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2008 Escape - Transmission Cooler Failure


antonin

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Thanks for all your posts. My husband went to change my oil (thank God it was time) when I said "what is all that oil on the front passenger side and under the hood"? It was transmission fluid everywhere. I don't know how long it had been leaking but it was about 1 qt low. I couldn't believe how many posts on the internet I found. And, thanks to the guy with the You Tube video because the leak is exactly like the one in the video.

 

I'm calling Ford in the morning but according to all these posts, it seems it isn't covered under Warranty. I have about 45,000 miles right now. I will also be calling the Ford Customer number 800-392-3673 that was posted earlier. Apparently, this is going to keep happening and Ford needs to step up and Recall this defective part. I own 5 Ford vehicles right now within my family and would hate to find out Ford doesn't stand behind it's name for Quality. I will try to post a follow-up after I talk to the dealer.

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Thanks for all your posts. My husband went to change my oil (thank God it was time) when I said "what is all that oil on the front passenger side and under the hood"? It was transmission fluid everywhere. I don't know how long it had been leaking but it was about 1 qt low. I couldn't believe how many posts on the internet I found. And, thanks to the guy with the You Tube video because the leak is exactly like the one in the video.

 

I'm calling Ford in the morning but according to all these posts, it seems it isn't covered under Warranty. I have about 45,000 miles right now. I will also be calling the Ford Customer number 800-392-3673 that was posted earlier. Apparently, this is going to keep happening and Ford needs to step up and Recall this defective part. I own 5 Ford vehicles right now within my family and would hate to find out Ford doesn't stand behind it's name for Quality. I will try to post a follow-up after I talk to the dealer.

 

Understand that it's not covered under the extended powertrain warranty that continues after the 3/36k bumper to bumper warranty expires. It is covered under the 3/36k bumper to bumper warranty. Someone stated that Ford considers it to be part of the HVAC system because it serves dual duties cooling the tranny fluid and as the A/C condenser. I agree that they really should warranty it for the powertrain too given all of the problems with it and the fact that it leaks tranny fluid and not coolant or refrigerant..

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For those of you who don't know yet Ford released customer satisfaction program 09B10 for certain 2008 escapes last week which addresses the trans cooler for all. I haven't seen the actual text of it but word around here is that those with an affected 2008 Escape can take it to their dealer until August 2010 and get their transmission cooler replaced for free even out of warranty. It's also been said that those of you who paid for the repair already can get a refund. I believe all affected owners will be getting a letter with details very soon.

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For those of you who don't know yet Ford released customer satisfaction program 09B10 for certain 2008 escapes last week which addresses the trans cooler for all. I haven't seen the actual text of it but word around here is that those with an affected 2008 Escape can take it to their dealer until August 2010 and get their transmission cooler replaced for free even out of warranty. It's also been said that those of you who paid for the repair already can get a refund. I believe all affected owners will be getting a letter with details very soon.

Thanks I hope you are right . It make a lot of people happy and cost Ford a bundle but if it is true maybe I can beleve in them again.

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SO glad to find this topic!

I have a 08 Mariner on a 3 year lease that developed this trans cooler leak. Seeing as how it has 42,000 miles on it and is going back in a few months, I was fully prepared to park it before dumping $800 into repairs for something like this. The thread brought to light how wide spread the problem is. The mercury dealer that I purchased the vehicle from went out of business a few years ago, so I knew I wasn't getting any recourse there. I went to Russ Milne on 3/8/2010 to see if they would cover this under powertrain, and got a "no." Maybe they didn't look far enough to see the program note when they punched in my VIN, I'm not sure. But Dorian Ford in Clinton Township is well aware of the issue and the program, and will be repairing my Mariner at no cost to me very soon.

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I posted in November regarding my 2008 Escape with the leak, I wrote letters to the company and spoke at length with the dealership that did the repairs back in November. The dealership was great about it and I understood their perspective and didn't blame them, I blamed Ford. Ford complaint line employees were not pleasant or customer oriented. But I'm so happy to report that I received a phone call yesterday from the dealership saying that they are completing the paperwork on my behalf so that I can get reimbursed for this repair. It appears Ford has finally owned up to the problem.

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The following is a copy/paste from another forum that was posted today concerning the same problem

 

***********

Ford will fix this problem at no cost to you. I have a 2008 Ford Escape and my transmission cooler is leaking, causing my transmission to slip. I took my car into Park Cities Ford this morning and they printed out a TSP (Customer Satisfaction Program 09B10) dated March 2010. The form states that the "Transmission Fluid cooler in your vehicle may develop a crack and leak transmission fluid. If not repaired, this leak may result in rough/harsh shifting and potential damage to the transmission." "Ford Motor Company has authorized your dealer to perform the repairs under this program on your vehicle free of charge (parts and labor). The Customer Satisfaction Program will be in effect until August 31, 2010 regardless of mileage. Coverage is automatically transferred to subsequent owners." If you have previously had this repair done, you may be eligible for a refund. To initiate a refund request, they ask that you give your paid original receipt to your dealer before August 31, 2010.

*************

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It was stated in another thread that they will inspect your cooler and replace it for free, regardless of mileage as stated above, if it is leaking. If it is not leaking they will cut the bracket that supports it and replace it with a new one that has a rubber grommet built in to prevent the vibrations that are cracking them in the first place. I believe it was said before that the new coolers are the same as the old and only the bracket is a new design if you've had yours replaced already so that sounds about right.

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For those of you who don't know yet Ford released customer satisfaction program 09B10 for certain 2008 escapes last week which addresses the trans cooler for all. I haven't seen the actual text of it but word around here is that those with an affected 2008 Escape can take it to their dealer until August 2010 and get their transmission cooler replaced for free even out of warranty. It's also been said that those of you who paid for the repair already can get a refund. I believe all affected owners will be getting a letter with details very soon.

 

Yes indeed. My local Ford dealer did repair my 2008 Escape - 51k miles at not charge! Seems like it took them a while but they got it right.

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I just got a letter in the mail from Ford so it seems they want to replace my tranny cooler. cool! :)

 

Is your cooler leaking Fang? I haven't seen the letters yet but word is that you'll get a replacement bracket if your cooler is not leaking yet. The bracket eliminates, or substantially decreases, vibrations in the cooler which prevents it from leaking. The replacement coolers are supposedly the same cooler but have a new bracket with a rubber buffer built in. Does the letter say they are just replacing all of the coolers no matter what? That wouldn't make sense if you ask me.

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Got the following from another forum about the problem.

 

 

March 10th, 2010, 10:48 am

 

Ford will fix this problem at no cost to you. I have a 2008 Ford Escape and my transmission cooler is leaking, causing my transmission to slip. I took my car into Park Cities Ford this morning and they printed out a TSP (Customer Satisfaction Program 09B10) dated March 2010. The form states that the "Transmission Fluid cooler in your vehicle may develop a crack and leak transmission fluid. If not repaired, this leak may result in rough/harsh shifting and potential damage to the transmission." "Ford Motor Company has authorized your dealer to perform the repairs under this program on your vehicle free of charge (parts and labor). The Customer Satisfaction Program will be in effect until August 31, 2010 regardless of mileage. Coverage is automatically transferred to subsequent owners." If you have previously had this repair done, you may be eligible for a refund. To initiate a refund request, they ask that you give your paid original receipt to your dealer before August 31, 2010.

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Got the following from another forum about the problem.

 

 

March 10th, 2010, 10:48 am

 

Ford will fix this problem at no cost to you. I have a 2008 Ford Escape and my transmission cooler is leaking, causing my transmission to slip. I took my car into Park Cities Ford this morning and they printed out a TSP (Customer Satisfaction Program 09B10) dated March 2010. The form states that the "Transmission Fluid cooler in your vehicle may develop a crack and leak transmission fluid. If not repaired, this leak may result in rough/harsh shifting and potential damage to the transmission." "Ford Motor Company has authorized your dealer to perform the repairs under this program on your vehicle free of charge (parts and labor). The Customer Satisfaction Program will be in effect until August 31, 2010 regardless of mileage. Coverage is automatically transferred to subsequent owners." If you have previously had this repair done, you may be eligible for a refund. To initiate a refund request, they ask that you give your paid original receipt to your dealer before August 31, 2010.

 

That's a little vague. Those which have not begun to leak yet, and they most likely will leak eventually, supposedly will have some preventive maintenance applied to them in the form of a new low or zero vibration bracket. Looks like Ford might be leaving those details out of the letter which makes sense being that they can repair the broken parts or prevent them from braking.

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  • 3 weeks later...

ok, so i did a web search and found something stating that to check if your 2008 escape is effected by this program/issue, to look at the cooler mounting bolt, which is easily visible through the passenger side of the front grill as it is in front of the radiator, and if the mounting bolt has a rubber grommet around it, you are ok and not effected since this design should be ok. i looked at ours (purchased in 9/08, built in 6/08) and it indeed does have the rubber grommet and is not leaking, albeit we only have 8500 miles on it. anyone else know this to be fact? i'm still going to have the dealer look at it when i take it in for some other warranty repairs soon.

 

thanks,

chad

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ok, so i did a web search and found something stating that to check if your 2008 escape is effected by this program/issue, to look at the cooler mounting bolt, which is easily visible through the passenger side of the front grill as it is in front of the radiator, and if the mounting bolt has a rubber grommet around it, you are ok and not effected since this design should be ok. i looked at ours (purchased in 9/08, built in 6/08) and it indeed does have the rubber grommet and is not leaking, albeit we only have 8500 miles on it. anyone else know this to be fact? i'm still going to have the dealer look at it when i take it in for some other warranty repairs soon.

 

thanks,

chad

 

You probably should have received the official letter from Ford already if your Escape is affected. We leased our '08 in June of '08 but it was built sometime in '07 IIRC. From what I've read they will install the rubber grommet you speak of if your Escape didn't have it from the factory and your cooler is not leaking and they only way you get a new cooler is if it is leaking. So I do think that since you didn't get the letter yet and you have that rubber grommet you are OK and don't have to worry about it. Still have the dealer check your VIN to see if your Escape is affected because they can pull that up right away. If your VIN is not on the list in the system then you should have nothing to worry about.

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I took my 08 Escape to the Dealership the day we noticed the leak, also the same day I got the letter for the cooler, though I didn't know it until I got home. The first dealer didn't want to be bothered with fixing the problem and said they were too backed up, and would end up charging me whether they fixed the leak or not, Town and Country Ford Nashville. I took my vehicle to Miracle Ford in Gallatin and the guys have been great. The problem that developed was either through overheating of the transmission cooler or poor craftsmanship a weight had come loose from the torque converter and blew through the transmission housing. Before doing so it completely trashed the transmission, though it never slipped, made a sound or jerked, it just leaked.

 

Ford is stating that it isn't their problem and Miracle is quoting me 3600$ for a new transmission. I can only advise after reading many posts on the transmissions, for all years of the Escape, to not purchase a Ford Escape from any year. The depreciation on this car for trade in is a clear sign that there are many problems that are steering customers away from this brand. With a resale value of less than 40% of sticker price in less than a year and a half, the devaluation is astounding. As a lifelong Ford Owner I will say I may have purchased my last. I have always bragged to others on how well I was treated and what great customer service I have gotten in the past, but it looks like times have changed.

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I took my 08 Escape to the Dealership the day we noticed the leak, also the same day I got the letter for the cooler, though I didn't know it until I got home. The first dealer didn't want to be bothered with fixing the problem and said they were too backed up, and would end up charging me whether they fixed the leak or not, Town and Country Ford Nashville. I took my vehicle to Miracle Ford in Gallatin and the guys have been great. The problem that developed was either through overheating of the transmission cooler or poor craftsmanship a weight had come loose from the torque converter and blew through the transmission housing. Before doing so it completely trashed the transmission, though it never slipped, made a sound or jerked, it just leaked.

 

Ford is stating that it isn't their problem and Miracle is quoting me 3600$ for a new transmission. I can only advise after reading many posts on the transmissions, for all years of the Escape, to not purchase a Ford Escape from any year. The depreciation on this car for trade in is a clear sign that there are many problems that are steering customers away from this brand. With a resale value of less than 40% of sticker price in less than a year and a half, the devaluation is astounding. As a lifelong Ford Owner I will say I may have purchased my last. I have always bragged to others on how well I was treated and what great customer service I have gotten in the past, but it looks like times have changed.

 

Why isn't it Ford's problem though? Your '08 carries a 5 year/60k mile powertrain warranty and the tranny is part of the powertrain. Are you over those ceilings? The tranny cooler is considered to be part of the HVAC system and is therefore not covered by the extended powertrain warranty. Since they are only offering to replace your tranny then I assume the cooler is fine? If it's not fine then they should be replacing the cooler and your tranny for free given the problems they have recently owned up to regarding the cooler. If the cooler had nothing to do with it and it was a straight tranny failure then they should be replacing that for free too. Either way I don't see why they want to charge you for it.

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Why isn't it Ford's problem though? Your '08 carries a 5 year/60k mile powertrain warranty and the tranny is part of the powertrain. Are you over those ceilings? The tranny cooler is considered to be part of the HVAC system and is therefore not covered by the extended powertrain warranty. Since they are only offering to replace your tranny then I assume the cooler is fine? If it's not fine then they should be replacing the cooler and your tranny for free given the problems they have recently owned up to regarding the cooler. If the cooler had nothing to do with it and it was a straight tranny failure then they should be replacing that for free too. Either way I don't see why they want to charge you for it.

I went over the 60k by a little over 1k miles. The dealer stated this issue is a known problem, as more than 10% of Ford Escapes have some sort of Transmission problems. The problem with my vehicle has probably been going on since late last year, and more than likely when I took it in for the 50k service, the previous dealer either didn't check the tranny or neglected to tell me so that when I went over and had problems, I would have to pay to have it fixed instead of them doing the work for free.

 

Either way, going over less than 2k miles is a joke. I spent most of last night documenting people with transmission failures across a variety of forums and I have logged 342 transmission replacements in less than 50k miles. Not a good track record.

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Either way, going over less than 2k miles is a joke. I spent most of last night documenting people with transmission failures across a variety of forums and I have logged 342 transmission replacements in less than 50k miles. Not a good track record.

 

We know there were issues with the 2008 model year transmissions, but there have been several other transmissions used in over a million Escapes/Mariner/Tributes sold since 2001, such as the 4-speed automatic, 5 speed manual, CVTs in the hybrids, etc. In particular I've never heard of failures related to the CVT in particular.

Can you break down your data to show failure rates for the various types of transmissions used in Escapes?

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  • 1 year later...

DIY repair for A/C condenser trans oil cooler unit leak:::::: After noticing a leak in our 2008 Ford Excape (as shown in this forum) and seeing the cost of repairs for it not being under warantee by Ford. I decided to fix it myself...... Following is Repair procedure for DIY. First, it is easier for you if front of car is up on ramps, but not necessary. You will need; 1) Acraglass GEL, a 2-part epoxy GEL from Brownell's (a gunsmith supply house- they have 2 kinds of acraglass, make sure you order the gel). 2) paint stripper 3) water hose w/ soap dispencer nozzle and some car washing soap. 4)degreaser in-a-can. 5) A 1 or 2" putty knife. 6) a rag or old towell. First remove grile, If you can't do this without instructions forget the rest and just go to a repair shop and spend the big bucks required for repairs. Remove the 2 top condenser/trans cooler retaining bolts and place a wooded wedge behind the condenser at top left corner (bolt mounting hole) so as to bring some space between it and the radiator. Place a rag in front of and over the radiator, left hand side, as you are looking at it. This will keep debre from getting on rad. Next degrease the cooler and wash dirt away from leaking area, Get it clean!. Now apply paint stripper to leaking area (an area apx. 4" wide x 8" high -end tube/mount also) and allow time for stripper to work. We need the paint to be gone here. After that use a tooth brush to get all loose paint off and then neturalize/get rid of the stripper with soap and water. Allow cond/cooler time to dry. Mix acraglass on a board, or anything handy. you will need apx. a cup of mixed material for repairs ( It mixes 1:1 and mix it for 2 min.). Using a 1" or 2" narrow putty knife force the mixed glass into OIL cooler top to bottom and the first 2 horizontal runs of the A/C condenser (you can tell the trans cooler from the A/C cond. by the width of the horizontal cooling runs). Patched area will be apx 2 or 3" wide x 6 or 8" top to bottom, front and back, and also cover the end rib of the cooler and a part of the bolt mount. (you want to encase the whole leaking area with epoxy glass). You can smooth out the glass before it "kicks over" (cures) with spit and a finger or two. The epoxy will take 24 hours to fully cure. When finished with cure you may paint it flat black. I cut 2" length x 3/8" fuel hose into 4 pieces, drilled a small hole in each piece and used them to re-mount cond/cooler with the the 2 bolts. Just to allow for vibration which I think is the reason for the leak in the first place. You could use rubber washers, I just didn't have any on hand. If longer machine bolt/screws are needed, go to hardware store and get you a couple @ 1 1/2" long, they're not expensive. Replace the grile and you're finished with repair. Total actual time working is maybe 2 hours (drying/glass cure time doesn't count) . My repair was made several thousand miles ago and is still holding up and total cost was less than $50.00. You be a smilin" now. larryb.

Edited by jlburdge
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