Ok......I have looked at every post on this list regarding this supposedly sealed and permanently lubed transmission..............The 4R75E attached to the 5.4 motor.

The manual says it is maintenance free. I am close to the end of my 75K extended warranty and don't know which way to go. The tranny is so smooth you never feel a shift. Normal service with an occasional horsetrailer tow of 10 miles of less over the years...maybe 5 times............so what do I do. Have it serviced like the dealer says contrary to the factory recommendations or let it go????

 

mine felt awesome the entire time too...until randomly at 72k it pooped.

I'd get it serviced, you never can tell.

 

Yeah I don't get how manufacturers can have a lifetime fluid in there. It has to break down sometime doesn't it. I just did a pan drop and fluid change this weekend at 30k miles. I think my trans is different from yours though.

 

What?? I though you had to change it every 30k i though only the escape and the exploder (newer style) had the sealed tranny?

 

wrong post

 

?

The Escape's CD4e is a sorry excuse for Ford.

That trany sux.

Oh and it does need a fluid change, every like 30k... and by then you are lucky it doesn't need an overhaul.

 

My ex 00 taurus is owned by my cousin now and it has over 130k on it. I even neutral bombed it off the rev limiter once. I bought it used and it was a rental car before I owned it. Same chasis as the escape, so I assume same tranny. Work fine, last long time. Wont rust, bust or collect dust.

Manual, there are far worse evils in the world than automatic transmissions.

 

if it ain't broke, don't fix it

it says no maintenance, so don't muck with it until a problem shows itself. at the very least, give it until 100k and do it when you change your plugs

 

Have the fluid flushed by a dealer or other shop usually less than 100 bucks and uses 12-15 Qts of fluid but it gets all the fluid out of the convertor it does a great job every 30-40k is about the time frame.No need to change the pan gasket or filter that only makes a mess and changes about 6 quarts.

 

Even with a "sealed transmission", you can service it. On my '07, the Maintenance Schedule for Towing says "Change automatic transmission fluid" every 30,000 miles. Your dealership, or any competent transmission shop, will be able to hook up a fluid exchange machine to the transmission lines. This process will replace all 13.9 quarts of fluid, as opposed to only 5 or 6 quarts when you drop the pan, and you won't have to break the factory seal on your "sealed transmission". I'm surprised that your dealership hasn't already sold you 2 services in the amount of time that you've owned the car.

 

I thought they used a synthetic PTFE oil in those sealed transmissions. It doesn't burn, freeze or evaporate. There's no impurities to latch onto oxygen molecules, so oxidation is a non-issue. Technically, it should last indefinitely. The only down side is that it can be rediculously expensive.

 

I totally Disagree with your philosophy of maintenance! Even the guy with the Million Mile Ford van flushed his tranny every 50K miles!........

 

Not all auto trannies, just the CD4E tranny. That thing is junk.

What a minute. I have one in my DD 626! It's the greatest transmission in the world!

 

to each his own

what color is the fluid? if it's still that nice red color, leave it be.

if it's started going brown/black, then flush away

 

The object of regular flushing at appropriate intervals is to keep the fluid Red in Color, & not let it get to the point where it is Brown/Black or even burnt.......Do you wait to the point where your teeth get Brown/Black before going to the Dentist for what should be a regular cleaning?........ Geesh.....