NHTSA opens investigation into transmission problems
Bullitt Member
Joined: October 28, 2010
Posts: 439
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From: Palm Beach, FL
Shelby GT350 Member
Joined: May 18, 2010
Posts: 2,318
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From: CT
I think that in 99.9% of situations, being locked out of a gear momentarily will not put you in any danger... but there is a small chance that it could be the difference between making it or not....beating the train and getting smashed, out accelerating the cop performing the PIT maneuver...and getting spun, making the jump over the draw bridge and being too late... hitting the cable in time to send the necessary 1.21 gigawatts to the flux capacitor...and spending the rest of your life in 1955.
Last edited by MRGTX; Aug 8, 2011 at 01:29 PM.
I think that in 99.9% of situations, being locked out of a gear momentarily will not put you in any danger... but there is a small chance that it could be the difference between making it or not....beating the train and getting smashed, out accelerating the cop performing the PIT maneuver...and getting spun, making the jump over the draw bridge and being too late... hitting the cable with the rod in time to send the necessary 1.21 gigawatts to the flux capacitor...and spending the rest of your life in 1955.
A Man Just Needs Some....
Joined: April 9, 2011
Posts: 17,125
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From: Louisiana
Originally Posted by ShaneGT
Mach 1 Member
Joined: September 22, 2009
Posts: 527
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Fluid change may help some but there is still an internal problem. Tolerances are not quite right or blocker ring and gear mating surfaces are not quite fitting right. Possible design issue with the syncros. Problem is if it is a part design issue, a new part has to be produced. These parts may be model specific. So it won't be overnight.
I try to stay silent on most of these issues. Especially now that it's in the hands of the NHTSA, Ford is required by law to provide the scope and gravity of these problems.
My transmission randomly decides to say "F You!!" Most of the time it's fine. However there's been a few occasions where 5th and 6th gear simply refused to work. I was on I-25 in heavy traffic flowing around 75mph when this happened. While I wasn't in an immediate danger, losing forward mobility was not ideal in any stretch of the imagination.
To get the car back in to gear the gear shift had to be returned to neutral for about 15 seconds while I pumped the clutch repeatedly. Eventually the I was able to get back in gear, but the transmission was non-compliant for the remainder of that trip.
Bullitt Member
Joined: October 28, 2010
Posts: 439
Likes: 0
From: Palm Beach, FL
I think that in 99.9% of situations, being locked out of a gear momentarily will not put you in any danger... but there is a small chance that it could be the difference between making it or not....beating the train and getting smashed, out accelerating the cop performing the PIT maneuver...and getting spun, making the jump over the draw bridge and being too late... hitting the cable in time to send the necessary 1.21 gigawatts to the flux capacitor...and spending the rest of your life in 1955.
Last edited by flySWA737; Aug 8, 2011 at 01:49 PM.
A Man Just Needs Some....
Joined: April 9, 2011
Posts: 17,125
Likes: 34
From: Louisiana
It pisses me off that ford just isn't loyal to anyone. For years they used Borg Warner and that T5 was great. Then tremec . Now ze Germans. Sometimes change is not necessary. And put the damm shifter back on top of the trans where it belongs. End of rant. 
I'm just glad this thing has a 5/60 powertrain warranty...
Cobra Member
Joined: May 22, 2010
Posts: 1,065
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From: Texas
I really don't think that a gear lockout is going to kill someone unless your a total idiot who overreacts like a woman. Come on, this is just ridiculous. I had gear lockout with my dads Muncie 4 speed tranny and you know what, I ignored it moved to the next gear while staying focused on the road. Not intentionally putting myself into a dangerous situation because I'm pissed of at my chinese tranny and redirect all my focus to fiddling around with a shifter. These reports to the NHTSA sound so stupid. People write in their own experiences with gear lockout that it forces them into a situation where they feared for their life. In all honesty I do feel for people who are having serious transmission problems but if this issues is "supposedly" endangering your life there is seriously something wrong with you. Some people cannot react when it comes to split second decisions and this isn't even one.
If your having tranny problems by all means complain about that but don't complain that just because a gear wouldn't engage that you almost died. Additionally if your knowingly going out and driving on a failed tranny that has several locked out gears your endangering your own life on your own accord. That alone is not fords fault.
If your having tranny problems by all means complain about that but don't complain that just because a gear wouldn't engage that you almost died. Additionally if your knowingly going out and driving on a failed tranny that has several locked out gears your endangering your own life on your own accord. That alone is not fords fault.
i don't understand responses like this. i am really happy for you that your car has no transmission issues. i suspect eventually we will learn that the problem here is shoddy QC hence some people being fine and others having issues. i can only speak from my experience, but let me outline a situation for you.
the only time the problem with by boss 302 was more than an irritation for me was when i was on a highway with an 18-wheeler in front of me that was holding up traffic for a long way back. this part of Texas has a number of rolling hills in the back country areas which means you end up on two lane roads, with 70mph speed limits and strings of traffic hung up behind grandpa or big rigs.
with the hilly terrain 90% of all passing lanes are very short and you have no idea what is over the top of the hill that you can't see. In my instance with cars on my bumper i downshifted to third, put my foot in it and was at 85ish moving up as fast as the car would go since the passing lane was coming up on a hill i couldn't see over. Naturally i see a pair of headlight cresting the hill, i go to grab fourth and nothing. it wont go into fourth, it wont go into sixth so here i am coasting at 85, with another car bearing down on me at something in the range of 150mph closing speed on a two lane road with no shoulder.
i didn't panic as you seem to think it would take for this to happen. i had to hit the brakes and then the car finally went into fourth and i hit it and got over in front of the truck and all was fine. but what if the car had been closer? what if the guy behind me had filled the gap i vacated or decided to follow me around the truck? what then? my choices are the ditch at 80+ mph with giant Texas pine trees all around or a head on collision. Get the picture? This is a very big problem and can result in a major accident.
Bullitt Member
Joined: October 28, 2010
Posts: 439
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From: Palm Beach, FL
ShaneM,
That my friend is worst case scenario right there. I agree that situation was pretty dicey but the typical report that has been made to the NHTSA was talking about everyday driving in city or highway traffic, not the back roads in Texas.
It most likely will be either a silly manufacturer defect or that Ford is not providing the right fluid in their Motorcraft brand. Hopefully this will just be resolved once and for all so we can all just enjoy our cars and stop talking about this dang tranny.
That my friend is worst case scenario right there. I agree that situation was pretty dicey but the typical report that has been made to the NHTSA was talking about everyday driving in city or highway traffic, not the back roads in Texas.
It most likely will be either a silly manufacturer defect or that Ford is not providing the right fluid in their Motorcraft brand. Hopefully this will just be resolved once and for all so we can all just enjoy our cars and stop talking about this dang tranny.