turkey101

Thanks for your respons guys. Maybe a love letter to Campbellfield is in order.

Well, just to finish off the story, I got the car back and it's running fine now. The trans cooler hadn't exploded (surprise!) it had cracked inside the radiator and leaked. So, all's well that ends well - as long as you consider being $3000 out of pocket a happy ending! In the meantime, my alarm siren has decided to sound for about 15secs as I turn the key - but not every time! Just randomly enough so that it causes maximum disturbance and makes it hard to fault find! Ah, the joys of owning a car!! At least it's a "T"!

Well I (hopefully) pick up the car this afternoon, so I'll ask them to detail the "failure" for me. But honestly, the first time the tech mentioned it over the phone, the word "exploded" was used! Go figure.

Thanks guys. I thought this may be the case, but the way the Ford tech described my trans cooler failing, I'd begun to think that there was a separate cooler fitted somewhere! While I'm on the topic, has anyone else had their trans cooler fail? A workmate of mine had his fail at 35,000kms, mine went at 60,000. Is this a common problem? Obviously, if a lot of guys are fitting their own, the factory one mustn't be sufficient. But is it a faulty design, or just bad luck?

Hang on a second guys . . . I've just read this and many other threads on trans coolers and I have one big question. I have a stock 2003 Auto T and had a spurting noise at low speed/low revs followed by some slipping between 1st-2nd & 2nd-3rd. I took it to Ford (7 weeks out of warranty!! ) and they said my trans cooler had failed, leaked water into the transmission, trans oil in the water, milkshake, etc... Result - replace transcooler, rebuild transmission, flush, etc $2700! Now, from what I've read here you guys are telling me there is no trans cooler fitted to a stock T? What the f*$%?

Just FYI, On my last service, the docket stated "Super S 10W40". Upon asking, I got the same deal: "Well, the book says 15W40, but we use a special synthetic blend that we buy in bulk". So, no closer to a definite answer! turkey101