Focus Fanatics Forum banner

Just had a "Holy Sh$t" moment

5K views 26 replies 14 participants last post by  VonKaiser 
#1 ·
Comin' to work this morning (in my 2013 DCT SE Hatch) behind a lagger, and the guy sloooowly & thankfully makes a right turn & gets out of my way. So, knowing the DCT likes to be driven harder rather than easier, I hit the pedal about 1/2 - 2/3 down. Well, the damn thing drops probably 2 gears, accelerates HARD, & slams me back in the seat! No hesitation, no soft shift, just BAM. Felt the back of my head hit the restraint. Surprised the crap out of me. I couldn't stop laughing & grinning for at least 10 minutes. Anyone going the other way must have thought I was a moron or was listening to the comedy station on the radio. I'm finding out these cars have some potential, although it's not always as willing and able. Instead of a "Dual Clutch", "Dual Personality" might be a better name. lol.
At that moment, I couldn't have been happier with my Focus.
 
#3 ·
I see you have a DCT like mine... Every once in a blue moon I will have a situation like yours... Ill do a pull and itll respond instantly or a launch and the thing surprises the heck out of me to the point I get that laugh and grin as well. It happens so rarely though. If only it could act like that all the time...
 
#5 ·
Ive only ever experienced slight chatter from my DCT (update all but eliminated this, happens maybe once a month), but the damn thing performs like a dream. I've become so good at manipulating the throttle, I can downshift 2 gears on command. I dont have the select shift feature on my car, so when Im cruising back roads in the country and they get curvy, I turn hill assist on and kick out my OD gear, this allows me to play around in the 3k-4.5 rpm range without it shifting on me.


I've read countless statements referring to the problems so many people have encountered with their car, and it really saddens me that some will never know what a joy the car they purchased actually is.


Purchased it in early February and I just rolled over 13k. Love this car.
 
#9 ·
I see you have a DCT like mine... Every once in a blue moon I will have a situation like yours... Ill do a pull and itll respond instantly or a launch and the thing surprises the heck out of me to the point I get that laugh and grin as well. It happens so rarely though. If only it could act like that all the time...

Also sounds like mine! I like that term, "dual personality" lol
 
#14 ·
Im extremely happy with 13-04-05.I only had minor lurching ocasionally on launch and its cured,I can launch at any throttle now but I,m finding the 1st 2 gears are very close together.I'm not sure if its gear ratio or programming but its hard to come out of the hole fast on launch from a standing start.I'm learning theres a sweet spot on launch that will get through 1st and 2nd the fastest and smoothest then its ready to pull as hard as I want it to.I hit it down the other day and like OP it was perfect,5500 rpm couldnt even tell it shifted all the way to 6th.This car can haul ass when you want it to.I'm assuming the closeness of 1st and 2nd is part of the mpg attempt which is great but its a bit of a buzz kill when your feeling like a rebel [thumb]
 
#15 ·
I have a long commute to/from work, 70km one way, and I think I put my car through every type of drive I possibly can now. I have had this '12 SEL DCT for just under 10 months now and have put just over 55,000km on it.

I noticed my car really loves turning.. No matter if its a left or a right turn, it feels like it roars out of a turn every time and just launches me/whomever in the car with little effort. I LOVE it...

There is a turn near my home where the speeds are decent (80km/hr) and I have to admit there are a lot of douches driving civic's and such that try to stunt around and $h1t but whenever I hit this turn and its a good straightaway for over 5km of flatlands, they all stay in my mirror and never have a chance to even come close to catching up.

I do drive my car hard because I noticed from the get go it likes to know i'm the boss.. It's like a dog I think, make sure it knows you are the master and you make sure you give it clear demands on how to act and it will listen :)

I love the DCT!

Yeah, it slugs and shudders when you are slow and what not, but this car is definitely meant to be driven hard.

Sorry thats my $0.02 (canadian)
 
#19 ·
Below 15 mph mine is just a beating to drive. 15+ it's a dream. I just wish it would stay in 1st longer pulling out into traffic making a sharp right or left from a stop - it just shifts into second even when floored when turning, and won't pop back into first once it straightens out to speed up, again even when floored. Luckily there's select shift so i can just put it in 1st and it will hold if needed.

It does gladly go to 2nd from 4th or 5th when cruising in the city holding high rpm's through all the gears, just not 1st.

The "torque vectoring" through the corners is also great, applying the brakes to the inner wheels and power to the outer front wheel whipping you through and out of the corner with no sliding or wheel spin, even in mild wet and dusty conditions.
 
#21 ·
up, but within my normal range, last tank before tune was 33.3, first tank with tune 33.5, this tank car shows 35.9, but I have gotten that without the tune before.
 
#22 ·
I still don't see the good of the DCT if it's as inconsistent for some, chatters for others, shifts nice then act different next time and for some it's been a nightmare with multiple dealer trips and then others it's perfect for now; just makes me glad I kept it simple with a true shift it yourself 5 speed.

At least Ford finally acknowledged the shortcomings of the Focus and hopefully pins the DCT innerworkings down and gets this tranny working right for everybody.
 
#23 ·
I found that my 60~65 mph stomp the throttle to the floor gets me to 80 mph for passing quite quickly. Plus I don't know the exact range but I think my car also does this at ~35 mph or so too. It's like a solid put-you-back-in-your-seat kind of acceleration. The other thing is even in stock form I would almost swear this new SE would give my old SVT a run for its money on some of these corners. :D

I just hate it from 0-15 mph off the line. It's just not fast enough... But I guess I was spoiled with all my previous V8 vehicles. LOL
 
#24 ·
I love my DCT sel. It's isn't fast fast, but it is quick and responsive, providing you keep the revs up, which i have no qualms over.

The only time I have ever had any lurching problems is when in reverse if I don't give it enough gas, or when I don't come to a complete stop and the car is in the midst of changing down to first gear and I try to give gas. Those are driver errors and should not be blamed on the transmission.

And yes, those highway throttle mashes to pass are exciting... Not exciting was the illinois state trooper who pulled me over and gave me a speeding ticket... Yesterday...
 
#26 ·
Lol, nothing to brag about, got caught passing cars to make an exit... Guy was all over me so I dropped it down a couple and floored it, maybe more than necessary, to pass and get over to right lane. Came around a curve and saw him on side of road. I knew I was cooked immediately... Trooper was really cool about whole stop and even looked like he gave my car a double take around the front like he was checking it out. I did just detail it that morning, and the SGM was popping in the sun. AND, didn't say anything about tints which I liked. Mine are legal, but he didn't even notice them it seemed, or didn't care.

He said he got me at 91, I won't admit to any exact speed, lol, but I do have to go see a judge about it...

Ugh, it's probably going to be expensive...
 
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