[Malibu4c]

If the goal is to see if the shield has a practical function, then what the fix was and how well it worked is a topic for a different survey. We are trying to find out if owners with cars that have no shield should go get a shield or not. Seeing the rear quarter panel needs to come off to put a shield in, it would be nice to know if there is a benefit to the shield other than providing a mounting spot for an electric pencil sharpener.

 

[Malibu4c]

The problem with a rather complex survey is the delay in getting results in could lower reply rates as people forget about it (or get confused about which category they should go into).

 

[Malibu4c]

Although we are shy of having statistically significant numbers, the shield doesn't appear to be worth putting in if the goal is to prevent or delay the TCM problem. The frequency of the problem is rather high 5/28, if the occasional problems required a trip to the dealership because they put the car in normal auto mode.

 

[Malibu4c]

Just to bring this up in the active posts so people don't forget to vote so we can measure the real extent of the gear box problem issue.

I find it hard to believe 16% of the cars (5/31) have had the issue seeing the poor response (that would be a bit of an epidemic). So the vast majority are probably uncounted no problem cars whose owners haven't bothered to vote or to look into their car's engine compartment). It would be nice to know the real number.

 

[Malibu4c]

Yeah, mine also have an easy life. If we get enough entries (a few hundred would be good), the +shield and -shield groups should have a roughly equal distribution of car with an easy life.

 

[Malibu4c]

Someone with an endoscope camera should look under the factory installed shield to see if there is any evidence of wiring attached under. Having never done any otf this before, maybe this is a crazy suggestion. If not, you can get an endoscope that fits an android phone for ~$20. If there are wires under the shield, it could suggest it's being used as a ground in that car (as well as other +shield cars). If that is the case, buying the shield to put it on a -shield car wouldn't make sense.

I wonder if Doc figured out where his TCM is grounded. Naturally, I'm assuming the Alfa Romeo used the few metal parts in the 4c to ground the electrical system....I don't know if that's the case. I'm not a mechanic or a do it yourself guy like Doc, I "call the guy" when something goes wrong....that's what people do when they're allergic to manual labor.

 

[Malibu4c]

I haven't posted yet because "Constant with LE w/o Shield - Got Refund - Bought Spider w/ Shield- So Far So Good - Knock on Wood" isn't an option.

You should pick a close approximate like, constant no shield and no fix (passing the problem on isn't really a fix). I can't say I blame you, I would've done the same.

You should get a second vote for the spider, no problem, with shield.

 

[Malibu4c]

I'm sure that IF they're using the shield for grounding part of the electrical system in the later cars, the earlier cars use another metal bit in the bay somewhere. I think "hand made in Italy" comes with a bit of variation from car to car. Making things uniform in all cars with a TSB may not be required if it doesn't make the earlier cars dangerous or unacceptably unreliable for AR.

 

[Malibu4c]

That would be the purpose of this poll. To get data so owners that haven't had an issue yet, can take the data to their local AR dealer and request a fix. So far, it seems the shield is irrelevant....whatever its function may be. The rate of TCM issues seems high but since we only have 39 responses, this isn't high enough to go to the dealership, and we don't know what to ask for to prevent the problem.

 

[Malibu4c]

Still at 16% for transmission problems, and little in the way of a difference between the shield vs no shield groups (numbers are way too low to make any definitive conclusions).

I rented a 4C coupe that didn't have a shield, drove it in Los Angeles traffic (lots of stop and go on the way from and to LAX....picked it up at LAX), and had no transmission issues in the ~200 miles I traveled in the car over the week end. This car sees many different drivers, and had 10038 miles on the odometer.