Ford Falcon Gearbox & Transmission Problems

You are not alone in asking that question, and there is no simple answer to it. There is clearly a problem with the gearbox, and we are attempting to get an answer from Ford on the cause and what they plan to do about it.

Go back to the dealer and have it checked, and don't believe him if he tells you it's because the transmission hasn't adapted to your driving style!

There are issues relating to the five-speed auto and others relating to the ZF six-speed. They are different issues and not related. Yours is the five-speed and the hard shifts are a concern, but as you say Ford repaired yours under warranty.

I've not only heard of it, I have experienced it, and reported on it when I tested the ute in the CarsGuide. I thought at the time that it was probably related to the tailshaft, but it was one of those things that a carmaker would say was "commercial", in other words it was good enough to take to the market. I think the service manager is correct, that there's nothing you can do about it.

Get it to an auto trans specialist and have the gearbox serviced, or maybe rebuilt.

Ford used a two-pinion set-up in the Borg Warner diff in the BA/BF Falcon and they regularly break, but there is a solution at hand. Trans-Diff in Melbourne regularly rebuilds Falcon diffs and can rebuild your diff with a four-pinion set-up that won’t give you any further problems.

We have had quite a number of reports of vibrations in Falcons, but yours is the first report we have received of a tailshaft actually breaking. As you rightly say it's potentially dangerous and anyone who has a vibration in their cars would be well advised to have the tailshaft in the car checked.

It is something we've heard about before. It was debatable whether it was the transmission of the diff, and Ford was replacing diffs that whined and clunked. But we also had owners report that dealers were doing a recal on their transmissions to soften the downshift to alleviate the problem. Ask your dealer about that. You could also try changing the oil in the diff.

Great advice that everyone who has complained about this problem should follow.

Hard shifting has been on ongoing issue with the ZF auto, and like you say, other owners have had the Ford fix of a recal of the computer without any lasting success.