I have a 2005 Ford explorer that has the auto 4wd, 4high and 4 low. 145,000 miles on a 4.0 liter V6. It does not have a 2wd only option. Sometimes when I accelerate after making a turn it seems like the truck revs up for a second or two then accelerates. I don’t have any delay when starting from a complete stop or from park. Could this be a tranny issue, possible auto 4wd issue, u joints or normal?
DT
sounds like tranny slippage. check the fluid color and smell can tell you the condition of fluid. bright red non burnt smell good fluid. Burnt and dark red with material in = bad fluid
I’ll have to figure out a way to look at the fluid. This doesn’t have a dip stick, you have to remove a plug on the bottom of the pan to check it.
DT
Quote:
I’ll have to figure out a way to look at the fluid. This doesn’t have a dip stick, you have to remove a plug on the bottom of the pan to check it.
DT
Are you sure there isn’t a dip stick? You have to have an easy way to check the level and refill.
FDR
Forgot to mention that I agree with the slipping transmission thought.
FDR
No dipstick there is a plug on side of tranny to check level but the best way would be take to dealer and have them hook up obd 2 tester and check level. 
Thanks for the replies. Is it possibly that new fluid could fix the problem or once it starts to slip there is no fixing it?
DT
I have a 2004 Ford Explorer with similiar but slightly different symptoms. As stated by other posters, the transmission is considered a “sealed” unit without a typical dipstick to check level or condition of fluid. I’ve just started trying to diagnose the problem myself because I don’t completely believe my issue is with the transmission itself. After some research, I disconnected the battery for 10-15 minutes, thereby clearing the Keep Alive Memory (KAM) and this temporarily cured my problems. It may be worth trying to see if this changes the behavior in your case.
In my case, the problem seems to be slowly returning (I suspect it is a bad torque converter) but at least it is one more piece of information I give when I take it in for proper diagnosis. Hope this helps.
Have had good luck with lucus trans fix products comes in white bottle thick like honey. Helps to warm with hot water and use a funnel with long hose. Have a cooler put on the transmission lines helps also if heat is burning fluid up.
Not sure if Ford uses it, but some Jeeps have a friction modifier in the front axle, without it, they can “bind” and then lurch or accelerate, especially after a sharp turn. Just a thought.
deertracker, here’s a couple of thoughts from a Ford guy. Your Explorer does run in 2wd until 4wd is needed, it’s not “locked” in 4wd all the time, though some power may be transferring to both axles. Anyway, your problem happens after turning a corner, which could indicate a low fluid level in the trans. But, if the fluid is discolored and smells like 3 week old coffee, you have internal clutch slippage. Changing the fluid won’t fix the problem, and could actually aggravate it because the clean fluid is thinner. You didn’t indicate whether this only happened in “Drive” or also in “Reverse”, so I’m going to assume “Drive”, which means the forward clutches are burned. Depending on the conditions of the metal parts in the trans, converter, front pump, etc. you’ll now have to weigh the cost of an overhaul vs. a rebuilt assembly. Not having a dipstick makes it tough to check fluid level or condition of fluid, but it does help keep out dirt, moisture and incorrect fluid additions. Hope this helps.
It could be a the transmission slipping, but with it happening after you make a turn makes me wonder about another common problem. The rear axle if equipped with a locking rear end has a problem with releasing the wet clutches. This will cause the rear axle to lock up and feel like a slip. It’s a binding in the rear axle and when you go around a corner you will find one wheel has to make a larger arch than the other. One of the tires has to give and will make a jump or break free to make the corner. This is a guess, but if you take it to a dealership for a test drive, they may be able to diagnose the problem for a minimal cost.
FD 1, I know what your saying about the 2wd and 4wd. That’s why I didn’t think anything was wrong for a few weeks as we live on gravel that is extremely icy right now and just assumed it was locking into 4wd. Today I shifted into 3rd gear before I turned a corner just to see what would happen and eveything seemed fine. It doesn’t slip all the time, mostly at lower speeds. I’ll have to go to my local tranny shop and have them test drive it.
DT
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