Major hit to confidence in my dealership

[got3fords]

Took the Ranger in this morning for The Works, brake fluid fush, and transmission flush. Leaving the dealership I hit mostly smooth slightly hilly roads with a speed limit of 60. I immediately noticed a minor change in handling, kinda drifty, I shrugged it off to maybe the rear tires being moved to the front needed some time to acclimate,. I also noticed a difference in how the transmission shifted. It seemed to hesitate to shift at times, and especially noticeable when it seemed like it couldn't decide if it should be in 9th or 10th gear. I stopped at a gas station and checked the trans fluid level, which according to my fitzstick was way too high, well above the desired mark. I figured maybe it wasn't hot enough, but it still seemed way too high.
My commute home is about 3/4 backroads, so the driftyness was unnoticable. What was noticable was everytime I hit the slightest bump I hear a substantial clank/rattle. WTF?
After getting home, the first thing I check was trans fluid level, which still looked too high. Wheel lug torque was spot on. So the I crawled underneath and the first thing I noticed was the whole underneath was coated in trans fluid. I also happened to notice a loose and dangling bracket. It appeared to be the front sway bar mount. Upon further inspection, of the 4 fasteners securing the sway bar, only 1 nut was still there, with less than 2 turns on the thread.
Luckily getting a hold of someone just after closing hours, they are supposed to send a tow truck tomorrow morning.

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[Loweredon33s]

Are you checking it running? It would be lower if it wasn’t hot enough, not too high.

 

[got3fords]

Are you checking it running? It would be lower if it wasn’t hot enough, not too high.

Yes, running after a 45 minute commute.

 

[RedlandRanger]

And this is why I do my own oil changes.....

 

[AzScorpion]

It's sad when a dealership can't even do basic oil changes and maintenance anymore. I was lucky in AZ in that I had a great shop (Breaks Plus) with who I could trust. Now that I've moved I'm worried I'll have these same issues with the local dealers here. I have been reading reviews of all the local shops and there looks to be a good one right over the Missouri line that has a 5* ratings. I try and avoid the stealerships was much as possible!

 

[NotBudule2]

Why did they have the swaybar off ?

 

[LB'sTremor]

why would they touch the sway bar mounts?

LB

 

[AzScorpion]

Why did they have the swaybar off ?

How else were they going to pull the engine out? ?

 

[got3fords]

And this is why I do my own oil changes.....

I started to hate doing oil changes in my driveway, and couple that with routine tire rotation. I decided it's not worth my time.
That said, that has noting to do with the tranny issue.

 

[got3fords]

Why did they have the swaybar off ?

I dunno! It crosses right across the front bottom of the trans pan, so did they need to get that out of the way to do the fluid flush?

 

[NotBudule2]

I dunno! It crosses right across the front bottom of the trans pan, so did they need to get that out of the way to do the fluid flush?

Not sure , maybe they dropped the pan to remove fluid ? I would have thought they pulled it through the dipstick tube...

 

[5thranger]

Took the Ranger in this morning for The Works, brake fluid fush, and transmission flush. Leaving the dealership I hit mostly smooth slightly hilly roads with a speed limit of 60. I immediately noticed a minor change in handling, kinda drifty, I shrugged it off to maybe the rear tires being moved to the front needed some time to acclimate,. I also noticed a difference in how the transmission shifted. It seemed to hesitate to shift at times, and especially noticeable when it seemed like it couldn't decide if it should be in 9th or 10th gear. I stopped at a gas station and checked the trans fluid level, which according to my fitzstick was way too high, well above the desired mark. I figured maybe it wasn't hot enough, but it still seemed way too high.
My commute home is about 3/4 backroads, so the driftyness was unnoticable. What was noticable was everytime I hit the slightest bump I hear a substantial clank/rattle. WTF?
After getting home, the first thing I check was trans fluid level, which still looked too high. Wheel lug torque was spot on. So the I crawled underneath and the first thing I noticed was the whole underneath was coated in trans fluid. I also happened to notice a loose and dangling bracket. It appeared to be the front sway bar mount. Upon further inspection, of the 4 fasteners securing the sway bar, only 1 nut was still there, with less than 2 turns on the thread.
Luckily getting a hold of someone just after closing hours, they are supposed to send a tow truck tomorrow morning.

Unacceptable and I would be beyond livid.

 

[TJC]

I dunno! It crosses right across the front bottom of the trans pan, so did they need to get that out of the way to do the fluid flush?

Did they perform a flush or simply a change? Flush gets all the fluid, And they need to find an input and output port, typically at the transmission cooler. This may require the sway bar to be moved. I'd need to take a peek to be sure.

A change gets ~50% if they let it sit long enough, less if the transmission is hot and simply turned off.

When I let mine sit overnight I get 7-7.5 quarts out through the dipstick. If start it up and let it heat up. then shut it down for 20 minute of so, I get 5 Quarts out.

Whatever they did, there is absolutely no excuse for overfilling and leaving the sway bar loose.

I don't even like to take my vehicles to the inspection stations. I don't trust the dedication of these young mechanics to the craft.

 

[airline tech]

For the Fluid Exchange (Flush)

To do it properly the Trans Oil Cooler must be removed, now the manuals call for the Front Drive Shaft to be removed, to remove the shaft the (Sway Bar) has to be dropped and swung down, this allows full access to the oil cooler.

Now it is possible (IDK) depending on how much room there actually is, there may be short cuts to the procedure. Small Hands etc would be a factor

In any case, that was a BIG MISS by the tech (in a hurry, distracted) for the Sway Bar, overfilling the system is another, but the Sway Bar is a BIG visual.

 

[TJC]

I would think they would test drive to heat fluid enough to check the level, and insure all was functioning normally.

Sloppy workmanship

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