[Widowmaker[x]]

Hey guys,
My son's 03 V6 is having what seems like a transmission issue. I fear the worst but I figured i'd see if anyone has had the same problem.

The problem occurs when shifting from park through or to the reverse gear (its an automatic). When passing through R to get to Drive, there is sometimes a fairly noticable thumping noise. It is not a grind or anything like that, more or less a thud. Sometimes it is loud enough to feel sitting in the car. I have shifted back to park and shifted through reverse again, with varrying results. Sometimes, the noise is there, sometimes, it isnt. The noise only occurs when going from park to reverse, not from N to reverse. I took the car to my Ford dealership, only for them to have 4 mechanics and salesperson look at it and drive it and find no aparent issue. In drive, the car shifts fine with no problems, but I fear ignoring and living with the problem will lead to serious transmission problems.

Any ideas are greatly appreciated.

***EDIT****

Ok, here is a video.

I shift from park to drive four times. You can hear the thumping noise. After watching this video from underneath the car, it sounds like something is rattling pretty badly when the car is in drive. You can hear it in the video.

[Widowmaker[x]]

HERES THE VIDEO

YouTube - Mustang rattle

[Stanger98]

Originally Posted by Widowmaker[x]

Ok, here is a video.

I shift from park to drive four times. You can hear the thumping noise. After watching this video from underneath the car, it sounds like something is rattling pretty badly when the car is in drive. You can hear it in the video.

The thump is normal. That's the 4R70W transmission at work. As long as it's not thumping from 1-2-D-O/D you're fine.

The rattling sound you think you here is actually the exhaust sound. As the car changes from Park to drive, the rpm's get lower causing the muffler(s) to vibrate more.

[Widowmaker[x]]

I don't ever remember the car doing this though before maybe earlier this year. And it seems a little odd that sometimes it happens and sometimes it doesnt. The video really doesnt do the thump justice, as the car jolts quite noticeabally.

[snake 42]

Originally Posted by Widowmaker[x]

I don't ever remember the car doing this though before maybe earlier this year. And it seems a little odd that sometimes it happens and sometimes it doesnt. The video really doesnt do the thump justice, as the car jolts quite noticeabally.

Do you have the Parking brake set? If not the car may be resting against the transmission locking pawl and the loud thunk comes from the release of pressure when you shift out of Park. Try stopping the car, shift into Neutral, set the Parking brake (hard) and then put the transmission in Park and shut it down. Then restart the car and shift out of Park and into Reverse without touching the Parking brake. If the clunk doesn't happen try shifting in and out of Reverse and Park several times just to check.

Snake 42