Official Tremec 3650 Issues Thread

Ok guys and gals finally dropped the Gt off the get fixed for the THIRD time they say it is cause it is being race i said look at everything it is all stock they are supposed to send someone from FORD out there to look at it but the 1st gears grinds 2nd gear and 3rd gear and sometimes it wont go into reverse stupid tranny...i will have it back in a couple of days and i will let everyone know about it... I would highly recommend takeing off ALL MODS before putting it in service!!
 
Man, I'm pissed, (but as the wife would say, better to be pissed off than pissed on).

Anyway, I picked up the stang today with the new tranny and questioned the service rep on how many quarts of oil were put in the tranny. He printed out the work order for my records and showed me that 5 quarts were put in.

So I pull out of the dealership and go from 1-2 and damn it....it's very notchy with the new tranny. I had to get back to work so I couldn't just turn around and head back to the dealer. When I get back into the office I figured out what 5 quarts comes to in liters....idiots!!!! They put in 4.73 liters when the 03 manual says 3.8L. Even when I spoke to Tremec a few months ago they said to lower it to 3.2L.

I called Ford back and someone else said that he thinks the tech put in the right amount but put down 5 quarts as that's what they charge Ford. Why would Ford overpay their dealers is beyond me.

So I just left my phone number for the service manager to call me back as he was the one who knew the situation from the start. I'm sure I'll speak to him tomorrow and I'm curious to see what he says.
 
CAN you overfill it? Isn't the opening on the SIDE of the transmission? I was thinking that you can only fill it up to a certain point and after that you aren't able to put more in. I've never messed with the fluid in my transmission and really don't even know where exactly the plug is but the manual implies this.
 
brianmef said:
CAN you overfill it? Isn't the opening on the SIDE of the transmission? I was thinking that you can only fill it up to a certain point and after that you aren't able to put more in. I've never messed with the fluid in my transmission and really don't even know where exactly the plug is but the manual implies this.

The dealer is telling me that the service tech put the proper amount in even though the work order says 5 quarts. So, not that I believe him (yeah right), the stangs going in monday to my mechanic to drain whats ever in there to see how much they put in. If by chance it is 5 quarts (4.73L) I'm going to have him put in 3.2L and see how it drives. By chance there's 3.8L he'll fill it back up to 3.8L and the car goes back to Ford, since the new tranny is just as bad or worse than the old (stock) tranny.

The diagram on the tremec site does look like it might be very hard to overfill it. But even the spec's do say do not overfill, so it might be possible.

The service manager did say that I could leave it overnight and he'll take a ride with me to to see what I'm saying.

Stay tuned, same Bat channel...
 
Twisted said:
Mustang225,
Did you mark the trans to know if they did put a new one in? Did they show you the old one?

The stang is going in tomorrow to verify that a new tranny was installed. At the last oil change I had my mechanic write down the stock serial number.

I'll post both serial numbers as someone said that they'll be able to tell if it's an upgraded model or not.
 
'03 GT 7K miles, 1/2 clash started in Fall, now is heinous.
Am dancing with dealership now , all things said above apply.
1)"can't find the problem, no idea what you mean "
2) " it's normal, all GT's do this"
3) the TTC link above worked well, reply from product line manager in one day that TSB would be issued soon.
Almost to good to be true ...
Well thanks for organizing this site. Has anybody contacted NHTSA ?
 
Found some complaints... making my own...

Found two complaints specifically regarding the '03 manual trans. in their data bases. I'll run some other searches for other years...
Dahun


strongbad said:
'03 GT 7K miles, 1/2 clash started in Fall, now is heinous.
Am dancing with dealership now , all things said above apply.
1)"can't find the problem, no idea what you mean "
2) " it's normal, all GT's do this"
3) the TTC link above worked well, reply from product line manager in one day that TSB would be issued soon.
Almost to good to be true ...
Well thanks for organizing this site. Has anybody contacted NHTSA ?
 
'04 GT here

I noticed some resistance in the 1-2 shift the first week and it was hardly chilly. 2-3 took a little hunting sometimes too, and so I had Pro-5.0 installed immediately. Now 1-2 is not the least bit of trouble even on very cold days. 2-3 shift is dead-on accurate every time, accept...

I *have* noticed that sometimes when quick shift 2-3 at high RPMs, I get totally locked out of 3rd... like there isn't even an opening for a gear there. Then I have to work the shifter around and drop the revs way down. Sometimes, I'll just say Screw It and go to 4th.

Basically, that just shuts me down after a really good and fast 1st through 2nd gear sprint.

Very annoying.
 
Looks like Ford really screwed up on the new tranny as they put in a little over 5 quarts . Even my work order says 5 quarts, but Ford said that the service tech only put in the proper amount.

I had my mechanic drain the oil and lower it to 3.8L. Its better but not the way it really should be. So tomorrow he's going to bring it down to 3.2L as the service tech from tremec told me it's ok.

I'll report back here by Thur to update my adventure.
 
Mustang225

Mustang225,
You should have done it at Ford with the manager there. That is completely uncalled for that they overfilled it. Like if they put 8 quarts of oil in you motor. These are supposed to be professionals not some high school kids at JiffyLube. WTF.

This reinforces all our fears of letting a Ford tech tear apart our transmissions to attempt a fix.
 
Twisted said:
Mustang225,
You should have done it at Ford with the manager there. That is completely uncalled for that they overfilled it. Like if they put 8 quarts of oil in you motor. These are supposed to be professionals not some high school kinds at JiffyLube. WTF.

This reinforces all our fears of letting a Ford tech tear apart our transmissions to attempt a fix.

I doubt Ford would have done it in front of me as they were denying 5 quarts from the get go even though their work order said 5 quarts.
 
My Ford dealer contacted Tremec which sent him a detailed spread sheet regarding the progress on the fix. I don't know what it means but it sounds like there will be an official fix very soon.
Everyone is now very willing to work with me based on information I have gotten from this website. Good work all.
My dealer also contacted Ford who has opened a CAC whatever that is.
We shall see.
 
Well here is my story. I emailed the site brianmef posted in #609: https://www.customersaskford.com/Ka...launchsite=ford. I pretty much wrote how dangerous it was to drive like this when pulling out into traffic.
Within a couple of days Ford customer service called and said they are going to escalate this problem. A day later my service manager called and said that Ford is sending an Engineer down from Chicago or from somewhere, maybe Detroit, to look at my trans. The service manager said that this engineer is going to look at it and talk with Tremec to find out what is going on and how to fix it. I'll keep you guys posted. The car went in today.
 
20BlackGT02,
Ford knows of the problem. This isn't a new issue to them. The dealership is just blowing smoke up you a55. But, I think you are one of the few people that has actually gotten an engineer to look at yours. Most of us get the "it's normal." I am curious to see what results from this. Please keep us all posted on what they decide/fix.
 
I told you guys weeks ago what they are going to do to fix the problem. Here is a copy of my post from a couple of weeks ago.

"I have more details for the fix. all of these part numbers start with 3r3z there are a total of 4 parts. The numbers may be flip-flopped with the part but I was assured that the numbers are right here they are:

1st and 2nd syncro = 3r3z 7124BA

2nd gear = 3r3z 7102AA

Blocker = 3r3z 7107AA

Shift Fork = 3r3z 7230AB

My service manager said it is a fix for the 1/2 gear grind. He also said ford will be releasing a service bulletin very soon. Good luck everyone. Cross your fingers."


I have these parts in my car now! Its better now. Shifts much better now. Still notchy though.
 
jrc_03_gt
The problem is my dealership sees those numbers in the system, but will not do anything until there is a TSB or statement from Ford. My dealership and many fellow stangers are still being told it is normal.

The latest talk I had with the Ford Executive rep was a "Fix" is due out late first quarter. Until then, this is "normal" in the eyes of many dealerships if you want warranty work performed.
 
good news

Just called up my dealer's service dept about this issue...
They didn't have a TSB on it...but I listed the part numbers for the fix and he said they are valid and would have no problem covering the fix it under the warranty.
Now, just wish the weather would get a little better so I can get the car out of storage and get it down there. (Maybe there will be a TSB before then too)

Looking better for all of us!!!
 
sacstoy02gt said:
Just called up my dealer's service dept about this issue...
They didn't have a TSB on it...but I listed the part numbers for the fix and he said they are valid and would have no problem covering the fix it under the warranty.
Now, just wish the weather would get a little better so I can get the car out of storage and get it down there. (Maybe there will be a TSB before then too)

Looking better for all of us!!!

Hmmm, I'll have to call my dealer and see what he says. When the part numbers were first released they weren't ok to use for warranty work except 03 models, so I've been waiting and driving my car with it not going into second and whining real bad now for a couple months, waiting for a TSB.
 
Twisted said:
20BlackGT02,
Ford knows of the problem. This isn't a new issue to them. The dealership is just blowing smoke up you a55. But, I think you are one of the few people that has actually gotten an engineer to look at yours. Most of us get the "it's normal." I am curious to see what results from this. Please keep us all posted on what they decide/fix.

That's what the ford engineer said, Ford deems it as NORMAL. But now that I have it on the books that a Ford guy actually came down, my service manager will honor the fix, if they ever get one, until 75,000 miles . I guess I'll just have to live with it. I've been learning not to use second until my car warms up.