Need some help here guys. I have an 01 escape v6. Have had what I was told was a transmission shutter for about 8-9 months intermittently, usually when shifting into the last gear and it seems to shift harder than normal too. My question is I have only owned the truck a year and when looking through the prior owners maintenance records I don't see where they ever did any service to the transmission. This past summer I took it to a garage (not a ford garage) for the shutter and they drained and replaced2 quarts of tranny fluid and added Lubeguard, saying this was the recommended service. Well this did not help. Then when I took it to the ford garage for a different issue (6 new ignition coils) I explained to the tech what it was doing & he said this issue has a bulletin out from ford that recommends flushing the tranny using an additive and flashing the computer. I spoke to a couple transmission repair shops and they say not a good idea as it has never had an other service to it. I am afraid of flushing it and then my tranny going. Please tell me what you think.

 

The risk with changing transmission fluid and filters on any vehicle with 120,000 KM ( 80,000 Mi) that has never been serviced, is that because there has been a build up of metal and residuals over time, the transition of new oil can cause problems or failures. It usually doesn't but if your past that in Miles its better toleave the transmission alone.
Your better not to change the oil if your not having problems if your past this KM or Miles.
In your case you are having problems and your risk is worth taking. I think get a complete transmission kit done, at FORD. Not a tranny shop unless you know them very well.
That is Oil, and Filter- flush ect. Also if its skipping gears a lot, your past that point of help- sad to say.

How many Miles do you have on it?

RB