I have been driving my wife's 2016 Escape more lately and I've noticed something about the A/T......while driving down long mountains at approx. 45 to 50 mph ...it downshifts which brings the RPMs up to over 3000rpm (maybe even 3500). I don't really care for that much 'engine braking' because "brakes are cheaper than an engine". Is this 'normal'...if it is...I'll forget about it.....but it does seem a bit 'over regulated' by the vehicle's 'brain'.....Thoughts?
Question for Ford 6F35 A/T owners
- Thread starter pbm
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I have the same transmission in my Fusion and in my wife's Escape. The Fusion does that rather quickly on the slightest of hills and can be jerky at times, especially in sport mode. The Escape, on the other hand, has a button for hill decent and seems to do this more smoothly when activated. I go downhill for a short time everyday on my way to work and it always activated on the Fusion. Never really bothered me and it even hits 4k rpm sometimes. I've also never had transmission or engine issues with either car.
3500 RPM will not hurt an engine, While vacationing in Colorado with my 5'ver in tow, Some of those descents had my Duramax at 3600 RPM which is 300 rpm above the redline! With @ 350,000 more miles on the engine.....I don't think it got hurt.
Never noticed it on the wife's 16 Escape. Then again I'm one to almost always downshift and not notice it if it does. At 3500 RPM it's spinning at 1/2 the redline of 7k. It won't hurt a thing. As long as you don't go over the redline it won't bother the engine at all.
Originally Posted by pbm
I have been driving my wife's 2016 Escape more lately and I've noticed something about the A/T......while driving down long mountains at approx. 45 to 50 mph ...it downshifts which brings the RPMs up to over 3000rpm (maybe even 3500). I don't really care for that much 'engine braking' because "brakes are cheaper than an engine". Is this 'normal'...if it is...I'll forget about it.....but it does seem a bit 'over regulated' by the vehicle's 'brain'.....Thoughts?
Our 2017 Explorer has that transmission, the 6F35, and if you're in "D" it definitely doesn't downshift going down inclines at speed. If you leave it in Sport mode it tends to use more engine braking but I don't recall it downshifting. In Sport mode the the engine rpm is higher than if it's in "D" at the same speed, but not much higher I believe. Are you using the paddles to shift? Some times I hit them by accident due to the way I hold the steering wheel.
Whimsey
I have been driving my wife's 2016 Escape more lately and I've noticed something about the A/T......while driving down long mountains at approx. 45 to 50 mph ...it downshifts which brings the RPMs up to over 3000rpm (maybe even 3500). I don't really care for that much 'engine braking' because "brakes are cheaper than an engine". Is this 'normal'...if it is...I'll forget about it.....but it does seem a bit 'over regulated' by the vehicle's 'brain'.....Thoughts?
Our 2017 Explorer has that transmission, the 6F35, and if you're in "D" it definitely doesn't downshift going down inclines at speed. If you leave it in Sport mode it tends to use more engine braking but I don't recall it downshifting. In Sport mode the the engine rpm is higher than if it's in "D" at the same speed, but not much higher I believe. Are you using the paddles to shift? Some times I hit them by accident due to the way I hold the steering wheel.
Whimsey
My mom's Fusion has the 6F Mid Range which is some version of the 6F35 and I can confirm when I drive it I have it in "S" and it will hold gears when decelerating.
My parents have had two 6F35 equipped escapes (a 2.0 and 1.5) that will downshift while braking on steeper hills. It has no problem dropping 2 or 3 gears
Originally Posted by Whimsey
Originally Posted by pbm
I have been driving my wife's 2016 Escape more lately and I've noticed something about the A/T......while driving down long mountains at approx. 45 to 50 mph ...it downshifts which brings the RPMs up to over 3000rpm (maybe even 3500). I don't really care for that much 'engine braking' because "brakes are cheaper than an engine". Is this 'normal'...if it is...I'll forget about it.....but it does seem a bit 'over regulated' by the vehicle's 'brain'.....Thoughts?
Our 2017 Explorer has that transmission, the 6F35, and if you're in "D" it definitely doesn't downshift going down inclines at speed. If you leave it in Sport mode it tends to use more engine braking but I don't recall it downshifting. In Sport mode the the engine rpm is higher than if it's in "D" at the same speed, but not much higher I believe. Are you using the paddles to shift? Some times I hit them by accident due to the way I hold the steering wheel.
Whimsey
Which engine in the explorer? If it's the 3.5 I believe that's the 6F50.
Originally Posted by Whimsey
Originally Posted by pbm
I have been driving my wife's 2016 Escape more lately and I've noticed something about the A/T......while driving down long mountains at approx. 45 to 50 mph ...it downshifts which brings the RPMs up to over 3000rpm (maybe even 3500). I don't really care for that much 'engine braking' because "brakes are cheaper than an engine". Is this 'normal'...if it is...I'll forget about it.....but it does seem a bit 'over regulated' by the vehicle's 'brain'.....Thoughts?
Our 2017 Explorer has that transmission, the 6F35, and if you're in "D" it definitely doesn't downshift going down inclines at speed. If you leave it in Sport mode it tends to use more engine braking but I don't recall it downshifting. In Sport mode the the engine rpm is higher than if it's in "D" at the same speed, but not much higher I believe. Are you using the paddles to shift? Some times I hit them by accident due to the way I hold the steering wheel.
Whimsey
Which engine in the explorer? If it's the 3.5 I believe that's the 6F50.
Originally Posted by Miller88
Which engine in the explorer? If it's the 3.5 I believe that's the 6F50.
It's the 2.3 4 banger with the 6F35 transmission.
Whimsey
Which engine in the explorer? If it's the 3.5 I believe that's the 6F50.
It's the 2.3 4 banger with the 6F35 transmission.
Whimsey
Originally Posted by Whimsey
Originally Posted by Miller88
Which engine in the explorer? If it's the 3.5 I believe that's the 6F50.
It's the 2.3 4 banger with the 6F35 transmission.
Whimsey
Any issues with this powertrain combo? My mom has a Lincoln MKC with the 2.3 Ecoboost and 6f35 trans. At 55,000 miles she just had to have the valve body and all 6 shift solenoids replaced under warranty. Went from the intermittently hard shift to almost not driveable.
Originally Posted by Miller88
Which engine in the explorer? If it's the 3.5 I believe that's the 6F50.
It's the 2.3 4 banger with the 6F35 transmission.
Whimsey
Any issues with this powertrain combo? My mom has a Lincoln MKC with the 2.3 Ecoboost and 6f35 trans. At 55,000 miles she just had to have the valve body and all 6 shift solenoids replaced under warranty. Went from the intermittently hard shift to almost not driveable.
Originally Posted by dan_erickson
Originally Posted by Whimsey
Originally Posted by Miller88
Which engine in the explorer? If it's the 3.5 I believe that's the 6F50.
It's the 2.3 4 banger with the 6F35 transmission.
Whimsey
Any issues with this powertrain combo? My mom has a Lincoln MKC with the 2.3 Ecoboost and 6f35 trans. At 55,000 miles she just had to have the valve body and all 6 shift solenoids replaced under warranty. Went from the intermittently hard shift to almost not driveable.
So far at around 40,000 miles it shifts just fine, hope I didn't speak too soon
. I've been real OCD about changing the "150,000 mile" ATF multiple times because I'm leery about having a light duty car transmission in a heavier SUV. The FF at 12,000 miles looked as black as used diesel oil. 10,000 miles later it was dark grey and 10,000 miles after that it was grey with a hint of dark red. I used Mercon LV for the drain & fills. Since I do the oil changes myself and it was even easier to do the drain & fill and it only costs $20 for the 4 qts of fluid needed. Personally I think the 2.3 EB is too powerful for the 6F35 transmission and breaks down the fluid quicker. Hopefully the frequent ATF changes will help with the transmission's life span. Good luck with your mother's MKC.
Whimsey
Originally Posted by Whimsey
Originally Posted by Miller88
Which engine in the explorer? If it's the 3.5 I believe that's the 6F50.
It's the 2.3 4 banger with the 6F35 transmission.
Whimsey
Any issues with this powertrain combo? My mom has a Lincoln MKC with the 2.3 Ecoboost and 6f35 trans. At 55,000 miles she just had to have the valve body and all 6 shift solenoids replaced under warranty. Went from the intermittently hard shift to almost not driveable.
So far at around 40,000 miles it shifts just fine, hope I didn't speak too soon
Whimsey
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