Ambull Posted March 21, 2015 Report Share Posted March 21, 2015 Hi everyone. Long time "Ford guy" here, first time on these boards. I have a question that I cannot seem to find clearly answered in my exhaustive web searches. The question, i will ask upfront, and then I will give some of the background behind my question. The question: How long can I get away with driving my 110K mile 2007 Ford edge with a leaking PTU? The background: We wayyyyy over-extended our budget in purchasing my son's first car. It was a 2008 Mercury Sable. Great car, and he loved it. But less than 3 months later he totaled it. The insurance company raped us on the value, and then we over extended ourselves once again in our next purchase, a 2007 Ford Edge. After purchasing the Edge, we took the vehicle to our local mechanic and dropped $800 into it for regular maintenance type things such as breaks, rotors, shocks, etc etc. He drove the car for a month and we noticed a smell coming from it which turned out to be the famous leaky PTU. $500 later we had new PTU seals installed by our local Ford Dealer. 2 weeks later we see reddish pink puddles in our driveway. This all leads me to my question. I have to assume the PTU needs full replacement at this point. But we are so bone dry financially that I wonder if simply not fixing it is an option. If we just continue to drive the vehicle as is (drive it "into the ground") with a leaking PTU, how long might we be able to get away with it before towing it to graveyard? Thanks in advance for any advice or suggestions. ~Ambull Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WWWPerfA_ZN0W Posted March 21, 2015 Report Share Posted March 21, 2015 Don't want to compromise the PTU or the transmission. Right now it seems the Edge is leaking transmission fluid. That would indicate the seals just replaced are faulty/improperly installed. I assume the color was reddish at that time also? PTU leaks are dark brown, and if fresh, stinky. Please confirm that it was an input shaft seal that was replaced? How long ago was the seal replacement done? Those PTU/trans seals need to be replaced again, and under warranty, by the dealer. The PTU itself should be OK, no need for replacement. After you get the seals replaced, find a shop in your area that performs BG services, and have the PTU flushed/refilled. That will be the single best thing you can have done for it. Good luck. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ambull Posted March 21, 2015 Author Report Share Posted March 21, 2015 I really don't know about the input shaft seal. i can ask on monday. i can't get ford service on the line today (even though they are open!). If they botched the PTU seal job, I sure hope they honor their work. I bought the car as-is, and paid $500 for the PTU seal work. The color of the leak is darkish red on the ground, but when i wipe it up on a towel it is definitely pinkish red. I wiped the trans dip stick to compare and the color on the towel is the same. So it sounds like the trans huh? So if it is the trans that's leaking, and since there is still sufficient trans fluid in the tank, do you think it will be safe for him to drive it until I can get it in to the dealer? He has his prom tonight, and he wants to take the car!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WWWPerfA_ZN0W Posted March 21, 2015 Report Share Posted March 21, 2015 (edited) Should be fine temporarily, just drive conservatively. Teenagers Also, did you check the fluid level on level ground, with the engine running, transmission warmed up, and having rowed through the gears a couple times with the foot on the brake/parking brake on? Otherwise you will get an incorrect reading. If you should need trans fluid, it will be of the Mercon V type, not Mercon LV. I use Castrol Transmax, but major auto store brand of Mercon V is fine too. Edited March 21, 2015 by WWWPerfA_ZN0W Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ambull Posted March 21, 2015 Author Report Share Posted March 21, 2015 Should be fine temporarily, just drive conservatively. Teenagers Also, did you check the fluid level on level ground, with the engine running, transmission warmed up, and having rowed through the gears a couple times with the foot on the brake/parking brake on? Otherwise you will get an incorrect reading. If you should need trans fluid, it will be of the Mercon V type, not Mercon LV. I use Castrol Transmax, but major auto store brand of Mercon V is fine too. Just rechecked per your instructions. The level definitely appears fine (though its hard to for sure since the fluid is kind of blotchy on the stick!). Thanks for your assistance with this. My son was very upset when he thought he couldn't drive his car tonight. I sent him this post to read and he is thrilled that he can now take it. Also, I rechecked the fluid puddle on the ground and it is positively the color of the trans fluid, so i guess that's a good thing. now i just hope this ford dealer fixes their F'up, and doesn't try and charge me for it. They should cover it right? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WWWPerfA_ZN0W Posted March 21, 2015 Report Share Posted March 21, 2015 Assuming the previous work is within the warranty period (check the paperwork), they should cover it, yes. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ambull Posted March 21, 2015 Author Report Share Posted March 21, 2015 There is nothing stated on the paperwork re warranty. I had the work done on March 2nd, so less than 30 days. i sure hope they cover it. I feel like they are going to lie to me. They aren't going to want to admit that they didn't do the job right the first time. Especially not such a costly job. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WWWPerfA_ZN0W Posted March 21, 2015 Report Share Posted March 21, 2015 (edited) I don't know directly about the dealer, since I have an ESP plan in place, so only deductible. BUT on my dealer's invoice, I see "claims or adjustments must be made 4000 miles or 90 days from date of work". I assume that is SOP at dealerships. I should have asked, this is a Ford dealership? I assumed so, since you were trying to contact FordService. I know parts are now covered 2 yr/unlimited miles, not sure about repair work. 3 months is pretty sad, considering I can easily get a year/12,000 mile warranty from well-qualified aftermarket service shops. Edited March 21, 2015 by WWWPerfA_ZN0W Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ambull Posted March 21, 2015 Author Report Share Posted March 21, 2015 So I have another question. If the dealership jerks my around on this, am i better off taking the vehicle to a transmission specialist? Or is this a dealer only type job/scenario. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ambull Posted March 21, 2015 Author Report Share Posted March 21, 2015 I should have asked, this is a Ford dealership? I assumed so, since you were trying to contact FordService. Yes sir, it is a ford dealer. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ambull Posted March 24, 2015 Author Report Share Posted March 24, 2015 Please confirm that it was an input shaft seal that was replaced? Vehicle at dealer. They just called. Well what do you know, they said the shaft needs replacement. Good call on that WWWPerfA_ZNOW. $160 parts only. No labor, and they are redoing the seals. They may be screwing me, i dunno. Did they charge me for a job that should have included the shaft the first time? Or less without. I dunno. Certainly if nothing else they are incompetent for not doing the shaft in the first place. I have my fingers crossed that this is over. Also, per your recommendation, I found a BG shop, and plan to take the car for the axle oil change once I am confident I have no more leaks. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WWWPerfA_ZN0W Posted March 24, 2015 Report Share Posted March 24, 2015 Hard to say if they should've done the axle/halfshaft before, but glad they are doing it now, albeit for addn'l cost. Have you done business with the BG shop before? And how did your son's prom night go? Well, I hope! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ambull Posted March 24, 2015 Author Report Share Posted March 24, 2015 Don't know much about BG. Heard their commercials though. This is a "certified BG shop" that i found. Something like that. Son's prom went great ! thanks! I would post pictures but that would be just weird lol. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WWWPerfA_ZN0W Posted March 24, 2015 Report Share Posted March 24, 2015 I would tend to agree I would post pictures but that would be just weird lol. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ambull Posted April 13, 2015 Author Report Share Posted April 13, 2015 Hard to say if they should've done the axle/halfshaft before, but glad they are doing it now, albeit for addn'l cost. Have you done business with the BG shop before? Okay so I just got back from the BG service center. They said that my car only takes 12 oz of oil and therefore it probably wouldn't be worth it to change the PTU fluid and add BG for such a small capacity of fluid. They said that the dealership probably already changed out or at the least topped off the fluid when they changed the PTO seals anyway. Funny enough, the dealer told me that they did not change or add the fluid when they replaced the seals. They said it didn't need it since there was such a small loss. But that was just the "guy behind the desk" that told me that, not the mechanic, so who knows.... So what do you think? Press on with the fluid change and BG additive, or just move on with my life...??? Thx. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
macbwt Posted April 13, 2015 Report Share Posted April 13, 2015 I usually do whatever makes me feel better when it comes to maintenance. If you can wash it out of you head then carry on. I do it very often with intent to monitor and then take action if it does not feel right or issues develop that demand attention. Okay so I just got back from the BG service center. They said that my car only takes 12 oz of oil and therefore it probably wouldn't be worth it to change the PTU fluid and add BG for such a small capacity of fluid. They said that the dealership probably already changed out or at the least topped off the fluid when they changed the PTO seals anyway. Funny enough, the dealer told me that they did not change or add the fluid when they replaced the seals. They said it didn't need it since there was such a small loss. But that was just the "guy behind the desk" that told me that, not the mechanic, so who knows.... So what do you think? Press on with the fluid change and BG additive, or just move on with my life...??? Thx. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WWWPerfA_ZN0W Posted April 13, 2015 Report Share Posted April 13, 2015 i don't know why that BG service center said that, they should have serviced the PTU at your request anyway. If they were trying to save you money, OK, but otherwise ??? I would talk to them again and find out why, if you don't feel comfortable at that point, better to hold off or find a good mechanic to exchange the fluid. The process is not difficult, as long as the Edge is up on jackstands or a lift. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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