How to Fill a 1999 Escort Transmission

With the release of the 1999 model year, the writing was on the wall that the end was near for Fords staple economy car. The Focus was on its way over from the European market, so Ford kept the 1999 Escort around just to keep the entry-level seat warm. The following year, the Focus arrived and the Escort phase-out began in earnest. The 1999 Escort came standard with a five-speed manual transmission and had a four-speed automatic available as an option. Filling the fluid in either transmission type is a straightforward task, but the manual transmission requires under-car access.

Instructions

Open the Escorts hood and find the transmission oil dipstick on the drivers side of the engine, right next to the air intake tube. Pull the dipstick from its tube and wipe off the oil with a clean, lint-free cloth. Reinsert the dipstick and remove it again. Verify that the fluid level is between the lowermost pair of notches on the dipstick.

Insert a funnel into the dipstick tube and add Mercon transmission fluid in quarter-quart increments, rechecking the fluid level between increments, until the fluid level is between the lowermost pair of notches on the dipstick. Remove the funnel and reinsert the dipstick.

Drive the Escort for about 20 miles, or until the engine temperature reaches about halfway up the temperature gauge. Stop the vehicle and shift the gear shifter through each of its gears, stopping at each gear for about 3 seconds. Place the gear shifter back in the Park position.

Recheck the transmission fluid level following the procedure outlined in Step 1; the correct level is now between the uppermost pair of notches on the dipstick.

Insert a funnel into the transmission dipstick tube and add Mercon transmission fluid in quarter-quart increments, making sure check the fluid level between increments, until the fluid level is between the uppermost pair of notches on the dipstick.

Raise the front of the Escort with a floor jack and slide jack stands under the vehicles subframe. Lower the Escort onto the jack stands.

Crawl under the front of the Ford. Look about halfway up the transmission case, nearest the front of the vehicle, and find the transmission filler plug. Remove this plug with a ratchet and socket. Insert your finger in this hole and feel for the oil at the bottom of the hole. If the oil level is not at the base of the hole, it is low.

Insert a flexible-neck funnel into the filler hole and pour Mercon transmission fluid into the fill hole until fluid begins dripping from the filler hole.

Remove the funnel and hand-thread the filler plug into the filler hole. Tighten the filler plug with a ratchet and socket.

Raise the Escort off the jack stands with a floor jack and remove the jack stands. Lower the vehicle to the ground.