Transmission

[Welker]

Re: Transmission

When it happened to me I took the car to a reputable transmission guy here and he said I should take the car to Ford because it was under extended warranty. Ford agreed, fixed whatever was needed and the problem went away. I think you have a transmission problem that is not going to get better. That slamming into gear is never a good sign and slipping into neutral......????

The Big Foot problem is real, however, and we all need to watch what our feet are doing. I nearly ran into a guy in a parking lot when I braked and accellerated at the same time.

[BJHEN]

Re: Transmission

... Ford agreed, fixed whatever was needed and the problem went away.

Ned,

You are lucky in that your Ford dealer could ID the problem and then fix it. Our problem is we can not get the dealer to ID the problem because they have been unable to duplicate it.

I guess the trans will have to fall out on the ground before Ford believes we have a problem.

Cliff

[Welker]

Re: Transmission

Cliff, I seem to have lost the thread somehow and the message I sent....so here goes again. The dealer trusted the transmission guy here in Prescott who is considered the best...he said a problem and Ford believed him. It may be a simple thing or nothing at all but at the time even Ford agreed that a slipping into neutral and banging into gear was a problem. Consumer Report says the 04 had a minor transmission complaint level which disappeared for the 05 so maybe it is really nothing but I would stay on the dealer, especially if it happens again....and being on record now might help if the problem surfaces later. Sorry I can't help with the diagnostics stuff.

[EllisonCal]

Re: Transmission

To Cliff and others who have had the problem with their select-shift transmission going into neutral sporadically. I have had this problem since August of 2006 when I first got "Annie". Each time I complained to my former Ford dealer they would check the transmission and tell me it needed to act up while they were driving the car to make a proper diagnosis.

After my road trip, I had the transmission serviced. The machine they use drains the old fluid out and replaces it with the exact same amount of fluid. This means if your fluid level is low (and there is no dipstick to check the level) it will stay low even after service.

Well, with the new clean fluid my transmission really acted up. It would stay in neutral longer after the lever was put into D5 or D4 and it would not necessarily go into First (1st) gear when it did engage. A few times it would go into a gear too high to start the car moving, and the engine would die.

I brought the car back in and asked the technician that serviced the transmission to take it for a test drive. When he returned he put the car up in the air and checked the fluid level. He lowered the car and added first one quart of fluid, then another quart and one half. He then asked me to test drive the car. What a difference! For three years I was driving the car with a 2 1/2 quart deficit of transmission fluid. On the road trip, the car performed well except for a few of those rough shifts that I had grown accustomed to, and a few times it would stay in neutral after coming to a stop. I just thought it was just a bad transmission design or at best a defective transmission that would fail some day. Bring back the dipstick!!!

Cal

[MidLifeBird]

Re: Transmission

As I've already discussed in another thread, my car is in the shop with a transmission problem right now. I spoke with the dealership's transmission guru for several minutes yesterday. He described a couple of problems that he'd seen on Jaguar transmissions, which are the same as the ones in our cars. One of the problems he mentioned was exactly what you're describing with the car lurching when you shift from Park into Drive or Reverse. His explaination was that the transmission was slow to 'lock in', especially after the car had been stored for a while. In other words, when you shift from Park into Reverse there is a delay before the transmission actually responds and the reverse gear is engaged, basically you're in Neutral. The driver thinks he is in Reverse and presses the gas pedal. The engine RPMs increase and then the transmission finally shifts into gear. The result is that the car jerks. It's as if you rev'ed the engine and then put it in gear.

[BJHEN]

Re: Transmission

Thanks Cal! Very interesting and useful info. I think I'll take my car in and have the trans fluid level checked. I agree - bring back the dipstick.

Cliff

[BJHEN]

Re: Transmission

Trent, Your description and your guru's explaination fits exactly with my analysis of the problem. Thanks!

From my post above:

I have watched this problem very closely and best I can tell the trans. never slips if I don't shift from R to D5 too quickly. Problem occurs sporadically if, after backing up, I shift to quickly into D5. If I come to a complete stop after backing, then shift from R to D5 and pause until I feel trans. engage in D5 then there is no slippage. I'm guessing - I know nothing about the workings of an auto trans. - but seems to me there is a lag when shifting from R to D5 which is caused by the trans. fluid not moving through the trans properly to engage D5 as fast as we normally expect it to.

[MATBird]

Re: Transmission

Trent: There are a lot of low mileage TBirds on site that don't have issues, so I'm not sure the tech was correct. Mine is an '02 with 15,000 miles and I on't have any tranny problems what so ever. Just offering my two cents worth.

[MidLifeBird]

Re: Transmission

I agree that many (most) of the cars don't have any problems. I put over 20,000 miles on an '02 that already had 29,000 when I bought it and I never had one problem with it. Don't misunderstand the posts that I've made over the last few weeks. I love these cars, but I'm aggravated and disappointed that my 'new' '03 with less than 20k miles is in the shop and I'm going to end up with a bill that equals nearly 10% of my purchase price to get it back on the road (I've got brake problems, too). I've wanted a T-bird since I was five years old and I've been driving them since I was eighteen, so I'm a T-bird guy from way back. I just think that Ford should admit they let some bad transmissions get out on the road and make it right.

Oh - The serviceman wasn't implying that the problem was widespread. He even commented that he had only worked on two T-bird transmissions and a handful of Jags. Of course, there aren't that many T-birds or Jags in northeast Mississippi.

[EllisonCal]

Re: Transmission

It is now 3 days since my Select-shift transmission has had the correct amount of transmission fluid. What I'm amazed by is that it functioned as well as it did on the road trip 2 1/2 quarts low! Now the transmission shifts so smoothly and efficiently it acts like the transmission in my Toyota Avalon.

To all those people out there that are having problems with their transmission, Have a technician check the fluid level, you too may be low on fluid. Also spend the $210. to do a complete service with new fluid if your fluid is black like mine was at 46,000 miles.

I'm ready for another road trip now, I'm thinking Virginia in August to see my 9 month old granddaughter. Then a trip to Hershey in October for the big car show and swap meet, with a side trip to Gettysburg, PA.

Hey, Brian, have you checked with Sharon? I know Barb will let me go.

ellisoncal

[CVCashmere]

Re: Transmission

Owners:

Is there an easy to check the fluid level while on the lift (like a side or sight plug where you can open it without loosing any fluid??? I would like that check performed on my next oil change.

thanks

CVCashmere

To Cliff and others who have had the problem with their select-shift transmission going into neutral sporadically. I have I brought the car back in and asked the technician that serviced the transmission to take it for a test drive. When he returned he put the car up in the air and checked the fluid level. He lowered the car and added first one quart of fluid, then another quart and one half. He then asked me to test drive the car. What a difference! For three years I was driving the car with a 2 1/2 quart deficit of transmission fluid. Cal

[theflash]

Re: Transmission

No you just can not JUST CHECK the oil.

You need a Ford Tool to install in the bottom of the oil pan.

For has a better way!!!

[EllisonCal]

Re: Transmission

No you just can not JUST CHECK the oil.

You need a Ford Tool to install in the bottom of the oil pan.

For has a better way!!!

When you get your oil and filter changed at the Ford dealer, you can ask for and get a "free" multi-check and insist on the transmission fluid level check. They will check your tire wear and brake pad wear as well.

I like the fact that when the oil is changed by the dealer, they use a new drain plug washer each time, so that leaks at the drain plug are eliminated. Many of the "fast and cheap" places just reuse the old washer which after being tightened a few times ceases to be effective.

Cal