Transmission problem

[dmk2000]

Hello.

Tonight our new 2013 C Max SEL (1400 miles) decided to stop cooperating. After returning from the super market, I drive into our driveway that has about 3% incline toward house. I placed shift changer into parking position, and let break paddle go. Guess what, car start moving forward. I reapply breaks to stop it from rolling forward into my kids. Scary thing. Few moments latter, I looked on dash board, where gear selector shows what position shiftier is on, and all letters where white. To me it indicates that even thou gear selector was all the way forward supposedly in parking position, actually it was not. Well, I am thinking, let me move it into reverse gear, and then back to parking. To my surprise the sifter is stuck and cannot be moved. Releasing break paddle, car holds position, stopped sliding forward. I ask my wife to seat in a driver seat, then I try to push car back, thinking it would release sifter, or unlock transmission, but no luck. The insult to injury is that, after turning car off, it is still on with message to place gear selector into park position. That means by the morning 12v battery will be dead. Called Ford Emergency service 90 minutes ago so that they will tow me to a dealer. We will see what they will tell me.

Question is, does anyone else had the same issue with this transmission?

Thank you.      

[Wnuk]

That's an odd one. Please keep us up to date on what they find. 

[drdiesel1]

If you have a battery charger, you should charge the 12V battery. Sounds like it's a dead 12V battery problem.

 

 

Here's where to hook it up under the hood near the drivers side headlamp

[dmk2000]

Does not looks like a battery problem because if press start button, car turns on, and AC running and the whole 9 yards, radio, head lights windows go up and down. Looks to me a shifter or tranny issue. Said that, it might be 12 V battery, who knows, anyway the car just been picked up and in route to the dealer night drop off box. Will keep posting.

[dmk2000]

Another thing. The engineer at Ford that was responsible for gear changer design must be fired. This is most confusing shifter I have used. My wife constantly selects lower gear due to confusing design. Why place a gear markings on a shifter column, where there is no indication on it what position shifter is in? Just place red line or pointer on it to indicate where it is. The dashboard indicators are obstructed by the steering wheel, so she does not see where it lends. Odd design. I like Japanese designs. Gears are offset so when you select drive it is a last position on a it, when need to select park it is all the way up and to the left. I do it without looking at it, intuitively.

Edited August 16, 2014 by dmk2000

[dmk2000]

Well, just finished talking with a service adviser from dealership. He told me it would take 3-4 days before he will have a chance looking at it...... I am like O.K., can I have a loaner, and he is: I will call you back after 9:30 because Enterprise rentals is open at 9:00. He also said I might be charged for a loaner. Odd, I thought loaner free during the original new car warranty. Am I wrong? Can anybody confirm what is a Ford loaner car policy for a new car warranty.

Thank you.    

Edited August 16, 2014 by dmk2000

[Laurel]

We have had to pay for a loaner from day one and we have extended warranty--we do get a $20 a day rate which isn't so bad.  I agree the gear shift indicator system is bad and dangerous in my opinion.  I hate not having it marked and having to peak behind and turn the steering wheel to see which gear it is in.  Good luck with your problem.  I notice of late when using hill descent that we get a big lurch and clunk when I take it out of hill descent so that is worrisome.  I have it on the list for when the car goes in for maintenance.

[drdiesel1]

We have had to pay for a loaner from day one and we have extended warranty--we do get a $20 a day rate which isn't so bad.  I agree the gear shift indicator system is bad and dangerous in my opinion.  I hate not having it marked and having to peak behind and turn the steering wheel to see which gear it is in.  Good luck with your problem.  I notice of late when using hill descent that we get a big lurch and clunk when I take it out of hill descent so that is worrisome.  I have it on the list for when the car goes in for maintenance.

The shifter is clearly marked on the console and it has a shift indicator on the cluster. What more do you need :drop:

 

Are you deactivating the HDA while on a hill/decelerating ?

Edited August 16, 2014 by drdiesel1

[Laurel]

The shifter is clearly marked on the console and it has a shift indicator on the cluster. What more do you need :drop:

 

Are you deactivating the HDA while on a hill/decelerating ?

I need the shifter lit up like on most cars so I can readily see it and not have to search for it.

The lurch and clunk has been occurring after descending steep grades when I have to come to a stop sign and disengage the HDA.  It has made me stop using it on steep grades downhill now.  It's pretty disconcerting as it is a big clunk.

[drdiesel1]

I need the shifter lit up like on most cars so I can readily see it and not have to search for it.

The lurch and clunk has been occurring after descending steep grades when I have to come to a stop sign and disengage the HDA.  It has made me stop using it on steep grades downhill now.  It's pretty disconcerting as it is a big clunk.

I don't understand this. It has a PRNDL on the cluster that indicates gear range. It has lighting to indicate what gear you

have selected. It's straight in front of you. Couldn't you just turn the wheel to a little to see it instead of craning around it ?

Sometimes the simple things escape us all to easy. You're not moving while changing gears and the wheel will move past

the indicator without much effort. I suggest trying to lean something new. It certainly can't hurt. You've made the step into

the technology of a hybrid, so just keep an open mind. I know we dislike change, but the shift indicator is there the same

as all cars. Turn the wheel that little bit and it's 100% visible. Try it ;)

 

As far as the DHA system goes, you don't need to turn it off at the bottom of every hill. Leave it on while driving in area's

that have hills. You won't hurt it. That's what it's for. I only turn it off on flat roads, but if it's a mile or two between hills,

I still leave it on.  As far as the clunk is concerned, are you stopped when it clunks ?

[homestead]

I don't like it either.

IMO, I don't think a good design should require you to turn the steering wheel to tell what gear you are shifting into.

Would have been better to light up the shifter letters as they are always visible.

Edited August 16, 2014 by homestead

[drdiesel1]

I don't like it either.

IMO, I don't think a good design should require you to turn the steering wheel to tell what gear you are shifting into.

Would have been better to light up the shifter letters as they are always visible.

Most low tech vehicles have a plane jane steering wheel that you can see though. The C-Max

has a lot of tech on the wheel, so it takes up some visual real estate. I don't have a problem with it, but YMMV!

 

I find it very easy to turn the wheel,,, if needed ;)

Edited August 16, 2014 by drdiesel1

[Laurel]

I don't understand this. It has a PRNDL on the cluster that indicates gear range. It has lighting to indicate what gear you

have selected. It's straight in front of you. Couldn't you just turn the wheel to a little to see it instead of craning around it ?

Sometimes the simple things escape us all to easy. You're not moving while changing gears and the wheel will move past

the indicator without much effort. I suggest trying to lean something new. It certainly can't hurt. You've made the step into

the technology of a hybrid, so just keep an open mind. I know we dislike change, but the shift indicator is there the same

as all cars. Turn the wheel that little bit and it's 100% visible. Try it ;)

 

As far as the DHA system goes, you don't need to turn it off at the bottom of every hill. Leave it on while driving in area's

that have hills. You won't hurt it. That's what it's for. I only turn it off on flat roads, but if it's a mile or two between hills,

I still leave it on.  As far as the clunk is concerned, are you stopped when it clunks ?

There is no light on the console to indicate which gear you are in--this is very old technology and a huge oversight in my opinion.  Yes, obviously I do turn the wheel to look to confirm which gear I am in i.e. low or drive in particular--however it is not always the handiest thing to have to turn the wheel to take a boo at which gear I'm in. Hopefully the engineers will fix this issue.  Yes, I have come to a complete stop when the clunk occurs.  I use DHA the same as you do and no clunks and lurches until recently--so something is amiss. Hubby chalks it up to first year design glitches.

[dmk2000]

I don't understand this. It has a PRNDL on the cluster that indicates gear range. It has lighting to indicate what gear you

have selected. It's straight in front of you. Couldn't you just turn the wheel to a little to see it instead of craning around it ?

Sometimes the simple things escape us all to easy. You're not moving while changing gears and the wheel will move past

the indicator without much effort. I suggest trying to lean something new. It certainly can't hurt. You've made the step into

the technology of a hybrid, so just keep an open mind. I know we dislike change, but the shift indicator is there the same

as all cars. Turn the wheel that little bit and it's 100% visible. Try it ;)

 

As far as the DHA system goes, you don't need to turn it off at the bottom of every hill. Leave it on while driving in area's

that have hills. You won't hurt it. That's what it's for. I only turn it off on flat roads, but if it's a mile or two between hills,

I still leave it on.  As far as the clunk is concerned, are you stopped when it clunks ?

She does it, turning wheel to take a look. Said that, why in the name of progress, and continence, not to light up gear letter indicator to show what gear you are in. After all, you are already looking at it, so just include visual indicator. It is not too hard, is it it?  To me it looks like bean counter cost cutting. There are many ways to accomplish certain tasks. some of these ways are easy and intuitive, and some are counterproductive. This is a high tech car, that also demands premium price, why not execute it right? Why go 95% distance and leave 5% unfinished? You also pointed out that this is a high tech car, and I should learn new things. Thing like what, turning steering wheel to see selected gear, recharging 12 V battery every month? So please tell me why is a high tech car uses outdated technology? Why my rental Hyundai Elantra has visual indicator on a shifter consul and also in the middle of dashboard without turning steering wheel to see it? I do not want to relearn 1980's ways of doing things.  Also, dash board has 3 screens, make a gear indicator somewhere in the middle without visual abstraction or additional body movements or procedures, it is not hard to do. Ford is trying to compete with Japanese and Korean car makers, and pushing for comfort and technological differentiation, well current gear shifter indication design is none of the above.

I hope this explanation makes my position more clear.

As far as loaner car, they got me into Enterprise rental, where I have to pay $5 per day for some domestic security tax. I can leave with this. Now, let see what is a problem with this car.   

Edited August 16, 2014 by dmk2000

[shinytop]

Just curious, how many EV miles did that state of the art Hyundai get?  

 

Every car has something missing that another car has.  If the sum total is not worth it then don't buy or get rid of it.

[dmk2000]

Just curious, how many EV miles did that state of the art Hyundai get?  

 

Every car has something missing that another car has.  If the sum total is not worth it then don't buy or get rid of it.

I am glad you asked. 

As of now I am averaging 37.5 miles per gallon in pure ICE mode. Granted it is rental and I do not know how well it was maintained.

BTW, where did I say that my rental Hyundai is high tech. On-contrary, I used rental Hyundai as an example of the spartan low cost car that has this feature done right.

That is all.

[shinytop]

I am sorry, I did not mean to interrupt your rant by asking relevant questions.

[dmk2000]

I am sorry, I did not mean to interrupt your rant by asking relevant questions.

O, no problem. I guess my interpretation of sarcasm is bit different then yours.

[kostby]

 

I hope this explanation makes my position more clear.

 

 

 

We get it. 

You hate it. 

Sell it and buy the much more technologically advanced Japanese Lexus CT200h.

 

Oh, wait.

Forget that.

The CT200h shows the selected gear on the dashboard too.

 

The diagram below the gear lever does not light up to show the selected gear.

It's stenciled on.

[dmk2000]

Hello Kastby.

You are right, it is on dashboard, but location of this display is clearly visible and not obscure by the steering wheel. 

Said that, if you move the joystick to the bottom of the gate, it will be engaging D position, and not L.

So from engineering point of view you are eliminating potential for choosing wrong gear. 

[shinytop]

Here's a question.  Why does a car with a CVT need a low gear?  If the computer chooses the proper ratio depending on all the inputs would it not put it into low gear when needed?

[jdbob]

Here's a question.  Why does a car with a CVT need a low gear?  If the computer chooses the proper ratio depending on all the inputs would it not put it into low gear when needed?

 

It doesn't and "L" on a C-Max doesn't actually change any gears. All it does is use regenerative braking when you let off the "gas" pedal instead of coasting. Other manufacturers call it something else (someone calls it "B" mode I think) but I suspect they used "L" because they already had those plastic parts for another model :)

[shinytop]

I am not convinced that is correct.  The two times I have had it in low instead of drive I could tell by the high pitch sound. I know the L does not change gears in a CVT but it feels like it tells the CVT to use a different ratio.

[jdbob]

Could be. I just use EV only mode 340+ days of the year. Can't say for sure if I've ever tried "L" with the engine running. Not sure what the point of running the engine faster would be.

[Laurel]

I too was in L once by mistake and the sound was such that I thought a catastrophic event was about to happen LOL.