Contour Enthusiasts Group Archives Forums General Troubleshooting Ugly Transmission Quote --> Need advice

Just got off the phone with local Ford dealer after taking my 98 Contour SE 4cyl/Auto in. I was having some frustrations with the transmission starting in second instead of first occassionally. The "intermittent" nature has progressed into a "majority" situation - so most of my accelerations begin in second gear, then click into third and fourth. A good deal of the time, the shift into 3rd causes the "O/D OFF" light to blink and that continues until I shut the car off.

The shifts are smooth and the transmission has always been serviced on schedule. The transmission fluid was changed by the Ford dealer last weekend and nothing abnormal was reported (no metal, not burnt, etc). The car has 72,000 miles of mostly highway driving. I thought I might have a bad sensor that was causing the problem and had seen several posts regarding a "Transmission Range Sensor" that seemed similar to my problem.

The Ford dealership ran the codes and they said the transmission is basically "melted" and getting the "wrong gear ratios". They said that they "do not recommend repairing this model transmission" and quoted me a replacement cost of $2661.18 plus tax.

OK, fellas, let me hear from ya. What's my next move?

For the love of God don't go through Ford. I did and I had to shell out another 2600 a year and a half later to get the job done right. They will only put a rebuilt old model in the car in place of the one already there and if it was rebuilt it had problems to begin with. I recommend finding a Transmission shop in your area that has a 3yr/36K mile warrenty on their work. Ford will only warrenty the Transmission for 1yr/12K miles. I understand fully your problems my other two did the same thing when they went out.

I wouldn't go with Ford unless they offered a longer Warrenty and installed a NEW Transmission none of this "FQR" (Ford Quality Remanufactured) or other Remanufactering Companies crap.

Problems with the other two where Torque Convertor Lockup, Transmission overheating, defective valve body.

Run, do not walk, to ANYONE else that walks upright.

"Do not recommend repairing this model of transmission?" Because they don't know how.

"melted?" I won't even begin to explain what's wrong with this.

"Ran the codes?" Tell them to give you the exact codes. And then never go back again. Maybe only after you get the car fixed to complain to the general manager. Have them put the diagnosis in writing, to dig the hole deeper if they are snowing you.

Sounds to me like they are trying to baffle you with BS. The CD4E is certainly repairable unless you have some sort of catastrophic failure. Hey, maybe go to a Mazda dealership - they are familiar with that trans.

At your advice, I just got the codes for the transmission. (Backpeddling a little??) They said the codes "just show a wrong gear ratio in the first and second gears"

Codes: PO731 & PO732

Not to mention my own personal code: Simply PO'd.

On the replacement quote, they advised it is a new Ford tranny with a 2yr/24,000 warranty.

Ask the dealership if they performed "Pinpoint Test A" from the service manual (which is exactly what those codes tell them to do):

1998 Contour/Mystique Table of Contents
Group 3: Powertrain
Section 307-01: AUTOMATIC TRANSAXLE
DIAGNOSIS AND TESTING

Basically a series of charts that show different failure modes of the shift solenoid. Technician should plug in the scan tool and then cycle the gear selector through the gears and note what actual gear is obtained. When he matches it with a chart, it tells him exactly what is to be replaced and how it failed (Failed Open, Failed Closed, etc.). It gives EXPLICIT instruction of how to perform the test.

I'd like to see how they backpedal on that one. Even IF they are on the up and up, you definitely have to get someone else to look at the vehcle.

Cant you get a whole SVT motor and tranny for like $1500?!

Boy, wouldn't that be nice. I mean, I guess I'd have to get it installed, and that's probably not free. Right?

I'm going to pick up my car and try to take it to another local shop. But, in the words of my father, the only time you get a second opinion is when you didn't like the first one. How true.

dittos, I know this might not be related, but,
on my old car I had LOTS Of tranny problems, I ended up paying $2200 for, and if the first person did it right the first time, it wouldnt have costed me so much. DO your self a favor and find a TRUSTED Transmission shop! Ask around. DOnt for the cheapest one because they might not do the best job. If your in Arizona DONT GO TO THRIFTY TRANSMISSION they ripped me off BIG TIME!
In Minnesota, Kennedy Transmission, more expensive but I NEVER had a problem with that car since. and YES I did sell it so I could get my 2000 contour..

when my atx died in jan it cost about 2700 to be replaced (total bill 4100 but warranty co picked up almost 3300 of that)....

funny thing is my tranny failed after a flush too....i think i've seen something like this a couple times or more on this site

is there anything about flushing the atx that would cause a failure???