Ford Mustang (2005-2014) Owners Manual: Automatic transmission

WARNING: Always set the parking brake fully and make sure the gearshift is latched in position P. Turn the ignition off and remove the key whenever you leave your vehicle.

Your vehicle has been designed to improve fuel economy by reducing fuel usage while coasting or decelerating. When you take your foot off the accelerator pedal and the vehicle begins to slow down, the torque converter clutch locks up and aggressively shuts off fuel flow to the engine while decelerating. This fuel economy benefit may be perceived as a light to medium braking sensation when removing your foot from the accelerator pedal.

Position P

This position locks the transmission and prevents the front wheels from turning.

To put your vehicle in gear:

• Press the brake pedal.
• Move the gearshift lever into the desired gear.

To put your vehicle in position P:

• Come to a complete stop.
• Move the gearshift lever and securely latch it in position P.

Position R

With the gearshift lever in position R, the vehicle will move backward.

Always come to a complete stop before shifting into and out of position R.

Position N

With the gearshift lever in position N, the vehicle can be started and is free to roll. Hold the brake pedal down while in this position.

Position D with overdrive

The normal driving position for the best fuel economy. The transmission operates in gears one through six. The automatic transmission shift strategy has the ability to detect hilly terrain or mountainous areas and will provide a limited amount of grade assist features automatically.

Position S

Moving the gearshift lever to position:

• Provides additional grade (engine) braking and extends lower gear operation to enhance performance for uphill climbs, hilly terrain or mountainous areas. This will increase engine RPM during engine braking.
• Provides additional lower gear operation through the automatic transmission shift strategy which reacts to vehicle inputs (vehicle acceleration, accelerator pedal, brake pedal and vehicle speed).
• Gears are selected more quickly and at higher engine speeds.

Note: The system will stay in position S until the gear shift lever is moved into another gear for example position P or position D.

SelectShift Automatic® Transmission

Your SelectShift automatic transmission gives you the ability to manually change gears if you would like. To use SelectShift, move the gearshift lever into position S. Now you can use the thumb toggle on the side of your gearshift lever to select gears.

• Press (+) on the gearshift lever to manually upshift the transmission.
• Press (–) on the gearshift lever to manually downshift the transmission.

The information display in the instrument cluster will show the selected gear you are currently in.

In order to prevent the engine from running at too low an RPM, which may cause it to stall, SelectShift will automatically make some downshifts even if it has determined that you have not downshifted in time.

Although the SelectShift will make some downshifts for you, it will still allow you to downshift at any time as long as the SelectShift determines that the engine will not be damaged from over-revving.

Note: Engine damage may occur if excessive engine revving is held without shifting.
Note: Some models have a blink feature (if equipped). If manually selecting a gear that is out of the current vehicle speed range, the vehicle will not make the requested shift and will blink the current gear.

Brake-shift interlock

WARNING: Do not drive your vehicle until you verify that the brakelamps are working.

WARNING: When doing this procedure, you will be taking the vehicle out of park which means the vehicle can roll freely.

To avoid unwanted vehicle movement, always fully set the parking brake prior to doing this procedure. Use wheel chocks if appropriate.

WARNING: If the parking brake is fully released, but the brake warning lamp remains illuminated, the brakes may not be working properly. Contact your authorized dealer as soon as possible to have the system serviced immediately.

This vehicle is equipped with a brake-shift interlock feature that prevents the gearshift lever from being moved from P (Park) when the ignition is in the on position unless the brake pedal is pressed.

If you cannot move the gearshift lever out of P (Park) with the ignition on and the brake pedal pressed: 1. Apply the parking brake.

2. Using a flat head screwdriver or similar tool, remove the chrome bezel at the base of the gearshift lever.

3. Lift the center console upward to access the base of the gear shifter assembly and locate the brakeshift interlock override lever.

4. Press and hold the lever forward while pulling the gearshift lever out of the P (Park) position and into the N (Neutral) position.
5. Reinstall the console and chrome bezel.
6. Start the vehicle.

If it is necessary to use the above procedure to move the gearshift lever, it is possible that a fuse has blown or the vehicle’s brake lamps are not operating properly. Refer to the Fuses chapter.

If Your Vehicle Gets Stuck in Mud or Snow

Note: Do not rock the vehicle if the engine is not at normal operating temperature or damage to the transmission may occur.

Note: Do not rock the vehicle for more than a minute or damage to the transmission and tires may occur, or the engine may overheat.

If your vehicle gets stuck in mud or snow, it may be rocked out by shifting between forward and reverse gears, stopping between shifts in a steady pattern. Press lightly on the accelerator in each gear.