2012 Focus SE Transmission Grinding

[JimsFocus]

Originally Posted by dan50

Cory, as an FYI for your technical advisor: my DCT doesn't make a grinding noise. Should I make a service appointment to remedy this abnormal behavior?

I like this...

My Focus was "abnormal" for the first 1,500 miles, then it became "normal" and I traded it in.

[sdwcam01]

Originally Posted by PratoN

My dealers said "It's a characteristic of the transmission." But then that begs the question - why doesn't it chatter when shifting into odd gears? I brought it up several times to my dealers that it sounded like a clutch-related issue because it only happens in R, 2, 4 and 6. Soooo I gave up until summer comes around again.

It’s funny you say that, because mine still shifts hard, loses power, and grinds between 2-3., but only when it’s warm outside. Recently, it’s been cold here – so, I’m with you and waiting until it starts to warm up again to get it to grind consistently.

[PratoN]

Originally Posted by sdwcam01

It’s funny you say that, because mine still shifts hard, loses power, and grinds between 2-3., but only when it’s warm outside. Recently, it’s been cold here – so, I’m with you and waiting until it starts to warm up again to get it to grind consistently.

Same here - I can still get it to do it with moderate load and low RPM or up a hill, but it's still too picky for me to convince the dealers it's something I need until it REALLY starts to act up come summer.

[sdwcam01]

Originally Posted by PratoN

Same here - I can still get it to do it with moderate load and low RPM or up a hill, but it's still too picky for me to convince the dealers it's something I need until it REALLY starts to act up come summer.

I actually made it grind after idling for 5 minutes while waiting to get through a gate; as soon as I started to take off it grinded between 2-3 and it was 26f outside.

[agamben0]

Cory did a great job in responding to me and getting a CSM to talk to me about my grinding problem. For that I am quite grateful.

Unfortunately, that's about all that's great about my situation right now.

I talked to the CSM that called me, and wouldn't you know it, she had the EXACT SAME ATTITUDE AS THE DEALER. Trying to pass off my concerns as normal. She did however say that she would get my closest dealer to contact me... which they did a day later, I was busy and missed the call, and they didn't leave a message.

Come on, Ford!

The more I drive around, the more I realize that I'm never going to be able to get a severe enough noise to happen on-demand for a tech to hear... that I'm going to be stuck with a car I have no confidence in... and that the best long-term strategy is to get something else :(

I test drove a 2013 Cruze today and I have to say I was very impressed...

[paul21]

The CSM/CSR won't do anything. The dealerships are independent, and Ford has setup some kind of warranty repair reimbursement system that is not favorable to the dealers (otherwise they'd be jumping all over the chance to do a repair). If you want it repaired, you have to be friendly with the service center and probably at multiple dealerships until you find one that is willing to accept non-lucrative warranty work. The grinding, unfortunately, is not easily lemonable as your car is still reliably working.

[sdwcam01]

Originally Posted by paul21

The grinding, unfortunately, is not easily lemonable as your car is still reliably working.

The only reason I can see around this is to appeal how it lowers value. I know that if any of us try to sell our cars, either a buyer or dealership is going to look at us as if we’re crazy when we tell them that the grinding is “normal.” Heck, if the dealership would have mentioned that (of course they’re not going to) I would have walked away and found something else.

I would also mention how it lowers safety of the car, as the transmission is going to fail at some point due to the wearing in the gears.

[Kabigon]

Originally Posted by agamben0

I talked to the CSM that called me, and wouldn't you know it, she had the EXACT SAME ATTITUDE AS THE DEALER. Trying to pass off my concerns as normal.

Perhaps "harmless" would be a more appropriate word than "normal".

The noise may be disconcerting but there is no direct evidence that suggests it is harmful.

Keep in mind that the "grinding noise" is not really grinding at all.

[agamben0]

Originally Posted by paul21

The CSM/CSR won't do anything. The dealerships are independent, and Ford has setup some kind of warranty repair reimbursement system that is not favorable to the dealers (otherwise they'd be jumping all over the chance to do a repair). If you want it repaired, you have to be friendly with the service center and probably at multiple dealerships until you find one that is willing to accept non-lucrative warranty work. The grinding, unfortunately, is not easily lemonable as your car is still reliably working.

Good to know. Sort of reinforces my position at this point that I'm not getting anywhere, and I never will, so it's best if I just get rid of it while it has some amount of value.

Originally Posted by Kabigon

Perhaps "harmless" would be a more appropriate word than "normal".

The noise may be disconcerting but there is no direct evidence that suggests it is harmful.

Keep in mind that the "grinding noise" is not really grinding at all.

The noises getting louder and more frequent as time goes on does not give me any amount of confidence that it'll still be drivable a year from now without being constantly bothered by noises and shaking. Harmless or not, it's embarrassing. People ride in my car and ask what the heck is wrong with it.

[Kabigon]

Originally Posted by agamben0

The noises getting louder and more frequent as time goes on does not give me any amount of confidence that it'll still be drivable a year from now without being constantly bothered by noises and shaking. Harmless or not, it's embarrassing. People ride in my car and ask what the heck is wrong with it.

Does the noise happen under moderate to hard acceleration?