PTU & Rear Diff Leak
 

The wife was out and about the other day and I spotted some drops of oil in the driveway. I throw the car up on ramps and sure enough, the PTU is weeping AGAIN. Just for HAHAs, I put the back end up on ramps. I'm glad I did since there was oil running down the back of the rear diff. Needless to say, it will be visiting the dealership on Tuesday. I spoke to the service manager and he said that the PTUs haven't been recalled. If they replace the seals and they leak again, you get a new PTU. If it leaks again, you get a new axle. I wonder what they do when it leaks again after that...

Sorry to hear that Juneau. I've had mine repaired on the edge 4 times now. It has been good now for a couple of months and with the weather warming up, I think it will probably be OK at least until next winter. I'm hoping they have it fixed permanently with the latest seal. It looks to be a more plastic type seal that is pressed in.I've never looked at the rear diff, but I haven't had spots on the floor either. I hope they get you fixed and let us know how it works out. It is really frustrating to have these repeat problems - I am hopefull for this latest seal though.

I had the same problem with the PTU seal on our 08 T/X. It was repaired under warranty and hasn't come back yet but I'm keeping a close eye on it. On other Ford forums I've visited this seems to be a consistant problem on T/X, Edge's, etc. Do you have a lemon law in your state? 4 times repairing anything is way too many IMO. Ford won't really get down to business fixing this problem unless they start eating a few of them on lemon returns.

Yeah, there is a lemon law in MT, but I bought the car used (barely). It was 6 months old with 7500 miles on it, so I'm kind of stuck as far as just taking the warranty on it. If I had bought new, it would have been taken back already under lemon law. I guess I have to hope it is fixed permanently.

In NYS the Lemon Law applies to used cars, too. The same problem has to be repaired 3 times within the earlier of the first 18,000 miles or two years from the date of original delivery. Mine was outside that window since this is the third repair at 25,000 miles. The new axle, PTU, and seals are in. The dealer says that the cars that have had these all replaced have yet to come back. We'll see.

Oh, that rear diff leak was gear oil blowing out the vent. They say it happens when it is overfilled or gets too hot. It hasn't been serviced and it's been cold this winter. I guess we'll see on that, too.

Any updates on the ole PTU leaks?

It was holding strong after a few hundred miles, but I haven't been back under there in a while. No oil on the driveway which is preferable. I think I'll throw her up on ramps tomorrow before we head out for the weekend. Thanks for reminding me.

These PTU leaks are annoying at most. I dont think I would consider buyback because of it. You can trust me when I say the dealers and technicians are just as annoyed with it as you are. I do know if the seal keeps leaking, and everyone keeps putting PTUs in, engineering will do something about it. They are correct too, if the shaft, seals and PTU are replaced, it usually wont come back. I think you should be good to go.

PTU LEAK ......
 

I have a 07 edge bought it NEW had it not even 6 months an PTU leaked Ihave took it to dealer 6 times for 6 new SEALS an still leaks ... Now i have it at another dealer for 7 th time an they are gonna put a 7th seal init ... I ask for the PTU to be changed out ... an i get nothing from either of the dealers ..... i took it for its 30,000 oil change an found out my TRANS needs to be flushed out cause the oil was burnt , they said nothing to me on the previous visit .... hard to believe I need a trans flush at 30,000 its says in your maint. book change out is 100,000 miles not 30,000 that was april 26 of 2010 . its at new dealer an they tell me now my TRANS needs changed out again cause its BURNT!!!!! and my ENGINE coolant is bad aswell , Engine coolant change out is 105,000 miles not 34,000 !!!!!!! my back panel to the hatchback came apart , the outside driverside panel in between the two doors is coming apart, the brakes squeel so loud in reverse , windsheild wipers spray stoped working driverside , seal below windsheild has crept up onto dash ,all these issues have been looked at mutilple times an not fixed properly/not at all FIXED .... I live in WASHINGTON STATE I know we have a LEMON LAW here, but not shure what it does for us PEOPLE that buy new cars and they go to crap ? ..... :-X02

Take your car to a different dealer. They are not all like this. Ford WILL pay the dealer for warranty work, so its not like the dealer is doing it for free. They should be happy to have the business. If the dealer cannot get your PTU leak fixed, recommend to them that they contact their tech hotline for help. The hotline can authorize certain repairs such as replacing the PTU assembly, axleshaft assembly, both, or the whole transmission assembly if they believe that is causing a problem with the PTU alignment.

That or just drive it with no fluid in it until the PTU burns up into a pile of melted metal. Then they will have to replace it.

Also, Ford uses MERCON LV in many of their new transmissions. Consult your owners manual, as if this fluid is used in your transmission, it will appear darker in color (could be mistaken as being burnt). Your dealer may mistake this for burnt fluid, as in 30,000 miles it may be VERY dark. This is considered normal, and some dealers are not aware of this.

There is no need to change this fluid unless there is metallic debris in it. If metallic debris is present, the transmission will probably need to be disassembled and inspected anyway.

Peter94 thanks for that MERCON info not shure if both the dealers that have seen this INFO knows the DIfference. A FORD Engineer is looking into my PTU an TRANS issues an the Coolant being bad !!!!! hopefully they just change out the TRANS an PTU all together ... in other words if they don't I am not taking the car back ...LOL I have noticed a lack of POWER in the car now !!!!!!! hard shifts ..... Both dealers havent told me anything about finding metal SHAVINGS in the fluid , but who knows what they found ..... they also said the fluid didnt even show on the stick the 2 times i took it in for a service ...... Do u know what they do with a lemon ? they give u a car close to the same or what do they do ? Thanks for your info Peter94 ......