DCT quirk after 12B37 update

[dyn085]

I've noticed the hiccup as well, almost as though the clutch is slightly releasing for a fraction of a second. I've never tried to iron out a specific speed and don't really remember noticing it pre-tsb. I don't usually hear it due to my music volume, but I feel it through the car. Maybe only a jump of a couple hundred rpm (max) on my car.

I just shrug it off. Not the right answer, I know.

[kam327]

Originally Posted by dyn085

I've noticed the hiccup as well, almost as though the clutch is slightly releasing for a fraction of a second. I've never tried to iron out a specific speed and don't really remember noticing it pre-tsb. I don't usually hear it due to my music volume, but I feel it through the car. Maybe only a jump of a couple hundred rpm (max) on my car.

I just shrug it off. Not the right answer, I know.

Something similar was happening on my Explorer. Turned out the torque converter needed to be replaced (at only 57k miles!). Obviously that's irrelevent here, except that I was also tempted there to just ignore the rythmic rpm blips at steady 35-45mph speed (only about a 50 rpm bump, hardly noticeable). Glad I didn't - the torque converted could've exploded and I would've had much bigger problems....

[FordCustomerService]

Originally Posted by kshew97

Mine does the same thing....Not ALL the time, but when it happens, you notice!

I'd like to escalate this with your Customer Service Manager; please PM me your VIN, mileage, phone number, and dealer info. When do you notice this happening most?

Originally Posted by feta_mgp

...Thomas, my car has been great but I still have this hiccup everytime I'm driving with cruise on. Happens to me mostly and is almost always replicable at 50mph.

Does it only occur when cruise control is on? By the way, I just noticed your PM and will respond as soon as possible.

Originally Posted by dyn085

I've noticed the hiccup as well, almost as though the clutch is slightly releasing for a fraction of a second. I've never tried to iron out a specific speed and don't really remember noticing it pre-tsb...

I just shrug it off. Not the right answer, I know.

I'm here if you'd like this to be sent to your Customer Service Manager. All you need to do is PM me your VIN, mileage, phone number, and dealer info (which I believe is Crown Ford); we'll review the details.

Originally Posted by kam327

Something similar was happening on my Explorer. Turned out the torque converter needed to be replaced (at only 57k miles!). Obviously that's irrelevent here, except that I was also tempted there to just ignore the rythmic rpm blips at steady 35-45mph speed (only about a 50 rpm bump, hardly noticeable). Glad I didn't - the torque converted could've exploded and I would've had much bigger problems....

Whoa; did it damage anything else? This is a good example of why getting your ride checked sooner, rather than later, is so important; thanks for sharing.

Take it easy out there,

Thomas

[feta_mgp]

Originally Posted by FordCustomerService

...Does it only occur when cruise control is on? By the way, I just noticed your PM and will respond as soon as possible. ...

Thomas

So far yes I've only noticed it when CC is active. I have tried holding a steady 50 without CC (since 50 is when it happens the most for me) and haven't had it occur then.

[FordCustomerService]

Originally Posted by feta_mgp

So far yes I've only noticed it when CC is active. I have tried holding a steady 50 without CC (since 50 is when it happens the most for me) and haven't had it occur then.

Interesting; this info will be valuable to share with your CSM. I'll escalate this as soon as possible.

Thomas

[Bas1131]

I meant to post back here after I took my Focus back in for servicing. Unfortunately, my issues were not resolved and I left the dealer feeling like no one believed the problems that I had been experiencing (engine shudders or hesitates - air conditioner fan blows inconsistently). Once again, the service manager tells me that it's driving like this because it's a 4 cylinder. I have owned and driven MANY 4 cylinder cars and I have never experienced anything like this before. I drive roughly 500 miles a week but I just couldn't handle driving this car any longer. I traded it in on a 2012 Kia Optima SX this past weekend and I am not having any issues with this 4 cylinder car and the air conditioner.
I really, really wanted to love my Focus and I know that I lost a pile of money by trading it in, but I couldn't justify driving something that made me so unhappy.
Good luck everyone!

[feta_mgp]

Originally Posted by Bas1131

I meant to post back here after I took my Focus back in for servicing. Unfortunately, my issues were not resolved and I left the dealer feeling like no one believed the problems that I had been experiencing (engine shudders or hesitates - air conditioner fan blows inconsistently). Once again, the service manager tells me that it's driving like this because it's a 4 cylinder. I have owned and driven MANY 4 cylinder cars and I have never experienced anything like this before. I drive roughly 500 miles a week but I just couldn't handle driving this car any longer. I traded it in on a 2012 Kia Optima SX this past weekend and I am not having any issues with this 4 cylinder car and the air conditioner.
I really, really wanted to love my Focus and I know that I lost a pile of money by trading it in, but I couldn't justify driving something that made me so unhappy.
Good luck everyone!

Sorry to hear that!

I too am very disappointed with my local dealership's service manager... I actually just got off the phone with him and after explaining the issue I was given the runaround.

He went through all the things being thrown around in this thread early on... such things as the car is just compensating for starting to speed up or slow down, the car is just changing it's gear range (what? it's not shifting gears if that's what he means...) and yadda yadda yadda... although the issue occurs at a flat 50mph for me (this speed is the most replicable I've found) on a FLAT road with NO inclines/declines and it's NOT the car trying to shift gears or compensate...

He said "I've driven many cars with cruise control and this happens in all of them" to which I replied "I've driven many cars with cruise control and this has NEVER happened, I know what it feels like when the car tries to compensate and adjusts for speed for instance on an incline or decline, and on top of that before the latest reflash this NEVER occurred."

He just kept telling me he didn't think it was a concern.

This is the same dealership however that has had my car in for 8 1/2 hrs when I asked them to do "the works", check MFT, perform the 12B37 reflash to begin with, and a few other odds and ends... after all that time they hadn't even changed my oil, and then a week later I get a letter in the mail saying "it's time for an oil change come on in!"
from them... ugh.

[Flatvalley]

I have the same experience with my SEL. It happens so quick that I have not been able to observe the tach, it is like the engine cuts out for a fraction of a second and occurs both with the cruise control on and without the cruise control on at interstate speeds. This did not occur prior to the re-flash for the transmission. I have taken it to two dealers and both say they have never heard of this and have no (flight recorders) so can't help me. On average it happens two or three times in a 90 mile trip. In the Red River Valley of the North (I-29) it is completely flat . I have observed this even occurring once during acceleration. Never have observed it driving around town at 40 mph or less. So, don't know if the clutch is disengaging or the engine is shutting down but again, it is sorta like a hesitation and loss of power for only a 1/4 or a second or so while traveling at the same speed with or without cruise engaged on a level road.

[feta_mgp]

Originally Posted by Flatvalley

I have the same experience with my SEL. It happens so quick that I have not been able to observe the tach, it is like the engine cuts out for a fraction of a second and occurs both with the cruise control on and without the cruise control on at interstate speeds. This did not occur prior to the re-flash for the transmission. I have taken it to two dealers and both say they have never heard of this and have no (flight recorders) so can't help me. On average it happens two or three times in a 90 mile trip. In the Red River Valley of the North (I-29) it is completely flat . I have observed this even occurring once during acceleration. Never have observed it driving around town at 40 mph or less. So, don't know if the clutch is disengaging or the engine is shutting down but again, it is sorta like a hesitation and loss of power for only a 1/4 or a second or so while traveling at the same speed with or without cruise engaged on a level road.

Sounds exactly like what would happen with my vehicle though it seems my occurrences were much more frequent. I've just stopped using cruise control so much. I know I shouldn't have to and I used to use it every time I drove on the interstate to school and back, but that's my only workaround since my dealership seems "unable to reproduce the issue" and is unwilling to go any further than that.

[2012sel]

Originally Posted by feta_mgp

This is the same dealership however that has had my car in for 8 1/2 hrs when I asked them to do "the works", check MFT, perform the 12B37 reflash to begin with, and a few other odds and ends... after all that time they hadn't even changed my oil, and then a week later I get a letter in the mail saying "it's time for an oil change come on in!"
from them... ugh.

Sorry to derail the subject of this thread, but this is why I didn't hesitate to decline free tires if I had all oil changes done at the dealer.

- FREE TIRES! -



OK, back on subject.


.