# Drifting in Reverse

**URL:** <https://community.cartalk.com/t/drifting-in-reverse/45780>\
**Category:** Maintenance/Repairs\
**Tags:** escape, ford\
**Created:** [March 9, 2010, 1:04am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/drifting-in-reverse/45780 "2010-03-09T01:04:04Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 6\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![oeidirsceoil](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/43a26b/32.png) [@oeidirsceoil](https://community.cartalk.com/u/oeidirsceoil)\
**Post date:** [March 9, 2010, 1:04am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/drifting-in-reverse/45780/1 "2010-03-09T01:04:04Z")

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When my 2009 Ford Escape is pointed forward on a hill and in reverse it drifts forward, instead of holding its ground. Is this a problem with the transmission?

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**Author:** ![cigroller](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/c68b51/32.png) [@cigroller](https://community.cartalk.com/u/cigroller)\
**Post date:** [March 9, 2010, 1:11am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/drifting-in-reverse/45780/2 "2010-03-09T01:11:16Z")

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Presumably this is an automatic transmission. See this recent thread: [http://community.cartalk.com/posts/list/2138634.page](http://community.cartalk.com/posts/list/2138634.page)

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**Author:** ![GreasyJack](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/df705f/32.png) [@GreasyJack](https://community.cartalk.com/u/GreasyJack)\
**Post date:** [March 9, 2010, 1:21am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/drifting-in-reverse/45780/3 "2010-03-09T01:21:40Z")

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I’m also pretty sure if you check your owner’s manual, it says not to use the transmission to hold the car on a hill like this. I’m not sure if that’s just a safety thing, but I’d still hold the car with the brake in these situations if I were you.

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**Author:** ![oeidirsceoil](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/43a26b/32.png) [@oeidirsceoil](https://community.cartalk.com/u/oeidirsceoil)\
**Post date:** [March 9, 2010, 3:00am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/drifting-in-reverse/45780/4 "2010-03-09T03:00:01Z")

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Yes, it is an automatic transmission. I have always had manual transmissions or older model automatics; it just felt really “loose” in reverse on the forward facing hill (about 5% incline). The vehicle does not roll on a more gradual incline.

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**Author:** ![missileman](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/missileman/32/1366_2.png) [@missileman](https://community.cartalk.com/u/missileman)\
**Post date:** [March 9, 2010, 4:09pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/drifting-in-reverse/45780/5 "2010-03-09T16:09:54Z")

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This is normal for new transmissions. Use your brake whenever the vehicle is in gear.

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**Author:** ![mcparadise](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/mcparadise/32/32_2.png) [@mcparadise](https://community.cartalk.com/u/mcparadise)\
**Post date:** [March 9, 2010, 4:46pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/drifting-in-reverse/45780/6 "2010-03-09T16:46:11Z")

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This is normal behavior for many newer cars with automatics. Less drag = greater fuel efficiency. The brakes should hold the vehicle stationary, not the transmission.