I cannot shift into reverse when it is cold out. If the car is in reverse when starting I cannot go into first. If I turn car off it will go into reverse. After Driving for about 10 min things seem to be fine. Anyone else have this problem and what to do?
Manual Transmission
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Try leaving the car in some other gear when parked. like second.
This was an issue with the MTX75 in the Contour also.
Switching to the honey colored Ford MTX fluid helped back then.. but i think you would already be using that.
Also bleeding your clutch line might help a little.
My previous car was a Contour SVT with the same tranny.
This was an issue with the MTX75 in the Contour also.
Switching to the honey colored Ford MTX fluid helped back then.. but i think you would already be using that.
Also bleeding your clutch line might help a little.
My previous car was a Contour SVT with the same tranny.
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The same thing happens on my old focus. Im pretty sure the fluid needs to be replaced. I think the recommended mileage to change it is 60k.
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Hi ffown,
You should bring it to your dealer so they can diagnose it. Depending on your mileage, it may even be under warranty, so have them take a look. Let me know if I can help. [
]~Natasha
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If the car was old or had high mileage, then I'd think it was just an old transmission or incorrect fluid. I'm going to have to agree with Natasha (FCS) on this one. Unless you've had the CV axles, clutch, or differential replaced you should have the correct fluid in the transmission. It might be worth checking to see if the fluid level is good.
Do what dooor said. I don't think there's much more you can do. Maybe warm it up if that's an option for you. We experience this every winter if we park it outside. It only takes a few shifts to warm it up. I had close to 130000 miles when I changed the oil(long story) and it still looked great. I went back with the ford honey. I don't think bleeding the slave is going to help, but it's not difficult to do if you choose to do it.
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Yeah, that's not a slave cylinder problem. If it was, heating up wouldn't change anything.
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One other odd possibility - RUST!
I've noted brake rotor rust overnight with both my vehicles, and the first stop can be a bit "grabby" B4 it's worn off...
The Focus's clutch has exhibited a "squeak" on engagement under the same circumstances - again going away after used a couple times..
Shifting is particularly "notchy" between first & reverse as well. Again going away quickly.
There are a couple ways the clutch could "hang up " a bit under these circumstances, and I bet BOTH are in play to some extent.
Being an "Elder" (grin), I'm kinda used to vehicles not working exactly as they should until they warm up a bit & get some exercise - I even remember the first vehicle I owned that amazingly (at the time) actually drove properly from dead cold with NO "hiccups", and at ANY throttle setting! AMAZING!!!!
I actually worried at the time that people would start damaging their engines by running them too hard when cold, just 'cause they COULD.... ( I've actually only seen this happen once, and that was exceptional circumstances on a motorcycle engine).
Back to the "notchy shifting" - saw this as a factory issue on BMW cycles years ago, when the factory had an issue with workers not lubing the input shaft of the tranny on the assembly line. Shifting would get QUITE notchy when it rusted and the clutch plate couldn't move freely - all cured with some lube, but it took pulling the trans. back a bit (or off completely) to get the lube where it belonged... Now THIS example resulted in difficult shifting ALL the time, but a little of the same effect COULD be happening - it just goes away when the small amount of "rustiness" wears off...
I'm betting my Focus's "squeek" and extra notchiness on the first couple shifts on occasion is from some rust on the flywheel & pressure plate surfaces - as mentioned earlier, the symptom ONLY pops up at times when the weather has been right overnight to cause OBVIOUS rust on the brake rotors - my pickup is WORSE with these symptoms than the focus, especially the initial brake "grab".
Luck!
I've noted brake rotor rust overnight with both my vehicles, and the first stop can be a bit "grabby" B4 it's worn off...
The Focus's clutch has exhibited a "squeak" on engagement under the same circumstances - again going away after used a couple times..
Shifting is particularly "notchy" between first & reverse as well. Again going away quickly.
There are a couple ways the clutch could "hang up " a bit under these circumstances, and I bet BOTH are in play to some extent.
Being an "Elder" (grin), I'm kinda used to vehicles not working exactly as they should until they warm up a bit & get some exercise - I even remember the first vehicle I owned that amazingly (at the time) actually drove properly from dead cold with NO "hiccups", and at ANY throttle setting! AMAZING!!!!
I actually worried at the time that people would start damaging their engines by running them too hard when cold, just 'cause they COULD.... ( I've actually only seen this happen once, and that was exceptional circumstances on a motorcycle engine).
Back to the "notchy shifting" - saw this as a factory issue on BMW cycles years ago, when the factory had an issue with workers not lubing the input shaft of the tranny on the assembly line. Shifting would get QUITE notchy when it rusted and the clutch plate couldn't move freely - all cured with some lube, but it took pulling the trans. back a bit (or off completely) to get the lube where it belonged... Now THIS example resulted in difficult shifting ALL the time, but a little of the same effect COULD be happening - it just goes away when the small amount of "rustiness" wears off...
I'm betting my Focus's "squeek" and extra notchiness on the first couple shifts on occasion is from some rust on the flywheel & pressure plate surfaces - as mentioned earlier, the symptom ONLY pops up at times when the weather has been right overnight to cause OBVIOUS rust on the brake rotors - my pickup is WORSE with these symptoms than the focus, especially the initial brake "grab".
Luck!
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290 Posts
I certainly do not discount the clutch disk hub being partially stuck on the input shaft, till it limbers up.... but generally, I have never driven a vehicle that does not shift differently when cold versus hot. The colder the ambient temp, the worse it is. Some vehicles are significantly worse, cold versus hot.
The Ford Honey is the fluid of choice, I believe... However, the other thing is -- recognize that you get "notchy" shifting when cold. How to solve it: shift at very low road speed, really slowly and deliberately when cold. Typically, after you have made the first one or two shifts of the day, the next ones get much closer to "normalcy" and with a few more, you're fully good to go.
Do this, and your transaxle will last a long time, I believe... 'cause when it's notchy, it's the synchro splines you're feeling. It is causing some damage...
Eurofordfan
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