2010 STA 8cy

[Mark Connolly]

Hi everyone.

My STA is acting strange lol. So what happens is i will be driving around and everything is going fine and then my car will go into “limp” mode. My check engine light comes on and the wrench comes up and sometimes the anti slip light comes on as well. I can drive the car fine but what I do is turn the car off and then back on and its fine again for a few days or whatever. The code it throws is “lost communication with the TCM”
First fix i tried was to change the Iginition coils on the side where the bus wiring passes by the coils on its way to pcm. The thinking was a bad coil is sending off electric pulses of some kind. After i changed the coils the car ran great but the the problem showed up again. Next fix was to put up on lift and inspect the wires for rodent damage. Nothing obvious, while under there i reached up and grabbed the wiring harness going into the tranny and wiggled it about a bot. I Put the car down and after that day the car did not have this condition for like 6 months. And guess what, today the condition is backkkkkk!!! When its not in this condition the car runs perfect. Any ideas? Thanks !!

 

[EddieS'04]

As a suggestion. Disconnect neg batt terminal. Unplug and re-plug the ECU . do this with every connector you see that has to do with engine and trans management. It may not be the fix. But you live in a part of the country where corrosion can happen if some connector was not sealed well.
Even here in Texas this has worked, for me on other cars, That were head scracthers..GL

 

[Emory]

You have a bad wheel sensor. My '08 was doing EXACTLY the same thing. Sometimes it would happen a few times in a week and then it might go a week or two without happening. The bad news was that the wheel hub assy was bad and had caused the wheel sensor to go bad. Cost from a Ford dealer: $470.00. I'm good mechanically but just didn't have the time. Cured the issue.

 

[RMYLY]

How did you find out WHICH abs sensor went bad?
Did the dealer scan it or did you...did you have a certain code come up?

 

[Emory]

Dealer scanned it. Keep in mind, if the hub assy is going bad (even in the slightest), replacing the sensor may not solve your problem. If you're mechanically inclined you can replace the hub yourself. If you can get a shop to scan the code when it triggers, you might be able to install that wheel sensor yourself. Try Auto Zone. I think they'll scan your vehicle at no cost. You can buy the sensor from them as well. I simply didn't have the time and that's why I went to a dealer. I usually take my vehicle to a private shop that I know well, but he was so backed up I didn't bother.

 

[Mark Connolly]

You have a bad wheel sensor. My '08 was doing EXACTLY the same thing. Sometimes it would happen a few times in a week and then it might go a week or two without happening. The bad news was that the wheel hub assy was bad and had caused the wheel sensor to go bad. Cost from a Ford dealer: $470.00. I'm good mechanically but just didn't have the time. Cured the issue.

Wow I wonder if its that easy.

Funny enough I have already changed 3 of 4 wheel bearings on this rig. I wonder if it could be that last one that giving the bother. Thanks I will have it changed out and see what happen

 

[Mark Connolly]

As a suggestion. Disconnect neg batt terminal. Unplug and re-plug the ECU . do this with every connector you see that has to do with engine and trans management. It may not be the fix. But you live in a part of the country where corrosion can happen if some connector was not sealed well.
Even here in Texas this has worked, for me on other cars, That were head scracthers..GL

Tried that thanks ng

 

[Mark Connolly]

You have a bad wheel sensor. My '08 was doing EXACTLY the same thing. Sometimes it would happen a few times in a week and then it might go a week or two without happening. The bad news was that the wheel hub assy was bad and had caused the wheel sensor to go bad. Cost from a Ford dealer: $470.00. I'm good mechanically but just didn't have the time. Cured the issue.

Was this a front or rear wheel hub? Just curious

 

[Len Jorgenson]

I doubt a wheel sensor would put it into limp mode. I’ve had both issues with my ‘09 (failed hub/sensor and the notorious tranny connector). The only time I ever saw the wrench and experienced limp mode was with the tranny connector.

 

[Mark Connolly]

I doubt a wheel sensor would put it into limp mode. I’ve had both issues with my ‘09 (failed hub/sensor and the notorious tranny connector). The only time I ever saw the wrench and experienced limp mode was with the tranny connector.

So the tranny connector was faulty and you had to replace it? What does that entail? I think the pan has ton-be dropped because the connector is locked in and the access is from the inside to release it? Do they splice in a new one? Can i unplug it and clean it up?
Beleive it or not I have been dealing with this problem for years now. Last year I has a evap problem and the dealer had the car 5 times, replaced the cpu and at the end of it it was a faulty connector under the hood on the evap. ( changed 3 of thise as well ) so i reallly despise the dealership. Thanks for any advice, walk throu you can provide.

mark

 

[Len Jorgenson]

So the tranny connector was faulty and you had to replace it? What does that entail? I think the pan has ton-be dropped because the connector is locked in and the access is from the inside to release it? Do they splice in a new one? Can i unplug it and clean it up?
Beleive it or not I have been dealing with this problem for years now. Last year I has a evap problem and the dealer had the car 5 times, replaced the cpu and at the end of it it was a faulty connector under the hood on the evap. ( changed 3 of thise as well ) so i reallly despise the dealership. Thanks for any advice, walk throu you can provide.

mark

Hey Mark, This was several years ago, but the initial problem with the connector was not "the wrench" or limp mode, it was tranny fluid leaking onto my driveway. Eventually though, I believe tranny fluid started leaking into the electrical connector pins, causing it to throw the tranny comm code and go into limp mode. Yes, you do have to drop the pan to access the locking ring. I took the opportunity to replace the tranny fluid and filter at the same time. After replacing it, the problem has gone away. Not a pleasant job, but with the right tools and some patience, you can get it done. Lots of YT videos and project files to help you along the way.

 

[Mark Connolly]

Hey Mark, This was several years ago, but the initial problem with the connector was not "the wrench" or limp mode, it was tranny fluid leaking onto my driveway. Eventually though, I believe tranny fluid started leaking into the electrical connector pins, causing it to throw the tranny comm code and go into limp mode. Yes, you do have to drop the pan to access the locking ring. I took the opportunity to replace the tranny fluid and filter at the same time. After replacing it, the problem has gone away. Not a pleasant job, but with the right tools and some patience, you can get it done. Lots of YT videos and project files to help you along the way.

Thanks a million, yes I think this connector is faulty for sure. I will give it a try. So do i splice in a new connector?

 

[Len Jorgenson]

No. You plug the cables from the transmission into one side of the connector and the cables from the engine bay into the other side. Very simple. The biggest trick I found was getting the locking ring off the connector plug.

 

[Mark Connolly]

No. You plug the cables from the transmission into one side of the connector and the cables from the engine bay into the other side. Very simple. The biggest trick I found was getting the locking ring off the connector plug.

Ahh, so the bronken part is the receiver in the transmission, not the plug from the “engine” wires. Got it. I had it up on my friends lift months ago and I wiggled the wires going into the trans and it didnt do thr ptoblem for like 6 months.. i am 99 percent confident this is the problem. Thanks alot, appreciate your time.

 

[Todd Z]

IT leaks fluid into the connector, Replace the O rings asap.... ford has a TSB on it...

 

[Mark Connolly]

IT leaks fluid into the connector, Replace the O rings asap.... ford has a TSB on it...

Thanks Todd. I going to talk eith my mechanic about it today.
drop the pan
Unlock connector
Disconnect both ends of connector
Install new connector and o rings , filter?
Close her up
Fill er up.
go for another 100,000

 

[RMYLY]

Planning to drop pan/fluid change anyway....anyone have a link or info on the tranny connector that we are talking about? I've never heard anything about this before

 

[Kent Brown]

Planning to drop pan/fluid change anyway....anyone have a link or info on the tranny connector that we are talking about? I've never heard anything about this before

Here is the part number.

6L2Z-7G276-AA​

You can get them on Amazon. They are really snug when putting the new fitting in but it is doable. There are multiple YouTube vids available and some are even good.
Goodluck

 

[JC2008SportTrac]

Just as a follow up, not Tranny related; my other truck, '06 Explorer, was throwing wrench codes and traction-control codes. Just replaced ball-bearings and tie-rod ends in the front-end. The '06 sits up considerably higher now, than it did in the past. But ALL codes are now cleared. Driven several hundred miles now, and no new codes.

I think these trucks have alot of suspension sensors that really like to be 100% spot on, and get really grumpy if they're not. The '06 is now 100% awesome-possum. The '08 Sport Trac still seems to need some love. '08 model V8 with 120K miles, thinking it wants some new front-end parts.

I've got my '08 going to the shop a week from today; to a guy that used to work on my Shelby. So I trust him a great deal. We'll see what he says. He already griped at me about having another 3-valve, what with their stupid plugs. He got to work on my last 3-valve, an '05 Mustang GT with a Kenne Bell. He HATED working on it, b/c of the foot-long+ plugs. But, hey, that's what I pay them for.

 

[Mark Connolly]

Just as a follow up, not Tranny related; my other truck, '06 Explorer, was throwing wrench codes and traction-control codes. Just replaced ball-bearings and tie-rod ends in the front-end. The '06 sits up considerably higher now, than it did in the past. But ALL codes are now cleared. Driven several hundred miles now, and no new codes.

I think these trucks have alot of suspension sensors that really like to be 100% spot on, and get really grumpy if they're not. The '06 is now 100% awesome-possum. The '08 Sport Trac still seems to need some love. '08 model V8 with 120K miles, thinking it wants some new front-end parts.

I've got my '08 going to the shop a week from today; to a guy that used to work on my Shelby. So I trust him a great deal. We'll see what he says. He already griped at me about having another 3-valve, what with their stupid plugs. He got to work on my last 3-valve, an '05 Mustang GT with a Kenne Bell. He HATED working on it, b/c of the foot-long+ plugs. But, hey, that's what I pay them for.

A quick follow up, i disconnected the wires going to my tranny and sure enough it was wet inside there. I used a rag to dryboff thr connector being carful not to touch the pins ( electrostatic ) i put it back and havent thrown a code in many weeks now. I will replace thr bulkhead connector next time i am in for service. Thabks to all.