TSB 12B37 - New?

[VOLDAR]

Originally Posted by AmishGuy91

It seems what people are starting to report about this new FSA is what I've seen with my car after the past three TSB transmission updates. Right after I have my car serviced the transmission feels great but it slowly regresses and 2-3 months later the trans is back to shifting as rough as it was pre-update.

It would seem to me that this adaptive learning system is a big part of the problem with the new Focus. Its just not learning in any way that is appropriate or comfortable.

I don't really think it is accurate. I almost never had a problem with my tranny before the first TSB made on it this spring (march). And since it was fixed, the tranny was transitting from "not so good" to "good" and now, after this FSA, to "great". I already put on it 500 miles (800 km) and it is still acting like after the day one of the last FSA.

P.S. If you reset the KAM (whatever this might be, sorry I am a noob about this things), you suggest that you reset the learning system ? Then, I suggest you to "run it like you stole it" (never red-line it, never keep it at same rpms for long time, never use the cruise on the high-way) the first 1000 miles after the reset, orelse you'll have to reset it the next 2000 miles again. I think your tranny was never drove like it should to really "learn" all the spectre of the rpms and the mechanism in it. I don't think I am a "know it all" guy when it comes to the DCT, but I am sure that doing the things I told you, I have now a great tranny on my hands.

[Richs10]

It seems this thread has a couple of "Debbie Downers" who aren't satisfied to hear the recent reports of the improved performance after the 12B37 update and are now predicting future doom and gloom for this update. I prefer to enjoy my 'new' DCT and see how it goes. It's just possilble that Ford may have actually figured out this tranny. I'm just saying.....

[Timthom62]

Having been fortunate enough to not have experienced transmission issues with either our SE or SEL, once it was explained (back on page 1) what the point of FSA 12B37 was, I was in no hurry to get it done to either car. That it would be done eventually was inevitable - given the Recall status and potential warranty issues - but other than a somewhat premature and clumsy shift from 1 to 2 and the (to me minor) rollback issue, we've had no complaints on either car. My attitude about such things is usually "If it ain't broke, don't fix it..." and I was prepared to stick with that strategy.

But, having to take my SEL to the dealer the other day for a minor interior trim issue, they asked if I'd like to have the FSA accomplished since it was due. Based on the positive reports here, I told them to go ahead.

I have to say that I'm incredibly glad I had it done. For me, it's not so much that it makes the DCT operate more like a standard automatic transmission - which it seems to do - as it is that it makes the shifting of the DCT much closer to how I would want/expect it to work if it were a manual transmission and I were shifting it myself.

Gone was the amateurish shift from 1 to 2 that always came too early. In "D", all shifting seems smoother and much better scheduled, with shifts coming at RPM levels that are slightly higher but much more consistent than before. The rollback issue - not something that I actually minded, honestly - appears to be fixed and, as previously reported, the transmission when stopped in "D" actually feels more like a regular automatic transmission in that you actually have to keep your foot on the brake.

In "S", all the above is true but the shift programming is more aggressive with higher revs and really seems to launch the car off the line better than before. Reverse is a lot more authorative as well, with improved performance when backing up a slight incline.

I've put about 200 miles on it since the FSA was accomplished and haven't noticed the programming returning to the way it was previously. Fuel economy numbers seem to be improved by one or two MPG (in city driving), maybe due to the better wind-out on the shifts, but it's still a little early to be sure about that.

The real test for me was driving my wife's SE (that hasn't has the FSA yet) this morning - the differences are instantly noticable. Not "Oh my God, I can't believe I didn't always hate that!" noticable, but enough that I called this morning to have the FSA scheduled for it as well.

Does this FSA fix everything that might be wrong with the transmission on the 2012 Focus? No. But it does make quite a few improvements and is well worth the time it takes to have it done.

[JesseE1981]

My Focus has a 8/11 build date, and here are my thoughts....

Prior to THIS update (even after having the previous updates), I would experience jerky transmission shifts and shudder, mainly from first to second, but I also saw it from second to third (just not as harsh). After this update, the overall shifting seems to be much smoother, but I'm not totally convinced the jerky shifting is completely gone. Yesterday I experienced some slight jerkiness, this morning, none. I swear the temperature outside affects the way this car shifts, so whether that plays into this or not at all, I'm not sure.

Additionally, the car no longer reverses on its own. Prior to this update, if I put the car in reverse, I wouldn't have to put my foot on the gas, it would just naturally creep backwards. No anymore, that is completely gone. I put the car in reverse, and it just sits there until I tell it to go. I do still see some rollback before the creep in drive however, but I don't believe it's as significant as what it was prior to the update.

With regards to the car downshifting on the highway, I still experience a slight hesitation, but it's nowhere near as bad as what it was. Prior to the update, even if I slammed the pedal to the floor, there would be a long hesitation before a downshift. Now, it's much quicker, and is quicker depending on how far you press the gas pedal down. Only push it down slightly, longer hesitation....to the floor, a lot less so.

Lastly, with overall shifting performance, as other have noted, the shift points seem to be much higher (during normal driving, still seem to be low when I'm driving through the city), which makes for a much better driving experience.

Overall, this is probably as good as it's going to get, and if that's the case, I'm pretty happy with this update.

[raptor1956]

Originally Posted by JesseE1981

My Focus has a 8/11 build date, and here are my thoughts....

Prior to THIS update (even after having the previous updates), I would experience jerky transmission shifts and shudder, mainly from first to second, but I also saw it from second to third (just not as harsh). After this update, the overall shifting seems to be much smoother, but I'm not totally convinced the jerky shifting is completely gone. Yesterday I experienced some slight jerkiness, this morning, none. I swear the temperature outside affects the way this car shifts, so whether that plays into this or not at all, I'm not sure.

Additionally, the car no longer reverses on its own. Prior to this update, if I put the car in reverse, I wouldn't have to put my foot on the gas, it would just naturally creep backwards. No anymore, that is completely gone. I put the car in reverse, and it just sits there until I tell it to go. I do still see some rollback before the creep in drive however, but I don't believe it's as significant as what it was prior to the update.

With regards to the car downshifting on the highway, I still experience a slight hesitation, but it's nowhere near as bad as what it was. Prior to the update, even if I slammed the pedal to the floor, there would be a long hesitation before a downshift. Now, it's much quicker, and is quicker depending on how far you press the gas pedal down. Only push it down slightly, longer hesitation....to the floor, a lot less so.

Lastly, with overall shifting performance, as other have noted, the shift points seem to be much higher (during normal driving, still seem to be low when I'm driving through the city), which makes for a much better driving experience.

Overall, this is probably as good as it's going to get, and if that's the case, I'm pretty happy with this update.

One word of caution ... since Ford follows these forums it's never a goo idea to say they've done enough to fix a problem like this. Granted, this latest update seems to be getting us closer to where we should be but we're not there yet so don't encourage them to call it quits. How does this dual clutch transmission compare to the Volkswagen one?

I'm pleased the Ford seems to want to fix the DCT but it aint where it needs to be yet! Going forward this kind of gearbox is going to become more popular and it is in Fords interest to get a handle on it now or fall behind...


Brian

[DBrim]

I'm approaching 300 miles since the update, and I'm starting to form some impressions.

1. Shallow hill rollback while in drive is 100% gone. It feels like it *wants* to roll back and something is stopping it.
2. Sharp shifts are still somewhat prevalent in traffic after the car is warm. It seems like it's not quite as bad as before, though. Will wait for the full 1000 to go by before forming a full opinion on this.
3. "Throttle lag" is still pretty prevalent. It still takes a full second or two to downshift if you punch the throttle on the highway. I hope Ford continues to address this in the future, because it's still a big problem.
4. For whatever reason, my car rolls a lot more when I park it on a hill than it did before. My sequence is hold brake, shift into park, pull e-brake, shut off engine, release brake. Even with the e-brake it rolls almost a foot.
5. Fuel economy: not going to judge yet since I'm purposefully accelerating harder than I normally do for break-in purposes.

I'll post again after the full 1000 has gone by.

[PratoN]

Originally Posted by DBrim

1. Shallow hill rollback while in drive is 100% gone. It feels like it *wants* to roll back and something is stopping it.
3. "Throttle lag" is still pretty prevalent. It still takes a full second or two to downshift if you punch the throttle on the highway. I hope Ford continues to address this in the future, because it's still a big problem.
4. For whatever reason, my car rolls a lot more when I park it on a hill than it did before. My sequence is hold brake, shift into park, pull e-brake, shut off engine, release brake. Even with the e-brake it rolls almost a foot.

2. I noticed this too! Today I was on a slight incline at an intersection and I let off the brake to roll back because a pedestrian was walking toward the intersection and I actually started to roll FORWARD - like a normal automatic! It was weird... so then I popped it into neutral so the nice lady could cross the road.
3. Yeah...
4. A foot is a pretty long distance... better get that checked out.

[hothatch]

I had an update done in early February this year, is the FSA 12B37 an even newer update? Just wondering if I should go in for it or if it's the same thing I already had done.

[PratoN]

Originally Posted by hothatch

I had an update done in early February this year, is the FSA 12B37 an even newer update? Just wondering if I should go in for it or if it's the same thing I already had done.

Yeah... this a new one... but it's a good one, I swear!

[fordnut02]

Got letter in Mail today, making appointment tomm, have only been getting a shutter every once in a while , but our driveway is a incline, so always get rollback , see if this helps ?

keep everyone updated !