I've had this car since '07 and with 11.5k miles on it. First ever issue popped up the other day. Engine light came on. ran a check, P0606 code ECM/PCM issue and C1484 Brake Pedal open circuit (?). I need this car to last me, at the very least, another 3 years. Is ATF change really necessary?. Thinking about taking it to a shop to get a full check-up, if you will, change serpentine belt etc... i'm real easy on this car, have yet to change brake pads, so I figure keep on doing what I do and everything will be good. Should I take it to a FORD dealer to have work done? I understand they charge more

 

amtran: you are doing about 20K per year, and you haven't changed the ATF at all? There is a good chance that you have the original fluid in there.
Now you are in a conundrum: the inner walls of the tranny have a nice layer of varnish on them. If you change the fluid now there will be fresh detergents present and they will remove the varnish sometimes in nice big chunks. These chunks will clogg your filter and passages and valve body....
If you don't change the fluid you are riding around with decreased lubrication and wear protection.
What would I do now? I would not change the fluid and keep the account padded for that big job that is likely to come up. If you are lucky that job will be needed after you trade the vehicle in.
And when you get that brake job done have them flush the brake fluid for a complete replacement.
I don't know about PCM codes. but sometimes the connector gets wet and corroded causing such trouble.
Even if you are driving really easy your engine/transmission/power steering will reach operation temperature and go through the heat cycles.

 

Hey thanks for the reply. You're spot on with your assessment of the ATF. I took the car to the dealer and he suggested NOT to change it for the same reasons you gave.

 

Amtran:

A new car lease runs about $200 per month and up. That makes for a good monthly savings goal. By putting this money aside you will adjust your budget accordingly and when the transmission eventually conks out you have some savings and options.

Regardless: I wonder, what are your plans in terms of maintaining your next car or this one in case you have the transmission replaced?

 

I am going to disagree on not changing the ATF. Granted it was a common problem with the ATF varnishing years ago with auto's first comming on the market and for 20 or so years after. But with advancement in technology, and trial and error varnishing ATF really is not that big a problem these day's. The big problem is the ATF gets 'tired' and dirty from not being changed enough.

I have 3 Taurus's, each purchased with over 100,000 miles on them. as soon as I could I changed the ATF and filter assuming in my mind that it had never been done. Of the cars I bought from a used car lot, I assumed they used a multi-vehicle ATF of the cheapest quality they could find.

Use a trusted shop and have the tranny flushed, change filter, and use Mercon V ATF only! If you have a mechanic that say's multi-vehicle fluid is fine, run away from him as fast as you can.

After one month, repeat the process just in case the new fluid does find some crud. then every 30,000 mi. max., do a flush and filter change.

 

@bluewind I do change the engine oil and filter about every 4-5k miles. For now, I'll keep the car, and continue regular maintenance to insure I get another 40k out of it. I had a complete check up on the car recently and was given a laundry list of issues. brake pads and rotors r & r. flush brake system. r&r serpentine belt (did it), shocks/struts need replacing. suggested replacing all hoses (original). replace spark plug wires. Not sure what is of more importance though. The mechanic that changed the belt told me it wasn't necessary and that the belt looked fine still. he even kept it for use in his daughters car. I'll probably tackle the brakes and rotors next. Like I mentioned in an earlier post, I haven't changed those yet.
In the future though, I will definitely be doing ATF change on a regular basis. Cheaper to do that than replace the tranny

 

Boy, is this getting interesting !
There are many differing opinions on what happens to auto trans fluid, what happens with a trans flush and so on.
Again, this is only my opinion based on my experiences working with and on automatic transmissions.
I haven't seen any varnish deposits in an auto trans for many years now.
Regarding a trans flush, the worst enemy of trans fluid is heat.
The majority of the times heat becomes a factor is if the trans starts slipping or the heat is not removed fast enough during heavy work. If the fluid is clean and not contaminated the usual schedule suggested by the manufacturer of filter and make up fluid is usually sufficient.
If the fluid is burnt or contaminated a flush is asking for problems. The paste usually found in the trans pan is mostly from clutch wear and bushing wear. Removing the pan and cleaning it out is usually easy and effective, but stirring that paste up with a flush is in my opinion asking for trouble. There are valves in the valve body that are a lap fit and any kind of foreign material in there stirred up by a flush, well that's why I do not recommend a flush at any time. I know some people think a flush is a good thing, but if the trans is clean and the fluid is good a flush is just short of a waste of good money. Many places make a good buck with this on people who just don't know. I suppose if I were in a business selling flushes I could find any number of reasons to make more money.