Ford preliminary evaluation PE11024
Inability to shift gears on acceleration. NHTSA’s Office of Defects Investigation opened this preliminary evaluation about the manual transmission on 2 model years (2011–2012). Opened Aug 3, 2011, closed Dec 14, 2011 after 4 months without a recall. closed
What NHTSA says
Source: Office of Defects Investigation, as filedThe Office of Defects Investigations (ODI) analyzed complaint data provided by Ford as well as complaints submitted to ODI from consumers. In total, there were 364 unique reports indicating various shift quality issues while driving. Ford identified several factors that may contribute to shift quality concerns in the subject vehicles, including cold transmission, clutch stay-out at high engine speeds, gear clash or grinding, and gradual loosening of clutch plate bolts in some early production vehicles. The largest percentage of complaints indicated higher than expected shift efforts in cold ambient temperatures. These complaints were related to transmission fluid viscosity and the higher shift efforts resolved themselves with the drivetrain warming. Ford published technical service bulletin TSB 11-3-18 to inform technicians that a lower viscosity fluid was available for use to address the cold shift issues. The clutch stay-out condition typically occurs at engine speeds greater than 4000 rpm. It does not prevent the selection of any gear, but may delay clutch re-engagement depending on how long the driver maintains the higher engine speed. Ford identified rotating inertia of the clutch components as the root cause and replacement clutch pedal parts were made available under Ford TSB 10-19-4.A number of reports alleged increasing difficulty selecting gears along with gear clash or grinding. Grinding or notchy gear shifts may be caused by gradual loosening of clutch plate fasteners, which is promoted by certain aggressive shifting. This condition is progressive in nature and initially results in symptoms related to shift quality/feel. Clutch plate bolt loosening will not result in inability to select any gear unless the progressive symptoms are ignored until complete clutch failure occurs. ODI?s analysis identified only five complaints alleging an inability to shift into gear due to loose clutch plate bolts. None of these resulted in a stall and gear shifting could occur before engine start. A revised fastener was designed and implemented in production and is available for service through a special service message. There is no indication of loss of motive power or unreasonable safety risk associated with the alleged defect in the subject vehicles. This preliminary evaluation is closed.
A Preliminary Evaluation is the first formal stage: NHTSA has decided the complaints and other information it screened are worth a closer look, and asks the manufacturer for its own data on the condition. The summary is the agency’s own text from its investigation file, unedited; the opening and closing resumes with the full reasoning are on NHTSA’s site under this number.
What this means for an owner
Source: and what happens nextAn investigation is not a finding that a defect exists, and it puts no duty on anyone. NHTSA opens a Preliminary Evaluation when complaints and other reports suggest a condition worth asking the manufacturer about; it upgrades to an Engineering Analysis when the answers warrant testing; it closes either when it recommends a recall, when the manufacturer recalls on its own, or when no defect trend is found. The agency’s own goals are about four months for a petition, eight for a Preliminary Evaluation or a Recall Query and eighteen for an Engineering Analysis; many run longer.
This one closed without a recall. That means NHTSA found no defect trend it chose to act on at the time, or the manufacturer addressed the condition another way (a service campaign or a bulletin, which have their own pages). A closed file can be reopened if new reports arrive.
Model years it names
Source: as NHTSA filed themAlso named: 2011 Ford Mustang; 2012 Ford Mustang.
A vehicle page’s investigation list carries the same action; a name here is the scope NHTSA opened, not a list of affected VINs.
Common questions
Source: NHTSA Office of Defects InvestigationIs PE11024 a recall?
No. A preliminary evaluation is NHTSA asking questions, not a recall. A safety recall carries an NHTSA campaign number and a duty to repair for free; this one closed without one. Whether one particular vehicle has an open recall is a VIN question at nhtsa.gov/recalls.
Is PE11024 still open?
No. It closed on Dec 14, 2011 without a recall.
Which vehicles does PE11024 cover?
NHTSA opened it on 2 model years: 2011 Ford Mustang, 2012 Ford Mustang. That is the scope of the inquiry, not a list of affected vehicles; a recall, if one follows, defines its own population by VIN.