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Ford Escape Mazda Tribute Maintenance and Repair

4133 messages,  Last post on Mar 24, 2013 at 5:59 AM

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Messages Page 332 of 415

#3302 of 4133 Re: Transmission Problems Explained [escapenut] by tonyford

Mar 12, 2006 (12:13 pm)

Replying to: escapenut (Feb 14, 2006 11:59 am)
You should get that Mobil 1 synthetic oil out of the CD4E transmission before you do permanent damage to the transmission.
 
After reading the message below I called Ford and they did confirm that only Dexron-III/Mercon made from natural oils (no synthetics)should be used in the CD4E transmission which is used in all Ford Escapes.
 
Ford Special Service Message 16896:
 
SPECIAL SERVICE MESSAGES 16896
2001-2004 ESCAPE USE ONLY 'MERCON' -- NOT 'MERCON V' OR 'MERCON SYNTHETIC' FOR THE CD4E TRANSMISSION ALL 2001-2004 ESCAPE VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH A CD4E AUTOMATIC TRANSAXLE EXCLUSIVELY USE 'MERCON' FLUID -- NOT 'MERCON V' OR 'MERCON SYNTHETIC'. MERCON IS THE ONLY FORD APPROVED AUTOMATIC TRANSAXLE FLUID FOR USE IN THE CD4E. MERCON FLUID PART # IS XT-2-QDX (QUARTS) AND XT-2-DDX (55 GALLON DRUM). FOR CANADA MERCON FLUID PART # IS CXT-2-BM FOR BULK, CXT-2-4LM FOR 4 LITRE BOTTLES, AND CXT-2-LM12 FOR 1 LITRE BOTTLES.
 
Do not use synthetic Dexron III/Mercon or Mercon V in the CD4E transmission. Use Dexron III/Mercon made from natural oil. The is a case where the cheapest is better, no additives or inhibitors added, the trans does not like those things.

#3303 of 4133 Re: [tonyford, et al] by wtd44

Mar 13, 2006 (10:59 am)

Replying to: tonyford (Mar 12, 2006 12:13 pm)
How about my 2005 V6 Escape XLT? What tranny fluid should it have?

#3304 of 4133 Re: [wtd44] by tonyford

Mar 13, 2006 (12:30 pm)

Replying to: wtd44 (Mar 13, 2006 10:59 am)
quote myself; "After reading the message below I called Ford and they did confirm that only Dexron-III/Mercon made from natural oils (no synthetics)should be used in the CD4E transmission which is used in all Ford Escapes.
 
Unless you DON'T have a CD4E transmission, read the above. The dipstick and handle were changed in 2003 or 2004 to read "USE MERCON"...
 
Do NOT use Mercon V or synthetic Dexron-III/Mercon. Just regular Dexron-III/Mercon...it's not that hard to remember..
 
This fluid is sold as Dexron-III/Mercon....I have yet to see just Mercon on any bottle of this fluid...reason is the fluid can be used in some GM transmission as well as Ford and other types of transmission requiring either Dexron-III or Mercon...

#3305 of 4133 Re: Transmission Problems Explained [tonyford] by escapenut

Mar 13, 2006 (12:38 pm)

Replying to: tonyford (Mar 12, 2006 12:13 pm)
I've been running Mobil 1 Synthetic Transmission Fluid since about 45K miles, when the tranny was well out of warranty. I currently have 88K miles, no problems. The shift-points are smoother and generally the tranny has functioned as normal (or better than). My tranny dipstick from the factory even says Mercon V, which I was told in earlier posts was a factory error/flub-up. Funny thing was I ran the tranny on Mercon V after a flush at 25K miles, no problems. When I converted to the Mobil 1 Synthetic I hesitated at first, but decided to go ahead d/t Mobil 1 being compatible with all fluids and most transmissions with few exceptions. Still no problems yet.
 
I talked with a very reputable transmission shop in town. The owner stated that the CD4E is problematic and usually has had a history of cratering at 75-80K miles. Ford did some modifications to the CD4E to bolster it a bit before it went in the Escape or so I've heard. I'm banking on my average of every 25K+ miles flushing the transmission to avert problems. May or may not happen, but if I go over 100K miles (probably by EoY 2006) with the transmission functioning as normal, then there may be something to be said for the Mobil 1 syn. trans. fluid changeover. I firmly believe flushing the main fluids in any car should be done as matter of course every 30K miles. At least I'm sold on it.

#3306 of 4133 Re: Transmission Problems Explained [escapenut] by tonyford

Mar 14, 2006 (11:45 am)

Replying to: escapenut (Mar 13, 2006 12:38 pm)
Believe me, if what you say is true, your case IS the exception and NOT the rule...
 
I don't have enough fingers and toes to count the number of trannys that went south because Ford or the owners used Mercon V or synthetic Dexron-III/Mercon...
 
www.escape-central.com...engines and transmissions

#3307 of 4133 6 CD radio problem by phoneguy1

Mar 14, 2006 (1:49 pm)

I've had my 2002 Escape for about 2 years. I love this vehicle, but for the last few months the radio has been behaving erratically. It will go into the seek mode all by itself. Or it will skip to the next CD if I'm in that mode. Sometimes it turns on all by itself or will jump between FM mode and CD mode. I think it is possessed. Has anyone else had problems with the 6 CD radio? Is there a fix outside of a new radio or aftermarket radio?

#3308 of 4133 Re: Transmission Problems Explained [tonyford] by escapenut

Mar 15, 2006 (9:21 am)

Replying to: tonyford (Mar 14, 2006 11:45 am)
Don't know what to say, other than I tried it and it has worked for me so far. However, I realize that the CD4E is problematic and could crater at anytime regardless of what I have in the transmission.
 
My transmission-questions experience with Ford corporate and the purchasing Ford dealership were not great, because my Escape was out of warranty. The dealer told me not to worry about the Mercon V dipstick (out-of-sight, out-of-mind) and Ford corporate did not seem too terribly worried one way or the other. So based on a good mechanic's advice I went with the Mobil 1 Synthetic tranny fluid at 45K miles (I posted 25K in a previous post.

#3309 of 4133 Re: Transmission Problems Explained [escapenut] by tonyford

Mar 15, 2006 (9:32 am)

Replying to: escapenut (Mar 15, 2006 9:21 am)
You know what they say, "If it ain't broke, don't fix it"...just continue what your doing if the tranny is running good...sometimes you wonder who to believe anymore and the only way of truly finding out is from your own personal experience...

#3310 of 4133 Re: Exhaust Manifold [dbarron59] by cruise1

Mar 15, 2006 (7:22 pm)

Replying to: dbarron59 (Jan 23, 2006 10:25 am)
Hi:
I too have a 2002 Tribute. I didn't buy it new but used in August 2005. I strongly suspect that it is a cracked Exhaust Manifold. Are you having a lot of fumes coming into the car when the heater motor is running? That is my problem. My car has 53,000 miles on it. I'm told that if you have a 3 way valve Catalist on your manifold you are under warrantee up to 80,000 miles. It is a difficult job that will take some time to fix. Let me know more about what you experienced with your problem. Good luck!

#3311 of 4133 Re: Exhaust Manifold [cruise1] by escapenut

Mar 16, 2006 (9:17 am)

Replying to: cruise1 (Mar 15, 2006 7:22 pm)
ALLDATA says that the parts are $510 for RH manifold and $325 for the LH manifold + 2.7 and 1.4 hrs. labor respectively to replace each separately. A mechanic friend has told me that I've got a minor crack in mine that hasn't expanded yet, so no problem so far, but it could become one later. Seems hard to believe that parts and labor could run so high or effectively about $1400-$1500 to replace both manifolds. According to what you wrote, I may have been covered up to 80K miles, but am well past that now. Oh well...

Messages Page 332 of 415

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