CriticalCommonTransmission

Ford Escape: CD4E 4-speed automatic failure — overheating, lost gears, stalling

CD4E 4-speed automatic failure — overheating, lost gears, stalling is a common transmission fault on the Ford Escape on the 2001–2012 cars, and we rate it critical. Putting it right costs $3,500 to $6,500 at New Zealand independent workshop rates. Below is what goes wrong, the symptoms to notice on a test drive, where to look, and what to ask the seller before you hand over any money. It is one of 21 documented faults on the Ford Escape.

Vehicle: Ford Escape
Engine: 2.3L / 3.0L
Years: 2001–2012
Fuel: petrol
Gearbox: auto
System: Transmission

This page covers the Ford Escape as a model. Some faults only affect particular engines or build years — enter a plate below to narrow the list to one car.

All Ford Escape faults21 documented faults on this model

What you are looking at

No photograph available

We do not hold a verified photograph of the Torque converter yet. We would rather show none than show a picture of a different part.

What goes wrong

The Mazda-co-developed CD4E 4-speed automatic behind the 2.3 four and 3.0 V6 is the weak point of the first-generation Escape/Tribute. It runs hot, cooks its fluid, and commonly loses 2nd and 4th gear when the 2-4 band breaks; worn torque converters can also fail to unlock and stall the engine when you pull up to a stop. Ford issued a 2015 recall for the shift-lever bolt on 2001-2008 CD4E vehicles because the lever could detach and the van could roll away in 'Park'. Once the box starts slipping it is a rebuild, not a repair, and on a cheap Escape the rebuild can exceed the car's value.

What you would notice

Flaring or slipping between gears, especially 2nd to 3rd
Engine stalls when coming to a stop or when shifted into Drive/Reverse
Loss of 2nd and 4th gears (moves off in 1st, revs out, nothing)
Burnt smell from the transmission fluid

How to check it

Where to look. Transaxle under the bonnet on the driver's side; fluid dipstick at the rear of the engine bay

With the engine warm, check the transmission fluid on the dipstick — it should be red and not smell burnt.
Drive the car through all gears from a standstill, hold light throttle and feel for flare between shifts, then come to a complete stop several times and watch for stalling.
Ask for evidence of transmission fluid services and whether an external cooler has been fitted.

Parts involved: Torque converter.

What it costs to put right

$3,500 to $6,500 at New Zealand independent workshop rates. That is for this job on its own, not for the car.

An estimate, in NZD, for the repair as normally carried out. What a specific car costs depends on which part has failed and what it damaged on the way — treat this as the floor for a negotiation, not a quote.

Ask the seller

“Has the transmission ever been rebuilt or had the torque converter replaced?”
“How often has the transmission fluid been changed?”
“Was the 2015 shift-lever bolt recall ever completed?”

Now check the Ford Escape you are actually looking at

Everything above is true of the model, and it is free. What it does not tell you is whether THIS car has been looked after: its odometer history and whether the reading has ever gone backwards, whether there is still money owing on it, whether it has been reported stolen, how many owners it has had and what it is really worth today. That comes from the official records for that plate. Enter the plate for the free details, or get the full history and a market valuation from $13.49.

Not sure what you would be paying for? See what a full KickTyres check includes.

Where this comes from

The failure described above is documented in the sources below. The inspection instructions and the cost estimate are KickTyres’ own interpretation of them.

TransmissionRepairCostGuide — Ford Escape CD4E/6F35 problems
Escape-City.com forum CD4E failure threads
Ford recall 15S28 (CD4E shift lever bolt, 2001-2008)

Ford Escape buyer questions

Is cd4e 4-speed automatic failure — overheating, lost gears, stalling serious on a Ford Escape?

We rate it critical and common on the Ford Escape. The Mazda-co-developed CD4E 4-speed automatic behind the 2.3 four and 3.0 V6 is the weak point of the first-generation Escape/Tribute. It runs hot, cooks its fluid, and commonly loses 2nd and 4th gear when the 2-4 band breaks; worn torque converters can also fail to unlock and stall the engine when you pull up to a stop. Ford issued a 2015 recall for the shift-lever bolt on 2001-2008 CD4E vehicles because the lever could detach and the van could roll away in 'Park'. Once the box starts slipping it is a rebuild, not a repair, and on a cheap Escape the rebuild can exceed the car's value.

How much does it cost to fix on a Ford Escape?

$3,500 to $6,500 at New Zealand independent workshop rates. That figure is for this job on its own. A car showing the symptoms on this page is usually worth either walking away from or negotiating down by at least the repair figure.

Which Ford Escape years are affected?

Our research records this fault on the 2001–2012 Ford Escape. Build dates move around, especially on imported cars, so treat the range as the years to look hardest at rather than a guarantee either way. The official records tell you the exact build and first registration date for the car in front of you.

How do I check for it before I buy?

With the engine warm, check the transmission fluid on the dipstick — it should be red and not smell burnt. Drive the car through all gears from a standstill, hold light throttle and feel for flare between shifts, then come to a complete stop several times and watch for stalling. Ask for evidence of transmission fluid services and whether an external cooler has been fitted. Look here: Transaxle under the bonnet on the driver's side; fluid dipstick at the rear of the engine bay