Transmission is Toast

[Maggieann]

We bought a new 2018 Ford Fiesta with auto transmission 4 months ago. We had the Roadmaster towing equipment installed by Camping World. On our third trip on the way home the car would not start when we unhooked. Towed to dealer and discovered the entire transmission shot. Dealer refuses to warranty. We know the 2016 models had transmission problems and a class action lawsuit is being appealed by Ford. Has anyone heard anything about a similar problem? Does anyone know what might cause the transmission to fall out of neutral? Any help, advice much appreciated. Thanks.

[dodge_guy]

willald wrote:
Glad to hear that Ford is stepping up and fixing it.

Have to say, though, that this crazy procedure the Fiesta, Focus, and a few others require that involve disconnecting the battery are precisely why I avoided those vehicles. I don't want any vehicle I have to disconnect the battery on in order to tow. Not when there are so many other good towed vehicle choices out there for similar $$ that don't require that.

With my Ford Taurus, all I have to do is run the engine 5 minutes at beginning of the day before towing, run tranny through Drive, Reverse, then to neutral, and its ready to tow up to 65 mph. I always remember that tranny procedure this way - Drive, Reverse, Neutral, as in 'Don't wReck Nothing' (DRN) 🙂

Yep, my buddy toes his focus and the procedure is ridiculous, but necessary to prevent damage. We had to wire up his focus with a stand-alone accessory outlet that runs off the MH because the battery has to be disconnected. The brake system has its own built in battery so break away is covered.

My 13 Explorer is easy by comparison. Put ventilation in recirc mode, shut off cat and put in N. Mine is push button start so I have to shift it with the manual shift over ride in the console. Still very easy to do!

[willald]

Glad to hear that Ford is stepping up and fixing it.

Have to say, though, that this crazy procedure the Fiesta, Focus, and a few others require that involve disconnecting the battery are precisely why I avoided those vehicles. I don't want any vehicle I have to disconnect the battery on in order to tow. Not when there are so many other good towed vehicle choices out there for similar $$ that don't require that.

With my Ford Taurus, all I have to do is run the engine 5 minutes at beginning of the day before towing, run tranny through Drive, Reverse, then to neutral, and its ready to tow up to 65 mph. I always remember that tranny procedure this way - Drive, Reverse, Neutral, as in 'Don't wReck Nothing' (DRN) 🙂

[dodge_guy]

Good to hear. Glad they are stepping up.
And just to be sure, make 100% certain you follow the flat tow procedure exactly!

[Maggieann]

Good news: Ford will repair the car under warranty. There is a federal law that requires the dealer to honor the warranty unless it can prove that any after market equipment or maintenance is responsible for the damage to the car. It is the Magnuson-Moss Warranty Act which is enforced by the Federal Trade Commission. If your state has a Bureau of Automotive Repair, they can provide info and direction. Hope this helps others with any similar issues.

[carringb]

And just to confirm, CW did not install any sort of battery charge wire from the motorhome?

When you placed in Neutral before the last tow, did you wait for the "Transmission Ready" message before disconnecting power?

[Campinghoss]

When we had our motor home we purchased a 2016 Fiesta with a five speed. I looked at the automatic's seriously. What kept me from going auto was I knew of a couple of folks who had the same trouble you did. For some reason whether it was operator error or equipment failure their transmission slipped out of neutral as well. I do know that Ford did not honor the warranty of the two individuals either. The procedure is very specific and I guess Ford always thinks it is operator error when it may not be.

[vjstangelo]

I have a 2016 Focus. It also has the dry double clutch transmission. The suit deals with the device that actuates the clutch and selects the gears, and slippage in the clutch. Ford just recently extended the warranty on the clutch to 7 years and 100K miles. Some models also have an extended warranty on the device that actuates the clutch. You may still be under the 6 year, 60K factory power train warranty in which case the whole transmission will be covered.

[Maggieann]

Thanks for the feedback. As for the towing speed, 70 MPH is allowed per the Ford Towing and RV manual. We have a switch installed that cuts the battery connection after the car is placed in neutral. Camping World is preparing a document stating that the wiring is only attached to the battery and could not have interfered with the computer system that would affect the transmission. They are willing to go to the dealership and review the wiring with then if Ford will accept help. Our insurance carrier is sending us a notice of denied claim with the notation that the damage appears to be a manufacturing defect.

We spoke with Ford customer service today. Very disappointed that all they did was call our dealer and repeat what they heard from them. I expected them to consult with a Ford expert and review the local dealer's assessment. As a lifetime Ford customer, very unhappy that their customer service representative is totally unknowledgeable about mechanical issues and does nothing more than parrot a dealer that is certainly trying to protect their bottom line. Anyway - the saga continues..... Still appreciate any and all advice. Thanks

[Hondavalk]

Not slaying you did or did not follow the proper directions for flat towing but the manual warns of at 35 mph and a 50 mile limit, if not done correctly. From The manual:

"Vehicles with an Automatic Transmission - with Ignition Switch
Note: There must be battery power to properly move the transmission’s internal components to neutral in step 3. Also, moving the gearshift to the neutral position without first turning the ignition to the on II position limits the towing capability to 35 mph (56 km/h) and 50 miles (80 kilometers).
Release the parking brake.
Switch the ignition to the on (II) position.
Press the brake pedal, then move the gearshift to the neutral position.
Wait for a message indicating that the transmission is ready in the information and entertainment display, then switch the ignition off and release the brake pedal.
Disconnect the negative (black) cable from the battery. The anti-theft system is disabled until the battery cable is reconnected. See Changing the 12V Battery.
Note: The maximum towing speed is 70 mph (113 km/h).
Note: There is no limit on towing distance."

[bgum]

Dealer or Ford? Either way you have rights. Suggest you discuss with attorney.