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DCT haters, is it safe to buy a 2014 DCT yet?

15K views 107 replies 47 participants last post by  FFhb13 
#1 ·
First post here. I don't want to start a fight and I beg you not to either.

What I'm trying to find out is if there is any concrete evidence that Ford has corrected the problem with the later 2014 models. And if so, what did they do?

I don't want to rely on lack of screams alone, because maybe the people that get bothered by it, wised up, and stopped buying the car long time ago. It could be that only the non-complainers (naive or hopefuls like me) are buying it now, which results in no reports of the problem, but the problem is still there.

I want to buy it this weekend and I'm gearing for a stick, but the missus likes it easy...
 
#3 ·
I have a 2014 DCT I bought in April I friggin love it! No issues yet, however you really must learn to drive it like a manual to make it act right. If you have never had a manual I would suggest a nice long test drive to see if you will like the feel of it, it is much more direct than your average slush box auto.
 
#6 ·
The "drive it like a manual" advice is correct. By this I think we mean keeping the throttle foot active. Keeping the throttle steady like with a conventional automatic doesn't make for a happy car: shifts may be too early, the engine bogs and there's little torque available. But if you advance the throttle progressively through each gear (like you would with a manual) everything works better.

It's not usual (or desirable) for a mass-market car to insist on a specific driving technique, but it does help with the Focus.
 
#4 ·
Lots and lots of conversation on this topic. Has Ford done a lot with the DCT? Yes they have: updated software (many times), revised clutches (up to version "F"), revised seals and a dealer network that may finally understand what they're servicing. So the 2014s should be loads better than early 2012s.

But. In my opinion, despite all of this, you are far more likely to have transmission issues with a 2014 DCT Focus than with any competing model. Now the odds are likely good it will be trouble-free, but it's still a bigger risk than a Civic, Corolla, Mazda3, Cruze, etc. The Focus has real strengths, but the DCT is not among them. And be aware Ford is actively considering a CVT alternative for its next-generation small cars, which tells you something.
 
#5 ·
Yes it does tell me a lot. I've been driving stick for over 30 years and personally don't care for auto in general. Having said that, my wife has an auto Mazda 3 and loves the drive, while I hate the problems.

If they are considering the cvt, it probably means that they couldn't solve the problem without a complete re-design, which no software or new seals could help. The Mazda 3 tranny has given me its fair share of problems, I can't see myself walking into one even worse.

So I probably have to man up the old lady[:I]. Or blame it on the hormones and buy a ST instead!
 
#7 ·
My '13 still sucks as bad as it ever has. I don't post here much anymore because I usually get "well go to your dealer" like I haven't done it. There are 3 dealers around me within 30 miles and none of them will agree to swap out my clutches or even check them because their low rpm tests while the car is stone cold come back "within the acceptable range" - acceptable my ass. Worst purchase I've ever made, hands down. The rest of the car is nice, flawed in some places but not anything I can overlook. I'm not looking for perfection out of an economy car here, but reliability would be helpful. I don't even care that it grinds like a mother in parking lots and I get looks (probably thinking "wow bro, learn to shift"), or that it jumps and lunges practically any time you're in 1st gear... I have tint to hide my shame behind, but when it leaves me in an intersection practically coasting while it's deciding which gear and when to shift, that makes me anxious every time I drive.

I would never, ever suggest buying a focus with a dct, due to my personal experiences with the one I bought. Resale value alone will make you cry. It's bad enough it's a focus (gajillions of these cars out there, resale will always be bad), but now people know about how bad these transmissions can be and shy away from them. I guess I should be deceitful and yell from the rooftops about how amazing they are so that someone will come buy mine, but I won't.
 
#11 ·
i bought my original focus in april, it was flawless. got totaled. bought another. im just about at 1000 miles now and no issues yet
 
#14 ·
OK. I just came back from test driving the stick and it felt great. The only problem is that there's not that many around to choose from and the parts dept guy told me that I couldn't put a paddle board on top of it because the roof was too short.

Since I pretty much made my mind about stick vs auto, I'm going to start another thread about paddle board and roof racks. I need to work this fast.

Thank you guys for voicing your experiences and inside knowledge.
 
#18 ·
I have a 2014 DCT and it drives perfectly.
 
#19 ·
I recall one or two guys on here had the 2012 and later bought the 2014. They said the 2014 was much better.
DCT doesn't seem to help gas mileage (it's not as though the Focus is leading the pack). CVT clearly has to help. Makes sense to me especially in the Fiesta where clearly people want the highest MPG they can get. Offer a manual for enthusiasts. Most Focus owners won't care much (between a CVT and DCT) I surmise, especially seeing how poor the DCT operates. I assume the CVT will eek out another 1 or 2MPG which would help satisfy customers.
 
#20 ·
CVTs are bad. The one in the Fivehundred/Freestyle was ok, but compared to the DCT the xtronic CVT in the Sentra or Versa is awful and shouldn't be sold. very rubber band feeling and useless.
 
#24 ·
My '14 has about 7500 miles on it now and i'm starting to notice slipping under acceleration and sometimes missing a shift when it's cold. I also don't know if it's normal or not but it runs right up to the redline (6250) when under hard acceleration before it shifts. I am going to have to get it into the shop soon to get it looked at.

Got in Sept and i believe it was built in July or Aug but I'm not sure how to find the build date.
 
#29 ·
The concept of DCT for fuel economy centers on the DUAL aspect. Essentially what is happening is that whenever the car is changing gear (or you manually hit the button) the process begins, but unlike traditional manuals there is always a clutch engaging the drivetrain while the next gear is queued up. This eliminates any moments where the clutch is disengaged and waiting for the gear to be manipulated before rengaging. So as the gears are changing one clutch is still moving the car, other clutch is ready, clicks in, preceding clutch for preceding gear backs out. More consistent power to the drivetrain = less energy wasted on a disengaged transmission (clutch in/out process) over time. These things have been around since the early 80's, starting in the Porsche 956 race car and the efficiency is pretty well proven to be factual. The specifics of whether or not the Focus got it right I'm not really familiar but do remember our fuel economy won't come down to a single variable such as the transmission.
 
#33 ·
IMO many of the issues with the DCT (except the clutch seal fiasco) is due to most American drivers are either unwilling or unable to learn to drive it correctly. You cannot just get in and stomp the gas all the time with that transmission you will be bucking around like a drunken ballerina at low speeds,it requires more finesse.
 
#34 ·
This is what cracks me up. If you stomp on the gas you aren't driving it correctly but if you baby the car then it develops transmission shuddering. It's silly to argue too much about it. If consumers don't like how it drives then they won't buy it. Ford really blew it on this tranny.
 
#39 ·
my 2012 focus titanium dct is quite jerky at the time i first drive it (esp in slow speed, 1st to 2nd gear). but after i upgraded to the latest software, everything that is bad is gone. also, dont drive it like an automatic. the gearbox is modified from a manual (no torque converter), so u need to take ur foot off a bit before shift to other gear, just like driving in manual. otherwise, it shifts slow. you need to learn how to drive this car because it is nothing u ve been ever driven, u and the car both need to learn each other's characters. and that make the whole driving experience to be fun.
 
#43 ·
Looking at the sales figures for the Foci this year, it doesn't look like they've suffered too much on the volume side. It was the 15th best selling vehicle in the US for 2014. It is doing much better than the previous generation Focus for sure.

2010 - 172,421
2011 - 175,717
2012 - 245,992
2013 - 234,570
2014 - 219,634

I drove a Corolla S+ with a CVT transmission for a couple of weeks. It was so boring, and slow! I think 0-60 was somewhere around 10 seconds, even with 'Sport' mode engaged, which makes it behave like a more traditional auto gearbox with shift points. The thing even had paddle shifters! [rofl]

The more I drive the Focus, the more I love it. The DCT behaves exactly how I would expect it to. I actually like the transmission better than the wet dual-clutch gearbox in the Jetta TDI that I drove, plus I don't have to do the $800 fluid changes every 40k that the DSG required. I would've gotten the 5-speed if my wife knew how to drive them. She refuses to learn. [scream] So I think it's a good compromise.

I have about 2200 miles on my car right now, no shuddering/slipping and no problems going slow through parking lots. I would not get a Focus with a sunroof again, the headroom is a little tight for me since I'm 6'4". It just makes it feel cozy. [hihi]
 
#47 ·
I think the DCT can (mechanically) shift faster than a person but I use sport mode but do not manual shift with the +/- switch. It second guesses you too much and there is a delay. This discussion brings me back to 70's when pro stock drag racers switched to the Lenco transmissions and it took the advantage away from master 4 speed shifters like Ronnie Sox and Herb McCandles(Sp?).
 
#52 ·
Too Picky?

Whatever the problem is with the double clutch transmission maybe it is not all that bad and people are being too picky. Long time ago I had a Oldsmobile with 4 speed automatic transmission that sometimes jerked when shifting gears. Never got it fixed. I drove it for 120,000 miles before I sold it. I liked the car well enough and it met my needs while I had it so I just ignored the issue. Should I have fixed it or sold it earlier? Maybe, but the point is it did not progress to a bigger issue. I think I read on this forum that the dct is rated by Ford for 150,000 miles. There may be some jerking during shifting but I believe Ford when they say it is made to last that many miles. How do I like my 2012 Ford Focus SEL hatchback? I like it a lot. I like how quick it feels. I had the clutches and reprograming done once. Six months later I would again have an occasional jerk. It is better with the new clutches. Before the extended warranty on the transmission runs out I will have Ford check out the transmission again. But I am happy with the car. I got 40 mpg on a vacation last summer. I like the quickness.
To me its worth it.
 
#53 ·
Whatever the problem is with the double clutch transmission maybe it is not all that bad and people are being too picky.
Are people being "too picky" when they have extreme shuddering off the line that causes passengers to look at each other in disbelief or when there's a complete loss in power when flooring it to get across traffic lanes? I think not.

(Both issues I believed have been largely fixed for MY14 by the way).
 
#57 ·
I've owned my SE for about 2 years now. When I bought the car I knew nothing about the DCT tranny. Most of the time the car drives like any 'regular' automatic. I love to floor this car and it has always shifted perfectly. Maybe that's what it likes. A clear indication of what the driver wants! BTW I do very little city or stop and go driving which seems to be the area where the DCT has issues. All this trouble has me concerned for the long haul. I keep asking myself: should I buy a manual Focus?
 
#59 ·
You might be on to something. When I had my DCT it loved to red line and be driven hard. I gave it to my mom and when I ride with her she takes it easy and I notice a little more shuddering. Most of it was eliminated with the firm ware update.

P.S. -- you should buy a manual;)
 
#62 ·
Both me & the wife own 2014 Focus hatchbacks. The wife had to return her's back to Ford to replace the clutch after 7k miles however since the repair the car has been rock solid and feels like a totally different car. Love it!

Mine has been running perfect since day one. Only difference between her's & mine is the build date. her's was 8/13 & mine was 6/14. Not sure if that has any bearing on it but my guess is her's being built in mid/late 2013 may have had carry over parts that may have included a bad batch of clutch's.

Not sure if that's the case of not but that's just my guess....

If you want a Focus then buy one, its a great fun little car. Ford is a great company and they will stand by their product. That's what a warranty is for..
 
#63 ·
Now I could easily be wrong because I don't know the date on which Ford addressed this problem, but since yours was built in 2014 yours could have already had the updated soft/hardware (like the firmware update for the DCT) and your wife's might not have had those updates.
 
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