[svtfiend]

Ive had my 05 ST for over a month now, and really like it. One thing Ive noticed is that when i go get in my car after its been sitting overnight, I take it out of 1st and go to put it in reverse and it doesnt want to go into gear very easily, sometimes it does it in all the gears. Once I move the car, even an inch or two, its fine and shifts smoothly between gears, etc. If I get in and just move it forward in 1st, then try to go to reverse its always fine. What would cause this?

Would a worn motor mount let the engine and tranny sag enough to cause this misalignment? I do have a slight vibration on the drivers side at freeway speeds that i cant narrow down. got the tires rebalanced, and everything else LOOKS okay in the front end. never tried an alignment.

any thought?

 

[DueceCoupe]

How many miles are on the Car?

 

[svtfiend]

96k, everything was stock when I bought it except for some NGK plugs. Pretty sure it was used as a commuter.

 

[gerryyy]

Normal maintenance calls for a transmission fluid change, even on a 5 speed, at 60K. Change should cost like $80.00.

 

[felixthecat]

How's the clutch? No adjustment on hydrailic clutch's. My had a hard to put in gear when cold problem= TSB replace the disc & pressure plate.

 

[svtfiend]

clutch SEEMS fine. felix, did you have to pay for the tsb? was it fairly new when that happened? what was the mileage? i suppose they would have to observe it happening.

 

[Bwinkelsas]

My car has been that way since new only that its like every other morning, its never bothered me but since new ive put a clutch in it,and changed the fluid but it still does it. I just put it in whatever gear it will go into then back into reverse and go. Never really thought about it as a problem, thats just me.

 

[dudeitswillis]

its simply because of where the gears stopped. they cant mate up because there stuck on the notches of the gears. its with almost every manual.

simple fix- when it does that, get ready to shift to your gear(clutch on floor, shifter in front on gear, pressure on stick towards gear) and slowly let your clutch up untill it slides in gear. that begins spinng input shaft of transmission so you can line up gears.

 

[svtfiend]

bwinkels that helps alot actually to know yours has done it since new and after clutch and fluid r replaced.

willis, i will try that thank you. i have been driving sticks my whole life and never had this issue.

also called a local ford dealership and they couldnt find a tsb about it... how conveniant...

 

[themanwithaquestion]

I had this problem with my Ranger and my old tiburon, but my focus doesnt seem to have that problem. It usually occured in the winter time and ive yet to face a winter with my focus, so well see. I did what someone above does... Put it in first or whatever gear it will go in, then put it in reverse. Also you idle may be a little high when you first starty it and any time the cars RPMs arent setting at the original idle it can be hard to put in reverse.

 

[felixthecat]

clutch SEEMS fine. felix, did you have to pay for the tsb? was it fairly new when that happened? what was the mileage? i suppose they would have to observe it happening.

about 20,000 mile's is when it happened to me when it was cold like 40 degree's or so. Ford covered it!

 

[Jgrove998]

I'd try the trans fluid change. Make sure to only put the Ford recommended fluid in. I think it runs like $12 a quart at the dealer....IIRC you will need to buy 3 quarts because the trans holds a little over 2.

That should smooth things up in my opinion.

 

[FOCUSSTDRIVER]

you have air in the lines you need to bleed the slave cylinder..its right on top of the tranny if i remember...basically like bleeding the the brakes but pumping the clutch pedal

 

[felixthecat]

Air in the clutch

you have air in the lines you need to bleed the slave cylinder..its right on top of the tranny if i remember...basically like bleeding the the brakes but pumping the clutch pedal

No trying to start any thing, But how's he going to get air in a closed system, he for sure would have a leak you would think!

 

[svtfiend]

i am doing a fluid exchange tomorrow. got the full synthetic ford stuff. its like 20 bucks a quart and looks like you could put it in your tea or on pancakes. hope this does the trick. on the plus side, while i was down there i noticed my alternator has a remanufactured sticker on it, so it was changed out before i got the car! SCORE!

 

[svtfiend]

wow! anyone NOT using this stuff is missing out. i no more than rowed the gears once and felt improvement. it shifts much smoother into first coming to a stop and so far every other gear like butter! problem solved!