2022 GT Automatic Transmission Locked in First Gear

[Dabaur]

Yesterday while taking off from a stop sign, my transmission became stuck in first gear. Since I was merging into heavy, fast moving highway traffic at the time, it was a fairly scary and tense few moments. Kind of in desperation I grabbed the paddle shifter and was able to pop it into second gear and then third. When the transmission shifted it did so with a loud clunk which I both felt and heard. I pulled off the highway as soon as I could, and into a parking lot and turned the car off and let it sit for a couple of minutes (or until my nerves calmed down.) I restarted the car and drove it around the lot and it seemed to shift okay. Finally went about my way and didn’t experience any more issues until I got back in the car after my meeting. Car started up fine, then the horn honked twice and a “no key” warning popped up on the dash. Extra weird since the car was obviously already started and I could drive it just fine. Drove 20 miles home with no issues. Called local Ford dealership and talked to their service department. Told him the issues, and I also mentioned to him that I periodically get a message saying “Remote features disabled to preserve battery.” I’ve read about this issue before, probably here on this forum, but the service guy acted like I was making it up. Sigh. They have no one available to check the transmission until July. I’ve learned over the years that yelling doesn’t help so I’m on the July schedule. They did offer to check the battery, so I drove down there (no issues) and let them do the test. Naturally the battery tested out fine. They have no idea why I’m getting that battery warning, or why the car thought there was no key but started up anyway. Now I’m kinda scared to drive the thing. It only has 3,202 miles On it. Anyone else ever experience any of these or is it just my car that’s possessed?

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[JustSomeGuy]

Can you describe what you mean when you say stuck? Did you get on and off the gas multiple times? Did it bounce off the rev limiter? If not what revs was it at? how much throttle input? How long was it stuck before paddle shifters got it unstuck?

 

[KingKona]

When was the last time you had driven the car? How long ago?

 

[AZRobert]

What driving mode were you in - Sport, Sport+, Normal....? Could the shifter have been all the way back into Sport?

 

[compprep]

How the battery in the keyfob?

 

[K4fxd]

You need a new car battery. They will test good and still be worn out enough to cause all kinds of crazy whacked out shit... I'm surprised the service writer does not know this.

You might need a new key fob battery also.

 

[2016S550]

Yesterday while taking off from a stop sign, my transmission became stuck in first gear. Since I was merging into heavy, fast moving highway traffic at the time, it was a fairly scary and tense few moments. Kind of in desperation I grabbed the paddle shifter and was able to pop it into second gear and then third. When the transmission shifted it did so with a loud clunk which I both felt and heard. I pulled off the highway as soon as I could, and into a parking lot and turned the car off and let it sit for a couple of minutes (or until my nerves calmed down.) I restarted the car and drove it around the lot and it seemed to shift okay. Finally went about my way and didn’t experience any more issues until I got back in the car after my meeting. Car started up fine, then the horn honked twice and a “no key” warning popped up on the dash. Extra weird since the car was obviously already started and I could drive it just fine. Drove 20 miles home with no issues. Called local Ford dealership and talked to their service department. Told him the issues, and I also mentioned to him that I periodically get a message saying “Remote features disabled to preserve battery.” I’ve read about this issue before, probably here on this forum, but the service guy acted like I was making it up. Sigh. They have no one available to check the transmission until July. I’ve learned over the years that yelling doesn’t help so I’m on the July schedule. They did offer to check the battery, so I drove down there (no issues) and let them do the test. Naturally the battery tested out fine. They have no idea why I’m getting that battery warning, or why the car thought there was no key but started up anyway. Now I’m kinda scared to drive the thing. It only has 3,202 miles On it. Anyone else ever experience any of these or is it just my car that’s possessed?

Do you park your car in your garage and leave it unlocked?

 

[2016S550]

What driving mode were you in - Sport, Sport+, Normal....? Could the shifter have been all the way back into Sport?

I’ve done this while in S Mode on the shifter and accidentally bumping the Paddle Shifter without noticing which requires the paddles to be used from that point on.

 

[Dabaur]

Can you describe what you mean when you say stuck? Did you get on and off the gas multiple times? Did it bounce off the rev limiter? If not what revs was it at? how much throttle input? How long was it stuck before paddle shifters got it unstuck?

No I basically just took off to merge into traffic and the car never shifted out of first gear. I never got close to the rev limiter- I did hit 4500rpm. I let off the gas a couple of times hoping it would release and go into 2nd but it never did. how long stuck? Seemed like forever since I was getting honked at but it was probably no more than 20 seconds or so. Finally used the paddle shifter.

 

[Dabaur]

Do you park your car in your garage and leave it unlocked?

Yes I do, pretty much all the time.

 

[Dabaur]

I’ve done this while in S Mode on the shifter and accidentally bumping the Paddle Shifter without noticing which requires the paddles to be used from that point on.

It was in normal mode. I didn’t touch the paddle shifters until the transmission wouldn’t shift.

 

[Dabaur]

When was the last time you had driven the car? How long ago?

I usually drive it about twice a week. My F150 is my daily driver.

 

[Dabaur]

How the battery in the keyfob?

I’ve never had an issue with the fob. Its battery is a year old but I only drive the mustang about twice a week. I recently changed out the battery on my F150 fob. It had lasted almost four years and it gets used multiple times a day.

 

[2016S550]

Yes I do, pretty much all the time.

My experience is this. I purchased my car in December. It was always garaged and driven about 2x a week. I never locked it and I got that same message about my battery on my phone several times a month.

Spring came and I got a 3rd motorcycle so the car went outside. While being kept outside the car was locked every time I walked away from it. The car was not driven any more than it had been. I never got the message about the battery while the car was being kept outside.

I sold one of the bikes last month and moved my car back into the garage. I forgot about locking it again since it was in my garage. After a week in the garage and being left unlocked the messages started popping up again. Now even though it’s in my garage I lock it and do not get those messages any longer.

 

[Dabaur]

My experience is this. I purchased my car in December. It was always garaged and driven about 2x a week. I never locked it and I got that same message about my battery on my phone several times a month.

Spring came and I got a 3rd motorcycle so the car went outside. While being kept outside the car was locked every time I walked away from it. The car was not driven any more than it had been. I never got the message about the battery while the car was being kept outside.

I sold one of the bikes last month and moved my car back into the garage. I forgot about locking it again since it was in my garage. After a week in the garage and being left unlocked the messages started popping up again. Now even though it’s in my garage I lock it and do not get those messages any longer.

That’s just weird! Sounds like a programming glitch. I’ll try locking mine every day and see if I get the same results. Thanks!

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