Hey folks, got a weird issue with a 09 SE I just picked up. It has 166k miles. When I shift to Reverse, Neutral, or Drive, nothing happens, it’s like it’s stuck in neutral. But when I shift to L and give it some throttle, it goes into gear. It stays stuck in 1st gear and won’t shift out of 2nd. If I try shifting to Drive from L while it’s in gear, it just goes back to neutral.
I was thinking it could be a solenoid problem, but I thought the solenoid for 1st gear would be the same for L and D, right? Any tips on what this could be would be greatly appreciated!
@Poe
Holy moly, looks like some real damage . Might be time to start looking for a cheap part-out transmission, at least they should be affordable since a lot of these cars are rusting out but still have decent drivetrains.
Winter said:
If you’re planning to check the solenoids, this video is a good overview. Not sure if it’s the same solenoid for D and L, but I’d assume it is.
Aeron said:
I’m just guessing here, but a lot of the time replacing the solenoids can fix this kind of issue.
That’s what I was hoping! I picked it up for cheap from a tow yard lien sale, so I figured solenoids might be an easy fix. My daily is an 05 Focus 5-speed, and I love it. Thought a second car for my girlfriend who doesn’t drive stick would be a good idea!
@Poe
Oh nice, didn’t know you picked it up like that! I love projects like this. Even if you need a new tranny, a junkyard one would be cheap, and you know what you’re doing. Keep us posted on what happens!
@Poe
By the way, those first-gen 5-speeds were awesome. Best steering and suspension in the Focus lineup, and that 5-speed really makes it fun to drive.
From the sound of it, it could be a servo bore issue. Just replacing the solenoids probably won’t fix the problem. I ran into this with an 08 I bought. Got quoted $1800 for a rebuild, but I ended up finding a 101k-mile transmission for $600 and did the swap myself.
Poe said: @Dale
That sounds like the route I’ll probably go. I watched a few videos on servo bore repairs, but I wasn’t sure what it actually caused. Now I see!
Good luck with that! I recommend having an engine hoist, a good buddy or two, and plenty of beer .
@Dale
Haha, yeah, I replaced the clutch slave cylinder in my 05 last year. I assume pulling the transmission is similar. I found a rebuilt 4f27e from an 04 near me for $150. Thinking of swapping the bell housing with mine and hoping it works for my 09. I’ll keep you all updated!
That’s crazy, these cars are usually pretty solid. The last owner must have had a crazy maintenance schedule like mine—buy a mk3 Focus sedan, drive it until it breaks, and then buy another one for $1200. I really love these cars.
. Might be time to start looking for a cheap part-out transmission, at least they should be affordable since a lot of these cars are rusting out but still have decent drivetrains.
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