ECON Switch Causing Falcon AU Fault

publicsp · 10-08-2009, 12:45 PM

Not sure if this is where I should write this information, but it just might save a Ford Falcon owner a lot of money, frustration and time.

Background:
-Purchased a 1999 Ford Falcon AU, 140,000ks, good condition
-All OK, except vehicle would "surge/hesitate" slightly when maintaining steady speed at 50-55k
-Symptoms felt like have a loose chain on your motorbike when cruising at steady slow speed
-Fault would come and go, not consistent, made it harder to find
-Visited various well qualified mechanics, including the local Ford dealer
-Items repaired/replaced in the hunt for the elusive fault:
a) All tyres balanced and aligned, then fitted new rear tyres as they looked a little out of shape
b) Complete new exhaust system
c) New engine seals, dipstick, oil filler cap, all hoses checked
d) New spark plugs
e) New high tension leads
f) Compression checked
g) Fuel injectors cleaned
h) New fuel filter
i) New battery

One day, by chance, I flicked the "ECON" switch to "off" whilst driving with the fault and it disappeared!

Over the next few days I flicked it on/off/on/off when driving (always leaving it off) and the car became more consistently smooth

It is definitely the ECON switch, most days the car is perfect, if not, then a couple of "flicks" later, it is perfect again for the rest of the day.

Not sure how to make the fault disappear altogether, maybe someone else has had this happen.

Thanks.

NOTE: I searched all the Ford Forums during the hunt for this fault, could not find any reference, hence my reason to load this information to help someone else.

onfire · 10-08-2009, 01:24 PM

I think and don't quote me on this, while in ECON mode its more inclined to change up gears quicker. While in PWR mode, it will hold the gears longer, which is a good thing when you're trying to sit on a low speed.

Mr Hardware · 10-08-2009, 01:56 PM

Quote:

-All OK, except vehicle would "surge/hesitate" slightly when maintaining steady speed at 50-55k

50-55 can be the changeover point for the torque converter to lockup in 3rd or shift to 4th, and back again. On tired transmissions this can be uncomfortable. (Planetary gears? Solenoid? Crack in valvebody?) Chances are you've got a mild flare and catch between the gears. Flicking to pwr instead of econ changes where and if the gears shift, and if i remember correctly, doesn't allow 3rd to lockup. Or is that just keeping it in 4th that does that?

Any rate, we used to tell the cabbies to keep the trans in 3rd whilst driving in 60 or less zones. The AU boxes change to 4th just shy of 60, and you would get excessive changing 3-4-3-4-3-4-3-4-3-4-3-4-3-4-3-4-3-4 if you were constantly moving from 50 to 60 and back again as traffic would ebb and flow. Around town: 3rd and econ, highway/motorway (70 and up) 4th and econ. If pwr is what you prefer (personally i hate it) then thats fine too.

Ghiadude · 10-08-2009, 02:39 PM

doesnt econ lengthen the shifts to make them smoother hence wear transmissions prematurely? I would've thought cabbies would leave it on power ?

Mr Hardware · 10-08-2009, 04:56 PM

i always thought it was that pwr hardens the shifts meaning more wear on the box.

brad` · 10-08-2009, 06:19 PM

ECON wears out the transmission faster, holds the gears open for longer and slowly changes where power slips it in faster and with out slowing the gears so to speak. in the end power is better but u go threw more petrol etc etc, but saves ur gearbox

Stattic · 11-08-2009, 07:23 PM

economy mode most definitely does wear out your box quicker, the slower slipping changes cause a lot of heat and as its been stated, cruising around 60 is an issue
my cars actually been flashed to sit in gear longer to avoid this among other things
theres nothing wrong with shifting hard, its just uncomfortable for most, which is why cabbies dont use it.. they drive around all day the more comfort the better =)

hortiboi · 01-02-2012, 03:11 PM

Not sure if this is where I should write this information, but it just might save a Ford Falcon owner a lot of money, frustration and time.

Background:
-Purchased a 1999 Ford Falcon AU, 140,000ks, good condition
-All OK, except vehicle would "surge/hesitate" slightly when maintaining steady speed at 50-55k
-Symptoms felt like have a loose chain on your motorbike when cruising at steady slow speed
-Fault would come and go, not consistent, made it harder to find
-Visited various well qualified mechanics, including the local Ford dealer
-Items repaired/replaced in the hunt for the elusive fault:
a) All tyres balanced and aligned, then fitted new rear tyres as they looked a little out of shape
b) Complete new exhaust system
c) New engine seals, dipstick, oil filler cap, all hoses checked
d) New spark plugs
e) New high tension leads
f) Compression checked
g) Fuel injectors cleaned
h) New fuel filter
i) New battery

One day, by chance, I flicked the "ECON" switch to "off" whilst driving with the fault and it disappeared!

Over the next few days I flicked it on/off/on/off when driving (always leaving it off) and the car became more consistently smooth

It is definitely the ECON switch, most days the car is perfect, if not, then a couple of "flicks" later, it is perfect again for the rest of the day.

Not sure how to make the fault disappear altogether, maybe someone else has had this happen.

Thanks.

NOTE: I searched all the Ford Forums during the hunt for this fault, could not find any reference, hence my reason to load this information to help someone else.

Publicsp
I've had the same problem with mine and have replaced the Tranny, leads, coil pack, sparkplugs before I realised the connection with the Econ button. I recon it's a loose connection or something in the button causing an intermittant fault. I'm aving the switch checked when i have the 1000km check on the reco tranny.

falconnut · 01-02-2012, 03:14 PM

When was the transmission last serviced?

hortiboi · 01-02-2012, 03:53 PM

Reco tranny, 500 kms old...so, very recently. It's not the tranny, it's in the Econ switch.

hortiboi · 01-02-2012, 04:14 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by publicsp

Not sure if this is where I should write this information, but it just might save a Ford Falcon owner a lot of money, frustration and time.

Background:
-Purchased a 1999 Ford Falcon AU, 140,000ks, good condition
-All OK, except vehicle would "surge/hesitate" slightly when maintaining steady speed at 50-55k
-Symptoms felt like have a loose chain on your motorbike when cruising at steady slow speed
-Fault would come and go, not consistent, made it harder to find
-Visited various well qualified mechanics, including the local Ford dealer
-Items repaired/replaced in the hunt for the elusive fault:
a) All tyres balanced and aligned, then fitted new rear tyres as they looked a little out of shape
b) Complete new exhaust system
c) New engine seals, dipstick, oil filler cap, all hoses checked
d) New spark plugs
e) New high tension leads
f) Compression checked
g) Fuel injectors cleaned
h) New fuel filter
i) New battery

One day, by chance, I flicked the "ECON" switch to "off" whilst driving with the fault and it disappeared!

Over the next few days I flicked it on/off/on/off when driving (always leaving it off) and the car became more consistently smooth

It is definitely the ECON switch, most days the car is perfect, if not, then a couple of "flicks" later, it is perfect again for the rest of the day.

Not sure how to make the fault disappear altogether, maybe someone else has had this happen.

Thanks.

NOTE: I searched all the Ford Forums during the hunt for this fault, could not find any reference, hence my reason to load this information to help someone else.

Sorry, I didn't add this as a quote last time....Publicsp, I've had the same problem. So far I've dropped in a reco tranny, changed plugs, leads, coil...had the original tranny serviced and flushed before the reco was dropped in. Mechanic have all said 'it's an AU thing'...maybe it's the Econo switch that has a fault.