Q: Rough running transmission
The transmission in my 2007 Ford Fusion started acting up out of the blue one day and the gear changes became a little bit rougher. The car still worked, but it was definitely concerning. The jerking became worse over time and eventually the car had such trouble changing gears that it stalled going up a hill (it is an automatic). Now it is almost unusable at just over 70,000 miles. I am very disappointed. When I get the transmission replaced, what can I do if the same thing starts to happen again?
I hope you have not yet had the transmission replaced on your Fusion. Many of the problems you have described could be transmission related, but they could very well be symptoms of other components malfunctioning. If you have not yet replaced the transmission, I would strongly advise you have the vehicle inspected by a qualified technician. Often times, transmission shifting concerns will set diagnostic trouble codes that the technician can use to help determine if the fault is mechanical, electrical, or hydraulic. My suspicion is you may have a problem in the electronic throttle body (ETC) or in the accelerator pedal position (APP) sensor. If so, the transmission’s controller (TCM) will not know when to shift, or how much pressure to apply, and may exhibit the symptoms you have described. I would hate for you to replace a transmission needlessly. If the technician does in fact discover the transmission has failed, it would be wise to have the TCM reprogrammed as outlined in Ford Technical Service Bulletin(TSB) 070203A. Ford has identified a potential software issue that may result in rough shifting, and ultimately lead to transmission failure. While this doesn’t help you in your current situation, it may help prevent the need to replace the transmission again in the future.
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