Contour Enthusiasts Group Archives Forums General Troubleshooting SVT 1st/Reverse Problem

Thanks for all your responses. After speaking with Ford customer service, I have little faith that Ford will do anything for me, however I will follow up. You know, it's really wierd that Ford wouldn't be tripping over itself to fix this. Did they make THAT much money off this one sale?? I am just getting ready to buy a new vehicle (another child on the way) and there are a couple Ford products that, at first blush, I might consider. Instead, I'm going out of my way to rip on Ford. It's a complete reversal from what could have been and I don't see where Ford is coming out ahead. I take my role as a consumer *extremely* seriously. Maybe others don't and that's why Ford gets away with it??? I guess and can just keep doing my part.

Matt-

For what it's worth, after replacing my tranny the second time, my dealer told me, in not so many words, that this was about all Ford could do for me.

When that tranny started doing the same thing (we have exactly the same problem), I sent the dealer an e-mail outlining the problem, and suggesting they advise Ford that the customer considers this not just a driveability problem, but a safety issue: If I'm at a stop light on a snowy day, and see some guy racing up behind me, and I can't move my car...well, there's a problem.

I also said they should tell Ford the customer is willing to pursue this matter through both legal channels and in the media.

The very next day, they call to tell me "surprise...Ford has a new version of the tranny for your car!"

FWIW.

Why mtx on SVTs always have to be repaced? I know mtx is very notchy when cold(strangely hard shifting problem on my car went away after 20k miles) but not to the point need repacement.

"95 se 16"Bobert,WP still working.

greenbean-

I'm more than willing to put up with the "cold-shift" problem, (i.e., really stiff going from first to second and so on on cold days) that seems to be common to almost every Contour with the MTX.

However, there are a few of us SVT owners...maybe more than a few...who have this really annoying problem of a car that just will not go into either first or reverse from a stop, at least not without a lot of wrestling and forcing with the shift lever.

I have no idea what causes this, and it seems Ford doesn't have much of a clue either, so they just keep replacing transmissions.

Hey just to shed a little light on the situation: I have a 98 svt that had the same problem with 1st/reverse... told the dealer, they replaced the tranny... and... it didnt fix the prob of course. Heres where it gets interesting though: they then replaced THE CLUTCH and I've had no problems since. I can only guess why... but perhaps this will help.

let us know...

If you get your hands on a secondhand tranny(MTX),I will rebuild it for you and mod it to go into the gears at any temp,before you ask ,no I wont tell you what I do but it works.Regards Terry Haines,Haines Motor Sports Inc.

Sam-

I mentioned your experience to the dealer here today, and he says, "good enough...we'll replace the tranny and the clutch this time".

The only problem, he says, is that if this does fix it, he won't know whether it was the new tranny or the new clutch that solved the problem.

My SVT had its tranny replaced at 9,000 miles, about 3 months ago. That was after the clutch, pressure plate, and flywheel were replaced by the dealership at 3,000 miles (right before I bought the car). Good luck! I occasionally have problems getting into first, and shifting into 5th. Reverse is fine, and the tranny is much better than the original one.

You dont need to be a brain surgeon to establish if the clutch is bad on a teardown! The tech seems to need a lesson in diagnostics for clutch Vs trans Vs combined fault!....loosers!

My SVT has the EXACT same problem of once you roll to a stop it sometimes wont go into first or reverse. First dealer couldnt reproduce the problem, second dealer said it needed a new clutch and throwout bearing. The clutch wasnt covered under my extened warranty anyway, and I have heard of people getting new clutches and entire new trannys for that matter and did not solve the problem, so I took the car back and didnt let them touch it. I have bought the Mobil 1 and friction modifier to make the "cocktail" but have yet to put it in. To me its more of an annoyance than anything else, but it's definitely something I should not have to put up with if I dont want to. You would think that with all of us SVT owner spread all across the county some dealer somewhere would have a clue...guess not. For now I just put the car in first gear at about 2-3mph when the car is still rolling up to the stop, and as soon as I park I put the car in reverse and set the park brake so I dont have to fight it into reverse when i get in the next time. Maybe not the best strategy but what do I have to loose.