I've got the below listed vehicle, 45k on it. Never had a load in it (don't use it for work), don't tow anything with it, it has only been on the beach (or any offroad for that matter) about 2 or 3 times. Yesterday on the way home, the tranny would go from 1st gear, to second gear normally, and then into what seemed like nuetral (motor would just rev, no power....). So I put the shifter into the 2nd gear location and it ran fine but of course ya can't go very fast (about 35 or 40 mph). Put it back into Drive and it would only go up to 2nd gear, if I went to fast (truck needed to shift), it would go into neutral (at least feel like it). Then the Overdrive light started to blink.

What's the deal? Is my tranny shot? Is there anything simple that could be wrong with it instead of needing to spend $2500 I don't have?

My Toyota 4x4 ran for ever with no problems (255k before I sold it). My Mazda ran forever, no problems. My wifes Audi's all run like fine machines, no problems... My last vehicle, a GMC Jimmy, blew the Tranny at 75k, then again at 110k, then the motor went at 120k!!! Finally sold it and the guy who bought it from me called me a few months later, it caught on fire and burned to the ground at a red light!!! Now I spend BIG money, $34k on Ford, and the tranny seems shot only 9k over the warranty at 45k.

We/they just can't make cars lik the foreign ones, what the F?

Thanks in advance for any help!!

 

It's a Ford get used to it. I had a E4OD blow at 65,000 on my 93F150 an AEOD blow at 70,000 on my 95 GT and my 2002 F150 just had the master/slave replaced on the M5OD at 24,000. I am kicking myself for not getting a Tacoma, I was a hair away from getting one prior to the F-150.

 

What makes you so sure the Tacoma would have been any better? Although with your string of bad luck with the Ford's I guess it couldn't have gotten any worse.

-Brian

 

Well, I don't care WHO makes my next truck, but I will tell you this. IT WILL come with at the VERY LEAST, a 100,000 mile BUMPER TO BUMPER MINIMUM warranty. If it doesn't have it, they can take a walk, cause my hard earned money will be going elsewhere.

I'm tired of the BS we have to take from the big auto companies knowingly making more money on service than they do selling the cars/trucks. It's the biggest SCAM on the planet, one which I WILL be going after them for.


That said, what's wrong with my tranny, any ideas?

 

How's the fluid level? Does it smell burnt? Is it brown? Have you changed the tranny fluid?

It could be as simple as a shift solenoid gone bad. But you'll have to have it taken to a transmission shop to find out. Have it brought there on a flatbed (not a tow truck) and tell them exactly what you told us. Have them diagnose it and see what it is and try to avoid a total rebuild if you can. Take it to a reputable transmission shop, not Aamco or any other chain store. A good tranny tech will tell you what went wrong and tell you how to prevent it from happening again.

Does your screw have the tow package? Do you know if you have a tranny cooler. You would be amazed at how hot these get in city traffic

 

Thanks for the reply.

Yes, I have the tow package. Not positive if I have a tranny cooler, but I think so. I remember having an extra small radiator behind or in front of? the regular radiator I think. Would that be the tranny cooler?

And yes, I did a full Tranny service(fluids...), at Ford about a year ago.

I didn't check the fluid level before bringing it down to Ford service so I can't tell you were it was when I had the problem. BUT, about 2 weeks ago I checked it (I had the motor oil changed and I always check all the fluids afterwards to make sure it was changed and enough added...), it was full and it looked fine on the stick if that helps, but since I wasn't having any problems I was only chekcing the level so really didn't look too closely.

Ford is telling me they have a code for "total slipage", whatever that means. They are recommending to replace it with a factory remanufactured tranny, for about $2,500. There telling me it could cost more in labor and parts to open it up and diagnose what's actually wrong with it.

So what should I do?

 

Based on a survey that consumer reports published this year on their web site, although American vehicles have improved drastically over the years, they are still twice as likely to break down as Asian cars. All cars can break down so there is a chance any car could have mechanical problems. It is just more likely that an American truck will break down. The extended warranty is a must I guess to have %100 certitude with any car. The pisser is that I love American cars, grew up driving them as did all my friends. Most of my friends have switched to Toyotas and Nissans since they have budgets and families and true to form most of them have had worry free experiences. It's hard to beat them when you are having your truck with 24,000 miles flat beddded in to the dealer for the third time in two months with major mechanical problems. I'm starting to get tired of keeping the faith while being the brunt of my buddies jokes.

 

Yea, that's how I feel. Like I said, I'm NOT buying another car/truck UNLESS it has full BUMPER to BUMPER coverage for a minumum of 100k miles. And I'm talking including mantenance, oil changes and brakes. That is what my Audi's warranties give us, and that is what my next truck will give me. Cause this is absolute BS. And I agree, anything can break down, but hte stats just aren't right. I'm now 6 for 6 with foreign cars, no major problems (simple standard things only, brakes, clutch..). And I'm 0 for 3 on American cars. Absolutely AMAZING.

What really makes me p_ssed off though, is the fact that Ford know this, and is making money on it, BILLION of dollars thye are knowingly ripping us off. It would be so easy for them to make a tranny that worked, and ran for 200k with NO PROBLEM. Yet they don't, cause they make too much money re-selling the "re-built" ones.

 

Yea even worse if your familiar with the design and function you can see exactly witch parts are flawed. Like the hydro assembly on the M5OD. I have complained to Ford Customer Service exec's but even they said they just document the concern and only if there is a claim issue can they possibly help you out. They prey on brand loyalty and patriotism to US manufacturers to keep customers. I had two Nissan trucks prior to my Ford, both pathetically boring I have to admit, but rock solid. Even at 100,000 they still felt tight. As a testament to their 5sp'ds I accidentlialy downshifted from 5th to 1st on the highway once going about 65 and the tranny was fine.

 

Tell them you want some help on the cost. The tranny shouldn't go out with that few of miles. They have helped me in the past even after the warranty was up.

 

Who is "them"? If you mean the dealer, they were almost laughing at me when I told them I thought it was crazy to need a Tranny at 45k, especially the way I use the truck, lightly.

 

Try Blane Young at Ford Executive Offices he can sometimes help with after warranty issues: 313-322-3000 x00 ask operator to be connected.

 

Just 'cause yours blowed up doesn't mean that there aren't several others out there still working. I've got an E4OD that's going on 150,000 miles in a truck that's regularly used for pulling and hauling. This ain't no creampuff here. And I've seen them break with a few hundred miles on them. Don't damn the system just 'cause yours broke, man, it's a mechanical device (and a fairly complex one at that), sometimes, stuff happens.

Good luck, because unless you buy an extended warranty, I don't think you'll find a pickup sold here that'll offer anything over 4/50 bumper to bumper, and even with extended warranties, you'll be open to loop holes and deductibles. I can understand you being pissed, but be realistic. The closest you'd come to that in a truck would be buying a Blackwood a couple years ago, 4/50 bumper to bumper, complimentary maintenance for 3/36.

Now, onto your transmission, ask for after warranty assistance. Don't shoot the messanger at your dealer, consider trying to treat them like decent people. AWA's are largely dependent on your service regimen...people who get their vehicles serviced at a specific dealer regularly are much more likely to get AWA, as a "loyal customer." Or be prepared to provide accurate service records if you've been getting your maintenance done elsewhere. Storming in gnawing on any and everyone's *** isn't going to win any popularity contests. No one at dealerships like customers who come in screaming bloody murder because Murphy ruined their day.

 

Quintin,
I understand your points, but your preaching to the quior. Especially on the point "stuff breaks". Beleive me, I'm in IT (computers) and you want to talk about "Stuff breaking", hell, half the software I install is broken before I even install it for heavens sake. BUT, in that case, they ussually don't KNOW it. In otherwords, it's so complicated they can never check everything in the software and sooner or later somebody will install it differently and it won't work right out of the box.

The difference here is, Ford KNOWS about the issues prior to selling them. And don't tell me they don't!! They DO, and like I said, they are making billions becuase of it, why would they change/fix it? THAT, is what I'm pissed about. Not my particular truck breakign down, not that complicated mechanical things (or anything) breaks, but that they are knowingly selling them to break down, so they can take more of our money for corporate profits. What they don't realize is, if they made there cars and trucks more reliable like the foreign manufacturers do, they would simply SELL more cars and make more money and probeably put most of the competition (foreign manu's) out of bidness. And believe me, they could do it, but they don't want to.

Again, we are not talking about one of my trucks breaking down, re-read my first post. This is now a SEREIS of US built cars and trucks with serious problems at low milages, while I've never had any problems with foreign ones. I'm NOT talking hearsay, I'm not talking one problem, I'm not talking skewed stats.... I'm talking straight forward REAL LIFE FACTS. And THAT my friend, pisses me off.


As for point #2, I'm probably the nicest guy around when it comes to dealing with servcie (or anyone else). I have NOT yelled, raised my voice, or even complained to anyone at the dealership, in service, in sales or anywhere else. I simply said to them at the counter when they told me my tranny was shot, "That is odd for the tranny to go at 45k they way I use the truck, don't ya think?". I again, 3 or 4 guys behind the counter chuckled at me. Why? I'd bet a million dollars because they know the thing has issues and it doesn't matter how I use it, or treat it. I understand that the guys behind the counter or even the mechanics have NOTHING to do with any of this, and I would never yell or get mad at them unless they were screwing me. And yes, that did happen to me once at GMC. I brought my Jimmy in for Oil change and when I got home, I noticed the filter was the OLD one. I then checked the oil and it was old as well, the oil had NOT been changed. Now that time, they herd me coming from 1/2 mile away, and rightfully so. That was about 6 years ago. I recieved free maintenace service from them for the rest of the life of that truck.


Anyway, thanks for the #'s and contacts, I'll call them. Bet ya a million they laugh also.

 

Oh quint,
One more thing. Regarding the warranty. BOTH Toyota AND Nissan now offer 100,000k (NO YEARS) bumber to bumber warranty's on their new 4x4's.

If the US comps don't do the same soon, they will QUICKLY start to loose bidness as they did in the 80's and early 90's.