While driving along at maybe 40mph or so, I stomped down on accelerator to pass a car, and noticed the O/D light started flashing. O/D worked OK when I pushed the button to engage/disengage it. I slowed, and made a turn, and notice the truck seemed a bit sluggish and didn't downshift as usual. Got home, put in reverse to back in my spot, nothing...was locked up as if in park.

The next morning I took the truck out for a 20 mile run over to a shop to get the codes read (if there were any). I watched the truck very closely and here's what it does:

- If I start the engine in park without my foot on the brake, the truck moves forward and against the parking lock. Odd...

- When I put it in reverse, the truck jumps forward for a split second, then seems to hit a lock or stop similar to when in park.

- When I put it in 1st, the truck jumps backward for a split second, then stops.

- If I'm rolling forward in 2 or D and pull it into 1, it like throwing on the brakes and even seems to load the engine a bit. Not tire sliding, but definitely trying to stop the axles from turning.

- The truck pulls forward fine in D, and is surely starting in 3rd gear. I've stopped in the road and started again, and it will accelerate smoothly, no gear changes until about 40ish, where it seems to down shift to 1 lower gear and accelerate more quickly. At abt tt it upshifts to top gear, and then locks the torque converter as usual. All seems fine. The O/D button works and I can take it in and out of O/D and see the difference in rpm. I can step down on it hard and it will unlock, and even drop back to a lower gear.

- The O/D light flashes all the time. The shop checked, and though no CEL is on, there is a code for 1st gear ratio incorrect and 2nd gear ratio incorrect. The tech seemed to think those codes were from starting in 3rd. The tech seemed to think there was a problem with one of the solenoids, but since there are no codes thrown for those yet, he didn't know which one(s).

The Tech checked the manual lever position switch and said all was OK. He thinks it's a problem in the valve body. I've talked to 4 different transmission shops, and got 4 different answers. One shop recommended that I buy a remanufactured valve body/solenoid rack and swap that to see... One shop said they thought it might be a clutch pack that slipped and welded itself together. I've rebuilt some old Turbo 350's back in the day, but I am a fish out of water on this one.

The fluid doesn't smell burned, and the tranny doesn't seem to slip. Anyone out there had a similar experience or idea on what the problem might be?

Dave

 

It sounds like to me that a clutch pack is welded together, I have seen this before with this transmission.

The Direct/Forward drum in this transmission can crack or break and the pistons in this drum that applies the clutches can crack also. This will cause the clutches to slip or apply when they shouldn't be on and that can lead to them welding themselves together.

These rarely has solenoid issues and valve body problem are mainly with the TCC circuit.

 

Thanks for the feedback, James. That probably steers me to just make a transmission replacement, as opposed to trying the valve body/solenoid bank swap.

Do you know if there's a guide somewhere that would help me walk through the transmission swap? I've done conventional rear wheel stuff in the past, but never something like this. I've searched the web but am probably using the wrong search terms, I've not found anything yet.

Dave

 

I dont have any info on the R&R of this tranny. I would not attempt it myself without a lift and air tools. The engine will have to be chained from up top so it won't fall out during the removal.

You could Google "how to R&R ford escape transmissions" for more info.

 

Thanks for the reply, James. I'll keep searching google for this.

Dave