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2012 Ford Edge Limited 4dr AWD

2012 Ford Edge
Trim Info:
All Wheel Drive, Sport Utility, 4WD Sport Utility Vehicle
18 (2011) mpg city / 25 (2011) mpg hwy
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March 2, 2012, 10:48 pm

Orrin B
 

Question: Too much oil and no tranny fluid, how bad?

2 problems in one. my brother was changing the oil in my moms 08 ford edge. v6, front wheel drive. anyway, he drained the TRANSMISSION fluid by mistake and then proceeded to add an additional 5.5 quarts to the already full engine. as we usually do, my mom drove it a few miles to make sure everything feels right, she heard some unusaul noises (not surprising) so she brought it home and we discovered the problem. i know it definitely didn't help the engine and tranny, but is there any reason we can't just drain and swap oil the right way, and add tranny fluid and continue to drive it? she has to drive a few hundred miles tomorrow in it so we don't have time to take it to a dealership in the morning...


March 6, 2012, 8:08 pm

Elizabeth K
Expert Mechanic

The problem with driving an engine crankcase overfull is you could blow engine seals. ATF is a hydraulic fluid as well as a lubricant. If it shifted at all without the fluid, there was definitely inadequate lubrication, shortening the life of the transmission. If the drive was short, the damage may be minimal.

Drain the oil so there is only the recommended amount in the engine. It would be wise to replace the transmission filter now and renew the oil in it. If damage already occurred, that would keep it from getting worse. It would not be wise to put that off because there is a trip planned--the difference could be between not having a problem and risking making the situation much worse.


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