4 days ago the screen display in my 2005 Taurus read "Check Transmission".

I had felt no problems and had already driven about 70 miles that day, highway and city streets. It was about 25 miles to home and I made it home no problems.

Parked the car in front of the house so I could check the fluids.

Fluids were fine. To err on the side of caution I brought it to the mechanics. Driving it there the screen display no longer read to check transmission.

Mechanics found nothing and gave it a fluid change. I don't think they drove it (I need to call and ask them).

I got the car back the evening of day 2 and parked at home.

Drove it on errands day 3 (put about 70 miles on it). I could feel it not accelerating and was concerned. But my mechanics said there was no problem. I thought I was being paranoid.

My brother would be around on day 4. He, as a passenger, said he felt no problem nor could my son. I again put it down to being paranoid and looking for problems.

Last night I had my brother drive it. He could feel it. Couldn't accelerate.

My son drove it home after his uncle got out and he said he could not only feel it (he is the car's secondary driver and is behind the wheel almost as often as I am so he knows how it usually is) but that by the time he got home from a 3 mile drive the check engine light was on.

It's still parked in front of the house (10 a.m.) I have not decided where to bring it yet-- my mechanic or a transmission specialist.

I also want to find out about getting Ford to foot the bill. From all I've read on it, Ford knows that Taurus transmissions bottom out at around 60,000 miles. Mine has 62,000.

I've read some people got new transmissions that Ford gave a 100,000 mile warranty on. Why not put that transmission in the car in the first place? Why not offer that warranty?

I can't afford a transmission. I'd have to try to get the bank to let me out of my loan and figure out a new way to go to work. Estimates I've seen are $3,000.

That's 4 months rent.

I guess what I want to know is, has anyone had success getting Ford to fix the car's transmission even if there was no warranty?