I have absolutely no mechanical training or skill, but I sat and watched this whole video thoroughly amazed at the skill it takes to even begin to comprehend all the things you did in this video. The whole thing was fascinating. I about had a wild idea to try to fix my 13 escape (which the garage said has a catalytic converter issue but my online reading made me wonder if it was a transmission issue, hence ending up here) but after watching this, I'm entirely convinced about how little I know. If you were able to make something you self-describe as boring or monotonous entertaining as well as informational enough to grab this know-nothing's attention, I think you're on the right track.
Thanks for the kind words! I am quite surprised that anyone would watch this video without actually having to perform the job, but I am happy you did. If you wanna see something that was actually fun, check out my trophy truck 1-10 recap video. If you think the garage isn't on the right track, you can email me all the details of whats going on to acthecarguy@gmail.com and I can give you my opinion if they are on the right track.
I watched this video for "conformation" on a few things. However, I removed the oil filter cooler housing rather than totally removing the starter. I took a black rubber bungy cord and pinned the starter back. Mine was FWD but your video was still extremely helpful.....ESPECIALLY about not turning the engine counter-clockwise. Thanks.
Excellent video! I’m an experienced mechanic of 25 years and I’ve been tasked with pulling the transmission in my mother in laws 15’ escape. Thankfully I’ve got a lift and all the right tools. your video was excellent in pointing out the more important details of this job and skipped the basic “nuts and bolts” part of the process. Thanks for taking the time to make this, you’ve inspired me to start making videos of my own repairs!
Man, I said no to this job in my head before I clicked on the video. You are a monster tech doing that job. I'm also in the middle a very large job I should not have done and nothing is going right. Thanks for the video!
Well, the transmission is out with only minor scrapes and bruises to my hands. My flex plate looks good, my torque converter is very rattly when shaken and the big square plug that goes into what I guess you would call the transmission pan, had some fluid in the plug itself which was weird. The main point is that it's out, now to diagnose. I couldn't have gotten this far without your video and may not of even attempted it, so THANK YOU so much for taking the time to make this.
Congrats! Be careful when buying the torque converter because there were minor changes over the years and some were marked with different color dabs to indicate which one it is. When in doubt on the diagnosis, you can take the used parts to a dealer with a good reputation and they should help get you what you need. Good luck on the reassembly, don't hesitate to reach back out of you get stuck!
Got it done! Dropped the transmission, took it to a shop for a rebuild and back in. Went in smooth and runs like a dream. I probably wouldn't have even attempted it without your video. Thanks a million!!!
@@XXXrayVizionXX did you do this on a lift or jackstands? I'm looking at a cheap 2015 2.5 fwd with a bad trans. I've done many engine/ trans replacements but I don't have a lift
I bought a 2016 ford escape eco boost AWD 3 years ago and bought the ext warrant, my transmission went out 3 days before my warranty expired, lol luckily i got a new transmission out of it for $100.00 co -pay, now i am having more problems with possible mounts or trans
We fellow backyard mechanics with the Ford Escape really appreciate you efforts. Video content is very well edited, flows good and the audio is great. I will subscribe and try to give back in the form of a video to help others. Again, thanks.
Thank you SO much for the tip about using a cam strap to break that bolt loose on the transfer case/PTU! Seriously good info that saved me a ton of work when replacing the nuked PTU in my Escape.
Ford dealer replaced my son - in - laws under warranty, then 6000 miles later replaced the same parts (flywheel, torque converter, front transmission seal) and now 300 miles later it's happened again. The bill for the non warranty work that lasted just 300 miles was over 3000 bucks. This is not worth repairing. I told him to buy a Honda or Toyota and I was a Ford guy! What a pain to replace! Appreciate the video! This is not happening on my garage floor!
Sadly, I agree. I loved the previous generation escape, but I have been recommending the CRV or Rav4 since this generation came out. I have not heard of this problem repeating itself like you experienced. Must be something else causing it, like a crankshaft flange that is not true.
Hola amigo, aunque no hablo inglés tengo mucho conocimiento de mecánica vy tu video me pareció excelente. Acabo de comprar una Escape con problemas de transmision y yo mismo la pienso reparar. Gracias por compartir tus conocimientos
One of the best Vlogs I’ve seen. Your editing was fantastic precise and to the point. I only wish you listed the cost. Impressed with your work. I am now a future subscriber thank you!!🍺👍
I usually list the price on my builds or conversions but I figured since this applies to people who need to pull the transmission for many different reasons I skipped it. In my case it was just under 700$ in parts, all from the dealer. Thanks for subbing!
I'll be honest, I've fixed tons and tons of different domestic and foreign vehicles, never had to tear apart one of these escapes yet until now. That GD t case had me stumped and your video definitely helped. Seating the new TQ in took me 4 seconds though. Gotta have that gentle but rough touch 😉
@@AustinCoulson the torque converter was bad. It has a pretty rough shake while in gear, stopped. Almost like TQ was slightly engaging wanting to take off. Drove alright but just quite violent at a stop.
@@AustinCoulson actually in process of tightening bell housing up now haha. No I did not. I noticed you split the trans. Fluid in this unit is quite nasty, black. It shifted good through the gears so wasn't planning on it. When I saw the fluid It crossed my mind. You recommend I stop and service trans? This is my first escape this generation
Im so glad you did this video, my 2014 trans decided to stop working last week, I dont have the skill to do this myself however I want to know what the inside of the trans looks like! Thanks for the videk!
Great job, Austin. And THANK YOU so much for NOT putting any annoying "music" in your video. That makes it so much easier to listen and watch. My son's '14 Escape has a failed transmission. I'm wondering if it has the same failure you found or an actual transmission failure. It's interesting that the failure you found was not actually in the transmission
So we just picked up a 2014 Escape about 2 months ago. It had 112,000 miles on it and a 1-month warranty from the dealer. Right before the one month was up I noticed a transmission was shifting rough so I took it into the dealer. They stated I needed another transmission just by driving it. They didn't check the fluid level or even trying to do a flush. 3 weeks now and they call me today it said that they got the transmission in to drop off the car and believe it or not, It's not shifting a rough anymore.
Thanks for the quick run down on what needs to come off, pretty much everything I expected lol, but no special things required was the good part. I got suckered into doing the rear main seal on one, so it's nice to see just what I'm up against.
Great job, Austin. And THANK YOU so much for NOT putting any annoying "music" in your video. That makes it so much easier to listen and watch. My son's '14 Escape with 230k has a failed transmission. I'm wondering if it has the same flex plate failure you found or an actual transmission failure. It's interesting that the failure you found was not actually in the transmission. What do you think is the underlying cause of the wobbling torque converter? Is there a way to diagnose a failed flex plate vs. transmission failure without tear-down? What were the symptoms you experienced in the car before you did the repair? Would it not drive at all (which is my son's problem)? How many hours did the tear-down, rebuild, and re-assemble take you? My son just picked up an 2002 Mini Cooper at a very good price. Meanwhile his 2014 Expedition is sitting dead in the garage and we are trying to figure out what to do with it. We sunk a ton of money in many deferred maintenance areas (all fluids, struts, CV joints, ball joints, timing chain, O2 sensors and more) and then the transmission failed after completing all that work. My biggest fear is that something "simple" like a flex plate replacement, new oil pump, new filter and new torque converter would be an economical repair (ignoring the huge amount of labor involved) and we sell the car to Pick & Pull for $300. Thoughts would be appreciated. Again, thanks for the great video.
Having turned wrenches for 40+ years I find this stuff interesting. Every thing but the basic principles has changed since I retired, I think for the better.
I used to like working on older vehicles more because they are simpler and parts are easier to access. As annoying as new vehicles can be, every nut and bolt came off cleanly. Its nice to break a nut loose and be able to just spin it off instead of fighting a rusty leaf spring bolt for 2 hours.
I am looking at buying a 2013 escape with 60,000 miles. I will be test driving it and I should be ok, but it's nice to know a little what to look and listen for when buying a used escape. Thank you.
I gave myself tons of room by getting the engine oil cooler and the cac tubes out of the way. The oil cooler comes out w/ either a mid or just a longer style 12mm allen. You could also stick a flatblade screwdriver in between the rotor and the caliper so your rotor doesn't turn
Thanks for this Doing one right now Bit of a trick with the Tcase; don’t disassemble the half shaft on the passenger side. Simply undo the lower heat shield to get the last two bolts for the Tcase, Undo those two, undo the half shaft mounts (both of them) then push the tcase with the cv attached. It will move to the side enough to get a wrench on that last back bolt for the tranny. No need for the strap trick. This is easier and less headache Also I dunno how small ur hands r but mine r huge and I had one helluva time getting the starter out. Turbo is routed differently on mine. Damn ford getting weird
@@AustinCoulson that makes a lot of sense Ya the one I’m working on the turbo is behind and ontop of the Tcase and the hard hose for the turbo is along the coolant lines up top And I lied, I had to ratchet strap pull the last bolt. Mine was a bitch tho coz the turbo outlet to manifold gives that last bolt about an inch of room to back out I literally had to use my magnet to turn the bolt to get it out! Dunno how it’s going back in loooool
First of all, I am absolutely impressed with your amazing skills, it is my 'dream' to be able to remove a transmission! 😁 And oh my God, was that a vintage Citroën cargo van I spotted as you were pulling out of your driveway!?!? 😍 You have yourself a new subscriber.
Excellent Video. Too any people talking into the camera and not showing anything, not you. Would like to add one tip. Remove the the oil filter housing assembly. Easy place to drain coolant and gives better access to starter and flywheel bolts and lets you move hoses that block bell housing bolts. This job sucks. No room. Back upper bell housing bolt is pain to take off with exhaust in way. Exhaust bolts break easily, fyi. Think twice.
I thought about the oil filter housing but didn't want to have to drain the coolant. The older I get, the more I err on the side of removing more than I need as it usually saves time and headaches (and knuckle skin) in the long run so you are probably right on that. I hoping I don't have to do this job again, it was quite boring. Thanks for the kind words, I bet this advice will help someone who tackles this in the future
Great video, thanks for taking the time to make it. I'm about to dig into my transmission this week. My main question is....was there any type of reprogramming or resetting you needed to do after getting everything reinstalled?
Great question. According to the factory service manual, a pcm reset may be required after doing transmission repairs. From what I could tell, it has something to do with slightly different readings from the crank positioning sensor that can throw an error code. (not 100% sure, that's just what it sounded like) From reading around on the forums, most people did not require any reflash or resetting, and those that did just had it done at the dealer for an average of around 99$. When the battery is unplugged for a period of time, the pcm purges some of the memory (specifically the long term fuel trim, and learned shift points) so there sometimes relearning period where the idle is a little rough or jumpy, or the transmission feels like it shifts at a different rpm than it did before. Those will automatically relearn, usually after just a few trips. In my case, I did not have to reset anything, I just plugged my code reader in after a few trips and verified the LTFT had settled in and the STFT was minimal and there were no pending codes.
Austin Coulson Great answer, thanks so much. I have a weird grinding whine while in park and it gets louder when in gear. I'm hoping it's torque converter related since I haven't had any other transmission related issues.
@@XXXrayVizionXX certainly could be. I suspect you'll find an obvious problem once you crack it open like I did with the flexplate. If you run into any issues and have questions while you are doing it, you can ask them here and I can respond pretty quick or my email at acthecarguy@gmail.com good luck!
This video is more valuable than you realize. Thank you. Question: my mechanic told me that a dealership had to "reprogram" the transmission to factory standards after a transmission replacement, meaning after his work of replacing it, he had to take it to a certified Ford dealership to work on, which could potentially take weeks. Is that correct or am I being hosed?
The dealer does have a computer that can reprogram the transmission, but it takes all of 15 minutes, not weeks. From my experience over 90% of the time it is unnecessary as the transmission repair didn't change anything that warrants a reprogramming. Leaving the battery disconnected will reset many of the long term settings in the computer for the engine and trans. If there is a CEL on after the repair and a scantool shows a transmission fault, then a reprogramming will be necessary. This repair that I did gave no faults and did not need a reprogramming.
Did you take out the driveshaft completely or just disconnect it from the T-Case? Thanks for making this video it has helped me a lot along with the Phoenix library-EResources
I don't remember for sure on the DS. I think I wanted to just disconnect it, but I ended up needing to remove the whole thing for some reason. I remember vague;y having to mark the rear yoke. Glad you are using the resource. Good luck in that top T case bolt!
Checked this out to see if fixing my 2016 escape was going to be possible without a lift and looks like it is so that's a relief. I get to dig into mine soon, starting to slip and bang the 2 3 shift. Already got a 2002 bmw 540i I'm rebuilding the zf5hp24 transmission in so it looks like I get two transmissions in personal cars, fun stuff lol.
small ford autos have lex plate issues, the same engine/trans but int he Ford Flex had a recall. why they didn't extent to the 1.6 Escape will irk me to no end
Depends on your skill and if you are willing to make the engine mount or come at it underneath. There's a reason this is such an expensive repair, it's pretty intense. Once it's out, the transmission is pretty easy to disassemble and rebuild. I did this over 4 days, one to tear down, waiting on parts a day and a half, got the parts installed and transmission in on day 3 and day 4 was putting everything else back in. If you are in a rush, I wouldn't try to do it.
Austin Coulson i’m willing time learn and try new thing 🙃 i’m also no rush i intended to lose track and forget when i rush , when i work on cars i take my time and think , i been research this transmission over 2 weeks now trying to gather all the info i can get before i make a decision to take it to the shop or doing it myself , my car been down for about 2 months lol it just outside sitting pretty in the street waiting for me to buss a move
I just did this job yesterday at work and was curious how others would’ve done it. It was a real PITA but overall not too bad if I had to do I again. I was able to get by with out removing the cowl. Driver side cv shaft was was seized so I left it in and worked around it. And I used a pole jack to support the engine while on the lift. Transfer case I left in but once unbolted from transmission it gives JUST enough space to get the bellhousing bolts. Torque converter nuts were pretty easy to get to with a long extension and wobble socket but I removed the oil cooler and filter to get to them from underneath. Yea definitely not an easy job!
Good info, thanks for the comment. I pinned it so other can see it first in case they have the same issues as you. How many hours do you figure it took you?
@@joeysanchez5926 I’ve done a handful of them since then. I think it’s like 14.1 hours of labor it calls for. I can prolly do it start to finish around 4 hours depending on how motivated I am.
I'm in the middle of this now. I was thinking the same about the oil cooler and filter to have better access to the torque converter nuts. WHAT SIZE are the toque converter nuts?? The video doesn't say and the repair guide on tells the torque specs. Since those are blind, knowing what size socket would be a huge help. Thanks
AND it's the AWD version, a real pain in the arse... 3 5 R direct clutch's wave spring can fail and wreck the entire transmission, if you decide to fix it, make sure that you change all those steels (too); especially the wave spring.
Thanks for the great video, my wife's 2019 escape 1.5L awd needs it's second flex plate, I am wondering if this repair solved the repeat broken flex plate isue. It would be great to know if it's worth doing all that work before hand, thank you.
As far as I know, this Escape never had any other flexplate related issues. It does seem like a poor design of the flexplate. It's very thin and has an awful lot of holes cut in places that I don't see on other flexplates.
Ya gotta ask yourself.........."Self, JUST how dam important IS all wheel drive anyway?" I think 2WD and some common sense is just as good. Saves a ton of complication.
I've been asking myself the same question. I'd like to eventually replace my wife's '10 Fusion with one of these Escapes. We live in upstate NY so we do get a good bit of ice and snow however we always use winter tires in the cold seasons. I'm still not sure if AWD is worth it or not because I've never had an issue with our Focus or Fusion and a good set of winter tires.
So that breather tube for the transfer case is supposed to be angled toward the driver wheel/transmission, not up toward the cylinder head/hood? Heat shield for tc fighting me
Hi! Just a question. My Mechanic told me that I have a Transmission Problem and he thinks it was one of the pumps inside of my 2016 Ford Escape S AWD Ecoboost. I don't know how much it will cost nor if it's still worth saving because I recently knew that this car already has a 2014 motor in it and had a different transmission in it. I bought this car second-hand and as-is and still paying for it. (I still have 13k on it) Gave up on me after 3 months of using it. He thought it was only an oil change and coolant leak but then when I started driving it again, it was struggling to accelerate. Should we fix the whole transmission, get a new one, just dump it, etc? I feel unsafe driving it tho. I wanna get a diff car bc of it.. Hopefully you reply! You make awesome videos!
Sounds like you are in a bit of a pickle. Personally, I am not a huge fan of the 2013-2019 Escapes. The 2012 and earlier ones have a much better reputation for reliability. The fact that it has a different engine and trans is also concerning, as is the fact that it sounds like the mechanic is guessing what is wrong and won't know until they dig in. Now that doesn't necessarily say anything bad about the mechanic, as I didn't know what was wrong until I pulled this trans. I was expecting just a bad seal and ended up needing a new TC, pumps, seals, etc. Generally, if you can find an honest and competent mechanic it is best long term to stay on top of maintenance and repairs and get as many miles out of a vehicle as possible. I can't tell you how many vehicles I have bought from someone who was fed up and just wanted it gone, only to repair it and have it be a perfect car for years. Before spending any money, I would recommend getting multiple estimates, including one from the dealer, which may cost around 99$ for the diagnosis, but is often more reliable than a smaller shop.
Thanks very much for posting this video! The Sheehy Ford dealership in Ashland VA just quoted us $8000 to replace a 2014 Escape 1.6L EcoBoost transmission. That sounds ridiculous to me. I understand that this is labor-intensive but how long should it take a factory-trained Ford mechanic to replace a transmission?
It took me about 6 hours to have it out. Then the reinstall once I had parts was about 8 hours. Filming added a lot of time. A dealer tech should be able to knock the entire job out in about 10 hrs start to finish. You should be able to rebuild your trans at a reputable trans shop with warranty for less than half that cost.
I got it from the phoenix public library online. They have a resource section that links to an automotive portal with a decent selection of factory service manuals.
I was looking for some tips on removing the converter nuts here,, not,, but that ok,, I went back and looked a little closer and found this hole in the engine casing that allowed me to see the nut and it location.... bam... these are a bear to work on...
I really tried to get a camera up there to show the TC nuts, but as you know, there is zero room for those buggers. Glad you figured it out. I wish there was a service plate on the bottom
Is there some secret trick or tool to getting at the torque converter nuts? I've tried a 3/8 15mm deep socket and a couple combinations of regular sockets and extensions and I'm just thinking there has to be an easier way. Any help would be greatly appreciated.
@@tylernichols8169 Thanks for the reply. I got the job done and hope to never need to do it again. The scariest part was putting those darn torque converter nuts back on for fear of dropping one inside and needing to separate the trans from the engine again just to get it out. Thanks again for the advice - I ended up doing the same thing with a 15mm deep socket. I count myself as fortunate that my vehicle is just a front wheel drive.
Sorry I was late on this one, but I am glad you got it. That was the hardest part of this job, well except for maybe the top bolt on the transfer case.
@@tylernichols8169 Thanks for reply on that. I was searching for what size torque converter nuts because the video didn't specify. I'm at that step now and *trying* to get at them from the top. Surprisingly, I can actually position my shop light and see them from the top through the starter hole. Just wasn't able to get a shallow 15mm socket on them, which I guess is because the stud is too long to let the 15mm seat fully. Good advice: 15mm deep socket.
Unfortunately that will suck indeed. The good news is that if you do it right, it will never leak again. I can't tell you how many stupid rope style rear mains I have done on old Chevys and those start leaking again by the time it leaves the driveway...good luck and shoot me an email if you get stuck and have a question. Contact info is on my channel page.
Austin, I watched this because I might need to pull the 6f35 on my 2017 Explorer. It has a delay when I shift from P to R when its cold. Takes like4-5 seconds. I am so pissed, man. only 73k miles and I serviced the fluid at 30k and 60k. Do you know what I might be dealing with here? If it is just a pump not building enough pressure for R, I can replace it like you did. But if it needs a rebuild, I would might just buy a reman and swap it out. Just trying to figure out which route to go and avoid the transmission shops and Ford stealerships. Thanks and really appreciate the video.
first off, good job changing the fluid at those intervals, that is best thing you can do for a transmission. If the trans behaves normally other than that delay, I would be looking at the servo/solenoids. I am not an expert on that trans, but I believe it uses a standard reverse band with a servo for it and if it's failed or leaking it would present with those symptoms. Usually you can access those servos without taking the trans out, but I am not 100% on that trans where they are located.
I don't use AllData, its too expensive for how infrequently I need it. In this case I actually used the phoenix library. Our local library has an online service that allows Library members to use Auto Repair Source, and in some cases it's identical to AllData and sometimes its practically useless, it all depends on the car. Here is a link to that, I am not sure if you can set up a free account online or not: www.phoenixpubliclibrary.org/browse/learning-research/Pages/eResources-A-to-Z.aspx If whatever I am working on isn't available there, I check around on google to see if anyone uploaded the service manual from Europe where it is legally required to be offered to the public. If I can't find it there, I buy a downloaded copy from eBay where it is usually 10$ and it's just someone who copied it from the EU manuals and sells it. Hope this helps!
Yikes! I'd say that's a job I sure wouldn't tackle. Good job. I have a 2014 Escape 2.0l Ecoboost 146000 miles. Gave me a P0741 code (torque converter clutch solenoid ckt performance or stuck off). I can't find the solenoid or much of anything online on where it is or how to change it. Car still shifts and drives normal even under hard acceleration. Tried to clear the check engine light with my OBD, but didn't clear. Disconnected the battery for a half an hour still didn't clear. Any suggestions?
Quick question, how TF did you break the torque converter bolts loose? I can get on em, but not with any kind of leverage. I know this was 4 years ago but just wondering if you remember
I don't remember the TC bolts being specifically difficult on this vehicle. usually I use a deep socket and rotate the flywheel so the socket is up against the block casting so I can crank on it without any risk of it slipping off and stripping the head
Mine just broke. Inner plate broken clean away from the rest of it. Starter was just spinning the flexplate & torque converter but not engine. Scared I lost the engine.
Isn't it such a stupid and unnecessary failure? They could have just made the flexplate a bit stronger. It would have cost ford like a nickel more per vehicle.
Hi, how did you take out transaxle harness electrical connector, mine has been stubborn and I don't want to break anything. much appreciated. these type is Delphi PBT-GF20.
When you just pulled the transmission out and I saw a multiple pin terminal. Is that where the connector goes from the ecm/tcm? Is there a way that I can pull that out and put its back on from under the truck without removing anything?
It's been a few years since I did this repair so I am not sure, but I seem to remember that being accessible without transmission removal. I do believe that was the wiring to the TCM
My oil pump went out on my wife's 2013 1.6 2wd. I have it at a shop right now because transmission work is usually where it's just not worth my hassle and time. The shop is so backed up though and it's been there for a month. It's at the point where I'm considering just biting the bullet and do it myself. Do you think it is possible to access the pump without fully taking the transmission out? The mechanic said he thinks it might be possible to slide it back from the torque converter shield and save a lot of time and frustration. This was a great video just wondering if you see a short cut for just getting to the pump?
I don't think that is possible, and even if it was, I don't think it would save any time as you'll still need to remove almost all the same stuff. The 2wd will make the job a lot easier. With a lift on a 2wd it's probably around 6 hours to remove and 7 to reinstall
@@AustinCoulson Thanks so much for the reply. I am going to give it a shot this weekend and see what I can do. I might hit you up here if I run into anything not covered in the video if that's ok. The last time I did trany work was on a cooper s about 5 or 6 years ago. So......
@@jstray2321 The hardest part was the transfer case, so you are already ahead there. Also, the starter bolts really suck on that, especially without a lift. Good luck!
@Austin Coulson @Austin Coulson might be an amateur question. But i remember in the copper (it was a manual) there was a trick to getting the torque converter bolts. I know about not rotating it against the chain but if memory serves I had to wesge a screwdriver in the teeth of the gear to keep it from rotating when I was trying to loosen them. Is that because I was using a breaker bar and an impact solves the problem and so there is none or do I need to be aware of anything when going at loosening those bolts other than just making them? Sorry if that's a dumb question. But kind of a fog of war type thing when mapping this out in my head.
@@AustinCoulson working through this now and on reassembly. Do you know the torque specs for the pump? I haven't been able to find them in my search and really don't want to get it wrong and have to do this all over.
Hi you didn't show how to remove the bellhousing, does that come off easy as I'm selling wrecking one out and I thinks the bellhousing go with the gearbox or does it stay on the motor?
I think that failure is more common than you think. At least for that drivetrain. SSM 47576. I could have sworn fordtechmakuloco covered this somewhere, or maybe it was a similar issue on a Focus. I really dislike working on Ford products. It's like they take solid concepts and purposely engineer in unneeded complexity. Sure makes shops a consistent revenue stream though. Nice work bud.
What is your preferred brand to work on? I LOVE Fords compared to most, but Toyotas are the easiest for me. They seem to be the best designed with future failure and removal in mind, and anything German seems to be purposely built to never ever be worked on or removed. I only recently learned that this particular generation of Escapes were made on a Ford European platform and most were made outside of the US. Not sure the initial source for the flywheel, but it sure was a frustrating part to have break. I do not like the 1.6 EB mated to this transmission. Not enough gears to keep it at a reasonable rpm. The 2.0 EB motor seems purpose built to mate to this trans and does much better.
@@AustinCoulson I get along pretty well on Dodge or GM. Agree on Toyota, but have to admit it is rare for me to see one for anything more than routine maintenance.
@@ShainAndrews I got used to dropping fuel tanks to swap sending units and fuel pumps when they started putting them inside the tanks and I remember the first time I saw a Toyota Corolla with a bad pump and it had a service plate. I was so excited a 4 hour job instantly became a 15 minute job just because they planned ahead.
@@AustinCoulson BMW e36 is the easiest car I've ever worked on. I cant stand anything American, there is always like 3 redundant fasteners and clunky subsystems. Japaneses cars are great just usualy small and FWD (so tight). I really like working on old german cars. I find the subsystems to be smartly laid out and very straight forward. plus in the classic rwd layout it's very spread out. Just dont touch anything plastic or rubber unless you have a replacement and the crimped hose-clamps are horrid. E-torx bolts are awesome.
I just had a reman transmission out in my 2014 Ford Escape. After a few days of driving I got a system message saying transmission fault. Service now. Engine speed slow down due to transmission over heating. There was no noise or slipping. The car powered down for a couple of minutes then return to normal sped I was driving. I took car back to the transmission installer and he he scanned the system codes are P0218-00 tramission fluid temperature sensor “A” Overtemperature condition P1783-00 transmission over temperature conditions P2560-00 engine coolant level low You think this has to do with the install of the reman transmission? He said he did not flush and clean out the old transmission cooler before installing the reman transmission! HELP please!!
I would take it to the dealer and have them scan it. I can't remember if I mentioned in the video, but these generation fords can be finicky when you pull the trans can can sometimes need the dealership to reset some settings. Dealer should charge 99$ for a scan and a recalibrate for the new-to-you transmission you've got. Most aftermarket scan tools struggle with transmission set ups and the dealer scanners are like 5K$. That being said, all those codes point to an actual overheating which could be as simple as low coolant, but overheating is one of the quickest way to damage an engine/trans. I wouldn't recommend driving it at all until you get this figured out.
How did you manage to removed the torque converter bolts?its from the starter and removing the oil cooler or after you remove ptu a opening will show up?
The starter has to be removed, then there is a black rubber piece that has to be pulled out to make enough room for the socket to reach the TC bolts. It's very tight and has almost zero visibility
Please excuse my ignorance. Around minute 13:46 when removing the bolts between engine and transmission, is fluid supposed to start leaking from there if the tranny fluid hasn't been removed? Thanks for any reply!
No. This vehicle had a shaft seal leak caused from a wobbling torque converter. The leak was the reason the car was in the shop, it was otherwise driveable, even with the bad flexplate
So I have 2013 Ford Escape SEL ,156K miles. The Transmission Jerks hard going into 1st & 2nd gears, it shifts goods in the other gears. What causes that? and is it easy to fix and what's the cost you think?
My ford just said transmission error, service transmission now. Is this the same issue this escape had that made it apparent that it had issue's. it has 57k on and ford is fighting to fix saying it's 3500 in labor an there still waiting for the converter.
The issue with this escape was the leak. It drove ok, and had no warning lights, it would just leak like crazy when it got warm and it was due to the converter wobbling. I was actually expecting just the oil seal to be bad, not the entire converter and flexplate.
Were you every able to figure out what the part on the side of the battery box was? (Factory recall part.) i just finished this job and after buttoning it all back up, i can not find where the plugs actually go
I verified it was a factory recall pigtail, but I forget what it was for (adding a fuse to replace a fusible link maybe?). It may be specific for that year or engine. Have you tried looking up recalls for your Escape?
Just had my transmission rebuilt/replaced on my 2016 Ford Escape Ecoboost, now it is making a high pitched squealing noise when i turn my wheel to the left, any ideas?
Sounds unrelated to the transmission repair, unless they drained the power steering fluid and didn't bleed it properly afterwards. High pitch squealing is often air in the steering system or a slipping belt.
hello I have a problem with my gearbox. when I park or drive, especially in the rear, the whole car vibrates and makes a loud noise. I made a diagnosis and he talks about hard lap speed sensor. but when I left to drain there was not too much oil in the gearbox really. Help me please
If the fluid is low, that is the first place to check. Once the fluid level is filled to the proper level you can start to diagnose the issue. Its possible it was just low fluid, its also possible the low fluid damaged something internal, and anytime the fluid is low, it is important to figure out why it was low and fix that issue.
wanted to get you're opinion if you want to. i bought a 2016 used escape and after about three months transmission went out. extremely upset dealership that i got it from acted like they didnt even care but after voicing my displeasure they gave me a really cheap estimate to replace it with a rebuilt one. it's got about 94,000 miles right now. wasnt aware of escape transmission problems or i wouldnt have bought it. just got it back but dont know how long it's gonna last. really unhappy any advice thanks.
Although these are now known issues that Ford should be recalling and fixing, the reason they aren't is because they aren't as common as it seems. Right now 100% of the escapes you own have this issue, but when I was looking up this issue, it looked the rate of failure was well under 1/1000. Chances are, you will be fine. If you want to be sure, take it easy on the transmission for 5k miles and then have a small sample of the trans fluid pulled and send it to Blackstone laps for analysis and see what the report shows. If there is any excessive wear it should show up there long before the trans gives out.
Could you please detail the installation of the torque converter and how you got it to sit flush. I’m about to install the transmission but I am worried about the torque converter not sitting flush. I was told, if the torque converter is not installed properly it will burn out the transmission.
The best way to make it sit flush is to not torque each nut as you install. You install the nuts but keep them loose then continue spinning the flexplate and tighten them down all the way the second time around. To be honest though, I used to just torque them the first time around and I never had an issue.
@@AustinCoulson I appreciate the reply. I took my time and did not have any issues with the re-install. Austin, the only other issue now is that the cooling fan is not coming on. While the car is sitting at idle the coolant sensor shows temperatures of around 208F (temp gauge shows normal). I have yet see the cooling fan come on. Any suggestions? For anyone else considering this project; I did this work in my garage with two floor jacks and one engine hoist. It took about three days to get the transmission out and took over a month to get it back in due to parts being on back order from Ford. My transmission had a bad torque converter and several burned clutch disks. Symptoms: constant whining noise and slipping.
@@ricardom6621 did you try turning on the ac? That should force the fan to turn on regardless of engine coolant temp. All I would suggest otherwise is to check the connections, test the wires for power and check the computer for error codes
@@AustinCoulson Thanks! It does turn on with the AC. I was just worried because it was not coming on automatically, 208F just seems a little to high for idle but I will keep an eye on it. Thanks again! I really appreciate your time and content.
I have absolutely no mechanical training or skill, but I sat and watched this whole video thoroughly amazed at the skill it takes to even begin to comprehend all the things you did in this video. The whole thing was fascinating. I about had a wild idea to try to fix my 13 escape (which the garage said has a catalytic converter issue but my online reading made me wonder if it was a transmission issue, hence ending up here) but after watching this, I'm entirely convinced about how little I know. If you were able to make something you self-describe as boring or monotonous entertaining as well as informational enough to grab this know-nothing's attention, I think you're on the right track.
Thanks for the kind words! I am quite surprised that anyone would watch this video without actually having to perform the job, but I am happy you did. If you wanna see something that was actually fun, check out my trophy truck 1-10 recap video. If you think the garage isn't on the right track, you can email me all the details of whats going on to acthecarguy@gmail.com and I can give you my opinion if they are on the right track.
I watch it the same way. Make me realize I know a little mechanics but sir, you are in a whole different level. Was very informative.
I watched this video for "conformation" on a few things. However, I removed the oil filter cooler housing rather than totally removing the starter. I took a black rubber bungy cord and pinned the starter back. Mine was FWD but your video was still extremely helpful.....ESPECIALLY about not turning the engine counter-clockwise. Thanks.
Excellent video! I’m an experienced mechanic of 25 years and I’ve been tasked with pulling the transmission in my mother in laws 15’ escape. Thankfully I’ve got a lift and all the right tools. your video was excellent in pointing out the more important details of this job and skipped the basic “nuts and bolts” part of the process. Thanks for taking the time to make this, you’ve inspired me to start making videos of my own repairs!
Man, I said no to this job in my head before I clicked on the video. You are a monster tech doing that job. I'm also in the middle a very large job I should not have done and nothing is going right. Thanks for the video!
Oh man, hang in there. I hope the misery I had on this helps with your job.
@@AustinCoulson thanks. Truthfully I dont wish misery on anyone. I just decided to step out of my comfort zone substantially.
Well, the transmission is out with only minor scrapes and bruises to my hands. My flex plate looks good, my torque converter is very rattly when shaken and the big square plug that goes into what I guess you would call the transmission pan, had some fluid in the plug itself which was weird.
The main point is that it's out, now to diagnose. I couldn't have gotten this far without your video and may not of even attempted it, so THANK YOU so much for taking the time to make this.
Congrats! Be careful when buying the torque converter because there were minor changes over the years and some were marked with different color dabs to indicate which one it is. When in doubt on the diagnosis, you can take the used parts to a dealer with a good reputation and they should help get you what you need. Good luck on the reassembly, don't hesitate to reach back out of you get stuck!
Got it done! Dropped the transmission, took it to a shop for a rebuild and back in. Went in smooth and runs like a dream. I probably wouldn't have even attempted it without your video. Thanks a million!!!
@@XXXrayVizionXX Awesome to hear!
@@XXXrayVizionXX did you do this on a lift or jackstands? I'm looking at a cheap 2015 2.5 fwd with a bad trans. I've done many engine/ trans replacements but I don't have a lift
Thank You for taking your time to make this video* We appreciate it.
This is why when I bought my 2016 Ford Escape titanium 2.0 eco boost 6 months ago I bought extended warranty with it.
I bought a 2016 ford escape eco boost AWD 3 years ago and bought the ext warrant, my transmission went out 3 days before my warranty expired, lol luckily i got a new transmission out of it for $100.00 co -pay, now i am having more problems with possible mounts or trans
We fellow backyard mechanics with the Ford Escape really appreciate you efforts. Video content is very well edited, flows good and the audio is great. I will subscribe and try to give back in the form of a video to help others. Again, thanks.
Much appreciated!
Thank you SO much for the tip about using a cam strap to break that bolt loose on the transfer case/PTU! Seriously good info that saved me a ton of work when replacing the nuked PTU in my Escape.
I'm glad it helped you out. I still have nightmares about that bolt...
Great video whoever gave you 19 thumbs Downs are bona fide haters this video is straight to the point and very informative! 👍🏽
Thanks!
Ford dealer replaced my son - in - laws under warranty, then 6000 miles later replaced the same parts (flywheel, torque converter, front transmission seal) and now 300 miles later it's happened again. The bill for the non warranty work that lasted just 300 miles was over 3000 bucks. This is not worth repairing. I told him to buy a Honda or Toyota and I was a Ford guy! What a pain to replace! Appreciate the video! This is not happening on my garage floor!
Sadly, I agree. I loved the previous generation escape, but I have been recommending the CRV or Rav4 since this generation came out. I have not heard of this problem repeating itself like you experienced. Must be something else causing it, like a crankshaft flange that is not true.
That's terrible. The 3rd time, it wasn't under warranty? Wonder why the failures.
Hola amigo, aunque no hablo inglés tengo mucho conocimiento de mecánica vy tu video me pareció excelente.
Acabo de comprar una Escape con problemas de transmision y yo mismo la pienso reparar. Gracias por compartir tus conocimientos
Gracias. buena suerte en tu reparación
Lovely, doing this tomorrow, I expect a broken flex plate and doing the same. Great removal technique vs separating the body from the subframe.
Good luck! Hopefully you don't have 4wd. That Transfer case top bolt still gives me nightmares.
One of the best Vlogs I’ve seen. Your editing was fantastic precise and to the point. I only wish you listed the cost. Impressed with your work. I am now a future subscriber thank you!!🍺👍
I usually list the price on my builds or conversions but I figured since this applies to people who need to pull the transmission for many different reasons I skipped it. In my case it was just under 700$ in parts, all from the dealer. Thanks for subbing!
I'll be honest, I've fixed tons and tons of different domestic and foreign vehicles, never had to tear apart one of these escapes yet until now. That GD t case had me stumped and your video definitely helped. Seating the new TQ in took me 4 seconds though. Gotta have that gentle but rough touch 😉
Why did you have to pull the transmission? Sounds like it wasn't a cracked flexplate like I had
@@AustinCoulson the torque converter was bad. It has a pretty rough shake while in gear, stopped. Almost like TQ was slightly engaging wanting to take off. Drove alright but just quite violent at a stop.
@@evdawg7757 did you have to replace the oil pump on the front when you changed out the TC? I did not love this transmission.
@@AustinCoulson actually in process of tightening bell housing up now haha. No I did not. I noticed you split the trans. Fluid in this unit is quite nasty, black. It shifted good through the gears so wasn't planning on it. When I saw the fluid It crossed my mind. You recommend I stop and service trans? This is my first escape this generation
@@evdawg7757 I would do a trans flush after putting it back together. I won't go over 60k miles in between trans flushes on a Ford
Nothing like a feeling of accomplishment. Great job, I may have to put a reman Trans in my Escape so this is a great help.
Good luck. acthecarguy@gmail.com hit me up if you get stuck.
Im so glad you did this video, my 2014 trans decided to stop working last week, I dont have the skill to do this myself however I want to know what the inside of the trans looks like! Thanks for the videk!
Great job, Austin. And THANK YOU so much for NOT putting any annoying "music" in your video. That makes it so much easier to listen and watch.
My son's '14 Escape has a failed transmission. I'm wondering if it has the same failure you found or an actual transmission failure. It's interesting that the failure you found was not actually in the transmission
Appreciate the look brother. There's a couple tips there i hadn't thought of before starting. Be safe friend.
So we just picked up a 2014 Escape about 2 months ago. It had 112,000 miles on it and a 1-month warranty from the dealer. Right before the one month was up I noticed a transmission was shifting rough so I took it into the dealer. They stated I needed another transmission just by driving it. They didn't check the fluid level or even trying to do a flush. 3 weeks now and they call me today it said that they got the transmission in to drop off the car and believe it or not, It's not shifting a rough anymore.
Pretty amazing to see internal transmission build. Thanks for the video . 💪👍
I'm neither incredibly bored nor stuck pulling the tranny. But I truly enjoyed watching your video. Job well done!
Thanks for the quick run down on what needs to come off, pretty much everything I expected lol, but no special things required was the good part. I got suckered into doing the rear main seal on one, so it's nice to see just what I'm up against.
Oh the dreaded rear main seal. One of my most hated repairs
Great job, Austin. And THANK YOU so much for NOT putting any annoying "music" in your video. That makes it so much easier to listen and watch.
My son's '14 Escape with 230k has a failed transmission. I'm wondering if it has the same flex plate failure you found or an actual transmission failure. It's interesting that the failure you found was not actually in the transmission. What do you think is the underlying cause of the wobbling torque converter? Is there a way to diagnose a failed flex plate vs. transmission failure without tear-down?
What were the symptoms you experienced in the car before you did the repair? Would it not drive at all (which is my son's problem)? How many hours did the tear-down, rebuild, and re-assemble take you?
My son just picked up an 2002 Mini Cooper at a very good price. Meanwhile his 2014 Expedition is sitting dead in the garage and we are trying to figure out what to do with it. We sunk a ton of money in many deferred maintenance areas (all fluids, struts, CV joints, ball joints, timing chain, O2 sensors and more) and then the transmission failed after completing all that work. My biggest fear is that something "simple" like a flex plate replacement, new oil pump, new filter and new torque converter would be an economical repair (ignoring the huge amount of labor involved) and we sell the car to Pick & Pull for $300.
Thoughts would be appreciated. Again, thanks for the great video.
Having turned wrenches for 40+ years I find this stuff interesting. Every thing but the basic principles has changed since I retired, I think for the better.
I used to like working on older vehicles more because they are simpler and parts are easier to access. As annoying as new vehicles can be, every nut and bolt came off cleanly. Its nice to break a nut loose and be able to just spin it off instead of fighting a rusty leaf spring bolt for 2 hours.
You also don't need the special axle removal tool, a hammer and pointed chisel/air hammer w a pointed chisel bit does nicely.
I really like your shop. Great video. Liked and subscribed.
Like your method of giving great directions.
Can't wait to try it!
Excellent vid and approach, just give us the non obvious stuff.
Very excellent work, @Austin Coulson!
I am looking at buying a 2013 escape with 60,000 miles. I will be test driving it and I should be ok, but it's nice to know a little what to look and listen for when buying a used escape. Thank you.
I gave myself tons of room by getting the engine oil cooler and the cac tubes out of the way. The oil cooler comes out w/ either a mid or just a longer style 12mm allen. You could also stick a flatblade screwdriver in between the rotor and the caliper so your rotor doesn't turn
That is amazing work! Well done!
Thanks for this
Doing one right now
Bit of a trick with the Tcase; don’t disassemble the half shaft on the passenger side. Simply undo the lower heat shield to get the last two bolts for the Tcase, Undo those two, undo the half shaft mounts (both of them) then push the tcase with the cv attached. It will move to the side enough to get a wrench on that last back bolt for the tranny.
No need for the strap trick. This is easier and less headache
Also I dunno how small ur hands r but mine r huge and I had one helluva time getting the starter out. Turbo is routed differently on mine. Damn ford getting weird
This is Ford Europes fault. The ones designed here made a lot more sense.
@@AustinCoulson that makes a lot of sense
Ya the one I’m working on the turbo is behind and ontop of the Tcase and the hard hose for the turbo is along the coolant lines up top
And I lied, I had to ratchet strap pull the last bolt. Mine was a bitch tho coz the turbo outlet to manifold gives that last bolt about an inch of room to back out
I literally had to use my magnet to turn the bolt to get it out!
Dunno how it’s going back in loooool
First of all, I am absolutely impressed with your amazing skills, it is my 'dream' to be able to remove a transmission! 😁
And oh my God, was that a vintage Citroën cargo van I spotted as you were pulling out of your driveway!?!? 😍
You have yourself a new subscriber.
Excellent Video. Too any people talking into the camera and not showing anything, not you. Would like to add one tip. Remove the the oil filter housing assembly. Easy place to drain coolant and gives better access to starter and flywheel bolts and lets you move hoses that block bell housing bolts. This job sucks. No room. Back upper bell housing bolt is pain to take off with exhaust in way. Exhaust bolts break easily, fyi. Think twice.
I thought about the oil filter housing but didn't want to have to drain the coolant. The older I get, the more I err on the side of removing more than I need as it usually saves time and headaches (and knuckle skin) in the long run so you are probably right on that. I hoping I don't have to do this job again, it was quite boring. Thanks for the kind words, I bet this advice will help someone who tackles this in the future
Probably doing torque converter in mother inlaws escape. This helps big time
Complex job very well explained. How many labor hours was that?
Great video, thanks for taking the time to make it. I'm about to dig into my transmission this week. My main question is....was there any type of reprogramming or resetting you needed to do after getting everything reinstalled?
Great question. According to the factory service manual, a pcm reset may be required after doing transmission repairs. From what I could tell, it has something to do with slightly different readings from the crank positioning sensor that can throw an error code. (not 100% sure, that's just what it sounded like) From reading around on the forums, most people did not require any reflash or resetting, and those that did just had it done at the dealer for an average of around 99$. When the battery is unplugged for a period of time, the pcm purges some of the memory (specifically the long term fuel trim, and learned shift points) so there sometimes relearning period where the idle is a little rough or jumpy, or the transmission feels like it shifts at a different rpm than it did before. Those will automatically relearn, usually after just a few trips. In my case, I did not have to reset anything, I just plugged my code reader in after a few trips and verified the LTFT had settled in and the STFT was minimal and there were no pending codes.
Austin Coulson Great answer, thanks so much. I have a weird grinding whine while in park and it gets louder when in gear. I'm hoping it's torque converter related since I haven't had any other transmission related issues.
@@XXXrayVizionXX certainly could be. I suspect you'll find an obvious problem once you crack it open like I did with the flexplate. If you run into any issues and have questions while you are doing it, you can ask them here and I can respond pretty quick or my email at acthecarguy@gmail.com good luck!
@@XXXrayVizionXX thats exactly what happened to mine last night. What was the problem
Thanks for this excellent video. Could you please put some links or reference about the service manual you used? Thanks
This video is more valuable than you realize. Thank you. Question: my mechanic told me that a dealership had to "reprogram" the transmission to factory standards after a transmission replacement, meaning after his work of replacing it, he had to take it to a certified Ford dealership to work on, which could potentially take weeks. Is that correct or am I being hosed?
The dealer does have a computer that can reprogram the transmission, but it takes all of 15 minutes, not weeks. From my experience over 90% of the time it is unnecessary as the transmission repair didn't change anything that warrants a reprogramming. Leaving the battery disconnected will reset many of the long term settings in the computer for the engine and trans. If there is a CEL on after the repair and a scantool shows a transmission fault, then a reprogramming will be necessary. This repair that I did gave no faults and did not need a reprogramming.
@@AustinCoulson May you live to be a thousand years old, sir.
Well done thank you and keep up the good work
Did you take out the driveshaft completely or just disconnect it from the T-Case? Thanks for making this video it has helped me a lot along with the Phoenix library-EResources
I don't remember for sure on the DS. I think I wanted to just disconnect it, but I ended up needing to remove the whole thing for some reason. I remember vague;y having to mark the rear yoke. Glad you are using the resource. Good luck in that top T case bolt!
Thank you for this video varry much needed!!
Nice job, not bored at all
Checked this out to see if fixing my 2016 escape was going to be possible without a lift and looks like it is so that's a relief. I get to dig into mine soon, starting to slip and bang the 2 3 shift. Already got a 2002 bmw 540i I'm rebuilding the zf5hp24 transmission in so it looks like I get two transmissions in personal cars, fun stuff lol.
I'm just glad I don't have to do transmission swaps on gravel driveways anymore
small ford autos have lex plate issues, the same engine/trans but int he Ford Flex had a recall. why they didn't extent to the 1.6 Escape will irk me to no end
very good video man respect!!
Dude! Thank you! You helped me so much!
out of curiosity did you have the same problem with the flexplate or did you have to remove the trans for another reason?
transmission rebuild on a 2013 ford fusion awd was thinking about doing this in my garage might be a little hard huh
Depends on your skill and if you are willing to make the engine mount or come at it underneath. There's a reason this is such an expensive repair, it's pretty intense. Once it's out, the transmission is pretty easy to disassemble and rebuild. I did this over 4 days, one to tear down, waiting on parts a day and a half, got the parts installed and transmission in on day 3 and day 4 was putting everything else back in. If you are in a rush, I wouldn't try to do it.
Austin Coulson i’m willing time learn and try new thing 🙃 i’m also no rush i intended to lose track and forget when i rush , when i work on cars i take my time and think , i been research this transmission over 2 weeks now trying to gather all the info i can get before i make a decision to take it to the shop or doing it myself , my car been down for about 2 months lol it just outside sitting pretty in the street waiting for me to buss a move
Hi it’s maybe but is fun just be sure u have a good tools Dollar Tree uil not helping 🤗
I just did this job yesterday at work and was curious how others would’ve done it. It was a real PITA but overall not too bad if I had to do I again. I was able to get by with out removing the cowl. Driver side cv shaft was was seized so I left it in and worked around it. And I used a pole jack to support the engine while on the lift. Transfer case I left in but once unbolted from transmission it gives JUST enough space to get the bellhousing bolts. Torque converter nuts were pretty easy to get to with a long extension and wobble socket but I removed the oil cooler and filter to get to them from underneath. Yea definitely not an easy job!
Good info, thanks for the comment. I pinned it so other can see it first in case they have the same issues as you. How many hours do you figure it took you?
how are you my friend? to change the transmission filter, I need to take out all the transmission off?
Yeah I'm also curious how many hours it took you and also what labor guide calls for.
@@joeysanchez5926 I’ve done a handful of them since then. I think it’s like 14.1 hours of labor it calls for. I can prolly do it start to finish around 4 hours depending on how motivated I am.
I'm in the middle of this now. I was thinking the same about the oil cooler and filter to have better access to the torque converter nuts. WHAT SIZE are the toque converter nuts?? The video doesn't say and the repair guide on tells the torque specs. Since those are blind, knowing what size socket would be a huge help. Thanks
AND it's the AWD version, a real pain in the arse... 3 5 R direct clutch's wave spring can fail and wreck the entire transmission, if you decide to fix it, make sure that you change all those steels (too); especially the wave spring.
thanks for posting this. it was useful
Good video
Thanks for your video it is really helpful....
Thanks for the great video, my wife's 2019 escape 1.5L awd needs it's second flex plate, I am wondering if this repair solved the repeat broken flex plate isue. It would be great to know if it's worth doing all that work before hand, thank you.
As far as I know, this Escape never had any other flexplate related issues. It does seem like a poor design of the flexplate. It's very thin and has an awful lot of holes cut in places that I don't see on other flexplates.
Great video
Excellent, gets rt to the points !
thanks lol i have one to do tomorrow but it’s not awd so even better
Excellent video but one step is not there, electric connection plug
Have the motor and trans out of Escape sitting on the floor. Everything drops out the bottom. Have done several.
So helpful .
Thank you
Ya gotta ask yourself.........."Self, JUST how dam important IS all wheel drive anyway?" I think 2WD and some common sense is just as good. Saves a ton of complication.
On something like this, 2wd is probably fine for 95% of people and 99% of driving. I would like AWD in the snow and ice though.
I've been asking myself the same question. I'd like to eventually replace my wife's '10 Fusion with one of these Escapes. We live in upstate NY so we do get a good bit of ice and snow however we always use winter tires in the cold seasons. I'm still not sure if AWD is worth it or not because I've never had an issue with our Focus or Fusion and a good set of winter tires.
@@onlycodered I find 4wd is necessary on steep hills.
So that breather tube for the transfer case is supposed to be angled toward the driver wheel/transmission, not up toward the cylinder head/hood? Heat shield for tc fighting me
Hi! Just a question. My Mechanic told me that I have a Transmission Problem and he thinks it was one of the pumps inside of my 2016 Ford Escape S AWD Ecoboost. I don't know how much it will cost nor if it's still worth saving because I recently knew that this car already has a 2014 motor in it and had a different transmission in it. I bought this car second-hand and as-is and still paying for it. (I still have 13k on it) Gave up on me after 3 months of using it. He thought it was only an oil change and coolant leak but then when I started driving it again, it was struggling to accelerate. Should we fix the whole transmission, get a new one, just dump it, etc? I feel unsafe driving it tho. I wanna get a diff car bc of it.. Hopefully you reply! You make awesome videos!
Also, the car has already 99k miles on it. Bought it with 97k. I don't know if the motor has the same tbh.
Sounds like you are in a bit of a pickle. Personally, I am not a huge fan of the 2013-2019 Escapes. The 2012 and earlier ones have a much better reputation for reliability. The fact that it has a different engine and trans is also concerning, as is the fact that it sounds like the mechanic is guessing what is wrong and won't know until they dig in. Now that doesn't necessarily say anything bad about the mechanic, as I didn't know what was wrong until I pulled this trans. I was expecting just a bad seal and ended up needing a new TC, pumps, seals, etc. Generally, if you can find an honest and competent mechanic it is best long term to stay on top of maintenance and repairs and get as many miles out of a vehicle as possible. I can't tell you how many vehicles I have bought from someone who was fed up and just wanted it gone, only to repair it and have it be a perfect car for years. Before spending any money, I would recommend getting multiple estimates, including one from the dealer, which may cost around 99$ for the diagnosis, but is often more reliable than a smaller shop.
Thanks very much for posting this video! The Sheehy Ford dealership in Ashland VA just quoted us $8000 to replace a 2014 Escape 1.6L EcoBoost transmission. That sounds ridiculous to me. I understand that this is labor-intensive but how long should it take a factory-trained Ford mechanic to replace a transmission?
It took me about 6 hours to have it out. Then the reinstall once I had parts was about 8 hours. Filming added a lot of time. A dealer tech should be able to knock the entire job out in about 10 hrs start to finish. You should be able to rebuild your trans at a reputable trans shop with warranty for less than half that cost.
It’s $4000 here in Calif area that I live in. Thank god still had my warranty
Reman trans from ford is about $3500. Plus install, so $8k sounds high. I can see more like $5500-6k
Seems like this failed right outside the power train warranty, unfortunately!
You are correct. Warranty was 60k and it failed at 75k. Quite frustrating.
Great video. I just bought this car for my daughter. Where do you obtain the factory service manual in electronic form and what is the cost?
I got it from the phoenix public library online. They have a resource section that links to an automotive portal with a decent selection of factory service manuals.
I was looking for some tips on removing the converter nuts here,, not,, but that ok,, I went back and looked a little closer and found this hole in the engine casing that allowed me to see the nut and it location.... bam... these are a bear to work on...
I really tried to get a camera up there to show the TC nuts, but as you know, there is zero room for those buggers. Glad you figured it out. I wish there was a service plate on the bottom
Is there some secret trick or tool to getting at the torque converter nuts? I've tried a 3/8 15mm deep socket and a couple combinations of regular sockets and extensions and I'm just thinking there has to be an easier way. Any help would be greatly appreciated.
I had to use a shorter 3/8 drive ratchet and deep 15. It was tough but I got on them
@@tylernichols8169 Thanks for the reply. I got the job done and hope to never need to do it again. The scariest part was putting those darn torque converter nuts back on for fear of dropping one inside and needing to separate the trans from the engine again just to get it out. Thanks again for the advice - I ended up doing the same thing with a 15mm deep socket. I count myself as fortunate that my vehicle is just a front wheel drive.
Sorry I was late on this one, but I am glad you got it. That was the hardest part of this job, well except for maybe the top bolt on the transfer case.
@@tylernichols8169 Thanks for reply on that. I was searching for what size torque converter nuts because the video didn't specify. I'm at that step now and *trying* to get at them from the top. Surprisingly, I can actually position my shop light and see them from the top through the starter hole. Just wasn't able to get a shallow 15mm socket on them, which I guess is because the stud is too long to let the 15mm seat fully.
Good advice: 15mm deep socket.
gotta do a rear main on a 2012 focus..this is helpful..but it;s gonna suck..lol
Unfortunately that will suck indeed. The good news is that if you do it right, it will never leak again. I can't tell you how many stupid rope style rear mains I have done on old Chevys and those start leaking again by the time it leaves the driveway...good luck and shoot me an email if you get stuck and have a question. Contact info is on my channel page.
I just dont understand why they stack all the parts so tight in there.
How the hell did you get to the very top bolt on the ptu? I have a 13 1.6 escape and the turbo is in the way of it... Let alone see the bolt
Good work
Awesome video, do you have part number for oil pump and filter? Called ford and they sent me a pump on outside of transmission
Austin, I watched this because I might need to pull the 6f35 on my 2017 Explorer. It has a delay when I shift from P to R when its cold. Takes like4-5 seconds. I am so pissed, man. only 73k miles and I serviced the fluid at 30k and 60k. Do you know what I might be dealing with here? If it is just a pump not building enough pressure for R, I can replace it like you did. But if it needs a rebuild, I would might just buy a reman and swap it out. Just trying to figure out which route to go and avoid the transmission shops and Ford stealerships. Thanks and really appreciate the video.
first off, good job changing the fluid at those intervals, that is best thing you can do for a transmission. If the trans behaves normally other than that delay, I would be looking at the servo/solenoids. I am not an expert on that trans, but I believe it uses a standard reverse band with a servo for it and if it's failed or leaking it would present with those symptoms. Usually you can access those servos without taking the trans out, but I am not 100% on that trans where they are located.
is that all data that you,re using? if not can you tell me what software?
I don't use AllData, its too expensive for how infrequently I need it. In this case I actually used the phoenix library. Our local library has an online service that allows Library members to use Auto Repair Source, and in some cases it's identical to AllData and sometimes its practically useless, it all depends on the car. Here is a link to that, I am not sure if you can set up a free account online or not:
www.phoenixpubliclibrary.org/browse/learning-research/Pages/eResources-A-to-Z.aspx
If whatever I am working on isn't available there, I check around on google to see if anyone uploaded the service manual from Europe where it is legally required to be offered to the public. If I can't find it there, I buy a downloaded copy from eBay where it is usually 10$ and it's just someone who copied it from the EU manuals and sells it. Hope this helps!
@@AustinCoulson thanks boss it has exactly what i need
Yikes! I'd say that's a job I sure wouldn't tackle. Good job.
I have a 2014 Escape 2.0l Ecoboost 146000 miles. Gave me a P0741 code (torque converter clutch solenoid ckt performance or stuck off). I can't find the solenoid or much of anything online on where it is or how to change it. Car still shifts and drives normal even under hard acceleration. Tried to clear the check engine light with my OBD, but didn't clear. Disconnected the battery for a half an hour still didn't clear. Any suggestions?
I would search around the escape forums to see who else has had that error code pop up and how they fixed it
Quick question, how TF did you break the torque converter bolts loose? I can get on em, but not with any kind of leverage. I know this was 4 years ago but just wondering if you remember
I don't remember the TC bolts being specifically difficult on this vehicle. usually I use a deep socket and rotate the flywheel so the socket is up against the block casting so I can crank on it without any risk of it slipping off and stripping the head
My car is leaking oil after change of the oil seal around the transmission. What could d cause of the leak.
Mine just broke. Inner plate broken clean away from the rest of it. Starter was just spinning the flexplate & torque converter but not engine. Scared I lost the engine.
Isn't it such a stupid and unnecessary failure? They could have just made the flexplate a bit stronger. It would have cost ford like a nickel more per vehicle.
Awesome video. My 2013 Ford Escape needs a new torque converter. Wondering where you are located??? If close enough maybe you can do it for me?
I don't normally do work like this, it was just to help out a friend
@@AustinCoulson totally understand. He's lucky to have you as a friend!!!
By the way, where did you get the shop manual with the instructions and photos?
@@michaeltramontano7580 the Phoenix public library online had the resource. I'm told you can sign up online for it, but I already had a library card
Hi, how did you take out transaxle harness electrical connector, mine has been stubborn and I don't want to break anything. much appreciated. these type is Delphi PBT-GF20.
I use a 90* pick to unclip it and pry it apart
When you just pulled the transmission out and I saw a multiple pin terminal. Is that where the connector goes from the ecm/tcm? Is there a way that I can pull that out and put its back on from under the truck without removing anything?
It's been a few years since I did this repair so I am not sure, but I seem to remember that being accessible without transmission removal. I do believe that was the wiring to the TCM
My oil pump went out on my wife's 2013 1.6 2wd.
I have it at a shop right now because transmission work is usually where it's just not worth my hassle and time.
The shop is so backed up though and it's been there for a month. It's at the point where I'm considering just biting the bullet and do it myself.
Do you think it is possible to access the pump without fully taking the transmission out? The mechanic said he thinks it might be possible to slide it back from the torque converter shield and save a lot of time and frustration. This was a great video just wondering if you see a short cut for just getting to the pump?
I don't think that is possible, and even if it was, I don't think it would save any time as you'll still need to remove almost all the same stuff. The 2wd will make the job a lot easier. With a lift on a 2wd it's probably around 6 hours to remove and 7 to reinstall
@@AustinCoulson Thanks so much for the reply. I am going to give it a shot this weekend and see what I can do. I might hit you up here if I run into anything not covered in the video if that's ok. The last time I did trany work was on a cooper s about 5 or 6 years ago. So......
@@jstray2321 The hardest part was the transfer case, so you are already ahead there. Also, the starter bolts really suck on that, especially without a lift. Good luck!
@Austin Coulson @Austin Coulson might be an amateur question. But i remember in the copper (it was a manual) there was a trick to getting the torque converter bolts. I know about not rotating it against the chain but if memory serves I had to wesge a screwdriver in the teeth of the gear to keep it from rotating when I was trying to loosen them. Is that because I was using a breaker bar and an impact solves the problem and so there is none or do I need to be aware of anything when going at loosening those bolts other than just making them?
Sorry if that's a dumb question. But kind of a fog of war type thing when mapping this out in my head.
@@AustinCoulson working through this now and on reassembly. Do you know the torque specs for the pump? I haven't been able to find them in my search and really don't want to get it wrong and have to do this all over.
Hi you didn't show how to remove the bellhousing, does that come off easy as I'm selling wrecking one out and I thinks the bellhousing go with the gearbox or does it stay on the motor?
at 14:06 you can see the bellhousing still attached to the transmission. It is integrated into the transmission housing.
I think that failure is more common than you think. At least for that drivetrain. SSM 47576. I could have sworn fordtechmakuloco covered this somewhere, or maybe it was a similar issue on a Focus. I really dislike working on Ford products. It's like they take solid concepts and purposely engineer in unneeded complexity. Sure makes shops a consistent revenue stream though. Nice work bud.
What is your preferred brand to work on? I LOVE Fords compared to most, but Toyotas are the easiest for me. They seem to be the best designed with future failure and removal in mind, and anything German seems to be purposely built to never ever be worked on or removed.
I only recently learned that this particular generation of Escapes were made on a Ford European platform and most were made outside of the US. Not sure the initial source for the flywheel, but it sure was a frustrating part to have break. I do not like the 1.6 EB mated to this transmission. Not enough gears to keep it at a reasonable rpm. The 2.0 EB motor seems purpose built to mate to this trans and does much better.
@@AustinCoulson I get along pretty well on Dodge or GM. Agree on Toyota, but have to admit it is rare for me to see one for anything more than routine maintenance.
@@ShainAndrews I got used to dropping fuel tanks to swap sending units and fuel pumps when they started putting them inside the tanks and I remember the first time I saw a Toyota Corolla with a bad pump and it had a service plate. I was so excited a 4 hour job instantly became a 15 minute job just because they planned ahead.
@@AustinCoulson BMW e36 is the easiest car I've ever worked on. I cant stand anything American, there is always like 3 redundant fasteners and clunky subsystems. Japaneses cars are great just usualy small and FWD (so tight). I really like working on old german cars. I find the subsystems to be smartly laid out and very straight forward. plus in the classic rwd layout it's very spread out. Just dont touch anything plastic or rubber unless you have a replacement and the crimped hose-clamps are horrid. E-torx bolts are awesome.
I just had a reman transmission out in my 2014 Ford Escape. After a few days of driving I got a system message saying transmission fault. Service now. Engine speed slow down due to transmission over heating. There was no noise or slipping. The car powered down for a couple of minutes then return to normal sped I was driving.
I took car back to the transmission installer and he he scanned the system codes are
P0218-00 tramission fluid temperature sensor “A” Overtemperature condition
P1783-00 transmission over temperature conditions
P2560-00 engine coolant level low
You think this has to do with the install of the reman transmission? He said he did not flush and clean out the old transmission cooler before installing the reman transmission!
HELP please!!
I would take it to the dealer and have them scan it. I can't remember if I mentioned in the video, but these generation fords can be finicky when you pull the trans can can sometimes need the dealership to reset some settings. Dealer should charge 99$ for a scan and a recalibrate for the new-to-you transmission you've got. Most aftermarket scan tools struggle with transmission set ups and the dealer scanners are like 5K$. That being said, all those codes point to an actual overheating which could be as simple as low coolant, but overheating is one of the quickest way to damage an engine/trans. I wouldn't recommend driving it at all until you get this figured out.
how did you remove the bell housing bolt thats behind the down pipe of the turbo?
How did you manage to removed the torque converter bolts?its from the starter and removing the oil cooler or after you remove ptu a opening will show up?
The starter has to be removed, then there is a black rubber piece that has to be pulled out to make enough room for the socket to reach the TC bolts. It's very tight and has almost zero visibility
@@AustinCoulson thank you
Please excuse my ignorance. Around minute 13:46 when removing the bolts between engine and transmission, is fluid supposed to start leaking from there if the tranny fluid hasn't been removed? Thanks for any reply!
No. This vehicle had a shaft seal leak caused from a wobbling torque converter. The leak was the reason the car was in the shop, it was otherwise driveable, even with the bad flexplate
*"WARNING"*
Don't buy *"FORD SCAPE"*
they have problem with the transmission.
Now have to pay $2000 to replace a transmission!
😡😡😡
😷
So I have 2013 Ford Escape SEL ,156K miles. The Transmission Jerks hard going into 1st & 2nd gears, it shifts goods in the other gears. What causes that? and is it easy to fix and what's the cost you think?
I have the same problem and also a leak from crank seal did u got fixed what was the problem if u fixed it.??
Just curious -- how long did the entire change/replacement take? Thanks
I did it over 4 days, but it was about 8hrs to remove, 3 hrs to fix the transmission, 10hrs to put it back together and check everything
My ford just said transmission error, service transmission now. Is this the same issue this escape had that made it apparent that it had issue's. it has 57k on and ford is fighting to fix saying it's 3500 in labor an there still waiting for the converter.
The issue with this escape was the leak. It drove ok, and had no warning lights, it would just leak like crazy when it got warm and it was due to the converter wobbling. I was actually expecting just the oil seal to be bad, not the entire converter and flexplate.
Were you every able to figure out what the part on the side of the battery box was? (Factory recall part.) i just finished this job and after buttoning it all back up, i can not find where the plugs actually go
I verified it was a factory recall pigtail, but I forget what it was for (adding a fuse to replace a fusible link maybe?). It may be specific for that year or engine. Have you tried looking up recalls for your Escape?
Just had my transmission rebuilt/replaced on my 2016 Ford Escape Ecoboost, now it is making a high pitched squealing noise when i turn my wheel to the left, any ideas?
Sounds unrelated to the transmission repair, unless they drained the power steering fluid and didn't bleed it properly afterwards. High pitch squealing is often air in the steering system or a slipping belt.
Austin Coulson, do you know where the Transmission Control Module is located on a 2015 Ford Escape.
I don't know. I figured it would be built into the PCM
hello I have a problem with my gearbox. when I park or drive, especially in the rear, the whole car vibrates and makes a loud noise. I made a diagnosis and he talks about hard lap speed sensor. but when I left to drain there was not too much oil in the gearbox really.
Help me please
If the fluid is low, that is the first place to check. Once the fluid level is filled to the proper level you can start to diagnose the issue. Its possible it was just low fluid, its also possible the low fluid damaged something internal, and anytime the fluid is low, it is important to figure out why it was low and fix that issue.
wanted to get you're opinion if you want to. i bought a 2016 used escape and after about three months transmission went out. extremely upset dealership that i got it from acted like they didnt even care but after voicing my displeasure they gave me a really cheap estimate to replace it with a rebuilt one. it's got about 94,000 miles right now. wasnt aware of escape transmission problems or i wouldnt have bought it. just got it back but dont know how long it's gonna last. really unhappy any advice thanks.
Although these are now known issues that Ford should be recalling and fixing, the reason they aren't is because they aren't as common as it seems. Right now 100% of the escapes you own have this issue, but when I was looking up this issue, it looked the rate of failure was well under 1/1000. Chances are, you will be fine. If you want to be sure, take it easy on the transmission for 5k miles and then have a small sample of the trans fluid pulled and send it to Blackstone laps for analysis and see what the report shows. If there is any excessive wear it should show up there long before the trans gives out.
Thank you I will look up Blackstone labs
Could you please detail the installation of the torque converter and how you got it to sit flush.
I’m about to install the transmission but I am worried about the torque converter not sitting flush. I was told, if the torque converter is not installed properly it will burn out the transmission.
The best way to make it sit flush is to not torque each nut as you install. You install the nuts but keep them loose then continue spinning the flexplate and tighten them down all the way the second time around. To be honest though, I used to just torque them the first time around and I never had an issue.
@@AustinCoulson I appreciate the reply. I took my time and did not have any issues with the re-install.
Austin, the only other issue now is that the cooling fan is not coming on. While the car is sitting at idle the coolant sensor shows temperatures of around 208F (temp gauge shows normal). I have yet see the cooling fan come on. Any suggestions?
For anyone else considering this project; I did this work in my garage with two floor jacks and one engine hoist. It took about three days to get the transmission out and took over a month to get it back in due to parts being on back order from Ford. My transmission had a bad torque converter and several burned clutch disks. Symptoms: constant whining noise and slipping.
@@ricardom6621 did you try turning on the ac? That should force the fan to turn on regardless of engine coolant temp. All I would suggest otherwise is to check the connections, test the wires for power and check the computer for error codes
@@AustinCoulson Thanks! It does turn on with the AC. I was just worried because it was not coming on automatically, 208F just seems a little to high for idle but I will keep an eye on it.
Thanks again! I really appreciate your time and content.
@@ricardom6621 no problem, happy to help. 208 does seem too high to not have the low speed fan activate