DCT / PowerShift Transmission Update TSB Thread

[Bansheeman6100]

i had contemplated getting an automatic, but i think im gonna stick with ordering a 5-speed

[kam327]

Originally Posted by Bansheeman6100

i had contemplated getting an automatic, but i think im gonna stick with ordering a 5-speed

You should at least test drive the powershift to see how you like it. It seems that most people who have one like it.

[safetyguy14]

Got the TSB last week and had an interesting thing happen this weekend. Was going down a very long, steep hill so the car shifted to a lower gear as expected. When I hit the flat at the bottom it stayed in that gear (3rd) revving at about 5000rpm for a good 45 seconds before it figured out it should shift to a higher gear...

Strange.

[EliSandler]

Was it in Sport mode or Drive?

[EliSandler]

Originally Posted by kam327

You should at least test drive the powershift to see how you like it. It seems that most people who have one like it.

When I test drove it a few weeks back, I noticed no problems with the Powershift whatsoever, and I had it in stop and go traffic. That pretty much sealed the deal.

Curious, my build order is set for March 26th, how long does it usually take from build date to the dealer? I live in LI NY

[Black Bengal]

Originally Posted by kam327

When was your car built?

My car was built in December 2011, so it has always had the long rivet (green) clutches; however, I'd like to point out that I had SEVERE shuddering & clanging/grinding after about the first week. Since the car drove & shifted as smoothly as glass the first week after I bought it, I naturally don't put a lot of stock in how any DCT performs on a test drive. To compound matters, the dealership service manager has reiterated several times that the DCT has to go through its "adaptive learning" process. That is, the DCT is supposed to adapt to my driving habits during the first 1,000 miles. My wife & I share the car so maybe the hard shuddering & clanging was because it was trying to adapt to her driving habits. But since she experienced the same shuddering & clanging, there may have been a 3rd mystery driver causing all the commotion...

[kam327]

Originally Posted by Black Bengal

My car was built in December 2011, so it has always had the long rivet (green) clutches; however, I'd like to point out that I had SEVERE shuddering & clanging/grinding after about the first week. Since the car drove & shifted as smoothly as glass the first week after I bought it, I naturally don't put a lot of stock in how any DCT performs on a test drive. To compound matters, the dealership service manager has reiterated several times that the DCT has to go through its "adaptive learning" process. That is, the DCT is supposed to adapt to my driving habits during the first 1,000 miles. My wife & I share the car so maybe the hard shuddering & clanging was because it was trying to adapt to her driving habits. But since she experienced the same shuddering & clanging, there may have been a 3rd mystery driver causing all the commotion...

Same as me; early December build; severe shuddering after the first week. But it has calmed down greatly after a more proactive attempt to break in the clutches and now shudders mildly only after 20 mins. in stop and go.

Apparently the adaptive learning process is greatly misunderstood. It does not "learn how you drive" rather it determines how best to shift the particular hardware you have given slight differences due to manufacturing tolerances. It sounds like it's become a convenient line some service depts. have adopted to just get you to go away...

[Black Bengal]

Originally Posted by kam327

Same as me; early December build; severe shuddering after the first week. But it has calmed down greatly after a more proactive attempt to break in the clutches and now shudders mildly only after 20 mins. in stop and go.

Apparently the adaptive learning process is greatly misunderstood. It does not "learn how you drive" rather it determines how best to shift the particular hardware you have given slight differences due to manufacturing tolerances. It sounds like it's become a convenient line some service depts. have adopted to just get you to go away...

My DCT has performed much better since the dealership last updated the software (TSB) after the car was warmed up.

How specifically did (or do) you break in the DST? Is that something you continue to do?

You are absolutely correct about the "adaptive learning" concept being a convenient excuse for some dealerships.

[kam327]

Originally Posted by Black Bengal

My DCT has performed much better since the dealership last updated the software (TSB) after the car was warmed up.

How specifically did (or do) you break in the DST? Is that something you continue to do?

You are absolutely correct about the "adaptive learning" concept being a convenient excuse for some dealerships.

Five full throttle 0-60's in a row on a deserted country road seemed to make a big improvement immediately. And I've just been acclerating faster in general since then. Seems not to have negatively affected fuel economy, it may have even helped it a little.

[st falcon]

Originally Posted by kam327

Five full throttle 0-60's in a row on a deserted country road seemed to make a big improvement immediately. And I've just been acclerating faster in general since then. Seems not to have negatively affected fuel economy, it may have even helped it a little.

Keep on enlightening the public on this, as its even spread to FordCustomerService on these forums! NO adaptive learning ever occurs, except for the 10 minute or so procedure the tech has to perform after a flash has been applied.