focus transmission and idiot light help

Since I've decided to move to and stay in Fairbanks, AK for the forseeable future, or at least through this winter, its time to bring my two wheel only days to an end. A friend at work has a 2004 Focus sedan, 2.0L auto manual everything, already winterized with plug-ins for the heaters and blizzaks, he's willing to sell to me for cheap (<$1000).

Car has two problems:

• Won't shift into third, can be coaxed into 4th if you're lucky.

• Brake and ABS lights are on, but brakes work fine.

Otherwise, the car drives like a modern American appliance should. Steering/chassis feels tight, interior is in good shape, etc.

From internet reading, the transmission issue is probably the shift solenoid? How hard is it to get to, and what kind of fluid should I put back in the tranny? I'm guessing I should do a filter change at the same time? Never messed with automatics before...

Is it fairly safe to assume the brake lights on the dash are sensor related? Or is there a common failure on those on Foci?

with the ABS/TC light on, it's related to the ABS or TC system, and not the brakes. They will continue to operate, just not with ABS. Check for wheel speed sensors disconnected, as an easy one to check.

But I'm also aware of a TC issue at -40F- my brother seems to have problems when the ambient drops below -40 (he's in North Pole).

Plan on seeing -60F. Getting off the bike is a good idea.

alfadriver wrote: with the ABS/TC light on, it's related to the ABS or TC system, and not the brakes. They will continue to operate, just not with ABS. Check for wheel speed sensors disconnected, as an easy one to check.

Also you might have a case where the rear wheel bearing was replaced and the ABS sensor ring was not reinstalled.

Transmission swap. Dun.

Thanks for the tips, I'll look into the sensors and sensor rings. If I took it to a shop to pull the code, would it tell me which wheel/sensor the problem is at?

Not going to do a transmission swap unless I have to, this is meant to be a beater with a heater to get me through winter. I can get around town just fine in 1st and 2nd gear worst case.

Change fluid and filter, often works wonders.

What code is the trans throwing? A good scan tool could tell you. Could be as simple as a bad VSS or wiring preventing proper shifting and proper ABS function.

So I bought the car, worst case I should be able to get the $800 I paid for out of it I hope.

There are no codes stored according to the dashboard test (Couldn't get a scan tool to connect via the OBD2 port either) and no CEL is displayed except for the ABS and brake lights. Will not shift into third still, but the brakes do work fine.

skierd wrote: So I bought the car, worst case I should be able to get the $800 I paid for out of it I hope. There are no codes stored according to the dashboard test (Couldn't get a scan tool to connect via the OBD2 port either) and no CEL is displayed except for the ABS and brake lights. Will not shift into third still, but the brakes do work fine.

Dashboard test doesn't tell you much of anything. Useless, IMO.

ABS,etc. don't cause a CEL they have their own lights. As Alfadriver noted an ABS light means the ABS isn't working but the brakes will be fine.

For the transmission problem you will need to get a dealer to scan for that. Trans problems don't show up on a regular OBDII scanner.

Brake light is usually low fluid in the master cyl. or the parking brake is on or the switch for the light is stuck or grounded.

In reply to iceracer:

ABS, not Brake light. But you are correct.