My 2010 Ford Explorer power trans light came on

ANSWER : Your car has what is called a "safe mode" that will be engaged by the computer when it detects that something critical has gone wrong related to any of the major components in your engine chassis or power train. This may be related to a number of things, most of which should have been registered in the computer when the check engine light came on. I recommend having an expert from YourMechanic come to your location to inspect your check engine light and diagnose any codes registered by your vehicle’s computer.

ANSWER : The power train warning light generally will come on when the computer has detected a fault within the transmission control system. When this happens, the transmission control system puts the vehicle into a "limp mode" which helps to prevent further damage to the engine or transmission by reducing the load put on it. This may mean many different things such as a faulty transmission control module, a faulty transmission shift solenoid or possibly a bad transmission speed sensor. I would suggest having a professional from YourMechanic come to your location to diagnose and inspect your vehicle.

ANSWER : Hi there – this behavior, sometimes called "phantom steering shake" is often due to a steering torque sensor in the steering column. This device sense how much effort is being put into the steering wheel to make a turn. This determines how much "power assist" the electronic steering adds to your own effort to turn the steering wheel. If you are getting the "shake" while idling and still, this can be the beginnings of failure of this sensor. I would first go back to Ford to discuss the Recall (#14V284000), because this appears to be precisely the problem you are having. Escalate to Ford Customer Service. If this is unsuccessful, I recommend a steering wheel shakes inspection performed by a mobile, professional mechanic, such as one from YourMechanic, who will come to your location, confirm this diagnosis, and give you an accurate assessment of damage and cost estimate for repairs.

ANSWER : Hi There,
This light may come on for many different reasons, but will usually come on when something is detected related to the ability for the motor to deliver consistent power to the transmission. The transmission control module relies on information delivered to it from the ECM that it then uses to direct the transmission to shift at specific points along the RPM range. I would suggest having a professional from YourMechanic come to your location to scan the vehicle to download any potential fault codes that may have been stored as a result of the power train light coming on.

ANSWER : Batteries can die due to faults in the charging system so ideally a suspected "faulty" battery should be load tested before a decision is made to condemn it. The only exception to this rule is if the battery is already clearly "old" (greater than 5 years) but even then once you put a new battery in, as a replacement for a "dead" battery, you have to comprehensively check out the charging system. Diagnostic Trouble Code P0460 will result in disruption of the dashboard fuel gauge’s ability to accurately report your tank’s fuel levels. The fuel gauge readings may be erratic, or read somewhere off scale. Vehicles equipped with a low fuel warning light feature may also suffer from erratic low fuel warnings in the event of a code P0460. Unless the P0460 code has been reported alongside other trouble code, all of the vehicle’s essential systems should otherwise function normally. I would recommend that you request a check engine light diagnostic to first resolve the fault causing the P0460 code to set. The check gas cap light warning light could be due a faulty gas cap and/or small leaks in the EVAP system.

ANSWER : Hello, thank you for writing in. The vehicle does utilize a lot of the same sensors for these systems. Are there any other codes that are coming up when this code appears? If so you will want to take these into consideration when processing the repair and making a diagnosis. The module may be bad, and replacing it should fix the problem. The lights should turn off once the main computer recognizes the new module and the sensors sync up. If you believe the sensors need to be cleaned you may do so. Do as minimal as possible to make sure you are not damaging the sensor or disrupting the wiring inside. A bad connection would make the lights stay on. With so many lights that are effected by the module being illuminated, the module is likely bad or does not have a connection. Check the connection first and then resort to replacing the unit. For more help with these electrical tests, contact our service department.

ANSWER : Hi there. In many cases, when you have electrical problems like you’re describing, it’s caused by multiple electrical component failure. It’s likely that a few electrical relays are not working; especially if you have systems that utilize the same components (such as your brake light and tail lights). I would recommend having a professional mobile mechanic come to your location to complete an electrical problems inspection first, so they can pinpoint what is damaged and recommend the right repairs.

ANSWER : This is likely a brake light switch problem. I would suggest testing the brake light switch which should be located down by the brake pedal. This may also be a computer problem as well as indicated by the other lights on in the dash. I would recommend having an expert from YourMechanic come to your home to possibly replace the brake light switch and diagnose with a scanning tool which will download useful data from the truck’s computer indicating what specifically the problem may be.