For those of you who haven't followed my clutch/tranny issue:

At delivery: Smooth progressive clutch engagement, fantastic shift quality.

500 miles: Impossible to launch from 1st smoothly without bucking, shifts from 1-2 and 2-3 very "clunky" (warmed up or cold) with grinding at times.

1400 miles: Took in to dealer... they replaced the flywheel and entire clutch assembly. Clutch engagement much better but no improvement in shift quality. Informed dealer and they say tranny may need to be replaced if the problem is the synchros.

1900 miles: Impossible to launch from 1st smoothly again. Making appt.

I've driven manual transmissions exclusively for 25 years. I can assure you the problem isn't user error. Sounds like I have 2 problems... first is the transmission. Question is, what is causing the clutch issue? Any ideas? Has anyone run into this and had the problem solved? (would love to present solutions to my dealer when I make the appointment).

Thanks so much!

 

sounds like there is going to be multiple trips to the dealership and lots of frustration in your future. hopefully on one of these trips they will fix the problem.

 

What's the deal with this dang tranny?? Ford has been using the MT82 since 2004 in their Transit panel vans in Europe and Asia. I have a feeling the 5.0 is destroying them.

 

If you have the new 5.0 be aware that clutch problems are
being reported all over the place.

So just know that you are not alone even though it is frustrating.
Just stay on the dealerships *** until they get the job done right.

 

As for why your problems are returning, it has to be the original problem of the bolts backing out again and the clutch doing the same crap all over again.
I don't know why it would do it again since the techs replaced the clutch an all.

I have a thought, but I don't know if it is the right guess. But it might be that the flywheel sucks (a made-in-China POS) therefore the quality of metal that the Chinese subcontractor used could be so bad that the bolts that hold the clutch to it prematurely wear the threads on the bolt holes thus causing the clutch bolts to work loose.

 

I've driven sticks all my life in all types of cars including Camaro's, Vettes and Acura's, both domestic and imports. 2'nd gear is ALWAYS a POS. Why? I have no clue. In all of my cars, including my new Mustang, shifting into second takes a Herculean effort and even on great shifts, there is a clunk into second gear, whether the car is cold or warmed up.

Be that as it may, I'm not at all keen on the Chinese POS tranny Ford put into this car. They say it is a German engineered transmission, but like people have said in prior posts, Chinese manufacturing can not be trusted. They are masters at cheating on the specs. As soon as my car is out of warranty, this tranny is going to the junkyard.

 

My bolts didn't back out though. They called the Hotline with the symptoms and Ford told them to replace the clutch/flywheel.

 

Ford must think that we are unaware of these kinds of things.

 

Just keep at it and document all your visits and times without a car. Read up on your state's lemon laws, because at some point, you might qualify for them.

 

+1, because this is the same problem or a result of th same problem.

Most of us are lucky not to have any problems with our cars, but seeing one car with a significant problem, even if it is one in a million, hits home to me. I can only take note of the problem symptoms you all have and watch my own car like a hawk.