2012 Focus SE Transmission Grinding

[sdwcam01]

Yea. I've read most of the forum and have seen that people have had the same problem. I was just seeing if anyone had an suggestions on what to tell the dealership when I go in tomorrow since they know this is a problem.

I may follow suit and have to file complaints everywhere I can if they don't resolve this is 'reasonable' manner in accordance with the California lemon law.

Where are you filing a complaint?

[InfinityCubed]

I'm mailing it certified mail to Ford Motor Company Headquarters.

[sdwcam01]

Yup. That's what a few lemon law sites have said to do so we can start the legal process.

[InfinityCubed]

Yeah my state requires it, so that's what I'll be doing first, followed up by the official BBB Lemon Law complaint.

[sdwcam01]

Originally Posted by InfinityCubed

Yeah my state requires it, so that's what I'll be doing first, followed up by the official BBB Lemon Law complaint.

How long have you been dealing with this issue?

[powermax]

Originally Posted by sdwcam01

It’s really normal, in any case, for a transmission to grind? I know I don’t know a whole lot about cars, but any grinding sound coming from my whole powertrain is unacceptable; grinding = something breaking or wearing down. It’s funny to hear someone say this normal, as I work on helicopters and if I were to tell them a grinding sound in their gearboxes was normal, they would fire me, lol.

I need to add that it grinds for about 1-3 seconds on a slow take-off and about 1-2 on a fast take-off. When it is about to shift from second to third, it drops down to a lower RPM, feels like it is going to stall, and starts jerking the car back and forth (the rpms fluctuate as well about 500-100 rpms on the tachometer). When I take off quickly, it skips from second to whichever gear, but jerks VERY hard and produces a loud ‘clunk.’

I am going to drive it a bit more here in a little while, I’ll see if I notice anything else.

I never had severe grinding, now with 1800kms it very rarely does it at low speeds and is barely noticeable.

[sdwcam01]

In my opinion, it shouldn't do it at all. Like I said before, metal grinding in a car is never a good thing. Lol. There is nothing good that can come from this when the transmission just fails to shift because it has no third gear.

Mine grinds pretty loud and affects take off. I let the car cool to ambient temp (73f) earlier and drove for 5 minutes before it started again. I stopped and started 3 times for stop signs.

[powermax]

Originally Posted by sdwcam01

In my opinion, it shouldn't do it at all. Like I said before, metal grinding in a car is never a good thing. Lol. There is nothing good that can come from this when the transmission just fails to shift because it has no third gear.

Mine grinds pretty loud and affects take off. I let the car cool to ambient temp (73f) earlier and drove for 5 minutes before it started again. I stopped and started 3 times for stop signs.

You should definitely bring it back to the dealer. I find that the best way to show them a problem is recording a video with my phone when the problem happens so they can't simply say that they were not able to reproduce the problem.

[sdwcam01]

Well, the good news is, is that it's so consistent I can just show them the problem when I go down there tomorrow. I plan on taking a service guy on a ride and letting him hear it. I think letting them drive it would result in the "we can't duplicate the problem" crap that they probably will try to feed me.

[powermax]

Originally Posted by sdwcam01

Well, the good news is, is that it's so consistent I can just show them the problem when I go down there tomorrow. I plan on taking a service guy on a ride and letting him hear it. I think letting them drive it would result in the "we can't duplicate the problem" crap that they probably will try to feed me.

If it escalates we have a ford customer service person in this forum she is very helpful.

Just IM her here: http://www.focusfanatics.com/forum/member.php?u=79824