Transit Durashift auto dropping into neutral

[Guest Sylvia Burman-Hunt]

Has anyone else driving a Mk 4 Transit fitted with Durashift automatic suffered the same problem as happened to me on the M6 two weeks ago. Going through Cheshire, heavy traffic and reducing lanes so matric signs said 60. I had probably slowed to 40 anyway because of weight and speed of traffic. I was still in 5th gear indicated by the little window beside the Drive button. Matrix signs reduced to 40, I was still in 5th, hadn't touched brakes or accelerator 'cos I was just letting the van wind down in its own time and speed was probably now about 20 or less. Suddenly there was a clonk and when I tried to use the accelerator it was dead. Slapped the hazard lights and drifted on to hard shoulder. Looked at the little window and it said "N". Mystified. Pressed "D" and "1" appeared, tried accelerator, worked OK, cancelled hazards, car behind flashed me out into inside lane which was practically stationary anyway. I think what has happened is that because I did not input brake or accelerator into the speed reduction process, the van eventually assumed that I did not want to be in a gear and neutralised itself. Problem did not recur during the rest of the holiday but then I did not subject it to the same conditions. I know I can take it to the Ford Dealership and they can put it on a diagnostic check but reluctant to do that if it is likely to be purely my own fault, do not wish to appear too much of an idiot. Anyone else come across this one?? Any advice/suggestions welcome.

[Guest Derek Uzzell]

On Page 76 of the 01/2005 Transit Owner's Guide there is an entry headed "Security function". This describes what the Durashift system will do when the vehicle's engine is running and neither the brake-pedal nor the accelerator-pedal is depressed. Three different scenarios are given 1) if driver's door is opened, 2) if bonnet is opened 3) if none of the pedals are depressed within 2 minutes. In each instance "N" will be engaged automatically. In all these cases a warning signal is said to sound before N is selected and, in the 3rd case, apparently the warning signal will sound 5 times. The Manual adds that, after the security function has been activated, the foot-brake must be depressed before changing from N to D (or R). Now, (ignoring the door/bonnet scenarios) it seems a mite unlikely that you could have been coasting for at least 2 minutes in traffic without either accelerating or braking, and you make no mention of hearing any unusual warning noises (other than the 'clonk' when the gearbox shifted to N). Nevertheless, it seems that Durashift has the design-potential to make an automatic shift from D to N in a situation approximating to what you've described. I suggest you check your own Ford Owner's Guide in case the operation of the Security Function for your Transit differs from that of current vehicles. I'd also speak to the Ford dealer about it in case it's a known peculiarity. However, I suspect it's a one-off and nothing will show on a diagnostic test. Diagnosis is unlikely to be productive unless a system is showing signs of working oddly (see MMM July 2005, page 244), or there's obvious evidence of a fault (eg. for Durashift, the ASM warning-light is illuminated), or the peculiarity can be demonstrated by its deliberate reproduction. As you now know how to recover from the D-to-N downshift, I'd be very tempted to see if the vehicle can be encouraged to do it again. If you can identify the circumstances that result in the unasked-for D-to-N shift and demonstrate what happens to a Ford agent, there's far more chance of you getting educated advice than educated guesswork. (I hate things like this as they dent one's confidence in a vehicle. Once, while driving home after my 1997 Transit-based Herald's annual service, there was an abrupt 'thump' as if the vehicle's motor had stopped momentarily. Although no warning-lights were lit on the dashboard, it soon became clear that acceleration and top speed were seriously reduced. Having stopped in a lay-by, switched off the motor, checked that nothing was obviously amiss beneath the bonnet, I headed off back towards the service centre, cursing them and my luck. Everything was now back to normal! The fault was never explained satisfactorily but, several thousand miles later, it happened again with identical symptoms and, this time, I noticed that the dashboard engine-management light had flashed briefly when the thump occurred. Once again, switching off and restarting the motor restored full power. When the Herald was sold, a further several thousand miles having passed, the fault had not recurred. This is a drawback of modern vehicles festooned with electronic sensors: it's hard to tell if a sporadic minor problem is just that - minor and sporadic - or an omen for something bigger that will leave one stranded paddle-less up the proverbial creek.) Please let the forum know how you get on.