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Ford Fiesta Transmission Issues

warriors1warriors1 Member Posts: 2
in Ford
When I start my Fiesta and push the clutch in, I hear a squealing noise. The squeal lasts for a few minutes and is heard when pushing the clutch in. Does anyone know what this is? Is anyone else having this same issue? I have taken it to two dealerships and they can't seem to correct it. One of them replaced the throw out bearing but that didn't do the trick.
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    adaema05adaema05 Member Posts: 8
    Does it sound like a brake squeal and does it happen only when it's damp outside/recently rained? I have a 2011 Fiesta 5-speed manual that will squeal when I push the clutch in when I first start it up, and usually it only happens when it's damp out/recently rained. When I took it in to my dealer for it's first oil change, they couldn't find anything wrong with it.
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    warriors1warriors1 Member Posts: 2
    I don't think the squeal I hear is related to rain or dampness. I do think it is related to colder temperatures. I did find a You Tube video of a Fiesta with the exact same squeal that I am hearing. From other research I have done, it seems that it might be the pilot bearing. Thanks for the post. If you come across any other information, please let me know.
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    ladydigistarladydigistar Member Posts: 4
    I've had a nightmare of a couple of weeks concerning this issue. I bought my 2012 fiesta sedan on December 16th. Within a week it started doing it. Ive documented it on video and the whole nine yards. The first time I took it to the dealer they kept it for six days. Had a new throw out bearing shipped in and gave it back. The very next morning it did it again.

    Ford corporate has made me never want to buy a ford again. They have lied to me saying my service department said their was nothing wrong; while I have the service manager on the other line agreeing with me that this is a problem. The regional Rep even told me that this was a normal sound for this model.

    A) If it isn't a problem then why have you held my car hostage from me for almost two weeks?

    B) If this was normal I would have caught it on a review, or while I was test driving it.

    No matter how you slice it it's unnacceptable.

    After jumping through hoops like a barrel of circus monkeys my service manager, mechanic and I have finally gotten Ford to correct it. They are ordering a completely new clutch. Only snag is it won't be here until the end of this month. They gave me a choice of keeping my rental, or driving my car until it gets here. I miss my car that I only drove for thirteen days, and am tired of feeding a gas guzzling explorer so I opted to have them put my transmission back in and let me drive it.
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    ladydigistarladydigistar Member Posts: 4
    Oh...and the squeal first happened in the cold. Now it does it in all different temperatures.
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    xwesxxwesx Member Posts: 16,796
    Sounds like a throw-out bearing, and you're right... it is completely unacceptable to not have this repaired (and expeditiously at that).

    I have a truck whose throw-out bearing is starting to go bad, and it makes this same noise (especially on start up and in the cold). The difference? My truck is 43 years old with its original clutch. :sick:
    2018 Subaru Crosstrek, 2014 Audi Q7 TDI, 2013 Subaru Forester, 1969 Chevrolet C20, 1969 Ford Econoline 100, 1976 Ford F250
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    ladydigistarladydigistar Member Posts: 4
    They replaced the throw out bearing and it still does it. My money is on the pilot bearing. My transmission is picture perfect so its all on the clutch side. I believe they ordered a new pressure plate as well.

    The conspiracy theorist in me thinks their is a manufacturing flaw in the clutch somewhere and they have already started making a new part. Why else would it take an eta of twenty days to get a clutch? They overnighted the throw.out bearing from the factory no problem.
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    adaema05adaema05 Member Posts: 8
    edited January 2012
    Wow...perhaps Ford may issue a recall for Fiestas with manual transmissions (including 2011 models). I agree with you that there may be a manufacturing defect with the clutch. Lately my Fiesta has not been squealing when I push in the clutch when it's first started up for the day/car is not warmed up, but that could always change. I'm not sure at this point whether my next car will be a Ford after reading your horror story, although I love my Fiesta.
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    ladydigistarladydigistar Member Posts: 4
    Yeah it is heartbreaking. My family had only bought Fords and Jeeps through the years. I traded in a Jeep for the Fiesta actually. Don't get me wrong. I love the car and all it represents. A peppy economy car with nice styling. It also has great reviews. Even when I saw it today I couldn't be mad at it. Terribly cute. The teeny weeny transmission is adorable.

    My problem lies in Ford not wanting to stand behind their product and treating me like I know nothing of cars. Transmission problems never get better. It's insulting to treat someone who just plunked down that kind of money for a product like that.

    Hopefully they will rectify the situation and find a way to make it up to me. I will say that the dealer I purchased from is really sympathetic, and are disgusted themselves at how corporate is treating me with this.
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    lui2lui2 Member Posts: 1
    I bought my new fiesta in august 2010 and it started doing it after a few months. The same sound when I press the clutch peddal. It was annoyng so I went to Ford service and after telling me that everything is ok, this year they changed the bearing but I'm not sure it is ok, it did the sound again on the reverse... PLS what is your latest experience, did they find out what was wrong and fixed it?
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    obktobkt Member Posts: 35
    I have been told that there is a computer program upgrade for the Fiesta auto trans to aid in it's low speed shifting. I'm also told the change is covered under a TSB so there would be no charge for the upgrade. Has anyone had this done? Is it worth a trip to the dealer?
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    explorerx4explorerx4 Member Posts: 19,320
    My mother had it done on her 2011 Fiesta last August and it definitely helped.
    2023 Ford Explorer ST, 91 Mustang GT vert
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    kaupas1kaupas1 Member Posts: 1
    I to had this problem and the Dealer re programed the trans and now its much,much better.
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    crkyolfrtcrkyolfrt Member Posts: 2,345
    So did they ever resolve this? What was the fix?
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    obktobkt Member Posts: 35
    Do you have a number for the TSB? My dealer couldn't find it when he searched under the VIN # for my car. Thank you in advance.
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    obktobkt Member Posts: 35
    Can anyone tell me what the TSB number is for the 2011 Fiesta auto transmission reprogram? I went to my dealer the other day and he searched under the VIN # of my car and couldn't find anything.
    Thank you in advance.
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    xwesxxwesx Member Posts: 16,796
    I'm not sure exactly which TSB to reference, as there are several TSBs that affect the A/T based on the symptoms involved. That said, there is a fairly comprehensive list of TSBs for the Fiesta at Fiesta Faction, as well as an active community of owners that may be able to assist. Unfortunately, the community of Fiesta owners here is not nearly so active, and I can only talk to myself so much before people might well be justified in their thinking that I am crazy. :blush:
    2018 Subaru Crosstrek, 2014 Audi Q7 TDI, 2013 Subaru Forester, 1969 Chevrolet C20, 1969 Ford Econoline 100, 1976 Ford F250
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    obktobkt Member Posts: 35
    Thank you for your response. I did find a TSB that was titled "Harsh first to second shift", or something like that, on the internet but the outfit that had it wanted $20 for the full information, and I presume the TSB number.
    The dealer put the VIN for my car in the computer and couldn't come up with any TSB that described a Harsh Shift. I found that odd.
    Anyway, thank you again. I'll keep sniffing around.
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    cobra64cobra64 Member Posts: 1
    I had my Fiesta transmission controller reprogrammed a few months ago and while it did help the shuddering going into 2nd gear, it didn't completely solve the issue. Once the car has been driven for an extended time at a steady speed (highway speeds), coming to a stop and then accelerating back to speed will cause the transmission to slip (or shudder) as it up-shifts to second. There is still a definite issue with the way the transmission operates mechanically / electronically with its clutches.
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    deedy504deedy504 Member Posts: 1
    In March I purchased the 2013 Ford Fiesta Sedan and nothing it has been nothing but a problem since that day. It is currently at ford (almost two weeks now) on a "simple job that would take three days". The car started making all kinds of noise when you turned on the AC and would start to jerk after only a week. I went to ford and was told if something was wrong the whole car would shut down. So I took their word for it, needless to say 6 1/2 months after purchasing the car the problem only got worse , it stalled longer, made horrible knocking sounds while you were driving. This is my first brand new car and this is just not what I was expecting (since I'm driving a car that guzzles gas from the rental car company)-_- :(
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