I know Lincoln had good intentions with the sealed tranny but real world situations dictated dirrferently. I have my fluid replaced every 20k.
I keep having problems with the car going into reverse and no one seems to know why the problem keeps recurring like it does. I have had to accept that this will cost me about 900 bucks every 20k to 30k miles.
I hear the car has improved but most commonly among owners from 02 to present. Once bitten twice shy. I know one thing I will not buy another new car during its first few years of being on the market.
I went to autozone and had them check for any codes becasue my ac clutch fuse keeps blowing. They found no codes and I would like to know if the obdII tool they use is as capable of reporting on such incidents as the dealer tool used for checking for codes.
My '00 V8 LS is far from the most reliable modern car I've owned. Interestingly, it's also the only modern car I've owned that I would consider buying again. I currently have 75K miles on mine and see an easy 200K in her.
The tranny is NOT sealed. It has a fill and drain plug just like a manual tranny. Under 'normal' service Lincoln doesn't recommend changing the fluid. Under 'severe' service (which arguably could be 95% of today's driving) Lincoln recommends 30,000 mile changes.
I seen this term used in the past and I think sealed is used loosely to mean that it is inacessible from the traditional point that many other cars are. My two other cars have tranny dip sticks that can be checked from top side vs where the ls one has to put the car up on a lift and use the grvity method to verify fluid.
I think sealed could possibly mean sealed off from end users. In its current configuration I think it does offer a degree of protection from contamination that other cars do not has as a result of the ol' dip stick.
forgive me for using the term "sealed" to describe the LS transmission, but what do you call a transmission that does not have "typical" (i.e., engine bay serviceable) dipstick and fill port?
I had my transmission fluid changed at the 30K mile interval, and observed the entire process. The car has to be placed on a lift, which precludes the average consumer from doing this on their own. Per Lincoln's recommended/normal service interval, the transmission should not need to be serviced for 150K miles. Anyone that's been on the board for awhile, or willing to use the search function on this thread, can see for themselves what the Lincoln/Ford transmission calibration engineer said what akirby indicated above. However, Mark K. also has stated that many dealers should not attempt to service the transmission unless they have an adequate shop (proper equipment, trained technicians, etc.) . . . which many do not.
Chris - sealed to me means it can't or never needs to be opened and that's not really true. Also, you don't hear manual trannies referred to as sealed yet they have the same design as far as fluid filling and checking.
FYI - the ONLY reason the LS doesn't have a traditional dipstick is because there wasn't enough room in the V8 engine bay to route it. There is nothing magic about the transmission and the service interval would be the same with or without the dipstick.
Yeah unless you are fortuneate enough to have a lift in your garage this is best left to the haves, i am unfortuneately a have not.
My SA recommend the every 20k replacement in hopes it would extend the life of the solenoid pack located in the tranny. Looking at the service cd the replacement of the solenoid pack does not look very difficult..... that is if you have a lift.
If I go for 200k on this car it might become equitable for me to have a lift put in my garage.
Thanks for the reply..... No the check engine light never came on and I have not noticed any other anomolies nor have I installed any electrical accessories.
The car is basically OEM with 95k miles and this situation with the AC has never occured before.
I checked voltage and amperage at the fuse box and found approx 13v and approx 11.5a.
I checked the voltage for accys and found the same readings there but did not bother to check amperage readings so I am not sure if this is a regulator issue or if the AC is just pulling too much power.
I am close to purchasing the LS that I told y'all about. My mechanic checked the car and found a couple of problems that are pretty minor. One of the problems he found was that the muffler was getting a bit of rust. I know that in northern states this is pretty common. And I guess for a car that is 3 years old I should expect something like this. However, I told the dealership about this and they say that this is general wear and tear and is a part of the way the muffler was designed. It has a hole in the bottom to allow water to exit the exhaust system. Therefore the water exiting the muffler has caused this rust.
Does this sound right?
The other problem is that the passenger side power motor on the seat is making more of a noise than the driver's side. Does that sound right?
Are these problems that should be fixed under the factory warranty?
Well the entire under warranty thing, when you go in to have the car worked on you will have to pay a shop diag fee of about 80 or 90 bux if found not to be a warrantable item.
I have had work done to my seats and they were covered under warranty but am not sure what they would do if they came to the conclusion that it was improper use that casued the damage.
If found to be a defect you almost assured it will be covered under warranty and the diag fee is waived or covered by the warranty.
My '00 had rusty mufflers when I took them off last fall. I wouldn't consider it a problem. I'm in the rust belt, BTW, and the rest of the car's underbelly looks great. My passenger seat makes the same noise as the driver's...very little to none. Have you looked into an extended warranty? Might be worth it, if available.
I don't own a Lincoln LS, but have a lot of experience with Ford products. LS must have a stainless factory exhaust system. I cannot believe it wouldn't as even my lowly Taurus has SS and Taurus has had SS exhaust systems since back to generation one. My 1990 Taurus went ten years and I sold it with the original exhaust still intact. I am up to four years on my 2000 Taurus, which also has a stainless exhaust.
This doesn't mean that the system will always look shiny and bright as some slight surface corrosion and also heat discoloration does occur.
By the way, I live in a northern state where the salt is thick on the roads in the winter.
My LS spent the first years of it's life in Ohio and parts of the underbody look a little rusty, but nothing overly alarming. As long as the exhaust rumble isn't abnormally loud, the mufflers should be fine. The LS like just about every car these days has a stainless steele exhaust system. The drain hole in the muffler is probably correct as water needs to get out somehow. BTW, what is the build date of the LS your considering?
I have had the dealer deal with the the past 2 times and this is all they can come up with. If anyone has a notion as to what it is I would be forever indebted to them casue I am sick of this recurring problem.
I would kill for a manual right now. I wanted it in the first place but none were available at the time of my purchase.
Nobody that we've heard of. If it's a V6 then theoretically it's possible with a new console/shifter, clutch pedal, PCM reflash, bell housing, etc. etc.
V8 would be infinitely more difficult and would require a different tranny. There is also no PCM calibration available for a V8 manual.
If only someone in a Ford/Lincoln staff meeting would have the guts to stand up and say "I'm tired of seeing Cadillac CTS-V taillights!" Any bets on whether he/she'd be promoted or hear the words "your fired!"
I have never been to happy about the number of tail lights I have had to look at when in my LS. I get my revenge though in my supra turbo but it only comes out on special days
Is there a procedure for training the tranny where you remain parked but shift to different gears hold five seconds go to park. then shift to drive hold for 5secs while holding the break back to reverse for 5 seconds etc etc...?
I left my service CD at the office and won't and am on a 3 day weekend. I searched the threads and read the drive time training methods of shifting at the same speed but couldn't find the one I am thinking of? Not sure if the routine is something my aging memory has constructed for me.
I am considering going to AAMCO for my transmission work this time becasue the dealer has had 2 shots at this already and am hoping a new set of eyes will bring some close to this for me.
I highly value the opinions I get here and would appreciate some feedback on this. TIA
First..... you made me laugh so hard i cried when I read swing the chicken. I guess I could really visualize myself doing this, as ridiculous as it sounds, just to get some relief.
When you say independent would that be inclusive of, not seeking an endorsement of them, aamco?
If I do choose a different dealer should I tell them of the previous repairs at the other dealer? Or should I let them work through this to see what they come up with?
I was recommending a non AAMCO shop, preferably locally owned and operated, but those are probably hard to find. Nothing against AAMCO specifically but I would be wary of what they tell you and at least get it verified by more than one shop. I would try a different dealer and explain that they've replaced the solenoids 3 times and that you don't think they've found the root cause of the problem. See what they say. They could confirm that the solenoids are the root cause but if so they should be able to explain why since it really doesn't make sense that they would fail repeatedly.
As far as the chicken, I forgot to mention that the chicken should be dead and plucked. Otherwise it's a little messy.
My guess is the valve body is the real problem. Mine went out 6 months ago but my symptoms were the loss of 4th and 5th gear. They were on national back order at the time so I suspect Ford is having some problems with this part. Did they pull a code?
My neighbor own an auto shop but doesn't do tranny's so I will see who he refers his customers out to. maybe the good ol' boy system will bring about some savings and a solid solution.
If that doesn't pan out I will hit the LM dealer he goes to he says he knows the folks there pretty well and get them to diag the issue. I figure 3rd time around on this one I am owed a defenitive reason why like you said.
I am glad you mentioned that with the chicken.... I live near some farms and could have made a terrible mess as anxious as i am to get this done.
Well, I'll speak out against AAMCO, if no one else wants to. They are usually a franchise, and the folks who own them, are not in the transmission business often, they're in the franchise business, having sold their 7-11 stores for a fortune, and heard that an AAMCO franchise is good money. They hire people like my son to work there, who's last job was in landscaping, and they want to work inside now. Now, you could get a good AAMCO agency - but I've never encountered one.
Stay with a Ford store. Try a different one if you aren't getting anywhere with the one you bought the car from, but they at least know the car, the transmission, and have some requirements for their mechanics.
Every manufacturer of a premium brand, at least, spends time and money engineering just the right size wheel, diameter, width, weight, design, and a tire to mate to it, that will provide optimum handling for the vehicle in normal and extreme conditions, with best ride. This is precise engineering. Often, the car maker will even have a tire manufacturer design a specific and unique tire to go with the car to bring out the desired handling and ride characteristics. Example: the 86 Ford Taurus. Ford commissioned GoodYear to design a tire for that specific car - and GoodYear came up with the Invicta, which was used on the 86 and 87 models exclusively.
So, my point obviously is, why on earth would you pay up to $10,000 (I know people who have paid that much for after market tires & wheels) to totally screw up the ride and handling of your car? I sure won't, and don't think much of the IQ of people who do. Harsh, I know..... sorry. Back on the medication again.....
Yesterday's paper. 2003 LS leftover originally 44K on sale for $18,999. 3 at this price according to ad with more at similar savings. If I was ready I would buy at that price as these were V8's. Maybe it is typo but the ad was in Friday and Sat paper. My goodness, what a price. Lawrence LM in Lawrenceville, NJ.
Comments
I keep having problems with the car going into reverse and no one seems to know why the problem keeps recurring like it does. I have had to accept that this will cost me about 900 bucks every 20k to 30k miles.
I hear the car has improved but most commonly among owners from 02 to present. Once bitten twice shy. I know one thing I will not buy another new car during its first few years of being on the market.
I think sealed could possibly mean sealed off from end users. In its current configuration I think it does offer a degree of protection from contamination that other cars do not has as a result of the ol' dip stick.
I had my transmission fluid changed at the 30K mile interval, and observed the entire process. The car has to be placed on a lift, which precludes the average consumer from doing this on their own. Per Lincoln's recommended/normal service interval, the transmission should not need to be serviced for 150K miles. Anyone that's been on the board for awhile, or willing to use the search function on this thread, can see for themselves what the Lincoln/Ford transmission calibration engineer said what akirby indicated above. However, Mark K. also has stated that many dealers should not attempt to service the transmission unless they have an adequate shop (proper equipment, trained technicians, etc.) . . . which many do not.
FYI - the ONLY reason the LS doesn't have a traditional dipstick is because there wasn't enough room in the V8 engine bay to route it. There is nothing magic about the transmission and the service interval would be the same with or without the dipstick.
My SA recommend the every 20k replacement in hopes it would extend the life of the solenoid pack located in the tranny. Looking at the service cd the replacement of the solenoid pack does not look very difficult..... that is if you have a lift.
If I go for 200k on this car it might become equitable for me to have a lift put in my garage.
Also, a wiring short in the AC system is not likely to set an OBDII code. Was you check engine light on? If not a code was not stored.
The car is basically OEM with 95k miles and this situation with the AC has never occured before.
I checked voltage and amperage at the fuse box and found approx 13v and approx 11.5a.
I checked the voltage for accys and found the same readings there but did not bother to check amperage readings so I am not sure if this is a regulator issue or if the AC is just pulling too much power.
Does this sound right?
The other problem is that the passenger side power motor on the seat is making more of a noise than the driver's side. Does that sound right?
Are these problems that should be fixed under the factory warranty?
Oh, wait. I had them torn off and replaced with MagnaFlows - at just after 1,000 miles.
- Ray
Looking at them still sitting on the floor in my garage . . .
I have had work done to my seats and they were covered under warranty but am not sure what they would do if they came to the conclusion that it was improper use that casued the damage.
If found to be a defect you almost assured it will be covered under warranty and the diag fee is waived or covered by the warranty.
This doesn't mean that the system will always look shiny and bright as some slight surface corrosion and also heat discoloration does occur.
By the way, I live in a northern state where the salt is thick on the roads in the winter.
Fluid change is much more reasonable but performed much more frequently under the advisement of my SA becasue of the frequency of my tranny problems.
The root cause is having a car with an automatic transmission.
I would kill for a manual right now. I wanted it in the first place but none were available at the time of my purchase.
V8 would be infinitely more difficult and would require a different tranny. There is also no PCM calibration available for a V8 manual.
- Ray
{sort of] kidding . . .
For future reference:
Direct Cause: The cause that directly resulted in the event. The first cause in the chain.
Contributing Cause: The cause(s) that contributed to an event but, by itself, would not have caused the event. The cause(s) after the direct cause.
Root Cause: The fundamental reason for an event, which if corrected, would prevent recurrence. The last cause in the chain.
There, you're well on your way to a Root Cause and Corrective Action certification.
I left my service CD at the office and won't and am on a 3 day weekend. I searched the threads and read the drive time training methods of shifting at the same speed but couldn't find the one I am thinking of? Not sure if the routine is something my aging memory has constructed for me.
I highly value the opinions I get here and would appreciate some feedback on this. TIA
For the training, it sometimes helps to swing a chicken over your head while performing the shifts.
When you say independent would that be inclusive of, not seeking an endorsement of them, aamco?
If I do choose a different dealer should I tell them of the previous repairs at the other dealer? Or should I let them work through this to see what they come up with?
By moving the boundary out a bit, I can argue that the root cause is owning a vehicle.
As far as the chicken, I forgot to mention that the chicken should be dead and plucked. Otherwise it's a little messy.
If that doesn't pan out I will hit the LM dealer he goes to he says he knows the folks there pretty well and get them to diag the issue. I figure 3rd time around on this one I am owed a defenitive reason why like you said.
I am glad you mentioned that with the chicken.... I live near some farms and could have made a terrible mess as anxious as i am to get this done.
Stay with a Ford store. Try a different one if you aren't getting anywhere with the one you bought the car from, but they at least know the car, the transmission, and have some requirements for their mechanics.
So, my point obviously is, why on earth would you pay up to $10,000 (I know people who have paid that much for after market tires & wheels) to totally screw up the ride and handling of your car? I sure won't, and don't think much of the IQ of people who do. Harsh, I know..... sorry. Back on the medication again.....
Lawrence LM in Lawrenceville, NJ.