2001 4R100 tranny problems
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From: Columbus, Georgia
2001 4R100 tranny problems
2001 Ford 4R100 transmission has design defect
published: 01 September 2000
date of revision:
source: Condition of anonymity
Robert Lane, staff writer
Ford's latest quality sting couldn't have come at a more inopportune time. A flaw in the newly designed 4R100's truck transmission has forced the temporary closure of Ford's highly profitable Michigan truck plant and the decreased production of certain other Ford truck models at other assembly plants. It was earlier reported that a lack of 5.4L V8 engines was the cause of the Michigan plants closure; however, those reports were not correct.
Ford upgraded the 4R100 for 2001 by using a new mechanical diode in the forward clutch area. The new diode was expected to save Ford $4.00 from the cost of each transmission but now the diode is the cause of the transmission's failure. If a diode fails it could damage the transmission and or disable second gear.
The 20014R100 transmissions that are being recalled are used in the highly profitable 5.4L V8 powered Expedition,Navigator, Excursion, Econoline van and F-Series truck. They are also used in certain 4.6L powered trucks that are equipped with the California emissions package, and all F150 Lighting models. There are 30 different 4R100 transmission models - none of which are interchangeable. Close to a thousand vehicles with the faulty transmissions have already been sold to the public.
An earlier report by BlueOvalNews.com INCORRECTLY reported that 4R100 transmissions were being diverted from Michigan Truck and Lorain to Kansas City. All production at Kansas City uses the 4R70W transmission which is NOT affected.
The problem was first noticed when some of the Kentucky truck plant's assembled vehicles started experiencing transmission failures before they left the assembly plant. This prompted Ford to issue a stop build and stop ship order at the Sharonville, Ohio plant until the cause of the transmission's failure could be determined. Ford's transmission engineers concluded that the failure was due to an error in the testing procedure and the transmissions would not fail outside of the testing procedure. The testing procedure was modified and Sharonville was asked to continue production and shipment of the transmissions.
Last Thursday Ford's Livonia, Michigan PTOATC discovered that if the engine's RPM went up to 4,600 and then the throttle was released and then applied again under wide open throttle the mechanical diode would fail. Later that night the theory was tested at the Michigan truck plant on seven different Expedition and Navigator models - all experienced transmission failure. On Friday, a second stop build and stop shipment was issued to the Sharonville plant where upon all 4R100 transmissions intended for non-diesel engines was issued. On Saturday, 20 experimental 4R100's were built using an a new mechanical diode design and there have been NO REPORTED FAILURES.
Sharonville is now building the upgraded transmissions which have an orange paint splash on the top of the case (bellhousing) and on the side cover where the Ford script is located.
An estimated 50,000 transmissions were built with the bad diodes. Ford is making every effort to recall each transmission back to Sharonville where upon they will be rebuilt. Reverting back to the 2000 design could force Ford to idle production at several plants for weeks. Sharonville is currently building the 2001 design.
Since the problem only occurs when the engine's RPM range is above 4,600 rpms, transmissions used with diesel engines are not going to be recalled since this is above their operating range.
BlueOvalNews has reported several problems with Ford's ability to design and engineer a durable transmission - but there have been NO instances where the quality of a transmission's assembly have been a major issue.
Have a comment about this article? Post it on the global message board or email Robert Lane.
Copyright permission to use this article in any form is not required. For more information, go here.
BlueOvalNews.com
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2000 F-150 XLT, 4x2, 5.4L Supercab, LEV, Superchip, Styleside, Black with silver two-tone, 3.55 rear, class III towing package with heavy duty cooling package, Heavy duty shocks, 4 wheel disk ABS, overhead console, sliding rear window, keyless entry, dark graphite interior, in dash CD, factory leather wrapped steering wheel, FORD bedliner, FORD black tubular cab steps, K&N air filter, mar-hyde rubberized undercoating, Modine climate filtration system, Bugflector II, Mobil 1 oil and filter, Build date 7/00
[This message has been edited by Dustoff (edited 09-01-2000).]
published: 01 September 2000
date of revision:
source: Condition of anonymity
Robert Lane, staff writer
Ford's latest quality sting couldn't have come at a more inopportune time. A flaw in the newly designed 4R100's truck transmission has forced the temporary closure of Ford's highly profitable Michigan truck plant and the decreased production of certain other Ford truck models at other assembly plants. It was earlier reported that a lack of 5.4L V8 engines was the cause of the Michigan plants closure; however, those reports were not correct.
Ford upgraded the 4R100 for 2001 by using a new mechanical diode in the forward clutch area. The new diode was expected to save Ford $4.00 from the cost of each transmission but now the diode is the cause of the transmission's failure. If a diode fails it could damage the transmission and or disable second gear.
The 20014R100 transmissions that are being recalled are used in the highly profitable 5.4L V8 powered Expedition,Navigator, Excursion, Econoline van and F-Series truck. They are also used in certain 4.6L powered trucks that are equipped with the California emissions package, and all F150 Lighting models. There are 30 different 4R100 transmission models - none of which are interchangeable. Close to a thousand vehicles with the faulty transmissions have already been sold to the public.
An earlier report by BlueOvalNews.com INCORRECTLY reported that 4R100 transmissions were being diverted from Michigan Truck and Lorain to Kansas City. All production at Kansas City uses the 4R70W transmission which is NOT affected.
The problem was first noticed when some of the Kentucky truck plant's assembled vehicles started experiencing transmission failures before they left the assembly plant. This prompted Ford to issue a stop build and stop ship order at the Sharonville, Ohio plant until the cause of the transmission's failure could be determined. Ford's transmission engineers concluded that the failure was due to an error in the testing procedure and the transmissions would not fail outside of the testing procedure. The testing procedure was modified and Sharonville was asked to continue production and shipment of the transmissions.
Last Thursday Ford's Livonia, Michigan PTOATC discovered that if the engine's RPM went up to 4,600 and then the throttle was released and then applied again under wide open throttle the mechanical diode would fail. Later that night the theory was tested at the Michigan truck plant on seven different Expedition and Navigator models - all experienced transmission failure. On Friday, a second stop build and stop shipment was issued to the Sharonville plant where upon all 4R100 transmissions intended for non-diesel engines was issued. On Saturday, 20 experimental 4R100's were built using an a new mechanical diode design and there have been NO REPORTED FAILURES.
Sharonville is now building the upgraded transmissions which have an orange paint splash on the top of the case (bellhousing) and on the side cover where the Ford script is located.
An estimated 50,000 transmissions were built with the bad diodes. Ford is making every effort to recall each transmission back to Sharonville where upon they will be rebuilt. Reverting back to the 2000 design could force Ford to idle production at several plants for weeks. Sharonville is currently building the 2001 design.
Since the problem only occurs when the engine's RPM range is above 4,600 rpms, transmissions used with diesel engines are not going to be recalled since this is above their operating range.
BlueOvalNews has reported several problems with Ford's ability to design and engineer a durable transmission - but there have been NO instances where the quality of a transmission's assembly have been a major issue.
Have a comment about this article? Post it on the global message board or email Robert Lane.
Copyright permission to use this article in any form is not required. For more information, go here.
BlueOvalNews.com
------------------
2000 F-150 XLT, 4x2, 5.4L Supercab, LEV, Superchip, Styleside, Black with silver two-tone, 3.55 rear, class III towing package with heavy duty cooling package, Heavy duty shocks, 4 wheel disk ABS, overhead console, sliding rear window, keyless entry, dark graphite interior, in dash CD, factory leather wrapped steering wheel, FORD bedliner, FORD black tubular cab steps, K&N air filter, mar-hyde rubberized undercoating, Modine climate filtration system, Bugflector II, Mobil 1 oil and filter, Build date 7/00
[This message has been edited by Dustoff (edited 09-01-2000).]
Member
Joined: Aug 2000
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In a conversation with my boss today, owner of the 17th largest dealership in the US, he confirmed the above by saying anything with the 5.4 and auto tranny has been put on hold because of the tranny.
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97 Pacific Green Cobra
Ex 99 Cobra owner
2000 White Lightning
69 Dodge Coronet R/T
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97 Pacific Green Cobra
Ex 99 Cobra owner
2000 White Lightning
69 Dodge Coronet R/T
Senior Member
Joined: Mar 2000
Posts: 1,985
Likes: 1
From: Cincinnati, OH
THe problem is fixed, there are some trucks in the field that will need to be repaired, but the fix works. It's not such a big deal, just a little problem that was caught early enough that the damage wasn't catastrophic. Anything you buy now will be with the new part, all the bad ones are apparently (according to BON) comeing back for re-build.
Senior Member
Joined: Apr 2000
Posts: 268
Likes: 0
From: HB , CA
I am in the manufacturing business and this sure looks like a problem with new design testing. Doesn't Ford have some type of simulation program to test transmissions?
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Senior Member
Joined: Oct 1999
Posts: 378
Likes: 0
From: WAYNE,MI,USA
Hey guys,
I work at the Michigan truck plant. We build the Expeditions and Navigators. We have been strickly building 5.4l trucks for close to a month now. There is a 4.6l shortage. They are being directed to the other truck plants. So in turn when the 4r100's started failing on our roll test (4 wheel rollers to run trucks up to 70mph to set the computers) they realized we had a problem. Ford corporate shut down production for a week. The trans. have been fixed now and there is a recall. I was told 7000 made it to the customers since we build 6000 a week this number could be wrong since we started building the 2001's in the begining of August. They said all truck plants were down at this time. Some engineer in Ford powertrain sure did pull a big boner considering our plant alone does 6 million in profit a week not even including the other 4 plants he shut down too. doooh!
This is just what I know.
HIGH RISK
I work at the Michigan truck plant. We build the Expeditions and Navigators. We have been strickly building 5.4l trucks for close to a month now. There is a 4.6l shortage. They are being directed to the other truck plants. So in turn when the 4r100's started failing on our roll test (4 wheel rollers to run trucks up to 70mph to set the computers) they realized we had a problem. Ford corporate shut down production for a week. The trans. have been fixed now and there is a recall. I was told 7000 made it to the customers since we build 6000 a week this number could be wrong since we started building the 2001's in the begining of August. They said all truck plants were down at this time. Some engineer in Ford powertrain sure did pull a big boner considering our plant alone does 6 million in profit a week not even including the other 4 plants he shut down too. doooh!
This is just what I know.
HIGH RISK
Senior Member
Joined: Mar 2000
Posts: 1,985
Likes: 1
From: Cincinnati, OH
high Risk,
we've got to talk, bro, I have a lot of questions for you...
and I have an open offer to anyone who can get a plant t-shirt form the FERA shirt shops for trades, but I hear MTP doesn't have a shirt shop.
Anyhow, E-mail me if you don't mind
evans@choice.net
we've got to talk, bro, I have a lot of questions for you...
and I have an open offer to anyone who can get a plant t-shirt form the FERA shirt shops for trades, but I hear MTP doesn't have a shirt shop.
Anyhow, E-mail me if you don't mind
evans@choice.net