[Seriously Focused]

And why would you consider the GT a below average car?

Your question solidifies your automotive knowledge

 

[McMoo]

Your question solidifies your automotive knowledge

Just as your answer does the same for you.

If you're not going to be informative with your post, why even reply at all? Besides, this is off topic to the question I originally asked.

I'm open to other options, but for all intended purposes, the GT seems to be a nice, economical car with a great warranty. I was just curious as to why, in your personal opinion, it is below average.

 

[garyd9]

Sooooo, you are comparing an average car to a below average car. Interesting to say the least.

Which one do you consider to be below average? My understanding is that the elantra isn't being sold with false claims anymore. The focus still is...

 

[Seriously Focused]

I guess it's Sunday night and people are bored enough to ARGUE about a Hyundai product.

Okay, I give. The Hyundai Elantra GT is truly wonderful piece of engineering.

Now for the people that want to debate back-and-forth, go change your panties.

 

[McMoo]

I guess it's Sunday night and people are bored enough to ARGUE about a Hyundai product.

Okay, I give. The Hyundai Elantra GT is truly wonderful piece of engineering.

Now for the people that want to debate back-and-forth, go change your panties.

Not wanting to argue or debate, you just posted that the GT is below average, I asked why, and you couldn't give any reasoning (and still haven't).

If you're going to speak about the GT and Hyundai in general with a negative connotation, at least be able to back up your claim with relevant information, or don't even make the claim at all.

I am in no way defending Hyundai, but genuinely would like to know why it is "below average" as it is one of the cars I am considering purchasing, and I haven't really seen anything bad about it.

I'd like to consider myself open minded, so please, go on.

 

[e30og]

I was told by someone that there was a "software reflash to fix some bugs with the shift points and it has been very smooth ever since." Anyone here have the reflash and still having issues? I'm debating on whether to purchase a '13 Focus or a '13 Elantra GT, and would prefer the Focus, but the tranny issues are making me a bit hesitant.

Best solution for the Focus is to get a stick! very fun, smooth, and clutch is light but not grabby. Drive it in city traffic every day, wouldnt have it any other way

Elantra doesnt have half the chassis, steering feel, or overall handling that the Focus does. Hyundai engineers dont have squat on Ford of Europe in that department Not to mention the Elantra auto is slower than the DCT Focus

 

[McMoo]

Best solution for the Focus is to get a stick! very fun, smooth, and clutch is light but not grabby. Drive it in city traffic every day, wouldnt have it any other way

Elantra doesnt have half the chassis, steering feel, or overall handling that the Focus does. Hyundai engineers dont have squat on Ford of Europe in that department Not to mention the Elantra auto is slower than the DCT Focus

Finally, some relevant information! Thank you!

I'm mainly looking for a reliable car with good mpg, and the GT has good reviews from what I've seen.

I knew someone who had a '11 Focus and I really enjoyed driving it, so that's why it's my main choice now. I'm definitely open to other hatchbacks, but from what I've seen, the Focus and GT have caught my eye (particularly the Focus).

Haven't had the opportunity to learn manual yet, but I'll definitely look into it! Thanks for the input!

 

[e30og]

Finally, some relevant information! Thank you!

I'm mainly looking for a reliable car with good mpg, and the GT has good reviews from what I've seen.

I knew someone who had a '11 Focus and I really enjoyed driving it, so that's why it's my main choice now. I'm definitely open to other hatchbacks, but from what I've seen, the Focus and GT have caught my eye (particularly the Focus).

Haven't had the opportunity to learn manual yet, but I'll definitely look into it! Thanks for the input!

I toot the manual horn 24/7 so disregard it if you have no interest haha. Its worth looking into if you have friends with an old one or something to practice on, very rewarding and fun to drive, and that extra grand can be spent on options! or blow and prostitutes!

 

[B-lou]

no contest

I owned a 12 ti focus and it was not just that so many things went wrong with it ford never could fix one problem until my wife refused to drive it anymore after an accident......alarm went off every time you locked the car, hood open alarm went off every day, MFT screen would go blank for at least 2 days about a dozen times with a message "sd card fault", power steering fault service required, voice rec and the gps never did work correctly to the point ford was going to send us a garmin so we would at least have the gps, and then the dreaded dct that would take off then feel like it would jump out of gear until you came to a stop and restart then it would go again. Ford service could never duplicate any of these problems so they could not fix them even though we had pictures and videos of the problems in progress except the trans which we were to busy just trying not to cause an accident to take a video of that so we traded it for an elantra gt and have not regretted that decision once. 13000 miles and not one trip to the dealer except for normal service.......so there is an opinion of a person who has owned both and it is no contest which is the better of the 2 cars Elantra GT which is a pleasure to drive not a "what is going to happen next with this pos"

 

[Cdmphoenix]

Hello,

I am new to Focus Fanatics.

Allow me to introduce myself,

My name is Phillip James. I currently reside in the Nashville area near Murfreesboro, Tennessee. I am 17, with the 2012 Ford Focus being my first ever car. I am a car fanatic or as my mom calls me "Car crazy". I have been driving my focus for a little less than a year putting around 14,000 miles on my car from.

On September 14th, 2012 I drove home with my new car that I am so fortunate to have. I loved everything about the car, except the mesh (tan) interior. But I got over the fact from being so excited about my new car. After about a week of driving the car I noticed some weird and well, different shifting patterns compared to my fathers Volvo. After about the third we I was driving on the interstate when I punched it to build up speed to merge with oncoming traffic. When I pushed down on the petal the cars RPMs reached 7000 and held for a couple of seconds. While the engine was revving at the 7000RPMs the car lost all power and I was not accelerating as I should have. The car shortly after jerked extremely hard and the engine cut off completely! Locking up the breaks and sending into other lanes(with oncoming traffic at 75mph ) I thought surely I was dead. I had to get out of the car and push it off the interstate to call my dad and tell him about the problem. He came with my mother to pick up the car.

For the next 3 weeks I would not drive the car as I was too scared from my experience. My father brought the car to the dealership to see what was wrong with the car. They reassured him everything was ok with the car and nothing was wrong that it was I that made the mistake and that I had done something wrong.

(I think I know how to drive a car. Gas on right, break on left, and two hands on the wheel)

While my dad drove the car from the house to work he averaged about 27MPG not the 32-45 advertised. He wrote Ford asking why the MPG could be so bad. They never responded.

Summer time had finally come and I decided that I would drive the car again and had accepted that maybe I had done something wrong that day on the interstate and that it wasn't the car. As I was driving to work one morning the car was still making terrible shifts along with a new rattle noise. The rattle noise was so loud I could hear it over the radio at 10(20 being the highest level)

As I drove up to work my boss asked why was my car making a noise that sounded like someone was tapping under the hood. I responded "no clue"

The next morning I brought the car to a different Ford dealership asking them to take a look to see if anything could be wrong. The pulled the car in. Poped the hood. Looked at the engine. Turned and looked at my and said "nothing is wrong with it." I left and brought to car to a local family mechanic and asked him to take a look. He said the car did not sound right the minute I pulled in. He said he had herd about the transmission problems in the new 2011-2012 Ford Focus line up. I told him about the occasion in Nashville on the interstate along with everything els. He asked to keep the car over night so I let him.

The next day I went back to the mechanic. He said he was unsure of the problem buy could hear the tapping noise from the transmission. He told me to take it back to the dealership with my father and ask them to reprogram the computer on the car. So I went back to the dealership with my father. They pulled the car in connected the car to the computer. Within 30 mins of waiting
a man with oil all over him said everything is fine now. The computer just needed reprogramming.

The car began to run much smother but still terrible shifting in speed from 0-45mph

After a couple of weeks of driving to work and back, I finally just accepted the fact that the car was just that way.

Later in the summer I revived a letter from Ford saying there was a recall on my windshield wipers. (Which didn't concern me at all.) I brought the car in. The took a quick look and said that everything was inorder and I had the seal on the motor.

Now into the year 2013 I have noticed a constant buzz noise from 45-85mph and a couple of hard jerks from shift changing.

One day while driving sync totally stopped working and has not worked since then.

I took the car back to the dealer ship to get and oil change from I was 5k miles over (oops!). The mechanic there said there was a recall on my from the transmission to be reprogrammed (again) and that the new program would fix all my problems.

Just recently the car has jerked twice on me on a couple occasions cutting the car totally off and locking up the breaks.

I began to research the problem online to see if anyone els was having the same problems as myself. I saw were people had been complaining about the transmission issues but have not seen about the hard jerk car cut off.

I began to wonder is my car a lemon???

 

[k1ngkev1n1]

Hello,

I am new to Focus Fanatics.

Allow me to introduce myself,

My name is Phillip James. I currently reside in the Nashville area near Murfreesboro, Tennessee. I am 17, with the 2012 Ford Focus being my first ever car. I am a car fanatic or as my mom calls me "Car crazy". I have been driving my focus for a little less than a year putting around 14,000 miles on my car from.

On September 14th, 2012 I drove home with my new car that I am so fortunate to have. I loved everything about the car, except the mesh (tan) interior. But I got over the fact from being so excited about my new car. After about a week of driving the car I noticed some weird and well, different shifting patterns compared to my fathers Volvo. After about the third we I was driving on the interstate when I punched it to build up speed to merge with oncoming traffic. When I pushed down on the petal the cars RPMs reached 7000 and held for a couple of seconds. While the engine was revving at the 7000RPMs the car lost all power and I was not accelerating as I should have. The car shortly after jerked extremely hard and the engine cut off completely! Locking up the breaks and sending into other lanes(with oncoming traffic at 75mph ) I thought surely I was dead. I had to get out of the car and push it off the interstate to call my dad and tell him about the problem. He came with my mother to pick up the car.

For the next 3 weeks I would not drive the car as I was too scared from my experience. My father brought the car to the dealership to see what was wrong with the car. They reassured him everything was ok with the car and nothing was wrong that it was I that made the mistake and that I had done something wrong.

(I think I know how to drive a car. Gas on right, break on left, and two hands on the wheel)

While my dad drove the car from the house to work he averaged about 27MPG not the 32-45 advertised. He wrote Ford asking why the MPG could be so bad. They never responded.

Summer time had finally come and I decided that I would drive the car again and had accepted that maybe I had done something wrong that day on the interstate and that it wasn't the car. As I was driving to work one morning the car was still making terrible shifts along with a new rattle noise. The rattle noise was so loud I could hear it over the radio at 10(20 being the highest level)

As I drove up to work my boss asked why was my car making a noise that sounded like someone was tapping under the hood. I responded "no clue"

The next morning I brought the car to a different Ford dealership asking them to take a look to see if anything could be wrong. The pulled the car in. Poped the hood. Looked at the engine. Turned and looked at my and said "nothing is wrong with it." I left and brought to car to a local family mechanic and asked him to take a look. He said the car did not sound right the minute I pulled in. He said he had herd about the transmission problems in the new 2011-2012 Ford Focus line up. I told him about the occasion in Nashville on the interstate along with everything els. He asked to keep the car over night so I let him.

The next day I went back to the mechanic. He said he was unsure of the problem buy could hear the tapping noise from the transmission. He told me to take it back to the dealership with my father and ask them to reprogram the computer on the car. So I went back to the dealership with my father. They pulled the car in connected the car to the computer. Within 30 mins of waiting
a man with oil all over him said everything is fine now. The computer just needed reprogramming.

The car began to run much smother but still terrible shifting in speed from 0-45mph

After a couple of weeks of driving to work and back, I finally just accepted the fact that the car was just that way.

Later in the summer I revived a letter from Ford saying there was a recall on my windshield wipers. (Which didn't concern me at all.) I brought the car in. The took a quick look and said that everything was inorder and I had the seal on the motor.

Now into the year 2013 I have noticed a constant buzz noise from 45-85mph and a couple of hard jerks from shift changing.

One day while driving sync totally stopped working and has not worked since then.

I took the car back to the dealer ship to get and oil change from I was 5k miles over (oops!). The mechanic there said there was a recall on my from the transmission to be reprogrammed (again) and that the new program would fix all my problems.

Just recently the car has jerked twice on me on a couple occasions cutting the car totally off and locking up the breaks.

I began to research the problem online to see if anyone els was having the same problems as myself. I saw were people had been complaining about the transmission issues but have not seen about the hard jerk car cut off.

I began to wonder is my car a lemon???

I actually recently had something similar happen I was on freeway in traffic and would gradually accelerate then it would jerk into the next gear I guess but no power at all sounded like I was just revving my engine. I had to just get off the freeway and then I shut my car off then back on and it worked.

I took my car to the dealership because obviously this is dangerous when your on the freeway and can't go more than 20mph and ur car doesn't shift. They kept the car all day and nothing just a update for the transmission.

I do have the rattle which they said cannot replicate of course. Rattle mainly heard at low speeds and turning at low speeds.

This is the 3rd time bringing my car in for transmission issues. And they have t done anything besides reset it, or say they was an update and they didn't see anything wrong with it. I honestly don't feel safe in it at all. Ford should issue some kind of trade in program atleast if people are willing to get another ford that is..

 

[Cdmphoenix]

I actually recently had something similar happen I was on freeway in traffic and would gradually accelerate then it would jerk into the next gear I guess but no power at all sounded like I was just revving my engine. I had to just get off the freeway and then I shut my car off then back on and it worked.

I took my car to the dealership because obviously this is dangerous when your on the freeway and can't go more than 20mph and ur car doesn't shift. They kept the car all day and nothing just a update for the transmission.

I do have the rattle which they said cannot replicate of course. Rattle mainly heard at low speeds and turning at low speeds.

This is the 3rd time bringing my car in for transmission issues. And they have t done anything besides reset it, or say they was an update and they didn't see anything wrong with it. I honestly don't feel safe in it at all. Ford should issue some kind of trade in program atleast if people are willing to get another ford that is..

Ford is really losing there integrity here.

As a young boy, my mother always said there is two rules to life.

"Pedigree your ancestors." - Meaning go out and make better of your name and your family name.

&

"Accept that you will make mistakes, admit to your mistakes, but from those mistakes, make things right, and learn from them."

Ford has even admitted to doing wrong but I feel really dosent want to deal with the problem as they should. I had high hopes for Ford (I'am semi-brand loyal) for now I feel the company is turning a blind eye.

Do what ever it takes to fix the problem. Give us new transmission. Give us something. At least tell us the problem and how to fix it.

If my Mac was having trouble and I brought it to the Apple Store to be fixed and they the reboot the compter, I would be pissed!

Its time Ford fixes the transmission problems.

 

[garyd9]

Do what ever it takes to fix the problem. Give us new transmission. Give us something. At least tell us the problem and how to fix it.

I'm not a lawyer, but I think there are legal reasons why Ford is playing this game with us...

There's a good chance that they know there's a defect, but they either don't understand the defect completely, or don't know how to fix the defect.

However, if they acknowledge the defect, they'll be required to tell every potential customer about that defect BEFORE that customer buys a car. Can you image the showroom salesman telling a potential customer: Yes, this is a great car, but there's a defect with the transmission that might leave you stranded on a highway - and we don't have a fix for it.

So, while someone at Ford might actually be working on the defect, they basically live in the legal fiction that there really isn't a defect at all.

FYI, the idea of them being required to disclose defects is based on Pennsylvania's consumer protection law. That law doesn't explicitly state that defects must be disclosed, but does state that it's illegal to sell something under the premise of it being of higher quality/standards than it really is, and that it's illegal to sell something with false or misleading representation of facts. I'm sure most (if not all) states have similar laws.

 

[Cdmphoenix]

There's a good chance that they know there's a defect, but they either don't understand the defect completely, or don't know how to fix the defect.

However, if they acknowledge the defect, they'll be required to tell every potential customer about that defect BEFORE that customer buys a car. Can you image the showroom salesman telling a potential customer: Yes, this is a great car, but there's a defect with the transmission that might leave you stranded on a highway - and we don't have a fix for it.


FYI, the idea of them being required to disclose defects is based on Pennsylvania's consumer protection law. That law doesn't explicitly state that defects must be disclosed, but does state that it's illegal to sell something under the premise of it being of higher quality/standards than it really is, and that it's illegal to sell something with false or misleading representation of facts. I'm sure most (if not all) states have similar laws.

Ford has admitted that there is a problem with the 2011-2012 transmission and with the new 2013 models has been fixed.

They also want to tell you that dual clutch systems are just that way, but yet "Ford is addressing reported problems with its PowerShift dual-clutch transmission"

"Dual-clutch transmissions, essentially two manual transmissions working in parallel, each with its own independent clutch unit, sound and feel “different,” says Sherryl Brightwell, Fiesta brand manager."

Ford is very wishy washy about it one minuete they want to say "oh its just that way" and other times they want to say "ok theres a real problem"

But either way Ford is not intending on fixing the 2011-2012 models. (way to treat a costumer)

“Overall, the industry saw an increase in the incidence of engine and transmission problems, concentrated in the area of engine/transmission hesitation,” Dave Sargent, J.D. Power’s vice president-global automotive

Ford fix this problem.

 

[garyd9]

Ford has admitted that there is a problem with the 2011-2012 transmission and with the new 2013 models has been fixed.

Show me any communication from Ford that admits a problem with 2012 transmissions, but doesn't offer a repair attempt - and I'll show you a thousand lawyers all lined up with the words "class action" on the mind.

They've only "admitted" issues that they have resolutions for. If they don't have a resolution, they aren't admitting anything. Instead, they claim it's working properly and might even hint that they are investigating it further. (That's why I'm shocked I got a copy of a communication from Ford to my dealership admitting to MFT defects.)

Ford CAN'T admit a problem without having a fix in a certain amount of time or they'd be failing their own warranty. Every single US customer would have the right to sue Ford under US warranty laws (and I think the EU has even stricter consumer protection laws.)

Even ignoring state consumer laws, if they admit a problem for a vehicle under warranty and don't FIX the problem or otherwise compensate the customer, they'd still probably be violating Federal warranty related laws.

The admission would also open tons of lemon-law lawsuits, and each one of them would give Ford's admission as "proof" of it being a lemon. I don't know that Ford would be able to come up with a decent defense for that.

Then Ford would have to deal with thousands of Focus owners bringing in their vehicle for "transmission problems" when those owners normally wouldn't have brought them in. People would look up their local lemon laws, and immediately schedule 3-5 service visits to bring the car in, let the dealership say "it's a known issue", and repeat as many times as required to make a lemon claim.

Oh, and this doesn't even begin with consider the amount of money Ford would lose from people who decide NOT to buy from that company that makes faulty transmissions - and doesn't fix them.

Of course, I'm not a licensed lawyer... The above is only my own opinion and interpretation. You should consult a lawyer licensed in your area for more accurate information. (Also keep in mind that common sense and legal sense are often very different.)

Take care
Gary

 

[cappa]

I was told by someone that there was a "software reflash to fix some bugs with the shift points and it has been very smooth ever since." Anyone here have the reflash and still having issues? I'm debating on whether to purchase a '13 Focus or a '13 Elantra GT, and would prefer the Focus, but the tranny issues are making me a bit hesitant.

*raises hand*

I've had a re-flash, I've had a 2013-spec new clutch/seal assembly installed and had to have the car towed back to the facility.

I think all that's left is replacing the transmission entirely or getting rid of the car.

 

[fordblue]

Why not just trade for the Escape ?

It's on the same platform, and there's room for more beer.......[lockdance]

hmm more beer? depends what kind. [goofydrunk] How many bottles of jack will it hold?[drinking]

 

[Strix]

Not wanting to argue or debate, you just posted that the GT is below average, I asked why, and you couldn't give any reasoning (and still haven't).

If you're going to speak about the GT and Hyundai in general with a negative connotation, at least be able to back up your claim with relevant information, or don't even make the claim at all.

I am in no way defending Hyundai, but genuinely would like to know why it is "below average" as it is one of the cars I am considering purchasing, and I haven't really seen anything bad about it.

I'll step in and defend Hyundai and say that my 2002 Elantra GT was the best car I ever owned. I had it for 9 years and put 180,000 miles on it, and had very little trouble with it.

It was back to the dealership fewer times in its entire life than my Focus has been in the last 7 months.

In fact, it had fewer total problems than my Ford Focus has had transmission updates (and it's still not 100% right!).

That's my experience, for what it's worth, which I'll admit isn't much. I'm just one person... not a very representative sample. But at least it's a real experience, and not just the uninformed opinion of some forum troll pretending that he knows about automotive engineering.

 

[Seriously Focused]

I'll step in and defend Hyundai and say that my 2002 Elantra GT was the best car I ever owned. I had it for 9 years and put 180,000 miles on it, and had very little trouble with it.

It was back to the dealership fewer times in its entire life than my Focus has been in the last 7 months.

In fact, it had fewer total problems than my Ford Focus has had transmission updates (and it's still not 100% right!).

That's my experience, for what it's worth, which I'll admit isn't much. I'm just one person... not a very representative sample. But at least it's a real experience, and not just the uninformed opinion of some forum troll pretending that he knows about automotive engineering.

Troll ? That one almost slid by me. I would wager that my BACKGROUND IN THE AUTOMOTIVE INDUSTRY exceeds your expertise. But hey, thanks for the insult. They are always welcome.

 

[Strix]

Troll ? That one almost slid by me. I would wager that my BACKGROUND IN THE AUTOMOTIVE INDUSTRY exceeds your expertise. But hey, thanks for the insult. They are always welcome.

I claimed no expertise, I was only sharing my experience. It's not my fault that my honest experience contradicts your still unsupported claim.

Does putting BACKGROUND IN THE AUTOMOTIVE INDUSTRY in capital letters like that somehow back up your claims? Does it justify your insulting tone and condescension towards McMoo for daring to compare cars competing in the same market segment? I don't think it does either of those things.

I, too, have a BACKGROUND IN THE AUTOMOTIVE INDUSTRY. I've worked in metro Detroit for 25 years, directly in the auto industry, with engineers of all types. I'll leave it at that. As I said, I'm not claiming any expertise here, only sharing my own personal experience.

It is you who made a claim that you refuse to defend or justify in any way, and instead chose to sarcastically concede a loss in the 'debate'. This after suggesting that anyone who dares ask you to justify your opinion is too unenlightened to understand your brilliance... but no, no... you're not a troll. Okey dokey.