“We don’t have the tool...”

[SienarSystems]

2017 GT pp with 16k miles. Brought it in for an oil change and the transmission thud. 17 days later I get this text from my service advisor:

“So the engineers want us to tear down the transmission. But we need a special tool to use that we don't currently have because we dont typically tear down this type of tranny. My tech is getting the transmission put back in so you have the car in the mean time. I just talked to my tech about time frame and he said it will be ready for you tomorrow.”

2 weeks later I get this: “Newest update today is that management has decided to just outright purchase the tool and get it here instead of waiting to get it from another shop. We actually have another mustang gt500 with the same transmission that is in the same situation as yours.”

1. How can you not have “the tool” to tear down a transmission that’s been in the S550 since day 1?

2. GT500 with an MT-82???

I feel like I’m in the twilight zone...

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[88lx50]

Go somewhere else. I would not want to be their guinea pig if they never worked on a MT82. They don't even know what car came with that trans.

 

[smann]

Don't have the tool kinda sounds like "we don't really want to deal with this right now, maybe in a couple weeks we might be able to"

 

[wildcatgoal]

MT82 is not an easy M/T to tear down. It's frustrating, actually, to the point that I know Ford techs who say they cannot stand working on them and/or know techs that refuse to.

That said, a good mechanic can handle this job. There is even a YouTube video series of a guy tearing one down for the first time. You see how incredibly time consuming it is.

 

[SienarSystems]

Bet that’s why the standard (at least at this dealer) has been to replace and not repair. Unlucky me, the Ford hotline engineers want my trans torn down to get to the bottom of the metal shavings in the trans fluid.

 

[RevvdMedia]

Bet that’s why the standard (at least at this dealer) has been to replace and not repair. Unlucky me, the Ford hotline engineers want my trans torn down to get to the bottom of the metal shavings in the trans fluid.

I've heard similar before - transmission repairs end up being: remove transmission from car - replace with a rebuilt transmission - a factory elsewhere will rebuild or scrap your old defective transmission. By this logic, I'm not surprised they don't have the tool.

 

[ctandc72]

Not really shocked. There aren't too many techs, even at dealers, that have experience tearing down manual transmissions. It's usually much cheaper (labor mostly) for manufacturers to replace rather than rebuild.

It's not like every dealer tech has been to every class and certification path - even when ASE certified.

A lot of it has to do with service volume too.

How many Mustangs are actually equipped with MT82 based on all production?
How many of those get the transmission torn down and not just replaced?

Should the dealer have had the tool? Yes. Does it shock me they didn't? No.

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