New Warranty Extension on TCM 14m02

205680 Views 398 Replies 94 Participants Last post by explainedandfixed, 2 mo ago

BeastMD

Discussion Starter · Feb 27, 2015 (Edited by Moderator)

TO: All U.S. Ford and Lincoln Dealers
SUBJECT: Customer Satisfaction Program 14M02

February 20, 2015
Certain 2011 through 2015 Model Year Fiesta and 2012 through 2015 Model Year Focus Vehicles Equipped with a DPS6 Automatic Transmission
Transmission Control Module Extended Warranty Coverage
REF: Technical Service Bulletin (TSB) 15-0017 – No Start And/Or Transmission Engagement Or Loss Of Power With DTCs U0100, U0101 And/Or U1013
PROGRAM TERMS
Ford is extending the warranty coverage on the DPS6 Automatic Transmission Control Module (TCM) to 10 years of service or 150,000 miles from the warranty start date of the vehicle, whichever occurs first. This extended warranty coverage will address intermittent symptoms of loss of transmission engagement while driving, no-start, or a lack of power. If a vehicle has already exceeded either the time or mileage limits, this coverage will last through September 30, 2015. Coverage is automatically transferred to subsequent owners.
NOTE: This program DOES NOT apply to vehicles that qualify for repairs under New Vehicle Limited Warranty Powertrain coverage or Emissions Warranty coverage. Repairs for vehicles covered by New Vehicle Limited Warranty or Emissions Warranty should be claimed following Warranty & Policy Manual guidelines. Refer to TSB 15-0017 for repairs covered by the New Vehicle Limited Warranty or Emissions Warranty.

Added - see thumbnail picture of the letters in this post:http://www.focusfanatics.com/forum/8209226-post1.html

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BeastMD

Discussion Starter · #121 · Aug 13, 2015

Frandia said:
SNIP....

RANT OVER!!!

You are one angry person, instead of all this venom poisoning your life, just get rid of the thing. I know it may be expensive but the way you put it it seems to be your only choice left. Scream at us all you want, blame the people here all you want, believe want you want. But it wouldnt hurt my feelings if you got banned.

We ALL know about the DCT issues, there are THOUSANDS of posts about it but you spewing over and over and over isnt doing anyone any good.

Have a nice day and get yourself together, a car simply isnt worth all this turmoil.

http://elliott.org/company-contacts/ford/

Reactions: 1

sailor

· #122 · Aug 14, 2015

There's some extra info. for you from BeastMD, I just posted a link for you in the thread above this one. The early info. on a FSA reprogramming the system for added TCM warnings/codes is too late to help you avoid the hassle you experienced, but it will help many in the future. http://www.focusfanatics.com/forum/mk3-focus/594257-field-service-action-15b22.html

Many here including myself have been "helping out" with the TCM problems that often don't show a code, shared info. here identified typical situations where the TCM was suspect LONG before most Dealers had any info. on the possibility at all. See "parking aid malfunction" threads for some examples.

My "Mod" functions on the Site (which is not associated with Ford) usually are no more onerous than moving threads to the best areas for help or making threads for "off topic" posts so they can also get more attention. Trying to help keep the peace when discussions/arguments cross over to personal attacks is the hardest part of the job to attempt to do judiciously with minimal interference.

Personal posts cover a wide range, but I started posting here primarily with tech. help and continue to "focus" on that when I can.

You seem shocked that many find this as their first contact point for any Ford assistance not directly from the first Dealer they go to. No point debating that or the reasons for it, it's simply a fact you can see throughout the MkIII sections in particular.

I usually leave suggestions to go outside of the Ford Warranty/special consideration/unusual issue system to others, since the quickest resolutions most often come while working within that system. Extreme cases will end up there, but pushing to go there early simply cuts off options for an easier solution by throwing the problems into the "legal" arena. Once the legal dept. has to approve any actions, little happens fast.

Some VERY odd/difficult situations found resolutions when the right reps/dealers got involved, including some that looked like no solution short of long litigation would help.

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BeastMD

Discussion Starter · #123 · Aug 14, 2015

sailor said:
There's some extra info. for you from BeastMD, I just posted a link for you in the thread above this one. The early info. on a FSA reprogramming the system for added TCM warnings/codes is too late to help you avoid the hassle you experienced, but it will help many in the future. http://www.focusfanatics.com/forum/mk3-focus/594257-field-service-action-15b22.html

Many here including myself have been "helping out" with the TCM problems that often don't show a code, shared info. here identified typical situations where the TCM was suspect LONG before most Dealers had any info. on the possibility at all. See "parking aid malfunction" threads for some examples.

My "Mod" functions on the Site (which is not associated with Ford) usually are no more onerous than moving threads to the best areas for help or making threads for "off topic" posts so they can also get more attention. Trying to help keep the peace when discussions/arguments cross over to personal attacks is the hardest part of the job to attempt to do judiciously with minimal interference.

Personal posts cover a wide range, but I started posting here primarily with tech. help and continue to "focus" on that when I can.

You seem shocked that many find this as their first contact point for any Ford assistance not directly from the first Dealer they go to. No point debating that or the reasons for it, it's simply a fact you can see throughout the MkIII sections in particular.

I usually leave suggestions to go outside of the Ford Warranty/special consideration/unusual issue system to others, since the quickest resolutions most often come while working within that system. Extreme cases will end up there, but pushing to go there early simply cuts off options for an easier solution by throwing the problems into the "legal" arena. Once the legal dept. has to approve any actions, little happens fast.

Some VERY odd/difficult situations found resolutions when the right reps/dealers got involved, including some that looked like no solution short of long litigation would help.

Your forgot to mention you have the patience of a saint![cheers]

sailor

· #124 · Aug 14, 2015

BeastMD may be exaggerating, but thank you to him.

Frandia said:
You haven't been able to refute one thing that I posted nor prove it false. You want to shill for FORD, go ahead.

Didn't really address this, as I wasn't trying to respond to each point in detail.

I'm not trying to refute your posts in general, and the intent isn't to "shill" for Ford - particularly when you've got an issue the Dealer should have addressed. The Supervisor who got involved mentioned this as you already quoted.

Some dealers have their own agenda, and it's hard for a Manufacturer to overrule them and force a particular action. The worst will eventually loose out, but that doesn't help an individual in the meantime.

The suggestion to go elsewhere & start afresh, trying to work as amicably with the next Dealer as possible, is sometimes the only answer beyond taking it to another level - again as the supervisor you talked to commented.

If you've never been in the middle, doing your best to solve an issue for a customer while still being limited by what you CAN do (and get paid for), it's hard to appreciate what hoops even the best need to jump through when trying to help out with a difficult problem.

Closest example I remember was spending a LOT of unpaid time testing every wire & sensor on a new automated shift ATV that wouldn't work. At least it was a solid issue, not an intermittent that couldn't be reproduced for testing. Would have been MUCH easier to rob an ECU for the system from another unit, but that wasn't avail. and we needed to PROVE as well as possible that the wait for a replacement part was the only solution. Couldn't just order one up to try it, not acceptable to make the customer wait if avoidable and even worse to be stuck with a part not needed & never to be sold.

That was a top notch Dealer for customer service, willing to take a new unit out of commission to source an easily swapped part if available and spend their own nickel making sure the diagnosis was accurate when even that wasn't possible.

Customer still was understandably unhappy, one day of use on a new unit & wait a week for a warranty repair? Couldn't do anything but explain how we'd checked & tried every possibility to fix it sooner. (yes, the new part did the trick)

Been there when I couldn't do anything as well, new Cycle that had a gear whine the owner didn't like but was typical for ALL of that model/year. Same issue was present on earlier models with the same drivetrain, but muffled so it couldn't be heard by the bodywork on the different version. Would have happily taken it back as it hadn't been used beyond test ride miles, but he'd had us ship it out for custom changes and a "wrap" before wrapping vehicles was common - no longer possible to return it totally to stock. If only it had been ridden before customized, bought in the Winter as the first of a new model and modified before ever used.

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Frandia

· #125 · Aug 14, 2015

sailor said:
BeastMD may be exaggerating, but thank you to him.

Didn't really address this, as I wasn't trying to respond to each point in detail.

I'm not trying to refute your posts in general, and the intent isn't to "shill" for Ford - particularly when you've got an issue the Dealer should have addressed. The Supervisor who got involved mentioned this as you already quoted.

Some dealers have their own agenda, and it's hard for a Manufacturer to overrule them and force a particular action. The worst will eventually loose out, but that doesn't help an individual in the meantime.

The suggestion to go elsewhere & start afresh, trying to work as amicably with the next Dealer as possible, is sometimes the only answer beyond taking it to another level - again as the supervisor you talked to commented.

If you've never been in the middle, doing your best to solve an issue for a customer while still being limited by what you CAN do (and get paid for), it's hard to appreciate what hoops even the best need to jump through when trying to help out with a difficult problem.

Closest example I remember was spending a LOT of unpaid time testing every wire & sensor on a new automated shift ATV that wouldn't work. At least it was a solid issue, not an intermittent that couldn't be reproduced for testing. Would have been MUCH easier to rob an ECU for the system from another unit, but that wasn't avail. and we needed to PROVE as well as possible that the wait for a replacement part was the only solution. Couldn't just order one up to try it, not acceptable to make the customer wait if avoidable and even worse to be stuck with a part not needed & never to be sold.

That was a top notch Dealer for customer service, willing to take a new unit out of commission to source an easily swapped part if available and spend their own nickel making sure the diagnosis was accurate when even that wasn't possible.

Customer still was understandably unhappy, one day of use on a new unit & wait a week for a warranty repair? Couldn't do anything but explain how we'd checked & tried every possibility to fix it sooner. (yes, the new part did the trick)

Been there when I couldn't do anything as well, new Cycle that had a gear whine the owner didn't like but was typical for ALL of that model/year. Same issue was present on earlier models with the same drivetrain, but muffled so it couldn't be heard by the bodywork on the different version. Would have happily taken it back as it hadn't been used beyond test ride miles, but he'd had us ship it out for custom changes and a "wrap" before wrapping vehicles was common - no longer possible to return it totally to stock. If only it had been ridden before customized, bought in the Winter as the first of a new model and modified before ever used.

I appreciate your patience and understanding in light of my reaction. I also thank you for the new info as I am going to have my local repair guy touch base with a different dealer before actually bringing the car in. The car had the 14MO1 work done in November of last year and it was running well so it may already have the most recent update unless this one is newer and the dealer actually is aware of it. You're right. Seems not all dealers are up to snuff.

Sorry that I said you were a shill but I took what a few others unkindly posted at me...out on you.

I'll let you know how it works out as I am still proceeding with the BBB Auto Line and will call one of the new numbers that Beast provided.

Thanks gain.

scott7278

· #126 · Aug 14, 2015

Frandia said:
I appreciate your patience and understanding in light of my reaction. I also thank you for the new info as I am going to have my local repair guy touch base with a different dealer before actually bringing the car in. The car had the 14MO1 work done in November of last year and it was running well so it may already have the most recent update unless this one is newer and the dealer actually is aware of it. You're right. Seems not all dealers are up to snuff.

Sorry that I said you were a shill but I took what a few others unkindly posted at me...out on you.

I'll let you know how it works out as I am still proceeding with the BBB Auto Line and will call one of the new numbers that Beast provided.

Thanks gain.

I hope everything works out well for you, Frandia.

mr_cassandra

· #127 · Aug 14, 2015

Can anyone else confirm this, I don't think I have seen even one 2015 Focus owner say they have had a DCT transmission problem. Not one.

scott7278

· #128 · Aug 14, 2015

mr_cassandra said:
Can anyone else confirm this, I don't think I have seen even one 2015 Focus owner say they have had a DCT transmission problem. Not one.

Absolutely no problems here...it's a completely different feel, very smooth shifting, not even a hiccup. Granted, I'm only around 2000 miles, but it's a different experience from my 2012.

By that mileage on the 2012, the dealership was trying to convince me I hadn't driven it long enough, and it would get better (it didn't).

Frandia

· #129 · Aug 14, 2015

scott7278 said:
I hope everything works out well for you, Frandia.

Thank you.

sailor

· #130 · Aug 14, 2015

Frandia - Best of luck, hope you can find a nearby dealer who can take a fresh look & solve this one for you.

One more hint from info posted here.

Keep the BBB on the back burner (don't want them contacting Ford yet) since once "legal" starts approvals from Ford need to go through their legal dept..

Might not matter if it's a BBB vs. Dealer to try for help, def. matters once Ford is contacted.

Can't be sure when they pass it to that level from a Dealer, but do you trust the one who didn't help you NOT to bump it to Ford?

District/regional CSM's MIGHT still need to sign off on another Dealer's request to cover diagnostics/repair they want to do, even though "simple" ones go direct to Ford by computer for approval. Wouldn't want to cut them out just yet, that regional sounds like he'd def. approve a dealer request and the district one prob. would as well - just wasn't ready to put his butt on the line to overrule a Dealer.

As you understand now, these comments are just ideas on how to "work the system" step by step to get the best result as soon as possible.

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Frandia

· #131 · Aug 15, 2015

sailor said:
Frandia - Best of luck, hope you can find a nearby dealer who can take a fresh look & solve this one for you.

One more hint from info posted here.

Keep the BBB on the back burner (don't want them contacting Ford yet) since once "legal" starts approvals from Ford need to go through their legal dept..

Might not matter if it's a BBB vs. Dealer to try for help, def. matters once Ford is contacted.

Can't be sure when they pass it to that level from a Dealer, but do you trust the one who didn't help you NOT to bump it to Ford?

District/regional CSM's MIGHT still need to sign off on another Dealer's request to cover diagnostics/repair they want to do, even though "simple" ones go direct to Ford by computer for approval. Wouldn't want to cut them out just yet, that regional sounds like he'd def. approve a dealer request and the district one prob. would as well - just wasn't ready to put his butt on the line to overrule a Dealer.

As you understand now, these comments are just ideas on how to "work the system" step by step to get the best result as soon as possible.

Much appreciated. We'll see what happens.

NinjaBum

· #132 · Sep 1, 2015

Could this be what my car is having issues with?

Most of the time it won't start. Sometimes it does, sometimes it takes me turning the key for a few minutes, and sometimes it won't do start at all. No turning over or anything. When it does start, if I turn it off it will start the next tries immediately after it has been running. If it is the morning or it has been a while since it has been driven it will give me issues.

When it does start sometimes it gives me odd messages like "hill start assist unavailable."

Here is a video of my actual car-
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z9i71GOdeJY

IlikePizza

· #133 · Sep 1, 2015

NinjaBum said:
Could this be what my car is having issues with?

Most of the time it won't start. Sometimes it does, sometimes it takes me turning the key for a few minutes, and sometimes it won't do start at all. No turning over or anything. When it does start, if I turn it off it will start the next tries immediately after it has been running. If it is the morning or it has been a while since it has been driven it will give me issues.

When it does start sometimes it gives me odd messages like "hill start assist unavailable."

Here is a video of my actual car-
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z9i71GOdeJY

Ding ding ding! It's the TCM. Mine did almost the exact same thing

NinjaBum

· #134 · Sep 1, 2015

Thanks =)

That's how I have slowly narrowed it down to be. This thread just made it seem almost 100% sure for me. Thanks. I tried telling them it's probably the TCM but last time I called them they were messing around with the PCM or some module in the passenger side door.

Was yours throwing a check engine light or anything? I don't seem to remember mine doing any such thing. If not, were you able to get it fixed under warranty anyway?

IlikePizza

· #135 · Sep 1, 2015

NinjaBum said:
Thanks =)

That's how I have slowly narrowed it down to be. This thread just made it seem almost 100% sure for me. Thanks. I tried telling them it's probably the TCM but last time I called them they were messing around with the PCM or some module in the passenger side door.

I just told them it was the TCM, and that It would be covered under warranty. I was insistent enough that they couldn't really say otherwise. I let them know I had done my research and they didn't bother arguing.

Print out the 14M02, as it describes your symptoms perfectly

NinjaBum

· #136 · Sep 1, 2015

IlikePizza said:
I just told them it was the TCM, and that It would be covered under warranty. I was insistent enough that they couldn't really say otherwise. I let them know I had done my research and they didn't bother arguing.

Print out the 14M02, as it describes your symptoms perfectly

Ah, gotcha. I emailed the guy my video, some other videos of the same thing the owners said was fixed by replacing them. I also emailed him 14M02.

We will see what happens. I just want my car back. We got it a month ago used (traded in my perfect 2014 Mustang GT to clear out some debt to make way for a house in the next year or two), and I have been kind of disappointed between this odd grindy noise in the front left area of the car and this no start thing. My wife wanted an Altima. Guess I should've listened XD. Guess I felt some sort of brand loyalty as my last 4 new cars have been 5.0 Mustangs.

IlikePizza

· #137 · Sep 1, 2015

NinjaBum said:
Ah, gotcha. I emailed the guy my video, some other videos of the same thing the owners said was fixed by replacing them. I also emailed him 14M02.

We will see what happens. I just want my car back. We got it a month ago used (traded in my perfect 2014 Mustang GT to clear out some debt to make way for a house in the next year or two), and I have been kind of disappointed between this odd grindy noise in the front left area of the car and this no start thing. My wife wanted an Altima. Guess I should've listened XD. Guess I felt some sort of brand loyalty as my last 4 new cars have been 5.0 Mustangs.

"odd grindy noise in the front left area of the car"

Can you describe that more? I have the same thing I think. I have never mentioned it to anyone since the car drives fine and its out of warranty. I got the car checked out by ford when I got it and everything was good. I have also taken it to 2 alignments (One when I got the car, second when I busted a tire on a curb) and everything was good also

NinjaBum

· #138 · Sep 1, 2015

IlikePizza said:
"odd grindy noise in the front left area of the car"

Can you describe that more? I have the same thing I think. I have never mentioned it to anyone since the car drives fine and its out of warranty. I got the car checked out by ford when I got it and everything was good. I have also taken it to 2 alignments (One when I got the car, second when I busted a tire on a curb) and everything was good also

Best as I can describe the noise is almost like the sound skateboard wheels make on pavement only a little muffled. It doesn't do it all the time. Just driving along I will hear it pick up for a while and then when I slow down to a stop it goes away. I don't think it is a wheel thing cause it sounds the same going 35 as it does going 50. I will attempt to further narrow this description down for you when I get my car back.

IlikePizza

· #139 · Sep 1, 2015

NinjaBum said:
Best as I can describe the noise is almost like the sound skateboard wheels make on pavement only a little muffled. It doesn't do it all the time. Just driving along I will hear it pick up for a while and then when I slow down to a stop it goes away. I don't think it is a wheel thing cause it sounds the same going 35 as it does going 50. I will attempt to further narrow this description down for you when I get my car back.

Mine does the exact same thing, I cant hear it with the windows up though so I forget about it most of the time.

I once thought it might be the dust cover touching the rotor, but never looked into it

ProfPinky

· #140 · Sep 3, 2015

son was stranded last night by his Focus on the way home from class and told me the error - [Parking aid fault - Service required]. i got online and found this forum.

we tried restarting for several minutes; normally, from outside remotely, from two different keys, and even disconnected the battery for 5min - but nothing worked.
had to lock it down and leave for the night.

returned this morning and gave it one more try before calling a tow-truck.
BEWM! it started!
my son drove it and i followed to our dealer - but only got about 2 blocks (of a 15mi trip) before the car stalled again with same error - this time in the middle of a busy intersection during morning rush hour.

i pulled up behind him, turned on my hazards, and called a dealer recommended towtruck.
thankfully, after a few minutes of waving through pissed-off drivers who were honking and generally being obnoxious about blocking the road, a Sherriff pulled up behind us. he turned on his lights and said he'd direct traffic around until the towtruck showed up.

the towtruck showed in 20min or so, tried to start the Focus a few time and then loaded her up on the flatbed.
arrived at the dealership and explained the problem - told the service rep about the TCM error i'd read here and the extended warranty info posted by you kickass mofos.

the service rep said they may be able to "reset" the TCM rather than replace. I hadn't heard/read here about resetting, so don't know if that's even an option - but the car is still to be diagnosed.

given the number of issues with this same error - rather than extend the warranty - i'm really upset and dissappointed that FORD didn't notify Focus owners of this obviously well-known defect. i understand recalls and such might be cause for concern in a marketing/PR sense, but not nearly as bad a the headlines, posts, social media notes, etc. are when something like this goes ignored and results in customers completely dissappointed in their product.

we have a 2013 Ford Focus Titanium, just over 40k miles - my son is a more careful driver than me; this car was his HS graduation gift, and it's his 'baby'. that, after talikng him out of a Hyundai Elantra. in the time we've had it, we also took the Focus in for the completely horrible, crappy, shaky, transmission that make you feel like your leaving red lights in a blender - when discussed with the dealer, we were told that THAT warranty had also been extended and as long as everything was running, that it would be fine. now i find this TCM issue.

i can't express how disappointed i am in FORD. i am upset, but mostly dissappointed, and up to this point i feel we've been lucky to avoid any real serious incidents, and we really do like the car - previously we owned a Ford Escape Limited and were so pleased with it, our dealer, and the service dept. that i wanted to stick with the brand when it came time for my son's first vehicle. i'm seriously regretting that decision now and will most likely consider another auto brand next time.

Still waiting on the diagnosis, but if it turns out to be something other than the TCM replacement under warranty, this will be the last Ford vehicle i ever own.

Sorry about the rant, but wanted to express my experiences and frustrations with the way Ford has addressed these types of issues with apparently more regard for prospective car buyers than those of us who have already chosen to own a Ford.

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