My 12 Escape with the 3.0, shifts fine in warm weather or in cold weather when warmed up.
But first thing on a cold morning she's a bit of a screamer getting into the next gear.
Is this a signal of something about to go wrong?
Is there an easy adjustment?
Or this is the way of it and it is fine......
Thanks

 

I've noticed the same with mine. I just don't push hard and let it warm up. I've found letting it idle for about 5 minutes before moving seems to alleviate the high shifting points somewhat.

 

I have not had that problem on any vehicle for a long time but back in the day when I did, a trans fluid and filter change fixed the problem.

 

If the box was trying to change but couldn't due to an issue I'd expect a code to be posted?? If it doesn't then I'd assume its part of its cold weather strategy to warm the box up faster.

 

You have a 6F35, which differs from the older CD4E. My CD will not hold for a late shift, but will not use OD or converter lockup until the engine has warmed up.
I would suspect a pressure sensor, fluid viscosity change, or sticking valve body. The transmission uses several factors to decide 'when' to upshift. Older transmissions had 'throttle pressure' and maybe 'kickdown' linkages, in addition to a 'vacuum modulator' to adjust shift time and 'firmness'.
Currently, a speed sensor, pump pressure sensor and modulator(adjuster), temperature sensor, engine rpm, and throttle position (at least) are used to diddle with upshift time and speed.
If the pressure sensor is wrong, it will be high or low from 'normal', if the speed sensor reports 'lower than actual' speed, or the TPS reports WOT when it is not, you'd get 'off' shift pattern. The temperature more variance generally keeps out of OD & lockup to prevent 'drive problems' with a cold engine. I don't think it would prevent upshift from 1st to any effect.
Temperature will affect operating pressure as the fluid warms. Temperature will affect the 'tightness' of the spools in the valve body, and may affect the solenoid-operated valves.
tom

 

Remember that these transmissions are fully electronically controlled. Meaning they don't do a thing without an electronic signal from the PCM telling it to. A filter and fluid change won't help this...if it wasn't shifting when it was told you'd see a check engine light with several transmission codes.

Don't have a good explanation on the behavior, but it's not likely to be mechanical in nature. How high do the RPMs run?

 

$0.02 from me -
When cold and driven "easy" the RPM's for the 1-2 shift will be in the 4K range with a short delay at 4K before the shift initiates, then a slow shift compared to when warm.
Same road, but when warm, the shift will be around 3K RPM with no delay.

Curious to know if the OP is seeing similar.

It's only a couple hundred feet from my driveway to the stop sign at the end of my road. When cold, mine won't do the 1-2 shift before braking for that stop sign. When warm, it's in 2nd gear just before I have to stop.

 

My 2009 does the same thing with only 15K on it!

 

Boy, the way I thought to get best life from a recip engine was to warm it up before running the rpms up. Personally, I don't like to have the engine rev so much when first started. I realize emissions are better with the quicker warmup, but these shift responses seem to be to be about 1k too high.
My older model shifts from 1st to second almost within a few feet of takeoff. Stone cold, reversed out of the garage backed into a turn so forward can be engaged for driveoff, it will shift into second within 50-100 feet, tops, just about the same as it does warmed up. Apples and oranges, I guess.
I still think a valve body spool or spring-operated 'button' or 'piston' can get a little too tight when the valve body is cold. The 'shift kits' for many performance problems in some cases replace stock springs with stronger or weaker, depending on the problem encountered in 'real life'.
Were it mine, I would be trying to pry some information from a repair shop, more likely than the dealer service writer or mechanic. I have had dealer mechanics be nice, and tell me to get a new TPS when my torque converter lockup started to become intermittent. Fixed for $20 rather than $1200...
tom

 

Our 2012 did the same thing from new until it was traded at 42K. Fine once it warmed up. Dealer said - can you guess? - it was "normal".

 

I still think that if the box isn't behaving as the electronics expect and command, it would be throwing check lights and codes, ergo the behaviour is by design.

 

I doubt that a long shift or two that resolves itself after warmup is going to get logged as an error.

 

I'm pretty sure it would, electronically-controlled boxes adjust their shift signalling to achieve a desired shift quality, that implies they expect a VERY close correlation between the commanded shifts and the box responding. The box staying in a lower gear for an extra 1k rpm would definitely be seen as a problem by the electronics.

 

If it wasn't being told to. But higher RPMs have been a common warmup strategy for years. That's why most cars won't lock the torque converter when it's below 20 degrees until the engine and transmission warms up some. That's also why the 5R110 uses an alternate second gear during extremely cold weather until the engine warms.

It sounds perfectly normal to me.

 

and to me. As I said above. Twice.