A10 weirdness with new Mach 1

[Jstang23]

DO NOT drive in track mode until 1000 miles. Several reasons why, proper seating of the piston rings, breaking in on the clutches in the 10AT, adaptive shifting learning, and so much more. New mustangs are not the beaters that they used to be, where as long as you had oil you could floor it everywhere you go.

You just bought a $70k sports car with a very complicated v8 and incredibly precise transmission. I have heard stories of people driving like they stole it day 1. I'd be interested to see how many parts fail later in their ownership. You shouldn't be getting anywhere near 5k rpms for at least the first 100 miles. Then stay away from 6k rpms until 500 miles. After 500 you can get closer to redline but don't go stomping on the gas all the way to redline through every gear. I know its hard to resist the temptation as these cars are so fas and sound so good. But you need to let the engine and trans break in properly. Then, have your oil changed at 1000 miles and go crazy!

The transmission will take 1000 miles before any dealership will look at it. They will tell you to go drive and bring it back after 1000 miles. Ask me how I know lol!

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[Robottrainer]

Guys, just picked up a new 23 Mach 1 and only have about 90 miles on it, but I’m 2+ hours back to the dealer. I’m getting some slippage in track mode on the 1-2 upshift, especially if I’m turning. I’ve heard it’s a chore to check the trans oil. Can y’all enlighten me?

My 21 GT was down 1 quart. Unless the trans is above 75deg C, it shifts inconsistency place in sport or sport plus mode. Once above 75 it shifts perfect.

 

[young at heart]

All you folks who caution not to use track mode before 1000 miles, etc. , I’m curious. Given that I’ve seen no such instructions from Ford in the owner’s manual and would have expected to if this practice were potentially harmful to the car, I’m curious where you read or otherwise saw this. Or is it just your studied opinion? I realize this is an adaptive transmission of course but I’m not sure that means damage will result.

 

[RagmopInKona]

Thank you but good Lord! I won’t be checking that on my own.

I guess a good old tube and dipstick was just too complicated for Ford, huh?

They don't want bone heads checking it cold and over filling it, or putting the wrong ATF.
This limits warranty claims from numb nuts grabbing any ATF and adding it in.
Bonus the shorter stick with no tube is cheaper .
But I understand why they do it after working warranty repairs for a few decades in a past life
But I'd keep it in normal mode for the 1st 1000 miles.

 

[RagmopInKona]

All you folks who caution not to use track mode before 1000 miles, etc. , I’m curious. Given that I’ve seen no such instructions from Ford in the owner’s manual and would have expected to if this practice were potentially harmful to the car, I’m curious where you read or otherwise saw this. Or is it just your studied opinion? I realize this is an adaptive transmission of course but I’m not sure that means damage will result.

The owners manual in most vehicles advises you to take it easy for the 1st 500-1000 miles to let it break in. Track mode settings are not taking it easy. The shifting is programmed to shift fast and solidly quick bangs with limited slipping of the clutches, at a higher rpm than normal. Think of track mode like the old days adding a shift kit to a c4/c6 and after install the transmission shifts are more brutal and at a higher rpm shift point.

 

[ice445]

All you folks who caution not to use track mode before 1000 miles, etc. , I’m curious. Given that I’ve seen no such instructions from Ford in the owner’s manual and would have expected to if this practice were potentially harmful to the car, I’m curious where you read or otherwise saw this. Or is it just your studied opinion? I realize this is an adaptive transmission of course but I’m not sure that means damage will result.

It's just people's opinion. Some people think you should break in the car soft, others think you should break it in hard, some (like me) think you should break it in just how you would normally drive the car. Break in is more about variability than any specific list of "must do's".

 

[Bikeman315]

All you folks who caution not to use track mode before 1000 miles, etc. , I’m curious. Given that I’ve seen no such instructions from Ford in the owner’s manual and would have expected to if this practice were potentially harmful to the car, I’m curious where you read or otherwise saw this. Or is it just your studied opinion? I realize this is an adaptive transmission of course but I’m not sure that means damage will result.

It's just people's opinion. Some people think you should break in the car soft, others think you should break it in hard, some (like me) think you should break it in just how you would normally drive the car. Break in is more about variability than any specific list of "must do's".

Agreed. It’s also common sense. The transmission cannot learn if it is not in the right mode. Do as you wish since you can always do a “relearn” and start from scratch. But, at least, this answers your original question.

 

[young at heart]

The owners manual in most vehicles advises you to take it easy for the 1st 500-1000 miles to let it break in. Track mode settings are not taking it easy. The shifting is programmed to shift fast and solidly quick bangs with limited slipping of the clutches, at a higher rpm than normal. Think of track mode like the old days adding a shift kit to a c4/c6 and after install the transmission shifts are more brutal and at a higher rpm shift point.

Ragmop that sure brings back the old days and makes me smile. I was strictly a GM groupie in those days and by the time we admitted that a kitted up THM could shift faster (and safer) than our best 4 speed power shifts, a Pontiac dealer in Royal Oaks, MI had developed a shift kit they called the “Bobcat” kit. That darn kit felt like your dash was gonna fly outta your car when it shifted!

 

[young at heart]

It's just people's opinion. Some people think you should break in the car soft, others think you should break it in hard, some (like me) think you should break it in just how you would normally drive the car. Break in is more about variability than any specific list of "must do's".

I‘m with you on this ice. Even way back from the early days I’ve always thought variability was the key to a good break-in. Having said that I will say that our fastest cars were always the ones that got broken in the hardest. Always. I have no idea how they fared long term since we almost never kept them much longer than the current model year.

 

[Qcman17]

I fall into the drive it the way it will be driven within reason camp. I actually broke mine in using Sport Mode on the shifter because I felt normal mode didn't allow for varied RPM's very well. Perhaps that may have affected the learning thing but at that point in ownership I didn't even know the trans did that lol.

Besides normal mode feels like ass as it makes the car feel so lazy. I always get out of it as soon as the car gets a little bit of heat in it say after 5 minutes or so.

Maybe my trans never learned and it just assumes I'm an asshole.

 

[Jstang23]

I‘m with you on this ice. Even way back from the early days I’ve always thought variability was the key to a good break-in. Having said that I will say that our fastest cars were always the ones that got broken in the hardest. Always. I have no idea how they fared long term since we almost never kept them much longer than the current model year.

Sometimes, yes, if you break an engine in harder they tend to make more horsepower. But, with todays machining technology it really doesn't net that much of a power difference if you break it in hard or break it in soft. Most new coyote engines will dyno within 5-15 hp of each other. I can promise you that breaking an engine is hard will remove time of its lifespan. I'm just going off my experience and the experience of others. Hence why most manufacturers specify a "break-in period" where there are specific guidelines as to what's allowed and what's not. Ford just happens to not care enough as if any problem arises with the coyote, they'll just say its a "normal characteristic."

I'm not saying breaking your car in hard will cause it to break down immediately, but you will have a much higher probability of issues down the road.

 

[2022 Mach 1]

So I'm in the camo of drive it like you intend on driving it in the future. I wamma take it through the ringer in the first 4k miles to get everything to seat amd set correctly. I want to beat on it here and there because I'm of the thought if something bad is going to happen, I rather find out now vs later.

It's crazy how many of these M1 barely see 1000 miles in the first year and then all of a sudden something pops up.

Drive the car, enjoy the car, amd if something goes wrong take it in.

After year one I always start modding after I've felt it out. Putting away $20 a day is cheap insurance to get a new short block if it blows after I mod it.

 

[stannypack]

DO NOT drive in track mode until 1000 miles. Several reasons why, proper seating of the piston rings, breaking in on the clutches in the 10AT, adaptive shifting learning, and so much more. New mustangs are not the beaters that they used to be, where as long as you had oil you could floor it everywhere you go.

You just bought a $70k sports car with a very complicated v8 and incredibly precise transmission. I have heard stories of people driving like they stole it day 1. I'd be interested to see how many parts fail later in their ownership. You shouldn't be getting anywhere near 5k rpms for at least the first 100 miles. Then stay away from 6k rpms until 500 miles. After 500 you can get closer to redline but don't go stomping on the gas all the way to redline through every gear. I know its hard to resist the temptation as these cars are so fas and sound so good. But you need to let the engine and trans break in properly. Then, have your oil changed at 1000 miles and go crazy!

The transmission will take 1000 miles before any dealership will look at it. They will tell you to go drive and bring it back after 1000 miles. Ask me how I know lol!

I'm so close to 500 I can taste it. Been dying to start opening her up

 

[Jstang23]

I'm so close to 500 I can taste it. Been dying to start opening her up

Its the longest 500 miles I've ever driven as well, lol!

 

[vaeevictiss]

i still dont know what the hell the learning feature of these trans does. i have to reset it every 8-10 months or so in my F150 because it will start doing these hard and very loud downshifts at low speeds. and by loud i mean sounds like a damn u joint on the driveshaft is gonna break loud. Whe i reset it with FORSCAN it runs smooth as butter until I have to do it again. My '21 mustang is kinda sorta i think starting to do it at 10k miles. Even with the shifter in regular drive mode, down low it has that aggressive shudder like its in Sport mode. Other than that they run great, i just dont get what the learning function is really supposed to do. Ive heard of some guys in the F150 forums disabling it completely and fixing the problem for good.

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