Questions about buying 2009 Fusion/Milan

[CupCak3]

I'm currently looking at buying an 09 Milan Premium. It's been in an accident but I've had it checked by a mechanic I trust and everything looks great except the drivers side front caliper is leaking fluid and there maybe an issue with the wipe fluid pumps. Easy enough for the seller to fix.

For the passenger airbag, the "off" light does not light up when no one is sitting it in it. Should it light.up? If not, when should it? I did not see a switch.

Anything else i should be checking out?

Thanks!

 

[Gibson486]

Lots of times, the switch will not activate unless the person has his seatbelt on.

That said, having those two issues would worry me. You are correct, they are minor fixes. I would just make sure the mechanic really looks hard to make sure nothing else is wrong.

Also, check the transmission fluid. If it's the 5 speed auto version, be sure to double check it if it has over 30K.

 

[AstroManLuca]

For the passenger airbag, the "off" light does not light up when no one is sitting it in it. Should it light.up? If not, when should it? I did not see a switch.

My car does the same thing. I believe it's normal.

The idea is that the "off" light has a certain minimum weight required for it to turn on, because there's no sense turning the light on if there's no weight in the seat. If I put a heavy backpack or other item in my passenger seat, sometimes the light will come on.

So basically:

0-5 lbs - Airbag is off, light doesn't come on
5-65 (or so) lbs - Airbag is off, light is on
Over 65 lbs - Airbag is on, light is off

 

[CupCak3]

That said, having those two issues would worry me. You are correct, they are minor fixes. I would just make sure the mechanic really looks hard to make sure nothing else is wrong.

Also, check the transmission fluid. If it's the 5 speed auto version, be sure to double check it if it has over 30K.

Thanks for the feedback!

To give a little more background, it has the 2.4L with 5 speed and has just over 20k.

We looked pretty thoroughly at the car. We both looked at it for over half an hour. It was put on the lift and drove around; even popped the hood with the engine on and with/without the air on. The main reason I'm not concerned with the caliper leak is b/c its not in the area of the accident (drivers side rear) and looks to be just at the copper washer connecting the hose & caliper housing.

Could you elaborate more on your comment about the transmission? I'm not very familiar with Ford engines/transmissions yet. I plan on keeping this car for 150k so want to make sure I can do everything to get it there w/o major problems.

My car does the same thing. I believe it's normal.

The idea is that the "off" light has a certain minimum weight required for it to turn on, because there's no sense turning the light on if there's no weight in the seat. If I put a heavy backpack or other item in my passenger seat, sometimes the light will come on.

So basically:

0-5 lbs - Airbag is off, light doesn't come on
5-65 (or so) lbs - Airbag is off, light is on
Over 65 lbs - Airbag is on, light is off

Nice, Thanks!

 

[StageLeft]

I'm currently looking at buying an 09 Milan Premium. It's been in an accident but I've had it checked by a mechanic I trust and everything looks great except the drivers side front caliper is leaking fluid and there maybe an issue with the wipe fluid pumps. Easy enough for the seller to fix.

For the passenger airbag, the "off" light does not light up when no one is sitting it in it. Should it light.up? If not, when should it? I did not see a switch.

Anything else i should be checking out?

Thanks!

Please explain how your concerns are not irrelevant. This car has tons of factory bumper to bumper warranty which should cover everything you've mentioned, right?

 

[Gibson486]

Thanks for the feedback!

To give a little more background, it has the 2.4L with 5 speed and has just over 20k.

We looked pretty thoroughly at the car. We both looked at it for over half an hour. It was put on the lift and drove around; even popped the hood with the engine on and with/without the air on. The main reason I'm not concerned with the caliper leak is b/c its not in the area of the accident (drivers side rear) and looks to be just at the copper washer connecting the hose & caliper housing.

Could you elaborate more on your comment about the transmission? I'm not very familiar with Ford engines/transmissions yet. I plan on keeping this car for 150k so want to make sure I can do everything to get it there w/o major problems.



Nice, Thanks!

That 5 speed is the same tranny that is in the Mazda 3. The transmission is pretty rough on the liquid, so I advise that you get it serviced at 30K, or at the very least, get the liquid checked often. If you do not want to service it every 30K, then get synthetic tranny fluid. The tranny uses MV fluid, which is not readily available. As a result, it cost a bundle (same as the synthetic stuff...about $9 a bottle).

 

[CupCak3]

Please explain how your concerns are not irrelevant. This car has tons of factory bumper to bumper warranty which should cover everything you've mentioned, right?

Salvage title. I'm assuming BtB warranty no longer applies...

That 5 speed is the same tranny that is in the Mazda 3. The transmission is pretty rough on the liquid, so I advise that you get it serviced at 30K, or at the very least, get the liquid checked often. If you do not want to service it every 30K, then get synthetic tranny fluid. The tranny uses MV fluid, which is not readily available. As a result, it cost a bundle (same as the synthetic stuff...about $9 a bottle).

Good to know. Do you suggest fluid & filter change or just fluid flush? My dad has a business (not dealer) account through Amsoil and gets a pretty good discount. I'll have to read up more on this. Hopefully the labor isn't too bad. My wife's car just hit 100k; I plan to change fluid and filter and its a huge PITA.

 

[StageLeft]

Surely you can find out if BtB is covered, unless you're pretty darn sure not.

For the no airbag light I am pretty sure in my van that if the car starts with someone sitting in it and then the weight is relieved that's when it goes off. If the van is started with no acceptable weight in it to begin with the light is never on.

 

[Pulsar]

You will find that 5 speed automatic, the FNR5, used in the Mazda6i, Mazda3s, Mazda5, Ford Fusion 2.3L, and Milan. I checked the TSB's and have not found anything that suggests that transmission is any better or worse than any other.

Gibson, I understand you had a bad experience with your car. Can you please produce a valid recall / TSB / BBB complaint etc that backs up your standpoint that these transmissions have issues? Something other than posts on an internet chat board? Be kind and start a new post on it so we don't litter up the OP's car thread.

I have to believe that since those transmissions have been on the road for at least 5 years in a wide variety of cars we would know by now if there was a serious problem with them, and it would show up in more than just one car.

 

[lupi]

for at least 2 of my vehicles, only time i've ever seen the passenger airbag off light on is when i've put something heavy in the passenger seat.

 

[Gibson486]

You will find that 5 speed automatic, the FNR5, used in the Mazda6i, Mazda3s, Mazda5, Ford Fusion 2.3L, and Milan. I checked the TSB's and have not found anything that suggests that transmission is any better or worse than any other.

Gibson, I understand you had a bad experience with your car. Can you please produce a valid recall / TSB / BBB complaint etc that backs up your standpoint that these transmissions have issues? Something other than posts on an internet chat board? Be kind and start a new post on it so we don't litter up the OP's car thread.

I have to believe that since those transmissions have been on the road for at least 5 years in a wide variety of cars we would know by now if there was a serious problem with them, and it would show up in more than just one car.

Never said it was any worse. Just said you need to check it. For all I know, it could be how it's programmed for the specific car.

All I said was that the auto tranny can be very hard on it's fluid. Why would there be a TSB on that? What would it say?

Those trannys only take MV fluid. MV is not Mecron V. MV fluid if the same price as the synthtic mobil 1 and Amsoil stuff. It's expensive. There is a TSB for that.

 

[LTC8K6]

Need to call it M5 to avoid confusion...

 

[Gibson486]

Need to call it M5 to avoid confusion...

LOL....it's MV in the manual....., but yeah, it is correctly called M5 is you speak it by mouth.