1998 Ford Contour car shifts rough when hot

1998 FORD CONTOUR
111,181 MILES • 6 CYL • 2WD • AUTOMATIC
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KAWINTER
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When I drive my contour on the interstate for a few hours for an out of town trip, when I get off the Interstate the car shifts rough going into 2nd and 3rd. If I park it and have lunch or shop or whatever to kill some time, I can get back in and drive it again and it is fine. But this happens every time I take a long trip. My mechanic is telling me the transmission needs to be replaced and he wants $5K I normally commute 56 miles a day and some of those are Interstate miles. This does not bother my car. It is only after several hours of high-speed driving that the car starts acting up.
Apr 26, 2009 at 11:54 AM
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MIKE H R
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Have you had the transmission serviced. if not have the fluid flushed and the filter changed. Before that pull the dipstick out and check to see if it has a burnt smell to the fluid. If it only happens when the car is driven for a couple of hours at highway speed then flushing out the sytem will also clean lines. makes sure the radiator is full of coolant as the transmission fluid is cooled when it circulates in sa seperate line in the radiator.
Apr 27, 2009 at 8:14 AM
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KAWINTER
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[quote:92f50e1a7e="M_J_RITZEL"]Have you had the transmission serviced. if not have the fluid flushed and the filter changed. Before that pull the dipstick out and check to see if it has a burnt smell to the fluid. If it only happens when the car is driven for a couple of hours at highway speed then flushing out the sytem will also clean lines. makes sure the radiator is full of coolant as the transmission fluid is cooled when it circulates in sa seperate line in the radiator.[/quote:92f50e1a7e]

Thank you. Yes, I have had the transmission serviced. They did say the fluid was dark. Could it be that the radiator line that cools the transmission is clogged?
Apr 27, 2009 at 8:39 AM
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MIKE H R
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when they service the transmission mostly they just drain the fluid and put a new filter, check to see if they flushed the system. It is when they disconnect a line by the radiator and circulate new fluid through the system.
Apr 28, 2009 at 8:45 AM