Found On Road Dead...

[RedGT]

I had the same problem with mine and they replaced both sides in less than a week. I took it back today however, as it has a "whining" noise that it didn't have before they fixed it. I was very impressed with how the dealer treated the car and how fast they were able to get the parts. Hopefully this new issue will be resolved as quickly as the first one was.

 

[BlackICE]

I wonder if we can get some stats on what the build date and or last 4 digits of the VIN number/year are for the cars showing this problem. It would help us determine if that is something other owners should be watchful for.

BlackICE

 

[abolfaz]

Well, here is a brief update:

1- the car is back and running 99%
2- I have several small issues that the dealer has or will resolve within the next few weeks (I've posted most everything here, just look)
3- I have to be short since I just got the car back w/the borla exhaust AND I CAN'T STOP DRIVING THE F-CKING THING!

SEE YA! :thumbsup

BTW The car is only part of the ownership experience, whats really made me happy about this deal is the service from the guys at Maroone, thanks Tim, Brian and everyone else there. I admit my car does have more than its fair share of issues, if it wasn't for those guys I would have already given up on the car. :thumbsup :thumbsup

I almost forgot, THANKS STEPHAN!

 

[SLF360]

You are very welcome Mike... that's what we are here for, for each other.... :wink

Stefan :cheers

 

[doccars]

Defectifve Transaxle Bolts

Yesterday I stopped by my dealer to pick up some Motorcraft synthetic that had been on back order. I noticed a 2005 GT Vin#17xx in the shop for repairs and asked the shop what it was in for. Apparently the transaxle bolts had sheared and needed to be replaced. They informed me that Ford does not have a recall for this problem but is replacing on an as needed basis with an upgraded bolt design. The GT had 4000+ miles. One has to be somewhat concerned that a number of us may at any time be faced with a similar fate (with no warning).

I personally feel some concern after reading the previous posts by Abolfaz and now coming across another GT with a similar fate.

 

[barondw]

Yesterday I stopped by my dealer to pick up some Motorcraft synthetic that had been on back order. I noticed a 2005 GT Vin#17xx in the shop for repairs and asked the shop what it was in for. Apparently the transaxle bolts had sheared and needed to be replaced. They informed me that Ford does not have a recall for this problem but is replacing on an as needed basis with an upgraded bolt design. The GT had 4000+ miles. One has to be somewhat concerned that a number of us may at any time be faced with a similar fate (with no warning).

I personally feel some concern after reading the previous posts by Abolfaz and now coming across another GT with a similar fate.

Doccars

Thanks for the heads-up. I spoke with some people today who have no idea of any new bolts being available or in the pipeline. Is it possible for you to get part numbers?

The folks I spoke with said it becomes a problem if the bolts work loose. They suggest wiring the bolts so they cannot get loose. This involves drilling the head of the bolt. I am probably going to have this done; just an extra safety margin but the bolt part numbers would also be more insurance.

Thanks,

Dave

 

[FlorIdaho Chris]

Yesterday I stopped by my dealer to pick up some Motorcraft synthetic that had been on back order. I noticed a 2005 GT Vin#17xx in the shop for repairs and asked the shop what it was in for. Apparently the transaxle bolts had sheared and needed to be replaced. They informed me that Ford does not have a recall for this problem but is replacing on an as needed basis with an upgraded bolt design. The GT had 4000+ miles. One has to be somewhat concerned that a number of us may at any time be faced with a similar fate (with no warning).

I personally feel some concern after reading the previous posts by Abolfaz and now coming across another GT with a similar fate.

What dealer are you using here in South FLorida? Maroone Ft. Lauderdale?

 

[abolfaz]

Let me tell you guys, you don't want to get stuck the way I did. On both occasions I broke down within 1/10th of a mile of each other, on a blind curve, after 1 am. Its not my favorite place to stop considering people in their F-cars, porsches, etc come hauling ass down Old Cutler Road when there is no traffic (some idiot in a Ford GT usually handles that road at over 70mph at night...) and when it breaks, the car can't be moved under its own power at which point you discover how heavy the GT is and how hard it is to push.

 

[doccars]

Defectifve Transaxle Bolts

I don't know what part number relates to the replacement bolts. When I was at the dealership, to pick up my parts, I noticed a GT in the shop with the engine cover up. When I asked one of the service writers why it was in for service, he informed me about the problem with the bolts. He did not go into any further detail than what I mentioned in my previous post. Personally I have not had my GT in for service. Only have 38 miles on it at the present time. (Still have to wax it several more times before I take it out again.) I do know that they have a number of GT customers that they service. I bought my GT from them and have had several conversations with the shop manager and mechanics. They seem knowledgeable and I would not hesitate to use them if service was required. The dealer is Sawgrass Ford and is also the dealer that I purchased the car from.

If I find out anymore details on this problem I will share the information on these posts.

 

[barondw]

Doccars

Thanks for the update.

Dave

 

[Neilda]

Does MR2GT have a view on these bolts? There's no easy way of owners being able to check if the bolts are tight or about to fail in some way.

 

[barondw]

Does MR2GT have a view on these bolts? There's no easy way of owners being able to check if the bolts are tight or about to fail in some way.

My car has received new half shaft nuts (shaft to hub) and new half shaft bolts (shaft to transmission flange). The mechanics believe from experience that the break-down we heard about are the 2 bolts that hold the transmission flange to the transmission output splines.

They are double checking those bolts on my car too. The only fix they are aware of for this is to make sure the bolts are torqued to the proper value and then safety wire them. Currently the bolts are not drilled for safety wire on my car but they will take them back out, drill them and then safety wire them.

For some unknown reason the shop people are willing to bet that the car with the broken bolts was a 2006 or a late 2005. No they can not definitely tell me why.

Dave

 

[B O N Y]

My car has received new half shaft nuts (shaft to hub) and new half shaft bolts (shaft to transmission flange). The mechanics believe from experience that the break-down we heard about are the 2 bolts that hold the transmission flange to the transmission output splines.

They are double checking those bolts on my car too. The only fix they are aware of for this is to make sure the bolts are torqued to the proper value and then safety wire them. Currently the bolts are not drilled for safety wire on my car but they will take them back out, drill them and then safety wire them.

For some unknown reason the shop people are willing to bet that the car with the broken bolts was a 2006 or a late 2005. No they can not definitely tell me why.

Dave

wonder if Ford will put a bulletin out, and it would be interesting to know the earliest VIN number of the 05 cars with the issue??

 

[GJC]

Yep, its 1:30am and I just finished my 2.7 mile walk home. Why do you ask? Because I decided to go out tonight with the wife in the GT and on the way back home on Old Cutler Road (Coral Gables) going south just 2.7 miles from my house, the trusty GT decides that it didn't want to go any farther. The engine was fine, everything was cool except that the car wouldn't move when in gear. I pushed the car into a driveway (sorry homeowner) and began the walk home.

On the way I figured that it must be a shifter cable that could easily be snapped into place, but then I remembered that the car shifted fine, it just wouldn't move... So I get home, jump in a normal car, flashlight in hand and go back to the car. I notice a trail of fluid up to the car, I pop the hood flash the light towards the transaxle and to my amazement I noticed that the drivers side output shaft on the transaxle had fallen out!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

No matter how hard I tried I couldn't get it back in, so the idea of limping home was out the window. Here's where I really need your help guys, which dealer in S. Florida is capable of repairing this car?

I'm going to hope that my problem is an isolated incident and that I won't have any more failures like this to sour my ownership experience, I have never had this kind of failure on any kind of 1000 mile car!

Do we have roadside assistance?

Just happened to me. 2005 GT with less than 700 miles. Did all of your tranny fluid dump---mine did. How did they repair your car?? I was just leaving a red light in traffic and it popped out!!!

 

[abolfaz]

Just happened to me. 2005 GT with less than 700 miles. Did all of your tranny fluid dump---mine did. How did they repair your car?? I was just leaving a red light in traffic and it popped out!!!

Sorry to hear that. The first time all the fluid came out, as a matter of fact here we are months later and every time I go home I can see the trail of fluid my car left on the road... They fixed it by replacing the broken bolts and then putting the shaft back in. Much to my chagrin a few weeks later the other side broke as well.

The moral of the story is MAKE SHURE THE CHANGE BOTH SIDES NOT JUST THE SIDE THAT BROKE!

Doesn't the gear oil smell make you crazy?

 

[GJC]

The smell is sickening. Did Ford clean all of the oil out of the engine compartment well. I'm worried that they will spray some sort of solvent in there and "wash it out. I want them to take off the belly pan and clean it all by hand. My always garaged car is sitting on the street in front of my house. I'm afraid to try to push it up the driveway. I'd raather not have the "trail" there to remind me...

I must say that Ford Road side assistance was horrible. I sat in the road for six hours because they couldn't find a suitable towing service. The police recommended a towing service, they charged me $380. to tow the card 65 miles home.

Now I must start the proces of "interviewing" dealers to fix my car. I plan to call Ford Motor. Did you?

 

[analogdesigner]

Fastener size?

Sorry to hear that. The first time all the fluid came out, as a matter of fact here we are months later and every time I go home I can see the trail of fluid my car left on the road... They fixed it by replacing the broken bolts and then putting the shaft back in. Much to my chagrin a few weeks later the other side broke as well.

The moral of the story is MAKE SHURE THE CHANGE BOTH SIDES NOT JUST THE SIDE THAT BROKE!

Doesn't the gear oil smell make you crazy?

abolfaz,

Do you what size these fasteners are? I know that they're metric. I was thinking about ordering a set from ARP Fasteners and swapping them myself. Of course they would be safety-wired.

Thanks,

Jay
www.gtsaver.com

 

[GJC]

Ford roadside. The hotline is open only during normal business hours. I appreciate all of the information in this thread. I'll be able to "help" Ford with the diagnosis. My plan is to call the Hot Line first.

Abolfaz, has anyone from FoMoCo contacted you directly?

 

[abolfaz]

Abolfaz, has anyone from FoMoCo contacted you directly?

Yep, PM me and I'll tell you what they said they were going to do and what they did for me.

 

[rickisapilot]

Just thought you guy might like to see the diagram of the two bolts that broke.

BlackICE

I didn't see a diagram or link with that message. How can I see the bolts that you're talking about? Also, originaly the trans-ax problem was attributed to over-torqing (including the Motor Trend Dec 2005 mention of their problem). Now it sounds like *loosening* of the bolts is the talk. Can these bolts be re-torqued easily on the car? Is that a dangerous situation when the bolts break, or just a "spooling down" of all the fun with a heavy gear oil smell announcement? Any other damage created when it all comes loose?