Halfshaft Bolt Answers (all threads merged)

[Gulf GT]

Found this interesting on the Lamborghini site:

There may be a recall coming out on the drive shaft bols o all '06 and '07's...............not sure if its going to happen but apparently its seems to be affecting many G's including the new superleggara."

http://www.lambopower.com/forum/index.php?showtopic=20350

oops....... we're not exactly alone huh?

 

[Empty Pockets]

I'll be darned. Who'd a thunk it...

(Now, by comparison, my 1st born's new Honda Civic has 15K on it & has purred like a kitty cat from day ONE!! Not a pblm!:lol )

 

[abolfaz]

oops....... we're not exactly alone huh?

DOH!

 

[AZGT]

There may be a recall coming out on the drive shaft bols o all '06 and '07's...............not sure if its going to happen but apparently its seems to be affecting many G's including the new superleggara."

http://www.lambopower.com/forum/index.php?showtopic=20350

Look at that. Maybe we have one more notch toward super car status and another FGT and Lambo comparison (hope THEY win this one).

OK guys - spread the word about hat crappy Lambo issue - then let's buy them up right after we pick up those discounted Gts.

 

[Gimbal]

All I would say about the speculation in the ability and interest for Ford to properly diagnose and find the right solution to the problem is, take a careful look at the engineering on the rest of the car. I think most of us were complaining here to get Ford to look at it, not because they aren't capable of fixing it properly. I've talked to these guys; they're the same as they were when they built it, same enthusiasm, and same ability. I would find it hard to believe that they would want their swan song to have an Achilles heel. That's not how all these guys want their best days of their entire work lives remembered, and Ford management certainly doesn’t want their supercar to be brunt of jokes for the next few decades. Even if you look at it from their point of view, they have a lot of interest themselves in making sure the car lives up to its legendary status in history. I think they'll do the right thing, they did on the rest of it.

Hello Gulf GT, well said! I am sure all of us GT owners feel that what you have written is right on.

It seems Ford is starting to open up a bit and offer some info. It would make me feel a lot better if Ford would hurry and officially acknowledge the problem, not down-play the saftey aspect and update us on the progress of a real fix.

It is the saftey aspect of the problem that keeps me deeply interested in finding a fix, and for offering thoughts and suggestions for a fix. Sitting, waiting and hoping is not my style. I do not drive my kids and wife in my GT very often because of the potential danger. I'm sure it's more dangerous just driving anything on the road but knowing of a ticking time bomb spinng around back there keeps it on my mind too much.

 

[Derry]

Automotive News article on halfshaft bolts

In April 2 issue, Federal regulators have gotten 2 complaints of half shaft separation. Ford acknowledged 60 incidents. Jamal Hameedi Chief Engineer of SVT says a service bulletin was issued and replacement washers prevent the failure. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration declined comment. A subject beaten to death I know, but I thought would be of interest. I think that is the end of it from Ford short of class action suit.


Derry

 

[abolfaz]

Class action is SUCH BULLSHIT! You ever get a check in the mail for $1.25 as a result of a ZILLION dollar class action? The only people that come out ahead are the lawyers. I know one lawyer that went from close to broke to being worth well over $200m as the result of one class action against a certain major car maker.

 

[sharp33]

Class action is SUCH BULLSHIT! You ever get a check in the mail for $1.25 as a result of a ZILLION dollar class action? The only people that come out ahead are the lawyers. I know one lawyer that went from close to broke to being worth well over $200m as the result of one class action against a certain major car maker.

Absolutely correct. If the Forum members want to make a lawyer rich(er), I have a friend who would be interested in the case.

 

[Gulf GT]

I think that is the end of it from Ford short of class action suit.

Derry

I have personal knowledge that this is not true. Ford is without doubt working on the problem at this very moment.

 

[Gimbal]

Gulf GT, have you heard an honest estimate on time frame? I think the GT was designed from scratch in a about a year, you would think they could fix a couple broken bolts in an hour or two.

 

[Gulf GT]

Gulf GT, have you heard an honest estimate on time frame? I think the GT was designed from scratch in a about a year, you would think they could fix a couple broken bolts in an hour or two.

No time frame, sorry.

 

[Kingman]

4/9/07 AutoWeek News Flash

Anybody catch the News Flash in the 4/9/07 issue of AutoWeek with the heading,

"GT Owners Beware"?

'If you own one of the 4000 or so Ford GT's on the road, you might have experienced powertrain problems. Hermann Salenbauch, Ford's new SVT director said the company is aware that some GT half-shafts might come loose and that he personally is aware of eight incidents. Fifty-two cars have already been fixed in addition to those eight, according to Ford.'

It goes on to say that Ford is investigating the cause but hasn't issued a technical bulletin or a recall.

Fed safety regulators have received four complaints but are not conducting a defect investigation.

NHTSA declined comment.

Well boys...it has made mainstream news.

 

[MAD IN NC]

Anybody catch the News Flash in the 4/9/07 issue of AutoWeek with the heading,

Fifty-two cars have already been fixed in addition to those eight, according to Ford.

52? Come on. With all the work by the GT guys, and from what I see on this Forum there are a lot more than 52 "corrective actions" jobs.....

 

[sharp33]

52? Come on. With all the work by the GT guys, and from what I see on this Forum there are a lot more than 52 "corrective actions" jobs.....

No reason to think Ford has knowledge of any repairs done outside of their dealer network, or at least no reason to acknowledge such corrective actions. The negative press should depress prices a bit which would be good for anyone looking for a first, second, third, fourth or fifth GT.

 

[Gulf GT]

Prices will go nowhere (certainly not down anyway) with a failure rate of 13 cars per thousand. It's a problem that needs to be addressed, and it is being addressed, but the percentage of failures is meaningless as far as the value of the car is concerned. Our buddies at Ford are on it, they'll get it done. This cars future is only up up up.

 

[quick time]

From your lips to God's ears!

 

[B O N Y]

Prices will go nowhere (certainly not down anyway) with a failure rate of 13 cars per thousand. It's a problem that needs to be addressed, and it is being addressed, but the percentage of failures is meaningless as far as the value of the car is concerned. Our buddies at Ford are on it, they'll get it done. This cars future is only up up up.

ass-o-lutely correct...
time for cool heads to continue to prevail

 

[HiloDave]

Add another half-shaft bolt failure to the list. My GT is an ‘05, serial number 753, with about 7,500 miles on it. I was just starting out from a dead stop. When I let out the clutch nothing happened. There was no sound and no other damage. It took the local Ford dealer about a day to diagnose the problem and a few more days to get the parts.

 

[Empty Pockets]

Add another half-shaft bolt failure to the list. My GT is an ‘05, serial number 753, with about 7,500 miles on it. I was just starting out from a dead stop. When I let out the clutch nothing happened. There was no sound and no other damage. It took the local Ford dealer about a day to diagnose the problem and a few more days to get the parts.

Well, needless to say - that stinks. And I suppose, of coarse, you were light years from your driveway?:bored

Just out of curiosity, does your car have "even or uneven" gaps between the hubs & the tranny case (comparing the left & right sides)?

 

[Gimbal]

Hi HiloDave,
Very sorry to hear you had the halfshaft probelm. Good to hear no colatoral damage. Good thing it didn't happen in front of a semi truck coming at you! Is there any chance of getting a hold of the broken bolts. It would be nice to have them analysed to determine the mode of failure. Did you have the soft washers? Surprising it took Ford a whole day to diagnose your halfshaft came loose!
Thanks,
Gimbal