I'm new to this board - I picked up an 2wd '01 F150 a few months back, and this seemed to be the best place to get my questions answered.

Okay, here's the story: unfortunately, my F150 has the Mazda 5-speed manual tranny...which started having problems at only 2,800 miles. It wants to grind when going into 3rd (syncro problem?) and doesn't seem to like first at all anymore, esp. when downshifting or allowed to idle at all in neutral. If I double-clutch, then both problems are reduced (though 3rd still acts up) - but IMHO there is no reason I should have to do that on a new truck, especially for third gear (I'll put up with first being the way it is, but not 3rd).

I've also had the clutch act up in an new and unique way that I've never experienced before. I was taking off at a stop light, and when I lifted my foot off the clutch it didn't actually engage at the proper point...and then it suddenly engaged, squealing the rear tires and nearly killing the engine. I've never had a clutch to that before, and I can only assume that somehow it was hung up in the dis-engaged position...but it only did it that one time. I've driven a lot of miles with a lot of manual-tranny vehicles, and I find this really peculiar.

In reading through the last year's posts, it seems that the consensus is that the M5OD is complete and utter junk. The only alternative 5-speed OD tranny I see is the ZF, but from what I'm hearing that would end up placing the shifter further rearward (to where the seat would be in the way) and probably wouldn't even bolt up to the 4.2L V6 engine. Since switching to an auto tranny would be a major pain in the butt, am I correct in the assumption that I'm pretty much stuck with the tranny I've got? I suppose there might be a granny-low 4-speed that would work, but I commute 80 miles/day in the truck at 75mph...so the OD comes in handy. Plus, if I switch trannys it'll void most (if not all) of the factory warranty.

From what I'm gathering from the dealer, they'll fix the tranny (or try to) under warranty...but the guy implied that they would find any way they could to weasel out of it. I was planning to use the truck as a truck - hauling loads, pulling trailers (though only rarely) - but if I scratch up the bed or put on a Class III hitch, then the next time I have tranny problems they'll refuse to cover them because they'll say I abused the truck (this is what the guy implied). So, now I'm stuck with a truck that I can't use as a truck...

So, what's the solution? Should I just use the truck as a car, and keep getting the tranny fixed in the hope that Ford will buy the truck back under the Lemon Laws? Can I get a heavier tranny that will bolt in with a minimum of difficulty? Is there anyone out there who has actually had good luck with the M5OD, or knows how to make it a bit better? I suppose synthetic fluid might help...

Or, should I just sell the truck now and avoid the entire headache? I paid less than $14K for it new, which wasn't bad for an '01 longbed F150 with A/C and such...and since the loan is worth about $11K, I could probably sell it for more than what I owe. However, I'd feel guilty selling it myself - and I doubt I'd get much selling it to a dealer, or using it as a trade. The thing is, I think I would like the truck if it wasn't for the transmission - it has decent power, gets 19-21mpg, and all in all would be a good truck for the money if it actually worked.

I work at a Tier 1 auto supplier, and when I talked to our Ford guys they said "oh, you have THAT transmission..." in a tone that suggested that I should just use the truck as a planter or maybe the world's largest paperweight. Not a good sign.

For now I'm driving my old Lincoln to work, and I have an old Chevy diesel that I'm using for truck duties...but I was hoping to retire both the diesel (250K and rusted out) and the car (163K, with front-end deer damage) after I bought the new truck. I actually caught myself looking at a used pickup the other day so that I'd actually have something to haul hay with, which is pretty sad considering that I already own two of them.

Anyway, just wondering if anyone had any thoughts on the matter...

LK

 

Are you in California?

I just read about some of the details of the CA lemon law. If I remember correctly, the dealer has 3 chances to fix it or Ford (not the dealer) has to buy it back from you. Also if the vehicle is out of service for repair and is unusable to you for 30 days, that triggers the lemon law.

Take it to the dealer and insist they make good on the warranty repair. Be sure to keep all documentation.

If you are in CA, I can try to find the article and post a link to the newspaper's website with online archives.

BTW, you should be able to haul a few hay bales with it, or what's the use in having a truck?!!

 

It's a truck. Ford ads show people using it like a truck. If the dealer won't fix it under warrantee after you use it like a truck I'd stand in the show room and tell everyone that they don't stand by their warrantee. When the sherrif or police came to remove me I would have my friends call the local TV and newspapers.

That dealer has to provide warrantee repairs. Useless you abuse the truck by exceeding the GVWR, etc, and they can PROVE it then they have to fix it.

I'd try to talk to the sales manager as well as the service manager. I have an '88 302, M5OD and my transmission is fine and appears to be stock. I think you just got a lemon for a trans and the service manager doesn't want to replace it.

Bob
'66 7 Litre, top loader, 3.25 Traction-lock, Sidewinder Intake, SCJ Exhaust
'88 F150 LWB 4x2, XLT Lariat, 302, 5 speed, 3.08
'99 Ranger, 4x2, 3.0, 5 speed, 3.73 posi

 

> Are you in California?

No, Michigan - though I think our lemon law is similar, in that the dealer has 3 chances to fix it before the automaker has to buy the vehicle back. I'm making sure to keep all documentation and such relating to the issue, just in case.

> BTW, you should be able to haul a few hay bales with it, or what's the use in having a truck?!!

That's my thought as well - I think I might be able to get away with using the bed, but my plan to put a receiver hitch is pretty much out. I wasn't planning to use the hitch, except in cases of emergencies...but if I have it, the dealer will assume that I've been using it.

LK

 

> I have an '88 302, M5OD and my transmission is fine and appears to be stock. I think you just got a lemon for a trans and the service manager doesn't want to replace it.

Well, I'm glad to hear that someone has got an M5OD and isn't having problems with it...perhaps I did just get a lemon. Still, I don't have a lot of confidence in the truck at this point. However, I do have Ford's owner satisfaction survey sitting on my dining room table waiting to be filled out...and perhaps if I threaten the dealership with a bad rating I can get something done (Ford has been paying a lot more attention to those surveys in the past couple years). I have to call the dealer anyway because of the seatbelt recall, so maybe I'll bring that issue up when I call them.

LK

 

 

LK, I don't understand why your dealer is so reluctant to do warranty work.
I think FMC has an office that deals with warranty problems. Perhaps if you got the manager of the dealership to give you the info needed to contact Ford, it would put a little more pressure on the dealer to make good on the repairs.
Good luck!

 

my '90 with the 302 also has the mazda. I have about 90,000miles on it and I havn't had any problems for the 4 months i've owned it. I know it is a weak tranny. I just can't believe ford still uses it. I would think that after 15 years or however long they have had it in use they would have found something better. This tranny was designed more for smaller vehicles than full size trucks. My dad used to own a '93 with the same configuration as mine and never had a problem except he had to have the clutch fixed. I remember their wasn't any pressure and just before he took it in he would have to pump the clutch a few time at the stop light to get pressure for some dumb reason.

Can anybody reason why they just don't use the ZF for all manual trucks? I mean, if they have so much trouble with the M50D why use it? I would rather pay a little more money knowing I don't have to worry about the trans when im pulling a load or having a little fun.

Another thing, the mazda's overdrive is about the most complicated and weak OD their is. From what i've heard it is strangely routed. So, on top of haveing one of the most piece of trash transmittions their is, you also have one of the worst OD possible!!! Makes ya feel good don't it?

to top it off my truck has a 3.73 rear end so if I go to pull something I basically have to use OD unless I want to pull 3000rpm's in 4th gear at 65-70mph or drive 50mph all the way.

If I ever have any trans trouble, I will seriously look into pulling it and putting in a ZF 5-speed, and maybe a 5.8 instead of the 302.

Id say treat it like a truck. But on the other hand. You did buy a 1/2 ton truck with the small V6 engine and manual. Ford mostly markets these trucks to people who either want a truck but want good gas mileage or they want a truck but they really need a car.

 

> Id say treat it like a truck. But on the other hand. You did buy a 1/2 ton truck with the small V6 engine and manual. Ford mostly markets these trucks to people who either want a truck but want good gas mileage or they want a truck but they really need a car.

True, true. I basically wanted something I could use for farm chores (I have horses), and would still work for the 25K miles a year I drive back and forth to work. Couldn't pass up the truck for the price - IIRC, it was $13,400 w/the longbed and A/C. Since I rarely pull trailers (there are miles of riding trails right off my property, so I don't need to tow the horses), all I really needed was something that could haul manure/hay/feed...which a half-ton *should* be able to do. However, I was going to put a hitch on it in case of an emergency with the horses, but as of now I haven't done it because of the grief from the dealership. If I have to, I guess I can still use the bumper hitch...

The V6 has a decent amount of power - it is at least as good as the '91 4x4 F150 with the 302 that I used to own - but if they hook it to a lemon of a trans then it doesn't really matter much. As far as the tranny goes, I prefer manual transmissions to automatics...though most people seem to prefer autos, which is why Ford can get away with using a weaker manual transmission. They do rate manuals lower for towing, but in general I think that's because people don't know how to drive manuals...especially when trying to back trailers. For me, the backing is a non-issue because I have plenty of room to turn the trailer around and never actually need to back it up...plus I have a decent amount of experience pulling w/a manual tranny.

Heck, once upon a time I pulled a 20' stock trailer weighing over 5000 pounds with a manual tranny S10 w/the 4-cyl. engine (3rd gear, right to the floor for 250 miles)...and if I can do that with a (gasp!) Chevy without having tranny problems, I should be able to do it with a V6 F150. I'm not saying the truck liked it, but it survived and still worked fine when I sold it 20,000 miles later...though it probably died about 5 miles down the road. :-)

I could always buy an older 1-ton for farm chores, but having multiple vehicles was what I was trying to get away from in the first place...I'd like to have 1 decent vehicle that does everything I need to do, and then perhaps 1 project vehicle. I've had up to 7 cars/trucks at once in the past, and that's what I'm trying to get away from. :-)

LK