again since. The transmission is an FNR5 according to the report from the transmission shop. The codes present were: P0772 : shift solenoid stuck on P0742 : torque converter clutch solenoid circuit stuck on

I took my car to a transmission shop and the diagnosis was a torque converter partial lockup; their conclusion was the same as the dealership's, i.e. either fully rebuild the transmission or start looking for a new car, but at least they were able to explain to me in much more detail what the problem was. They said that the problem was in its early stages, but eventual failure was inevitable. At this point I'm just going to start looking for a new car.

I went to an Advance Auto Parts and was able to pull the codes off the TCM. Here is what was returned: P0772 shift solenoid E stuck on P0742 torque converter clutch solenoid circuit stuck on The P0772 had status of "pending" and the AAP employee told me the P0742 was a false code and was only on because it shared a wire or communication link with the P0772 code. The AAP employee told me I should bring my car to a transmission shop for further diagnosis. He said the repair could run anywhere from $500 (solenoid replacement only) to $2500+ (replacement of all sensors, switches, gears, etc., basically a full transmission rebuild). Based on the above am I better off just getting a new car?

If the problem was still present, wouldn't the light just come back on again and trigger the code again?

I have a 2006 Ford Fusion SE I4 with 163,000 miles. Two weeks ago I took it to the dealership for some suspension work I knew it needed (new struts and sway bars). Right as I was getting out of the car to drop it off, the wrench/transmission light came on, so I asked the service rep to have that diagnosed first before proceeding with the suspension work. When the dealership called me back, they told me they pulled multiple transmission codes from the car. They were vague regarding the exact problem and told me diagnosis and repair would be a very time-consuming and expensive process and would likely require the rebuilding of my entire transmission. They then told me this process would likely not be worth it given the age and value of my car. When I tried to pin them down on the exact problem, the most they could say was that the car was making odd noises when stopped during their test drive (“odd noises” may not have been their exact terminology, but it amounted to some noise that was subtle enough I hadn’t noticed it myself). When I asked them what the consequences of not repairing the transmission would be, they said the engine might die when the car was stopped. They said this problem may not occur for weeks or even months, but was basically inevitable at this point unless the transmission was rebuilt. I declined all further repairs and took my car home. Not only did the dealership dissuade me from further transmission diagnosis/repair, but they also didn't even attempt to sell me on a new/used car, which seemed odd to me. I've been driving this car daily for the past 2 weeks and haven't noticed anything different. The transmission light hasn't come on again. At this point I'm not sure what to do. I don't want to sink any more money into the Fusion if the transmission is going to give out soon, but if the transmission is not near death then I'd rather not buy a new car right now and would proceed with the repairs to the suspension. I called a local shop and asked about getting a second opinion, but they told me if the transmission light wasn't currently on, there would be no way for them to pull the codes and proceed with diagnostics. Their advice was to just keep driving it and bring it in if the light comes on again. What do you think?

I just found this topic because I have the exact same car with the exact same problem. slmurphy99's response is correct, but I just want to add one thing that tripped me up at first: The #74 replacement bulbs, or at least the Sylvania ones I bought, have 1 metal wire on each side of the bulb's base. These wires must be bent outward slightly away from the base of the bulb in order to make contact with the metal pieces inside of the socket. If you have the bulb's wires pressed against the base of the bulb when you put the bulb in the socket, the bulb will not get an electrical connection even if it is pressed in all the way. Also the original OEM bulb I had to remove was fitted so snugly in the socket that I finally had to resort to covering the bulb with a towel, smashing it, and then using needle nose pliers to pull the bulb's base out by the filament wires. YMMV but it's just something to be aware of. Luckily the Sylvania replacement bulbs I bought don't fit as tightly into the socket and can be pulled out using only my fingers, although I did have to wiggle the bulb a bit as I pulled.

I was trying to change the license plates on my 2006 Ford Fusion and was unable to remove one of the rear screws because the screw hole/mount is loose. Whenever I try to turn the screw to loosen it, the screw and the hole/mount all turn together, preventing the screw from unscrewing. How can I fix this? I was thinking maybe if I could access the backside of the screw hole/mount I could somehow tighten it, but there is a felt/fabric covering on the upper interior of my trunk that I cannot figure out how to remove. It seems to be secured with these plastic rivets. I can post pictures if necessary. It's made of the same material as the rest of the trunk interior. Can anyone tell me how to fix this?

I'm looking at the invoice now. It says: "repair oil leak at valve cover and replaced valve cover gaskets" I remember they said the spark plugs hadn't shorted out yet, but if they hadn't done the repairs then the spark plugs would have eventually shorted out. I also remember him saying they had to remove and clean one of the ignition coils because it had also been contaminated with oil. I don't recall his exact explanation as to why they had to replace the spark plugs. I'm sure I asked that, I just can't remember the answer. I know the car has 85000 miles on it and they have never been replaced, so maybe they were due for it anyway? I would like to learn enough about my car to feel confident in making these repair decisions, but if it took the techs hours to fix it, I'm not sure I would ever be able and/or willing to put in the time necessary to learn all of this stuff.

I took it in to the dealership today and they reported the following problems: 1. Engine thermostat was stuck open; this explained why the engine was running cold (I did the idle test recommended by FusionDiffusion and the temp rose to about 25% from the far left C on the gauge). I had just had the engine thermostat replaced at a local shop a little over a year ago. The tech at the dealership said the other place had used an aftermarket part and some "questionable" techniques to install it. Apparently the Ford part also comes with the housing, but the aftermarket part didn't, so they had to somehow attach the aftermarket part to an existing housing. Maybe that explains why it failed after only a year? 2. One of the cylinder temperature sensors had failed 3. Oil had leaked into the spark plug chambers due to worn/eroded gaskets (maybe not the technical term; I don't have the invoice in front of me), so all 4 spark plugs were replaced and the engine's computer was reset. Oil leaking might have also caused the cylinder temperature sensor to fail I also had a standard maintenance done (oil, tires, etc.). The total for all of this was $920. It sucks, but under the circumstances I felt like I didn't really have a choice. They said if I didn't do repair #3 now, it would only become a more expensive repair later since oil would ruin the spark plugs, causing the engine to misfire and uncombusted gas to start accumulating elsewhere in the car. It's a classic case of information asymmetry I suppose. I know everyone has their own preference of taking their car to a dealership vs. local shop for repairs, but after my experience today I think I'm leaning toward the dealership only because they apparently use better quality parts than the local shops. I'm guessing that engine thermostat wouldn't have failed after only 1 year if I had had it replaced by the dealership to begin with. edited thermometer to thermostat

I did some other searches and unfortunately this doesn't look like something I would be able to fix by myself.

I took it to an Advanced Auto Parts to pull the code. It says: P0128 Coolant temp is always low The powertrain control module verifies that the engine is at a proper operating temperature. Probable cause: 1. Check coolant level 2. Thermostat defective 3. ECT (engine coolant temperature) sensor defective The coolant level looks ok. I'm really hoping it's not #2. I actually just had the engine thermostat replaced in October 2010 because it was apparently stuck open and the engine was running too cold. I don't remember what the error code was that time. Is this something I need to take care of right away? What are the consequences to driving with a defective thermometer? When the thermometer was replaced the last time, they said it can hurt gas mileage and eventually damage the catalytic converter. Does "stuck open" mean coolant is always flowing through the engine and it runs too cold as a consequence?

I have a 2006 I4 Fusion and starting last week the temperature gauge has seemed to be mostly stuck at at the far left (C, cold) position no matter how I drive. During the last few days it sometimes creeps up toward the middle range where it normally goes after I've been driving for awhile, but then today it actually fell back down to cold after reaching the middle range for awhile. This was shortly followed by the CEL coming on. Clearly something is wrong with either the gauge or thermostat. Has anyone seen this before? Can anyone diagnose the problem from only the information I have given, or do I need to take it in for diagnostics? Is this a problem that a beginner could fix on their own, or do I most likely need to pay a shop to fix it? I don't have a code reader handy, although I think all of the local auto parts shops will let you use theirs for free.

Thanks for the info.

Thanks for the detailed explanation FusionDiffusion. Oddly the problem went away on its own a couple of days ago. If I notice it again I'll try your suggestion.

Thanks for the tip FusionDiffusion. I'm sure this is a very basic question, but how exactly do I access/clean the throttle plate? Is it difficult?