buying 2014 ford fusion hybrid

[marko]

I am going to purchase a 2014 ford fusion hybrid, it has 45k miles. but I heard bad thing about the transmission. 

It is so expense to replace. the car is out of warranty since powertrain warranty is 5years/60000miles.

Can you please share if I should buy it or I shouldn't.

thanks in advance

 

[devon]

On my 2018 the warranty shows 8 year 100,000 mile on unique hybrid components and this should include the HF35 transmission, I think the 14 has the same warranty. I know of a few here who were close to 100k and got it replaced for free after the 5years/60k hopefully someone else will chime in on that. But with it being a 14 you would still only get 1 more year of warranty, I personally would try and find a 2017 up car, unless the 2014 is super cheap.

[mwr]

Take a look at this. "Hybrid continuously Variable transmission" (with poor punctuation)

https://help.ford.com/warranty/hybrid-electric-vehicle-unique-component-coverage

[Waldo]

The number of failed transmissions is very small, my 2014 has been 100% perfect.

[mwr]

My 2015 is 6 1/2 years old (bought in October 2014) with 85K miles. Only problem was an $800 fix (replaced steering column control module). Transmission perfect.

[2014FordFusionSE]

My 2014 is 7 years old, 53k miles. Knock on wood, no issues yet.

[billford]

On 3/8/2021 at 7:36 PM, marko said:

I am going to purchase a 2014 ford fusion hybrid, it has 45k miles. but I heard bad thing about the transmission. 

It is so expense to replace. the car is out of warranty since powertrain warranty is 5years/60000miles.

Can you please share if I should buy it or I shouldn't.

thanks in advance

 

 

The 2014  transmission still should be covered under hybrid warranty.

 

I had my friend, who works in a dealer take mine apart a few months ago to do the noisy bearing tsb. I didn't have any problems but since the warranty time is getting short, I wanted it done because I want to keep the car for several more years. It updates the 2013, 2014 and 2015 transmissions  to a 2016 model level. There are some bearings to be replaced,  different bearing preload to be set, and a new case end cover.

 

In the earlier years, the bearing preload was too tight from the factory and caused premature bearing wear. 

Mine was actually clean and  good inside, no metal on the internal magnet, maybe because I change my fluid every year. 

 

 

 

[Canon238]

My 2014 has 134000 miles on it I took it in to have the Trans oil changed early do to a long trip I was planning. The dealer stated that the transmission is leaking oil and the engine also is leaking some oil from their seals. It is going to take 3 days and $3000 to have the seals replaced. I had and 3rd partner extended warranty out till 150,000 miles which covers this and they sent a rep out to verify the work had to be done so I don't think the dealer is misleading me. Apparently it take allot of labor to  separate these assy.

[Sky14FFH]

Canon238:  Probably too late now but you could try a product called AT205 that Scotty Kilmer swears by that reseals gaskets. https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=at205 My timing chain cover has started to ooze too nearly 75,000 miles.  Dealer said it's not bad enough to get it covered by warranty so I put a couple ounces of at205 in but haven't looked at it yet.  The rest of the bottle I put in my other car because the rear main seal had a slow drip but it is a 22 year old car.  Instructions say 6 ounces treat up to 4 quarts of oil so I used 6 ounces.   It seems to have taken care of it.

So they put timing chains in these cars to save us from having a timing belt break only for the covers that seal them up to leak.  Ugh.  I wonder if I can still get the extended warranty.

Edited September 1, 2021 by Sky14FFH

[mwr]

5 minutes ago, Sky14FFH said:

My timing chain cover has started to ooze too nearly 75,000 miles.  Dealer said it's not bad enough to get it covered by warranty.

Make sure you have a record of that complaint. It's obviously failing so your warranty should cover it if it gets "bad enough" later.

[Sky14FFH]

The dealer "found" it on my last oil change.  It may have been there but they didn't inform me because I think the warranty ran out after 60,000 miles.  I was getting it changed about 62,000 miles. I took it to another dealership further away that I trusted more and they inspected it and showed me but were the ones that told me it's not bad enough to get warranty repair on it.  Is the timing chain and its cover a hybrid unique component and covered by the extended 100,000 mile warranty?  I know every other car I've ever had had a timing belt.

[Cobra348]

Most cars I've had experience on have a timing chain inside the front engine cover that allows the crankshaft and camshaft to be in sync.  These have timing marks on them for when they are replaced - to insure proper synch.  Any belts seen external are usually accessory drive belts - power steering, alternator, etc.  Maybe that's what you're thinking of?

[Sky14FFH]

3 hours ago, Cobra348 said:

Maybe that's what you're thinking of?

No not at all. There are serpentine belts that run the accessories and there are timing belts, thicker stronger belts that operate the cam shafts that usually have to be changed around 120,000 miles or less on most cars.  If they break they can be a serious issue because if an engine is not a zero-interference engine, when the belt fails it can damage the valves and the pistons.  Luckily my old car has a zero interference engine.  https://knowhow.napaonline.com/what-is-a-non-interference-engine/ Most cars have timing belts.  It's only more recently that cars have been being equipped with timing chains that look like a motorcycle chain.  Timing belts usually only come with a dust cover to keep dirt out but they don't have to be sealed air tight like a timing chain cover.  Some cars run without a cover on the belt because in high performance cars some people like to see the works in action.  I have a picture of my partially stripped timing belt somewhere.  Subarus because they have boxer engines (horizontally opposing pistons) have massive timing chains and as a result they are notorious have timing chain cover issues which costs as much if not more to replace the gaskets on.  Timing chains don't usually need to be change like belts but the cover gaskets do as I am experiencing with my fusion hybrid.  Trading one headache for another.

 

How to tell if your car needs a new timing belt - Scotty Kilmer

https://youtu.be/wqN-7xWSzDA?t=10

 

Here's a how to on how to change the timing belt on a Ford Fusion.

 

How to replace timing belt Ford Zetec engine Part 1 / 4

https://youtu.be/nt3LcJAsIHk?t=31

 

HOW TO: HONDA B-series Timing BELT AT HOME | Honda CR-V

https://youtu.be/tVVYpD4joB0?t=584

 

Subaru Boxer engine with exposed timing chain.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H4xenYIyM58

Edited September 1, 2021 by Sky14FFH

[Cobra348]

sonuvagun .... belts to replace the chains I always worked with.  I'll be dipped.  Thanks!

 

<mutters - that's what I get for not doing my own maintenance any more>

[Sky14FFH]

Are you joshing me?  It's the other way around.  Chains are replacing the belts but with their own problems. How long has your "always" been?

[Cobra348]

I replaced a timing chain on a 1950 Dodge Coronet coupe.  A local (FL) shop replaced a timing chain in a 1969 Plymouth I owned at the time.  My brother does a lot of car work and if I ask him, he might be able to give me more recent models he knows had chains.

[Sky14FFH]

Oh interesting.  Did they have grease containment covers that would eventually leak and cost $3000 to replace the gaskets too?  I'm nervous about the fusion now.

 

Timing belts are easier to replace, but still exorbitant ($1100) if you let the dealer do it.  At least they fixed a rattle that had been there since the car was new that's take it in for warranty about 6 times that they refused to fix.   People mess them up though because they forget to mark or take note of the position the cams were in.  I dunno how you mess something that important up.   I might have given it a shot myself but my dad was ill.  I think I got had though and they could smell my panic because I had a water pump replaced on Mazda when I lived in another state in 04 and it was only $400.  "Only" yeah ok right.  That's why I am starting to do my own work.

oh my god that subaru has 59 FIFTY NINE 5mm HEX timing cover bolts.  What would one do if they seized and broke off or became rounded?  59 of them.  What a headache

Edited September 4, 2021 by Sky14FFH

[Cobra348]

Why not try working on something a bit more antiquated than an FFH? <grin>  BTW - brothers Caddy is mid-90s, has a 350 cubic inch V8 - timing chain.  He doesn't plan on cracking the Jeep, Ram or FFH since they're reasonably new and are covered in some warranty.

 

And just for reference, here's a list of my cars that I worked in one context or another:

Young, single and unmarried:
1960 Pontiac Ventura - 389-2 barrel, Hurst 3-speed conversion on floor
1969 Ford Torino GT - 351 2 barrel, 3 on the tree (cash, new)
1968 VW Beetle
1969 Datsun 1600 (Datsun is now Nissan) 1.6 liter 4 cyl, 4-speed manual

First marriage:
1965 Plymouth Satellite - 383-2 barrel, 4 speed Hurst conversion on floor
1969 Plymouth Fury 318 2-barrel, auto (replaced the '65) - hers
1961 Chevy Belair 283 2-barrel, auto (hobby car)
1969 Plymouth Sport Satellite 318 2-barrel, auto - mine
1950 Dodge Coronet Club Coupe (hobby car - restoration)

Between marriages:
1977 VW Rabbit (bought new)
1969 Plymouth Fury 383 2-barrel, auto
1973 Chrysler New Yorker 440 4-barrel, auto

 

From 1986 to present, I let mechanics do the job they trained for as I had a job requiring lots of hours.  Other cars not on that list are ones I helped my Dad with: 1925 Chrysler Town Car, 1936 Pontiac, 1929 Peerless, 1929 Packard Limo, 1948 Packard Limo.  Most fun I had was rebuilding the vacuum system on a 1966 Buick Electra 225 ... prior owner had ripped it all out.

Edited September 5, 2021 by Cobra348

[Sky14FFH]

Sorry for mistaking you for a 25 year old.   Every car I've ever worked on before the fusion had a timing belt and they are all I ever heard of except for Subarus. Odd that Scotty Kilmer also said they were on newer cars too.   So were those other cars with chains did they have sealed covers with 59 hex bolts that would leak?  Makes me think of my dad too ?

Edited September 5, 2021 by Sky14FFH

[Cobra348]

?  No problem.  Compared to todays computerized things, the older cars can be both a challenge and quite satisfying.  I learned how to do tuneups, brake jobs, carb rebuilds and a crapload more ... in the days before the web - with instruction guides (anyone remember Chiltons?), shop manuals.  All hardcopy.

 

To answer your question, the front cover was held on via a bunch of bolts (hex-head).  I don't recall how many.  Then there was a gasket between it and the block.  You needed to make damn sure that gasket area was clean on both surfaces before re-installing.  Some guys would use a light (and I mean light) bead of sealant, then a new gasket then the cover.  If you did it right the sealant wasn't really needed.  Torque down the bolts to requirements and you should be good to go.

 

At that point you most likely would insure fluids were good and then proceed to a tuneup.  Removing the front cover was usually not done unless the chain needed replacement.  With the Dodge, the chain was really slack.  Hell, the car was over 100K miles.

Edited September 6, 2021 by Cobra348