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I've got a 2002 Ford Escape (automatic transmission) that will start fine and reverse without any problems, but when I put it in drive and try to pull forward, it remains in idle. I can hit the gas and take it up to 3000+ RPM, but it just moves forward at about 5 MPH idling, with the O/D light flashing.

However, if I put it in L1 or L2, I can get up to 20 MPH, shift into drive, and it will shift up and down just fine until I come to a stop.

What's causing this? Is it a computer/electrical problem?

Doresoom
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1 Answers1

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I spoke with a Ford dealership service technician and he said the most likely cause of this behavior was that the clutches were going out in the transmission. The recommended fix was a new transmission, or as I decided for a 2002 car with over 200k miles, a new car.

On a side note, they said it shouldn't harm the transmission to continue to drive it like a psuedo-manual. So as long as I shift into L1 when I come to a stop and shift back up to Drive when above 20 MPH, I can get a little more life out of it.

Doresoom
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