Hey guys,
My son's 03 V6 is having what seems like a transmission issue. I fear the worst but I figured i'd see if anyone has had the same problem.

The problem occurs when shifting from park through or to the reverse gear (its an automatic). When passing through R to get to Drive, there is sometimes a fairly noticable thumping noise. It is not a grind or anything like that, more or less a thud. Sometimes it is loud enough to feel sitting in the car. I have shifted back to park and shifted through reverse again, with varrying results. Sometimes, the noise is there, sometimes, it isnt. The noise only occurs when going from park to reverse, not from N to reverse. I took the car to my Ford dealership, only for them to have 4 mechanics and salesperson look at it and drive it and find no aparent issue. In drive, the car shifts fine with no problems, but I fear ignoring and living with the problem will lead to serious transmission problems.

Any ideas are greatly appreciated.

***EDIT****

Ok, here is a video.

I shift from park to drive four times. You can hear the thumping noise. After watching this video from underneath the car, it sounds like something is rattling pretty badly when the car is in drive. You can hear it in the video.

http://youtube.com/watch?v=djNp6Or8J_8

 

I am willing to bet its the feeling you get when you have a car parked (auto only) and once you get in press the brake and start it and go to move the lever you get that feeling and thud correct? Its because when you put it in park the cars weight rolls and pushs against the tranny while in park. Its whats keeping the car from moving. When you move it to R or D its comming out of park and thats the tranny unlocking with all that weight on it.

Very normal every auto car does it.

 

I see what you are saying, but it feels more mechanical than that. Plus, i have tested it out on flat ground. I stopped once at a flat ground red light and shifted the car into park. When I shifted back through reverse I got the noise again. The noise is really hit or miss whether it happens or not. If I sit there and shift back and forth from park to drive, it will do it a few times and then work itself out and shift smoothly. I almost feel as if somrthing is hanging or sticking, or something might be out of allignment and is hitting something else. Like I said I took it to the dealership, but I almost knew what was going to happen. It seems like it never happens when someone else is listening for it. The mechanics gave it back to me and saud nothing appeared wrong, and then I started it up and the very first shift it made the damn noise again. Ugh

 

Ok, here is a video.

I shift from park to drive four times. You can hear the thumping noise. After watching this video from underneath the car, it sounds like something is rattling pretty badly when the car is in drive. You can hear it in the video.

http://youtube.com/watch?v=djNp6Or8J_8

 

I hear it, it sounds very faint but sounds just like the tranny changing gears. It doenst sound weird to me. I would just check the fluid see if it smells burnt or is low and if thats fine not worry. It doesn't sound bad to me at all. Sounds like its just going into gear. My f150 with the same tranny made the same noise.

 

I had 2 problems years ago when going from park to drive I would get the clunking noise (i did not listen to your vid) but mine was cause one by a bad drive shaft U Joint and the next was a motor mount