New fluid usually helps that for about a week, then it's back. Driving in Sport mode eliminates it, which tells me it's a software/electronic glitch, not mechanical.
Ford Escape w/6F35 transmission issues
- Thread starter Don_M
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I suspect that the overwhelming majority of the module replacements are because of this.
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- Aug 21, 2020
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- 186
Another obnoxious thing with the 2014 Ford Fusion was driving it through a mountainous area this past summer.
I don't know if it was turbo lag or what, but with the cruise control on the car would accelerate to the desired speed, then bog down at a lower RPM, and have to downshift to get back to speed, and so on. Basically constant gear hunting. It was very annoying.
Then, coming down the other side of the mountain, the car would automatically downshift and try to engine brake, when you didn't ask it to do this. The car has paddles so you can manually do this, but the nanny system kept trying to assert control and engine brake.
I don't know if it was turbo lag or what, but with the cruise control on the car would accelerate to the desired speed, then bog down at a lower RPM, and have to downshift to get back to speed, and so on. Basically constant gear hunting. It was very annoying.
Then, coming down the other side of the mountain, the car would automatically downshift and try to engine brake, when you didn't ask it to do this. The car has paddles so you can manually do this, but the nanny system kept trying to assert control and engine brake.
Have to wonder if there's something wrong with your specific car. Ours had the smaller, 1.5L Ecoboost engine and drove it from SW Ohio to the Gatlinburg area as well as through WV and NC on the way to MB SC and never saw anything like this. The trip to SC was in the middle of summer (twice) so the AC would have been going full-blast too.
- Joined
- Aug 21, 2020
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- 186
I was an at elevation of approximately 5,500 feet, driving in Utah and Idaho, middle of summer, in 90 degree whether when I experienced this.
My 2015 Escape has some issues if I use sport mode. It shifts hard. Harder than
it ever should. If I leave it in regular mode it works as it should. The previous owner replaced the valve body.
144k and still going strong.
it ever should. If I leave it in regular mode it works as it should. The previous owner replaced the valve body.
144k and still going strong.
The constant 5th to 6th to 5th to 6th happens on my car.
I don't think the general public would be too happy if they all did it.
Yea, it's the weirdest thing. We'll see what a fluid change does to it.
This morning's update:
The Escape is being dropped of for "Early Bird" service at the dealership. When I called the service department, you could tell the advisor KNEW exactly what I was talking about when I described the shift hesitation and how I can feel through the gas pedal the "vibrations that sound/feel like something's grinding." She told me that my description was 'spot on.'
They are also going to replace the junk lug nuts with the lug nuts I picked up yesterday from Summit Racing, which BTW were $45 for 20, VS $20 EACH for lug nuts from the dealership!
The Escape is being dropped of for "Early Bird" service at the dealership. When I called the service department, you could tell the advisor KNEW exactly what I was talking about when I described the shift hesitation and how I can feel through the gas pedal the "vibrations that sound/feel like something's grinding." She told me that my description was 'spot on.'
They are also going to replace the junk lug nuts with the lug nuts I picked up yesterday from Summit Racing, which BTW were $45 for 20, VS $20 EACH for lug nuts from the dealership!
Knowledge is power when working with a SA.
Today's Update:
It is not the transmission. The Service Advisor called me about an hour after they took the Escape back for diagnostic checks. She asked if I could come in and go on a test drive with the tech, because he couldn't replicate the issue(s). About ten minutes later, we were pulling out of the dealership, and I immediately told him that we needed to hit the highway. He had driven it around in the city, but couldn't get the issues to surface,
Once on the on ramp, I told him to get it to at least 40 mph, then moderately accelerate. He did so, and the vibrations were so bad, I could feel them in the floorboards on the passenger side ... he did this a few times, and each time was "rewarded" with the vibrations. I then told him while we were on a moderate incline to accelerate the same way. The Gremlins showed themselves again, and he said he is now having doubts that the transmission is the issue, as the RPMs were steady throughout the drive.
Fast-forward a few hours, and the Service Advisor called me back. Turns out that both rear trailing arms, the LF driveshaft, a few tie rod ends and some other misc suspension pieces were bad. Parts won't be in until next week, but the car is safe to drive until they arrive.
The best news? Everything that is at issue IS covered by the extended warranty, so all we owe is the $100 deductable, plus they removed the factory junk lug nuts and replaced them with my Summit Racing lug nuts, free of charge!
It is not the transmission. The Service Advisor called me about an hour after they took the Escape back for diagnostic checks. She asked if I could come in and go on a test drive with the tech, because he couldn't replicate the issue(s). About ten minutes later, we were pulling out of the dealership, and I immediately told him that we needed to hit the highway. He had driven it around in the city, but couldn't get the issues to surface,
Once on the on ramp, I told him to get it to at least 40 mph, then moderately accelerate. He did so, and the vibrations were so bad, I could feel them in the floorboards on the passenger side ... he did this a few times, and each time was "rewarded" with the vibrations. I then told him while we were on a moderate incline to accelerate the same way. The Gremlins showed themselves again, and he said he is now having doubts that the transmission is the issue, as the RPMs were steady throughout the drive.
Fast-forward a few hours, and the Service Advisor called me back. Turns out that both rear trailing arms, the LF driveshaft, a few tie rod ends and some other misc suspension pieces were bad. Parts won't be in until next week, but the car is safe to drive until they arrive.
The best news? Everything that is at issue IS covered by the extended warranty, so all we owe is the $100 deductable, plus they removed the factory junk lug nuts and replaced them with my Summit Racing lug nuts, free of charge!
Should fix the shudder but I don't think it will fix the slow shift described in the original post.
Since I did the drain & fill with Valvoline Extended Performance ATF, the shifts have been fine.
