Transfer Case Imploded (apparently)

[everetto]

2018 SCREW, 801A, 13,500 miles. On the highway today coasting down a long hill at about 60 mph. All of a sudden the gear indicator loses it's mind and goes from 10 to 5 to 1 to 8 to..... as if the truck was in neutral and the trans did not know what gear to be in. I touch the gas and the engine free revs. Coast to a stop off the road and can't get any motion, forward or reversed, D or Manual - nothing. Indeed the truck is in neutral. Decide to try going from 2H to 4A, nothing. To 4H, nothing. Tried 4L and the truck lurches, and it apparently DID go into 4L, but then it won't come out of Low. Drove it home about 10 miles - engine stuttering like crazy (maybe Limp mode?) and transfer case whining like crazy, and grinding and lurching - I have never heard sound like that in my life. The magic WRENCH appears on the dash and it says "See Manual". That's it, no more info. I'm sure it threw tons of codes, have not tried to read them yet. It's going to Ford tomorrow. Drivetrain warranty is 6 years or 60K, right? Anyone have any thoughts?

 

[GordoJay]

Might just be a computer glitch. Did you cycle power? That fixed mine when it wouldn't shift out of 4L. I hope you put one tire on the shoulder, off the pavement, when you drove home.

 

[RaptorFun]

You’re covered! The drivetrain warranty is 60 months or 60K miles.

Good Luck with your issue!

 

[everetto]

First thing we did was disconnect the battery, for about 10 minutes. Didn't change anything. When it went into 4L and the truck finally had some forward motion, I then attempted to take it out of 4L, and it tried, saying 4WD shift in progress, but it never completed it, and stayed in Low. When driving it, it did not feel at all like the front axle/hubs were engaged, I'm pretty sure that part of the shift took place, putting the truck in 2WD. While on the road I didn't think to look at my phone, when I got home I had an alert from Ford Pass - it says AWD/4WD Fault Detected, reduced power, etc. It says take it to Dealer as soon as possible.........

 

[CoronaRaptor]

Good luck, hope they give you a whole new transfer case. Keep us posted.

 

[2ManyHobbies]

Wow. let us know how it goes.

 

[everetto]

Well there she goes.

 

[KingKoopa17]

Sounds pretty similar to the situation that happened to me in my '18 XLT last September. Bought it new, had about 28K miles on it. We got up on the highway and felt a lurch. Gear indicator then went crazy, going from 7th to 4th, up to 8th, down to 3rd, etc. Pulled off to the side, wrench came up followed by the "see manual" as you described. Called up the dealership and let them know my problem. Towed it in, dealership had it for about a week and a half. Sorry to say I don't quite remember exactly what they said was wrong, but definitely was something in the transmission that took a crap and had to be rebuilt.

 

[CoronaRaptor]

Well there she goes. Service Manager already said something to the effect of "well if you put in 4L and did a big hard launch.......... that would not be covered by warranty".
View attachment 156185

Service manager is an idiot to say that, for ******* sake, what are you suppose to do when your idling in neutral, you try all combinations to see if you can get moving. Is there no common sense left anywhere?

 

[GordoJay]

Well there she goes. Service Manager already said something to the effect of "well if you put in 4L and did a big hard launch.......... that would not be covered by warranty".

They're trying to set you up. If they can deny the warranty claim and then you let them fix it, they get paid a whole lot more money. Don't let them get away with it. Service Advisors make politicians look trustworthy.