I have an Escape, it's a 2008 v6 with 164,000 miles. It doesn't shift from 1st to 2nd until it hits about 3300 - 3500 rpms. The fluid smells normal, has a normal color. I took it to a garage and they put it on the computer and said the only thing it said was incorrect gear ratio. It's also a 2wd if that helps. Does anyone have an idea what it could be? Other than the shifting delay, it does fine, no slipping at all.

 

Incorrect gear ration means, I think, that the selected gear set, 1-2-3-4, is not producing the proper speed(rpm) of the 'turbine' or output shaft.
I would check the VSS - vehicle speed sensor - for good signal, and connections. There is a turbine speed sensor that may be the same as the VSS. I'm not a transmission guru.
If the reported rpms are off from the gear and the input engine rpm, something is wrong, with either the sensor or the transmission, or the signal. The speed sensor has a toothed wheel that turns, and a pickup that creates a square wave, with a tooth or gap each time a gear tooth goes by the pickup. Simple, but there are wires involved, and connectors, which may get loose or corrode. Check that stuff first.
tom

 

Thank you Tom, I'm not much of a mechanic at all, I just hope to get this thing fixed as cheap as possible. I drive it to school about 72 miles a day. I'll check these connections.