Contour Enthusiasts Group Archives Forums General Troubleshooting SVT tranny situation

I took my 99 SVT with about 13,000 miles on it to the dealer yesterday to complain about the frequent problem getting the shift lever into first and reverse.

The advisor tells me they recently replaced an SVT tranny with the same problem. In my case, they are contacting Ford engineering for guidance and/or a decision.
I lodged the same complaint about six months ago, and the dealer replaced the tranny fluid with the new "honey-coloured" liquid, to no avail.

I'll keep you all posted on the outcome.


------------------
Craig
99SVT black/tan
2725 of 2760

Yeah, I'd like to know how it turns out because mine is starting to act up again now that its getting warmer out...When I took it to the dealership they blamed it on my clutch which is a bunch of b.s.

Ditto mine, which has started to do the first/reverse thing again after 3 or 4 months without symptoms. I hate to think tranny replacement is the only cure.

http://www.speedmagazine.com/stories/entries/25651.shtml

Do you guys believe his story?

I think that story is a bunch of bull****! Not only that I read some of the post and most of the people were trash talking our cars

Wonj you should post that sight as a topic so some of the guys can go check this bull**** story out.

Later

don't count on the tranny replacement as being the cure. mine actually got worse after they put a new box in mine. i wish you better luck than i had

Mine also got worse when it was replaced. I wish I had left it alone.

Ok guys, this is from a guys who has been through 2 tranny and Ford has ate the bill for both...
Drive the **** out of it and GRIND them to find them!!!!!!! Then ya get a new tranny.
Best way I know how

Well, the dealer called today to say my new tranny has arrived. I've made an appointment to have it installed next week. I hope I don't end up with something worse.

I'll post the results.

yeah dont use the clutch...just punch it into gears...t-5's dont like it..maybe mtx-75's do :-p

Just an update-

The dealer installed the new tranny in my SVT yesterday, but called to say it was not "performing properly" on a test drive. They will tinker with it today.

So....got the car back this afternoon with the new MTX-75 installed.

Shifting is somewhat "notchier" than it was before, and I find I have to be very careful to make sure I push the lever all the way into third, lest I release the clutch and over-rev the engine.

After stopping for a coffee, I had a lot of trouble getting it into reverse to get out of my parking spot.

Those who warned this would be a waste of time....you were right. This is worse than the original. What a waste of time.

This was exactly my experience too. I think its worse than before.

// Chris Root
// '99 SVT

I haven't gotton a new tranny yet but I think I might need to do something with the one I have. I have hard time getting it into any gear sometimes, mostly at a standstill, once moving it seems to be OK but still a little notchy...Any body know of a upgrade kit for the tranny and maybe I just might pay to have someone upgrade it to make it stronger and smoother too. Possibly any company already makes an upgraded MTX-75 with an upgraded clutch and maybe even a Quaife, that would be nice...

i found out that with my car, when im haveing problems getting it into gear, i pump the clutch and try again......so far this has worked for me

I had the same problems you guys had when mine was replaced about 2 months ago. It almost made me sick when I drove my car. My service manager told me to put about 500 miles on it and if it wasn't any better, bring it back. It seemed to get worse than get any better. I took it back and they tinkered with it for 2 days. Whatever they did, it worked. It even seems like it's getting smoother the more miles I put on it.

the story continues....

The dealer came and got my car today (I don't believe it!), to see what they can do with the transmission.

The Service Advisor says they've replaced a dozen or so Contique MTX trannys with the same problem in the past six months. They've been on the phone with Ford engineers in Detroit to see what they can figure out. According to the SA, the new tranny they installed last week is supposed to be the "best and most advanced version of the MTX-75 yet".

The SA picked up the car himself, and even he says the shifting is terrible...he coudln't get it into reverse to back out of my driveway.

In the meantime, the car has developed something new...a kind of creaking or snapping as it takes up drive in first gear. Sounds like something tightening in the drivetrain. The SA noticed the noise too...he says it could be the exhaust was not re-installed just right after the tranny swap, and is flexing a bit on take off.

I have to say, the dealer has been great. They even offered to deliver a free loaner to my house for the duration. (That could be because I complained about all the grease on the inside of my doors after the initial visit last week)

Stay tuned! (if you're even with me this far)

My dealer was great too, but I came to the conclusion that it was beyond their ability to fix it. I wish Ford would address this once and for all. For now I am living with it.

// Chris Root
// '99 SVT

You lucky b*stard. There is no way I could've gotten an SA to come pick up my car. It took a month and a half and constant baby-sitting to get my tranny replaced under warranty last August.

I had the same cold shifting problem, not being able to get into any gear. I must've gotten one of the good replacement trannies cause my problem was solved. Not sure if that was totally due to the tranny though, cause they replaced the throwout bearing and clutch plate assembly. There was some notchiness, which I was warned about, but that is gone now and was most likely due to the fact that everything was new.

At least we're lucky they're still using the mtx75 in the focus or we might be s.o.l. on new or replacement parts.

Good luck on yours, I know what you're going through.

By the way NO ONE should go for that "its your clutch" bullshiot. Call the transmission hotline if the dealer tries to jerk you around.

Since moving down to Houston , I have started having problems with shifting into first and reverse after the car is parked for a short while and the engine /transmission gets heat soaked. The problem is intermitent as well to make things more puzzling.

On the new tranny replacement problems, one of the guys in Canada had a theory that the transaxle alignment had a lot to do with the shifting problems. Those with problems after a new transmission should check with your service advisors to see if an alignment was done. It requires a special Ford tool to do properly.

I'll try the clutch pumping to see if that helps my situation.

so is there any way to "cool" a manual trany? The Taurus guys at TCCA (www.tauruscarclub.com) swear on using 24,000 GVW tranny coolers to extend the life of the auto tranny....

dunno, these engines DO get damn hot!

Hard to know what's going on...they still have my car. Three full days now.

The SA says they can see the problem....the linkages just don't line up the way they should...they just can't figure out how to fix it. They are still in discussions with the mystical powers at Ford engineering.

Tomorrow, I hope to be able to file a first-hand report, i.e., I should have my car back.

That sounds like a transaxle alignment problem to me. Linkages should be in the correct position if the Transmission is correctly mounted to the engine and transaxle.

Brad from the Toronto area has done some thinking on this issue. He uses CEG forums as well, though I can't remember his user ID.

It would be great if we could just adapt the new 6 speed Getrag from the Focus SVT to fit the CSVT!!!! I love the CSVT and my tranny is working fine but if Ford ever offered that swap I'd take it in a heartbeat.

same here... but with an LSD

Got the car back....dealer says they'll call when they get some tranny advice from Ford. I mentioned the CEG list, and rumours that "some guy in the Toronto area" had had his tranny fixed. They said if I could track him down, and find out what dealer he used for the service, they'd call that dealer and see what the fix might be.

This is getting pretty weird.

Craig
Ask to have the tranny looked at by B&N Transmission on Gladstone Ave.
I don't think Campbell Ford is quite up to the job.

Steener: Saw your car and a few others in the lot when i dropped mine 99 silver SVT off at Campbells several times last week. i have been in & out of service with identical tranny problem. They installed the replacement tranny several months ago and have been tweaking to no avail ever since. Bill and Steve, Service Manager and Cobra specialist (?) have told me of their other successes/failures dealing with the SVT tranny problem, even to the point of mentioning having fetched your car at home. Could write a book on the bad stuff at this dealer (damage to valances, claiming to do work they didn't) but won't complain to Ford or BBB until i get the tranny fixed right. If you hear of a solution, i'm very keen to pursue.

Regards,

2711

Hiya linas-welcome to the group!

I guess yours must be the "other SVT" Steve at Campbells mentioned this morning when we talked on the 'phone. (I saw it there last Friday)

I'm really starting to get frustrated with this dealership: First visit, car returns with one of the sideskirts half off the car, grease all over the inside of the front door panels, and both right side tires looking like they'd been rubbed against a curb.

Next visit, they fix the sideskirts, but add some transmission fluid all over the console to go with the grease on the doors, and disable the cigarette lighter for good measure.

Like you, my new tranny is as bad, if not worse than the original. Since the tranny replacement, the car has also developed this weird kind of creaking and snapping in the front end when I start off in first...like something in the drivetrain has way too much "play" in it.

This Steve guys says they're still trying to get some info from Ford engineers in Dearborn.

Good luck to both of us.

Thanks for the welcome Craig.

i too am waiting for Bill/Steve to come back to me with info they hope to glean from 'head-office' engineers. i was inspecting the valances (aka side-skirts?) yesterday, which they re-installed after repairing damage, and at that time noticed my tire side-walls looking like someone (not me!!) had driven too close to a curb. Given all the other 'issues' i hadn't let that one really register - curious how you have a similar observation. We might compare notes sometime; i have a longish list of dealer issues.... BTW, i'm not *that* fussy; i'm pretty reasonable as long as i get a straight story!

See you around....

So....a call from the dealer this morning. They have finally made contact with Ford engineers in Dearborn regarding the problems with my new transmission.

Ford is shipping out another new transmission today, to be installed next week.

According to Ford, the problems I have experienced with the original and the replacement transmission can be repaired only by replacing the transmission again.

Stay tuned.

So. I go in next week for transmission transplant #2.

Yippee.

What is with the deranged sideskirts on both your cars? You'd think a dealer would know how to put their own f'ing product up on a lift without bending up the underwear. That and the dirtied up interior just adds aggravation to the transmission issue. I feel bad for you guys!

So....I have had new transmission number 2 in the car for about 24 hours now. Out of several dozen stops and starts driving around the city, I have had one incident of the shifter not wanting to go into first, and even that instance was what I would call "mild".

This one is far smoother all through the gears than the either the original tranny or the first replacement.

The bizarre squeaking noise that appeared in the front end after the first tranny replacement is gone as well.

I still have my doubts the tranny itself is/was ever the problem. I think this time the dealer has inadvertently fixed whatever was wrong.

As for the damage (bent sideskirts, greasy door panels, tranny fluid all over the console) in previous visits: I picked the car up yesterday to find it absolutely sparkling, spotless clean...inside and out. They'd even washed the dirty coffee mug I'd left on the floor in the back seat.

I'm going to give this tranny a few more miles before I pass final judgement.

I have had to turn the car off to put it in reverse the easiest...unless I roll because of a hill!

I just had my tranny replaced at 36k miles. Second gear had always been a problem, but after last winter it was really bad, and a couple times I couldn't get into any gear.

The new tranny does not seem to have fixed anything. All the gears are still notchy and hard to use sometimes, other times they are pretty smooth. What's up with that?

Ok my SVT is doing the same thing... Has about 35 k mile son it... had the clutch flywheel and bearing replaced a month ago... in 1st and reverse it "knocks" when i start and when i slow down, all right around 1500 rpms. I had my car in the shop at bill brown in livonia last time for the clutch for almost a week and a half BEFORE THEY EVEN LOOKED AT IT! I am gonna be without my car for awhile, i can tell.

Okay, now that I have a few hundred kilometres on the new (third) transmission, I can say this one does exactly the same thing: Won't go into first or reverse at a stop. I am thinking that maybe the tranny is not the problem? I mean, what are the odds I would get three bad transmissions in a row?

My dealer here in Ottawa has put out a call for help to the other Ford dealers in this area (about a half-dozen of them) to see if any of them have come across this problem, and if they've been able to fix it.

I'm telling the dealer I consider this a safety problem, and I plan to tell Ford the same thing: If I'm sitting at a stop light on a snowy day, and some jackass comes racing up behind me, I'd like to be able to move my car without wasting five seconds trying to find first gear.

Check my post.

Tranny problem solved

xchang
You're right, I dropped mine off at the dealer today and by 5pm they called and told me this was the problem and fixed it. I go in tomorrow to see how much better it is.

Drive To Milford and go to Hines Park. They have a top notch trans guy there. Last winter I had a big problem. I shifter hard and my gearbox was gone. I could move the shifter 360!!! Crazy. I broke a shifter assembly peice. Before I broke it 3rd gear ground and the trans didnt shift to good. Now about 8k after the new shifter assembly it shifts great. I now have 44k on the car and the trans feels nice (knock on wood. Go check them out. They are very nice. Ask for Mark and let him know that Joe sent ya. He helped me out a lot and was very nice.
Joe

wow ive been through all this myself. im on my 3RD Trans problem now. ive had the shifter going in circles but not into any gear.. "got a new trans for that." I put that in quotes because i dont believe they put a new one in. That was the second problem. First one was the number 3 and 4 sync rolls went bad, had a rebuild on that. Now its back home at the delearship for service number 3. Waiting to hear this now.. i loive my car but the service people are jerks, and this trans problems is really getting old

Hello all,

I had similar shifting problems also. My tranny would grind when going into 4th and it was difficult to go into certain gears. My problem was my mounts, They kept breaking...even with the front mount insert which i think is garbadge. To solve this problem i stuffed the openings of the mounts with hard rubber and then i used something called "Window Weld", it is a very strong Polyurathane that comes in a tube. I used this to fill the remaing spaces in the mount. I also used the window weld for the side mounts and rear mount, works excellent just as strong as a solid mount but no vibration. Now my tranny or motor does not move on hard launches. Window Weld in my area cost about $12 at my local auto parts store.

Steve (xchang)-

Thanks for the tip re: the shift shaft bolt...I'll pass that on to the dealer. They've adjusted the shift cables numerous times, and, I would assume, the fork as well.

I'm starting to wonder if there's a clutch problem at work here....although that would not explain the occasions when I get it into what feels like first or reverse, but get grinding when I release the clutch.

Anyway, the quest continues!

It'll shift a WHOLE lot better. A bit notchy at first, but like I said, better then grinding. Good advise... VOTE! Hehe... I've gone in twice, once for the synchros and gears getting replaced... and then this bolt. Everything feels like it did when I got it.

Welcome to the twilight zone....

I had a call from my Ford dealer today to let me know the good people at Ford HQ have revised the MTX-75 yet again, and this revision, supposedly, is intended to address exactly the problem I and another SVT owner in Ottawa have been having (won't go into 1st or reverse from a stop).

I mentioned the shift shaft bolt, and the service guy said he wasn't sure about that. He says on jobs like this, the local techs are forbidden from opening the tranny (!!), so they have no way of knowing whether the shaft bolt is the problem.

So...soon, I shall have transmission number 3 (not counting the original)

Someday, I shall look back on all this b-s and smile, but for the moment, it's getting to be a real pain in the bum. (pardon my explicit language; I'm very upset)

The Shift Shaft bolt isn't in the tanny case. It on the Shift Selector. Its not a bolt in the input or output shafts. Kinda weird they said they are not authorized to open a tranny. They didn't open it on this last visit and got fixed. Strange... but good luck with the new tranny..

Thanks...I'll bring allthis stuff to the dealer's attention when I go in for the next transmission. Maybe it'll save everybody a lot of grief.

The funniest thing about this is that the "lockout" happens only when the car has been brought to a full stop, at a traffic light, for instance. If I'm approaching a really slow corner (or doing a roll-through at a stop sign!), and shift down from second to first while in motion, it has never failed to slip into first as smoothly as can be. Go figure.

A fellow SVT owner here in Ottawa with exactly the same problem, (and exactly the same number of transmissions), has talked to an SVT tech at a dealer in Toronto who says his first suspicions would be the clutch release plate or the slave cylinder.

oh well.

Car goes in Monday for what will be its fourth (counting the original) transmission.

Craig,
Ship me a second hand trans and I'll build you one that shifts like 'silk' in all weathers...and stays that way !
Regards Terry Haines,Haines Motor Sports Inc

How much terry?

Terry-

If I

a) thought the dealer would let me have one of the old trannies, and

b) had the dough

I'd take you up on this in a minute!

If you ship me the trans its $350 + parts & return shipping.(parts depening on what is worn etc,fit and LSD etc)

Hi there Craig. Re: your 4th tranny. Me too, me too!

Just getting caught up reading all the postings in the 2 threads re: 1st/reverse problem. Flying out on vacation next week so have been asking Bill/Campbell's what they could try next since i won't need a car while away and can thus avoid loaner insurance charges and being seen in a gold Focus! He's chasing up the new tranny rev; although i tried to expand his perspective into considering other potential fault sources.

Across the 2 threads i note/confirm that my problem is *not* only at cold start. In winter, a whole new set of undesirable tranny behaviour opens up, at least until the car is at operating temperature.

At least every other day, if not daily, after driving the car long enough for it to be at full op. temperature, i've had to park in a tight spot (i'm living downtown and resort to street parking frequently) that required to'ing and fro'ing with each 1st/reverse attempt being locked out, or some similar situation where i was clearly stuck in the neutral gate. Stopping the engine, moving the stick, and restarting the engine always works (and thus our 'rule' about parking in reverse if we must back out upon start-up). To the casual observer it must look like i don't know how to shift nor how to avoid stalling the car!!

i suppose it is comforting to see other souls with same/similar problem which suggests a persistent design (or tolerance or maybe assembly)fault rather than my SVT having a singular bad part.

Good luck, will catch up on private email channel shortly.

Linas

Hey guys i don't have quite the same problem as you but mine deals with the shift from 1st to 2nd. When I race I notice that I have to throw the shifter back hard to engage in 2nd. Has anyone experienced this problem?

well contrary to what a lot of people believe, do not try to ruin your tranny in order to get a new one. unless u personally know the person that will be fixing the tranny, don't do it. i have a friend with a t-bird with a new tranny and it sucks. shifts harder than anyone could ever believe. just my 2 cents. good luck.

Okay, here's the latest:

Got my car back from dealer yesterday, with new tranny (this is the third replacement) AND a new clutch.

I have not driven very far yet, but so far, there is not even a hint of the old first-reverse lockout problem.

The clutch however, has a slight "judder" when taking up drive in first and reverse. I'm wondering if they slopped a bit of oil or something in it during installation. Does not seem to be any slippage in any other gear.

If it is oil contamination, is that likely to burn off over time, or should it be opened up and cleaned out?

Now, I have suspected the clutch from the beginning, and the dealer now seems to agree that the clutch was malfunctioning on an intermittent basis. For example, sometimes, when I started the car in gear instead of in neutral, there'd be a strange little shudder in the front end, and the car would pull forward ever-so-slightly...as if the clutch was sticking for an instant.

As for the tranny, I'm giving it a few more days before I declare an "all clear."

Steener...

Man, I am scared as heck now. My 99 SVT goes in on Friday to have the tranny replaced because of the 1st/reverse problem. This the first tranny.

What are the chances of this fixing the problem? Not good I see.

Did they replace the pressure plate when they replaced the clutch? I suspect that it is the clutch or pressure plate myself, but the dealer wants to replace the tranny...

Any info you can give me would be great.

Patrick

My synchros went out (83K) and I couldnt use 3rd without grinding. After a month in the shop the tranny was replaced. It is VERY notchy now, which I dont like, and I am starting to get the same thing in 3rd. Not bad, just a little bit. I think my clutch blows...but we will see..

Hi there Craig. Just back from vacation; while i was away the dealer had my car for a week to try new/further measures to fix the tranny problem. Bill didn't say he was for sure going to put the 4th tranny in. The workorder says he replaced the pressure release plate and disc, but says nothing about the tranny. Since someone fetched the car for me; i've not yet seen/spoken to Bill since my return and thus didn't get any feedback from him after the repairs.

i've only driven it yesterday and today but so far all is well; like you i'm reserving judgement! Part of the problem is i now "automatically" park in reverse, so i've got to break this habit to try and give the tranny occassion to lock-up in neutral. Somehow, though, i'm more hopeful this time around!

Linas

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

1999 csvt, second owner, 53,000
Hey guys i just wanted to add my two cents, i have not really had to much difficulty with first and second but sometimes i just cant find the shift point. I stress sometimes because its not a normal occurrence and i often forget about.

My main gripe and concern is the grinding i experience when trying to shift into 2nd gear. There is no popping out of gear its just that if i dont fit it in just right then i get a grinding noise. When i concentrate on my shifting i pusht he shift back and to the right and i have no problem. This is why i cant seeing it being the tranny because then wouldnt there be extreme difficulty getting it into gear?

I am by no means even close to being an expert on what i am saying i am just trying to use this rationale because when i brought he car to the dealer, which is still covered under warranty, and they told me it would cost an hour fee to check the car and that it was probably going to be the tranny. They told me that they didnt do any tranny fixes onsight and that they would have to take it out of my car and send it to ford. From there ford would inspect he tranny and determine if the tranny was "abused" or not and upon this determination would decide if they would foot the bill. I was also told that the clutch was not covered under the esp warranty.

I was like whatt he f**k, i have to take a chance that the guy i bought hte car from didnt abuse the car and have my car in the shop for two weeks possibly to find out that i might have to actually pay for the tranny. Thats why i have been seriuosly investigating the problem.
Any help, suggestions or contradictions to what dealer says would really help.

I want to be ready the next time i go to the dealer, i didntrealize it would be that difficult, i bought a ford because it's american made and was hoping that i would have an easier time and less expensive repair costs... not planning on repairs be easy to come by.
Thanks for any help in advance .
keith

That's a real interesting thought. A six-speed would make an SVT very interesting to drive.....in fact with the right gearing, you could get 6 sec 0-6's or top out at 155, depending....