2010 Xr6 Problem (Transmission?)

[Breakdown]

Hi guys

I'm new to these boards. First, I have to say that I don't own an XR6 Turbo; I own a 2010 FG 5-speed Automatic XR6. I'm having a problem and I hope you guys can help.

Recently I've noticed my car making a "clunking" sound occasionally when it changes gears. This didn't happen the first 4 weeks I was driving it (I've owned the car for 2 months now). For instance, tonight I was driving on a highway in 4th gear (in Performance Mode) and there was a traffic light up ahead flashing amber. I had to slow down (obviously) and thus drop the gears. When I dropped from 3rd to 2nd the car made a nasty "clunk" which I heard coming from under the bonnet. This has happened about a dozen times over the past 2 weeks. It usually happens when I'm changing up a gear, though. This clunk happens in both Automatic Mode and Perfomance Mode.

Is this clunk normal? What is the likely cause of it? And, most importantly, is this clunk damaging my transmission in any way?

Further, I should also point out that my car always "clunks" when changing from Park to Reverse or Reverse to Drive or Park to Neutral and so on. My dealer says this is normal, and from reading other guys' posts it seems that this is a common issue with the 5-speed auto. But is it damaging my transmisson? That's what I care about mostly.

Thanks guys :-)

[MurdoK]

Cant be 100% certain but it does sound like diff bushes.

My car clunks hard on WOT and when I release the accelerator suddenly.

Have a look at some of the threads on diff clunks and see if they sound like the problems you are having.

But I may be totally wrong cause it is a 5 speed and I dont know too much about them.

[Breakdown]

Cant be 100% certain but it does sound like diff bushes.

My car clunks hard on WOT and when I release the accelerator suddenly.

Have a look at some of the threads on diff clunks and see if they sound like the problems you are having.

But I may be totally wrong cause it is a 5 speed and I dont know too much about them.

Hmmm thanks mate. Yeah I've searched the Net high and low for info on my problem. But I haven't found any real information on whether it is actually damaging my car mechanically in some way. I mean I can put up with the odd clunk here and there when I change gear, but I just don't want it to damage my car's transmission or diff or anything -- that's what worries me. Edited 20/11/11 03:00 PM by Breakdown

[turbotrana]

Cant remember where but I read on another Ford forum that the 5 speed trans are not very good and that they break bands.

[Breakdown]

Cant remember where but I read on another Ford forum that the 5 speed trans are not very good and that they break bands.

Yes, the reports on 5-speed Auto FGs are all pretty bad. If I had known this before buying the car I would have paid the extra $1,000 for the ZF 6-speed Auto. I'm still not understanding why there is an occasional "clunk" when shifting up or down a gear... I'm thinking it could be diff backlash? But I don't really know much about cars, and I have only been reading up on the mechanics of them over the past week.

More opinions on my original post are welcome. :-)