Contour Enthusiasts Group Archives Forums General Troubleshooting SVT tranny situation

My shifting problems started summer 2000 when I took my car to Walnut Creek Ford to stop a very small shifter-area buzz at certain engine RPMs, a sound the car had from 'Day 1.' The repair took place at 35,000 miles, near the end of the warranty. I waited till then because my desire to have something repaired FREE overcame my apprehension about what problem might be introduced working with those little linkages under there.


The dealer was able to solve the small buzz, but I was unable to get into FIRST gear without some effort. I returned to the dealer and they were able to solve the FIRST gear shifting problem, however, after the second attempt, it was now somewhat difficult to get the car into REVERSE. I thought I'd learn the new REVERSE shifting method and REVERSE shifting would get easier. It didn't.

Current symptons:
1. REVERSE difficult to find.
2. FIRST very seldom but sometimes hard to locate.
3. Sometimes get THIRD instead of FIFTH while getting onto the freeway.
4. Noticed a subtle, and what seems like, a small lurch forward when starting engine with clutch depressed and car in FIRST gear. (rare and just in last few weeks)

Today the dealer says that the car needs a new clutch, and that all the symptoms described probably indicate that the clutch does not always fully disengage. If their diagnosis is correct, they said the transmission could be damaged by this 'clutch hang' as they call it. Price for repair - $1,499. (wonder if that includes tax?)

I always suspected that there was some shifting linkage alignment problem, since I never had a problem shifting until the day after the first buzz-repair last summer.

Any ideas out there? I notice that XCHANG had an idea that works, but I was unable to connect to the HOT-SPOT link for his posting.
Did XCHANG's posting have something to do with a 'shift shaft bolt, which was mentioned in one of the subsequent posts?

Thanks, John

Hey, folks! I work for Shawnee Mission Ford in Shawnee, KS and have a Silver '99 SVT Contour, 1FAFP68G3XK127002. I HAD the same prob getting 1st or reverse. After much consultation with Ford Engineers, they determined that a select group of '99s have a quality control issue with the clutch disc. It does not allow the clutch to fully disengage. Clutch replacement under the 3/36 warranty has cured mine for the last 3 months and should yours, too!

Interesting to see the clutch becoming the prime suspect in this first/reverse thing.

I have had my 99 SVT (#2725) back for a day-and-a-half now, since having the third transmission installed, this time accompanied by a new clutch. So far, the shifting into first and reverse has been completely problem-free...not even a hint of the previous difficulties.

I too had that funny little "shudder" from time-to-time when starting the car in gear, as if the clutch was "stuck" or something.

It seems a great shame it has taken Ford so long to figure this out. Far too many people have had this problem misdiagnosed by dealers who have insisted on fiddling with shift linkages and so on, or replacing trannies as if they were wiper blades, resulting in either no improvement or even making matters worse.

I think those of us who have dealers who have managed to solve this particular problem (the first/reverse thing) should make an effort to have our dealers contact the appropriate department at Ford and/or SVT so it can benefit others.

This could be especially important to those unfortunate enough to be out-of-warranty and facing the cost of a new clutch. We might succeed in getting Ford to issu a TSB on this, and that could save a few people quite a few dollars.

(Of course, my new clutch feels kind of funny, but that's another story!)

Craig, fyi today i talked to Bill in service dept. for the first time since my return from vacation. I said i found it curious that both you and i appear to have our tranny problems solved, but that the solutions differed, i.e., you got a 3rd replacement tranny and a clutch and, while i was told when i dropped the car off that there was a new tranny rev (implying it carried the solution to our problem and that they were going to install it in my car), in fact the work order only indicates the 'pressure plate and disc' were replaced.

Bill said first that "new pressure plate and disc" is the same as saying 'new clutch' (who knew?) and then he double checked and said neither you nor i got a new tranny this time around, and that the info about a new tranny rev was bogus. All that to say, i believe you and i only got new clutch (or clutch parts) and neither of us got a new tranny......

So long as the problem is solved!

Linas

Craig, Linas,

Can you give me the contact info for the guy you dealt with (Bill?)

Just in case I want to have my service guy call your service guy.

Thanks,

// Chris Root
// croot@inscriber.com
// '99 SVT - second tranny - still ain't as good as it should be

Chris, Craig and i deal mostly directly with the service shop foreman, Bill Moffat, at Campbell Ford on Carling Ave in Ottawa. The general phone number is 613.725.3611 (800.267.5322).

Day 4 for me and not a hint of the old problem, and i usually know how to flush it out!

Good luck!

Chris -

I also dealt quite a bit with the service manager at Campbell Ford, Zach Watson. He seems like a pretty good guy, too.


Linas-

Hmmm. My work order says they replaced the tranny as well as the clutch. Beats me, as you say, as long as it works...and so far, mine has been perfect. They did tell me they were replacing the clutch only on your car, and I thought that's all they were going to do with mine as well.

My car was there for only a day-and-a-half, and I'm not sure that's enough time to do a tranny and a clutch. (I also have some new scratches in my paint...Zach says they'll have the bodyshop fix those next time I'm in for - hopefully - routine maintenance.)

Unfortunately, my clutch has a funny little shudder to it when I take up drive in first and reverse...no sign of slippage anywhere else. Campbell's suggested I drive it for a week or so and see if it goes away. They say it could just be the friction material breaking in. (?) I can live with it, as long as it doesn't mean premature clutch wear over the long term.

Good luck to all of us.

Sorry,dealer BS !. IF they checked the flyweel for runout/burn marks,hot spots and fitted the clutch correctly you should have no judder.Only high perf clutches need to 'bed in' due to Kevlar type materials,a stock clutch should not judder.....ever!!!

Craig & Linas, and all others who have participated in the 1st/reverse lock out discussion:
I really appreciate the pioneering work you guys have done. I am just enteriing year three of driving my 99Contour SVT (Green/Tan, #2226 of 2760). I am a former SHO owner/enthusuast who made the switch to the SVT Contour after tiring of the heavier vehicle in city driving (but loved the SHO as a highway cruiser).
I have the 1st/reverse lockout problem and thought I was te only one until I found the ceg site. I have experienced the panic of backing out of an angle park, seeing the traffic coming up behind me, and can't get the car into first gear - or any other gear for that matter. Same thing for a full stop at a red light. My problem -like yours- is annoyingly intermittent, so the sevice guys think I don't know how to drive. One of them reminded me to 'make sure I was pushing the clutch pedal - that's the one on the left- all the way to the floor'.
Metro Ford - the selling dealer, a Calgary SVT dealer- has finally admitted that the 'boys at Ford are aware of the problem but don't have it diagnosed and so cannot offer any fix at this point' This is an interesting response compared to the 'replace the tranny' (or push clutch alll the way in).
I am collecting all the information I can - in particular what you guys are posting, and plan to take it in to the service manager in the next few months well prior to my warranty expiry.
So again, many thanks for the work you have done in posting your problems and progress, in particular to Craig and to Linas.
In every other way this car is outstanding and a sheer delight to drive. What an unfortunate wart on such a fantastic vehicle.
Tim

There are some astounding examples in the old forums you might want to print out. I've hardly talked to anyone who has the SVT Contour (or non-SVT Contours) that hasn't had some tranny issue (myself included).

Sam