2013 GT500 Failed Clutch Thread

[lawndart]

My 2013 is in the dealer right now with a failed clutch. The car is stock with no mods, 3,700 miles and no passes at the track. I am beside myself. They are saying it's my fault.

I'm driving stick shift for 18 years, and multiple mustangs without ever burning up a clutch.

I did notice my clutch pedal felt very hard from day one, and the Ford Tech even commented on it when I took it in. What should I do? The dealer isn't helping me here.

 

[Chris!]

My 2013 is in the dealer right now with a failed clutch. The car is stock with no mods, 3,700 miles and no passes at the track. I am beside myself. They are saying it's my fault.

I'm driving stick shift for 18 years, and multiple mustangs without ever burning up a clutch.

I did notice my clutch pedal felt very hard from day one, and the Ford Tech even commented on it when I took it in. What should I do? The dealer isn't helping me here.

Show them that others are having this issue. Reach out to Ford CS and create a case.

Failed clutches are the exception not the rule with these. It still shouldn't happen, however.

 

[lawndart]

Show them that others are having this issue. Reach out to Ford CS and create a case.

Failed clutches are the exception not the rule with these. It still shouldn't happen, however.

I called Ford CS, and they told me to deal with my local dealer. I pointed out to the service manager this thread, and others about failed clutches, and he seemes to brush it off, claiming my flywheel didn't look like what is in the pictures.

I was told by my rep that Ford tech said the damage was done, because from the pictures my dealer submitted to them, that I most likely donwshifted into 1s gear above 15mph. WTF? I've never downshifted into 1st gear in my life.

I'm really at a loss here. There is no way I could've blown this clutch with the experience I have. They want $1,600 to put in a new clutch with a 1 year 12,000 joke of a warranty. I'm worried this new clutch will burn out like the stock one.

Has anyone else had to deal with a similar situation? Any advice would be appreciated. Thanks in advance.

 

[Chris!]

Ford has covered some clutches here, and others they have not.

Some are running 700+whp with the stock clutch, no issue.

Others have had failure at 200ish miles.

I wouldn't used a ford replacement clutch. I'd used a McLeod RXT

But $1600 isn't bad for a ford clutch job really.

Is it your selling dealer? If so ask them to split the cost with you since if you paid MSRP- they made around $7-8k on you.

If not- pay the $100 diagnosis fee- and get it towed out of there.

 

[usmotox]

I do so hate being paraniod about stuff. I know that every thing built has "X" number of cycles in it. I preach this fact so often to people I have built engines for even to a guy that I used to weld/patch/replace parts on his manure spreader. I guess the drift of this is "How many x's" are in this clutch? I would love to turn on the track apps and get some number's for the history of our car. We would love to once in a blue moon do with this car what this car was marketed to justify it's price tag but I do not want to beg for warranty coverage and if we are blessed wait "X" for parts to arrive. It is just a bit of a buzz kill for sure. --But we still love this car!

 

[MrUnsubtleNinja]

I called Ford CS, and they told me to deal with my local dealer. I pointed out to the service manager this thread, and others about failed clutches, and he seemes to brush it off, claiming my flywheel didn't look like what is in the pictures.

I was told by my rep that Ford tech said the damage was done, because from the pictures my dealer submitted to them, that I most likely donwshifted into 1s gear above 15mph. WTF? I've never downshifted into 1st gear in my life.

I'm really at a loss here. There is no way I could've blown this clutch with the experience I have. They want $1,600 to put in a new clutch with a 1 year 12,000 joke of a warranty. I'm worried this new clutch will burn out like the stock one.

Has anyone else had to deal with a similar situation? Any advice would be appreciated. Thanks in advance.

Someone wanna tell me how they would even go about diagnosing that as the issue? :iono: It sounds like a copout to me but I could be completely wrong...

 

[mullens]

What were the circumstances of the failure? Did it go all at once or start slipping?

 

[biminiLX]

My 2013 is in the dealer right now with a failed clutch. The car is stock with no mods, 3,700 miles and no passes at the track. I am beside myself. They are saying it's my fault.

I'm driving stick shift for 18 years, and multiple mustangs without ever burning up a clutch.

I did notice my clutch pedal felt very hard from day one, and the Ford Tech even commented on it when I took it in. What should I do? The dealer isn't helping me here.

So how did the failure happen?
What symptoms did the car have before the failure?
Only asking to see if there are any signs of failures like others and if you can shed light onto what happened with your specific car.
I hope things work out for you.
-J

 

[mike69440]

Insult and injury

Quote:
"Originally Posted by lawndart
I called Ford CS, and they told me to deal with my local dealer. I pointed out to the service manager this thread, and others about failed clutches, and he seemes to brush it off, claiming my flywheel didn't look like what is in the pictures.

I was told by my rep that Ford tech said the damage was done, because from the pictures my dealer submitted to them, that I most likely donwshifted into 1s gear above 15mph. WTF? I've never downshifted into 1st gear in my life." end quote

We are not dealing with an old school bus drivetrain, it would have been less insulting if they just sad F---- Off.

While loading the synco's down shifting is not kind to any transmission, the reality is downshifting at 15-25 MPH to first in a tall geared car is not abusive.

 

[usmotox]

These cars self data log I believe and If what I think is right in the computer down load they can pretty much tell what the car has been doing. I have been data logging import stuff for a while

 

[Larry03GT]

a guy I know with a 2013 boss had his clutch stick to the floor at the track yesterday, however it only happened after he had a few hard good laps in it and shifting at high rpm ( above 7K) maybe it had to do with the tranny getting hot and not just this spring assist. But who knows

Mine did the same after the SC install. Everyone told me I needed to change to a HD clutch hose. Saw and tried this (WWW.S197FORUM.COM) DIY and have not had any missed shifts slips or clutch sticking. Funny thing ford knows about this and still puts them in the cars. If you order a new brake/clutch assm. from ford now it only comes with out the assist springs for all 2011+. I'm shocked they put them on the new shelbys!!

 

[03 VENOM]

I was thinking of selling my Terminator and buying a new GT500. But this kinda turns me away but then again it looks like just a few of these cars have this problem.

 

[Chris!]

I was thinking of selling my Terminator and buying a new GT500. But this kinda turns me away but then again it looks like just a few of these cars have this problem.

Posts like this are so ignorant.

Look at the poll results. Look at the percentage. You have a better chance of pulling out of your driveway and getting rear ended than your clutch failing.

For the 900th time- its an exception! It's not the rule! It's isolated- its not common.

 

[lawndart]

What were the circumstances of the failure? Did it go all at once or start slipping?

It didn't go all at once. The clutch was slipping slightly for some time.

 

[Devious_Snake]

Mine did the same after the SC install. Everyone told me I needed to change to a HD clutch hose. Saw and tried this (WWW.S197FORUM.COM) DIY and have not had any missed shifts slips or clutch sticking. Funny thing ford knows about this and still puts them in the cars. If you order a new brake/clutch assm. from ford now it only comes with out the assist springs for all 2011+. I'm shocked they put them on the new shelbys!!

good to know. How does the clutch feel after the spring removal? better, softer, harder?

Posts like this are so ignorant.

Look at the poll results. Look at the percentage. You have a better chance of pulling out of your driveway and getting rear ended than your clutch failing.

For the 900th time- its an exception! It's not the rule! It's isolated- its not common.

relax chris, he said he realizes its only a few cars

It didn't go all at once. The clutch was slipping slightly for some time.

thanks for clarifying...by the way tell your dealer to pound sand, at that mileage they should be fixing it under warranty

 

[rancid]

My 2013 is in the dealer right now with a failed clutch. The car is stock with no mods, 3,700 miles and no passes at the track. I am beside myself. They are saying it's my fault.

I'm driving stick shift for 18 years, and multiple mustangs without ever burning up a clutch.

I did notice my clutch pedal felt very hard from day one, and the Ford Tech even commented on it when I took it in. What should I do? The dealer isn't helping me here.

When was your car built/received? I think there was a thread where we pinpointed a potential bad batch of clutches went in cars back around the May/June/July timeframe.

Sorry you are having problems but I'd just put in an aftermarket one and enjoy not having to worry about it for awhile.

 

[BOD89LX]

I called Ford CS, and they told me to deal with my local dealer. I pointed out to the service manager this thread, and others about failed clutches, and he seemes to brush it off, claiming my flywheel didn't look like what is in the pictures.

I was told by my rep that Ford tech said the damage was done, because from the pictures my dealer submitted to them, that I most likely donwshifted into 1s gear above 15mph. WTF? I've never downshifted into 1st gear in my life.

I'm really at a loss here. There is no way I could've blown this clutch with the experience I have. They want $1,600 to put in a new clutch with a 1 year 12,000 joke of a warranty. I'm worried this new clutch will burn out like the stock one.

Has anyone else had to deal with a similar situation? Any advice would be appreciated. Thanks in advance.

At this point if the dealer is not going to cover it ask them for something in writing stating why it failed and the data they have to prove you down shifted above 15 mph and where in the warranty coverage manual it states that doing so will damage the clutch and that it will not be covered. Ask for a copy of the downloaded data that they have to prove it as well I will say most dealers do not have the equipment to do that. Then cantact Ford Dispute Resolution Board and let the BBB know as well and let the dealer know you are going to file a small claimes suite against them and consult a attorney to see what futher action s you can take. The one thing to remember is be direct and polite and dont get into a shouting match with the dealer.

 

[GT50008]

At this point if the dealer is not going to cover it ask them for something in writing stating why it failed and the data they have to prove you down shifted above 15 mph and where in the warranty coverage manual it states that doing so will damage the clutch and that it will not be covered. Ask for a copy of the downloaded data that they have to prove it as well I will say most dealers do not have the equipment to do that. Then cantact Ford Dispute Resolution Board and let the BBB know as well and let the dealer know you are going to file a small claimes suite against them and consult a attorney to see what futher action s you can take. The one thing to remember is be direct and polite and dont get into a shouting match with the dealer.

Great Advice!

 

[Hwy. Chile]

At this point if the dealer is not going to cover it ask them for something in writing stating why it failed and the data they have to prove you down shifted above 15 mph and where in the warranty coverage manual it states that doing so will damage the clutch and that it will not be covered. Ask for a copy of the downloaded data that they have to prove it as well I will say most dealers do not have the equipment to do that. Then cantact Ford Dispute Resolution Board and let the BBB know as well and let the dealer know you are going to file a small claimes suite against them and consult a attorney to see what futher action s you can take. The one thing to remember is be direct and polite and dont get into a shouting match with the dealer.

Yes, and you can make a complaint to your state's attorney general's office.

 

[Larry03GT]

good to know. How does the clutch feel after the spring removal? better, softer, harder?

Pushing in feels the same but it does have a little more force when releasing and you will notice about 1/4in play when you first hit the clutch pedal.