[JesseE1981]

Ever since I got my Focus, it seems like there is an issue with first gear. When I am at a full complete stop and apply gas (say I'm at a stoplight/sign, or waiting for my garage door to open), its almost as if the car is sputtering, sort of like a manual car when you're not giving it enough gas while letting up on the clutch. The car doesn't actually stall or anything, but you can definitely feel the stutter.

I know the car has a dual clutch transmission (never had one of those before), but is this normal? Is anyone else experiencing this?

 

[Superd]

There are many threads on this. Mine has a very small shudder every now and then when accelerating very slowly from a complete stop. If I accelerate normally i dont feel it at all. You are just feeling the car trying to gently apply the clutch without either stalling it or slipping the clutch. Mine seems to either have smoothed out a bit as others have noted or more likely I am driving it a bit different and so now rarely feel it. I probably felt something like that more often when driving my last two standard cars because of my own clutch application.

 

[feta_mgp]

Superd, that's what we all thought, but Ford has issued a TSB on the matter. JesseE, check your car's build date, look in your driver's door jamb and you'll see a sticker... it'll show the month/year it was manufactured and then below that there will be a line like XX110812XX which would be 2011, August 12. I believe that's the layout it's in.

If that date is before August 12th, take it to your dealership and have them apply TSB 11-10-2, it's a reprogram for the transmission that is supposed to offer much improved low-speed driving characteristics from the transmission.

 

[JesseE1981]

Superd, that's what we all thought, but Ford has issued a TSB on the matter. JesseE, check your car's build date, look in your driver's door jamb and you'll see a sticker... it'll show the month/year it was manufactured and then below that there will be a line like XX110812XX which would be 2011, August 12. I believe that's the layout it's in.

If that date is before August 12th, take it to your dealership and have them apply TSB 11-10-2, it's a reprogram for the transmission that is supposed to offer much improved low-speed driving characteristics from the transmission.

Actually, the format you specified "XX110812XX", is EXACTLY what I see on my sticker....so does that TSB INCLUDE the 12th, or only before?

 

[blackraven456]

Ever since I got my Focus, it seems like there is an issue with first gear. When I am at a full complete stop and apply gas (say I'm at a stoplight/sign, or waiting for my garage door to open), its almost as if the car is sputtering, sort of like a manual car when you're not giving it enough gas while letting up on the clutch. The car doesn't actually stall or anything, but you can definitely feel the stutter.

I know the car has a dual clutch transmission (never had one of those before), but is this normal? Is anyone else experiencing this?

It's normal, should go away and smooth out within the first 1000 miles or so. Mine was within the first 400, so experience varies. It's just the way the car is engineered to save gas. Just treat it like a manual car and you should be fine.

 

[feta_mgp]

Actually, the format you specified "XX110812XX", is EXACTLY what I see on my sticker....so does that TSB INCLUDE the 12th, or only before?

I believe it was any Focus built AFTER 8/12... for the day of, I'd consult your dealer and see what they can do. I've seen several owners with newer built cars saying that the transmission has been silky smooth, no jerkiness or shuddering... so if you're having that issue let your dealer know and see what they say.

It's normal, should go away and smooth out within the first 1000 miles or so. Mine was within the first 400, so experience varies. It's just the way the car is engineered to save gas. Just treat it like a manual car and you should be fine.

Wrong. That's what I assumed as well, but as I'm now at ~3400 miles and still have some of these issues, I'll just go ahead and let them reprogram the transmission. As I said above, owners with newly built cars (newly BUILT, not bought) have seemed to have problem-free transmissions.

I used that to justify my transmission quirks as well originally... but I realize, my manual Mazdaspeed 3 wouldn't shudder unless it was about to stall, seeing as the Focus is never about to stall, and seems to shudder at a stop AND at low speed, I don't believe that is normal anymore. With the reprogramming available via TSB work, I'll let that make up my mind about how the transmission should act.

 

[blackraven456]

Dude if thats not your experience then sorry, but I don't have shutter or shake. I had rough shifting for a short time, but now its as smooth as glass, just as I was told when I bought the thing.

maybe you got a lemon.

Sent from my Telus Samsung Galaxy S Fascinate

 

[feta_mgp]

Dude if thats not your experience then sorry, but I don't have shutter or shake. I had rough shifting for a short time, but now its as smooth as glass, just as I was told when I bought the thing.

maybe you got a lemon.

Sent from my Telus Samsung Galaxy S Fascinate

Um yeah, because your car was built in September.. any cars built after August 12th had the updated programming applied to the transmission... pretty sure I mentioned that already, next time read.

 

[blackraven456]

Um yeah, because your car was built in September.. any cars built after August 12th had the updated programming applied to the transmission... pretty sure I mentioned that already, next time read.

You've obviously never used tapatalk or youd realize most of the info you see on the regular forum isn't available. There is no additional information to read. No sigs or insight into dates - other then the one that says my comments are sent by my phone.

Sent from my Telus Samsung Galaxy S Fascinate

 

[feta_mgp]

You've obviously never used tapatalk or youd realize most of the info you see on the regular forum isn't available. There is no additional information to read. No sigs or insight into dates - other then the one that says my comments are sent by my phone.

Sent from my Telus Samsung Galaxy S Fascinate

You're right, I haven't used tapatalk, I browse from my computer, where I can see your signature and I can see that your build date is September 10th. You obviously don't know how to read otherwise you could have READ MY POSTS saying the TSB is for cars built BEFORE AUGUST 12th and any car built AFTER AUGUST 12th HAS THE UPDATE ALREADY. It's not in my sig, or on the website, I've explicitly explained that in a POST in this thread. I hope my words in all capitals was enough to get you to actually read and comprehend instead of just open your mouth without first educating yourself.

Please, learn to read before you try and tell me off again, and maybe you'll get somewhere, until then, stop posting in this thread, your car is too new and has the update, and JesseE's and my own are NOT.

Some people...

 

[metal_hed]

Seems like the shuddering is perhaps caused by the car starting in 2nd gear to save gas. And perhaps the reprogramming has made the tranny select first gear more often than 2nd?

This is all purely speculation though []

 

[feta_mgp]

Seems like the shuddering is perhaps caused by the car starting in 2nd gear to save gas. And perhaps the reprogramming has made the tranny select first gear more often than 2nd?

This is all purely speculation though []

I don't think so, I've counted shifts before and it's gone from 1-6, but it could very well be the insanely early shift to second gear. My car is at the dealership now getting "the works" and the TSB update applied to the transmission, so I"ll post up here and in the DCT TSB update thread with my impressions on the update as well as if I notice any shift pattern changes. I know the TSB details said it adjusted the "shift scheduling" so you might be right on the money.

 

[Montana]

Actually, the format you specified "XX110812XX", is EXACTLY what I see on my sticker....so does that TSB INCLUDE the 12th, or only before?

The TSB covers cars built on or before the 12th.

Mine is done just need to pick it up.

Note: I found this and thought I would post it up.

That bulletin addressed models built before Aug. 12. Richard Truett, a Ford spokesman, wrote in an e-mail that Ford had made the change to all new Focus models starting on that date, and that the alterations would not change the car’s Environmental Protection Agency fuel economy ratings.

Montana

 

[feta_mgp]

The TSB covers cars built on or before the 12th.

Mine is done just need to pick it up.

Note: I found this and thought I would post it up.


Montana

Yeah good find, I read the article too, but since JesseE is having these issues still I don't think it would hurt to ask her dealership, afterall, they can probably check the version number of her PCM.

 

[blackraven456]

It's not in my sig, or on the website, I've explicitly explained that in a POST in this thread. I hope my words in all capitals was enough to get you to actually read and comprehend instead of just open your mouth without first educating yourself.

If you go back I posted after this -

Actually, the format you specified "XX110812XX", is EXACTLY what I see on my sticker....so does that TSB INCLUDE the 12th, or only before?

Since I commented while waiting on pins and needles since I didn't know the answer either that later information was also not apparent.

Some people.....


Need to be bitchslapped by a big arkansas inmate named bubba! [ninja][screwy]

 

[feta_mgp]

If you go back I posted after this -

Since I commented while waiting on pins and needles since I didn't know the answer either that later information was also not apparent.

Some people.....

Need to be bitchslapped by a big arkansas inmate named bubba! [ninja][screwy]

Doesn't really change anything. You still called me out after the fact that I explained that newly built cars have the reprogrammed transmission and after the fact that JesseE confirmed the build date and still seemed to ignore the fact that I had already mentioned that it was only cars built prior to August 12th, since yours was built after, it makes sense that your car smoothed out as advertised and ours did not.

Please, no more arguing. I never meant to argue, I just mentioned that you were wrong in saying that the car will smooth out, it's SUPPOSED to, but a lot of them don't, and this TSB will hopefully solve that. So, can we be cool? I apologize for jumping down your throat.

 

[PratoN]

I got the TSB as well. I noticed when I'm giving it gas it seems to shift later than it did before. It also doesn't "crunch" from 2nd to 1st. This car never starts in 2nd gear (which actually could have been useful for winter).

That is all.

 

[feta_mgp]

I got the TSB as well. I noticed when I'm giving it gas it seems to shift later than it did before. It also doesn't "crunch" from 2nd to 1st. This car never starts in 2nd gear (which actually could have been useful for winter).

That is all.

Awesome! Post up in the DCT thread too if you haven't already. Glad to hear the input!

 

[Rogerschro]

It's Still possible that a program error is in his trans. and MAYBE a TSB service could help with it. Mine was build after but once in a while it will shudder for a bit, ever so slightly. Then again my 67 Galaxie w/ auto will do that too so I don't worry too much about it. IF it happens All the time it may need attention.

 

[feta_mgp]

It's Still possible that a program error is in his trans. and MAYBE a TSB service could help with it. Mine was build after but once in a while it will shudder for a bit, ever so slightly. Then again my 67 Galaxie w/ auto will do that too so I don't worry too much about it. IF it happens All the time it may need attention.

Well occasional shudder is one thing, but everytime you stop the car at a light... slow driving... harsh shifting even after 3000 miles... etc. that's far from normal, even though 2 months ago they passed it off as normal. Oh well. Atleast they came out with a fix.