Motorcraft Mercon V ATF - Case of 12 Quarts (XT5QMC)

If you are servicing a 4R70W in an F-150, Expedition, Mustang or Crown Victoria, an AODE, or an E4OD or 4R100 in a Super Duty or Excursion, the dipstick almost always says one thing: Mercon V. This case holds twelve 1-quart bottles of genuine Motorcraft Mercon V, part number XT-5-QMC, the red fluid Ford specified for most of its rear-drive automatics from the mid-1990s until the switch to Mercon LV. Buying the full case means you are not making a second parts run halfway through a pan service when the level is still low on the stick.

What Mercon V does in a 4R70W

In a 4R70W or 4R75W the fluid is the hydraulic medium the valve body and the electronic pressure control (EPC) solenoid use to build line pressure, the friction modifier package that sets how the forward, direct and intermediate clutches and the overdrive band grab, and the coolant that carries heat out through the radiator cooler. The shift feel Ford calibrated into the PCM assumes Mercon V friction behavior. Pour in a generic fluid with a different friction curve and the same command produces a different apply, which shows up as a harsh 1-2, a flare into 3rd, or torque converter clutch shudder at light throttle. Ford's own product page states Mercon V is recommended for Ford, Lincoln and Mercury vehicles that require either Mercon V or older Mercon fluid, so it is also the correct top-off for an earlier unit that originally called for Mercon.

Symptoms that point to a fluid service

• Fluid on the dipstick that is brown or black, or smells burnt, instead of clear red
• Shudder or a rumble-strip feel around 40-50 mph as the converter clutch applies
• Delayed engagement into Drive or Reverse when cold
• Soft, slipping or flared shifts after towing or long idle hours (a common police and livery Crown Victoria complaint)
• A red drip under the pan, cooler lines or front pump area, which our 4R70W fluid leak guide walks through spot by spot

Fresh fluid will not fix worn clutches or a scored pressure regulator bore. If the unit already slips under load, a fluid change is a test, not a cure.

How to confirm Mercon V is the right fluid

Read the dipstick handle and the owner guide first. Ford moved the Crown Victoria 4R75E to Mercon LV for 2009, and Mercon LV vehicles must not get Mercon V. Ford's fluid page also lists Mercon SP, Mercon ULV, Type F and CVT chain fluid applications as places this product does not belong, and warns against it in transfer cases that were filled with Mercon ATF. If your truck or car is a 1990s through 2008 rear-drive Ford automatic and the stick or manual says Mercon V, you are in the right place. Our 4R70W fluid type and capacity guide lists the factory spec by year.

Fitment and how much you need

The listing covers the AOD, AODE, 4R70W, 4R75W, E4OD, 4R100 and 5R55-series units that call for Mercon V, plus Ford power steering systems of the same era that specify it. Ford's 1998 Crown Victoria guide lists roughly 13.9 quarts for a dry 4R70W, but a pan drop only removes about a third of that; the converter and cooler keep the rest. Twelve quarts covers a pan-and-filter service with plenty left to top off after a test drive, or most of a cooler-line exchange on a 4R70W. Bigger units like the 4R100 hold more, so plan a second case for a full exchange. Browse every part for this family on the 4R70W and 4R75W collection page.

Install notes

• Drop the pan, clean the magnet and replace the filter and gasket with a 4R70W/4R75W filter and gasket kit. Snug the pan bolts evenly; overtightening distorts the stamped flange and causes the leak you just fixed.
• Refill through the dipstick tube, start the engine, and cycle through each gear with your foot on the brake.
• Check the level hot, on level ground, engine idling in Park. Ford's 2008 Crown Victoria guide calls for a fluid temperature around 150-170 F before reading the stick. Do not overfill; excess fluid foams and aerates.
• On a high-mileage unit that has never been serviced, ATRA's GEARS magazine recommends asking about history and doing a road test first, and staging partial changes rather than one aggressive flush.
• If the service is part of an overhaul, this case pairs with the 4R70W master rebuild kit so the new frictions see clean, correct fluid from the first start.

For a step-by-step on a specific truck, see the 4R70W F-150 fluid change guide.

Is Motorcraft Mercon V the same as XT-5-QM?

XT-5-QM is the older Motorcraft part number printed in 1990s and 2000s owner guides. Ford's current product page lists XT-5-QMC as the quart part number for the same Mercon V fluid, along with larger 5-quart and drum packages.

Can I use Mercon V in a transmission that originally called for Mercon?

Yes. Ford recommends Motorcraft Mercon V for Ford, Lincoln and Mercury vehicles that require either Mercon V or Mercon fluid, and for transmissions and power steering systems previously serviced with Mercon.

Can I put Mercon V in a 2009 or later Crown Victoria or a Mercon LV transmission?

No. Ford switched the Crown Victoria to Mercon LV for 2009, and Ford states Mercon V should not be used where Mercon LV, Mercon SP, Mercon ULV or Type F is specified. Check the dipstick or owner guide.

How many quarts does a 4R70W take?

Ford lists about 13.9 quarts as an approximate dry fill for the 4R70W, varying with cooler size. A pan and filter service typically takes far less, so a 12-quart case covers a pan service with fluid to spare and most of a cooler-line exchange.

Should I replace the filter when I change the fluid?

On a 4R70W, 4R75W or AODE, yes. Dropping the pan is the only way to reach the filter and magnet, and the debris on the magnet tells you a lot about clutch and bushing wear. Use a new pan gasket at the same time.

Can Mercon V go in my power steering or transfer case?

It is the correct fluid for Ford power steering systems that specify Mercon V or Mercon. Ford warns against using it in transfer cases where Mercon ATF was previously recommended, so check the transfer case spec separately.

• 4R70W Fluid Type and Capacity
• 4R70W F150 Fluid Change: Type, Capacity and Cost
• 4R70W Crown Victoria Fluid Change: Type, Capacity and Cost
• 4R70W Expedition Fluid Change: Type, Capacity and Cost
• 4R70W Fluid Leak: Common Spots and Fixes