vfrmarc

I found a potential friend in the Owner of the servicing dealership. I stopped into his office today and we looked at the original TSB (09-20-13) and it clearly states once the fluid is lowered it is still within Ford's range of acceptable level and can be left there. So he has put in a call to the Ford Rep that turned me down and will ask for an explanation. I am hoping he has some pull with him.

My wife agrees with you and we will go back to the dealer tomorrow. I didnot check before towing. It hadn't been checked in 4 years. When I first took delivery (11/2009) I asked the service manager at that dealership how did I know they did it correctly. He got quite mad as if I didn't trust his people to do their jobs so I left it at that. Thanks for the support.

My 2010 Fusion sits in at a Ford dealer 100 miles from home with a toasted transmission. This is the very same car that has 10,000 trouble free towing miles on it plus another 60,000 or normal driving. My problem started when we took it in just before the power train warranty ran out to have a rough shifting concern looked at. They found something and replaced/rebuilt the valve body and said we were good togo. Now we told them we towed and the fluid level needed to be left lower per Ford's 2009 TSB. They said no problem the levels are set correctly. Last week as we started across Ontario (where the speed limit is 63) we were flagged over that our car was smoking. Sure enough the tranny boiled out all of its fluid. We took it to the closest US Ford dealer and there it sits. When the original repairing Ford dealer was contacted by us they were already in contact with the dealer where the car was left. The repairing Service Manager was all about the fact that they set the fluid level at Ford's “normal” level they would never let a vehicle leave with that set incorrectly? To which I said WTF, Ford's TSB about lowering it doesn't apply? He stated that there is a new TSB about raising it when not towing (I've never heard of this) and how do you manage that? I post this because I am very confused. How did every previous Ford dealer that changed the oil in this car obligingly leave the fluid in the transmission lowered at my request and the repairing dealer not do so??? Even the Ford field rep is spouting the message only keep it low during towing raise it at other times. Did I miss something that was stated in the owners manual? The fluid was low for 59,000 miles. I cannot imagine having to lower the fluid everytime you tow and raise afterwards. No one would want to tow, too much work when other vehicles don't require this adjustment.

That's right my last four tows (previous car on a tow dolly) were 1000 mi, 1000 mi back, 500 mi, 500 mi back and a repeat of the same this year. Many Class A RVers spend the night at Walmarts on long trips so no need to unhook the car and drive so the vehicle could see no actual driving other than the daily routine of starting and following the manufacturers pre-tow procedure.

I belong to a couple of RV forums and am in the market for a vehicle that can be towed four down behind a motorhome. The 2009, 2010 Escapes are listed by Ford as being capable of that, but in the RV forum I'm reading that trannies have been getting fried from owners that have tried. Now I understand that Ford is addressing this issue and there is a solution/correction being made. But I am confused as to just whet the problem is? Some people are saying that the tranny ahs too much fluid, others are saying there is not enough fluid and they all say a new dip stick with the corrected marking has been issued. My question is, just what is the problem and what is the solution?