Bought my 2012 Transit Connect new from this dealer 2 years ago.


Had the scheduled trans service (flush and new fluid?) done 2 months ago @ 65k miles by the Ford dealer. Preventative maintenance so I thought. About 3 weeks ago I started hearing a faint whine that raises in pitch with actual speed (not engine rpm's). And it started getting louder this week. Van has 69k miles now. 4k since trans service.


I checked the trans fluid level 2 nights ago and found the dealer had overfilled it. Fluid is dark, foamy, and 4-5 inches ABOVE the full mark on the stick. The Ford Transit Connect shop manual says DO NOT overfill trans or overheating and possible damage may occur.


No signs of problems besides the noise. Bought it to the dealer yesterday and they confirmed the noise and the overfill. Left it there and waited to hear back.
So talked to them today and they tell me that the final gear in the trans is the problem and needs parts replaced. Said they will get back to me tomorrow with a price. AND they also tell me that the overfill would not cause trans problems so I'm on the hook. I beg to differ and will ask them to show me where it states overfilling the trans is fine, after I see Ford saying it can cause problems and excess should be syphoned out before driving. He tells me you can't believe what you find on the net, and I tell him this is straight from the FORD manual. I also asked why the fluid was dark and he said the new fluid picked up remaining contaminants. My question was "After a flush"? I would think it would still look somewhat clean after 4k miles.
At this point I have lost all confidence in this dealers Service Dept. This is the third strike. First was loosing a wheel cover pulling out of the dealer after a tire rotation. No biggie. Second was after an oil change. Drove home in the pouring rain and smelled something burning. Figured they just spilled a bit of oil on the ex manifold. Got home to find they never put on the filler cap back and oil was everywhere. And now this.


Do I have a legitimate complaint?

 

FWIW, IMO, dealerships have become so confident that the consumer has no clue as to anything mechanical that they just BS their way right into your back pocket! The "Service Advisors" are re-trained telephone salesmen and are smiling faces to BS you right into the waiting area to wait for your raping.
I was heavily involved in fleet maintenance for 30 years so I'm not a PO'ed bonehead just spouting off, and I carried a full set of ASE certs.
Took my '14 TC in for warranty on Friday, transmission not engaging solidly going into 3rd. The trans tech couldn't find any problem. Well before that 5 year 100K mile warranty expires you had better believe they'll find a problem. I mentioned smelling an oil smell occasionally.....nope couldn't happen as the '14 has a front belly pan and it would leave me walking before I could smell it. In one of the 4 "updates" from the service advisor by noon they had to replace an axle seal and maybe low tranny fluid could cause the issue I took it in for that they couldn't detect. I suspect retrieving my TC Monday is going to be fun for me, not so much for them!
Rant over.

Other than roof height I love this '14 so much more over the '10 I had. I put 213000 on the '10 with NO problems at all and I put all those miles on it without getting over run because of it's lack of power. This '14 w/2.5L is a smokin' machine! Got iy 1st of Oct and have 18000 miles on it now. Love driving it and it's so much more occupant friendly. But yes, I have knots on my forehead from the upper door latch strikers on the rear doors.
:-(

Love the vehicle, despise the Ford service!

 

Wow, Reading this makes me glad I have a Great Dealership in my area. Being a fleet mechanic for 4 pest control companies, we use almost all Rangers till the end of production left us, wanting. The company went with a Transit Connect. I have grown to absolutely HATE these pieces of crap. Goes through brake pads every 20,000 miles, Tires every 25,000 miles, Had to replace the gear shifter in one of them, The sunvisor in one of them which isn't surprising until it was the passenger side and our company doesn't carry passengers. Several tranny rebuilds, one was at 19,000 miles. Oh and what ever you do don't get into and accident in one of them, They fold up like a beer can. Please don't get me started on the key locks and cylinders. I haven't seen any of the re-designed models yet, Thankfully the powers that be came to their senses and stopped purchasing them. Ok Rant over.

 

Other than this slipping issue, which WILL be resolved before the warranty expires, I totally LOVE the Gen 2 TC's.

I think the way they are used and driven contributes to many issues. I put 213000 on my 2010 and other than routine maintenance had no problems. Sold it to a relative who abuses it daily and it now has 233000. My miles were highway miles though.

 

Yes, you have a legitimate complaint. Over filling causes the fluid to foam. Foamed fluid can't lubricate, so parts fail. I'd say the final drive failure is a direct result of the overfill, with the caveat that I haven't inspected the failed parts.

Contact Crystal at Ford Service. She posts on FTE and might be able to
help.

 

I too would think this was an error on the service departments side based on the information you've provided (and normally I side with dealerships). You will likely have to use them for the repair because this isn't Fords issue, it's the dealerships. Ford is likely going to be on your side here. Politely try and elevate the concern to the service manager, or GM of the dealership. If that gets you no where then seek help from Ford. The way you present the concern will likely make a significant difference. The service adviser is trying to save his/her paycheck, so I can be empathetic, but the technician didn't exactly perform the job to standard so having you pay for this wouldn't be proper.