Ask the Car People.SM


Ford Escort ZX2 Transmission Problems

40 messages,  Last post on Jan 22, 2013 at 5:59 AM

You are in the Ford Escort ZX2 Forum.

What is this discussion about? Ford Escort, Transmission, Coupe

Messages Page 1 of 4

#2 of 40 ZX2 shifter stuck by obiwampa

Mar 05, 2007 (8:49 am)

I have a green 2001 ZX2 with automatic transmission and all of the sudden, the shifter sticks in Park. I had to pop off that little cap next to the shifter and use a pen to depress the little lever inside. I have to do this all the time now and it has become a real nuisance. I hesitate to take it in for something so seemingly simple, (cash is really tight right now), so does anyone know of any simple tricks I can do myself to rectify this problem?

#3 of 40 Re: ZX2 shifter stuck [obiwampa] by stunna2

Mar 14, 2007 (9:29 pm)

Replying to: obiwampa (Mar 05, 2007 8:49 am)
yeah, mine did the same thing, it may sound crazy but all it was was soda or something that caused it to stick, but when I jerked it back I bent the pin, it's not hard to fix, just some plastic to take off.

#4 of 40 could it be something besides the tranny by magih

May 07, 2007 (5:29 pm)

hey guys- my used '98 ford escort with 90,000 miles doesn't
always get in gear. I gun it and it doesn't move. I'm broke. The ABS light goes on. I'm sorry I ever bought this thing-$3,000 last year. I'm spoiled with 200,000 mi corolla toyota I gave my son, expecting it to start having trouble (but zip!) So I'm stuck with ford. Would bus it but disabled.
Could anything else cause the car not to get in gear?
                                 magi h

#5 of 40 Re: could it be something besides the tranny [magih] by stunna2

May 08, 2007 (10:40 pm)

Replying to: magih (May 07, 2007 5:29 pm)
Alright, so I have a 98 zx2 also. And the bad news isI'm on my third transmission at 178000 miles. But mine did the same thing when my first trans. went out. But I also have alot of play in my throttle cable which is causing some problems now. I can't tell you much but good luck. My trans was about 1300 dollars after labor.

#6 of 40 It's the tranny by ogilthorpe

Jun 18, 2007 (12:20 pm)

I have a 2000 ZX2, with manual transmission. Today it is in the shop for the 6th time for transmission-related problems, with only 117k miles on it. Just got quoted a repair bill in excess of $1300 to replace the entire clutch assembly. This in spite of an entirely rebuilt transmission going in just before 80k miles when Ford Motor Co. finally owned up to my powertrain warranty and "fixed" the problem. I'd gone through three clutches, dozens of phone calls, and many weeks in rental cars before they admitted the tranny was bad. The clutch underwent some more minor repair right around 100k miles, but here I am today, with another major bill to keep this heap of bolts on the road.
I've researched the issue and firmly believe from my own experience and those of other owners that Escorts made between 1997 and 2002 have defective transmissions. The vehicles were not properly engineered. Dare I say...
If I were Ford, I would not stand by these vehicles and ruin my brand name. All owners should have been offered a voluntary recall with full credit applied toward the purchase of a new vehicle.
As an owner, I cannot recommend strongly enough against the purchase of a 1997-2002 Escort due to a high occurance of transmission problems.

#7 of 40 Trans is acting funny sometimes. by igotthis

Sep 17, 2007 (3:10 pm)

I have a 2000 zx2-automatic trans. Almost every time I start my car and I put it in reverse it jolts into gear(and no i'm not on an incline). I got around this by 1st putting the car in drive, to bring the RPM's down to about 1000, put it in reverse, and it runs smoothly. But then, sometimes when I am in city traffic(stop and go), and I have to brake hard but then I immediately let off the brake and depress the gas pedal(i.e.: stop and go), the car doesn't respond for a sec, then it jolts into gear.
WHAT IS WRONG?? Is my car trying to tell me something? Please help me.

#8 of 40 ZX2 Auto transmission change out by bjohnd

Oct 27, 2007 (12:42 pm)

Transmission slips in '99 zx2 with 105k. Any experience with changing one of these? I've done rear wheel tranny's before but never a front wheel drive. I can get a used one with approx 40k for about $925.00. Anybody got any advise for me?? Thanks!

#9 of 40 Re: Trans is acting funny sometimes. [igotthis] by natebird99zx2

Dec 29, 2007 (8:45 pm)

Replying to: igotthis (Sep 17, 2007 3:10 pm)
yes.....my car does that also....its done that since it turned over to 98000 miles...its running pretty bad when its cold, revs high til it warms up, runs in semi neutral til it warms up...i think its the cold weather, but also it does it only when im up a steep hill......i think it has to be the trans filter vents are clogged so i gottaa change that....so maybe you should do the same....tell me what happens if you do it
 
i really dont think it is the transmission going though,........well.....i hope not

#10 of 40 '01 ZX2....don't know if it's the transmission or not.... by smokeyjoe

Dec 31, 2007 (5:27 pm)

I have a 2001 ZX2 with 80K that I have owned since new. Only since last month have I noticed some odd noises coming from the car. When I hit 40 mph, there is a very odd rubbing/humming noise that comes from the right side of the car. I'm thinking it just must be the tread from my Michelin Harmony tires, since the noise is still present, though far less pronounced, at lower speeds. However.....I also notice that when I am driving from 40 mph on up, when I let off the gas the car slows down too fast.......it is almost as though I am driving with the overdrive disengaged, though that is not the case. The car drives fine otherwise, and I have had no mechanical problems to speak of in the 7 years I have owned it.
 
I have taken the car into CarX who couldn't figure out what the problem was, though they did note a slightly out-of-round rim. We swapped rims out and it didn't solve the problem. They also thought it could be the wheel bearings.....I took the car to Ford for a more definitive answer. They could find nothing wrong, other than bad wheel bearings on the driver front-side wheel (which is NOT where all the noise is coming from, and definitely would not cause the massive slow-down in driving at faster speeds). I hope I'm not looking at a transmission issue....?
 
Joe

Messages Page 1 of 4

To POST a message, please Sign In.

Advertisement

Browse by Category

Browse by Vehicle
   View All Vehicles

Browse by Board
Browse by Topic
View All Topics

Edmunds Community

Advertisement