TimM

They did get error codes, but they were of very limited use (so says my understanding or what was conveyed to me about them)....other than a transmission issue. I am sure I am at least 50% to blame associated with my less than 100% fluency. It just feels to me like going to the doctor with a stomach ache and he decides exploratory surgery is in order..... The great news is a family member has used is contacts to assist me in finding someone from Ford USA to take a personal interest to determine what are the issues and the best course of action. Hope not to need Sue.....but one never knows.

Thank you for the thoughts. The car was purchased and licensed in the USA (Los Angeles) and thus my warranty is definitely viable. As the car is undriveable (it can not go up even a simple small hill) I could either pay for a tow to the US or have the work completed here. Our Mexican home is a 3 long day drive from the boarder, so we would be talking a large chunk of change for any tow. I have begun (in the back of my mind) trying to figure out how I would get it across the boarder.....tow to the Mexican boarder city and then call an independent US tow company for the crossing and then Ford roadside assistance once I cross.....ohhhh, fun and $$$$$$$ What I wanted (want) from Ford is some personal interest in the resolution. I have never asked them to pay in advance as they would if it where in located in the USA. In speaking with Ford contacts back in the states, they tell me I could have a brand new transmission installed for less than what I am being quoted here for the repair....and they are not sure that is the problem. Also in explaining the symptoms of the issues to my Ford contact in the states they too highly question why it would drive 'perfectly' until the first hill after resetting the codes IF it were a physical transmission issue. Just the way the corporate person (I have his name and other details, but choose not to place it on this board) talked about Mexico, I can just see that I end up laying out 6K usd to have it resolved and then they (Ford) USA refuse to pay because they think the wrong things were done to fix it.....THIS IS WHY I have asked them to step in....in addition to knowledge they may have of such problems. The folks at this dealership are fast to admit that they have never worked on an edge other than mine.....

Soooo. It only gets worse..... after spending the morning at the Vallarta Ford Dealership, I just spoke with them this afternoon. Their solution is that they need to "drop the transmission" to inspect it. The cost for this is estimated to be 45000 pesos (~4,500 usd) and they still do not know what the exact issue(s) are. I did some very basic math, and at a shop rate of ~25.00 usd/hour they are charging 180 hours of work time. They were clear this is just an estimate and I am certain parts come in to play someplace. Currently I have told them to hold off doing anything as several things don't add up. 1. They can not explain in detail what the problem is (part could be language weaknesses on both of our parts) 2. Why, when the error codes are cleared, does it operate like there is no issues until the first hill. I have a family member in the states trying to see what he can learn but this is a real headache on made by Ford's unwillingness to assist a long term customer.

Well.....hmmm, from speaking with Ford (dealership) and corporate relations....I was lead to believe that they had never heard of transmission problems in this bullet proof Edge of mine. Here is my issue: 1. driving on a single lane smooth graded dirt hilly road at about 40 mph 150ish miles from nowhere in Mexico, I hear a highly unnatural noise from the front of the car followed near immediately by 'blueish' colored smoke. I travel slowly for 100 to 200 yards to the first place I can stop without getting creamed by another vehicle. 2. After inspection I find one of the hoses to/from (not certain of flow direction) 'came off' of the control box (my name for the box that a 4 hoses route through). Being stuck away from any cell or other type of service I was forced to attempt to patch it. (Before I ultimately got someone to come out and tow the vehicle ....be aware FORD DOES NOT ASSIST YOU IN ANY WAY SHAPE OR FORM IN MEXICO....I was stranded for 4 days). 3. A local person assisted in a number of patching ideas just to see if we could crawl the car back safely. We did get the hoses all patched up, but the car kept wanting to default into 3 or 4 gear (that was the feeling) each time it came to the slightest hill and loose near all power (could not climb the hill). Receive a tip that if I disconnected and grounded the battery that it would reset the computer and make the trans perform correctly.....It did....until it came to the first ever so slight hill. 4. Soooo....2+ weeks later I have spent ~300 usd in towing, 1100 usd in parts and service at Ford dealerships, ~150 USD in part shipping, 200 plus, plus, plus in stranded fees (lodging, tips, food, etc)....all of the hoses have been replaced (a requirement given the situation we were forced to work with the car under), BUT the car continues to shift EXTREMELY HARD and loose all power as if it is trying to do everything in 3 or 4 gear. 5. Just got a call from the Ford dealership service manager who suggests they need to open the transmission to see what the problem is....although they have no idea what the problem is.....I do NOT believe it is the transmission as it shift and drives perfect until the first little hill. 6. I would call for Corporate relations for help, BUT I SWEAR TO GOD the following is true when I called them 12 days ago. After MUCH hassle, I reached the corporate office for customer relations (I had spoke to them once prior with modest success and assistance). I was IMMEDIATELY lectured on having my car in Mexico and that although they (Ford) "could not build a wall to prevent me from driving my car to Mexico, I was on my own and without any warranty or assistance". When I challenged this person to show me where in my owners manual it conveyed such a thing, I was again lectured that it was in the warranty manual, not the owners manual. Not knowing every word of the Warranty Manual like I am sure every other Edge owner does, I read it and you know what? He was full of crap! It says I may have to pay the fees and then get reimbursed...but I was offorded every benefit of my warranty. Our conversation ended with him continueing to talk out of the opposite side end from his mouth and continue to tell me that it was my problem and I should not of taken the car to Mexico (remember this is from an a person representing corporate Ford). He was zero help and even went on to suggest I must of hit something that broke the hose....pure BS....to hit something given the location of the hose would have required me to of crushed the entire front of the car. BTW: since owning this car I have had 2 of the same issues others have reported. 1. Car rolling backward while in drive on the slightest of hills and 2. Extremely hard gear shifts not unlike the ones since the hose failure issues. Both reported to Ford. The car rolling issue was determined to be operating as designed, and you guessed it; they had never had any reports of the hard shifting and there were no bulletins and since it could not be reproduced on demand....you know the rest of the story. Sooooo....Where does one go from here? I can't get any assistance from Ford USA as they only want to lecture me that it is my fault because I brought the car to Mexico. I am scheduled to go show the dealer in the morning how the battery disconnection will make the car drive 'normal' (no hard shifting....etc, etc) until the first hill. They want to tear apart the trans without a clue of what they are looking for... Fun times...... One hates to think a lawyer is they only way I am going to get assistance....but it is starting to feel this way. I am all total around 2K into this headache and only believe it will be much more before I can drive the car home and dispose of it for a car/company that wants to support you when you need them the most.