The first time I got this code p1744 on my car, I was confused and scared at the same time. For starters, I had previously spent a fortune fixing a fault in the car, and now I didn't understand this code. It put me in a weird position as the overdrive light kept flashing. It also didn’t help that the truck failed to move. I was mortified. Then, I put a call through to the senion auto-technician (my mentor in the field) who wasn't within the radius of where I was, but he talked me through the diagnosis and fixing the issue.
Of course, I am an auto-technician but there was little I could do about it since I was fairly new at it and was just starting to familiarize myself with the fault codes that exist. Trust me; I didn't leave that experience without learning all I needed to learn about the P1744 Ford code. It meant that the powertrain control module that monitors hydraulic pressures within the Trans detects excessive spillage. When that happens, your car won't function correctly, and you'd experience a chain of problems as there is no single cause for this code problem. But the good news is, once you figure out what the problem is, you can quickly fix it. So, keep reading to discover the possible causes and solution that pops this code on your ford.
Related: Ford 4r100 Transmission Problems
CAUSES
There are quite a few causes responsible for the P1744 Ford code. Below are a few of them.
Low Transmission Fluid:
Think of the transmission fluid in your car as the blood in your body. Just as the proper blood levels in your body mean your body would function well, proper levels of transmission fluid in your car means your car would keep working correctly.
One of the significant functions of transmission fluid is to regulate the hydraulic pressure that your car’s engine needs to push your wheels in motion.
But when the transmission fluid is low, you’d have a hard time propelling your car’s wheels in motion. You'll also experience difficulty shifting the gears as there needs to be enough transmission fluid to shift the gear in your car flawlessly.
Dirty Transmission Fluid:
Another reason you might have gotten the P1744 Ford Code is that your transmission fluid is dirty. Remember how I said that the transmission fluid is a vital part that decides how well your car functions?
Well, any problem with the transmission fluids means a problem for your vehicle, and it is linked with regulating the hydraulic pressure of your car that keeps it in motion.
When the transmission fluid is dirty, you will witness problems like terrible smoke oozing out of the engine, sudden vehicle surges; you'd hear weird noises from your car while driving, you’d notice your gear starting to slip, or your car would stall for a few seconds when you put it in gear.
Faulty torque converter clutch (TCC) solenoid valve:
When the torque converter clutch solenoid valve is faulty, it could also lead to a p1744 code. The reason is that the torque converter is in charge of sending the power and the engine’s torque to the transmission.
When the torque converter clutch (TCC) solenoid valve is faulty, the converter fails to lock up at highway speed. When this happens, there's usually an increase in fuel consumption. The high fuel consumption is no thanks to the transmission and the engine failing to lock up when the car hits highway speed, no thanks to the faulty solenoid valve.
In turn, it results in slipping as the engine is forced to work harder than it should.
When slipping occurs, it leads to overheating the transmission, which births internal damage in the car.
Related: P1450 Code
SOLUTION
The easiest way to solve the causes of a P1744 Ford code is first to diagnose the problem. Then, make a move to tackle it with the solution. The solutions below tackle the problems highlighted as the possible causes of low transmission fluid.
Fix the Low Fluid Transmission Problem:
Check if the transmission fluid is low to solve this problem. If the fluid runs low, then all you need to do is fill it up. Luckily, filling up your transmission fluid is a straightforward process. After filling up your transmission fluid, the next move is to monitor the fluid to see if it's leaking, especially if you think it runs low too quickly.
If you notice leakage, there could be a lot of causes for the leakage, some of which include a crack in the fluid line, torque converter failure, crack or puncture in the transmission pan, etc. If the low transmission fluid is due to a leakage, you might want to call in your mechanic for intervention. But if you can fix it yourself, feel free to fix it.
Do a Transmission Fluid Flush or Change:
The best way to fix this issue is to flush a transmission fluid or change it altogether. If you’ve not changed your transmission fluid in a while, consider changing the fluid. Generally, you should change your transmission fluid after two years.
Hence, if you’ve not changed your fluid in a while, it might be time to ditch the transmission fluid for a fresh one. However, if you recently changed your transmission fluid, consider performing a transmission flush.
Unless you’re an expert at doing a transmission fluid flush, do not attempt to flush the fluid yourself. Reach out to your mechanic or auto-repair man to help fix this issue.
Change the TCC Solenoid Valve:
The easiest way to fix this is to buy a remanufactured TCC Solenoid valve and pay for the wholesale installation. However, if you're confident you can fix it without any hitch, feel free to change it yourself.
Related: How to Fix Bad Torque Converter
CONCLUSION
Now that you know the possible causes and fixes of a P1744 Ford fault code, you shouldn't panic like I did when it first confronted me. Suppose you're in doubt about how to diagnose what the real problem might be (as there are a lot of possible other causes aside from the ones highlighted above) it's okay to reach out to your mechanic to help with proper diagnosis and fixing the issue.
Other possible problems that could lead to a P1744 Ford code include Transmission internal mechanical problems, open or shorted Torque converter clutch (TCC) solenoid valve circuit, or the TCC solenoid valve harness or connectors. Trust me, fixing these issues aren’t as difficult as they may sound.
James is a certified auto technician specializing in commercial vehicles. With 30 years of experience under his belt, James has encountered almost every type of automotive issue there is! Besides his day job at the repair shop, he is also an amateur race car driver.
