Newbie - anyone else have Transmission concerns? Or is it just me?

[jfheard]

Hi all - first time user, first Ford.

I recently bought a 2011 Mondeo TDCI Zetec with 53,000kms. I bought it on the strength of pretty much every review I read, boot space... All the reasons you guys did too!!

Just wondering if you could help me with a few concerns I am having with the Power Shift. I would add that I am not mechanically minded at all, so any replies - please don't use too much jargon!

1. When slowly coming to a stop (e.g. Slowing down to stop lights) the transmission seems to shift down to 2nd and 1st prematurely. The sudden drop pulls the car up like braking and of course the revs shoot up. This can't be good for the transmission, can it?

2. On hill descents - again slow, like 50kms an hour - the transmission seems to want to hold a lower gear at revs at or very close to 2000, rather than shift up and coast it at something more comfortable like 1000-1500. Is this normal?

3. If I put the car in S and shift my way up gears manually, the car downshifts automatically, and I actually prefer the way it downshifts in S than in D. By this I mean it holds the higher gear I am in much much longer when I am braking and down shifts gears only when I am really close to braking - a bit like my last auto used to do.

4. I have read a Drive.com used car review which warned against auto Mondeos that downshift harshly (I didn't notice it on my test drive) but it also said their might be a software update that rectifies it? Does anyone know whether there is a software update for the transmissions of a 2011 make (first registered in March 2012)? I am hoping there is, because I mostly drive it to work and back and the weird/indecisive shifting is getting annoying!

My guy down the road recommends the 60,000km transmission service, a 'memory wipe' (these things learn how you drive, apparently?) and a software update if there is one. If that doesn't fix it I am likely to try to sell it on... And I really don't want to coz otherwise I love the car!

Any help - in plain English - much appreciated.

Hoping to be a long-standing member of the community!

J

[Binny]

Hi and welcome to the forum. I've had my 2011 TDCi for 3 months or so. Its taken me a while to get used to but its the best auto I have ever driven. I've never liked autos TBH, they all do things that annoy me, like kick down when you don't want them to. At the end of the day a transmission can't read your mind so its only as good as the algorithms it's been programmed with to guess what you want it to do.
Heres my take on your questions in ford blue against them -

Originally Posted by jfheard

Hi all - first time user, first Ford.

I recently bought a 2011 Mondeo TDCI Zetec with 53,000kms. I bought it on the strength of pretty much every review I read, boot space... All the reasons you guys did too!!

Just wondering if you could help me with a few concerns I am having with the Power Shift. I would add that I am not mechanically minded at all, so any replies - please don't use too much jargon!

1. When slowly coming to a stop (e.g. Slowing down to stop lights) the transmission seems to shift down to 2nd and 1st prematurely. The sudden drop pulls the car up like braking and of course the revs shoot up. This can't be good for the transmission, can it? As its a dual clutch it actually has engine braking rather than coasting like an old school transmission, it takes a bit of getting used to but I like it. How aggressively it shifts down depends on your driving habits (or the previous owners!) If you shift it into S mode without manually changing gears it is even more aggressive on the downshifts, even blips the revs! Over time it should adjust to you or a reset will allow it to start learning again from scratch.

2. On hill descents - again slow, like 50kms an hour - the transmission seems to want to hold a lower gear at revs at or very close to 2000, rather than shift up and coast it at something more comfortable like 1000-1500. Is this normal? This is something that I think it is too enthusiastic about but it is normal for this car. I think its actually bad for economy. I have to go up and down a few hills to get out of my suburb and with other cars I could lift right off the throttle and coast down at the speed limit. The mondeo shifts down a gear and starts to slow down so you have to apply the throttle again to maintain speed. I tend to drive in manual mode near home and then just knock it across into auto when I get onto the motorway.

3. If I put the car in S and shift my way up gears manually, the car downshifts automatically, and I actually prefer the way it downshifts in S than in D. By this I mean it holds the higher gear I am in much much longer when I am braking and down shifts gears only when I am really close to braking - a bit like my last auto used to do. Its programmed to shift down when you get below certain speeds in each gear as a self protection mechanism. I discovered it when I leave it in manual on the motorway, then when I slow down at the other end I forgot it was in manual and didn't shift down gears.

4. I have read a Drive.com used car review which warned against auto Mondeos that downshift harshly (I didn't notice it on my test drive) but it also said their might be a software update that rectifies it? Does anyone know whether there is a software update for the transmissions of a 2011 make (first registered in March 2012)? I am hoping there is, because I mostly drive it to work and back and the weird/indecisive shifting is getting annoying! As I said earlier how aggressive it downshifts depends on how its been driven and learned to drive. I read somewhere it uses a points system to score how you drive over time. When you put it in S auto mode it instantly adds 100 points or so to that score so it shifts more aggressively.

My guy down the road recommends the 60,000km transmission service, a 'memory wipe' (these things learn how you drive, apparently?) and a software update if there is one. If that doesn't fix it I am likely to try to sell it on... And I really don't want to coz otherwise I love the car!

Any help - in plain English - much appreciated.
I hope this helped
Hoping to be a long-standing member of the community!

J

[jfheard]

Hey

Thanks for the prompt reply binny. It's been really helpful to know that this is normal. I too live in the hills and have all sorts of short streets, speed humps and turns that make the drive out each day a bit awkward on the transmission. So it's cool to drive it manually then snap it across (once stationary I presume)? The trans mechanic I know told me that manually driving adds wear on the transmission and something about Sports mode being for pulling loads - can't say I understand why this would be (if the option is there, surely it's fine right? But what do I know...)

Thanks again

J

[Binny]

You don't have to be stationary to change modes you can do it whenever you like. I flick it to the left into auto once I have merged onto the motorway.
Using S when towing is a good idea as it encourages the transmission to use lower gears. The combination of a heavy load and the low rev torque of a diesel can put a lot of strain on the higher gears. The owners manual for my 2008 focus manual TDCi said not to use 5th and 6th for towing as they are both tall overdrive gears and would be subjected to too much stress.
As for manually driving putting wear on it I'm skeptical. All you are doing is telling the transmission when you want to shift and it does the rest. If the conditions aren't right the tranny will not do it. You have probably noticed that sometimes the shifts are lightning fast and sometimes there is delay. I think that is why. Your trans mechanic friend is maybe talking more about hoons who use manual mode to go faster and are always thrashing it.

[jfheard]

Yeah, I am not sure what to make of that advice either, given that the driver's manual instructs you on how to use the Sports mode and manual shifting, one assumes it's okay to do so!

Have you read or heard anything about tapping the brake putting the car into neutral for coasting?

I found this post on a Focus Fanatics forum where the guy pretty much explains how to drive a Power Shift dual clutch, and I found it pretty handy - thought you might like a read. In it he makes the point that it's not a manual or an auto, so it requires a manual-esque driving style, which I suppose would make sense (if I had ever driven a manual!)

http://www.focusfanatics.com/forum/s...d.php?t=415994

[Binny]

Originally Posted by jfheard

Yeah, I am not sure what to make of that advice either, given that the driver's manual instructs you on how to use the Sports mode and manual shifting, one assumes it's okay to do so!

Have you read or heard anything about tapping the brake putting the car into neutral for coasting?

I found this post on a Focus Fanatics forum where the guy pretty much explains how to drive a Power Shift dual clutch, and I found it pretty handy - thought you might like a read. In it he makes the point that it's not a manual or an auto, so it requires a manual-esque driving style, which I suppose would make sense (if I had ever driven a manual!)

http://www.focusfanatics.com/forum/s...d.php?t=415994

Yeah that guys tips are all good and can still apply to the TDCi powershift. He has a petrol focus though which has a dry clutch version of the powershift which has had a lot more trouble with jerkiness. Its rated to 250Nm. The Focus and festiva dry clutch powershift has been having issues with an oil seal leaking onto the clutch plates causing them to slip and shudder.
The TDCi Mondeo and Focus have a wet clutch powershift rated to 450Nm. The wet clutch trannys have had a lot less problems and are smoother due to the clutch plates being in a bath of oil like a motorbike clutch. The killer is the major service every 60k or 4 years where it needs the fluid changed. About $200 for the 8L of full synthetic fluid. Its worth it for the peace of mind though.

[cyclone1410]

Originally Posted by jfheard

Hey

The trans mechanic I know told me that manually driving adds wear on the transmission and something about Sports mode being for pulling loads - can't say I understand why this would be (if the option is there, surely it's fine right? But what do I know...)


J

One reason for your mechanics recommendation may be that using the manual shift option will result in additional gear changes compared to leaving the car to its own devices. Each shift causes wear albeit a very small amount. Consequently driving it like a manual may result in more gear changes over a given period hence more wear and tear. In auto mode the powershift will generally hold onto gears more readily before changing down as an example.

[roadtrack]

Congratulations to all those who replied.....most interesting and useful stuff.