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Erratic acceleration under load

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75K views 41 replies 22 participants last post by  dinusrmenon  
#1 ·
Hi!

First post here, so here we go...

I have a 2013 Escape 1.6 with 110k miles. Here recently it began having the same feeling as if the transmission was slipping some under acceleration, but my engine rpms actually correspond to the lack of power (almost like it is misfiring). RPMs will plateau and then rise,plateau and rise. It only does this under load (heavy acceleration, accelerating up hill). I receive no check engine light, and no fault codes and no codes stored in memory. I used the torque app and a bluetooth OBD scanner, and monitored the engine under load while driving. The only sensor that had a reading that matched what I was feeling in my escape was the Throttle Percentage, it would gradually rise, become completely erratic, gradually rise some more, and then erratic and rise, etc. When this started, i went ahead and replaced spark plugs and air filter. It seemed to help mildly but the issue has since returned to how it was previously. During this time my fuel efficiency has not changed, it is steady at 24.5mpg (it has always been around this). I am not sure if this has anything to do with the issue, but when i turn my escape off, and open the driver side door, i hear a quick series of thumps(from what i can imagine to be the fuel pump in the gas tank). Any thoughts or ideas would be greatly appreciated! Thanks!

- Cole
 
#5 ·
I'd lean to a single plugged (partially) or faulty fuel injector or (less likely) its wiring.
 
#6 ·
We're going to need more information on this. Is your Torque app set-up to display accelerator pedal position?

Set your display to show accelerator pedal position, commanded throttle percentage, and actual throttle percentage, then catch it in the act. Also helpful would be misfire counts and ignition timing advance.
 
#14 ·
In your case the problem was the same as Cole76 car?

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#16 ·
I think those solenoids are junk. I'm on my 3rd one now. I don't know about the 1.6 but the 2.0 uses the same one as the recirculation valve solenoid on the cam cover and the wastegate solenoid on the turbo. I've read that the F150 guys have had issues with them as well.

To save some cash on the 2.0, you can buy the recirculation valve solenoid for about $24 and then make new lines from 1/4" hose if they are leaking instead of paying for the whole assembly. Solenoids are same part number.
 
#17 ·
My 2013 SEL 1.6 L Escape has started having this problem recently, along with a few other warning signs.

The first symptoms included an isolated and sudden loss of power while climbing a hill coupled with some white smoke from the rear exhaust. This happened over a year ago and the car ran great afterward up until this past month. Within the past few weeks, my Escape always has problems under acceleration, especially at high RPMs and while climbing hills. Additionally, one day I had a loss of power (enough to stall the Escape while leaving a parking lot) and I scanned for DTCs to find a P0087 code (low fuel rail pressure).

Since the P0087 code was thrown I replaced the high pressure fuel pump, spark plugs, and air filter. The P0087 code has not returned, but my problem with erratic acceleration still remains. I'd like to replace the turbo wastegate solenoid next.

Can someone here give advice on how to access the wastegate solenoid on my 1.6 L SEL Escape? My throttle % behavior exactly matches that which Cole76 showed, so I've ordered part # CJ5Z-9K378-B.
 
#18 ·
From Cole76(thank you!) who helped me cure this pesky issue. "Remove bottom engine cover (like you are changing your oil) jack it up, and crawl under it behind the passenger wheel, and you will see it. Was not too hard, i pulled the hoses until they slid off, and then once they were off i adjusted the hose clamps were they where easier to access when i put the new one on. Took maybe 45min, only tool needed once the bottom cover is removed is a pair of of long pliers".
 
#20 ·
Mine is doing something weird from time to time is like the accel pedal is disconnected from the engine. I need to press it further for the car to react/downshift then accelerate somehow as demanded but not as normal. After a while it works crispy and react great... The without any warning it starts feeling sluggish again... I'm I describing something similar to yours?

Enviado desde mi SM-A520F mediante Tapatalk
 
#24 ·
Good morning, and welcome to the forum.

I don't think it's throttle issue, automatic transmissions have been shifting under load since their inception. That's always been the point of the planetary gear set combined with a fluid-filled torque converter. Is more than likely software related with shift timing, sometimes people get these issues resolved with this software updates in the dealer. The more speeds a transmission gets the harder it is to calibrate smoothly, but of course you'd think the 6F35 would've been figured out before this generation Escape was even released. Apparently not...
 
#33 · (Edited)
update this did not solve the problem of erratic acceleration when the engine is cold. I replaced the turbo boost solenoid and it went much easier than I thought. You only need to remove the passenger front wheel to get access. I bought the part from OEM Auto Parts Catalog | GetOEMParts.com
And I followed this YouTube video for a Ford F-150 and found that the remove and replaces very similar.
 
#36 ·
Based on reviewing other people's info I brought my Ford escape to the dealer for a transmission system fluid service. It worked perfectly and there's no more acceleration problems when the engine is cold and when the engine is warm. I consider the problem resolved. My local repair shop couldn't do it because they didn't have the equipment for it so I took it to the dealer. They did the following perform automatic system flush service hook up and add cleaner flush and run through entire transmission evacuate contaminated fluid and debris from torque converter cooler transmission pump transmission lines and housing replaced with mercon v transmission fluid. Total cost $220.
 
#34 ·
Hi everyone, I'm new here and I'm having the exact same issue as the creator of this post described, I have a 2015 2.0 ecoboost escape and it has two solenoids, one on top under the engine cover (BL3E-9K378-BA) and one very close to the turbo (5900 117 0535) I'll attach some pictures of both, I think I need to change the one that's close to the turbo but this seems to be different to the other one, at least on the part number, has anyone changed that one? where did you buy it? is it possible to install the (BL3E-9K378-BA) to replace the one close to the turbo eve though is not the same part number? Thank you all for your opinion.
 

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