NHTSA Complaint #753701 — 1987 LINCOLN CONTINENTAL

I WAS DRIVING AT ABOUT 25 MPH WHEN I NOTICED THE TRANSMISSION SLIPPING. I DROVE HOME ABOUT 5 MILES. KNOWING A LITTLE ABOUT CARS I LIFTED THE HOOD TO CHECK THE TRANSMISSION FLUID. THE LEVEL WAS FINE BUT THE FLUID LOOKED A LITTLE DARK TO ME. I SMELLED THE FLUID AND IT SMELLED BURNT. THE TRANSMISSION HAD BEEN FINE UP TO THAT POINT SO I LOOKED AROUND TO SEE IF I COULD SEE ANYTHING ELSE WRONG. I NOTICED THAT THE TRANSMISSION CONTROL CABLE THAT ATTACHES TO THE THROTTLE WAS HANGING LOOSE. I TOOK OUT MY SHOP MANUAL AND COPIED THE PAGE WITH THE LINKAGE ON IT AND WENT TO A LINCOLN DEALER. I BOUGHT THE $1 PLASTIC PART THAT HOLDS THE LINKAGE ON AND RETURNED HOME. I REATTACHED THE LINKAGE AND HAPPILY DROVE OFF THINKING NO BIG DEAL. THE TRANSMISSION SHIFTED FINE FROM FIRST TO SECOND BUT WOULD NOT SHIFT INTO THIRD OR FOURTH. I CALLED A TRANSMISSION SHOP AND EXPLAINED THE PROBLEM. HE KNEW RIGHT AWAY WHAT HAD HAPPENED AND TOLD ME THAT MY TRANSMISSION WAS RUINED. HE EXPLAINED WHY AND I HAD NO DOUBT THAT HE WAS CORRECT. IT WAS NOT THE FIRST TIME HE HAD SEEN THAT HAPPEN. I CONTACTED FORD BY EMAIL. THEY WOULD NOT HELP OUT IN ANY WAY AND SUGGESTED THAT I SHOULD HAVE SERVICED THE CAR REGULARLY AT A FORD/LINCOLN DEALERSHIP AND THAT THIS WOULD HELP TO PREVENT SUCH A PROBLEM. I WROTE BACK ASKING FOR THE NAME OF A MECHANIC THAT COULD PREDICT THAT TYPE OF PART FAILURE BY LOOKING AT IT AND I WOULD GO TO THAT PERSON. THEY SENT ME NO NAME. IF THIS TRANSMISSION FAILED DO TO ABUSE, LACK OF CARE, OR EVEN AGE, I WOULD NOT HAVE CONTACTED FORD OR NHSTA. IT FAILED BECAUSE FORD USED A PLASTIC PART THAT WOULD ALMOST SURELY BECOME BRITTLE AND BREAK WITH AGE. I SPENT $1400.00 TO GET IT REPAIRED BECAUSE FORD USED AN INEXPENSIVE PLASTIC PART TO HOLD LINKAGE TOGETHER ON AN EXPENSIVE TRANSMISSION. I WOULD HAVE CONTACTED YOU SOONER BUT WITH ALL THE TROUBLE FORD HAD WITH TIRE FAILURES I WANTED TO WAIT FOR THAT TO DIE DOWN. PLEASE HELP IF YOU CAN. THANKS, PAUL SCHRADIECK. *AK