Transmission fluid change being performed on a 2010 Ford Escape.
Your owner’s manual usually includes information on maintenance schedules, so look there first! And stick to using the fluid specified! HOWO Cargo Truck
Transmission fluid change being performed on a 2010 Ford Escape.
We drive a 2020 Ford Escape with just over 100,000 kilometres on it. Our regular mechanic is pretty busy and often books more than a week in advance, so I sometimes take it to a quick lube place for oil changes just out of convenience. At a previous visit, they (the lube shop) told me that I needed to change my transmission fluid, which I declined.
The next time I was at my mechanic I asked him about doing it, and he said that it wasn’t necessary to do it for a long time yet, as the manufacturer doesn’t call for it until 240,000 km.
With two kids in competitive sports, we put a lot of miles on my truck, and plan on keeping it as long as possible.
Should we be getting the fluid changed sooner? 240,000 km seems an awfully long distance.
Quick lube shops’ bread and butter is fluid changes, so they can be a bit, well, aggressive when it comes to their recommendations. Although there’s very few circumstances where replacing a fluid far sooner than required can cause a problem, it’s costly and wasteful when it’s not necessary.
There are a wide variety of transmission types out there, and an equally broad spectrum of manufacturer-suggested service intervals, including, in some cases, no recommended interval at all.
How are you to know what’s actually called for?
Your owner’s manual usually includes information on maintenance schedules, so it’s the best place to have a look before committing to the suggestion of a technician or service adviser. Even so, it can be a bit confusing.
Ford does provide recommendations for the Escape, and as is typical with most vehicles, they differ markedly depending on how you’re using it. In the case of your Escape, Ford’s “normal” maintenance schedule does, indeed, show 240,000 kilometres as the service life for the original transmission fluid.
I agree that this does seem uncomfortably long, however the automaker uses the same transmission service interval in the F-150 pickup, a heavier vehicle that’s more likely to see use towing and hauling, so it clearly has confidence that the fluid’s properties and transmission’s engineering supports that.
As mentioned earlier, there are factors called out by Ford that will substantially shorten that replacement interval in the Escape. It must be noted that the automaker’s literature specifies that occasional use under these conditions isn’t considered severe; it must be the primary use to warrant the shorter intervals. These include: trailer towing or the use of a car-top carrier, extensive long-distance low-speed driving or idling (such as use of the vehicle for deliveries, or as a taxi, or patrol car), or continual use off-road or on unpaved surfaces. Under any of these unusual circumstances, the suggested replacement interval for the transmission fluid is 48,000 km.
I’m going to suggest that despite very probably seeing regular stop-and-go commuting duty, your Escape’s service needs likely hew closer to the normal end of the spectrum.
If you’re still uncomfortable with that, what I’d propose as a compromise between the automaker’s lengthy interval and your desire to maximize your truck’s lifespan is to change it at 120,000 km (and again at 240,000 km, and so on). While this is far sooner than the OEM’s normal recommendation, it’s nearly three times as long as the “special operating conditions” interval, so it’s not unreasonably early.
Whether the service is being performed by your preferred shop or a quick-lube, multi-purpose transmission fluids are best avoided. Your safest bet to maintain shift quality and prolong the life of your transmission is to use the fluid specific to that application; all versions of the 2020 Escape call for Mercon ULV fluid, so be sure that the fluid being used meets that specification.
Ask a Mechanic is written by Brian Early, a Red Seal-certified automotive technician. You can send your questions to wheels@thestar.ca. These answers are for informational purposes only. Please consult a certified mechanic before having any work done to your vehicle.
Ask a Mechanic is written by Brian Early, a Red Seal-certified automotive technician. You can send your questions to wheels@thestar.ca. These answers are for informational purposes only. Please consult a certified mechanic before having any work done to your vehicle.
Anyone can read Conversations, but to contribute, you should be a registered Torstar account holder. If you do not yet have a Torstar account, you can create one now (it is free).
To join the conversation set a first and last name in your user profile.
Sign in or register for free to join the Conversation
Your browser is out of date and potentially vulnerable to security risks. We recommend switching to one of the following browsers:
Your account has been registered, and you are now logged in.
Check your email for details.
Invalid password or account does not exist
Submitting this form below will send a message to your email with a link to change your password.
Truck Gearbox Parts An email message containing instructions on how to reset your password has been sent to the email address listed on your account.