Tl* the contact owns a 2004 ford escape. The contact was driving up a steep incline approximately 25 MPH when the engine rpms increased abnormally and the transmission failed to respond. The vehicle was driven to a nearby authorized dealer for diagnosis where they informed the contact that the transmission would need to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the problem. The approximate failure mileage was 81,000. Updated 01/15/13*lj updated 12/23/2013
2004 Ford Escape: complete transmission failure
5 of the 499 complaints about the 2004 Ford Escape describe complete transmission failure.
- owner complaints
- 5
- of this car's complaints
- 1%
- typical mileage
- 60,000
- recalls
- 1
Is there a fix? There is 1 recall and 9 service bulletins for this area of the car. See below
Complete transmission failure by model year
What owners say
I have a 2004 ford escape xlt w/ 60000 miles. It required a torque converter replacement as part of the transmission shifting problem. Why isn't this listed as a recall item/ online it appears there have been several transmission failures for this vehicle. All vehicles, including mine have been well maintained. This vehicle and those in online reports indicate very similar failures. This seems to be a manufacturing deficit/ fault. This transmission problem should be a recall/replacement item!
Transmission failure at 65k miles. Trans fluid flushed by ford @ 30k miles. Car is less than 3 years old and almost every mile is on a flat easy interstate highway. I asked for assistance, ford told me to go fly a kite. I also informed ford that they lost an entire family's future purchases of any ford product / service.
Complete transmission failure at freeway speed. No accident, injuries, or property damage was involved. The vehicle a '04, ford, escape, 2wd, auto, had 5,104 miles and was less than 90 days old. Vehicle was towed to dealership, which promptly replaced defective transmission with a new one. Total time required was (6) working days. Most of the required time was waiting for the delivery of a new transmission. Dealership reported the transmission failure was due to the "planetary bearing". The "needle bearings" in the "planetary bearing" had failed. They disintegrated. Small metal fragments worked through out the transmission, resulting in excessive internal damage. Transmission was repaired under warranty. All costs for towing, repair, and loaner were paid by ford motor co. Repair work was performed by dick masheter - ford and they did a good job. I did request a 3yr, 36,000 mile warranty for the new transmission. This was denied. I still have the original factory warranty of 3 yr, 36,00 miles; but I wanted the clock reset for the new transmission. This would have extended the warranty for the new transmission to 41,104 miles. A single failure may happen, since we don't live in a perfect world. I'm filing a complaint for informational purposes, so the federal safety agency may track this type of failure and perhaps determine if it requires further investigation and/or a recall.
Consumer noticed the vehicle was using excessive fuel and was not shifting into gear properly. At one time, the vehicle would not go into reverse. The dealer examined vehicle and determined that transmission was defective. The manufacturer replaced the transmission. *ak
Service bulletins that may apply
- Neutral tow capability - service kit requirements
- General (PCM) power train control module programming procedures
- Wheel speed sensor removal tip
- General power train control module (PCM) programming procedures
- A final drive whine at 25-45 mph (40-72 km/h)
- Clutch chatter when cold
- Harsh shifts and engagements with only diagnostic trouble code (DTC) P1502
- Transmission control indicator lamp (TCIL) on with diagnostic trouble code P1783 and/or P0733 cold climate...
Related recalls
Power train: automatic transmission: lever and linkage: floor shift
- What is wrong
- Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain model year 2001-2008 Ford Escape and Mercury Mariner vehicles manufactured March 31, 2001, to September 1, 2009. The affected vehicles are equipped with either a 2.3L or 3.0L engine and have had their CD4E transmission replaced with remanufactured one that was rebuilt between June 11, 2015 through July 15, 2015. These service repair part transmissions have a shift lever bolt that may not be properly tightened. As a result, the shift control lever could disengage from the transmission without warning.
- Risk
- If the shift lever disengages from the transmission, a driver may be unable to shift gear positions and the indicated shift position may not represent the gear position the vehicle is in. Should a disengagement occur while the vehicle is being driven, when the driver goes to stop and park the vehicle, the gear selection indicator may show that the transmission is in the "PARK" position, but the vehicle transmission may not actually be in the "PARK" gear position. If the vehicle is not in the "PARK" position there is a risk the vehicle will roll away as the driver and other occupants exit the vehicle or anytime thereafter. A vehicle rollaway increases the risk of injury to exiting occupants and bystanders.
- Remedy
- Ford will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the transmissions and either tighten the manual shift lever bolt or replace the manual shift lever assembly. These repairs will be performed free of charge. The recall began on October 23, 2015. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1‑866‑436‑7332. Ford's number for this recall is 15S28.
Recall number 15V606000 · Recall details
Questions about the 2004 Ford Escape transmission failure
Is complete transmission failure a common problem on the 2004 Ford Escape?
5 of 499 owner complaints about the 2004 Ford Escape (1%) mention complete transmission failure. The model year with the most reports is 2014.
Is there a recall or service bulletin for this on the 2004 Ford Escape?
There is 1 recall and 9 service bulletins for the same area of the car. Check them below with your VIN.
Other symptoms on the 2004 Ford Escape
Airbag light 40Ball joint 27Adaptive cruise 24Stalling 17Sudden acceleration 15Fire or smoke 14Harsh shifting 13Grinding brakes 11Check engine light 11ABS 9No deployment 7Loss of power 6Misfire 6Fuel pump 5Power steering loss 5Seat belt 5Pulling 5
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