Focus Fanatics Forum banner

DCT / PowerShift Transmission Update TSB Thread

1M views 4K replies 556 participants last post by  rczrider 
#1 ·
Well, I just scheduled an appointment on Monday to get my update for my 6-speed dual clutch. Seems like some dealers are willing to hand over the update (another poster on this board did), some dealers will still give the ole "its not a torque converter" mantra, and some dealers (the one I just called) don't know that there's a TSB out there, and when researched will come up with it. And the dealer I called fell into the latter (after I went to another dealer who gave me the mantra).

I'm happy with my DCT but I'm willing to see what this new update does for the transmission (in terms of smoothness and less hesitation). Hopefully, I'll have some noticeable difference. Did anyone else get an update? If so, how'd it work out for you. I'll let you know my thoughts after a good drive on Monday.
 
#1,473 ·
Just had my first experience with the DCT in a rental 2013 SE with Sport Package. Car is brand new, I was the first one to rent it with 7 miles on it. So far I've put just over 200 miles on it, and see no issues whatsoever with the transmission. Shifts are silky smooth, I've heard no clutch clanging or any other noise.

Either I managed to score the only one that was built right or some people are exaggerating their "issues" with the DCT.
 
#1,475 ·
Don't think anyone said no DCTs worked correctly. But do keep in mind that many of us that have older cars have lived through real issues and several software upgrades, upgrades that Ford released because there were real issues. And I bet Ford isn't done yet.

Ford is making progress, but it still isn't quite right, frustrating the beejesus out of many of us that have been living with the product for a while. Personal examples: 1) post 12b37 the clutch seems to repeatedly disengage for a split second when using cruise control 2) my DCT has decided it will now have very harsh shifts between 4th and 5th. These are not big issues in themselves, but do make some of us wonder if the thing will ever be right. And stay that way.

Buy one with a DCT. Maybe yours will behave perfectly forever. Or maybe not. More than any component in any mass-produced car, I maintain the DCT is still a crapshoot.
 
#1,479 ·
I don't know the answer to that.
Did you get the recall notice for the Wiper motor?
If the wiper motor recall was done prior to purchase, the Driveability issue MAY have already been upgraded.
Best bet is call the dealer service dept and ask them. Have your VIN handy so they can check their database.
 
#1,489 · (Edited)
After the latest update (12B37, I think), I was totally disappointed also. Hard shifts, erratic shifts, slow downshifts, jerking, and general driveability issues. I disconnected the battery to reset everything to learning mode and just drove it (with all these issues happening periodically) for 500 miles. It is now buttery smooth. Upshifts, downshifts, Full stop and go, turning a corner at 10MPH and giving it 30% throttle, downshifts from 6th uphill, are all working just like a torque-converter tranny. I am pleased.

16,594 miles to date. Parked my 06 Mustang GT for the Focus. It's a fun car to drive. Oh, and I got an MPG increase by 1.4 from the old software.
 
#1,491 · (Edited)
Just bought my Ford Focus Test drove it and it was wonderful. Brought it home and then after I drove it awhile I started hearing the grinding (Chatter) noises in first and second gears. I have also noticed after it warms up going up hills it does its chatter noise more and doesnt seem to have the power. Taking off too I have more shuttering ,Its has almost 400 miles. Took it to dealer kept saying this is normal but I DONT know about the going up hill after its warmed up why is does it seem so chuggy. My question out there to all you experts will this get better or do I need to take it back in???? It was built in July of this year. Help !!!!! I am scared to drive this car.My dealership doesnt offer the most help either.
 
#1,492 ·
I would drive it some more. Sounds about like mine was when I first got it. For a while I was scared to pull out in front of traffic. I have just over 2000 miles now and it is much better. Try driving is sport mode, it is more likey to be in the right gear and it seems to downshift a bit easier.
Probably the reason you feel the lack of power is because it is in the wrong gear and the transmission does not downshift like you would expect from an automatic. This has been one of my pet peeves from the start - you get into a situation where you are going 20 mph you are in 4th or 5th gear (say coasting up to a redlight getting ready to stop and the light turns green), you try to accelerate and the transmission cannot figure out it needs to downshift.
The jerking or chatter will subside and the unwillingness to downshift will lessen.
Ford sells this as an automatic and one expects it to act like an automatic. The thing is, it is not, it is an automatically controlled manual transmission and it does not perform the way a person of reasonable intelligence would expect from an automatic transmission.
The way I came to terms with the performance is I started thinking of how the car would feel if it were in fact a manual transmission and I was changing the gears myself. Some of the jerks became more understandable. Not that I drive a manual that poorly but is just started to make more sense.
 
#1,493 ·
Thanks for letting me knowI greatly appreciate it, I will keep driving. One other question anyone hear a thud coming from the back of the car when just inserting the key. It dont do it everytime but passenger said they could feel the thud on that side. I Once again discussed this with the dealer mechanic he said "Not sure what that is but shouldnt be hurting anything.
 
#1,498 ·
I did do a few, several in fact. The little car moves out very well by the way. And as I as skeptical as I am about that sort of thing, I would almost have to say I think it may have helped.
But maybe one should also say wait until you are past the 1000 mile unofficial break-in period.
 
#1,500 ·
Another Motor Trend Update

Following up to their December '11 article on the much-improved but still flawed DCT, Motor Trend just put up another article on their website 3 days ago. Strangely it's entitled "2012 Ford Focus SEL First Test." They've never tested the SEL trim before I guess?

Anyway they say this:


The dual-clutch transmission still may not be as good as Volkswagen's excellent DSG unit, but the vast majority of the kinks we suffered with our last Focus SFE tester feel worked out, thanks to an ECU update. That said, when merging or changing lanes on the highway, the transmission did seem to hesitate before deciding if it really wanted to downshift and allow the car to accelerate to thread a gap. Putting the tranny in Sport mitigated this problem.

The transmission also had a bit of trouble when creeping along at low speeds. While lightly applying the brake pedal when reversing into a spot, the car was difficult to control smoothly, resulting in a jerky back and forth experience that I'm sure looked quite ridiculous from the outside.


True that, I get some of that action in my office building parking garage's inclined surfaces. I guess they got a "good" 12B37 update though since they don't mention poor shift quality or anything.

Read more: http://www.motortrend.com/roadtests/hatchbacks/1208_2012_ford_focus_sel_first_test/#ixzz25AwfluEV
 
#1,501 ·
Transmission problem

My daughter just bought a 2012 Focus 29 Aug 2012. Dealer didn't say anything about transmission slippage before she bought it. Soon as she drove it she found that the transmission slips. At a stop the rpms come up but the car doesn't move and she says that sometime it lurches forward without warning once she starts to move.
Really disappointed in Ford for not fixing the problem and that the dealers aren't saying anything- Buyer Beware. My daughter is disappointed that she has to deal with a broken car straight from the showroom floor.
Dealer wants her to give them a 10 when Ford calls about her customer satisfaction survey- I don't think so.
 
#1,504 ·
My daughter just bought a 2012 Focus 29 Aug 2012. Dealer didn't say anything about transmission slippage before she bought it. Soon as she drove it she found that the transmission slips. At a stop the rpms come up but the car doesn't move and she says that sometime it lurches forward without warning once she starts to move.
Really disappointed in Ford for not fixing the problem and that the dealers aren't saying anything- Buyer Beware. My daughter is disappointed that she has to deal with a broken car straight from the showroom floor.
Dealer wants her to give them a 10 when Ford calls about her customer satisfaction survey- I don't think so.
If it is brand new, it takes about 1000 miles or so for the computer to learn how your daughter drives. My wife loves her Focus and has never complained about the way it shifts.
 
#1,502 ·
Yup, Automated Manual Transmissions ...

It's funny how many 'experts' are praising the VW DSG transmission, and saying how much smoother it is than the Focus DCT. My brother just came back from a trip to Europe, during which he rented an automated Golf for two weeks. He found the shifts very jerky, and said it often hesitated before downshifts. (Sound familiar? ; ) Then, we went for a drive in my 2-week-old Focus, which has the occasional slight stumble, and he found the Focus very smooth compared to the Golf. You can find a lot of complaints about the VW's on the 'net.

As someone said above, it helps to think that you are driving a manual, which will feel like the DCT if your shifts are sometimes less than perfect (which can happen to the best of drivers). Maybe Ford and VW will come out with a perfect reflash in the near future ...
 
#1,503 ·
It's funny how many 'experts' are praising the VW DSG transmission, and saying how much smoother it is than the Focus DCT. My brother just came back from a trip to Europe, during which he rented an automated Golf for two weeks. He found the shifts very jerky, and said it often hesitated before downshifts. (Sound familiar? ; ) Then, we went for a drive in my 2-week-old Focus, which has the occasional slight stumble, and he found the Focus very smooth compared to the Golf. You can find a lot of complaints about the VW's on the 'net.

As someone said above, it helps to think that you are driving a manual, which will feel like the DCT if your shifts are sometimes less than perfect (which can happen to the best of drivers). Maybe Ford and VW will come out with a perfect reflash in the near future ...
I doubt that a computer will ever be able to miss a shift and grind the gears as well as I can when I shift a manual.
 
#1,511 ·
I think mine may have a learning disability. If it is learning how I drive, after 2300 miles it still has not learned that I do not up shift into 3rd gear halfway through a right turn or that when I accelerate from 20 mph I shift from 4th to a lower gear.

It seems from reading this thread that there are quite a few people who think their transmission works fine and there are also quite a few who do not think so. I am one of the latter. I have been driving for 40 years and I am an avid car fan. I work in the automotive industry and I know how a car should work. I have one that does not work as well as it should.

I have learned from reading this thread that I do not need to take it back to the dealer because Ford has not figured out how to fix it yet. That is why people report that they are getting stonewalled by the dealer. It is not the dealers fault they would fix the car id they could (that is what they do) they just need the manufacturer to tell them how. I believe they know something is wrong because they have already tried once to correct it with a software or firmware update. Mine was built 6/12 so it has the latest programing. There seem to be enough people who do not think there is a problem that I also believe that Ford did not knowingly release an inferior product. But they know about it now, so I wish they would get on the stick and figure it out!
 
#1,521 ·
Ok, some background first, May 2011 build, no updates performed to transmission currently, and so far I have loved it. However, I have begun to experience some "bucking" only during the upshift to 4th. Doesn't seem to matter whether I'm on the throttle hard or not. I finally got the recall/technical program letter in the mail, and have scheduled to have it done. Just wondering if anyone else had something similar and if the update helped. FWIW I still love the trans, and am hoping the update improves the "S" mode as some on here have experienced.
 
#1,522 ·
this is my experience except i have a nov 11 build with 16000 miles and have only recently started experiencing bucking it seems if i don't accelerate the car just cant shift properly
oh and i was posting that tsb because it seemed there was a argument over whether or not the car did that
 
#1,525 ·
currently my car has been in the shop since last week. apparently something was wrong with the clutches so they are being replaced when i get the finalized work order i will posted here to see what exactly it was i was told the transmission was leaking but the car has 17000miles is this normal? well see patiently waiting enduring life without a car
 
This is an older thread, you may not receive a response, and could be reviving an old thread. Please consider creating a new thread.
Top