OT: Ford escape, high milage

Northvale - PA · Mar 12, 2016

I have a 2010 Ford Escape, 1 owner (me) and it just clicked over 200K miles. So, any ideas what I should be doing to go another 100K? Here is what has been done: change oil every 3500, replace water pump, and belts. New air filters + spark plugs. New throttle body. Regular new tires, struts, brakes. But I am more thinking engine or transmission as the focus. Maybe wheel bearings, u-joints, etc. All advice welcome.

Gene Davis (Ga.) · Mar 12, 2016

The only thing I would worry about is checking the axle bearings on the front. At 150 K we had to replace them in ours. Otherwise almost a trouble free car. It had 280 K on it when I sold it after my wife passed away in February 2015. Rode good,drove good and got good gas mileage. It was just an all around good small SUV.

onefarmer · Mar 12, 2016

What about the tranny fluid? Has it ever been changed? filter?

Dick2 · Mar 12, 2016

It seems that Ford has a long reputation of using too small front wheel bearings, especially on their trucks. Put a snow plow on one of their trucks that is just a bit too heavy and it will go through front wheel bearing real fast. Ford's front wheel bearings are traditionally lighter duty than their competition.

jon f mn · Mar 12, 2016

If you haven't done a grant flush and filter change you're over due. Other than that Just fix it as it breaks.

jon f mn · Mar 12, 2016

Damn auto correct, should say trany flush.

Mike M · Mar 12, 2016

With that sort of miles if it has not had regular tranny oil changes if you do it now you will for certain kill it. I'd say do not start that now.

farmer boy · Mar 12, 2016

Drop the tranny fluid and change the filter. I'd stay away from flushing it with 200K on it. Coolant has been done. Regular oil changes. Check your front hub bearings. Lube the slide pins on your brake calipers. Nothing worse then wrecking a set of good brakes because only one slide was free.

M-MAN · Mar 12, 2016

Keep changing the oil regularly. Change the antifreeze every few years. Have the front end checked for wear at your local Ford place next time you get an oil change. Don't do anything else except drive it. You'll do more harm than good if you do. When something needs attention it will let you know.

WGM · Mar 12, 2016

Never heard that "fact" before. Been driving Fords for 45 years and never replaced a wheel bearing.

jimg.allentown · Mar 12, 2016

Just a point of information here.....
This vehicle uses the 6F35 transmission. This particular transmission does NOT have a lower oil pan. The filter in it is INTERNAL. That means that you have to REMOVE the transmission and split the case to replace the filter. I strongly recommend that you leave it alone. Drive it, enjoy it, and when the transmission is done, have it overhauled.

jimg.allentown · Mar 12, 2016

Jon. with all due respect, a transmission flush is simply a big ripoff and an invitation to transmission failure.

First, there is NO WAY to flush out the residual oil in the drums, servoes, and hidden cavities in the transmission.

Second, what are they using to "flush" the transmission with?? Potentially harmful solvent? Incompatible oil? Or just a generic "one size fits all" oil?

Third, since there are no less than 8 different oils used in today's transmissions, does the shop with the flushing machine actually use the CORRECT oil for the transmission being serviced?? The wrong oil can drastically shorten the life of a transmission.

I have been rebuilding and repairing automatic transmissions for over 40 years. My experience covers from the old DynaFlow, HydraMatic, and TorqueFlite transmisisons up to the modern electronic units. CVTs excluded.

My professional opinion is that transmission flushing is just cleverly marketed theft. Customer beware. Sorry if I sound harsh here, but this is a pet peeve of mine. Once you have rebuilt a few, you soon see that there are some things that you take apart just to clean out the accumulated contamination that could someday come back to bite you.

bill mart · Mar 12, 2016

had an escort that went through 6 or 7 wheel bearings in 120,000 miles. they took turns failing from the left to right side. Bill

jm. · Mar 12, 2016

Wgm I was just going to say that. Since 1960 I have been all ford, 150 thru 350 with fleet of 6 at the dealership, 4 here at the farm and my personal truck . Some have over 250,000 miles and I can,t think of us ever replacing any front wheel bearings. Now I do admit I have never had a snow plow on one. Brakes yes but wheel bearings never.

jon f mn · Mar 12, 2016

Well, my transmissions get a flush and filter change every 70,000 miles or so and I've never had a failure in spite of most of them being significantly over used. My last truck, a 99 f150 would start shifting poorly about that time and a flush and filter change fixed it every time. I would think a quality shop would get the job done right. Your the only one I've heard that from so far, but I will do some research to make sure.

jimg.allentown · Mar 12, 2016

In my opinion, it is snake oil and a waste of money. Just another "mechanic in a can" scheme. Nothing in a flushing machine can repair a worn out band or repair a burned out clutch. However, a couple of tablespoons of brake fluid can rejuvenate a hardened seal in a drum or servo. There is still the issue of oil compatibility. Each manufacturer has engineered their friction materials for peak performance, and oil requirements to maintain that level of performance. Even back in the 1960s, there were two different oils and they were not compatible. Put type A in a Ford, and it would not work right. Put Type F in a GM or Chrysler car, and they would not work right. Today, there is a different oil for each manufacturer. I stand by my statements.

4play · Mar 13, 2016

Most places might call it a "flush" but anymore they have a machine that simply exchanges the fluid, some do use a mild cleaner and/or additive. I have used 4 different machines that do this and none of them actually flush fluid, they exchange it through one of the cooler lines. Old fluid goes into the machine, new fluid goes out at the same rate, often times when its done you won't even need to adjust the fluid level.

The transmission in this vehicle does not have a serviceable filter, it does have a drain plug so the 2 options are using a fluid exchange machine or drain an fill 3-4 times. If doing the drain and fill let the engine run for several minutes between each cycle.

I'm not aware of ford ever having problems with wheel bearings at least worth noting. I do replace a lot of wheel bearings on GM products, mainly the trucks though.

4play · Mar 13, 2016

200k is pretty much a milestone for any vehicle. This is getting at the mileage where it doesn't matter how well someone took care of it, things are worn, going to wear out and break. At this mileage I would rather buy a vehicle that already had major things replaced than a vehicle that only had oil changes, brakes and smaller things.

jon f mn · Mar 13, 2016

Third on the list for 150,000 mile regular maintainance from Ford.

jimg.allentown · Mar 13, 2016

I didn't say that CHANGING the oil is wrong. I said that those "flushing" machines are bogus. I said and I stand by my statement that flushing is a waste of time and money for many reasons - the primary reason being that there is no way to properly flush out the old oil and replace it with fresh. Doesn't do any more than draining and refilling. Except that draining and refilling will not mix in potentially incompatible oil from the last job.

OT: Ford escape, high milage

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