I bought a 2008 Ford Edge last weekend. 148000 miles. I took it to valvoline to get an oil change today and had all my fluids topped off. As soon as I pulled out my transmission clunked and I immediately stopped and then I couldn’t get it to go forward in drive. It would rev and clunk. I tried a few times with same issues and then turned the car off and back on and it’s been fine since. They said the old oil filter was able to be knocked off with their hand and it was leaking oil. They also informed me I didn’t have an air filter at all so we went to Walmart and bought one and put it in. We came home and later this evening drove uptown and now the check engine light is on. Did I buy a lemon? Also, the abs and traction control light has been on since I bought it for driver wheel speed sensor. I will get the check engine light read tomorrow but they are closed tonight and I wanted to see what you guys thought because it’s causing me anxiety lol would there be a reason the people before me had the air filter out?
Not at all. A lemon is a new car with significant problems that the dealer is unable/unwilling to repair. You bought a used car with significant problems caused by the previous owner(s) neglect and improper maintenance.
All the problems you describe would have been spotted if you’d have had a mechanic check out the the car before opening your wallet.
Buyer beware.
The reason the air filter was not replaced was probably it got so clogged that it effected the way it ran and the owner was too cheap to change it.
I had the check engine light read and it’s running too lean with the air filter but there was no check engine light with no air filter
So running without the filter is just hiding a real problem.
Check for a vacuum leak, check fuel pressure, check MAF or MAP sensor, whichever it has.