Found On Road Dead...

abolfaz · Jan 22, 2006

Found On Road Dead...AGAIN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Yep, its 1:30am and I just finished my 2.7 mile walk home. Why do you ask? Because I decided to go out tonight with the wife in the GT and on the way back home on Old Cutler Road (Coral Gables) going south just 2.7 miles from my house, the trusty GT decides that it didn't want to go any farther. The engine was fine, everything was cool except that the car wouldn't move when in gear. I pushed the car into a driveway (sorry homeowner) and began the walk home.

On the way I figured that it must be a shifter cable that could easily be snapped into place, but then I remembered that the car shifted fine, it just wouldn't move... So I get home, jump in a normal car, flashlight in hand and go back to the car. I notice a trail of fluid up to the car, I pop the hood flash the light towards the transaxle and to my amazement I noticed that the drivers side output shaft on the transaxle had fallen out!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

No matter how hard I tried I couldn't get it back in, so the idea of limping home was out the window. Here's where I really need your help guys, which dealer in S. Florida is capable of repairing this car?

I'm going to hope that my problem is an isolated incident and that I won't have any more failures like this to sour my ownership experience, I have never had this kind of failure on any kind of 1000 mile car!

Do we have roadside assistance?

Neilda · Jan 22, 2006

How miserable for you - sorry to read this one.....

I think we'd all be interested to read the post mortem on this - i.e. why it happened.

SLF360 · Jan 22, 2006

service reco Fla South

Sorry to hear,
maybe you accelerated too hard a few times ? I had a comparable issue on my (souped up) Alfa V6TB.... just too much power, rips out the driveshafts sometime..

I reco Maroone Ford in Ft.Lauderdale. Ask for Brian to arrange to pick up the pieces and transport to shop. They got a real good tech, and he will be the only one touching your baby there. Anyhow a guarantee issue, so don't worry.

I think I must have reco'd Maroone few times before (with even phonenumbers)

all the best, keep us posted

c_steve · Jan 22, 2006

Is there a "trouble log", "failure report" or "issues" listing that is pub'd by Ford that the owners can get access to??? I am a Porsche and Suprformance ( Cobra replica) " hands on owner". Porsche dealer is very open w/ regards to "tech issues" and Superformance has an independant owners group ( now 5 yrs old) that has a very detailed "tech site" with tech ssues and feedback to and from the factory.......I'm new here to the GT forum and apologise for jumping in w/ suggestions but, ....as a "soon to be GT owner" I hope there is a focused conduit to Ford w/ regards issues as well as a "flag mechanism" w/ regards problems available to the forum members (possibly this access can be limited to only those who are proven owners???). Steve

abolfaz · Jan 22, 2006

SLF360 said:
Sorry to hear, maybe you accelerated too hard a few times ?

Never in a way to hurt the car or its components, perhaps I accelerated hard a few times, but not last night. Regardless, isn't that what the car is built for?

barondw · Jan 22, 2006

abolfaz said:
Never in a way to hurt the car or its components, perhaps I accelerated hard a few times, but not last night. Regardless, isn't that what the car is built for?

Hard acceleration should not cause a component to break.

Dave

barondw · Jan 22, 2006

centerpunch said:
I guess this means the car does not have a limited slip?

I believe it does, its your right foot.

abolfaz · Jan 22, 2006

Well the car spent the night on someones lawn... It just got home now, I figured I'd go talk to the dealer before I sent the car to them blindly, especially since this might be a major repair.

Whats worse is that my 2 year old daughter started to cry when I told her that her "race car" was broken! When she saw the gear oil spilling out of the transaxle she thought the car was bleeding!

I don't know who feels worse, me or my daughter and the BS from the wife has started as well, "I told you not to buy that car! You should have bought the gallardo..."

South Florida guys please give me all the feedback you can on the local dealers, thanks!

abolfaz · Jan 22, 2006

SLF360 said:
I had a comparable issue on my (souped up) Alfa V6TB.... just too much power, rips out the driveshafts sometime..

I don't know about the Alfa, but on the GT I thought that the suspension geometry would make it impossible for the output shaft to move almost three inches away and then fall out of the box all together. I know when changing an axle you have to disconect the suspension from the lower control arm at least to get the axle out, shouldn't this be the case here? What really sucks is that the whole car inside and out smells like gear oil. I hope whoever ends up fixing the car can clean everything up and restore the original scent to the interior. :ack

StuM · Jan 22, 2006

Similar experience

I had some similar problems a few years back and initially with my Superformance 8.8" Ford rear end and half shafts. The pass side shaft kept shifting out a bit, tearing up the seal and leaking. It never pulled all the way out, though. After a few attempts at repairs, including a whole new diff at one point, we discovered a few interesting things.
The C-clips on the inner ends of the half shafts must be of the proper size and tension and you must make absoultely sure they lock firmly in place as the shafts are inserted. I also fould that the tightness of the inner dust boot actually helped create a vacuum on the shaft after it was inserted and set. Lively driving must have let the axle movement, coupled with the slight boot vacuum help to pull the half shaft out. Strange, but two or three experts determined this for me.
We eventually got is all corrected and no more problems.
Having said all that, a car that's factory assembled by a singluar team at Ford like the GT should not experience axle failure, In addition to being a royal PIA, it's very dangerous. Given 'em hell and tell your daughter "Doctor Ford doctor will make it all better!
Good luck.

FlorIdaho Chris · Jan 23, 2006

Abolfaz-

I don't want you to think I am ignoring your request for dealer recommendations. Unfortunately (fortunately?) i don't have a recommendation for you since my car has not needed the attention of a dealer since I purchased it.

Hope you get her fixed soon!

-Chris

PS as I recall, the GT is delivered with free roadside assistance during warranty, no?

abolfaz · Jan 23, 2006

StuM said:
Given 'em hell and tell your daughter "Doctor Ford doctor will make it all better!"
Good luck.

Now I'm really worried! I'm going to see Brian tomorrow morning and see which way were going to proceed. :confused

1418 · Jan 23, 2006

Yes - on the roadside assistance. Details on Pg 105 in Manual. The # is 18002413673.

abolfaz · Jan 23, 2006

1418 said:
Yes - on the roadside assistance. Details on Pg 105 in Manual. The # is 18002413673.

They worked GREAT, I didn't think to call until this morning, they showed up in less than 20 minutes, not to mention the guy had the proper straps to secure the car and he took almost 30 minutes to load the car and another 20 to unload it, perfect service. Now I just have to figure out what to do with the car next. :ack

dbk · Jan 23, 2006

That's really good to hear, and I'd expect nothing less given the magnitude of the purchase. Let us know how it turns out. I'm curious as to the cause...

abolfaz said:
They worked GREAT, I didn't think to call until this morning, they showed up in less than 20 minutes, not to mention the guy had the proper straps to secure the car and he took almost 30 minutes to load the car and another 20 to unload it, perfect service. Now I just have to figure out what to do with the car next. :ack

ENZO BTR · Jan 23, 2006

If "hard acceleration" is all it takes to lose a half shaft I should have lost mine at least 8 or 10 times by now. But at 3,000 miles I'm fine, so let's all hope it was a one-off instance.

Very sorry to hear about this, but I'm glad at least the roadside assistance worked. I was pretty sure that feature came with the car, but after reading this thread I'll never forget it (should I ever need it :ack ).

B O N Y · Jan 23, 2006

Just received last week a letter from Ford with a special 800 customer service number (works during bus hours only) and advise on storing the car. I assume you all received the same?

fjpikul · Jan 23, 2006

No letter yet

Just picked my car up on New Year's Eve and am not usre how long it takes Ford to realize where it's at. What is the content of the letter, please?

abolfaz · Jan 24, 2006

fjpikul said:
Just picked my car up on New Year's Eve and am not usre how long it takes Ford to realize where it's at. What is the content of the letter, please?

Me too!

B O N Y · Jan 24, 2006

The letter states call 1-866-742 Ford for the GT assistance dept. It goes into storage of the car. If any of you gents want me to fax you my copy, just give me your fax number. Anything for you guys, your great! :biggrin

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