2K5 GT makes loud clattery noise in 5th...only when it's cold outside.
02-15-2008, 11:14 AM
#1
Thread Starter
Join Date: Feb 2008
Posts: 1
2K5 GT makes loud clattery noise in 5th...only when it's cold outside.
Firstly, hello everyone. My name is Jon and I'm new to the forums. I've had my 2005 Mustang GT since purchasing it in August of '05. Overall, I love it, but there's one nagging issue that the dealer hasn't had any success in repairing.
My car makes a loud, irregular clattery noise in fifth gear, in neutral or when the clutch is depressed while the car is in motion. There is no noise when it's stopped, and there is no noise in first through fourth gears. It is a manual transmission. This only happens when both the engine and the surrounding temperature is low (approximately 50 degrees F or less), so it's been very hard to have any mechanic diagnose the problem. When the conditions are just right, the noise is very loud and can be heard very easily...a sloppy noise that lessens and goes away as the temperature of the engine increases toward normal operating temperature. But the colder it is, and the colder the surrounding temperature is, the louder the sound is.
It's been a problem since I first got the car in August of 2005, though it's gotten worse as time's gone on. Since I live in Florida, it doesn't get very cold very often, so I only have so many chances to get the right conditions to hear it and attempt to trouble shoot.
I've had the car at two different dealerships now (for the third total time) and they still haven't had any success in figuring it out. Currently, it's sitting at the Ford dealer near my house, and I'm waiting for Monday to roll around when it's supposed to be cold again. I left it since the fuel gauge is also malfunctioning.
After riding with various mechanics from the different dealerships, they've insisted all sorts of things without actually diagnosing or repairing anything. They've said it's a loose exhaust bracket, heat shield, that I was "putting it into fifth at too low a speed" (this was at 50 mph, which is far from too slow) and that I should switch to a higher octane gas. To be clear, this is not a pinging sound, nor is it just a piece of metal tapping against the underside of the car. This is a loud, sloppy, irregular clattery noise. When it's really cold, it's very, very loud. It's loud enough to hear it in another car two lanes over with the windows up. Also, despite adjusting all of the things in question, the noise still exists, and only under the conditions I described.
To be fair to the mechanics at Ford, it is a freakish thing that can only be heard under certain conditions. But it is frustrating that they come to their conclusions so rapidly and without listening to what I'm telling them. I'd like them to keep an open mind just long enough to listen to me rather than nod and stare at the ground while I'm telling them what's wrong, after which they say something to the effect of "What octane you been runnin'?" or "Yep, that's common for Mustangs."
I apologize for the overly long explanation, but I'm truly at my wit's end. After this visit, I'll be applying for the Lemon Law (strike 3), but as my warranty runs out in about four months and they've not fixed it yet, I have very little hope that they'll be able to get to the bottom of the problem. If anyone has any ideas as to what this might be, I'd really appreciate it.
My car makes a loud, irregular clattery noise in fifth gear, in neutral or when the clutch is depressed while the car is in motion. There is no noise when it's stopped, and there is no noise in first through fourth gears. It is a manual transmission. This only happens when both the engine and the surrounding temperature is low (approximately 50 degrees F or less), so it's been very hard to have any mechanic diagnose the problem. When the conditions are just right, the noise is very loud and can be heard very easily...a sloppy noise that lessens and goes away as the temperature of the engine increases toward normal operating temperature. But the colder it is, and the colder the surrounding temperature is, the louder the sound is.
It's been a problem since I first got the car in August of 2005, though it's gotten worse as time's gone on. Since I live in Florida, it doesn't get very cold very often, so I only have so many chances to get the right conditions to hear it and attempt to trouble shoot.
I've had the car at two different dealerships now (for the third total time) and they still haven't had any success in figuring it out. Currently, it's sitting at the Ford dealer near my house, and I'm waiting for Monday to roll around when it's supposed to be cold again. I left it since the fuel gauge is also malfunctioning.
After riding with various mechanics from the different dealerships, they've insisted all sorts of things without actually diagnosing or repairing anything. They've said it's a loose exhaust bracket, heat shield, that I was "putting it into fifth at too low a speed" (this was at 50 mph, which is far from too slow) and that I should switch to a higher octane gas. To be clear, this is not a pinging sound, nor is it just a piece of metal tapping against the underside of the car. This is a loud, sloppy, irregular clattery noise. When it's really cold, it's very, very loud. It's loud enough to hear it in another car two lanes over with the windows up. Also, despite adjusting all of the things in question, the noise still exists, and only under the conditions I described.
To be fair to the mechanics at Ford, it is a freakish thing that can only be heard under certain conditions. But it is frustrating that they come to their conclusions so rapidly and without listening to what I'm telling them. I'd like them to keep an open mind just long enough to listen to me rather than nod and stare at the ground while I'm telling them what's wrong, after which they say something to the effect of "What octane you been runnin'?" or "Yep, that's common for Mustangs."
I apologize for the overly long explanation, but I'm truly at my wit's end. After this visit, I'll be applying for the Lemon Law (strike 3), but as my warranty runs out in about four months and they've not fixed it yet, I have very little hope that they'll be able to get to the bottom of the problem. If anyone has any ideas as to what this might be, I'd really appreciate it.
02-15-2008, 12:04 PM
#2
6th Gear Member
Join Date: May 2006
Location: Nicely done
Posts: 11,881
RE: 2K5 GT makes loud clattery noise in 5th...only when it's cold outside.
the way you describe this, to me, it
points to the transmission
i hope the dealership fixes this for you,
to your satisfaction
points to the transmission
i hope the dealership fixes this for you,
to your satisfaction
02-15-2008, 01:04 PM
#3
4th Gear Member
Join Date: Dec 2007
Location: TEXAS
Posts: 1,491
RE: 2K5 GT makes loud clattery noise in 5th...only when it's cold outside.
I would have to agree, it does sounds like something it up with the tranny... weird that it's only in those certain circumstances though. Personally, I think your last statement should be the way that you tackle the issue. Maybe go to a different Ford dealership and explain the situation the exact way you describe here:
To be fair to the mechanics at Ford, it is a freakish thing that can only be heard under certain conditions. But it is frustrating that they come to their conclusions so rapidly and without listening to what I'm telling them. I'd like them to keep an open mind just long enough to listen to me rather than nod and stare at the ground while I'm telling them what's wrong, after which they say something to the effect of "What octane you been runnin'?" or "Yep, that's common for Mustangs."
To be fair to the mechanics at Ford, it is a freakish thing that can only be heard under certain conditions. But it is frustrating that they come to their conclusions so rapidly and without listening to what I'm telling them. I'd like them to keep an open mind just long enough to listen to me rather than nod and stare at the ground while I'm telling them what's wrong, after which they say something to the effect of "What octane you been runnin'?" or "Yep, that's common for Mustangs."
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