Hi, Scotty. I have a 2007 Ford Escape Limited 3.0L V6 automatic with 144,500 miles. I had the transmission completely rebuilt recently at the cost of $3,500. Reasons: it was leaking fluid (somehow) and slipping at 3rd gear. It got so bad the car became undrivable. The transmission place said it was not getting pressure and needed to be rebuilt. Four days after I picked the vehicle up it started slipping in 3rd gear again. At 30 mph the RPM revs up and feels like it is stalling before going into next gear. The transmission shop said it has put it on all diagnostic equipment and cannot duplicate the problem. No OBDII code or dash lights either. They feel it is intermittent electrical. What do I do now? Any thoughts on what it could be? Do shops exist that specialize just in electrical? I forked over the money to avoid buying an expensive newer car and going into severe debt; now I feel defeated and worried I just wasted my money.
Here is what I would do and what I do when I have customers in similar situations:
Have the transmission shop technician ride along with you. When you feel it slipping/stalling, tell him right then and there so he can acknowledge it and troubleshoot it.
Transmission rebuilds are typically problematic because there are not a lot of places that truly know how to do it right. If it is a shop worth their salt, they will stand behind their work and make the repair at no cost to you.
Thanks, Mod_Man. After I picked up the vehicle, I did not notice the slipping. Three days later, I drove the vehicle and it started again. I whipped out my iPhone and took a video of the instrument panel as I drove it back to the shop. It clearly shows the RPM's revving up at the 30 mph mark multiple times. Supposedly, the technician saw the video. When the shop called to tell me the vehicle was "running perfectly" and they could not get anything on their diagnostic equipment, I told them to keep my car and keep driving it until it happens again. You are right, I might need to go over there and hope it does it while I am behind the wheel. If it does continue to slip, is that a transmission issue? Should I demand they rebuild the transmission again? I have a 3-year warranty. Or could it truly be electrical?