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cmax auto gearbox swap


was
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Hi all, recently purchased a 1.6tdci auto only to have the gearbox fail, been quoted £4000 for a replacement as ford dont do parts, dont forget the >3 month wait too!

So My question to youall out there, is it possible to fit the auto gearbox from the 2l? as it seems ford stopped fitting these for a reason and I cant pay that for it to fail again :(

any thoughts or advice?

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was,

I really feel for you having your gearbox go. Unfortunately, you're not alone - I've had a CVT auto with hesitation problems and trawled various forums trying to find a fix. I've seen several other reports of gearbox failure. In each case Ford's solution was the same as they told you.

As regards swapping the gearbox from one in a 2litre petrol, the answer is almost certainly no. Modern cars have so much electronics that it just won't work.

Your car has one computer on the engine, the ECU and another one that controls the gearbox, the Powertrain Control Module (PCM). The PCM gets all sorts of information from sensors in both the engine and gearbox and from the readings on the sensors tells the engine and gearbox what to do. The PCM is unique to the engine / gearbox combination, so if you change to a different gearbox, a lot of the sensors will be different, as will be the instructions back to the gearbox. Unless you can get someone to design and build a dedicated PCM, you're stuffed.

You're stuck getting the CVT fixed or scrapping the car.

I did read of someone getting their failed gearbox fixed by an independent CVT gearbox specialist, but couldn't find the link just now.

Links I found on the Honest John website to gearbox specialists are as follows:

J T Automatics

Unit 9, Northend Trading Estate, Erith, Bexley, DA8 3PP

t: 01322 330052, e: info@automatic-gearbox.co.uk

Services: Gearbox

King Automatics

The Chalk Pit, College Road, Epsom, Surrey, KT17 4JA

t: 01372 728769

Automatic transmissions of all types, including CVTs

Services: Gearbox

Commiserations, good luck and please let us know the outcome.

C-Maxxer

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Hi all, recently purchased a 1.6tdci auto only to have the gearbox fail, been quoted £4000 for a replacement as ford dont do parts, dont forget the >3 month wait too!

So My question to youall out there, is it possible to fit the auto gearbox from the 2l? as it seems ford stopped fitting these for a reason and I cant pay that for it to fail again :(

any thoughts or advice?

Hi was,

We have just had a similar problem with an 04 1.6tdci CVT transmission malfunction. The car has only done 48000 miles and we have had it from new. We are told by the ford garage it needs a new gearbox. The part would cost 3500 plus labour. Because of delays the have referred me to AI premier transmissions who can repair. A1 say it could be the torque converter and if both need replacing the cost would be 1900. hope this helps.

Peter645

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  • 1 year later...

Hi all, recently purchased a 1.6tdci auto only to have the gearbox fail, been quoted £4000 for a replacement as ford dont do parts, dont forget the >3 month wait too!

So My question to youall out there, is it possible to fit the auto gearbox from the 2l? as it seems ford stopped fitting these for a reason and I cant pay that for it to fail again :(

any thoughts or advice?

I know this is old, but what where the symptoms of the Gear box needing changing, my car has been a bit sluggish and today i drove it for 2 minutes before getting a "Transmission malfunction" and turning back home. I've just tried to car again and now it wont even move, I've tried reverse, drive and nothing.

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Ford have now said I need a new gear box, but they are going to double check it.

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Ford have now said I need a new gear box, but they are going to double check it.

sorry if i sound like an !Removed! but fords auto boxes are quite frankly weak and all the car mags and reviews tell you to avoid auto boxes onlly the vw derived box were any good sorry to hear the box has gone unless you really need it i always advise to buy manual they are far stronger easier to change my stepdads vauxhall was the last auto box he got and between software issues and the box eventually going i can say they arent any better mega expensive to replace and a pain in the rear to fit as it needds the software checked etc

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  • 3 months later...

Hi all, recently purchased a 1.6tdci auto only to have the gearbox fail, been quoted £4000 for a replacement as ford dont do parts, dont forget the >3 month wait too!

So My question to youall out there, is it possible to fit the auto gearbox from the 2l? as it seems ford stopped fitting these for a reason and I cant pay that for it to fail again :(

any thoughts or advice?

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Hi there, just found this site. Sorry to here about your problem, I am in same boat. This gearbox is a timebomb.

I am in contact with other guys. Check out the honest john website or my e-mail is tomc@hotmail.co.uk

Regards

Thomas

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  • 9 months later...

Sounds worryingly familiar! ...

... I've got a 2006 Ford 1.6 TDCI Diesel CMAX Auto which I brought new and it's done around 46,000 miles. Last week my wife drove our car along our road where we live. It travelled 100 meters and then came to an abrupt halt. (as if it had hit something, but hadn't). A loud sound heard under bonnet like a pipe being pierced was heard and then loads of gear box oil everywhere. It was fortunate my wife was not traveling at speed with someone on her tail! or somewhere remote. The car is currently at a garage for investigation. We deliberately sourced an auto new and they were described as the 'golden unicorn' among CMAX cars. Although I reckon 'if' a new auto gearbox is needed, could one not be sourced from one of its relatives like the Ford Focus? The CMAX is surely only a larger MPV chassis with similar or the same Ford parts?

Whatever the reason for this major malfunction I guess it's going to cost big £'s.

Colleague at work had a Ford Focus 05 manual and had to have his power steering pump replaced 3 times at a main Ford dealer ... he then gave it up. He did get 30% of repair work as compensation. But main dealer prices still cost him a lot overall. Mine is at an independent garage but may involve a gearbox specialist to fit.

I'll await garage feedback then check out links given if needed and eBay

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hello all

new to the site,and just reading this topic and their seems a lot of auto gearbox troubles,i have a 09 focus 2.0l, tdci auto and just had to take it to fords with a transmission malfunction,so far they tell me they have replaced £2000 worth of parts and it still is not working,they now say their is a softwear proplem ???.this car had only done 22k with fsh,this seems very early for this proplem to arise,fortunatly their was 2 weeks on the warranty so i missed that bullit.can anyone tell me if their is a proplem with these.

many thanks

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thanks jules01

i had not seen that posting,do you know if they were used in the focus at all,since my last post ford have gave up trying to repair and are now waiting for a replacement box,but is the new box going to be any better??? what was the end result of your search for a gearbox

many thanks

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It appears that at some stage after 2006 (not sure when, others might know) Ford realised the 5-drive CVT auto gearbox was not up to scratch so opted to introduce a 4-drive CVT auto gearbox instead. I believe this is not compatible with Mark 1 C-Max cars (older 2006 and older models), because of gearbox chassis variants. I'm not sure if the 4-drive CVT auto gearbox is any more stable either! ... I guess only time will tell. As far as I'm aware C-Max cars with manual gearboxes are fine, it is the autos that are the issue. I did consider whether the cousin the standard Ford Focus auto gearbox might be compatible, though have been told from a number of sources this is not the case. I wondered if the 2L gearbox might fit a 1.6L from another C-Max but apparently the "powertrain" PCM is set up for this specific 5-drive CVT auto gearbox is unique to the older C-max cars, alas not the newer gearbox. I have since found a 5-drive gearbox and torque convertor, incl delivery for £1,500 from a C-max that was involved in a crash from the rear. the dilemma for me however, is do I get it fitted or get a different car altogether. If I get the older 5-drive gearbox fitted, I may end up with this one dying on me in the same way my old one did. I think I'd would lack confidence driving in a car that is not as safe as it should be. My last C-Max auto came to an abrupt halt when the gearbox/torque convertor went ... could of been fatal if my wife had not been driving on a quiet road.

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the problem with these is mostly not the box but module to module communication on the can network. the repair involves a couple of sensors, a modified wiring loom and some module programming work. i will be happy to help anyone who can get their car to bradford. i will be busy until friday but please feel free to pm me your contact details and i will call you then, regards steve

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and the wait continues

ford have just phoned to say they have fitted a new gearbox,and guess what??? it still dont work :(

what they do now is i dont know.might ask ford to give digidash a ring.im missing and losing focus

i wont my CAR BACK.

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hi florida1, please feel free to give the techy at ford my number and i will talk him through tests to properly diagnose your car. if you give my number to service reception you will probably get "we are ford dealers we know everythin" so it may be worth going in person and speaking to the person who is working on your car. anyone else wishing to call me please call between 9am-5pm only, thanks steve

07518 722699

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thanks digidash,i might have to do that,at the moment the dealer is telling me they have done every thing that they can,and fords are sending two

trouble shooters down on tuesday 24th may to have a look so fingers crossed.but i lost a lot of confidence over the this,thinking of asking ford to extend my warrenty

thanks john

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thanks digidash,i might have to do that,at the moment the dealer is telling me they have done every thing that they can,and fords are sending two

trouble shooters down on tuesday 24th may to have a look so fingers crossed.but i lost a lot of confidence over the this,thinking of asking ford to extend my warrenty

thanks john

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hi florida1, please phone me asap (including today sunday)as i have info that will save you a fortune on your bill. i can quote ref numbers to your dealer that will state they should never have fitted a new box and therefore can not bill you for parts OR labour, even if they offer a discount as "goodwill". under NO CIRCUMSTANCES PAY YOU BILL without speaking to me!!!!! also you can give the dealer some part numbers to order that they will need in stock for tuesday for the" trouble shooters." i think the term means competent mechanics. if they dont sort it they too can call me if they wish, regards steve

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  • 4 weeks later...

I am a little behind obviously. I have just been told my auto gearbox needs replacing, similar problems. reluctance to change up, transmission malfunction light coming on, occasional juddering when it couldn't work out which gear it should be in.

Took it to Ford dealer who TWICE cleared the code and reprogrammed whatever doodad. I made a huge fuss in the open office and asked them why they thought I was going to pay for the same repair that didn't work the previous week, and finally got some info from the mechanics.

They have had another car with the same problem and have changed the solenoid and trivial bits twice with no improvement. They haven't bothered to contact Ford or to look on this sort of forum for information. Said the oil in my gearbox smelled 'burnt' so it was probably a gearbox problem. They suggested costly strip down of box so I insisted they spoke to guy who does this work for them and he said it's not worth the money as there is nothing that can be fixed this way and a new gearbox is the only option. I didn't get to hear if he had tried this before on this type of box or what he was basing his assessment on.

My rant was worth the trouble though as the guy behind the desk originally said a new Ford gearbox with a warranty of only 1 year would cost £4500 to buy and fit which is probably more than the car (2006)is worth but after hunting about he has found a different make which will cost £2500 to buy and fit with a warranty of 3 years (sorry but the manufacturere of this was a new name to me and it didn't stick). It is still a huge amount but at least I can drive it for a bit before trading it in.

I am completely appalled as it has only done 40,800 miles. I just checked the sale of goods act and it says the goods must be of reasonable quality and for up to six years after purchase you can claim damages in court. I am going to write to Ford and see if they will cough up some of the cost. I know a retired solicitor so I will ask his advice on the wording.

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DO NOT BUY A GEARBOX!!! give me a call office hours for advice (manufacturer not dealers) advises updates on modules and updated sensor NOT NEW BOX, regards steve

ps please read this full thread florida1 has had a ford dealer fit a new gearbox and £2000 of other parts and it still doesnt work!!! i can arrange national collection for anyone not wanting to drive to bradford. the repair would take a full day and would need a couple of days notice to order parts. it would cost a fraction of what ford quote for an un-needed gearbox. thanks steve

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I part exchanged my 06 C Max auto for a Volvo V70 at the end of last year. Looks like I did the right thing as the Ford auto seems to be a time bomb waiting to go off!

Still got my Fiesta though so still a member of this forum.

Al

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  • 3 weeks later...

DO NOT BUY A GEARBOX!!! give me a call office hours for advice (manufacturer not dealers) advises updates on modules and updated sensor NOT NEW BOX, regards steve

ps please read this full thread florida1 has had a ford dealer fit a new gearbox and £2000 of other parts and it still doesnt work!!! i can arrange national collection for anyone not wanting to drive to bradford. the repair would take a full day and would need a couple of days notice to order parts. it would cost a fraction of what ford quote for an un-needed gearbox. thanks steve

Hi dididash

I have just bought a 2004 cmax 1.6 diesel auto!!! I have been surfing and found all sorts of horror stories and now wishing i hadn't bought it as it seems like it a time bomb waiting to happen... it has 60,000 miles on the clock with full ford history... Can you or anyone tell me if this gearbox problem is happening to all of the CVT auto boxes and are there any early warning signs that i should look out for? the car seems fine at the moment and changes fine in Auto and manual mode...There is however a slight hesitation when the car is pulling away at between 1400- 1800 revs... I have read that this is very common on these cars but is this a sign that the gearbox is on its way out or is this just a characteristic of this gearbox? i think i read somehwhere that the box/ecu/engine don't quite match and this is what causes this hesitation... I can live with the hesitation but if its a strong sign that the gearbox is about to break then i will sell it quickly....

I phoned a local auto box specialist in Erith that change these CVT boxes for £2700 inc of VAT...which i don't want ever to have to pay..What serice do you offer Digidash as you seem to have an alternative answer to te gearbox problem? thanks for your help..

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  • 5 years later...

Hi... i have a brand new automatic gearbox plus other bits? Please phone +447594090079 ask for Mick for details

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