Ford Contour Car is hard to shift Inspection at your home or office.

Our certified mobile mechanics come to you 7 days a week between 7 AM and 9 PM.

Estimate price near me

Service Location

Customer Ratings

(53)

How A Diagnostic Works

Instantly book a certified mobile mechanic to come to you

Mechanic diagnoses the problem and quotes necessary repairs

Your vehicle is ready to go

Fair, upfront & transparent pricing for all services

Our certified mobile mechanics can come to you now.

Customer Ratings

(53)

Car is hard to shift Inspection Service

How much does a Car is hard to shift Inspection cost?

On average, the cost for a Ford Contour Car is hard to shift Inspection is $95 with $0 for parts and $95 for labor. Prices may vary depending on your location.

CarServiceEstimateShop/Dealer Price
1996 Ford ContourV6-2.5LService typeCar is hard to shift InspectionEstimate$114.99Shop/Dealer Price$124.99 - $132.49
1995 Ford ContourV6-2.5LService typeCar is hard to shift InspectionEstimate$94.99Shop/Dealer Price$105.01 - $112.52
1997 Ford ContourL4-2.0LService typeCar is hard to shift InspectionEstimate$94.99Shop/Dealer Price$105.01 - $112.52
1999 Ford ContourV6-2.5LService typeCar is hard to shift InspectionEstimate$94.99Shop/Dealer Price$104.99 - $112.48
1995 Ford ContourL4-2.0LService typeCar is hard to shift InspectionEstimate$94.99Shop/Dealer Price$105.02 - $112.55
2000 Ford ContourV6-2.5LService typeCar is hard to shift InspectionEstimate$94.99Shop/Dealer Price$105.01 - $112.52
2000 Ford ContourL4-2.0LService typeCar is hard to shift InspectionEstimate$99.99Shop/Dealer Price$109.87 - $117.28
1997 Ford ContourV6-2.5LService typeCar is hard to shift InspectionEstimate$99.99Shop/Dealer Price$110.24 - $117.94
Show example Ford Contour Car is hard to shift Inspection prices

A car that is shifting hard can be very unpleasant to drive. Regardless of whether it is an automatic or a manual, a transmission that is not shifting correctly can cause serious problems out on the road and under the hood.

A car that refuses to shift or go into gear easily is trying to tell you something is wrong and in most cases the culprit is the clutch or transmission. Transmissions are very complicated and have many moving parts, ignoring a hard to shift issue can quickly spiral into a very expensive transmission repair.

How this system works:

Automatic transmissions use a planetary system of gears that transfers power using different gear ratios. A planetary gear set has a central gear, known as the sun gear, an outer ring that has internal gear teeth which is called the ring gear and two or three other gears which are called planet gears and allow the gear ratio to change as the vehicle accelerates.

The vehicle drive train is coupled to a torque converter that acts like a clutch between the transmission and drivetrain. The transmission changes gears as the vehicle accelerates or slows downs.

In a manual transmission, a flywheel is attached to the engine crankshaft and spins with it. A clutch disk is located between the pressure plate and the flywheel, which is held against the flywheel due to pressure from the pressure plate. When the clutch is engaged the flywheel spins the clutch plate and the transmission, moving the car. When the clutch is depressed, the pressure plate stops applying pressure to the clutch disk allowing the gear to be changed without damaging the transmission.

Most modern cars with a manual transmission have 5 or 6 gears.

Common reasons for this to happen:

  • Transmission Fluid Leak: Transmissions are a sealed system so leaking fluid indicates a serious problem. Leaks can occur in the pan gasket as well as other areas of the transmission. Transmission fluid is bright red or brown, as it gets older. If there is fluid under the car it should be inspected immediately. Transmission fluid is essential for the proper operation of the transmission and low fluid levels due to a leak can cause the transmission to basically self-destruct, which will result in a very expensive repair.

  • Failing Transmission Solenoids: Transmission Solenoids control the flow of transmission fluid around the transmission. Trouble shifting is a common indicator that the solenoids are failing.

  • Dirty or Contaminated Transmission Fluid: Transmission fluid gets dirty and contaminated over time and must be replaced. Difficulty in shifting can indicate that it is time to change the fluid. Transmission fluid should be flushed and replace roughly every 100,000 miles.

  • Failing Transmission: Over time, especially as a vehicle goes over the 100,000 mile mark, parts and gears inside the transmission simply wear out. This process can be dramatically accelerated if the car is driven with low levels of transmission fluid. The transmission will have to be rebuilt or replaced which is a very expensive repair. Symptoms of a failing transmission include hard shifting, humming, clunking or grinding.

  • Bad Shifter Cable: Some vehicles use a cable to link the shifter handle to the transmission. Typically an automatic transmission will have one cable while a manual transmission will have two. Over time the cable can stretch or break. A stretched cable can make the vehicle hard to shift into gear and the indictor needle may not line up with the gear the vehicle is actually in.

  • Worn Out Clutch: Over time a clutch will wear out. The lifespan of a clutch can vary depending on the how the car is driven. Symptoms of a failing clutch not only include hard shifting but also a spongy feel to the clutch and a possible burning smell.

What to expect:

A top-rated mobile mechanic will come to your home or office to determine the source and cause of the Car is hard to shift issue, ​and will then provide a detailed inspection report that includes the scope and cost of the necessary repairs.

How it's done:

A mechanic will inspect your car's transmission and other important components. This will include your transmission fluid for leaks and contamination, failing solenoids, shifter cable and clutch. This will allow your mechanic to provide you with an accurate diagnosis of your hard shifting transmission.

How important is this service?

Transmission repairs can range from a simple and inexpensive adjustment to a major rebuild that can be very expensive. A car that is hard to shift is signaling that something is malfunctioning in the transmission or clutch and ignoring the problem will most likely lead to further damage, which can dramatically increase the cost of the repair.

Fast and easy service at your home or office

Backed by 12-month, 12.000-mile guarantee


Meet some of our expert Ford mechanics

Real customer reviews from Ford owners like you.

Excellent Rating

(53)

Rating Summary
48
3
0
0
2
48
3
0
0
2

Brian

24 years of experience
208 reviews
Brian
24 years of experience
Ford Contour V6-2.5L - Control Arm Assembly Replacement (Front Lower Left, Front Lower Right) - Monrovia, Maryland
Brian did an excellent job, was on time, very professional. I would highly recommend him to do your auto work. I sure will be using him again in the future for my cars!. A+++

Steven

14 years of experience
425 reviews
Steven
14 years of experience
Ford Contour L4-2.0L - Brake Pads Replacement (Front) - Phoenix, Arizona
doesn't try to push things beyond its scope. intuitive sense between what is needed not fixing an older car that makes repairs more costly than car itself. yet he is an expert mechanic

Damian

11 years of experience
465 reviews
Damian
11 years of experience
Ford Contour L4-2.0L - Windshield Wiper Linkage Replacement (Front) - Garrett Park, Maryland
Damian Johnson brought a long running saga to a successful conclusion by succeeding in fixing the windshield wiper mechanism on our 20 year old car after our regular maintenance people had failed and given up. He was resourcefull, pleasant and knew what he was doing. Damian went well out of his way to ensure success with a minimum effort on our part. We are extremely thankful for his job well done.

Peter

43 years of experience
1321 reviews
Peter
43 years of experience
Ford Contour V6-2.5L - Brake Drum - Peoria, Arizona
Peter proved to be the problem solver with my cars repair, I cannot thank him enough, my car drives like it did when I first bought it, 20 yrs ago. I am so happy !!! J.A.

Excellent Rating

(53)

Rating Summary
48
3
0
0
2
48
3
0
0
2
Number of Ford Contour services completed
583+
services done by our mechanics
TOTAL NUMBER OF EXPERT Ford MECHANICS
1700+
experts on our platform

Recent articles & questions

5 Essential Things to Know About Used Car Reviews
When When it comes to purchasing a used car, there are certainly an enormous number from which to choose. Taking a look at used car reviews can help you narrow your choices, but there are a few essential things you...
How to Find Replacement Car Parts at a Junkyard
Buying used replacement parts can save you a lot of money on repair costs. Cars in junkyards are totaled but still have usable and working parts.
How to Replace a Car Air Conditioning (AC) Low Pressure Hose
Car air conditioning (AC) low pressure hoses carry refrigerant back into the compressor to keep providing cold air in a closed loop system.

How thermostat stuck open influences AC

Yes, because the computers control everything, and if the temperature isn't right, it can often make the AC not work right. What you will also find is that the system has electric cooling fans. If the car has a regular...

When driving my car straight the steering wheel is still got play in it but what causes this?

Hi there. There are several things that can cause: tie rods, control arm bushings, tire balance, out of round tires, bent wheels, worn axles, failing wheel bearings. However, it seems like this could be a potential tire problem that I...

Need a price for a wiring harness replacement on an '89 dodge ram d250 Cummins turbo

The wiring harness is not available on this vehicle and will need to be repaired. You will need to get the problem diagnosed first by a mechanic like one from YourMechanic. Usually this will be on a time and material...

How can we help?

Our service team is available 7 days a week, Monday - Friday from 6 AM to 5 PM PST, Saturday - Sunday 7 AM - 4 PM PST.

1 (844) 997-3624 · hi@yourmechanic.com