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Think I figured out the shuddering when starting from a stop...can't believe it

66K views 401 replies 94 participants last post by  narkotskyb 
#1 ·
So I've had more issues with the shuddering than I could even explain, and it all started with the TSB for the transmission update. Since that point, it's shuddered mostly every time I start from a stop. It's obnoxious, and makes the car feel cheap and crappy when people are riding in it. I've had it in the shop probably 3-4 times for this issue and every time they've said "It's supposed to act like that" and that the computer displays no errors.

So what did I do today? Turned off Traction Control. The second I turned it off, the shuddering from a stop no longer happened. I drove my 15 minute commute to work without a *single* shudder. The shifts were smooth, the starts and stops were smooth, and even mashing the gas when going into a corner from a stop or slow roll didn't make the car buck around like it was having a stroke.

Turn it back on? And the shuddering happened the very next light. Turned it back off, and no more shuddering.

Is it possible that this issue is somehow related to the Traction Control module initiating when it doesn't need to? I have lighter wheels on the car than stock (Sparco Assetto 18), but didn't have an issue with this until the TSB update. The lighter wheels might fool the computer into thinking it's losing traction (since there's less friction and resistance on the drive shaft), but I really can't postulate an answer beyond that.

For those of you with "Shuddering" issues, please help me test this by just disabling the Traction Control and driving like you normally would. If it's gone (or at least severely reduced), post back and let me know. Maybe Ford needs to issue a recall for the *CORRECT* part in the car this time.
 
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#356 ·
I tried it a few times, and Traction Control switched to OFF sligthltly reduces the shuderring, enough to forget about it. The only down side, I have to go through 5-6 menus to turn it off everytime I start the car.

Anyone expects a TSB to address this issue? I mean, how normal is that!?! :)
 
#357 ·
when i got mine worked on for the 3rd time last week the guy told me they still dont have anything to completely fix the shuddering. he said they will eventually come out with a big update but then he tells me that there isnt technically anything wrong with the trans its just how it runs
 
#359 ·
Hi all,

I also have this shuddering issue between 1st and second gear accelerating from a complete stop. It all arose after the transmission TSB this summer, I have taken it to the dealership and they tell me that it's supposed to operate like that. Not buying it, I will try turning off the TC today.

Anybody else experiencing a weird clunk/rattle from the front-end while travelling over bumps under 20mph? Apparently that's a huge issue with the new Focus' and I've been experiencing it for nearly a year with no fix in sight (struts and springs have already been replaced). Ford keeps saying it's "characteristic to the vehicle" much like this shuddering issue.

Just a frustrated owner looking to vent.
 
#360 ·
The clunking is not normal - I had mine repaired back in May and the issue is gone. Look up the forum, there's a 100+ page thread on the ongoing issue. If your dealer gives you the runaround, you can refer to the forum. Lots of people even shared the content of their work order and many of us got it fixed. It did not come back, thank God...!
 
#364 ·
I have been running for about a month now testing TC off, TC on, to see if it removed the shudder I experience since having 12B37 installed back in June.

I see some improvement; it doesn't completely address my shuddering issues, but there is definitely an improvement, so I think there is something there that should be investigated by Ford.

Will send off my VIN to Crystal...
 
#370 ·
Mine still shudders, the Traction control does little to nothing to help the situation. I just got it back from the dealer for this and another issue (front-end clunk) and it didn't really seem to change anything (drove smooth home from the dealer, then came back about 2 hours later). My car drove great until June when they installed the update and now it's just unbearable.

It's been reprogrammed 4 times with no improvements, at which point so I worry about something mechanical being wrong with the transmission?
 
#372 ·
I know it's a long shot but have you checked for signs of fluid leaks around the transmission. You'll have to remove the felt panel under the engine to get a good look. Search the forum for more details.

I've heard this will ruin the clutches and require clutch replacement.
 
#371 ·
Every now and then my car gives a shudder, only the first few minutes of driving. Doesn't really bother me. At still gets great gas and looks good while being comfortable, can't ask for more


Sent while Slideways
 
#375 ·
Turning off TC fixes my low-speed shudder, yet when I need traction control pulling out of my driveway my car just sits there and flashes that stupid light at me. I do have winter tires, but I wonder if my TC issues stem from the clutch slipping because TC is based off of a lot of inputs these days.

I know that 12B37 helped with shifting profiles and stopped the car from rolling back and all of that jazz, but I'd rather have the TSB I had before 12B37 and have the roll-back on inclines. Plus, then I can pretend I have a manual. [driving]
 
#383 ·
The odds are seemingly the same as those built after March 2012 to current as compared to the cars built from March 2011-March 2012, but nothing in life is guaranteed to be perfect.
Is the ST immune? That's the only Focus I'd think about trading mine in for, the suspension is seemingly completely unique.
 
#393 ·
Is the ST immune? That's the only Focus I'd think about trading mine in for, the suspension is seemingly completely unique.
Only the rear suspension is unique, the front although having different damping are
100% interchangeable. There have been isolated complaints of suspension clunk with some ST models.
 
#387 ·
Hey everyone,

This is your friendly reminder that I can assist by escalating cases to your regional customer service managers. Just send me a PM with your VIN, dealer, mileage, daytime phone number, and full name; we'll go from there.

Crystal
 
#388 ·
Crystal,

I am curious what good this would do? If the appropriate engineers at Ford have been made aware of this issue, and their retort is that it is "normal," what good will escalating it to a customer service manager be?

In my case, I just purchased the vehicle a few weeks ago. 2012 that was put in service in June of 2011. It had just under 34,000 miles on it when I bought it and now has 34,5xx. When I test drove it everything was smooth. The night I took delivery I was delayed about 30 minutes because the service dept. was doing software updates. At the time I was unaware of the issue with the update to the transmission software and to be honest, am not sure thats the update they were doing, because I did not ask. I will have an appointment in the coming days to have the rear seat leather replaced as well as have the second key programmed and I will bring the transmission issue up to the service dept. But short of that, if the service dept is being told by Ford the symptoms are normal, what good is the escalation?

Im not trying to bust your chops, just trying to figure it out.

EDIT: I do want to say I think it is great to see Ford representation on a forum.
 
#396 ·
I tried this today, and with the Trac off it did have better up shifting and down shifting , was alot smoother
This is going to sound crazy, but I took the intake cover off and ran around with it uncovered for the weekend and it drove much smoother. I put the cover back on this afternoon and it was driving pretty smooth then started getting rougher and rougher. Not sure how that could correlate but thought it was interesting.
 
#397 ·
New guy here. Ton of comments I've read but stopped at 22 and jumped to last page. Just a few comments of my own. Maybe already addressed?

1. Could tire size affect the TCS / shudder? I have had minor shudder in the past during Summer in my 18's but smooth in winter riding on my Winters on 15" steel rims. This may be the weather thing too but last year winter decided to do a no show, yet I had my Winters on.

2. Someone complained about upshifts doing 90 degree turns. Isn't that just the torque vectoring doing its job?

3. I drive my car a touch more aggressive than most, and I've mastered the weight of the gas peddle to give just the right amount of gas going into corners etc to make it accelerate out from the apex perfectly. I get no stutter or lag. Perhaps people are either to gentle or to aggressive with the gas peddle?

4. When I bought the car, my Friend at the dealer ship told me to avoid flooring it and instead go 10/90 where I ease the gas down just to make the car start moving, then punch it. He told me lots of focus's were coming in with blown fuel injectors. Not sure what to make of this claim.

5. Before I got the USB drive in the mail with the new MFT I had occasional shudder (summer as well) and on 1 occasion and only occasion I had begin accelerating and then it completely stopped accelerating, even tho the engine was revving. I dropped to S mode and manually selected a gear with the shifter buttons and it stated going again. After the update, I've been pretty smooth sailing with little to no shudder, no lag, no power loss and driving like a bat out of hell.

This car is super fun. New MFT fixed all the screen lockups (might have been Sirius causing it). She handles and hugs corners like an imprezza and overtakes like a dream. Feels like more than 160hp.

Feel bad for you guys/gals with bad ones. I BELIEVE each and every one of you because I have experienced them at one point or another. Just my driving style was easier for the car to adapt? Maybe I got a good car? It was off the lot, and probably driven hard as a test drive vehicle(I test drove it myself and opened it up on the highway), but only had 32 km on it at pickup. I do still get roll back when I zone out and let up off the brake, but I rarely let go of the brake, or double tap it, full stop, release, minor roll, brake again, release, no roll.

I never" creep" uphill, I always use enough throttle. Always use a touch of gas in stop and go traffic. I drive it like I would a 5 speed manual.

I nearly got stuck in snow this year. Stupid traction control. Couldn't make it up an icy hill either. Turning wheel left/right didn't help because the dumb little orange light kept flashing and wheels would lose all power and stop spinning. Makes the left/right trick not work. Had to go back down the hill and drive fast to have momentum carry me over the hill.

Other than that.. I love it!

I DID get the full extended warranty maxed out on this car. I'm registered on sync my ride so I'll check later to see all updates applied to my car. I was only issues 2 recall notices, one for wipers, and one for reprogramming something, probably the tranny. I'll have to recheck the invoice description of work performed.

Over all I love my car. Sticky door handles aside.

Got mine from Dixie FORD at Dixie/401 in Mississauga. 100% awesome dealership and I would recommend them anytime. 5 star service. Could improve their wait times but I'm not complaining.
 
#398 ·
4-your "friend" at the dealer is an idiot. I dont ever hear about any issues with fuel innectors on these cars.
5-mft has nothing to do with the transmission. They are two seperate systems so the usb update you recieved in the mail could not have had any affect on the stutterring. If you had your car in for service they may have done a transmission software update.
 
#400 ·
Heh. You might be right, but he works in the parts dept. next to the service bay so...

In any case, i looked up my old email to the service dept and yup, i got the reprogramming done:

Perform Safety Recall orders (Program Number 12B37 and 12S29)

I got the same letter as this dude in the mail and got it done.
http://theredfluffernutter.files.wordpress.com/2012/06/recall-2.jpg

What's funny tho is that even tho the thing did it's job on the hurky jerky, it didn't do a damn thing for the roll back because it was only a few weeks ago i noticed, since my new place of employment regularly makes me traverse a steep incline underneath a freeway overpass that gets bogged down when the Go Train comes through, forcing everyone to wait on the hill. I've rolled back often while being half groggy from morning lack of coffee and the only thing that saves me is that 'kick' sensation one might get from Inception, the feeling of falling or in my case, rolling back.

[chairfall]
 
#401 ·
Any updates on this issue from Ford? I found this thread on Monday, and have had 100% success with it. Without TC my car (now @ 33K Km) drives like it's brand new. No more suttering at low speeds - just the regular feeling you get when shifting. I'm not very happy with the solution, and I'll express my feelings with my dealer, but it works.
 
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