[WhatTheFocus]

Ok, been drivin in "D" since I've owned my 2013 Se hb.... i get the intermittent shutter as mentioned thousands of times before by others... problem is... there's no rhyme or reason to the shutter... one day the car drives great, next day it shutters badly.... So as of this week, I began driving in "S" Mode all the time... the only noticeable trend I've picked up on (for my focus anyway) is that the shutter occurs when the car would be just under 2k rpm's when driving in D Mode so my experiment has been to drive it normally but shift at about 3-3.5k.... keeping the rpms higher has helped drastically. I havent experienced any shuttering since shifting this way.... only time will tell if that trend will continue but for now, it's shed some light on what driving this car in smooth conditions is truly like. I'm curious if there are any other "S Mode'ers" out there who have also noticed improvement in driveability using this... and/or at what rpm's you generally shift at.... at the expense of some mpg, i'll gladly take a smoother ride at this point....

 

[Theblueoval]

If you want to help shutter I'd highly recommend upgrading your rear motor mount.

 

[VisionPilot]

Ok, been drivin in "D" since I've owned my 2013 Se hb.... i get the intermittent shutter as mentioned thousands of times before by others... problem is... there's no rhyme or reason to the shutter... one day the car drives great, next day it shutters badly.... So as of this week, I began driving in "S" Mode all the time... the only noticeable trend I've picked up on (for my focus anyway) is that the shutter occurs when the car would be just under 2k rpm's when driving in D Mode so my experiment has been to drive it normally but shift at about 3-3.5k.... keeping the rpms higher has helped drastically. I havent experienced any shuttering since shifting this way.... only time will tell if that trend will continue but for now, it's shed some light on what driving this car in smooth conditions is truly like. I'm curious if there are any other "S Mode'ers" out there who have also noticed improvement in driveability using this... and/or at what rpm's you generally shift at.... at the expense of some mpg, i'll gladly take a smoother ride at this point....

I too started driving in S mode a few weeks ago. Although I rarely use the select shift buttons, and just let S mode do the upshifts for me. While it hasn't totally eliminated the intermittent shudder, it does stay it off for a while. When the shudder does return, I disengage the traction control, press the brake down far enough to activate "launch control" and spin the engine up to 2500 rpm a couple times. Then, I give it about half throttle from a standing start through 2nd gear. I'll run through this process twice in succession, typically on a side street or empty parking lot. That seems to cure the shudder for a while.... then keep using S mode, unless I'm up to speed on the highway. S mode inhibits it from shifting into 6th gear.

 

[VisionPilot]

If you want to help shutter I'd highly recommend upgrading your rear motor mount.

Not sure what the rear motor mount has to do with intermittent, light throttle shudder caused obviously by either faulty learning software, or faulty shift actuators.

 

[WhatTheFocus]

Ok, been drivin in "D" since I've owned my 2013 Se hb.... i get the intermittent shutter as mentioned thousands of times before by others... problem is... there's no rhyme or reason to the shutter... one day the car drives great, next day it shutters badly.... So as of this week, I began driving in "S" Mode all the time... the only noticeable trend I've picked up on (for my focus anyway) is that the shutter occurs when the car would be just under 2k rpm's when driving in D Mode so my experiment has been to drive it normally but shift at about 3-3.5k.... keeping the rpms higher has helped drastically. I havent experienced any shuttering since shifting this way.... only time will tell if that trend will continue but for now, it's shed some light on what driving this car in smooth conditions is truly like. I'm curious if there are any other "S Mode'ers" out there who have also noticed improvement in driveability using this... and/or at what rpm's you generally shift at.... at the expense of some mpg, i'll gladly take a smoother ride at this point....

I too started driving in S mode a few weeks ago. Although I rarely use the select shift buttons, and just let S mode do the upshifts for me. While it hasn't totally eliminated the intermittent shudder, it does stay it off for a while. When the shudder does return, I disengage the traction control, press the brake down far enough to activate "launch control" and spin the engine up to 2500 rpm a couple times. Then, I give it about half throttle from a standing start through 2nd gear. I'll run through this process twice in succession, typically on a side street or empty parking lot. That seems to cure the shudder for a while.... then keep using S mode, unless I'm up to speed on the highway. S mode inhibits it from shifting into 6th gear.

I've heard about disengaging the traction control before helping... i cant begin to explain how or why though.. hmmm

 

[VisionPilot]

I've heard about disengaging the traction control before helping... i cant begin to explain how or why though.. hmmm

Update: After driving for weeks using S mode (without paddles), only using D when above 40mph, and not experiencing further "shudders", I went ahead and had the latest TSB update (14-0197 ?) applied to the ECM in early December. Still driving mostly in S mode any time I'm starting from a stop, then switching to D once I'm in 2nd or 3rd gear. The shudders are totally gone! I'm convinced it's the pathetically programmed learning algorithm that trips up the ECM into becoming indecisive about when to shift. Once in a while, I'll leave it in D, just to test, and still no shudders.

I would be interested for someone who is still experiencing 1st gear shudders to experiment for a week launching the car exclusively in S mode, and report back if it reduces or eliminates their issue.

 

[Kabigon]

I would be interested for someone who is still experiencing 1st gear shudders to experiment for a week launching the car exclusively in S mode, and report back if it reduces or eliminates their issue.

After a few years of firsthand experience and reading a countless number of posts, I believe that driving aggressively on a regular basis (i.e. not babying the car all the time) will greatly reduce or eliminate shudder.

I have an early build with the original clutch and the clutch engagement on my car is just about perfect.
I haven't experienced any shudder in years.

 

[papaacer]

Not sure what the rear motor mount has to do with intermittent, light throttle shudder caused obviously by either faulty learning software, or faulty shift actuators.

Um how about the fact that the stock motor mount is about as shaky as a bowl of jello. That rear mount really makes a huge difference on engine movement. The more the engine moves, then the more the trans move which causes more shutter. It's not necessarily always going to be pointed to the software nor shift actuators. Actually, those are the least common. And it's not "obviously" caused by one thing. Why do I say that? Because if it was that obvious, then one remedy would have been found by now. Some people have had bad clutch packs, and when they got new ones, it was fixed. Some only adjusted their driving, and the issue went away. Some had their whole transmission replaced for the issue to go away.

 

[Jeffero28]

Um how about the fact that the stock motor mount is about as shaky as a bowl of jello. That rear mount really makes a huge difference on engine movement. The more the engine moves, then the more the trans move which causes more shutter. It's not necessarily always going to be pointed to the software nor shift actuators. Actually, those are the least common. And it's not "obviously" caused by one thing. Why do I say that? Because if it was that obvious, then one remedy would have been found by now. Some people have had bad clutch packs, and when they got new ones, it was fixed. Some only adjusted their driving, and the issue went away. Some had their whole transmission replaced for the issue to go away.

It shouldn't be a first option for many of us that are still covered under power train warranty to have the motor mount replaced.

I realize that the shudder is not always caused by the same thing.

Not saying the rear motor mount isn't part of the problem, but to recommend it be replaced as a first option seems like bad advice.


I had my clutch pack and software updated about 3,500 miles ago and have had no more issues with stutter. I do use S mode in stop and go traffic, otherwise it's always in D.

 

[papaacer]

It shouldn't be a first option for many of us that are still covered under power train warranty to have the motor mount replaced.

I realize that the shudder is not always caused by the same thing.

Not saying the rear motor mount isn't part of the problem, but to recommend it be replaced as a first option seems like bad advice.


I had my clutch pack and software updated about 3,500 miles ago and have had no more issues with stutter. I do use S mode in stop and go traffic, otherwise it's always in D.

Did I ever say to replace it as a first option? Nope. I was explaining how a motor mount can affect the shudder. By all means if you have warranty then pursue the options. But don't count the motor mount out if those options aren't working

 

[TehMark]

Honestly, if I wanted to drive like the car forces me to drive in S mode then I would have purchased another car. I bought this car for it's fuel economy and technology package. Both of which haven't lived up to expectations but oh well.

 

[papaacer]

How much MPGs were you expecting?
And how many are you making?

 

[FocusStrider]

I love the "S" mode. I use it sometimes, mostly on stop and go traffic. I like it better than when I put it on "D", but I use "D" often for obvious purposes.

 

[papaacer]

I like it better than when I put it on "D", but I use "D" often for obvious purposes.

"That's what" -She