The AWD really does not work well

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bill murray

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Well, I hope so jon:

I seem to be in a minority here in that my car does not exhibit any of the major problems I am reading about on these threads.

As posted earlier, I had a question about the brakes seeming to grab a bit to the side when I first got the car but that has now disappeared.

I also still experience a bit of torque steer when punching the throttle when I am making a turn, either left or right at low speeds. Having driven SAAB Turbos for years while employed by that company, I am well aquainted with that issue and the SHO is mild in comparison.

I hope to give a sort of "My Impressions of my SHO after 5 months" this weekend if I have the time and address a few other minor/major issues that I have with the car.

Bill
 

jonheese

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Well you gotta consider that for every person with excessive wheelspin complaints, there are probably 10 (or more) without. After all, why bother posting that your car is working properly?
 

SHO U UP

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Have any you guys got the 15 page papers in regards to the ownership of the new SHOs? I've gotten 2 in the past two weeks. I began filling out one and my wife is filling out the other. It's like taking a damn a quiz for school. That's where you should be putting your complaints at too. That is, of course your filing cabinet isn't your trash can. :rofl:
 

wchain

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The RS-A was the OEM tire that came with my parent's '95 Chevy Lumina LS. Utter crap tires then, not much better now. Absolutely awful sidewalls that squirmed way too much and just a poor performance tire in general...

Also OEM on a lot of Generation 1 CTS-Vs, many that I track with, they dont seem to have any problems.

I dont like them either but I think they're more capable than what people make them out to be.

They're also OEM equipment on a large percentage of CVPIs, Impala 9C1 and Charger Police.
 

thebigjimsho

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Also OEM on a lot of Generation 1 CTS-Vs, many that I track with, they dont seem to have any problems.

I dont like them either but I think they're more capable than what people make them out to be.

They're also OEM equipment on a large percentage of CVPIs, Impala 9C1 and Charger Police.

Yeah, well those RS-As are runflats, which takes away the garbage soft sidewalls. But the tires are still garbage...
 

tms217

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Just got off of the phone with Ford. Looks like they are going to replace the PTU for now and run their checks again.
 

wchain

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I wonder how many SHOs are out there that have this affliction?

Same issue as teh Ecoboost Flexes?
 

BamaRon

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I have a SHO with 1500 miles. At first I had no wheel spin on takeoff. Then at about 1000 miles I started noticing significant spinning during hard takeoffs and spinning from just moderate takeoffs when turning. I can even take off slowly in first gear and then about halfway trough first gear floor the accelerator and make the wheels spin.

I have an appointment Wednesday morning with my dealership to check out the problem. When I made the appointment, the service writer said he knew nothing about this type of problem and that they had not had any service problems from a SHO yet, just routine oil changes. I have a feeling that this will be one of those trips to the service department where I will fell like I know more than the people I need to solve my problem, so this may be the blind leading the blind tomorrow!

If the PTU is not working on some of these cars, would this mean we are driving all the time with 100% of the power to the front wheels? And if so, then wouldn't 365 HP to the front wheels put more strain on the front wheel drive transmission?

BamaRon
 

typhoon5000

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If the PTU is not working on some of these cars, would this mean we are driving all the time with 100% of the power to the front wheels? And if so, then wouldn't 365 HP to the front wheels put more strain on the front wheel drive transmission?

BamaRon

It most definitely will, but it's designed to run in 100% FWD mode when RWD traction is not needed, so I think you will be Ok. Just try to avoid hard launches for now. Good luck at the dealership though.

Update: I also checked the TSB's on 2010 Taurii and there is one (09-25-7) on the PTU leaking out of one of the shaft seals (affects all D car AWD systems). It doesn't mention anything about the AWD loosing functionality, however I would think that a loss of fluid could cause drive issues if there's a clutch pack in it.
 
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BamaRon

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I took my SHO to the dealer for service today to check out why I was having a significant increase in wheel spin during WOT starts. They first checked for any computer codes, (none found). Then tested the system while up on a lift. With me watching, both front and rear wheels turned when the transmition was placed in drive. It appeared that both were turning at approximately the same RPM. The mechanic stated that the rear wheels would not be turning at all if the PTU was not working.

When I explained to him that I first started noticing the wheel spin sometime after my first oil change at 1000 miles, he said that Ford sometimes programs some of their high performance cars to run at a reduced power level during the first 1000 miles for an improved break in period. And that I may be simply seeing the effects of this increased torque early in the takeoff at WOT, but that the PTU does compensates after a short period of wheel spin.

Therefore, he claims my AWD is working, but that the cars power is enough to cause the PTU to take a little time to compensate at WOT.

BamaRon
 

OldSalt

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Wow never heard of that! Electronically detuned! Sounds like BS to me! I know a ford mechanic I will try to confirm this next time we speak, but for some reason I keep thinking it's just fancy talk and not reality. If this were true wouldn't there be some documentation to the mechanics on when to retune or whatever you want to call it, mechanics don't follow rumors and sugestions they fiollow MFR approved guidance in the form of TSB's, Tech Pubs etc... call me skeptical but you have to show me! I look forward to any additional info anyone might have on this.
:ohreally: :bs:
 

typhoon5000

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I don't think you should have any wheelspin before the RWD kicks in. The computer and clutches should react in less than a second IIRC. Also, just an FYI, the PTU runs 100% of the time and the RWD is engaged by a clutch pack that is attached to the front of the rear diff with the driveshaft from the PTU as it's input. It's the cylinder shaped case:

3547724924 c52e617260 b

BTW this also answers the question about The SHO's AWD system being a Haldex system, in that it's not. If you read the display card, it says it is built by ZF.
 

wchain

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I thought the SHO had an AWD system different from the regular pedestrian Taurus due to the amount of power it put down....
 

tms217

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I agree, I think there is a difference between the reg Taurus and the SHO AWD systems..
 

OldSalt

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That picture only shows the rear drive take off module, not the AWD module that is at the heart of any AWD system, the components in that picture merely transmit the torque sent to it from the AWD module up near the Tranny IMO and based on the Ford Media release I quote "Putting that power to the pavement will be the job of a paddle-shifted six-speed automatic and a Haldex all-wheel-drive system" I'm confused because I heard it was (a haldex system) but it's not cut and dry sounds like Ford used the Haldex module mated to their own in house components to complete the drivetrain. I believe if Ford was using it's own system they would be bragging about it in their Media tech sheets and their not, which makes me tend to think it's not their own in house system but some marriage of Haldex and Ford components. Thats my two cents
 

hawkeye18

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I took my SHO to the dealer for service today to check out why I was having a significant increase in wheel spin during WOT starts. They first checked for any computer codes, (none found). Then tested the system while up on a lift. With me watching, both front and rear wheels turned when the transmition was placed in drive. It appeared that both were turning at approximately the same RPM. The mechanic stated that the rear wheels would not be turning at all if the PTU was not working.

When I explained to him that I first started noticing the wheel spin sometime after my first oil change at 1000 miles, he said that Ford sometimes programs some of their high performance cars to run at a reduced power level during the first 1000 miles for an improved break in period. And that I may be simply seeing the effects of this increased torque early in the takeoff at WOT, but that the PTU does compensates after a short period of wheel spin.

Therefore, he claims my AWD is working, but that the cars power is enough to cause the PTU to take a little time to compensate at WOT.

BamaRon

You need to stick your head out the window and let the wind fill your face, cos your dealer just took you on a ride.
 

tms217

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got the car back today and the AWD works how I would expect it to... Finally!!
 

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