I purchased Haynes manual for the Ford Escape/ Mazda tribute 2001 thru 2007 (Haynes manual # 36022). I own a 2001 Ford Escape V6 / auto trans. I will be changing the automatic transmission fluid and filter this weekend. I was reviewing the steps according to the Haynes manual. there is no mention of changing the automatic transmission filter. The manual simply asks that you drain the AT fluid via a drain plug and refill. My understanding from searching the Internet is that you need to remove the transmission from the vehicle in order to change the transmission fluid filter....is this true?

thanks

 

eisenberg - "My understanding from searching the Internet is that you need to remove the transmission from the vehicle in order to change the transmission fluid filter....is this true?"

This is absolutely true. I went about trying to figure out the same thing not too long ago for my 2001 Escape, and found that this filter is basically built into the tranny.

I guess the CD4E transmission itself was never made to outlast the filter !

Keep up with regular fluid changes (~ every 30,000 miles)....that's all you can do.

Good Luck