Ford SUV Range

Ford Territories fall into two categories when it comes to transmission checks. The earlier cars with the four-speed automatic transmission had a dipstick at the back of the engine bay near the firewall. This can be used to check the fluid as with any other dipstick.

However, your car is a later model with the six-speed automatic, and in that case, there’s no physical dipstick. Instead, you have to get under the car and remove a plug from the side of the transmission. When the fluid is lapping at the bottom of the plug hole, you know it’s at the right level.

This is not an easy thing to check at home unless you have a car hoist. Why did Ford delete the dipstick? Possibly to avoid owners tampering with what is a sealed system (adding too much fluid or the wrong type). But you’d have to imagine there was a cost saving, too.

Vibrations during gearshifts in an automatic vehicle suggest something wrong with the transmission. In fact, any vibrations coming from the transmission are bad news as a modern automatic should be very smooth and refined. But your car is still well and truly under warranty, so a visit to the dealership is your first step.

But since your vibration is felt through the steering, you also need to check on other potential causes, including worn engine or transmission mounts, a damaged wheel or tyre, an unbalanced wheel/tyre combination, a dragging brake, worn suspension and plenty more. Again, though, if there’s a mechanical problem (rather than a crash-damage issue) your warranty will hopefully sort it out.

Transmission problems in Ford Territories are far from unknown. That said, 64,000km is very low mileage for major problems to occur.

But the real answer to your question is yes; it’s unwise to continue to drive a car with a noisy transmission as you risk doing more damage to the unit. The actual cause could be any number of things from a low fluid level to damaged or worn internal components. Either way, it needs to be sorted before extra carnage occurs. A transmission specialist should be very familiar with this gearbox and its quirks.