To change the transmission fluid in a 2003 Ford Explorer raise the car with Ramps or a floor jack and support it with jack stands. Find the lower cover of the torque converter housing. Turn the torque converter until You find the drain plug. Place a drain pan beneath the drain hole, remove the plug and drain the fluid. Remove the cooler lines at the transmission and flush them with compressed, low-pressure air. Place a large drain pan beneath the transmission. Loosen the retaining bolts on the oil pan with a socket wrench until they are within a few turns of removal. Drain all fluid then tighten the bolts back up on the pan. Then add transmission fluid.
What you really want to do is find the drain plug on the bottom.of the trans pan anddont remove it. Instead remove the small plug within the drain plug. It'll drain slower than if you take the plug out but it'llmake it so much easier to put the fluid in. Purchase the adaptor to go in the hole left by the smaller plug and pop it in. You can with the adaptor measure the fluid level andadd more fluid by attaching a pump and hose. This transmission has no dipstick and therefore no other way to get trans fluid into the transsystem with ourdisaasembljng the entire thing.
Sarah P.
April 9, 2020
Locate the transmission fluid reservoir and drain any old fluid. Replace the old fluid with new fluid and screw the cap back on.
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