previously, you guys said not to flush your older automatic xmission, as that would make it fail. What about flushing the coolant system ? called for at 100k miles on the MKZ
Yes, replacing the coolant is good . So is replacing the brake fluid that should have been done at least twice by now.
Most of the mechanics here recommend changing the transmission fluid every 30000 miles. As for making it fail now , who knows. So just do what ever makes you feel good.
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Old wives tale that replacing trans fluid causing a failure is no longer valid.
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Correct,
The problem is when people are having minor transmission problems and hoping a drain and fill or a flush will fix it, when it doesn’t and their transmission fails they blame it on the last work done.
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And it is something we suggest since sometimes it works. It won’t fix a worn out or neglected transmission but the cost is small compared to a reman trans. It is a gamble.
I know I have heard Tom and Ray explain this on the show when people ask about it.
Tester
If the transmission fluid has never been changed it’s a bad idea to do it now. If it’s been changed regularly at 30k mile intervals go ahead.
Worked for me once. My daughter’s first brand new car was a 2003 Toyota Corolla. The ATF was supposed to be lifetime fluid. At around 75k miles she complained that it was slipping and shifting hard. I checked the ATF and it was almost black. I drained it, it had a drain plug and was going to remove the pan and replace the filter, but could not find a gasket to fit. So I just drained and refilled.
Within a few days, the transmission was working like new again. at 90k, I got a gasket from the dealer and a filter, drained and removed the pan. The filter didn’t fit, but the old filter was a stainless steel screen and it was clean, so I reused it, reinstalled the pan with the new gasket and refilled the ATF. After that I just drained the tranny and replaced the ATF about every 30-40k until the car was totalled at around 240k miles.
Never had another moment of trouble out of it.
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That is absolutely pathetic . . . on the dealer’s part
Of all the possible placs to buy car parts, you’d figure the dealer would be able to give you the correct filter 
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Out of 2 Fords I ever owned, the Mercury “something” (analogue to Ford Escort) had 100K+ miles on it when I bought it and I also had an idea to drop pan and replace filter. The one dealer sold me was totally different in form-factor, but fortunately the gasket was a fit. Old filter looked brand new and indeed was a metal screen, so everything could be assembled in one go.
You would think if you went to the Ford dealer with your registration or proof of insurance . . . which both have the vin . . . that they would be able figure out exactly which transmission you have, thus being able to sell you the correct filter
By the way, the Mercury cousin of Escort was Tracer or Lynx, depending on the model year
I had '96 Tracer and my wife loved it.
It had 1.8 engine, I believe cousin of Mazda’s one and it was much more dynamic than Ford’s old 2.0 on other trim levels.
Unfortunately I did not know how it would age past 110K or so as it was smashed by some drugged guy who hit it standing on a traffic light with around 40 MPH speed from the back, two more cars in the front received bumper damage.