Ford Mustang: 2001 Mustang V6 bucks/shudders when driving. Help!

"TEG" <org> wrote in message
news:com...
| Hi, I am having problems with my 2001 Mustang V6, automatic. It is
| completely stock and I have not played around with it. It has about
| 34000 miles on it. It has had all its tune ups and oil changes, etc.
|
| The problem: when driving around 45-50mph at around 1300 to 1600 RPM,
| with my foot on the accelerator to keep the speed even, but not
| accelerating, the engine (or transmission?) "bucks" back and forth.
| It also happens at lower speeds, but NOT a higher speeds.
|
| I do not know what the technical term is but it feels like riding a
| bucking horse. It's a back and forth bucking feeling. You may call
| it transmission shudder or engine bucking or something else.
|
| It seems to happen right around the shift points, like the
| transmission or engine is not sure if it should shift up or down.
|
| Also, possibly related to this, when I come to a sudden stop at a stop
| sign, etc, the RPMs go down to around 500 and the engine shudders. It
| does not actually stall. Also, it only does this once per stop.
|
| Luckily, the car is still under warranty for a little longer. I have
| had it at the dealer a few times and asked them to diagnose the
| problem and fix it, but they have been unable to find the problem.
|
| The hooked it up the to diagnostic computer and found "no codes".
| Also, when of the techs thought it was a bad sparkplug and only
| replaced spark plug one and spark plug wire one; this did NOTHING. I
| think they also checked the manifolds and found no blockages.
|
| Any ideas what may be the problem? This did not start until about
| 31000 miles, right after I had the 30000 mile tune up ($400!).
|
| I'm not a mechanic, but my guesses would be a transmission problem
| (fluid?) or actually a physically damaged transmission??? or a problem
| with fuel delivery? I have not real idea though.
|
| Any suggestions would be helpful as I am ready to drive the car off a
| cliff!!!!!
|

Can you duplicate the problem? Can you make it happen when you want? If
so, then take the service writer for a ride with you. It certainly isn't a
spark plug, and sounds like it's definitely in the drive-train.

I'm not too up on these new fangled cars, but I'd take a wild-assed guess
and think... vacuum hose, VOES, motor mount, u-joint. It sounds like there
is lash somewhere there shouldn't be.....

YOU have to demonstrate this problem to someone at the dealer and make sure
they know what the symptoms are.

Gary
pick mynose to reply

Had this problem on my 2001 GT. Started at 1,700 miles. I took it to 3
different dealers....the first 2 couldn;t find anything wrong....both said
it was an acceptable "charateristic" of the transmission.
Some have said that you can cure this "torque converter shudder" by
installing a trans cooler, using synthetic fluid, and adjusting the shift
points.
Anyway, I was finally able to demonstarte it to the 3rd dealer and they
replaced the transmission....TWICE!!! First replacement trans was at 26,000
miles, 2nd was at 32,000. The first replaced trans was remanufactured, if
you can believe that, and had ohter problems as well.
I also had initiated a lemon law lawsuit against Ford. I wanted them to
replace the car, but eventually settled for a cash settlement anfter they
replaced the trans a 2nd time and it was fixed (hopefully). If it happens
again, I dought I have any recourse because I signed a waiver when I
accepted the settlement.
I now have 37,000 on the GT and I am starting to get a little bit of the
shaking/bucking (dealer described it as "trailer hitching"). It happens
when it shifts into overdrive. Hopefully it won't get any worse.

WES

"TEG" <org> wrote in message
news:com... 

TEG opined in news:com:

 


1. I'm crossing this to Alt.Autos.Ford

2. Sounds to me like a VSS problem...

OR it could be a wiring connector that wasnt put back together right... that
is something you can go thru yourself.

Sometimes, on older cars that problem pointed to a Throttle Position Sensor.

- Why this would just occur after a tune-up is sorta suspect

Yeah precision tune fucked w/ my TPS too. I forgot a/b that.

-Mike

Backyard Mechanic <com> wrote in message
news:168.3.44... 
that 
Sensor. 

On Sun, 24 Aug 2003 21:50:38 -0000, Backyard Mechanic <com>
wrote:
 

I once had this happen on an '89 LX. Ended up being the TPS, though it felt
like a major transmission problem to me. (Independant trans. shop said NOPE,
it was something else, but they didn't know what. Checked codes - nothing. 2
days later, the MIL flashes, and finally, a TPS fault code appears.)

My solution to the whole mess: buy a new GT with a 5 speed. Automatic
transmission problems just seem to follow me around for some reason.