The Mustang receives an urgently needed upgrade to the often discredited MT 82 transmission
Why is it worth updating?
The most commonly discussed problem is probably the blockage of the second gear in the third gear at high speed. Then sudden gear changes and a strange clutch feeling, falling screws, and the list of common problems becomes longer and longer.
At one point, MT82 generated such interest that the National Road Safety Administration opened an investigation into the case. Fortunately, Ford has made minor improvements to the six-speed manual transmission over time. From clutch springs to oil viscosity, types of screws on the surface of gears, most defects have been corrected. But not all of them.
A look back at some of the problems
In a forum of the owners of the Mustang, reports of problems, possible solutions, and complaints to Ford have reached the 2,700 displays, which affect the owners of the high power versions V6 and V8. Fifteen owners have filed safety complaints with the U.S. regulators, who claim that slow gears and shredder gears pose a risk to driving safety. While Ford has offered several potential solutions for owners and turned to those who complain, many say that problems disappear after a repair and then return.
Although manual transmissions are an endangered species among American new car buyers, about one-third of all Mustang owners in 2011 – about 22,000 vehicles – wanted to change their own gears, according to a leaking Ford production survey. They are the buyers who have owned Mustangs for years, spending up to $35,000 on their cars and acting as Ford’s best evangelists.
The most frequent complaints concerned the rapid gear changes between the first, second and third gears, and the grinding took place at different speeds. The owner of Mustang saved his transmission – saying that the problems persist even after six trips to the dealer, two new transmissions, three new clutches and 42 days in the shop:
This MT82 transmission was built by Ford and a supplier from Gottingen under a joint venture in Nanchang, China, which only increased the misery of some customers. And this is not the first time that the owners of these gearboxes report problems in shifting; the same issues have been reported by the owners of Land Rover Defenders.
So, what have they done about it?
The sixth generation of the Mustang still has some notching in the cold mornings until the oil heats up. Switching to a polarity change or support bracket eliminates this obstacle, and Ford Motor Company has drawn attention to this. In 2018, the Mustang GT introduced a major upgrade.
Called MT82-D4, the latest version of the six-speed manual transmission of the Tremec TR-6060 promises much better performance than its predecessor. Delivered by Gottinga, the gearbox is the exclusive version of the Coyote V8 Mustang GT transmission and combines a double steering wheel, a double disc clutch, and an improved transmission.
The biggest difference from the Mustang GT 2015-2017 is the fourth direct drive.
With fifth and sixth gear relegated to overdrive, the 2018 Mustang GT keeps the engine speed lower while driving on the road.
However, this may have something to do with the most significant improvements to the V8: the double injection system and the Shelby GT350 cylinder liners inspired by the Shelby GT350 plasma spray.
New specifications
The Mustang EcoBoost 2018, meanwhile, gets a different diaphragm spring and cover, thus increasing torque capacity and improving clutch pedal feel. On the other hand, the 10-speed automatic co-developed with General Motors is the real party piece of the 2018 Mustang, whether it’s the Coyote or the EcoBoost.
