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Ford Escape Transmission Problems

146 messages,  Last post on Mar 20, 2013 at 8:54 AM

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Messages Page 11 of 16

#95 of 146 Re: blinking o/d light [wwest] by daveyboy8

Sep 24, 2011 (10:20 am)

Replying to: wwest (Sep 24, 2011 8:36 am)
why would it work when i hold the switch in?no change in rpms when it hits overdrive,dont notice any slipping,i will recheck the fluid level,but how much does it hace to be off to cause this problem?could it be electrical?my brother in law works at ford,says they have had problems with wiring running down the steering column,esp. tilt wheel?im open to suggestions.thx

#96 of 146 Re: blinking o/d light [daveyboy8] by nvbanker

Sep 28, 2011 (11:03 am)

Replying to: daveyboy8 (Sep 24, 2011 10:20 am)
I tend to agree with wwest. When the OD light blinks on these cars, it usually means there is a problem inside the transmission, and that's your indicator. Holding the button in probably disengages the OD so it doesn't slip, and I doubt it's electrical.

#97 of 146 2007 Trans "shudders" when put in gear cold by iamentense

Oct 03, 2011 (12:59 pm)

2007 Escape XLT 4cyl, 76K when engine is cold (sometimes warm) the transmission makes a shuddering sound for the first 5 or seconds when placed into gear. The noise disappears and does not return until vehicle has cooled. This happens going into drive, or reverse, flat or hill.

#98 of 146 Re: 2007 Trans "shudders" when put in gear cold [iamentense] by nvbanker

Oct 05, 2011 (8:18 am)

Replying to: iamentense (Oct 03, 2011 12:59 pm)
I have 5 Escapes, and have not had a transmission problem yet, but the first thing I would ask is: is the fluid full, and is it clean. When was the transmission serviced last. If it's been over 30,000 miles, I'd have it serviced. If none of these suggestions resolve the problem, it is an internal issue, but may not be fatal. I had a Sable once that would slip on the very first shift on a cold day, but then never again that day. It never got any worse. The only other thing it could be is the engine, not the transmission. When you first put it into gear, it loads up the engine, which could have a cold temperature miss that goes away quickly when it warms up. Could be a dirty injector, spark plug, or a few other things, but again, not serious. If these simple fixes don't fix it, I'd quit worrying about it unless it got worse.

#99 of 146 Re: blinking o/d light [daveyboy8] by rooslayer

Oct 06, 2011 (11:22 pm)

Replying to: daveyboy8 (Sep 23, 2011 8:43 pm)
Oops.
not sure if the Escape we are talking about is the Mazda Tribute derivative but, I have one (2001 model) and the O/D light started to flash a few weeks ago.
A week later I lost all transmission.
Transmission fluid in radiator and coolant in transmission.
I had a front end accident about a month before (hit a kangaroo) which necessitated a radiator repair.
still trying to figure out if the smack from Skippy caused the failure or whether it was just deterioration (car has done 90,000 Km - 55,000 Miles).
 
I would not ignore the flashing O/D light knowing what I know now.

#100 of 146 Re: blinking o/d light [rooslayer] by nvbanker

Oct 11, 2011 (10:14 am)

Replying to: rooslayer (Oct 06, 2011 11:22 pm)
Yep, the Escape IS the Mazda Tribute brother. And the OD light on most Fords is the clue that you have a transmission problem. If it starts to blink, failure is generally imminent. In your case, you may have saved had you not had the breech. The collision is very likely the cause, as this phenomenon is unusual, if not damn rare.

#101 of 146 Re: blinking o/d light [nvbanker] by rooslayer

Oct 12, 2011 (2:14 am)

Replying to: nvbanker (Oct 11, 2011 10:14 am)
Update.
Insurer has assessed the transmission fail as related to the head-on with Skippy (but they did say they hadn't seen it before).
Yay! Saved me heaps on the repair.
Lesson here is, if you have any front end hit, get the entire cooling system checked. Damage looked fairly superficial, no warning lights came on, no fluid bleeding on the road - just losing a bit of coolant over time. I suspect a piece of grille plastic may have punctured radiator in just the right(ie wrong) spot.
I only got about 200km (120 miles) out of it between the O/D light flashing intermittently and the cog-box giving up.

#102 of 146 jcc11 by jcc11

Oct 12, 2011 (9:25 am)

I just purchased 2009 Ford Escape XLT and have 5 days to keep or return. I already have a problem with the key not going into the ignition hole. It's like you have the wrong key. After moving the blinker lever up and down, the key went in. What's up with that?! There is also a small black stain on the seat which Carmax could not get out. The Carfax report history says something about a shift lever/assembly replaced, automatic transmission check, and battery/charging sytem/starter checked. Carmax says the Carfax report might not be correct info. Is that true?

#103 of 146 Re: jcc11 [jcc11] by nvbanker

Oct 12, 2011 (10:07 am)

Replying to: jcc11 (Oct 12, 2011 9:25 am)
Carfax is horribly unreliable! They can only report what is reported to them. Lots of stuff never is, including accidents, frame damage, etc. You have to take Carfax with a grain of salt, tequila and a slice of lime. I run them, look at them, but don't rely on them. My son wrecked his Mustang 4 times, seriously, police reports each time, body shop fixed each time, insurance paid each time, NONE were reported on Carfax. So be very careful with Carfax.
 
On the key thing, could just need some graphite sprayed into the lock mechanism, or lock lubricant (NOT WD-40!). Or, based on the repairs noted, may be substandard work when the steering column was repaired.
 
I would personally, take this car back and try another one. I have 5 Escapes, none of them act like this.

#104 of 146 Re: jcc11 [jcc11] by rooslayer

Oct 16, 2011 (6:48 pm)

Replying to: jcc11 (Oct 12, 2011 9:25 am)
I find the ignition key a bit fiddly, usually trying to extract it.
It likes the gear selector to be in "N" and sometimes you have to move it in and out of "N" to make it work.
I also think that sometimes if there is pressure on the steering lock that can cause the ignition key to catch a bit.

Messages Page 11 of 16

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