These transmissions are very, very sensitive to fluid conditions. If you have not had a drain-and-fill done on the transmission, I'd do that first. That also could be a fluid level problem.

Now, don't want to upset you, but there is no dipstick for the auto transmission. That's infuriating to me, but it's how it is. Instead, there's an inspection plug and it moves from year to year apparently... well, it doesn't move once the transmission is built, lol, but different years seem to have the fill/inspection plug in different positions.

My advice is to get a good shop to do a drain and fill. VERY important it's done regularly because the filter in this transmission is non-serviceable. It requires literal disassembly of the transmission. Also important not to cheap out on fluid. Use a Mercon LV compatible fluid of good quality. Don't use anything that isn't specifically Mercon LV type.

Get it changed out, and see what you have.

 

...thanks, I have made note of that for future scheduled maintenance.
Not long after posting this the dealer called to tell me there is a campaign for a servo replacement so they are keeping it overnight as they say it takes about 4 hours.
I will make sure I have it done if they do not. If they have to crack it open to replace the part they better replace the fluid.

 

Here's a little video about the fluid change and other information for the 6F35 transmission. It's for an older Escape so it has a dipstick, but it's the same transmission so his talk about the transmission is accurate.

 

sounds like fluid level is off. it will bang if the fluid level is incorrect. ours was that way when we bought the 17 Escape brand new. we had to take it back aftere 50 miles of driving to have the fluid level corrected. it was way off.

 

Just curious about the mileage when this started happening. I had this done on my 2015 SE at around 80,000 miles. I too had the 2nd to 3rd lag and a hard downshift to 5th. The delay and bang into reverse was 100% duplicatable so that’s when I took it in. I had already done a drain and refill, but only once. I believe it was only one servo that was replaced but I ‘d have to check invoice. The car never shifted better than when I got back from that service. I’ve got about another 20,000 miles on it now and it’s still shifting well.

 

You might also want to look at these existing threads on the same issue. There are more if you search

http://www.fordescape.org/forum/engine-technical-discussion/38841-transmission-shifting-question.html

http://www.fordescape.org/forum/problems-solutions/36146-cold-transmission-hang-shift-whine.html

 

Our 2017 2.0 ti 4wd is at the dealer for cold shift to reverse then drive results in revs to 2000 bangs into gear and sometimes accompanied by a strange high pitched winding noise. Also a bang from the back leaving a stop light (ptu engaging because it thinks fronts are spinning because they fail to move?!?!), also there for remote start heated seat settings not retained there's a software update for that. ANNNNNNYWAYYYYY they've had it since last week and keep telling me it's fine no problem, I keep saying someone isn't listening to me try again keep it another day I'm not picking it up. Finally the "shop foreman" calls me yesterday and states he wants my exact problem description, he states it doesn't do that BUT he would not buy and doesn't own anything in their lineup because they have problems. Today I receive a call informing me they have indeed verified my transmission concern and it's on a lift with the valve body out of it... sigh. Also I got a flat with a hole in the tread on their 2018 explorer loaner (terrible car by the way) and they claim I've ruined that tire I stopped immediately when it went flat and put the spare on, so I will owe them $212 and were driving the loaner on the spare for now... this is my gf's escape she had similar situations with her new cruze ltz... will I finally convince her it's time to buy a BMW and be treated like a human with a car that wasn't trash to begin with? Stay tuned.