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Ford Powershift/DCT Transmission Info & Use Guide (New Owners Look Here!)

397K views 731 replies 195 participants last post by  stuart s 
#1 ·
I am writing this as a general knowledge and use guide regarding the Ford Powershift transmission, available in all North American (and other areas, of course) Focuses. For this guide I will only be focusing on what is available in North America as it is what I am familiar with. The purpose of this is to inform drivers of what they are buying, and to help with any driveability issues (jerkiness, etc.) related to the operation of this transmission. For this guide, I will not be considering the ST model at all, so any reference to the Focus is in reference to the other models (S - Titanium).

Jump straight to post #2 for my recommendations on driving with this transmission and reducing low speed jerkiness.

First I will explain why the Powershift is different then most other gearboxes. Here is a Wiki article on the powershift, for anyone looking for a bit more information on it: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ford_PowerShift_transmission

To start, the North American Focus is available with two gearboxes, a 5 speed manual and 6 speed "automatic" (the Powershift). The 5 speed manual is a typical manual gearbox. The 6 speed automatic, however, is not a typical automatic transmission. If you bought a Focus in North America, and it was equipped with an automatic transmission, it has the Powershift dual clutch transmission. The powershift is what is called a "dual clutch transmission". It's called this because...it use two clutches between it and the engine. For those unfamiliar with how transmission work, here is a very brief explanation of the differences between a manual and (normal) automatic, and how the Powershift is different then either:

- A manual transmission and automatic transmission are designed differently, and transmit power to the drive wheels in different ways. How each gearbox works is mostly irrelevant, but what is relevant is how each gearbox is connected to the engine. With a manual transmission, something called a clutch is used, which operates similar to a disc brake system. What this means is that when the clutch is pressed against the engine, the entire drivetrain (engine to drive wheels) is "locked up". Generally speaking no slipping of any parts happens during this, so any power generated by the engine is transmitted directly to the rest of the drivetrain.

- A "traditional" automatic uses something called a torque converter between the engine and transmission. This is a device filled with fluids, and simply put, several fans (turbines, really). The torque converter allows the engine to revolve without allowing that motion to be transferred to the transmission, and also allows for the engine speed and transmission input speed to be different, even while the vehicle is moving. What this means is that when you are are driving your vehicle, the transmission is not physically connected to the engine (the torque converter does "lock up" at higher speeds though, but that's irrelevant here). What this means is that any changes in engine speed are not directly applied to the transmission (and thus drive wheels), which allows for nice, smooth operation. Think of it like stirring a big pot of water with a spoon. When you first start stirring, the water doesn't really move much, but as you keep going it will start to spin with the spoon and speed up. That is what is happening here, so there is a buffer stopping any jolts from the engine being transmitted to the wheels.

That is important to know as it relates to how the vehicle operates at low speeds. Normal automatic transmissions are notoriously smooth at low speeds because of the torque converter. Manual transmissions often aren't because the clutch does not allow for such forgiveness, and smoothness is directly related to how good the driver is (and how they are able to slip the clutch to keep things smooth). How does this related to the Powershift transmission?:

The Ford Powershift transmission is, in design and general operation, a manual gearbox. It uses a clutch between the motor and transmission (two of them, actually...hence calling it a "dual clutch transmission"), and the transmission itself is designed internally much like a manual transmission. The differences are in that it has several computer controlled electronic servos (electric motors, basically) that do all the shifting and engaging/disengaging of the clutch. Why does this matter? It matters because it uses a clutch to connect it to the motor, which generally speaking means a bit more of a jerky ride, especially at low speeds (regardless of how good the computer is at operating it).

Why would Ford use such a transmission? Mostly because it offers improved gas mileage over traditional automatic transmissions. Because those transmissions use a torque converter, some of the energy produced by the engine is lost in the torque converter. Meanwhile, a transmission using a clutch transmits all of its power through the clutch so less power is lost overall. This means more power to the wheels, and better fuel economy.
 
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#70 ·
My focus has 12,000 miles on it, and during that time, the transition from first to second produced shudder, but somewhere around the 11,000 miles mark, the transmission smoothed out, and I have not experience shutter since then. I believe that this is due to the transmission not being entirely broken in. I drive mostly on freeway, so the clutch was not getting much use. During December, I made the concerted effort to drive only on surface streets, and use the clutch as much as I could, I figured, if you must fail, fail now. I also performed the "clutch scrubbing" technique, this eliminated the shuttering. Shudder should not be confused for low speed jerkiness, any DCT will jerk at crawling parking lot speeds. Shutter will be slippage during gear transitions, primarily first to second.
 
#72 ·
My 2013 with 30K is close to flawless during cold temps. Starting around November here in NC it got much better. My expectation is that around April we'll get back to the more normal quirky operation. I've even noticed the quirkiness when temps have gotten in the upper 60's during the winter. Maybe I need to move further north.. NOT!!
 
#78 ·
thanks for this write up!
now that im leaving more space in the highway stop and go traffic it is way smoother.

I do notice though when I get off the highway it seems to stuttuer from 1st to 2nd and sometimes from 2nd to 3rd. time to take it to a dealer? or do other people have this happen?
2012 sel powershift
 
#79 ·
10 months and 20k later driving one, I think it can be summed up in 3 steps:

1. Pretend you are driving a stick and don't want it to "jerk" in first gear. Simply give it easy throttle at first and after coming off the brakes at low speeds.

2. When they say leave gaps in traffic, all that really means is don't instantly jump on the gas with zero room behind the car in front of you. Simply allow a full car length or two so you can give ease into the throttle like in step 1.

3. If you do have some mild shudder once in awhile, then do a "clutch scrub", a "Mario Tuneup" for your DCT... Simply floor it and leave it floored until it shifts at redline for as many gears as possible. I try to do this a few times a day while merging on to freeways. This helps "remind" the DCT's adaptive feature to remember it needs to clamp strongly for powerful shifts sometimes.

(Optional) Adding a $9 motor mount insert has completely transformed my car from feeling like a an old Civic with 200k miles to sporty and responsive, including the DCT. Yes, I might have a bad motor mount but it was that way when I got it at 18k miles. Former rental it might have been abused, but still, only 18k miles the motor mount shouldn't be bad. Now my engine doesn't rattle at startup, I get MUCH better take off traction and the DCT is acting far better.
 
#80 ·
Excellent write-up, this has confirmed my feelings from driving the car that I just need to treat it as a manual, even though it's an automatic. I've seen several comments around the forums so far that the DCTs are "terrible transmissions" but I think that stems from a lack of understanding of how these things actually work. I've noticed getting off of the highway or idling at a light that the transmission works like a manual - it will slip backward if I've got my foot off the brake and throttle. For me this isn't an issue and I've quickly figured out how to behave in the car. Again, your write-up actually explains my assumptions, thank you!
 
#81 ·
Ah, I see you have a 2012 that's never had a software update? The rolling backwards was addressed in a software update later on and that actually adds some of the traditional automatic "creep forward". I'd go to the dealer and simply tell them that you know there is a software update available for the transmission and would like that performed. It also helps with other DCT issues and is recommended in general. Just remember that the transmission is always learning/adapting so drive it "with spirit" as much as you can after getting the update done so it learns to downshift quickly when you want it to and perform well in general . Hope this helps!
 
#87 ·
Yes, it is 7 years/100k on the seals, clutches AND software, the things that need to be covered the most so you are definitely good... and with Ford the warranty follows the car itself and not the owner or numbers of, like those ones that are 10 year/100k powertrain, those drop big time for 2nd owner and are non-existent for 3rd+ owner.
 
#89 ·
A good dealership definitely goes along way and I think is a huge difference in these forums from jaded to the accepting haha.

My dealership just did the full fix (seals, clutches, reflash, etc) without alot of hair pulling or anything. Very happy with this car now!
 
#90 ·
Yep, I had my full fix at 18k and now at 38k there is no sign of any issues at all... I just make sure to "get on it" after she's fully wamed up and when it's safe (merging on to the freeway, overtaking, etc.). The transmission is always learning and adapting so if you make sure to get on it, even keeping it floored as it shifts through the gears, that's "clutch scrubbing" I was talking about earlier... it's actually GOOD for our car to drive it hard sometimes! :)
 
#105 ·
So, i read through this entire thread. i did not know you are to drive a manual and an automatic differently. all these years switching between my 5.0 5 speed and my wife's Expedition i've been doing it wrong. [slap]

i've only experienced the herky jerkiness at low speeds the first couple times i drove it. i've naturally adjusted my driving, so i suppose i drive it like a manual now. ?? i have noticed it shifts from first to second REAL early when you're light on the throttle and it happens somewhat leasurely.

what i don't like is the lagging kick down at highway speeds. give it gas, watch the rpms shoot to near redline, and brace for the clutches to grab and accelerate you. soooo, i've stopped sudden passes. i plan them out and accelerate to pass in stages. slightly increase speed until a good downshift then a little more agressive/deliberate throttle to get the gear i want and the clutches hooked with little hesitation. i don't do THAT in a manual. but is that normal for this DCT or should i have it checked out?
 
#106 ·
what i don't like is the lagging kick down at highway speeds. give it gas, watch the rpms shoot to near redline, and brace for the clutches to grab and accelerate you. soooo, i've stopped sudden passes. i plan them out and accelerate to pass in stages. slightly increase speed until a good downshift then a little more agressive/deliberate throttle to get the gear i want and the clutches hooked with little hesitation. i don't do THAT in a manual. but is that normal for this DCT or should i have it checked out?
Ya, mine has only done that a couple of times... if you do the "clutch scrubbing" where you do some full throttle acceleration runs it will definitely minimize that... I try to get on it, after it's fully warmed up, to where it's shifting at redline with the throttle floored at least a couple of times a day.... somehow it seems in the adaptive learning that it will learn to grab and go much sooner, or it could be the clothes themselves need a bit of a cleaning sometimes too.
 
#107 ·
I'm considering the purchase of a left-over 2014 Focus SE Hatch. Pretty awesome incentives are making these cheap. That said, I'm worried about the trans. I understand that a DCT will drive different than an auto, and in fact most of my cars are manual, so I get the way a dry clutch will react to throttle movements and such. The driveability difference doesn't concern me. Durability on the other hand does. I think I'm a pretty good candidate for the DCT being no big deal - I live in the sticks, so stop and go is rare.

I know that complaints are a lot more visual than happy customers, but man are there a lot of complaints. I'm trying to get a sense of percentages. What percentage of buyers are fine with the DCT? 80%? 90%? 99%? I'm hoping for a car that will serve me relatively trouble free for the next 200k miles.
 
#108 ·
I would guess 90%+, but that's just a guess... That said, most of the 2014's, especially any leftover ones, are the later versions with most of the early seal/clutch issues ironed out... After my '13 got the new seals and cluthes, I've been 20k miles with just minor quirks I can live with. The thing is even in stop and go traffic it's not a big deal as long as you get on off the throttle deliberately, like this thread talks about... I get stuck in traffic sometimes with my commute and as long as you don't try to constantly tailgate, like you wouldn't with a manual anyway, then you are fine.
 
#111 ·
(To preface this, I don't have my new Focus yet, it's still in queue to be built. But I did a lot of poking about and researching the MK3 Foci before making my decision. I was in the same boat as you a few months ago.)

They also extended the warranties for people who did fall under that time range where issues with the seal/clutch arose. TSBs were issued, but no recalls as far as I know.

That said, over 600,000 Foci sold in the past 3 years is an impressive feat. No outright troubles with the DCT itself that I could find when I was researching the Focus. Lots of complaints, understandably, that it doesn't behave like say a Civic, but at the same time no actual problems that would require Ford to bring the car back to the engineers and say "we need a new car now".

I can't say anything about reliability though, you'll need actual owners to pipe up on that
 
#117 ·
I think the problems you can read about in the last three years of posts here, are limited to a small percent of production, otherwise this would have made the national news.
 
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#113 ·
I think today 2014 Focus is the best deal you can get - super crazy incentives that stack together, make sure you get them all! (Finance through Ford, then re-finance if you want to)

As for DCT - by 2014 most of them are good, and even if you get a bad one (very low chance) - it is a well known issue and you are covered by warranty! If it is a bad one you will find out within the first few thousand miles - well before the warranty for transmission runs out.

I think now I would be much more afraid of used 2012-2013 (why would someone sell a 'new' car unless it has issues?) because the warranty might be expired.
 
#115 ·
Remember, Ford's warranty extension does not end if one sells the car. The warranty is still there for whoever buys it. So it's not a total wash... but many brands and models go well into 100k or more without needing major component replacement.

But let's say the 2014 model really has a fixed transmission system and everyone has a good unit. That's great for the 2014 owners. (Didn't the '15 model get a complete overhaul?) What about the 2012-13 owners? People prefer to want some reliability out of their cars and anyone with a '12 or '13, especially if they've had to go to the dealer for a DCT problem, is not going to feel very warm about long-term prospects and these car things do cost rather a lot of money and transmission work at 10k miles is not exactly good. Those who've had bad dealership experiences will be driven away for good, pardon the pun.
 
#119 ·
I also think it's important to note before placing all the blame on Ford is that the transmission is NOT even made by Ford but Getrag... Now, of course that doesn't make the situation itself better but it's more along the lines of Ford making a bad decision to trust Getrag that these transmissions were ready for mass production. Ford has been overall the most reliable American brand and there is a good reason they didn't need to take government bailout money and that's because they put out overall very good products. To place ALL the blame on Ford and saying you will never buy one again is pretty short-sighted, IMHO, but do what you want, that's your right... And I say this after my transmission almost caused me to have an accident but it was fixed and has been fine since, and I don't mind it's bit of quirkiness overall.
 
#123 ·
Couldn't Ford pass some of the blame with Getrag, since Getrag has some responsibility in all this? Ford subcontracted out, but Ford still has to rely on partners - like estimators, there are people who are usually paid to look at statistics and shift gears when bad trends develop. That and Getrag did not make the whole car. When one partner doesn't know what the other is doing, problems ensue. What did Getrag needed to know from Ford? Should Getrag ask questions about how the rest of the Mk3 Focus was being developed?

Even then, Ford made the choice to subcontract, and most of us, if asked, would probably say to have everything done in-house where control and communication are quicker and clearer. Ford was in the driver's seat regarding using Getrag, pardon the pub.

Having said that, Ford is extending warranties and thus helping out customers as such. That's helping to convince me Ford actually wants to keep customers in the future, even if 7 years is short (who came up with that figure? How long do people normally keep cars? Many say "ten years", though many also say "six".) Either way, by then, Mk4 will hopefully be a lot better where it counts the most - this isn't a cup holder that's flaking out, it's one of the most critical parts OF a car. Big difference. But Ford's mistake has cost it customers. It doesn't matter if Ford was directly responsible for the design or indirectly via Getrag dropped the ball. Ford made the choice. The customers got hurt. Anyone in business knows what options exist and I am believing Ford is making largely the right ones.

With luck the clutch pack rev F will fix the problems, unlike how everyone thought 12B37 fixed everything for good nearly three years ago.

But, most interestingly, why care about Ford not taking taxpayer money as if there's any form of nationalism going on? Especially when Ford opted to close the F150 plant and move it to another country. As if it matters - most people know Ford's cars contain parts made all over the world, just like ever other car maker. It's as American as Toyota, just for some different reasons.

That and, in general, companies that make good products don't always get sales - especially when customers don't have the money to spend. Like the former factory workers.
 
#122 ·
I think a bigger problem was that many of the Ford techs were not fully trained on how to repair the transmission properly either... There have been YouTube videos posted of the repair process and how it is easy to get the repair wrong... Mine was done last year with Rev C seals, and Rev D clutch pack and has been fine, and my opinion is that the techs themselves have finally gotten the repair down better recently.
 
#124 ·
If Rev D is rock solid, why was Rev F created? I'd almost bet money that rev "F" is not the magic cure-all. If it is, that's great! Only time will tell. At least we're covered with warranty and Ford's backing up customers is a genuinely nice thing to do. But it's hard to disagree with those who've looked up lemon laws either (both sides of the issue make sense and have validity and maybe it was best for the revamped Focus to have been delayed, although the Fiesta had the DCT for a year, problems were mentioned, and it was ported to the Focus anyway.)

I'm sure the technicians are now fully in tune with dealing with the DCT thanks to their increasing ubiquity. But even the best technician can only do so much with an imperfectly designed part. The DCT's issue in the Focus seems to have more to do with the design and engineering rather than the technicians and their unenviable job of having to repair/replace transmission components or while transmissions.

Especially in real world conditions like city traffic, there are legitimate issues. Let's hope clutch packs rev D and F really do fix the issues.
 
#128 ·
"F" was questioned when it was first learned of, as "D" seemed to be doing the job.

Then multiple sources confirmed it as packaging "D" clutches along with seals, and existing stocks of individual components were still to be used until gone since it wasn't an "upgrade".
 
#129 ·
Thank you for the information! I just recently bought a used 2013 Ford Focus with 56,000 miles on it and have been experiencing the jerkiness of the transmission. What I have experienced is that my transmission becomes more jerky the longer my trip is. Is there any particular reason for this? Is the jerkiness of the transmission rough on the transmission itself?
 
#130 ·
I had this problem as well, but Field Service Action 12B37 (revised programming) was a solution. You're still covered by the powertrain and extended clutch/seals/programming warranties, so take it to your dealer.

12B37 was mandatory, so yes, Ford thought severe jerkiness could damage the transmission.
 
#134 ·
Copying and pasting from another post. I had just had the clutches replaced and had a reflash done.

OK so I got my car back a couple of days ago and I have a few questions:

1. There is still a slight shudder when I'm really light on the throttle. It only happens occasionally but is this normal?

2. When I'm a little heavier on the gas pedal I notice a little vibration when shifting from 3-4 gear. Is this normal?

Edit: I have done a little reading on this and it seems that the noise/vibration is the shift forks?
 
#139 ·
Here's my question. What about when I want to race the chump next to me? (; Do I let up on the gas at all when changing gear in select shift? ..or is there some kind of automated function that creates the best opportunity for the gears to actually engage? In my VERY limited experience my 2013se seems to shift better balls to the wall. If I let up it's almost like the trannys getting a double signal. I know the operative word is "deliberate" but I was curious about how to operate the system when you are going for best acceleration.
 
#141 ·
Hi all. Newbie here in the focus crowd. Picked up a 2013 SE Hatch for relatively cheap, got the extended bumper to bumper on it. I went into the dealer knowing about DCT and the "quirks" of its quasi-manual feel. That being said, I don't notice it a ton because I went into the mentality I had to do the following:
- Deliberate on throttle. I often in stop and go leave a few feet more in front when period periods of acceleration are had. I don't gun it but I give it juice and hold it. Seems fine when doing this
- If above can't be done, due to stop and go traffic, I will get at least the 1st switched to 2nd but giving a quick jolt, letting the throttle go while it still rises and give the car time to shift. That's not usually necessary

Now I have to teach my wife :p
 
#142 ·
... Now I have to teach my wife :p
Hope that goes well. If she's never driven a manual transmission then learning to do that first might make it easier for her to understand why it matters with a DCT.

Getting a car that my wife would be happier to drive than all of the manual transmission cars I've owned in the past is the main reason I considered getting my Focus with a DCT. She does great driving a manual, since that's what she learned to drive with, but she just doesn't like having to do it. I decided it would be easier for her to drive a real manual than an "automatic" that she had to treat like a manual, especially since she'd only drive it occassionally after driving her car with a torque converter most of the time.

Besides, the correct driving technique only helps avoid the "quirks" of the design. No special driving technique can reverse the symptoms of leaking oil seals or DCT hardware failures or software bugs.

Congrat's on your new to you Focus, and fingers crossed that it'll continue to be one of the "good ones".
 
#144 ·
I bought my 2013 focus two weekends ago. It has the DCT transmission. Someone posted earlier in the thread one piece of advice that really enlightened me as a new DCT driver.

Accelerate, brake, and keep your right foot's movements "intentional."

Keep in mind that this transmission acts like a manual transmission, and it's actually a lot of fun. Or at least mine is. No problems so far. (Knock on wood) :)
 
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