FORD NEEDS TO RECALL THESE VANS AND REPLACE THE TRANSMISSIONS. HOW ABOUT WE JUST SUE FORD IF THEY DON`T TAKE CARE OF THE PROBLEM? THERE COULD BE SERIOUS INJURIES IF IT WAS TO GO OUT ON THE HIGHWAY.
With such an under-powered engine, it's a wonder that enough torque could have been developed to cause a total failure in such a short service duration. It would surprise me if the rebuild which Ford is doing under the power-train warranty lasts longer than the original did - maybe the best option is to divest for something with a healthier track record.(With today's automotive standards, I expect a minimum of 100K miles before any major failures.)
I could feel the transmission slipping for a few days. Then one day I tried to drive it out of my parking garage and I couldn't get any gear to engage.
I purchased my Transit Connect brand new in November 2013 as a company vehicle for my business. In May 2014, after only 6 months and 8K miles the transmission started slipping I took it to the dealership where I had purchased it and it took the service center over 3 weeks to return my vehicle to me. I asked them for an extended warranty because it looks as if I have a lemon with still no reply after 15 days.
June 18, 2014 the engine light came on again and now my car had been in for 5 days. After reading other complaints it looks as if the transmission is a common problem. What shall I do now?
About two months prior to the trans severely slipping in drive, it began to downshift out of 4th gear very hard occasionally with a big clunk. Since it was under warranty I figured it might clear up with the adaptive learning software. It did not. Then, on my drive to work it felt like it was slipping and revving without much forward power, not that it has that much normally. On the way home from work it finally just kept slipping and finally the wrench-shaped light on the dash came on and the vehicle went into limp-home mode. Fortunately I was only about 5 miles from home.
It was in the Ford dealer a week because the transmission tech was on vacation, but he returned and completed the repairs within a few days. The forward drive clutch had burned up and several other internal parts were damaged. Also a control valve was replaced. After I got it back it felt brand new again (as it should for having 13000 miles on it) and shifted perfectly. You really need to abuse these vans just to drive them in normal traffic, unless you want to drive like a grandma. I do not baby it. Full throttle starts, full throttle downshifts, I really make it work to get the job done.
Today at 14000 miles about a month later on a 35 mph road, it suddenly acted like it was in neutral. It just revved all the way up to red line without any resistance. I put it in neutral and back to drive and it reengaged drive. A few minutes later it did the same thing and then the wrench light came on again and it went into limp-home mode again, so I switched it off and restarted it and it was fine for the remainder of the trip. I can't believe in only 1000 miles it would start having problems again, but unless the parts were defective or the new parts were redesigned I imagine the same thing with the forward clutch is going to happen again, eventually.
- Erik A.,
San Dimas, CA, US
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The failure was bad enough, but to date it has been 4 weeks and Ford STILL does not have the parts or an expected release date of the parts. Ford is now CONSIDERING replacing the complete transmission. This is a service vehicle and sold as such. How do you not have parts for it. I took a chance on this vehicle last year and was very skeptical of buying American made vehicle again. This dooms any future fleet purchase.
A D V E R T I S E M E N T S
FORD NEEDS TO RECALL THESE VANS AND REPLACE THE TRANSMISSIONS. HOW ABOUT WE JUST SUE FORD IF THEY DON`T TAKE CARE OF THE PROBLEM? THERE COULD BE SERIOUS INJURIES IF IT WAS TO GO OUT ON THE HIGHWAY.
- Karin B., St Thomas, ON, Canada