clutch chatter

[paul21]

Basically you have a defective clutch system. Either oil is on the clutches or one of the actuators is not quite right. It is very difficult to get this problem corrected in my experience, but I haven't been stranded with over 9k miles since the problem arose. You can mitigate the problem by disconnecting your battery and forcing it to relearn the clutch parameters or by going in for transmission updates, but these things will not correct the underlying issue and they will reappear within 1000 miles. Good luck.

[Strix]

Originally Posted by paul21

Basically you have a defective clutch system. Either oil is on the clutches or one of the actuators is not quite right. It is very difficult to get this problem corrected in my experience

This has been my experience as well. I had tried to get the dealership to fix it several times, but they didn't do TSB 11-12-13 until I pointed out that a tech at a previous dealership noted a possible oil leak 9 months previously. This was after telling them 3 or 4 times that I suspected my clutch was contaminated.

And after getting TSB 11-12-13 done (new oil seals and clutches), my car vibrates quite badly after the 3->4 shift, and will continue to vibrate for several seconds after the shift. I've been told that this is normal, even though the car didn't do it before, and no other Focus I have driven exhibits this particular problem.

Now the car is also doing many of the same behaviors it did when the clutches were oily. There are large gaps in power delivery between gears, especially on the 1->2 shift, accompanied by a crunching noise (some here have described it as grinding) and a fair amount of shift flare (as if the first clutch is disengaging quickly while the second one is slow to engage).

It is also becoming more reluctant to downshift, and the throttle seems very 'notchy', for lack of a better description. While the pedal moves smoothly, the throttle response of the car doesn't seem to be in step with it. Push the throttle a little and nothing happens... push it some more and then the throttle moves a bit. Then you push the pedal some more and nothing happens again... a little more and you can feel a bit more power. Etc. etc.

I'll leave out my problems with the suspension (also the result of poor dealership service work) since this thread is about the DCT clutches.

But yeah... I can confirm that getting Ford and their dealership network to fix these sorts of problems can be an uphill battle.

[kam327]

Originally Posted by paul21

Basically you have a defective clutch system. Either oil is on the clutches or one of the actuators is not quite right. It is very difficult to get this problem corrected in my experience, but I haven't been stranded with over 9k miles since the problem arose. You can mitigate the problem by disconnecting your battery and forcing it to relearn the clutch parameters or by going in for transmission updates, but these things will not correct the underlying issue and they will reappear within 1000 miles. Good luck.

That isn't necessarily true. Mine appeared at 500 miles and went away at 1500 miles with the 5 full throttle accel routine.

Originally Posted by lifespeed

The car is one year old and has 9K miles. While your suggestions may have some validity in reference to a brand-new clutch that needs to be broken in, and a computer that needs to learn the parameters of said new clutch, I don't think this describes my situation either.

Just to reiterate; my trans and clutch has worked perfectly for 9K miles, until yesterday when it started chattering.

The 5 full throttle accels routine isn't just for new clutches. As I stated above it worked on mine at 1500 miles.

[paul21]

Originally Posted by kam327

That isn't necessarily true. Mine appeared at 500 miles and went away at 1500 miles with the 5 full throttle accel routine.

The 5 full throttle accels routine isn't just for new clutches. As I stated above it worked on mine at 1500 miles.

I'm glad that worked for you, it hasn't worked for me. I'm no stranger to full throttle accelerations.

The chatter evolves into very rough shifting and power surging when the clutches are very cold, slipping between gears, and the feel of someone driving a real manual when the gears change (momentary loss of power while it changes gears). This can result in failure when doing a hard acceleration from a higher gear, like a 6->3 or 6->4 drop. The RPM will flare and the clutch will piddle around and slip, and sometimes it just never locks in, but this takes a long time to evolve.

[Strix]

Originally Posted by paul21

the feel of someone driving a real manual when the gears change (momentary loss of power while it changes gears).

YES! That's exactly what mine does (well, it's one of the things that it does). And even though it didn't do it when it was new, and for a short time after TSB 11-12-13, and other Focuses I have driven don't do it, I'm fully expecting to be told "it's normal" when I finally do get around to having a dealership waste my time again (I'm getting to it, Cory!).

[Kabigon]

Originally Posted by lifespeed

Your comment seems to fall in the category of a slight quirk of this kind of trans, as it is new and breaking in. Which I agree with, don't mind, and doesn't describe my problem.

The clutches can be quirky at times. If the engagement is not smooth, there are three possibilities that may correct the problem.

1) Hard/mixed acceleration (my previous suggestion).

2) The dealer will reset the clutch adaptive learning. This is done by a special service tool and cannot be done be disconnecting the battery.

3) The dealer will replace the clutch assembly and any leaking seals.

[FordCustomerService]

Originally Posted by lifespeed

...my trans and clutch has worked perfectly for 9K miles, until yesterday when it started chattering.

Originally Posted by bigdesignmachine

My 2013 ST has a small noise that the clutch makes when shifting from 1 - 2 and 2 - 3...

Originally Posted by paul21

...The chatter evolves into very rough shifting and power surging when the clutches are very cold...

lifespeed, bigdesignmachine, & paul21,

I want to help by arranging calls from your regional customer service managers. Please send me a PM with your VIN, full name, phone number, approximate mileage, and dealer name/state.

Originally Posted by dan50

...Of course one can still have a leaky seal without anything showing on the outside, but drips should make it an easy call for your dealer.

Originally Posted by kam327

That isn't necessarily true. Mine appeared at 500 miles and went away at 1500 miles with the 5 full throttle accel routine...

Originally Posted by Kabigon

...If the engagement is not smooth, there are three possibilities that may correct the problem...

It’s great to see so much community support, guys!

Originally Posted by Strix

...I'm fully expecting to be told "it's normal" when I finally do get around to having a dealership waste my time again (I'm getting to it, Cory!).

I’m happy you’re open to a follow-up visit, Strix; let me know via PM when you make the appointment and I’ll do what I can to assist.

Cory

[2012sel]

Originally Posted by lifespeed

I just started getting some light clutch chatter in 1st gear while accelerating from a stop. The car is a 2012 Titanium and has only 9K miles on it. I am very concerned. Clutch chatter is typically a wear and/or mechanical problem.

I don't know if I have the "updated" clutch programming in this car. I got it used with 2K miles on it from an Acura dealer, so probably not. I have actually been quite happy with the clutch/transmission behavior up until now. Based on reviews from others with the transmission updates, it wasn't clear to me it was an improvement.

I'm going to make an appointment with the Ford dealer.

Definitely get that felt panel off the bottom of the car and check for signs of a failed seal. See link and comment below from the lemonlaw.com website.

My chatter (as you've described) started at 13,000 miles.

I did the hard acceleration thing using sport mode to make every shift at as much engine power as possible. Trying to make the clutches slip basically. It worked for me and I'm currently at around 17,000 without the problem. I'm not saying it'll work for everyone, but it's obviously worked for many.


http://www.lemonlaw.com/wordpress/fo...ssion-problem/
Adan S Says:
February 1st, 2013 at 10:52 am

I just brough my 2012 Focus SEL into Ford with transmission slippage at 9,500 miles. I was worried that I would get told thats just how it was designed. However, I took the service manager for a test drive to show him first hand my concerns. I explained to him I was aware that this transmission was designed differently and took time to learn the driver. That when I first got it, it did jerk a little until I got used to it. However, within the last few hundred miles the jerking has come back and was so bad I thought I would get whip lash. They put some sort of dye into the transmission and were able to see that fluid was leaking into parts of the transmission where fluid shouldnt be. That that fluid was leaking onto the clutch and that was causing the slippage. They replace 2 seals and the clutch. Now it works GREAT!!! Better than it did the day I drove it off the lot.

[PratoN]

Originally Posted by Strix

...my car vibrates quite badly after the 3->4 shift, and will continue to vibrate for several seconds after the shift. I've been told that this is normal, even though the car didn't do it before, and no other Focus I have driven exhibits this particular problem.

Now the car is also doing many of the same behaviors it did when the clutches were oily. There are large gaps in power delivery between gears, especially on the 1->2 shift, accompanied by a crunching noise (some here have described it as grinding) and a fair amount of shift flare (as if the first clutch is disengaging quickly while the second one is slow to engage).

It is also becoming more reluctant to downshift, and the throttle seems very 'notchy', for lack of a better description. While the pedal moves smoothly, the throttle response of the car doesn't seem to be in step with it. Push the throttle a little and nothing happens... push it some more and then the throttle moves a bit. Then you push the pedal some more and nothing happens again... a little more and you can feel a bit more power. Etc. etc.

I thought I was the only one with 4th gear vibrations! Yay - now that's two cars. That means it's normal!

[lifespeed]

The chatter has mysteriously disappeared. I have been too busy crawling around underneath my other car (2004 Mercury Marauder) to crawl underneath the Focus. But I will, and I will see if any transmission oil is visible.

I cancelled my service appointment because the clutch was not chattering on the appointed day, so likely to have been a useless trip for service.

Out of sight does not mean out of mind for this Focus owner. I hope the clutch is fine, but I will keep an eye on it.