[Focus805]

From the LA Times: Note the issues seem centered around early transmission issues and MFT.
__________________________________________________

After closing the reliability gap with its Japanese competitors in 2010, Ford Motor Co. slipped backward this year, Consumer Reports said in its annual ratings of automobile brands.

Japanese and South Korean brands were rated the most reliable, followed by the American manufacturers with the Europeans slightly behind. The results are published in the magazine's December edition.

Ford fell to 20th out of the 28 brands rated by the consumer magazine. Last year it was 10th.

Three new models, Ford's Focus and Fiesta compact cars and its new Explorer sport-utility vehicle, were responsible for the ratings plunge. All had below-average reliability ratings, the magazine said.

Consumers have complained about problems with the new transmission systems that come in the Fiesta and the Focus. The automaker was also hurt by glitches with the MyFord Touch information and entertainment system on many of its models.

Similar problems hurt Ford's ranking in another a third party rating of quality this year.

In June, Ford fell to 23rd from fifth place overall in 2010 in J.D. Power and Associates' annual U.S. Initial Quality Study.

"As we said when J.D. Power issued similar results this past summer, we take all customer feedback seriously and will use it to continuously improve our vehicles," Ford said in a statement. "Our internal surveys now show that we are largely back on track after addressing these near-term quality issues. We remain absolutely committed to serving our customers with cars and trucks that have the highest quality, reliability, fuel efficiency, safety, smart design and value."

 

[FlankerDFR]

Gotta love that corporate blah, blah, blah PR speak. So, have you fixed the tranmission and MFT problems, or not? Damn! Hope my tranny ain't one of 'em!

 

[blackraven456]

I haven't had an issue. If these are truly the only issues though and they'll be fixed by the end of the year like we think, Ford should vault to the top again.

 

[redav]

I've seen the CR press release. No, it doesn't look good for Ford given their results in the JDP survey earlier this year.

However, the drop is due (mainly) to only a couple issues: the DCT & MFT.

The DCT really was a problem when the Fiesta first came out. I believe they've got that initial flaw fixed now, but overall, the transmission still needs fine-tuning to meet customers' expectations. I don't see it as a dependability issue, though.

MFT has two issues hurting it. One is that it was terribly buggy, and it still has lingering issues in that area. The other is that CR has openly demonstrated that they don't like the basic premise on which these new infotainment systems operate. They've even put together a video of how Ford's, BMW's, & such increase the number of steps/operations necessary to do simple tasks.

 

[bball40dtw]

I see Ford stepping back from the DCT over the next few years. The are looking at 7 and 8 speed automatics. The 2013 Fiesta will have an 8-speed and the next-gen F150 will most likely get an 8-speed. The DCT is just not a mass market product. I have two cars with DCTs, but I also own two hatchbacks. Ford can take chances with B and C cars, but not the Fusion. I know plenty of people who can't get past the feeling of the DCT. Unless you have a Focus/Fiesta or a VW/Audi with a 2.0T, it is a completely different experience.

 

[metal_hed]

So glad i got the manual transmission with Sync and no MFT, I had a feeling the two would be nothing but trouble [burnout]

 

[feta_mgp]

*shrug* I haven't had any issues worth crying about. My MFT has had minor minor glitches, but never anything as bad as reviewers say or a lot of the guys on here have said. That being said, in infotainment system is just that, for info and entertainment, it's not really supposed to be (in my eyes) a true replacement of the traditional buttons and dials... that's why we have Sync as well, Ford has added the infotainment system but they've also added Sync, allowing us to use voice commands for tasks we'd ordinarily have to take our eyes off the road to do and our hands off the wheel to do, and for that they deserve some praise, it may not be perfect but Sync works pretty well.

I believe they'll have fixes out before long and everyone will be happy. JDP also didn't have the right in my opinion to knock them down so far considering at the time, MFT was an OPTION on the cars, not a standard feature, now it's standard on atleast the Focus Ti, but even still... you don't have to get the Ti, you can opt for a loaded SEL without MFT...

 

[Shetlander]

I took a pass on MFT and am pleased that I've had no problems with the transmission. It is different and did take a little getting used to, but it lurched only once at a stoplight, a week into owning it. It's only been 5 weeks, but I have over 2,000 miles on it and am very comfortable with the transmission. So knock wood, no problems, amazing mpg's and daily I find myself thinking how much I love that little car. I'm happy so far. Hope it continues!

 

[bball40dtw]

JDP also didn't have the right in my opinion to knock them down so far considering at the time, MFT was an OPTION on the cars, not a standard feature, now it's standard on atleast the Focus Ti, but even still... you don't have to get the Ti, you can opt for a loaded SEL without MFT...

JD Power Initial Quality rankings come from customer surveys.

 

[lscrx]

So glad i got the manual transmission with Sync and no MFT, I had a feeling the two would be nothing but trouble [burnout]

Ditto.

Posted via FF Mobile

 

[unclebrud]

I see Ford stepping back from the DCT over the next few years. The are looking at 7 and 8 speed automatics. The 2013 Fiesta will have an 8-speed and the next-gen F150 will most likely get an 8-speed. The DCT is just not a mass market product. I have two cars with DCTs, but I also own two hatchbacks. Ford can take chances with B and C cars, but not the Fusion. I know plenty of people who can't get past the feeling of the DCT. Unless you have a Focus/Fiesta or a VW/Audi with a 2.0T, it is a completely different experience.

Maybe. I like the idea of the DCT, but I am really surprised Ford didn't take the safer route of a regular automatic on a volume model (when most people don't care/aren't aware of it anyhow).

They need to get the general public to understand what it is (maybe paddle shifters would help) and play up it's high-tech nature (a la BMW). The long-term complexity concerns me, though. I prefer manuals, though I could be persuaded by a fast-shifting DSG. Will have to try a PowerShift sometime...

 

[unclebrud]

Ditto.

Posted via FF Mobile

Same here...both technologies are kind of interesting but haven't been in Prod long enough for me.

 

[MGDeftones]

For me, the benefits of MFT outweigh the minor problems I've had from time to time. I'm pretty much used to the personality of the DCT now. I bought the 7 year ESP, so I'm not really worried about the long term reliability since I don't plan on keeping the car for more than 7 years anyway.

 

[bkoester]

Maybe. I like the idea of the DCT, but I am really surprised Ford didn't take the safer route of a regular automatic on a volume model (when most people don't care/aren't aware of it anyhow).

I'm pretty sure Ford is pushing the DCT in order to raise fuel economy. The DCT actually gets higher fuel economy than a manual.

 

[estoyloco]

JD Power Initial Quality rankings come from customer surveys.

You are arguing pointlessly. I've tried, believe me. It doesn't get through some people that JDP is based on actual customers with actual owned products.

And obviously a feature being optional is 100% justifiable if it is crap; because it is optional and it is the customer's fault for opting for it.

Makes sense huh?

 

[JPopNC]

I'm pretty sure Ford is pushing the DCT in order to raise fuel economy. The DCT actually gets higher fuel economy than a manual.

Ding, ding, ding...we have a winner!

Exactly! DCT was designed strictly to increase fuel economy. All the literature points to that exact direction, so new buyers should never, ever buy a Focus with the mindset that it's a typical automatic transmission.

 

[JPopNC]

Personally I love the nuances of the DCT. I'm constantly driving it differently and it's actually comforting to know that my Focus expects me to do that. So I start off in 'S', let it work through the gears, may drop it down to 2nd with the touch of my thumb, wind it out to 3rd, the bump it up to 'D' for the cruise down the highway. "It's an auto-manual"

Any other car with any other transmission would not be as accepting.

 

[Focus805]

I love the DCT too. It's slightly quirky until you get the mindset that it's an automated manual -- then it makes perfect sense in terms of how it behaves in some situations differently from a torque converter-based auto..

 

[KaputtEqu1pment]

It's a shame thAt the dct and mft get such a bad rap. I love how the dct works, sure some shaking occurs, but it's normal--ever drove a manual before? It's ok, your car will be fine. As far as the MFT is concerned, you have people that can't event turn their computer on complaining about it. It's new tech, it's complex, and it's being improved. If you enter it with a mindset knowing that this is light-years ahead of knobs and levers from your old car, you can start to appreciate the system As a whole and forgive the small hiccups.

 

[JPopNC]

I love the DCT too. It's slightly quirky until you get the mindset that it's an automated manual -- then it makes perfect sense in terms of how it behaves in some situations differently from a torque converter-based auto..

Exactly. In fact, was leaving our neighborhood this morning and was making a turn that goes immediately uphill. Coincidently everyone is standing on the corner there because the school bus stops there in the morning, so I was very concious about not wanting my Focus to act like it was in too high a gear. So, I bumped it to 'S' and then geared down to 1st.

Just doing that made me immediately aware that even in 'S' I was making that turn in 2nd, so it explains why it "shuddered" some starting up that hill. From here out I'll know just to gear down accordingly and all will be well.