Cold shifting issues
 

My Mustang is a 2013 V6 with 6-spd manual.

Last winter I was having shifting issues with my car.

When the outside temperature drops to below freezing, I find shifting into 2nd gear is stiff and requires a bit more force than normal to get the shifter into 2nd gear. This is with the clutch to the floor. It happens both shifting up to and down to 2nd.

When the temperature drops closer to -10-20*C, there is a point at which I cannot get the shifter into 2nd gear, as in I physically can't move the shifter into the 2nd gear position. I can shift into 1, 3, 4, 5 and 6th gear with no problem.

Once the engine is up to operating temperature, the shifting improves, but I don't think it ever quite gets to the same as in the summer.

I took it in to the dealership last winter for them to have a look at it. The service advisor told me they drained factory installed gear oil from it and put in an advised transmission fluid. They also said they inspected the transmission and everything was within spec. The problem was still there.

Has anyone else had a similar problem?

Unfortunately winter is getting closer and I'm starting to think about it.

Definitely sounds like a fluid issue. It must really be getting stiff in the cold. First I've heard of it on here. 2013, so it has to have warranty. I'd beat the warranty to death if its not too much of a hassle for you to keep taking it back.

I can't speak for the Mustang transmissions as I wasn't a service adviser for Ford. When I worked at Toyota there were shifting problems with some of the Tacoma trucks that were like you are describing with your car. The "Specs" that they talk about are definitely in the manufactures favor, With the Tacoma's there was an allowance of 10 seconds of holding the shifter at second for it to go in, At idle if it did not go into second within those 10 seconds Toyota would approve further diagnostics and a refill of the necessary recommended transmission fluid. We knew there was a problem with the transmissions and Toyota knew there was a problem but would they own up to it and repair the issue? Not a chance. We did have ONE regular customer truck. Only ONE truck that was approved for a rebuild and even then we were told by Corporate that the customer was on the hook for the clutch and machining of the flywheel. There were others that were repaired but it was more of a "who you knew" that got the go ahead from the Service manager. Its disappointing as you have a new car and you expect to have it working but the manufacturer makes it so that it has to be right screwed before they will do what is necessary to fix the problem.

A lighter weight oil in the trans may help for the colder months. I'm not sure what the recommended fluid is for that transmission, but as an example, my daily driver ('13 Scion FR-S) calls for 75W90 gear oil, and a switch to a 75W80 made all the difference in the world. My symptoms were very similar to yours.

Here's something I found on the issue of hard to shift while cold,

"The agency did cite Ford’s findings that the bulk of the shift effort complaints occurred in cold ambient temperatures. Ford has released a service bulletin recommending a lower-viscosity transmission fluid for customers complaining of cold weather shift problems, which seem to improve as the car (and transmission fluid) come to a proper operating temperature."

Link.

NHTSA Ends Investigation Into Mustang Manual Transmission

I think this is what they did last winter. It helped, but the problem was still there.

The article you posted mentioned 2011-12 model years. I checked the TSB number listed in the article and it also only mentions 2011-12. I wonder if I got a left over transmission? I think my 2013 Mustang was built in March 2012.

I guess I'll have to wait for the temperatures to drop and see if the problem is back this winter.