Manual transmission scraping noise / grinding sound

[RobBob22]

The TSB is not proving anymore effective. They need to likely create a part change to solve this and the current TSB replaces with the same parts. I feel like this is going to get big.

Agreed, lost my phrasing, wanted to say it seemed like a solid bet that TSB repairs were going that same route = ineffective.

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[rodskies]

I called my local dealer and their next soonest appointment is MARCH 22nd.... wow. Called another dealer and they have no transmission capable people on staff.... Starting to get to dealers that are 45-60min away. Maybe Ford will have an actual fix for this issue by the time my original appointment comes up? LOL

My MT makes the rotational grinding noise in neutral, 1st and 2nd while driving, clutch in our out, whatever. Started noticing a few weeks ago with only 1800 miles on it. Now I'm up to 3200 and it's VERY obvious.

I think the spreadsheet is up to over 100 users reporting this same issue?

Do I sense a recall on the horizon?

 

[CliffordTheBigRedBronco]

Seems like at this point replacing the transmission has 0 chance of resolving the sound, and the TSB seems like a solid bet.

With the failure rate of both it seems like the sound is probably effecting 100% of manual broncos.

Not a single doubt that this effects every single manual gearbox. Not everyone is hearing it. And to an extent, on a lot of them, if you hop in and turn on the radio and go about your day you would never hear it. There's almost zero chance that there are any gearboxes that are not affected.

 

[Mortonm]

Not a single doubt that this effects every single manual gearbox. Not everyone is hearing it. And to an extent, on a lot of them, if you hop in and turn on the radio and go about your day you would never hear it. There's almost zero chance that there are any gearboxes that are not affected.

I agree, those who report no issue either just havent heard it, or has yet to make the noise

with a hit rate on here of 75% its highly unlikely there are many unaffected ones

I cant imagine the cost that is piling up associated with this, I am getting my second replacement transmission (and I honestly believe it will happen again). That has to be $20,000 right there from my Bronco alone...

 

[Classic28]

I agree, those who report no issue either just havent heard it, or has yet to make the noise

with a hit rate on here of 75% its highly unlikely there are many unaffected ones

I cant imagine the cost that is piling up associated with this, I am getting my second replacement transmission (and I honestly believe it will happen again). That has to be $20,000 right there from my Bronco alone...

There’s a saying in the boat ownership world that everything on the boat is broken, you just don’t know it yet. Lol

 

[RobBob22]

Not a single doubt that this effects every single manual gearbox. Not everyone is hearing it. And to an extent, on a lot of them, if you hop in and turn on the radio and go about your day you would never hear it. There's almost zero chance that there are any gearboxes that are not affected.

It could also track that some % of broncos are in Southern Florida or outside the states and may never hear it.

 

[RagnarKon]

Just wanted to share this video for people who aren't sure if they have the issue or not. This is my Bronco, and I have the issue, but it is MUCH less noticeable than many of the videos on this thread.

As the TSB states, it happens in neutral, and in 1st gear. In 1st gear it is barely audible, I have to shift the transfer case into 4x4 Low and let it crawl for me to be able to hear it. If I go any faster than that then the road noise drowns out the transmission noise. It likely also happens in 2nd gear, but by then the road noise drowns out the transmission noise completely and you can't hear it at all.

You can get it to go away by shifting up against the 5th/6th gear gate, by pressing the clutch pedal, waiting for the transmission to warm up, etc etc. (Everything that has already been stated in this thread.)

You will likely have to listen with headphones. I personally don't hear it when playing the video back on my cell phone or my laptop.

 

[BigHoof]

Just wanted to share this video for people who aren't sure if they have the issue or not. This is my Bronco, and I have the issue, but it is MUCH less noticeable than many of the videos on this thread.

As the TSB states, it happens in neutral, and in 1st gear. In 1st gear it is barely audible, I have to shift the transfer case into 4x4 Low and let it crawl for me to be able to hear it. If I go any faster than that then the road noise drowns out the transmission noise. It likely also happens in 2nd gear, but by then the road noise drowns out the transmission noise completely and you can't hear it at all.

You can get it to go away by shifting up against the 5th/6th gear gate, by pressing the clutch pedal, waiting for the transmission to warm up, etc etc. (Everything that has already been stated in this thread.)

You will likely have to listen with headphones. I personally don't hear it when playing the video back on my cell phone or my laptop.

Can easily hear it on my desktop speakers.

Noise is one thing but to see how burnt and metal scarred the parts get is what is troubling. That has to be bad long term.

 

[Tricky Dick]

Just wanted to share this video for people who aren't sure if they have the issue or not. This is my Bronco, and I have the issue, but it is MUCH less noticeable than many of the videos on this thread.

As the TSB states, it happens in neutral, and in 1st gear. In 1st gear it is barely audible, I have to shift the transfer case into 4x4 Low and let it crawl for me to be able to hear it. If I go any faster than that then the road noise drowns out the transmission noise. It likely also happens in 2nd gear, but by then the road noise drowns out the transmission noise completely and you can't hear it at all.

You can get it to go away by shifting up against the 5th/6th gear gate, by pressing the clutch pedal, waiting for the transmission to warm up, etc etc. (Everything that has already been stated in this thread.)

You will likely have to listen with headphones. I personally don't hear it when playing the video back on my cell phone or my laptop.

This describes my current state perfectly.

 

[UM_Ftown]

The TSB is not proving anymore effective. They need to likely create a part change to solve this and the current TSB replaces with the same parts. I feel like this is going to get big.

Again based on what? I’m still waiting for someone on this forum who has had the TSB done (not just replacing the transmission which is not the TSB not not sure why it keeps getting brought up) come back and say the noise returned.

 

[thesocalexplorer]

Just wanted to share this video for people who aren't sure if they have the issue or not. This is my Bronco, and I have the issue, but it is MUCH less noticeable than many of the videos on this thread.

As the TSB states, it happens in neutral, and in 1st gear. In 1st gear it is barely audible, I have to shift the transfer case into 4x4 Low and let it crawl for me to be able to hear it. If I go any faster than that then the road noise drowns out the transmission noise. It likely also happens in 2nd gear, but by then the road noise drowns out the transmission noise completely and you can't hear it at all.

You can get it to go away by shifting up against the 5th/6th gear gate, by pressing the clutch pedal, waiting for the transmission to warm up, etc etc. (Everything that has already been stated in this thread.)

You will likely have to listen with headphones. I personally don't hear it when playing the video back on my cell phone or my laptop.

Great video documenting the sound. I can hear it loud and clear on my computer speakers. Does the noise go away when warm?

 

[thesocalexplorer]

It could also track that some % of broncos are in Southern Florida or outside the states and may never hear it.

Agreed. Mine spends 95% of its parked life in a garage that stays above 60*F and doesn't make the noise on cold start, but the moment I park it outside overnight during winter, the noise presents itself.

 

[a_Panda]

Again based on what? I’m still waiting for someone on this forum who has had the TSB done (not just replacing the transmission which is not the TSB not not sure why it keeps getting brought up) come back and say the noise returned.

I'm super interested in anyone who has the TSB done. Mine went in last night. I'll happily keep an eye on it over the next 6 months once I get it back. Not super confident given that the part number hasn't changed but willing to let the tech do his job.

 

[orion]

Not a single doubt that this effects every single manual gearbox. Not everyone is hearing it. And to an extent, on a lot of them, if you hop in and turn on the radio and go about your day you would never hear it. There's almost zero chance that there are any gearboxes that are not affected.

I'm at almost 7k on mine and mine is quiet. You would think if something is going to friction weld itself in a tranny, it's going to be audible at some point soon in its life.

No issues here...

 

[RagnarKon]

Can easily hear it on my desktop speakers.

Noise is one thing but to see how burnt and metal scarred the parts get is what is troubling. That has to be bad long term.

Good!! I can hear it on my MacBook Pro speakers too... so maybe my Windows laptop speakers are just garbage.

And has someone posted pictures of what the old synchro rings looked like after they were swapped?? I have been keeping up, but may have missed it.

Great video documenting the sound. I can hear it loud and clear on my computer speakers. Does the noise go away when warm?

Yup. The warmer the transmission get the less noise you hear. And in my case the noise will cut out and come back randomly as the transmission warms up.

When I recorded the video the engine was idling at 900 RPM, and it had already been through its usual 3-5 minutes of running at 1200 RPM to warm the engine up. By then the noise isn't as consistent, it'll randomly go away. You can kind of hear that in my video at the 0:09 timestamp—the noise just randomly went away for a few seconds even though I didn't move the shifter knob at all.

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