Issues with new 2012 Ford Focus

[RFrench6646]

Thanks for the link, Dylan! I am feeling better already. I am going to check on my build date, and see if I have the update or not. But I am starting to find my Focus is shifting better now. Today I only noticed one stop and go shudder that was nowhere near as bad as it had been.

[Blk5dr64]

The infamous DCT is in the August issue of MT. Seems their test vehicle had 5k miles and did the same tricks mine does. I just do not know if Ford knows how to fix this, or if they do have a fix, why are they not doing it? My car has had all the updates. This is getting old.

[Dylan1970]

Originally Posted by RFrench6646

Thanks for the link, Dylan! I am feeling better already. I am going to check on my build date, and see if I have the update or not. But I am starting to find my Focus is shifting better now. Today I only noticed one stop and go shudder that was nowhere near as bad as it had been.

NO problem!! I had the same issues and after I had it checked at the dealership and they told me nothing was wrong, then I read that article I started to feel more comfortable too. I just decided to turn up the radio to block out any sounds and drive like I normally drive. Low and behold it's starting to smooth out for me. I would say have it checked for your own peace of mind like I did, but if they say everything is fine then go with it and enjoy it.

[FordCustomerService]

Originally Posted by murfmoble

thanks for the info Thomas, 1000 more miles and I hope everything fixes itself, Why do people yell and scream If you say something good on this site?

murfmoble -

Most certainly! We're wired this way; just call us Focus Fanatics.

Originally Posted by wb2300

Received my 2012 Focus SEL Hatch with the 6 speed Select Shift Auto Tranny this past June 20, 2012. Experienced a little jerkiness and hesitation at lights and stop and go traffic for about the 1st 200 miles of driving. This seems to be resolving itself as most of this is no longer present. It's a great car and I really enjoy driving it. Have about 350 miles on the car now and it rides real smooth. I would recommend this car to anyone.

wb2300 -

Congrats; I appreciate the positive buzz too! Sounds like you broke in your prized possession pretty well. Claim this badge and upload it to your favorite social media site: http://social.ford.com/grab-a-badge/focus/yes/.

Originally Posted by Becks

I'm curious about 2 things. I don't know a lot about how this auto tranny works but, I have never heard of needing to drive a new car 500-1,000 miles before it settles in, or acclimates to the way you drive. What happens if you share this car with your significant other, and they have a different driving style ?

Also, why don't the Ford dealers do these program updates b4 the customer takes delivery ?

Becks -

The break-in period is a primary operating characteristic with the PowerShift transmission. It's also a learning process for both car and driver. 12B37 is a Customer Satisfaction Program and is customer/VIN specific; not all Focus models will qualify.

Originally Posted by RFrench6646

...I got mine a little over a month ago, It's an SEL, A/T. I noticed the shuddering right away, after receiving it. I now have 3000 miles (mostly highway, obviously). And still have a shudder when starting off from a red light, once it goes, it shifts fine. I have noted that it doesn't do it when the car is first started up. It seems to only happen after it has heated up to normal operating temp. I am going to schedule my first oil change at the dealer soon, and will talk to them about this...

Originally Posted by RFrench6646

...I am going to check on my build date, and see if I have the update or not. But I am starting to find my Focus is shifting better now. Today I only noticed one stop and go shudder that was nowhere near as bad as it had been.

RFrench6646 -

I'm thrilled it's improved! Keep an eye on how it behaves. If you feel it's not operating correctly, schedule an appointment with your dealer. In addition, please PM me your VIN, mileage, phone #, and dealer info; I'll forward details to your Customer Service Manager for review.

Build date can also be found on your window sticker (at the top, above "BLEND"). When you go in, use these routine service coupons: http://owner.ford.com/servlet/Conten...iceCouponsPage.

Originally Posted by JimsFocus

...As I said, two service managers told me I have a problem with my trans, and they also said Ford doesn't have a fix. I assume that is why I've been waiting 3 weeks for a loaner so I can have my car checked again.

JimsFocus -

We're still looking into all feedback. Please let me know when you hear from the dealer.

Originally Posted by Dylan1970

...The difference is when I was told by my service manager that the noise I was hearing was normal I believed it...Some people just can't ever be happy even when a professional tells them everything is okay...Ford really dropped the ball here too, my salesman never told me anything about the new design, they really should educate their customers instead of leaving them in the dark.

Originally Posted by Dylan1970

...Low and behold it's starting to smooth out for me. I would say have it checked for your own peace of mind like I did, but if they say everything is fine then go with it and enjoy it.

Dylan1970 -

We always recommend getting a second opinion if any Focus owner feels their transmission is not functioning properly after the break-in period. All of our employees go through extensive product training, especially when it comes to new features. I'm glad it's smoothing out for you! How many miles do you have on it?

Originally Posted by Blk5dr64

The infamous DCT is in the August issue of MT. Seems their test vehicle had 5k miles and did the same tricks mine does. I just do not know if Ford knows how to fix this, or if they do have a fix, why are they not doing it? My car has had all the updates. This is getting old.

Blk5dr64 -

Please let me know how it goes with your dealer. You know how to find me if you'd like your CSM to be notified.

Talk to you all soon,

Thomas

[STACY810]

It has not gotten better after 8000 miles. My car is unsafe and I am afraid to drive it. I regret the purchase. There is no excuse for the way my car runs. My sister bought one also. She called to see how I liked mine. I told her what was going on and she realized what she thought was maybe bad gas was actually the transmission also. I found out by looking on the internet what the problem was. Send out a recall notice or something....my first Ford and will be my last.

[Lscman]

Originally Posted by STACY810

It has not gotten better after 8000 miles. My car is unsafe and I am afraid to drive it. I regret the purchase. There is no excuse for the way my car runs. My sister bought one also. She called to see how I liked mine. I told her what was going on and she realized what she thought was maybe bad gas was actually the transmission also. I found out by looking on the internet what the problem was. Send out a recall notice or something....my first Ford and will be my last.

I apologize if technical explanations about what's going on are not welcome in this thread. However the psychological support and repeated trips to dealers for free coffee with hot air do not seem effective. Owners need a better understanding of the technology and properly weigh pros and cons before objecting.

The same driveability issues were experienced by many owners of BMW 3 series SMG M3 cars (autoshifting sequential-manual gearbox with dry clutch) produced from year 2000 thru 2004. Fyi, this is the same exact technology. The biggest difference was this occurred at BMW nearly a decade ago and it involved premium cars cost $40K+ instead of $20K. Fyi, these M3 SMG cars drive the same today as when they were sold. The mfr tried to soften them for dissatisfied customers to no avail. BMW did not find a magic wand to wave after manufacture and, I predict, neither will Ford. However the new and used BMW M car buyers quickly got the message and those who wanted cadillac shifting migrated to the non-SMG i-version cars. At the same time, a BMW M SMG fan-base grew to truly love these cars that some loathed. Now they are actually sought after. BMW later reduced the noise & vibration of their shiftless dry clutch design by increasing it's complexity and technology. This pushed the MSRP over $50K, but consumers who wanted truly smooth shifting were wisely instructed to buy another product that is less perfomance and efficiency oriented.

Ford needs to follow BMW's lead wrt consumer education. It's not at all coincidental that the new Ford Focus shiftless dry clutch transmission technology and it's occasionally clunky NVH behavior is almost identical. Discriminating BMW owners who demanded perfectly smooth operation caused a tremendous ruckus with customer service while those who wanted crisp shifting and efficiency were sold on the technology and had total fun driving it while ignoring the occasional roughness. Both camps exist here too for similar reasons. In my opinion, this Ford transmission will NEVER shift like an automatic with viscous torque converter and trying to pretend that it will by instructing customers to make repeated visits to the dealer will only exascerbate the negative consumer feedback and resulting backlash.

Why not explain why the car behaves different instead of pretending it doesn't?? Well I know the answer to that rhetorical question. Ford is not prepared to buy back 100K+ cars that exhibit some "unfamiliar" behavior caused by computer-controlled dry clutch. This technology gives you more rear wheel horsepower, better acceleration and better fuel economy!! You get all the advantages of a manual tranny without the need to shift or operate a clutch pedal! Picky consumers whined about chattering posi units making scary noises and locking torque converters causing whiplash back when they debuted. The subjective behaviors (quirks) that were specific to these new technologies were soon forgotten and/or accepted. This auto-shifting manual tranny with dry clutch is a much more significant change. To this day, locking converters feels harsh compared to non-locking designs. However the consumer adapted to accept them with their added economy. The new Ford Focus automatic tranny maximizes efficiency and performance with a finite penalty in NVH that is acceptable to most and unacceptable to some who expect viscous qualities. Behavior indeed varies some from car-to-car. This is because dry friction material used in clutches and brakes do not have consistent "feel" ("grip" or "bite"). You can get harmless vibration or shuttering now and again. Car usage (short trip, long trip, stop and go) plus break-in behavior will greatly affect the friction material operating behavior and feel through it's life.

In case nobody noticed, all the worry about these cars breaking down from grabby clutch operation at low speeds is unwarranted. It's just a different feel & it's not gonna breeak anything.

[jake1]

I agree that this transmission will not be fixed. That is why I bought my Focus with a manual transmission. In order to have a dry clutch automated manual work like a torque converter automatic, the computer would have to be conscious. That is not possible, Machines are not conscious, only human beings are conscious. For example, when you shift a manual, you can make a number of decisions about what gear to put it into using visual information. You might see a traffic jam ahead and shift from fourth gear directly into second. An automated manual has no visual input, so it cannot do something even that simple. Furthermore, Ford cannot hire good software people. Why would some software geek want to work for a company that sold me my Focus in 2012 without an i pod jack? As my daughter said when she noticed this deficiecy. "Is this a 2012 car, Dad?" All the really good programers want to work for Apple or Google.

[Lscman]

Originally Posted by jake1

I agree that this transmission will not be fixed. ...........

Well, technically it is not broken so no fix is necessary. I fully agree with your assessment about lack of consciousness. The only solution is consumer education. It exhibits some occasional noise and harshness that can only be masked by a viscous clutch. The Ford Focus dry clutch automatic tranny will never behave as smoothly as a manual transmission with an experienced operator because the computer control unit that operates the clutch simply can't anticipate what your right foot is going to do next. It does not know when it's appropriate to freewheel and it can only "react" to throttle position changes. The computer can't see ahead to make any proactive decisions. In a car with standard tranny, your clutch foot proactively knows exactly what the right foot is about to do (unless you're sharing pedal operation duties with somebody). Conversely, your throttle foot knows what the clutch foot is planning to do at every moment in time. Last time each pedal was operated by a different brain was when my grandma let me operate the throttle I was about 12 years old. I specifically recall her applying the brake shortly AFTER I applied too much throttle lol. The Ford automatic probably operates the new Focus more smoothly than Mario Andretti and Jeff Gordon could, each operating a separate pedal. I think they'd blow the motor, wreck the car or fry the clutch within 30 seconds and resort to blaming each other.

This new auto transmission is the best thing for folks wanting optimal shiftless efficiency. If you are NOT willing to sacrifice some smoothness for greater efficiency and performance, maybe look elsewhere.

PS: Thank goodness for no proprietary jacks. The industry standard for nearly the last decade has been USB with mp3, mpeg and jpg file formats. The USB cable interface will eventually be superceded by wireless bluetooth which Apple will grudgingly adopt. I'm not an Apple, Microsoft or Sony fan and I don't appreciate their marketing tactics. Ford was first to market with integral USB and it's compatible with about 100 current models of smart phones from dozens of mfrs (all except one lol).

[Dylan1970]

Originally Posted by FordCustomerService

murfmoble -

Most certainly! We're wired this way; just call us Focus Fanatics.



wb2300 -

Congrats; I appreciate the positive buzz too! Sounds like you broke in your prized possession pretty well. Claim this badge and upload it to your favorite social media site: http://social.ford.com/grab-a-badge/focus/yes/.



Becks -

The break-in period is a primary operating characteristic with the PowerShift transmission. It's also a learning process for both car and driver. 12B37 is a Customer Satisfaction Program and is customer/VIN specific; not all Focus models will qualify.





RFrench6646 -

I'm thrilled it's improved! Keep an eye on how it behaves. If you feel it's not operating correctly, schedule an appointment with your dealer. In addition, please PM me your VIN, mileage, phone #, and dealer info; I'll forward details to your Customer Service Manager for review.

Build date can also be found on your window sticker (at the top, above "BLEND"). When you go in, use these routine service coupons: http://owner.ford.com/servlet/Conten...iceCouponsPage.



JimsFocus -

We're still looking into all feedback. Please let me know when you hear from the dealer.





Dylan1970 -

We always recommend getting a second opinion if any Focus owner feels their transmission is not functioning properly after the break-in period. All of our employees go through extensive product training, especially when it comes to new features. I'm glad it's smoothing out for you! How many miles do you have on it?



Blk5dr64 -

Please let me know how it goes with your dealer. You know how to find me if you'd like your CSM to be notified.

Talk to you all soon,

Thomas

I have about 875 miles on it....I've decided to just drive it normally. I tried to "baby" it to avoid hearing the noises but that doesn't work, the only way to smooth it out is to drive consistently and let it learn my way of driving. I figured I had two technicians tell me it was fine, and I found a DCT fact sheet online which not only told me about the tranny but also what noises I might experience. People need to realize this is NOT the same old automatic as in the past, I've never driven a manual transmission so this has been a learning process for me too.

[melissaraestewart]

Originally Posted by Jellman123

I picked up my 2012 SEL in the beginning of June, and from day 1 felt exactly what you are talking about. It actual feels like the transmission is slipping - hence the shutter feel. I do see the FordcustomerService response, and I love this car and have had 3 Mustangs - I love Fords. I'm just having a tough time buying this response. Ford, you guys get this, you build transmission better then anyone on the plant, period - this is a little scary when you go to pass on the highway, pull out quick at a light etc, it really plays with your confidence in driving. I have 1600 miles, about 1200 are all stop and go highway traffic. I really love this car, the fit and finish, MySync, the look, but I'm really bummed on hearing this response. Can you guys confirm at this point, Ford is not addressing the issue, but stating to let things "wear" in. That is just puzzling no? Has anyone on this thread with an SEL or the 6spd transmission seen things get better?

I bought my 2012 Focus in january, and noticed that it shuddered every time I when I had to slow down and take off with out stopping (when some one turns in front of you in a residential area, or at the supermarket). At one point in time, the whole car shook for about ten seconds while it gained speed. Well, I took it in to the Ford dealer ship at the end of June, when I had 8,000 miles and Ford told my technician "the 'green' clutch or new clutch shudder will remain for 1000-2500 miles but it should be completely gone by 8000" and that it was due to it not being "fully broken in" (I am quoting straight from the email that they printed for me) my transmission is also "a manual transmission that is shifted automatically". Well, they told me to go ahead and take it Florida, as I was going on vacation, and if it was still doing it when I got back to bring it back in. I am now back from Florida, I live in Oklahoma, and my car now has almost 13,000 miles, and it is shaking even worse, and doesn't seem to want to take off with any 'omph' like it used to, especially when I really need it to, like getting on the interstate. Please, someone... HELP ME OUT WITH THIS! The car doesn't ever shudder when I take it to the dealership for them to look at it, but as soon as I get it back it starts doing it again.