2011 Ford Focus Sport, Transmission Shudders :(

[kevino]

Originally Posted by kelvinyhm

I have seen people complaining it happened to Fiesta powershift too which I assumed its the same engine as Focus 1.6 Ambiente.

You are correct exactly the same motor.

Our fiesta dct had a clutch replaced at 19600km and shudder and grinding noise has gone.

I think anybody with Foci or Fiest dct issues just keep on the dealers case and you will get the clutch replaced.

[LeadFoot81]

Originally Posted by kevino

You are correct exactly the same motor.

Our fiesta dct had a clutch replaced at 19600km and shudder and grinding noise has gone.

I think anybody with Foci or Fiest dct issues just keep on the dealers case and you will get the clutch replaced.

Hey kevino how many kms has your Fiesta done since the clutch was replaced? Is the grinding noise completely gone?

Cheers

[kelvinyhm]

Hey guys...just reporting in that my transmission was fixed. Clutch assembly kit replaced (that was what it stated in the report). No more shudder no more noise. Well...at least at the moment. Hope it stays that way.

As some members mentioned, don't give up complaining.

[kevino]

Originally Posted by LeadFoot81

Hey kevino how many kms has your Fiesta done since the clutch was replaced? Is the grinding noise completely gone?

Cheers

Sorry for delay -been in the land of the long white cloud.

About 1000 kms -early days yet, yes grinding gone.

In Nz was driving my sisters 2009 Golf with a DSG at 121000kms -the auto was ok so maybe these dct trannys do come right.

[christianj]

We have just got our 2012 focus back yesterday with the new "modified" clutch kit in it - so far so good the jerkiness & shudder appear to be a thing of the past - however time will tell as it took a while for it to all happen in the 1st place if still good in another 10,000k then I'll be happy.

[LeadFoot81]

Originally Posted by LeadFoot81

Took the Mrs' car to the dealership on Monday, and got it back Thursday. Very happy with the turnaround time.

On visual inspection they found that there was transmission fluid in the clutch housing. The trans was removed and clutch assembly, input shaft seal, and trans fluid were replaced.

I've only driven the car briefly, but it drove 'like new' Shifts are quick and tight, and the car feels perkier down low (no slipping clutch). The biggest change was reversing which has gone from a 'shuddering and about to stall' feeling, to behaving (almost) like a regular slush box.

I'll post updates as the KMs are racked up. Fingers crossed it all stays good!

Update: it's been 7 weeks and around 3,500kms and the Focus is going strong. No complaints from the Mrs and when I drove it the other day all I got was the 'take off quirk' of it not loving gentle acceleration from being stopped. I adjusted my driving style and she was apples.

The hardest part is psychological, unconsciously expecting the worst, but it was fine...touch wood it continues!

[old_mate]

A mate of mine is a foreman at a ford dealer here in brisbane and he showed me a tech video ford released showing how the dry clutch power shift trans operates. It really is a automated manual trans and once I got my head around the fact minor shuddering and mechanical noises are normal im at peace. Not to say the oil leaks that affect the clutch and the dramas arising from that are a positive but overall both my wife and I are still pleased with the car after 20, 000ks. One thing I will say though is I wish the sales people had explained the setup a little better instead of telling us it was a 6 speed auto and that certain characteristics were going to eventuate. Even explaining it actually has a clutch and you shouldn't ride it on inclines and such would help but then I guess a lot of people might be put off. Autos for so long have had converters and d for drive is all you needed to know about it

[martinijosh]

Had our WT in to ford to have the box checked as it was vibrating and grinding and carrying on. They did the software update to it and it's been okay since. Since grinds and moans sometimes but no where near as bad.

I also noticed that since this update the car now creeps like an old torque converter auto which is actually nice. Previously it would try to roll back when you let off the brake.

[SpoolMan]

I have held off posting because I wanted to have the car back and driving for 4 weeks before I posted back.
Left the car with the dealer for 2 weeks whilst on holidays back in February, we gave permission for there head tech guy to drive the car home or as much as he wanted.
When we first went to pick the car up I was disappointed because we didn't get a clutch change as our issues were inside Ford's tolerance levels, I was told to drive the car and report back if we are not happy.
4 weeks on to my surprise it drives so much better, no jerking better take off and in general so much nicer to drive it actually feels like a different auto, fingers crossed it stays all well.
Problem sorted with a recalibration.

[old_mate]

Apparently the latest flash for trans takes out a lot of the adaptive learning functionality and locks the trans into what ford has worked out to be the best calibration for smooth operation.

[danzvtil]

Originally Posted by Hawkeye84

Im noticing that the gearbox issues are prevalent in the petrol Trend, Sport & Titanium models (those with the 2.0L engine).

Are people experiencing the same issues with the powershift transmission when it is mated with the petrol 1.6L Engine in the Ambiente?

I sympathize, i had the misfortune of renting a Focus Ambiente 1.6 Auto with 39k on the clock. The trans constantly bumped, shuddered, hesitated and lurched. None of these characteristics are present when really thrashing it, but in 99.9% of sedate daily driving, it was quite stressful thinking your car was about to breakdown.Who do you think you are Ford? Volkswagen? Put a proper torque converter auto in it!!!

[kyoshipete]

Originally Posted by danzvtil

I sympathize, i had the misfortune of renting a Focus Ambiente 1.6 Auto with 39k on the clock. The trans constantly bumped, shuddered, hesitated and lurched. None of these characteristics are present when really thrashing it, but in 99.9% of sedate daily driving, it was quite stressful thinking your car was about to breakdown.Who do you think you are Ford? Volkswagen? Put a proper torque converter auto in it!!!

This is well explained.. 2012 my focus titanium did the same..give it heaps and the auto works okay..drive softly and it can't decide..it astounds me that this type of auto in such a new car has trouble when my turbo ralliart with the same type auto has had this nutted for over 5 years..faultless..so my 12 month old focus with shudder, indecision, and jerkiness was traded for a new ralliart months ago..mainly because Ford would not recognise the fault being told of it on the same day I originally bought it!! Won't make that mistake again..

Sent from my GT-I9210T using Tapatalk

[LeadFoot81]

The only quirk we get when driving the Focus softly, is on takeoff. Other than that, it's fine.

It is true that the PowerShift is in its element when being driven hard.

[SpoolMan]

Originally Posted by LeadFoot81

The only quirk we get when driving the Focus softly, is on takeoff. Other than that, it's fine.

Ours was before, the takeoff since recalibration is chalk and cheese.

[LeadFoot81]

Originally Posted by SpoolMan

Ours was before, the takeoff since recalibration is chalk and cheese.

Ok. I wouldn't count it as a problem, just a quirk. The car does everything else (pretty much) like a traditional auto since 'the fix'

[alokin123]

I dont know if the threads can be merged but if people are having issues they should see this thread: http://www.fordforums.com.au/showthread.php?t=11417596

And this video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YVJnNPbjjjs

My car has the leak. The service department has acknowledged the leak but it doesn't sound like they know how to fix it properly

[SpoolMan]

Our Focus has redeveloped the shudder again on slow take offs, such a shame we love this car but these transmissions are going to do damage to the Focus brand.
I was told by a Mechanic that a large Ford dealer in Vic are doing 4 clutch refits a day.
Last month my mum went from a 2009 Focus to a Hyundai i30 wagon, the major concern being the transmission and she didn't want a diesel which have a wet clutch.

[SpoolMan]

Our Focus has redeveloped the shudder again on slow take offs, such a shame we love this car but these transmissions are going to do damage to the Focus brand.
I was told by a Mechanic that a large Ford dealer in Vic are doing 4 clutch refits a day.
Last month my mum went from a 2009 Focus to a Hyundai i30 wagon, the major concern being the transmission and she didn't want a diesel which have a wet clutch.

[JG33]

I have to say my LW MkII Focus would have to be the worst car I have ever bought.
After 4 "adjustments" it's getting a new clutch, also replacing inner plastic rear door panels on both sides as they come away from door, I'm guessing they have warped from the heat. Fuel gauge is playing up, goes from empty to quarter in a few k's. Even Sync is working too flash either.

Once it's all fixed it's Adios for this pile of poop.

[Imolator]

Originally Posted by JG33

I have to say my LW MkII Focus would have to be the worst car I have ever bought.
Once it's all fixed it's Adios for this pile of poop.

Thats not good, how many K's have you done?

Mines 16 months old now, and I'm concerned about reliability based on too many negative posts about the DCT.

I"m seriously thinking of trading it in on a new Mazda 3 SP25 before mine starts playing up.

[Yellow_Festiva]

Originally Posted by SpoolMan

Our Focus has redeveloped the shudder again on slow take offs, such a shame we love this car but these transmissions are going to do damage to the Focus brand.
I was told by a Mechanic that a large Ford dealer in Vic are doing 4 clutch refits a day.
Last month my mum went from a 2009 Focus to a Hyundai i30 wagon, the major concern being the transmission and she didn't want a diesel which have a wet clutch.

Such a bloody shame.... sold our Focus for the exact same reason.

I went for a drive as a passenger in my friends new Audi A1. It also has some sort of DCT and the thing was shocking...

At slow speeds the tranny would jerk, hesitate and vibrate the whole front end. I looked across to see if she would say anything (before opening my mouth) and she just drove along without a peep. Either she knew it was a dog tranny and was embarrassed, or was totally oblivious to the issues. She isn't a 'car person', so I actually think it's the latter.

I wonder, what percentage of DCT problems go unreported because the owners are either too scared to make a fuss or just plod along thinking it's normal?

Are the small fuel savings worth it??

4 clutch's a day... if the customer is paying that is a nice little earner for the service department. You better be sitting down when they tell you what those new fangled clutches cost to replace, let alone a whole transmission...

[JG33]

Originally Posted by Imolator

Thats not good, how many K's have you done?

Bought mine in Oct 2012 and it's done 42000 k's.

[SpoolMan]

Originally Posted by Yellow_Festiva

Are the small fuel savings worth it??

Rumors from overseas are this clutch set-up wont be around for to long, in the mean time the Focus & Fiesta brand will be a long time tarnished.

[vztrt]

Originally Posted by Yellow_Festiva

I wonder, what percentage of DCT problems go unreported because the owners are either too scared to make a fuss or just plod along thinking it's normal?

Some people will just keep quiet and not buy the brand again.
Others will have lease vehicles and just drive it till it breaks as they don't care.

I don't think this Auto will be around in the new model, Ford hate spending money....especially on warranty.

[Imolator]

Originally Posted by vztrt

Some people will just keep quiet and not buy the brand again.
Others will have lease vehicles and just drive it till it breaks as they don't care.

I don't think this Auto will be around in the new model, Ford hate spending money....especially on warranty.

If the problems are widespread then resale values will suffer. Once car yards now of the costs involved in repairing these DCT's the trade in values will plummet.

[marg99]

like they do with VW where the value drops below 50 in 3 years

[Imolator]

Originally Posted by marg99

like they do with VW where the value drops below 50 in 3 years

I've checked on redbook, and according to them the Golf Comfortline DSG is holding its value better than my Focus S DCT. Car yard trade in values though who knows.

[alokin123]

i have attached the paperwork i got back with my car

[Imolator]

Mechanic must of loved that job, having to take the transmission out again and the new clutch after doing the rebuild due to rough idle. Double the work.

I wonder if he stuffed up the clutch install the first time it is a very finicky procedure.

Just as well you weren't paying the bill!

[vztrt]

You'd think with how many are getting fixed they should be able to do it with their eyes closed.