5R44E Solenoid Kit

Ranger and Mazda B-Series owners usually land on this page after the same few searches: 5R44E stuck in third, check engine light with a shift solenoid code, or a pickup that pulls away in second and then bangs into gear. When the coils and seats in the valve body wear out, the computer keeps asking for shifts the hydraulics cannot make. This remanufactured kit is the complete set of six solenoids pictured on the listing, so the shift, pressure and lockup circuits are all renewed in one pan-off job instead of one solenoid at a time.

What the solenoids do in a 5R44E

The 5R44E is the lighter-duty five-speed in Ford's rear-drive 4R44E, 4R55E, 5R44E and 5R55E family, and all four share the same basic valve body layout. Nothing mechanical decides a shift. The PCM reads vehicle speed, throttle and fluid temperature, then switches the on/off shift solenoids to move the shift valves into each gear. The electronic pressure control (EPC) solenoid works on the main regulator through the boost valve, so its current decides how hard every clutch and band is applied. The torque converter clutch solenoid locks the converter once the truck is cruising. Each of these feeds from solenoid regulator oil, which is why a worn regulator bore or a leaking solenoid seat can make good parts look bad.

Symptoms of worn 5R44E solenoids

• Failsafe operation: the truck holds one gear and the check engine light is on
• Second-gear or third-gear starts, or a skipped upshift
• Shift solenoid circuit codes such as P0750, P0755 or P0760
• Torque converter clutch codes such as P0743 (circuit) or P0741 (slip), or a shudder at 40-50 mph
• Harsh engagement into Drive and Reverse, or soft, flared 2-3 and 3-4 shifts, from a drifting EPC solenoid
• Slipping in upper gears with P0735, a well-known family failure that is just as often a worn servo bore or band as a solenoid

How to confirm the solenoids before you order

Check the fluid level and smell first, then read every stored code, not only the one that turned the light on. Unplug the case connector and look for fluid that has wicked into the pins, since a wet connector sets circuit codes on healthy solenoids. Measure each solenoid circuit at the connector against the factory resistance values, then road test with a gauge on the line pressure tap. If pressure follows the EPC command and the codes are performance codes rather than circuit codes, the problem is more likely valve body or servo wear. Our 5R55 harsh or delayed shift walkthrough covers those tests and how this family separates solenoid problems from band and servo problems.

Fitment

This listing is titled for the 5R44E with no year range, and it is the same six-solenoid layout used across the family. If you want a kit with a published 1997-2011 vehicle list and reference number, see our 5R44E solenoid kit for 1997-2011. The 5R44E sits in Ford Ranger and Mazda B-Series pickups, and those same trucks were also built with the 5R55E and with four-speed versions of this family, so read the tag on the case before you order. With the pan off, set each old solenoid beside its replacement and match the body shape, O-ring positions and connector before installing. The 5R55W and 5R55S in later Explorers use a one-piece solenoid block and do not take this kit. Not sure which you have? Send us the year and VIN. Everything else for this family is on the 5R55 parts page.

Install notes

• Drain the pan, pull the filter and unplug the internal harness. Swap the solenoids one position at a time so nothing gets crossed.
• Wet each O-ring with clean fluid and push the solenoid straight in so the seal does not roll or cut.
• Flush out old fluid as completely as you can. Sonnax notes that early factory Mercon V shortened solenoid life in this family, and leftover old fluid can do the same to new parts. Refill with current Mercon V and set the level hot with the engine running.
• Clear codes, reset the adaptive tables and drive through all five gears before judging shift feel.
• If the drum and clutches are already slipping, solenoids alone will not save it. A 5R55E clutch module or 5R44E planetary belongs in the same repair when the teardown shows burned frictions or damaged gears.

How many solenoids are in this 5R44E kit?

Six, as shown in the listing photo: the on/off shift solenoids plus the pressure control and lockup solenoids. That covers every solenoid position on the 5R44E valve body.

Is this kit new or remanufactured?

It is listed as remanufactured. Each solenoid replaces one in your valve body; the valve body itself is not included.

My truck has a 5R55E. Will this fit?

The 5R44E and 5R55E share the same valve body layout, but compare each old solenoid to the new one before installing, or send us your year and VIN and we will check it. It does not fit the 5R55W or 5R55S.

Why did my shift codes come back after new solenoids?

The usual causes are a wet or corroded case connector, a heat-damaged internal harness, or worn valve body bores such as the solenoid regulator valve. A vacuum test of the valve body will show the bore wear.

Does the PCM need a relearn after the install?

Clear codes and reset the adaptive values, then drive through every gear in normal traffic. Shift feel can take some driving to settle as the PCM relearns pressure.

• 5R55 Harsh or Delayed Shifts: A Diagnostic Walkthrough