[vandinroth]

So i didn't know about any of these transmission issues until saturday when the transmission in my car failed with a check engine light and a message on the dash saying 'transmission overheating' followed by a 'pull over safely' and absolutely no gear engage.

The tow truck drive mentioned something so after googling, here i am. I never got one of the 'letters' about the warranty, but i did move in the last year so it may have gone to the old address or i would have taken it in immediately as mines been shuddering for hte last 2 years.

I stopped in my ford dealer about ayear ago complaining about a shudder on acceleration and this weird 'slipping' that would happen around 40-50mph or so sometimes where it's like the car would just 'skip'. And they told me it was all normal, this was a special transmission.

So now i see there is an extended warranty on the transmission. I'm wondering if that's actually going to cover this failure?

Basically what i was seeing was a check engine light just all of a sudden and then reverse and 2nd wouldn't work. First was still working and i think third. I was about 2 miles from home when this happened so i was trying to limp home only to have it totally disengage with a overheating warning at which point i coasted to the side of the road and shut it off and waited for a tow.

It's sitting down at the dealer right now and i'll go in tomorrow when they open as they were closed when it happened but i've been freaking out since yesterday that i'm going to have to pay for this. Pretty ridiculous for a transmission failure to occur in a 2012 model year car. Yeah it has 70k miles on it, but i lived 20 miles away from my job for a year and a half so it's all highway miles. Still though, 70k is nothing.

Anyone have any experience with the extended warranty and this kind of failure?

 

[sailor]

Warranty extension covers clutch pack, seals & programming.

Hopefully that will be all you need, though it's possible something else could have contributed (actuator/mechanism).

If it figures it's getting too hot for some reason it really needs a break to cool off. Could have been gone then, might have worked again if it got a rest. Keeping going put too much strain on the one clutch still in use and it either protectively shut down or gave up completely. (slipping too much trying to use the wrong gear)

Can't guess circumstances from a distance (driving situation & whether it would have/will recover). Hopefully it just needs a new set & this will get you one making it better than it was before with an updated set of clutches/seals/programming.

If it should give such a warning again, especially in unusual circumstances like crawling in traffic/creeping up a hill, try to give it a break to recover. Keeping going when it's overheating can toast the clutches if it doesn't shut itself down first.

 

[vandinroth]

I didn't keep going once the overheating message came on. There was literally 2-3 seconds between the 'overheating' and the shutdown and i was going maybe 25 mph or so. I wouldn't think that short time would have done too much.

Funny thing is i'm in the market to get rid of this car as it's terrible in winter and i was going to trade in on a new fusion AWD. I guess we'll see how ford handles this otherwise i don't think i'll buy another ford for quite awhile.

 

[sailor]

That's not the situation I was adding the comment on then, as mentioned it's hard to guess all the details from a distance.

Overheat warning often has something to do with the clutches, but it isn't a sensor just a computer warning based on other factors. Could be another problem.

FWIW if the TCM (transmission control module) that actually shifts the gears & includes computer control is at fault (common when it won't shift & CEL & other warnings come on) it's covered 'till 80,000 under emissions warranty. that might help if it's something OTHER than the clutches as that's an expensive piece.

Luck

 

[sailor]

Oh BTW - as it's not the main issue here, the Focus isn't bad in snow on the whole but some factory tires REALLY are.

MkIII section & Wheels & Tires section have some discussions on that.

Don't know what pkg. is on yours for wheels/tires, but at least one of the std. all season tire possibilities doesn't have a good rep. for that & ANY of the larger wheel combos is poor for Winter if not terrible. Some versions come with optional Summer Tires even in the larger wheel sizes.

FWIW - IMHO most AWD are poor in the winter as well, most stock tires aren't good in winter. Once you go for better winter tires, it makes more sense to me for them to be Snows & save others for Summer.

 

[vandinroth]

so i went in and talked to the dealership this morning and won't find out anything until this afternoon.

That said i'm rather disheartened by the fact that they played ignorant about the letter that went out about these and the extended warranty so i'm allready expecting them to do anything possible to not have it covered.

I thought that warranty work actually paid them pretty good.

 

[FordService]

so i went in and talked to the dealership this morning and won't find out anything until this afternoon.

That said i'm rather disheartened by the fact that they played ignorant about the letter that went out about these and the extended warranty so i'm allready expecting them to do anything possible to not have it covered.

I thought that warranty work actually paid them pretty good.

Hi vandinroth,

Loop me in when you get your updates; I want to look into some additional assistance on this. Please send me a private message with your VIN, best daytime phone number, full name, and dealer name/location.

Meagan

 

[vandinroth]

So the dealer just called.

Supposedly they fixed it just by updating the computer to the proper shift points.

I'm having a hard time believing they fixed that total failure just by updating the computer?

Does this sound accurate/possible? Perhaps i'm a little old fashioned when it comes to transmissions still and just am finding it hard to believe.

 

[sailor]

With all the computer communications involved now, I've seen some reports of ones that had a problem & were fine after stopping & restarting - microsoft reboot style.

For others it can happen again, and that can be a real problem (obviously) if it won't STAY broken for an easier fix.

No time for a long dissertation right now, you can find more info. here on that possibility. Hang onto all the records to make it an ongoing problem for warranty purposes just in case you have any more trouble.

Luck

 

[vandinroth]

I have to say it's shifting way better than it was before. The shudder is all gone and the 'bouncing' when it shifted into 2nd is gone as well so who knows i guess.

Time to trade it in before it's my problem again as either way it cost me a 50$ tow and a massive inconvenience.

 

[Mazdamike0831]

Good luck.

 

[bikework]

I had the same thing happen this morning going down I95 this morning. I was in the middle lane with a 18-wheeler on the right and traffic passing rapidly on the left. The transmission just disengaged as if I was in neutral. I had to wait for a break in traffic just to pull through the passing lane to the left shoulder. Very dangerous situation. Turned the car off, started it again and the transmission engaged as if there wasn't a problem, but the check-engine light is still on. Only 51k miles on my 2012 Focus.

 

[PratoN]

Turned the car off, started it again and the transmission engaged as if there wasn't a problem, but the check-engine light is still on.

For the love of God get that code read before it disappears.

 

[bikework]

I am very happy with the call I just received from Purvis Ford in Fredericksburg VA. The work is being covered and the vehicle is ready for pick-up. I appreciate the feedback, the service center and Ford for standing by their vehicles and workmanship.

 

[mraff]

reading all the posts, My Wife's 2012 had been in the shop 5 times , First time, she told them the tranny was slipping. Dealer called an hour later, saying it was normal. I dove it the next day and sure enough it shutter and slipped. I brought it a week later and was told they had a TSB and flashed it. 2 months later, it was back for the same issue, and flashed again. Forth time, it was for the recall to replace seals and clutch disks, just last week it was back again, for a flash of the computer... Every time it goes back the dealer starts with, it is normal to have some slipping of a clutch, until I tell them I drive a Mustang 5spd, I can tell the difference, then all of a sudden they say it is software related. Has anyone actually gotten this fixed, Wife won't drive it and the dealer wants to lowball on a trade.

 

[bikework]

They fixed mine and I'm pretty happy with it now. They warranty everything on mine like you said there, plus replace the battery. The dealer needs to just own up to the issue. It's KNOWN and it is to be warrantied. But I did go in there and say this: "The car isn't drivable and it isn't safe." I think they are obligated to fix it then, they can't send you out the door with a product that they can be liable for.

 

[FordService]

reading all the posts, My Wife's 2012 had been in the shop 5 times , First time, she told them the tranny was slipping. Dealer called an hour later, saying it was normal. I dove it the next day and sure enough it shutter and slipped. I brought it a week later and was told they had a TSB and flashed it. 2 months later, it was back for the same issue, and flashed again. Forth time, it was for the recall to replace seals and clutch disks, just last week it was back again, for a flash of the computer... Every time it goes back the dealer starts with, it is normal to have some slipping of a clutch, until I tell them I drive a Mustang 5spd, I can tell the difference, then all of a sudden they say it is software related. Has anyone actually gotten this fixed, Wife won't drive it and the dealer wants to lowball on a trade.

Welcome to the forum, mraff.

I want to check out some options on this. Can you please let me know the current mileage of your wife's Focus?

Meagan

 

[mr_cassandra]

reading all the posts, My Wife's 2012 had been in the shop 5 times , First time, she told them the tranny was slipping. Dealer called an hour later, saying it was normal. I dove it the next day and sure enough it shutter and slipped. I brought it a week later and was told they had a TSB and flashed it. 2 months later, it was back for the same issue, and flashed again. Forth time, it was for the recall to replace seals and clutch disks, just last week it was back again, for a flash of the computer... Every time it goes back the dealer starts with, it is normal to have some slipping of a clutch, until I tell them I drive a Mustang 5spd, I can tell the difference, then all of a sudden they say it is software related. Has anyone actually gotten this fixed, Wife won't drive it and the dealer wants to lowball on a trade.

Mraff, Ford is now up to revision F after 3 years of these issues and I have not seen anyone come back with a failure yet, after a revision F fix.