Engine & Gearbox Computers Reflashed

lotusproject · 21-05-2012, 06:18 PM

I had my 3000k service on my 2011 LW Focus Sport 6 speed Powershift today and was told that both computers had been re-flashed. The gearbox was pretty good before and the engine seemed OK with reasonably conservative driving.
It is almost a different car with smoother changes and the engine is definitely more responsive. Both seem to work together better.
It seems to me that more aggressive settings have been used for both the ignition advance and variable valve timing.
It has made me wonder whether new cars leave the factory with more conservative settings for running in??
I was wondering if anyone else has noticed this with their car.

jonohoang · 21-05-2012, 07:09 PM

When did you take delivery of your car?

I'm taking my car in for a service MY12, and hoping they have a fix for my car. It is currently grinding and shuddering at 1500rpms :(

Maybe this software fix will work

lotusproject · 21-05-2012, 07:48 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jonohoang

When did you take delivery of your car?

I'm taking my car in for a service MY12, and hoping they have a fix for my car. It is currently grinding and shuddering at 1500rpms :(

Maybe this software fix will work

My car was built in November 2011 and I took delivery of it in February 2012. It did not have the symptoms you describe, but could get a little rough with a bit of a 'growling' sound when accelerating from low revs in 'D'.
I have noticed that it does kick down more readily since the reflash.
Good luck with yours. Would be interested to hear further from you.

rastus1 · 21-05-2012, 10:13 PM

Lotusproject I had problems with the gearbox in my 2011 LW Trend powershift including shifting into nuetral with no power and no go the result! Had the car reflashed twice. The second time the car was reprogramed the technician was in direct contact with an expert at Ford in Geelong. This reprogram is apparently one just developed only 2 weeks ago, probably from Ford US.
The result is dynamic with the car really performing much, much better and the gearbox performing as you would imagine given the intent of the twin clutch technology. My understanding is the reprogram is of the gearbox only, however the improvement is so marked that the engine and gearbox really gell. My car now feels quicker, is smoother, quite, with no shudder etc, uses less fuel and even changes down going down hill in sport mode merely by lifting your foot from the accelerator. Heaps better!

lotusproject · 21-05-2012, 11:05 PM

Interesting comments rastus1. You have described very well what I noticed driving back from the service (about a 20 minute drive), particularly the point about the engine and gearbox gelling together, better.
I am going for a longer country drive in a couple of days and am really looking forward to that.
The verbal report from the Service Advisor was that both the engine and gearbox had been reflashed.
I have looked again at the service report which says "Updated TCM and PCM software". I understand this means 'transmission control module and powertrain control module (ECU)'.

MR4ORD · 23-05-2012, 12:59 PM

Confirmed from here as well, just picked up my Focus after its 3000km inspection and they flashed the 2 software updates in, no longer a shudder at low speed and seems to drive a touch nicer upon the short drive home. Will hopefully be able to see improvements with a longer drive

hnn17 · 23-05-2012, 07:45 PM

Which ford dealers did you guys got the updates from ? Is it just for cars with problems or can everyone get them ?
Took my Trend in for the peace of mind inspection on the 12th of May and didn't see any updates in the report. I don't have any troubles except when I'm going down a hill and press the brakes the rpm would surge way up and then down, is this normal or should i take it back for the updates ?

lotusproject · 23-05-2012, 08:30 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by hnn17

Which ford dealers did you guys got the updates from ? Is it just for cars with problems or can everyone get them ?

Hi hnn17. My dealer group is Jarvis Ford in South Australia. I did mention a minor gearbox issue when I checked in for the service, but I think they pretty much took the initiative on the engine/gearbox reflash.
If I had had the problem that you describe, I would definitely have mentioned it to the service people. It is not normal and should be corrected. If the gearbox was dropping back a gear or 2 going downhill the engine revs would increase but stay higher until the gearbox changed up again.
While your problem may/may not be gearbox related, now you know of these new re-flashes, it would definitely be worth asking them about them.

MR4ORD · 24-05-2012, 08:03 AM

hnn17 City Ford in Melbourne for me. When I dropped off the car I mentioned to them that there should be software updates available etc, they should have picked it up automatically. Unless the Trend (1.6 ltr & Powershift) doesn't require an update?

jonohoang · 24-05-2012, 11:46 AM

went in today and they said I supposedly have the latest update.

Car is still making noises and shudder and low rpm gear changes. They said this is normal as the car is breaking in and not to worry, the car has 6k at the moment.

Will have to wait and see i guess :(

hnn17 · 24-05-2012, 02:04 PM

My Trend is 2 ltr and powershift, similar to rastus1, except no slipping into neutral or anything, just got an answer from my ford dealer and they say no updates.

MR4ORD · 24-05-2012, 04:41 PM

hn17 tell your dealer they are available man....

rastus1 · 24-05-2012, 05:57 PM

hey hnn17! The powershifts are programmed to change down (especially in sport) when you brake. Lotusproject is correct in that "if the gearbox was dropping back a gear or 2 going downhill the engine revs would increase but stay higher until the gearbox changed up again".
As I have mentioned the new program in my Trend now makes the gearbox drop down gears when you take your foot off the accelerator, much like changing gear in a a manual car to slow it without braking for going downhill or for when entering corners for instance. In other words the gearbox behaves like a manual without a clutch pedal, but that's the idea and why dual clutch gearboxes are more fuel efficient than conventional manuals and autos. Just about all supercars also have dual clutch boxes because they change gears really fast and can have all manner of programs to suit conditions and driving circumstances. Same as F1 cars too.
My dealer is the local one in my regional NSW town. Go to the one you bought the car from and tell 'em you are having problems, that you are aware of updated programs to fix gearbox issues that Ford is well aware of and you want your car reprogrammed to get the car working like it should. My car went to the dealer 4 times before it was finally fixed. I just kept at them to sought it, was polite but firm that having faults with a new car was not on and that they had to fix it.
Lotusproject is obviously correct in that the fix must also involve both the [COLOR=#F80000 ]TCM[/COLOR] and [COLOR=#F80000 ]PCM[/COLOR] software because the car really is transformed after it, the car feels just so much better, that was the result with mine at least. I watched the tech work on my car at 5 in the afternoon having bought the car in at 8 in the morning, he was in contact with Ford Geelong over the internet and told me that Ford had just developed the fix and he assumed it had come from Ford US because he said he had been waiting all day for Geelong to get back to him and that bloke told him "right, try this we just got this 20 minutes ago" !!! The tech plugs into ports behind a panel below and to the right of the steering wheel adjacent to the door. Good luck mate!

hnn17 · 24-05-2012, 07:21 PM

I got this through email,

[In regards to your question on the Software for the Powershift
Transmission, I can tell you that there are no software updates
available at this point in time.]

Well I'm reluctant to fix things that aren't broken, not much hassles with my car so far. I'm going to wait a bit and then ask around the ford dealers around WSydney, give them time to pass news of the updates around I imagine. I'm don't like confrontations and not going to demand/argue with the service people working on my car, I'm just gonna go find another dealer willing to do it.

Thanks guys.

lotusproject · 25-05-2012, 04:01 PM

I am just back from a 400 Km country trip and all I can say is wow!! I did the same trip about 6 weeks ago before the new software and so many things are different (better) now. It wasn't that the car was bad before, but it does most things better now. Some examples; even when the car is in 'D' it reads your driving mode instantly. When pulling away from stationary at a leisurely pace, but you suddenly need a bit more power. You have got it straight away. Kick down is instant and rev range in the gears is extended but back to leisurely as soon as you ease off. In 'S' it goes up another notch.
No more 'growling' when feeding more throttle at low revs in 'D'. Gear changes seem smoother (they weren't that bad before). I used the gear lever switch to good effect in both 'D' and 'S' when overtaking.
As mentioned in an earlier post, the engine and gearbox work together much better and the computers actually seem to read your your intentions through your right foot (and left if you left foot brake) with the correct response happening before you realise it. That might sound a bit over the top, but it happened several times. The auto change down in 'S' when braking was also very evident.
With this software they appear to have thought through the infinite range of variables that happen in our day to day driving under a wide range of conditions and implemented effective responses to those variables. This is the sort of refinement you expect from much more expensive cars. Well done Ford.

harveyr · 26-05-2012, 03:34 PM

My Focus Diesel Sport had its 15,000 km service (15,000 km in 5 months) last week, and they did update the software. The driveability of the car is even better than before, but fuel economy is down from 5.7 l/100 km to 6.4 l/100 km.

ptwhite2003 · 26-05-2012, 11:07 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by harveyr

My Focus Diesel Sport had its 15,000 km service (15,000 km in 5 months) last week, and they did update the software. The driveability of the car is even better than before, but fuel economy is down from 5.7 l/100 km to 6.4 l/100 km.

From 5.7 to 6.4? That's not down, it's up!

harveyr · 26-05-2012, 11:40 PM

No! Fuel economy is down. Fuel consumption is up!

harveyr · 01-06-2012, 09:55 PM

I've done another 700 km since the computers were flashed. The fuel consumption seems to have settled back to about what it was before the "flashing", i.e. 5.8 l/100km (diesel). The responsiveness of the engine is a great improvement over an already very good performer, and the gearbox now behaves perfectly (I didn't find it bad before though). They just made a great car even better!

lotusproject · 02-06-2012, 10:07 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by harveyr

The responsiveness of the engine is a great improvement over an already very good performer, and the gearbox now behaves perfectly (I didn't find it bad before though). They just made a great car even better!

+1 to that. A very similar result for my petrol Sport PowerShift with no downside/upside (with acknowledgement to harveyr) for fuel economy, except that I like using the car's new found responsiveness.