Please help, my automatic won't go into reverse gear

[Guest]

Hi I don't know if I am posting this in the correct place.  I am looking for a bit of advice, I am getting frustrated as I cannot seem to get an answer as to what is wrong with my Fiesta.

Firstly it is a 1.6 zetec Powershift Automatic.

We have had problems with the engine management light coming on but then going off but recently the car will not go into reverse. It got stuck on my mothers drive and I rang breakdown out, the man said that the diagnosis computer said that 4K and 4B came up and he reported it as not gaining position and no reverse gear. He reset it so I could get on my way.

The same thing has happened a few times since, it rectifies itself when left for a while and mainly seems to happen after long journeys although it has happened after short ones too.

We took it to a garage who specialises in gear boxes as we thought the oil might need changing as the car has done about 55, 000 miles. When looking at it he said that although its a powershift on the books its not actually a powesrshift gearbox ? He said there was nothing on the gear box to say it was a powershift. He said it is a manual gearbox with an automatic transmission. He said he rang Ford and they told him the same.

Anyway, he reset the ECU and it has been working fine for the last week or so, we don't use it much in the week to be honest. Then after about a 12 mile journey yesterday, it went again. Had to push it back so we could drive it forward. It will drive forward but sometimes goes into limp mode. Then when left off for a few hours it drives fine.

I just do not know what to do, the mechanic we usually use itsn't working at the minute due to family issues so we are wary about using just anybody.  I went to the one mentioned above as he is a family friend but I think it puzzled him ??

Any advice would be greatly appreciated.  I apologise if this problem has been posted before

[VMTPMIDLANDSLTD]

Hi there.

I have just come across your post. We are VMTP Midlands Ltd an Automatic gearbox specialists in Norton Canes, Cannock and I think we may be able to help you with your Ford Fiesta. If its got the automated gearbox we are thinking of we have already had 2 here in the last week.

If you are still looking for someone to look at it for you please give us a call on 01543 270555 and ask for Nigel who is the service manager.

 

Many thanks 

Emily - VMTP Midlands Ltd.

[isetta]

I can't help with fixing it But this explains in what way it is automatic and what way it is not:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ford_PowerShift_transmission

Traditional automatics had a torque converter (full of fluid) in place of the clutch and the gearbox was hydraulic inside.

These newer automatics are in fact more like a manual clutch and manual gearbox but with the gearchanges being done by computer controlled electromagnet type stuff to replace your left hand and left foot doing it. 

They have been quite troublesome - see the faulty operation part of the wikipedia page

 

[Guest]

On 11/8/2018 at 2:55 PM, VMTPMIDLANDSLTD said:

Hi there.

I have just come across your post. We are VMTP Midlands Ltd an Automatic gearbox specialists in Norton Canes, Cannock and I think we may be able to help you with your Ford Fiesta. If its got the automated gearbox we are thinking of we have already had 2 here in the last week.

If you are still looking for someone to look at it for you please give us a call on 01543 270555 and ask for Nigel who is the service manager.

 

Many thanks 

Emily - VMTP Midlands Ltd.

Thanks for your post but I am afraid that you are quite far from myself

 

[Guest]

On 11/8/2018 at 6:42 PM, isetta said:

I can't help with fixing it But this explains in what way it is automatic and what way it is not:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ford_PowerShift_transmission

Traditional automatics had a torque converter (full of fluid) in place of the clutch and the gearbox was hydraulic inside.

These newer automatics are in fact more like a manual clutch and manual gearbox but with the gearchanges being done by computer controlled electromagnet type stuff to replace your left hand and left foot doing it. 

They have been quite troublesome - see the faulty operation part of the wikipedia page

Thanks for the reply. Interesting reading about it.

It is still in the garage at the moment. The mechanic has rang Ford on several occasions and they are telling him that it is an unservicable gear box due to it having no filter. I think we're going to go for an oil change to see where that gets us. Think its going to be a process of elimination so to speak