How many miles.. Maybe you can have someone run through the gears as you listen from the outside. Maybe it coming from the transfer case since its AWD.

 

Hi Fr9ford. Fluid can be flushed/changed. You can have your Ford Dealer do it or follow any of the several "How-to's" available here on the Ford Fusion Club. Filter is non-serviceable.

One question - Did you check the transmission fluid by following the specific instructions listed in the Owners Manual? If you did not, please forget about however you are used to checking the fluid, read your Owners Manual and follow the specific instructions listed in your Owners Manual.

Let us know how you make out and good luck.

 

Hey guys, Sorry im so late responding. I havent been on much, been busy at work. I wouldnt think the transfer case is making noise, or the whine noise atleast. Those usually howle and its full of fluid. I did a simple trans fluid change yesterday with not much change in the whine. I didnt want to flush it for the fact that its got 115,000mi on it, and I'm not sure how regular its had its flushes throughout life (you can kill an old tranny with a flush if its not had them regularly throughout its life, its known to clog fluid ports). I found that whoever had maintained the trans previously had over filled it slightly, so with the trans fluid good and hot I adjusted what I had replaced back down to the proper level (going off of manual procedure yes). The engine also has somewhat of a power steering whine, and that could be what I'm hearing traveling through the powertrain aswell. Though this whine seems different and more pronounced when its in drive and you can feel it in the shifter while driving, Im wondering if being in drive the harmonics of the powersteering whine might change a bit and travel throughout the rest of the drivetrain. NV can be a tricky thing. Anyway, I know the powersteering reservoir is full. I may disconnect the belt from the pump and take it for a drive and see if taking away the powersteering whine eliminates my powertrain whine. Thanks for your input guys!

 

I had a whine that only showed up under unusual circumstances. It had to be warm, and it happened when cornering while driving in a somewhat spirited manner.

It turned out to be very slightly low power steering fluid. I topped it off and the noise has not returned.

This may not be your problem, but it certainly is worth checking.

 

I had a whine that only showed up under unusual circumstances. It had to be warm, and it happened when cornering while driving in a somewhat spirited manner.

It turned out to be very slightly low power steering fluid. I topped it off and the noise has not returned.

This may not be your problem, but it certainly is worth checking.

I checked it, kinda tough to see where exactly the fluid is in relation to the line on the reservoir but its not far from the top of the reservoir. Ofcourse, now that I think about it I only ever looked while it was running. I'll check it again without it running before I leave work for the night. I wanted to disconnect the belt from the pump yesterday to see if that made a difference but I couldnt see up there enough to find the bolts to release the tension from the belt (the powersteering being on a separate belt), there's not a spring tensioner on that particular belt and go figure Haynes didnt include belt removal instructions for the 3.5L in the fusion book.

 

I would say do a flush, or even ask the delaer if the fusion has a torque converter drain plug, I know it has a trans pan drain plug. recently I changed the trans filter on my dads f 150, draining the torque convers and pan was like 2 /12 gallons / 10 qts warm. After I put new mercon V but didn't warm it up. his tranny seemed to shift a lot better but I know fusions trans are different. I have 28580 on my sport and at 30 k ill take it in for tranny flush service. id rather pay $150 for them to do it , clean fluid and all then spend $2500 on a trnas like my parents did for not staking care of the car or doing its maintiance. OR you can do this. every oil change you do, also do a trans drain and refill. couldn't hurt

 

I would say do a flush, or even ask the delaer if the fusion has a torque converter drain plug, I know it has a trans pan drain plug. recently I changed the trans filter on my dads f 150, draining the torque convers and pan was like 2 /12 gallons / 10 qts warm. After I put new mercon V but didn't warm it up. his tranny seemed to shift a lot better but I know fusions trans are different. I have 28580 on my sport and at 30 k ill take it in for tranny flush service. id rather pay $150 for them to do it , clean fluid and all then spend $2500 on a trnas like my parents did for not staking care of the car or doing its maintiance. OR you can do this. every oil change you do, also do a trans drain and refill. couldn't hurt

I wouldve loved to flush my trans every suggested interval, except for the fact that I've heard many stories of people taking transmissions with 80,000mi or so that have never had a flush done in its entire life span and doing a flush on them thinking they're doing good preventative maintenance but actually unbeknown to them windup dislodging gunk from wherever within the trans which then gets stuck in a an oil gallery elsewhere in the trans and burning up the trans not long after words.. Believe me, I really want to flush it I'm pretty anal about that stuff. But the trans already had 84,000mi on it when I bought the car and now its got 115,000 I'm really nervouse that I'll just create another problem and fry it sooner.

 

As a former service manager in a Ford shop that did transmission fluid exchanges, we did MANY exchanges (flushes) with putrid fluid and high mileage, and NONE of them had immediate trans failures.

That's just an old wives tale. If the trans had issues before the flush, that is another matter, but even then many of the issues went away with the flush.

 

Really? Maybe I'll have to bury my fear and take your advice on that then, I know the basics about transmissions but Im no expert on them. Have you ever encountered a whine with any of these transmissions? Thank you for your advice.

As a former service manager in a Ford shop that did transmission fluid exchanges, we did MANY exchanges (flushes) with putrid fluid and high mileage, and NONE of them had immediate trans failures.

That's just an old wives tale. If the trans had issues before the flush, that is another matter, but even then many of the issues went away with the flush.

 

Anyone have further details on the outcome here? I am seeing a similar behavior on my 3.5L MKZ. Thanks!

 

Hi Firehawk. I would recommend you have your transmission flushed properly at a Ford Dealership and see if that helps, if you haven't already.

I don't think you'll get much else as far as replies. Unfortunately, participation in this forum has slowed down greatly. The OP hasn't signed on in over two years. And out of anyone else with posts in this thread, only Big Jim and I have signed in anytime recently. You may also want to try over here Forums - Ford Fusion Forum . It is a little more active.

Keep us updated and good luck.

 

Wow! Thanks for the reply, BBF. I can't believe how this forum died from what it was years ago!



I flushed the transmission recently. I'm relatively sure it is related to the power steering pump in some way. Strange part is that it typically goes away as you drive longer. I did verify the PS reservoir is filled to the correct level as well. Will do some more research and report back.