My 2000 ford windstar o/d light was flashing rapidly, car began smoking after about 23 miles then brown liquid everywhere and finally the car won’t move but will turn on. how does this sound? does it sound like a transmission issue?
You should have stopped at the first sign of trouble, like smoke and a flashing light. Sounds like your transmission sprung a sudden heavy leak and ran dry. You may need a new transmission.
the smoke was not evident from the inside of the vehicle a passerby told me i was and I immediately pulled over to check it out. when i did that’s when i noticed the puddles of brown liquid underneath.
The brown liquid is badly burned transmission fluid, indicating that the transmission fluid had not been changed in a very long time–if ever–, and/or the transmission was running very hot for an extended period of time. The presence of the brown liquid plus the flashing o/d light tells me that a rebuilt transmission is in your future if you expect to drive this vehicle again.
Seek out a well-reputed independent transmission shop in your area, and AVOID Lee Myles, AAMCO, Cottman, Mr. Transmission, and all other chain operations unless you want to be overcharged for sub-par work.
thank you. the AAMCO guys here are not too bad at all they are quite flexible and bend over backwards to help you. they even tow at no cost.
They tow the vehicle at no cost because they know that once the car is in their shop with the transmission disassembled, a customer is unlikely to want to pay for reassembly of the transmission and for towing to another shop.
Just because the guys at the local AAMCO are charming and they appear to be flexible (whatever that means) does not make them either competent mechanics or honest businessmen. Every successful business cheat has become successful because he was able to lure people in with his personality, and this is likely the same situation that you are experiencing with AAMCO.
The joke in the industry is that AAMCO stands for All Automatics Must Come Out, and this is not far from reality. I stand by my recommendation that you avoid AAMCO and all other chain transmission shops.