Help: 360 F1 transmission issue. Won't start!

yeah a true cure is take the car back to the dealership you purchased it at and don't take "rock around in your seat" as a solution! This is a 150k car, not a used Toyota.... You have a warranty, make them fix it!

 

I have the Maserati 4200 which has the same F1 system - been having similar problems although mine will start just not go into gear. Check this - there is a brake switch under the brake pedal. disconnect it and see if the issue goes away. That was my problem - a $2 switch - glad I didn't go to the dealer and fixed it myself. The diagnostics alone would have been a grand

 

I will bet that the car has a problem with the throwout bearing and flange and or the brake pedal switch and or it needs a new clutch, throwout bearing and flange assy. Take it back to the dealer and have them bleed the clutch and the F1 actuator. Also stand by them and ask for a SD2 printout showing the % of clutch wear. A brake pedal switch error will also be stored in the system. If these two things do not free it up, return the car unless they put in a new clutch.

Wiggling around in the seat? you have to be ******* i n g kidding me...

 

+1

I can see it in the owners manual now: "NOTE: if your car won't engage neutral we recommend you wiggle around in your seat. If you have a passenger, they can also wiggle."

[It won't do any good at all, but it might just entertain anyone who's watching you.....]

Cheers,
Ian

 

these flippy paddle shifter cars are going to be hard as hell to work on when they are 20 years old..... geeze.... i hope you get it fixed.

 

Make sure that you have the brake pedal depressed when you start the car if the transmission is in gear or if you are trying to select neutral. Check the brake lights to be sure the brake switch is working.

 

Yes but they both have to wiggle in the same direction or you cancel each other out! Vettes and Porsches look better to me all the time.

 

Good luck with getting it sorted, keep us posted as to what happens mate

 

I like the guitars.

 

...this just happened to me this morning....never happened before. Did you ever determine the cause? I am hoping my situation is a cold weather/low battery amperage "thing". I have been traveling and the car has not been started in two weeks (and I did not have the tender connected....doh...). Opened the door, pump fired up, got in, turned the key, displayed "N", then "All OK" indicator came on and then "1"....brake depressed the whole time. No change when I pulled both paddles.

 

Step on the brake pedal 2-3 times before holding the brake pedal down during your shift to neutral. I'll bet it's your brake switch. Because these generall cars sit a fair amount of the switch doesn't get much of a workout to stay limber. If this reliably fixes your problem I would bother replacing the switch unless it gets really bad. Rocking the seat...BS

 

....will check tonight. Crap, it's in the mid 60's today...was really looking forward to a little "therapy" on the drive home tonite!

 

the Switches have a tendency to stiffen when it is colder...

 

I don't think this is uncommon. The best solution is to park it in neutral with the parking brake set. I don't like to do this either, so I generally park it in 1st (the 355 will beep at you if you don't). If it won't go into gear, it is the gearbox that needs wiggling, not the drivers seat. Gently rock the car back and forth (easier if you grab the tire as a lever as opposed to pushing on the A-pillar). Mine has only done it once, and it popped right out with a gentle rock.

 

...Finally got a chance to dig into this issue and nothing worked...until I vigorously rocked back and forth in the seat. It went right into neutral and away I went. Seriously, it WAS the switch, several hard presses did the trick; and, yes you guys were spot on (not the seat wiggler), it does seem to be temperature driven. I did notice that if the switch does "act up" while driving you can have a few issues when stopping, as an example, at a light. The car "thinks" you no longer have your foot on the brake and drops into neutral......VERY embarrassing when the light changes.

As an aside, this forum is absolutely incredible, it is right up there with the landcruiser forum (I had an electrical issue once and Pieter from Moscow shot me back the correct answer in 5 minutes). I just hope that sometime I will be able to help another fchatter.