Official Tremec 3650 Issues Thread

I wish people that are having this transmission problem would call 1-800-392-3673 (FORD) and let them know of this problem. I just called them and they said that the more people call, the more likely this will be fixed through a TSB. Also a dealer won't fix this problem just by telling them about the shifting problem. Wait for a very cold day and leave the car there. They should give you a "loaner". Have them leave the car at the dealership overnight so that they can experience the problem and report it themselves. I would tell them to not let the car warm up at all. To just start it and go. In the manual, it says it's not necessory to warm up the car before driving it. After they see there is a problem, it may not be fixed right away but the more dealers that are reporting this the sooner that this problem WILL be fixed.
 
I didn't realize this was a problem until it started to get cold. I just bought my 2002 GT in April and never had a problem. Now that it's cold it's gotten so bad that I start in 2nd gear whenever possible. This is a joke and shouldn't be something we have to deal with. I've written a letter and made a phone call and got the same responses. I haven't taken the car in yet because she's hibernating for the winter, but I guess now would be the best time to take it to the local dealer and see what kind of b.s. they have to say about the problem!!


:bang: :bang: :bang: :bang:
 
brianmef

I dropped my car off the night before on all 3 visits. It doesn't matter anyways, I duplicated the problem with the Tech in the car, he acknowledge that it was bad, and all they did is the fluid change. When I bring it back they give me the it's normal speech.
 
I got the same treatment...it was "normal gear clash" and "did not affect the performance or longevity of the vehicle" I agree with the others...sure sounds like a lawsuit waiting to happen :shrug:

Twisted said:
I dropped my car off the night before on all 3 visits. It doesn't matter anyways, I duplicated the problem with the Tech in the car, he acknowledge that it was bad, and all they did is the fluid change. When I bring it back they give me the it's normal speech.
 
I thought about lemon law too and decided against it unless it's a last resort because 1) They're not gonna replace my 2001 Cobra for a 2003/2004 Cobra 2) I was laid off work for a while this year and had to file chapter 13 bankruptcy, so even if they bought the car back I couldn't finance another car anyway until my bankruptcy is paid off.
 
Lemon Law

I think we don't have a chance with the lemon law. As I understand it the lemon law is if they fail to fix a problem 3 times or if the have the car for more than 30 days for the same problem. Ford is not fixing anything, everytime you bring it in they write "no trouble found" or "could not duplicate the complaint" on your service bill. You can bring it in 15 times for the same problem, but they cover themselves by not admitting it.....which means no lemon law because there is no problem. It is "normal."
 
Suprafied said:
Well, that is the part that my company builds for Tremec. We do not manufacture the brass rings, but we bond the carbon based material to the synchro ring. I know for a fact that Tremec engineers with be meeting with the Engineer at my work who is in charge of this project on Tuesday this week. The engineer of my company just flew down to Tremec manufacturing plants in Mexico to discuss this with them. However, the week before I had just finished tests on 5 possible new designs(including new material and not just brass. I can't talk about the materials/ processes). I will tell you this, there was one design that performed more than 8 times our current production.



I'll leave it at that until I hear more information that I can release.

I know how much of a headache this part has been, even coming from the manufacturing standpoint.

You got any more information you can share yet?
 
Well I finally got the answer I was looking for, even though I had to use influence from where I work.

I spoke to the service manager at the dealer where I brought the car and they ordered a new tranny for my 03 GT.

I really think even though I'm getting a new tranny, Ford knows damn well that there's a problem and has been giving us the run-around on this.

I questioned the service manager on "what if" the new tranny has the same problems and he assured me that the new tremec 3650 is an upgraded model from the old one and the problem will not occur.

So my best advice to everyone else here is to push Ford on getting their's repaired/replaced and as mentioned in previous posts, I feel that it's only a matter of time before Ford issues a TSB/recall.
 
Mustang225 said:
Well I finally got the answer I was looking for, even though I had to use influence from where I work.

I spoke to the service manager at the dealer where I brought the car and they ordered a new tranny for my 03 GT.

I really think even though I'm getting a new tranny, Ford knows damn well that there's a problem and has been giving us the run-around on this.

I questioned the service manager on "what if" the new tranny has the same problems and he assured me that the new tremec 3650 is an upgraded model from the old one and the problem will not occur.

So my best advice to everyone else here is to push Ford on getting their's repaired/replaced and as mentioned in previous posts, I feel that it's only a matter of time before Ford issues a TSB/recall.

You're going to have to give us an update on your 3rd new tranny. I am very skeptical that it will shift substantially better than your last two trannies. Hope it does - good luck!
 
Mustang225

Mustang225,
Do us all a favor. Please, please get the part numbers off the old and new transmission. If there is a revision change that fixed this issue, they would have upreved the transmission part number. Like 12345AA to 12345AB. Demand that you see the old and new, and record the P/N's. If they are the same, the dealer is blowing smoke up your ass again.
 
I gotta 2000 auto, and didn't like the auto but now i am glad i bought one. My friend gotta a new 03 and with only 1500miles on it, i could not even shift into 2nd. Thats nuts, I have a 95 Integra with 150k hard miles with worn out syncoteeth and blocker rings, and i still can shift at -25C in Winter. I just saying that this can't be normal, i have ATF in my integra instead of the required MTF 10W30 and still can shift(never grinds, just stiff). My Friend is pissed cuz the dealer is just giving him a runaround.
 
BMan5150 said:
You're going to have to give us an update on your 3rd new tranny. I am very skeptical that it will shift substantially better than your last two trannies. Hope it does - good luck!

First...This is not my 3rd new tranny. Not sure where you got that one from.

Second...I'm still running my orig factory tranny

Third...From the post two above this one. I'll get the old tranny number when
I get an oil change next week and will get the new tranny number after
the install and report back.
 
Mjp said:
Parts were ordered today. I know someone at Ford and my car is going to be the guinea pig for this fix. We'll see. Teardown begins after parts arrive. I spoke to the tranny guy and he had never seen these "exact" part numbers. Said they must be brand new and showed me a syncro box he had just opened to replace the synro in a brand new Mach1. Same number but didn't start with a 3 or something. We'll see. I'll keep ya'll updated.

So what's the latest word on this?

Parts installed? Tranny fixed? Still waiting? :confused:
 
grrrrr... my tranny just started making a noise while going into 2nd. it does it when its cold. it sounds like it misses one tooth before going in. not a grind, but just like a low clang... not cool. im gonna go to the dealer as soon as i get a chance. zsrvbkas.jvban
 
Angus said:
So what's the latest word on this?

Parts installed? Tranny fixed? Still waiting? :confused:
The parts have arrived. They are sitting on my friends toolbox at Ford. The tranny guy is currently fixing a tranny right now, and he does not want to do more than 1 at a time because he has one big bench he works on and puts all of his parts. He doesn't want to have any mix up with the parts from my car and the one he is working on. It should be done in a week or two though, then my car will go down for the fix.

I'll keep everyone updated.
 
After reading some of the threads, I decided to change the trans fluid to see if it would fix the 1st to 2nd scratch on my "02" Vert Gt. Well, it really smoothed it out quite a bit but I can still feel a slight scratch going into 2nd. I had 24K miles when I changed it to the Amsoil fluid. I have put a little over 175 miles since the change this past Monday. All the other gears seem to feel a hell of alot more smooth when shifting. I'm hoping when the fluid works in further (with a few more miles) that it will fix the problem. Of course, I know better... :rlaugh: :lol:

By the way, when I changed it, I put 3.5L of fluid in the tranny.
 
lizard-jd said:
After reading some of the threads, I decided to change the trans fluid to see if it would fix the 1st to 2nd scratch on my "02" Vert Gt. Well, it really smoothed it out quite a bit but I can still feel a slight scratch going into 2nd. I had 24K miles when I changed it to the Amsoil fluid. I have put a little over 175 miles since the change this past Monday. All the other gears seem to feel a hell of alot more smooth when shifting. I'm hoping when the fluid works in further (with a few more miles) that it will fix the problem. Of course, I know better... :rlaugh: :lol:


Mine was the same way. Right after it came out of the shop from the 3rd time fixing the tranny, I put a shifter and Royal Purple fluid in it and it felt great, better than when I first got the car, but it only lasted 4000 miles which is the most miles I put on it at one time. After about 4000 miles it started to get hard to get into second and started popping out of second sometimes. I'm still driving it trying to hold out for the TSB but will probably take it in the first part of Janurary.
 
I had the oil changed on the stang yesterday and my mechanic wrote down my tranny model/serial number.

Now, I'm just waiting for Ford to call me to bring the car in for the new tranny and once installed, it's back to my mechanic to record the new model/serial number to see if Tremec did indeed upgrade this model.

Stay tuned and Merry Christmas.

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