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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.
 
#1,727 ·
Cory, i received your PM indicating i would be contacted to schedule a service date...
Gary_C,

I see Allison (your regional CSM) tried to call you and left a voicemail. She scheduled a follow-up; please let me know if there’s a good timeframe to get a hold of you.

Cory
 
#1,728 ·
So i met with the Mechanic today and drove him in my car. All this was set up by Allison the regional manager. I went through the motions and demonstrated the shuddering to the mechanic and he told me it was normal. i said it didn't act this way when it was new and why does it not act this way when it is cold, only warm and on flat surfaces.
Again i was told this is normal. so we drove around a little while and when i went to park, the car rolled forward when i took my foot from the brake to the gas almost creaming a customers new car, so i rushed to press on the gas and not hit the car, and almost hit the car behind me. the mechanic said this is normal. So i tried to replicate it again and the damn thing would not roll away. the mechanic said this is normal for it to act different ways at different times due to the adaptive learning. So i said if it acts different all the time, and i feel it is hazardous to drive because it changes all the time, how can he say it is normal? DO you need to drive this thing with 2 feet? clearly not an acceptable practice and if done during a test you will fail your driving test.
Lets get back to the shudder.. after some lenghty conversation the mechanic blamed the EPA stating that Ford could fix the programing to solve all the problems but their hands are tied by the EPA. they can only push a re flash out if it is approved by the epa and the FIX is not approved, so the blame now falls on them. Where do i stand? good question. the dealer made some phone call and will try to hook me up with a factory engineer to test drive with me but that may take a while i am told. Mean while, the trans shudders and shakes and i am told this is normal, and some blame was also given to the salesman who should have told me that the car is not an automatic transmision, it is a manual trans with an automatic clutch. I was told by the mechanic it is the same as the old VW beatle that you shift without a clutch. I was fed so much BS today i started to get dizzy.
 
#1,814 ·
...Mean while, the trans shudders and shakes and i am told this is normal...
Yeah I definitely have vibrations through my gas pedal.
...So today my car did another weird shift...
I’m sorry for missing the updates on this thread, guys. I want to get the contact info from those with a concern so I can escalate it up to your regional customer service managers. If you haven’t already, please PM me your full name, current mileage, best daytime phone number, VIN, and dealer name/state.

...My Focus vibrates and shudders more than any car I've ever owned...
...I don't have the oil leak, but it still made the noise that a manual makes when you shift without fully depressing the clutch...
Strix & PratoN,

I’ve sent you each a reply.

Ford covers it.
...after I talked to some service reps on here Koons have almost bent over backwards to help me...
...I often have the pedal to the floor on some on ramps here. I love the feeling of this car...
For what it is worth, I have 37k on mine and it performs flawlessly...
...The transmission work was done (new seals, clutch assembly, etc. TSB 11-12-13). As expected, it shifts like a dream...
...Seemed to have smoothed everything out, no more noise either while shifting...
...So far, everyone is happy, the dealer and Focus owners... LOL.
...I guess I wouldn't worry about it, but if it occurs again it might be worth a trip to the dealer...
...Yet, the dealer took the whole thing apart and found no leak, but a crack on the clutch. So, they decided to replace it...
...Usually the door jamb sticker and www.etis.ford.com agree...
Mine was grinding fairly severely but when I took it in to have it looked at it did not grind while I was test driving with the Tech (just my luck - lol). Despite that, my dealer replaced the clutches/seals anyway...
I like seeing everyone taking the time to contribute; thanks!

Cory
 
#1,729 ·
Gary_C and others like you, I suggest you to go to another Ford shop. I am more than sure that 90% of all the frustration people have with the DCT is due to dealers playing the song "it is normal" and doing nothing to it. I am speaking from my own experience. I changed my dealer from whom I bought the car exactly because of its incompetence and playing the same song "it is normal". Let me say it right now, IT IS NOT NORMAL to have sleeping clutch, excessive shuttering while in crawling traffic. I had those after the ex did a PCM - TCM update and then he said that it is normal what I experienced. I left him and went to another one who reprogrammed everything and since then I never had a problem with the car. I didn't have to fight with him, he just did the update and yes, he told me that is normal to feel this and that, things I already knew. I think most of the Ford dealers in US are using the "it is normal" song because they simply don't want to reprogram the PCM - TCM, which if done by the book, would solve a lot of problems IMO.
 
#1,730 ·
I wish you lived near me so you could make your technician drive your car, then drive mine & tell you to your face that shuddering is normal. Mine has NEVER shuddered. But then again, it's only got 2800 miles on it. I'm really sorry about your troubles & hope SOME dealer can get it resolved. At this point, I don't know which problem is causing the shuddering...programming, or oil soaked clutches.
 
#1,731 · (Edited)
Yeah, I was driving my car yesterday and the car shifted into second while I was turning right and the whole car vibrated for about 2 seconds.

Nikki: “Was that the shifting-into-second-gear noise?”
Me: “Yes.”
Nikki: “It sounds like it’s getting worse.”
Me: “No, Nikki. That’s how this car is supposed to work – remember what the dealer told us?” [thumbd]
 
#1,732 ·
Have all of you guys been given the document from ford titled:
"PowerShift 6-Speed Transmission Operating Characteristics"?
Common sounds a driver may notice:
Double clicking metal sound; these shifting sounds are normal.
Coast Down Whine: Normal
Clicking after engine turned off: Normal
Low Speed "Grinding" Noise is caused by normal bearing rotation and does not affect durability of the trans.
Reverse Gear whine; Normal
Trailer Hitching feel: Normal
all these normal characteristics should be plastered across the windshields of every new Focus on the dealer floor and lots. How many would be sold then? NONE.
this is crap and a crappy way of covering up a huge flaw. I experienced none of this when it was new and after a break in period, called adaptive learning, all the NORMAL crap appears.
Yes i will try another dealer just as soon as i hear back from the ford engineers.
then it is off to court for a lemon lawsuit.
 
#1,739 ·
After clutch replacement, my car's been driving beautifully for 2 months now (touch wood). Re the ESP though, I think purchasing the ESP to hedge against this issue would be a really sad way for us to deal with it. The ESP is meant to cover problems which occur after the regular standard warranty expires. For this issue in particular I expect Ford to cover the cost if it occurs again in a reasonable time after regular warranty expiry since it was a well known and documented issue within the regular warranty period. In cases where clutches were replaced during the first year or 2 (like mine), and which fail again just after the regular warranty expires, I would expect my dealer / ford to cover it since the original replacement clearly would be proven not to have been done properly. Purchasing the ESP for this, to me, is like saying - "ok Ford, you are right, these DCT issues ARE normal wear and tear and I should fork out for an ESP in order to protect myself from this sort of issue". BS! I won't do that.

So far I'm really pleased how my dealer dealt with it. I did not need to argue with then about it. When the grinding got more frequent they immediately replaced the clutches no questions asked. My repair documents even indicate clearly that the clutches were worn out. If the clutches were to fail again just after warranty expiry I anticipate and expect fair treatment again. I also anticipate that Ford will extend warranties on clutch mechanisms at some point due to the well publicized dct issues (I think to 7-10 years would be fair). If they were to start to play hard ball with me on this issue just after regular warranty expiry, I would be saying goodbye to Ford permanently and would be vocal on my experience. I don't expect that to happen though as I see Ford as a strong and sensible north american automaker which I'd like to continue supporting.

As you may have guessed, my opinion about ESPs generally is that, on average, they are huge waste of money and are just a cash grab from manufacturers who know their product will usually outlast their ESP. I always laugh at the sales pitches made on the great quality of products and how well regular warranties are honoured only to be followed by a pitch for an ESP cuz "ye'know stuff can easily break". Over a lifetime I'm confident I'll come out way ahead by not taking ESPs but by being proactive when issues occur with regular warranty timeframe.
 
#1,740 ·
Who pays for the extended warranties? That is, if my clutch falls apart at 70k miles and I go in to get a new one under my extended warranty, is Ford paying for it? Or is the dealer that I bought the warranty from footing the bill?

If I take my car in at 60,001 miles for clutch shuddering, is the dealer going to replace it because it’s not their ass anymore? Or are they going to fight me until the last mile of that extended warranty and say “Oh, this has been broken for YEARS!” once I hit 125,001.

I was just wondering, because if I were Zeigler (where I bought my ESP), I’d be PISSED and be sure to make Ford pay for the repairs since it was acting up well-within the power train warranty.
 
#1,742 ·
Update: After clutch replacement my DCT was shifting a little erratically. Then i took it out back and did the ole' 5 hard accelerations. Worked like a charm. This is the 2nd time this has worked for me folks, so try it for yourselves. The DCT has been very well behaved in the week or so since.

That, plus the elimination of most rattles (rocks on the brake lines, and realizing that the HVAC vent louvers rattle in certain positions only and is therefore easily fixed) make me a relatively happy boy with my Focus. Almost 11k miles on the clock now.
 
#1,747 ·
Could you please provide more detail about the "ole's 5 hard accelerations". I read from one of the previous posts a list of "adaptive driving cycle"... (13 steps of strange things to do, which will take 20-40 mins). Shall I do that? My se is getting the clutch replaced now. Thanks!
 
#1,745 ·
So I dropped my SEL hatch off at Koons Ford of Annapolis (yes, its actually called Koons). They've done a few seal replacements and said that they'll do the same with mine since I've already had the TCM update. When they went in they found that there was no leakage but that there was a NEW TCM/PCM update and ran that. SOOOOOO we'll see how that goes.
 
#1,748 ·
At first a little frustrating but after I talked to some service reps on here Koons have almost bent over backwards to help me. I guess since now they know I'm not just some message board fanboy and actually know my stuff.

However Academy Ford in Laurel, MD (where I bought it since no one else had what I wanted) didin't seem like they wanted to solve problems. After waiting at least 2 hours for the 1st MFT/Sync update they told me they couldn't do it. I asked why and was told that their computer kept kicking them out of the system. It was like they couldn't be bothered to do anything more than a chimp could do. I had to come back another day so I scheduled online for a 5pm appt. I get there and am told that all the techs were gone and for me to drop it off. I was told they close at 6, I followed up asking why am I able to schedule appts. past 6 then? Not satisfied, I flipped shit. And when service couldn't help I went to the dealership manager. Got a loaner and had everyone waiting on me hand and foot. It got to the point where a specific Sync tech had to come out to spend all day taking the console apart to get to the computer directly (and still didn't put my console back together properly).
 
#1,755 ·
Thank you guys! I do agree that it's not easy to do the adaptive cycle in my area. So, two options:

1. Drive as I normally do for ~200 miles or till it starts to act abnormal (e.g. shuddering). Then I will give it a few hard accelerations. (I prefer, as it will give the new clutch a little time to fit in.)
or 2. When I get it from the dealer, give it a few hard accelerations, e.g. arbitrarily 5 times. :)

What you guys think?
 
#1,761 ·
I've got a little over 27,000 miles on my car now and today took it to the dealer to have them look at both an ever worsening tansmission shuddering issue and what I think is an upper strut mount on the driver's side that might be loose.

In test drive they were not able to duplicate the problems, but at my request, they removed the aero cover that's under the engine to inspect the tranny bell housing for leaks. I remember seeing a few spots of fluid seepage there when performing the oil change about 5,000miles ago, but it was not anything that "jumped out" at me as a problem. Evidently, upon inspection, they discovered a more substantial seep / leak.

So, the car was worked on all day and will be ready tomorrow mid morning some time (interestingly, they had the transmission seal as well as clutches in stock). I'll make the trip back to the dealer (about 72 miles one way) to get my nugget back. I'm both very excited to discover shifting improvements as well as appreciative for Darling Ford's receptiveness to my chief complaint. As far as the strut clunk, it is intermittent and might have been an ice chunk stuck somewhere up in there (but I doubt it). I'll keep you posted.

[cheers]
 
#1,763 ·
FWIW - I was instructed by a friend who is an engineer that this car was not to be broken in - I was to drive it from day one as I currently drove my Mustang.

I just turned 4,900 miles, and have had the car since Sept. 30th 2012 (it's build date is 6/2012 I think).

So far - it appears fine.
 
#1,764 ·
Appreciate the input, and I don't doubt your friend is knowledgable. But let's be real, if the engineers who designed it can't even figure out what's wrong with some of them, I have a hard time accepting anyone outside Ford, engineer or otherwise, is an authority on this particular unit. [wiggle]
 
#1,772 ·
I got my car back this afternoon. They were not able to isolate what I thought was a driver's side upper strut mount issue, but that's OK. If it wasn't a rogue ice chunk, the problem should become more obvious and easier to diagnose over time.

The transmission work was done (new seals, clutch assembly, etc. TSB 11-12-13). As expected, it shifts like a dream. The dealer indicated that so far none of the seal / clutch assembly jobs they have done have come back with the same problem. I am hoping / expecting that the new seals are superior and will hold up. I was pleasantly suprised with improved gas mileage on the drive home. That trip with winter tires usually gets me 37.1 - 37.3 mpg. Coming home today I got 39.3!! Besides being a few degrees warmer (28F instead of 18F, the only difference is the clutches not being contaminated with gear oil. It is logical to expect better efficiency, I just didn't expect to see any kind of noticable improvement in the numbers. Only time will tell.

[cheers]
 
#1,774 ·
So after 5 days of driving mine after an apparent 2nd TSB update, its now WORSE. It now shudders while at highway speed. Before it was just 1st-3rd. Now if I let off the gas to coast a bit and then accelerate I feel the shudder again. And just looked up the info, and in MD after 18,000 miles or 2 years I cannot file for the Lemon Law on a new car. I'm at 27,000. I'm so done with this car. I JUST WANT A SMOOTH DRIVING EXPERIENCE! IS THAT SO MUCH TO ASK FOR FORD?!?!?!?!?!
 
#1,775 ·
It now shudders while at highway speed. Before it was just 1st-3rd. Now if I let off the gas to coast a bit and then accelerate I feel the shudder again. And just looked up the info, and in MD after 18,000 miles or 2 years I cannot file for the Lemon Law on a new car. I'm at 27,000. I'm so done with this car.
At least your dealerships replaced your clutch (right?) or did they just replace the seals? If it's the latter, that's probably your problem. I still have shuddering (same as you - releasing the gas and pressing it again causes shuddering). I don't think you're out of luck, though. Check the BBB to see if they can do repairs. I also don't qualify for the lemon law (over 40k miles), but I'll be contacting the BBB in the summer when it starts acting up again to see if I can force Ford to do the repairs without a full lemon buy-back.
 
#1,777 ·
Weird... although, my car shudders and they also said it was dry. I think they're lying, but they've also never completely opened it up and replaced seals like on your vehicle. They tried to look at it through the starter opening or something?

I think there's a chance we have bad clutches (glazed/broken/etc.) without the oil contamination as well. But Ford seems to be ignoring that possibility, so if there is no oil, they won't replace the clutch.
 
#1,784 ·
I don't know if this applies to Ford USA or if it will even help you out or not PratoN, but, when I was getting my 48K (km's) service on Friday, my service manager has stated that FoMoCo Canada has told them very recently that any DCT complaints on any Focus still under warranty to just "do the job under TSB 11-12-13 regardless of the presence of oil or not". So far, everyone is happy, the dealer and Focus owners... LOL.
 
#1,785 ·
That may have been what happened to me. They replaced my clutches under 11-12-13 even though they said I had no leakage or shuddering (I had shuddering after the new clutches were installed but that's another story - 5 hard starts cured that). I thought 11-12-13 was specific to seal leaks and their symptoms - e.g. shuddering.
 
#1,786 ·
I am curious though what is different in regards to the parts and installation that will make this problem disappear? Same parts will still eventually lead to the same result. As for being happy ... 2 replacements and I have indications of a third leaves me....... quite less than so called happy unless there is medication I should be taken that coincides with the tsb.
 
#1,789 ·
Hello all,
I have a 2013 DCT and that was buit in March 2012. I'm wondering if anyone has experienced any of the issues in this model.
I have put 1800 miles on it in the first three weeks (brand new car). A couple of times it has done a couple weird auto-shifts when I was in sport mode: once when I put it into sport mode it reved up to almost redline (instead of 5-6k RPM, at most, like it normally does. I was on a bit of an incline but it was still really weird. Also I have noticed that the gas pedal vibrates a bit more now than when it was brand new. Also, I drive fairly hard, but do what I can to drive normal/save gas.

Other than that (the weird shift, and the more vibrations) I haven't experienced any significant problems.

Does anyone think I should bring it into a dealership to get it checked out or am I probably okay? Should I try reseting my "shifting strategy", or whatever, that you all were talking about?

And (off-topic) when should my first oil change be?

Thanks.
 
#1,790 ·
It can't be a March 2012 build and be a 2013 MY, 2013 MY builds didn't start until on or after 7/23/12.

If you floor the accelerator it will repeatedly wind out to 6500 rpm or so, although that's less economical than shifting sooner than this.

Its probably ok, the four cylinder engine does shake a touch and it can be felt through the firewall and the pedal assemblies at times. Sometimes higher octane fuels can smooth it out a bit.

First oil change is up to you, you've already passed 1000 miles, some people do their first change before then, others wait until 5000, just change it before 10k miles or 1 year if you want to keep it within the owner's guide to maintain the warranty.
 
#1,804 ·
Ok.
So today my car did another weird shift. I was already in sport mode, however I had not yet engaged manual mode - meaning it was in auto-sport mode (btw I just figured out that I could do that after like 3 weeks of driving the car lol). I was at the top of a small incline about to go downhilll (I was going about 30) when the car auto-shifted (because I was in auto-sport), however it shifted down to 2nd gear instead of up to 4th gear (and, naturally, reved up to about 6k rpm).
I'm not sure why it would downshift at the top of a hill going down like that. Anyone know?

On a side note, is red-lining when the rpm gets the the dashed red area or the solid red area on the rpm gauge? The dashed red area begins at 7k rpm. And solid red begins at 8k rpm I believe. Seems like it should go higher.. but then again I have no idea what i'm talking about lol.
 
#1,805 ·
It would downshift more aggressively in S-auto to maintain speed heading down the hill and to use more engine braking to prevent the car from accelerating down the hill (especially if you lifted off of the throttle at that time). That doesn't sound too unusual to what other people have described in S auto. Personally I don't spend so much time in S auto because it locks out 6th gear until you shift to it manually and then its in manual mode.

The redline is somewhere around 6500-6700 rpm in the dashed region. The tach is marked beyond this, but you really don't want to try to push it to 8000 rpm and I'm pretty sure it won't let you.
 
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