runningwild4.6

Thanks for the update. The dealer around hear likes to play dumb

Mackitraz

Taking me forever to get back to this. I'm calling the dealership tomorrow. I picked up my 08 at the end of December, I have a laundry list of stuff to fix. All small except this issue, but since it's my DD, didn't want to part with it until I had time.

Hopefully, once all this little business is sorted out my 08 will be rock solid for a good long while. *knock on my head...I mean wood*

Mackitraz

Called the dealership today, bringing the car in on Monday. Was pretty explicit about the fact that the gearing issue is a cold start only problem and that I would mind leaving it for a few days for them to verify it. I'd love to come by and show them myself, but it's an hour away, and I'm not going to be able to with work. Hope they get it sorted.

Along with that, I have fog lights that have damaged reflectors and diffusers, my license plate light has never worked, my trunk plastic is popping off the interior to the right of the trunk lid, I have to have the recall work done, and I have a shift boot rattle in my center console. On the one hand, this feels like a lot to be going wrong with a brand new car, on the other hand, none of it's serious except the trans issue. Hoping I'll be problem free for a while after this, although I just read I should pull my plugs and put anti-seize on them.

I find it funny that people here talk about all manner of problems, and yet constantly profess the love of their cars. From an outsiders prospective, most of you are nuts that way. Only problem is, I'm one of you, and I love my car, problems and all... lol

falhulk

I took my 08 in last week to have this fixed. Service manage called Engineering and was told they are aware of the issue but there is no fix available yet. I was a little pi$$ed. I took the car back and put in a call to customer support. I figured they should give me an extended warranty for this. Not only dont I know when this will be fixed but I think they owe a little compensation here. The rep just called me and told me they cant do anything for me and she has no idea when the fix will be ready. I am more then angry about this and am waiting or her supervisor to call me back.

GTMark052

falhulk,
Keep us posted on how it goes

red pony

I wonder if Ford might come up with some kind of friction modifier to add to the tranny to make the syncro rings "stickier " so they grab the taper on the 3rd gear better, thus stopping this issue ?Maybe just a change of fluid brands and type of fluid by itself might help . Someone in this post a while back said they brought their own fluid with them and gave it to be put in at the re-build . I wonder if that alone would do it ?

Mackitraz

Just took my baby into the dealer tonight to deal principly with this issue. We'll see how it goes and what they think they need to do to it. So far I trust this dealer (first car I've bought from this dealer, but they move a LOT of Mustangs, so I assume they know what they're doing), can't wait to hear what they have to say.

I'll post up when I know something more.

Rebel73

arrgghh!!! The issue appears to have returned today while the car was still cold. I am hoping that it was just my imagination. I thought this thing was fixed. Now I'm pissed.

Mackitraz

Update: Dealer service called me to tell me that my car is done. I ask about the trans issue and how that went. He said they had no problems replicating the issue, however it was only when they were shifting hard. He said they didn't do anything because the technician said replacing the shifter would not fix anything and the issue would result again. !?!?!?! However, purchasing an FRPP Short Throw shifter might solve the problem and they can have it in my car installed for only $500. However, if I were to continue to have this issue from hard shifting, I could void my warranty for abusing my transmission. Got my car back.

Words don't really describe it yet for me. Tell me a shifter won't solve a trans problem resulting in grinding, and then try to sell me a shifter. Especially the original one engineered to be in the car. And then threaten to void my warranty by telling me that I'm shifting it "hard" and that issue is a result of how I'm shifting it.

First, a different shifter still results in the transmission shifting from 2nd to 3rd, and a short throw makes it possible and probable for me to shift it faster, and thus generate the problem. Second, no explanation as to what the issue exactly is in the first place, or why it can't be replicated in any other gear, shifting at the same rate under the same conditions. Third, an nice threat to boot.

Why is it I have the sneaking suspicion I'm being screwed here. Is this worth taking to another dealer or pursuing again with my current dealer? Did anybody else who tried using different tranny fluid have any luck in that direction?

I hate the insinuation that I'm abusing my car as the obvious explanation as to why the problem is occurring.

randy_tho

Tell them you'll do it if they do the Hurst parts and install on warranty repair. They want to be ludicrous with you, do the same to them. On second thought I would never take my car back to such dishonest stupidity.

I do tend to wonder though if a shifter would solve this. From what I have experienced it has nothing to do with how hard or fast it is shifted. Appears more to be with if you stop halfway instead of just one continuous motion. As if something isn't engaging properly.

FirebirdTN

Hi everyone,

First time poster here, but I had to register to jump in on this issue.

I have an 06 GT, and the problem that most describe isn't limited to just the 08s. I call it the dreded "cold crunch". Although my cold shifting problems are mostly 2nd gear.

Anyway, I am suprised no one has posted it yet, but the transmissions in the 2001+ GTs are the Tremec TR3650s, and this has been an ongoing issue. There was a TSB that supposedly addressed this issue in the 01-04 stangs, and thought it would be fixed by 05, but here it is the 08 model year, and I still read complaints popping up about it. I am starting to wonder if we will ever see a fix.

Don't get me wrong, I LOVE my mustang. And the transmission isn't actually made by Ford...but without a doubt it is one of the worst, most inconsistant feeling tranny I have ever shifted. Sometimes it will shift like butter (once its warmed up), but other times there feels like something is in the way when shifting, or feels sort of like a "double engagement".

Anyway, here are some links:

http://forums.stangnet.com/showthread.php?t=328655

Here is guy questing the "feel" of the transmission (doesn't specify a model year though):

http://forums.modulardepot.com/showthread.php?p=885651

And another (I have posted in this one, but other posters responses might seem familiar):

http://townhall-talk.edmunds.com/direct/view/.f13566d/0

I could dig up more, but that is enough for now...

-Alan

Rebel73

Dude, what your dealer told you is the biggest load of feces I've ever heard. I had the EXACT SAME ISSUE on my BRAND NEW 08 GT/CS. As a matter of fact, I still have it! It was supposedly fixed, but now the only difference is that it only does it when it's cold. Still not acceptable to me. It's going back again!

FirebirdTN

Hmmm, actually I haven't even approached the dealer yet concerning the issue. Not sure how you read into my reply that the dealer informed me of anything? Maybe my post made it sound worse than it really is, but after I started noticing the "feel" of the tranny wasn't what I was accustomed to, I talked to a couple other S197 owners, and researched it on the net. After much research, and past experiences I would rather not have the stealership violate my stang in an attempt to fix a common problem that to the best of my knowledge has no real cure. I did the fluid swap mentioned in one of those thread, and *thought* it felt smoother, but afterwards I realized the buttery goodness feeling of shifting was more dependant on temperature than on fluid level/type.

-Alan

red pony

I noticed that one post mentioned the " paper lined" syncros . That paper evidently is a clutch-like material similar to the clutches in automatic trannys . One way to make them grab a little quicker might be to add a LITTLE type " F " fluid to the existing fluid to give those clutches more engagement . Type F has additives in it to do that .

Rebel73

Hey, sorry about that. My response was intended for Mackitraz!

Rebel73

oops, double post.

buffguy

I have driven my 07 for about 8k miles . The shifter doesn't feel smooth anymore. Going into first doesn't feel smooth like it use to. Is it just me imagining this or has anyone experience this?

red pony

Somewhat similar experience . My problem is isolated to 3rd gear only and only when it is cold. But yes , it appears to be getting worse, but I don't know how to call it . Is it worse because it's cold , or is it worse because it's wear ? I guess we will have to see if warm weather stops the issue or not . But I know one thing for sure . Until someone comes up with a good effective fix for this issue, no-one is touching that tranny !
Others in past posts have re-built their trannys and its success is, at best, a crap-shoot . I think down the road, we will find that these trannys will be this way when they are cold ,and until things warm up and expand and/or the fluid warms up and does its job, that this is something we will have to live with . But nesessity is the mother of invention . Let's wait and see what happens down the road . EDIT We might find the type of fluid additives are not good enough for this application --- not so much machining tolerances as some might think .

Mackitraz

Further Update:

For all you guys who see this and work in a dealership, do not ever let some service cust service rep tell your customer something a technician said if they don't actually understand it!!!!

I sent off an email, basically detailing that I didn't appreciate the insinuation that I was abusing my car and that their solution as explained made absolutely no sense and that I expected more. I received a call from the Dealer Service Manager and things make a lot more sense now. After a 15min conversation on the phone, here is what he said.

First. There is no solution to the problem from Ford yet. He's already checked all the TSB's and checked with other technicians to see if they have any other solution and they agreed that changing the synchros for 3rd won't really solve the issue. He said that the 08's have the same fluid as previous years.

Second. The BS about the shifter is actually a combination of a Cust Service Rep who just didn't understand what the technician meant, and a technician who thinks he knows everything about the driving public without checking his facts or asking anyone. The FRPP shifter they were recommending was being recommended because it had shift stops on it. Because.....the technician was the person who said "this guy is racing his car and jamming the gears and that's why this is happening." He recommended the aftermarket short throw because the factory shifter doesn't have shift stops and this would prevent me from killing my trans. I told the Service Manager what the technician can do with himself, as this is where the threat of voiding my warranty also came from. The Service Manager said he read my email, in which I detailed that the issue came from a COLD trans and that I specifically said I was shifting NORMALLY and not power shifting. Who actually power shifts their car when it's cold that actually likes their car anyway?? I said the car is my DD and that I was attempting to have them diagnose and cure the issue so I wouldn't damage my car and that I didn't appreciate the suggestion that I'm trying to kill it!

Third. That Ford would rather I get through 7500 miles before they start thinking about cracking open the trans to fix anything (break in). In my mind, especially talking to all of you, I don't think anything will change at all. I'm thinking about draining the trans fluid and upgrading it just to keep everything as smooth as possible.

So there you go, I'm not saying my faith is restored just yet in the dealer, but the Manager seemed MUCH more reasonable and knowledgeable and willing to help.

Rebel73

man, I never had this issue on my 05! This sucks! So basically, the best thing to for now is just wait it out and hope Ford comes up with a fix?