Edmunds dealer partner, Bayway Leasing, is now offering transparent lease deals via these forums. Click here to see the latest vehicles!
Options
Popular New Cars
Popular Used Sedans
Popular Used SUVs
Popular Used Pickup Trucks
Popular Used Hatchbacks
Popular Used Minivans
Popular Used Coupes
Popular Used Wagons
Comments
My wife had no problem because she drives an automatic with two feet. And once I discovered the rollback (or roll forward if you are pointing downhill), using the handbrake worked fine, particularly since it is so accessible on the Focus.
I pretty much love the car.
One thing to consider, it seems some owners are saying you have to drive the DCT aggressively for the first 500 miles or so in order to break in the clutches. After I started doing this my shudder issue eventually disappeared and now it's smooth even without the latest update.
I seem to have heard several versions of the Hill Start Assist, including that the SEL and Titanium did not have it. That may only be because maybe the tranny and ABS controls were programmed differently, perhaps not intentionally!. I presume that if you do not have a rollback problem, you probably don't need the recalibration of the control systems.
In any case, we LOVE the car more and more. I was able to get 41 mpg on the highway if I took it easy and have been averaging over 25 mpg in town. It has phenomenal handling, steering, etc.
This is changing the subject slightly, but I was totally frosted by the fact that it appeared that our SEL had Sirius XM radio, all we had to do was activate it. There were Sirius manuals and program guides in the glovebox and "Sirius" would show up on the Synch screen when I hit the right buttons, albeit greyed out. The deal was to retrieve the SN of the radio and call Sirius and give them that so they could activate it for a free six months. I simply could not retrieve the number per the instructions. I spent MANY hours trying to get this from the dealer and even Sirius using the VIN, etc. I finally found out that despite the manuals, etc. THE SEL WITHOUT THE MY TOUCH IS NOT CAPABLE OF GETTING SIRIUS IN THE FIRST PLACE!
Thanks!
Interestingly, you can find some interesting details on your specific car at this website: http://www.etis.ford.com/vehicleRegSelector.do
Select "Vehicle" then input your car's VIN and then select more minor details to get the built details and installed items in your car.
Have fun looking and good luck with your car.
Also, is the "re-program" referring to the 12B37 transmission software upgrade or did you already have that on your Focus but the "re-program" was on some other transmission adjustments? We could all learn from that if we adjustments as well.
In any case, it's great to hear that your issues had been taken care of. Best of luck!
Sales persons should be required to tell customers that purchase a car with the DCT that they could have shifting problems. They should have to explain that the engine may shake and seem like it is going to stall and that shifts from 1st to 2nd might include a big lunge.
There should also be a second warning label regarding “roll back”. There are airbag warnings in place now, and there needs to be one to let drivers know their car will roll backward on a hill and could create an accident.
As far as shifting is concerned, the behavior seems little different from a regular automatic transmission. If you are really hard on the accelerator, the shift can really be notably harder, but, again, no more so than some automatics I've driven. Maybe we're just fortunate?
We complain when the Focus rolls back when we take our foot off the brake. But, think about it, that's NO LESS than what would happen with any manual transmission if you still have the clutch disengaged! The real problem is that it takes is by surprise the first time it happens!
Ford addresses this, and pretty cleverly in my opinion, is to program the controls of the transmission and brakes (via the ABS control) is to detect the hill and keep the brakes applied for a few seconds after you take your foot off the brake pedal and until you get it on the accelerator! When you hit the gas, it releases the brakes.
I just don't know yet why this did not work on many Foci when they were delivered and required a recall. Was this "fix" a late idea at Ford after people complained, or we're the cars supposed to have this hill assist all along but cars came off the Assy line with the system not working??
Does any one know what the problem is with this tranny please help My e-mail is christopherlindsy@yahoo.com thanks :mad:
If that is the problem, the next thing is to determine why the level was low (e.g., leak, but how severe and where?).
The agency requires 1500 $ from me !!! and I don't have this money to waste on the car.
Like many others I too had the same experience with a Ford Focus transmission. In my case, it was my girlfriend's 2006 Focus ZXW station wagon. We were on the highway returning from a trip when we felt the transmission slipping. We made it home but the next day it would not go into third gear without revving really high and shifting in and out. We took it to the dealership where my girlfriend had been getting the car serviced faithfully and regularly ever since she bought the car (about 3 years I believe) and they said it needed a new transmission - which would be at least $4500 Canadian. They said this was indicated because "there were metal bits in the fluid." My gf was quite upset and I was skeptical of the dealership, so I googled "ford focus transmission problems" and luckily came across this forum and the posting. With just this thread and a Haynes manual, I convinced her we could do it. We went to the dealership and bought the "A" solenoid, which they were able to order in within one day - which led me to think they must replace them regularly or it wouldn't have been so easily obtained. Next we went to Canadian Tire and bought the silicone and a drain tub.
I'm somewhat handy but I've never worked on a transmission before, but by following this post I was able to replace the solenoid and put the transmssion pan back on. We let the silicone set for 24 hours and the next day took it for a test drive. It worked perfectly. I wanted to wait a bit to make sure it lasted, and it's been over a month since we did the repair, and the car is working just like nothing ever happened. Clearly the transmssion did not have to be replaced, and we paid about $90 for the part and another $40 for the fluid, gasket silicone, and the drain pan. Significant savings! Thank you, thank you, thank you!
I rented a Nissan Maxima with their ubiquitous CVT and it rolled back on inclines as well. And was generally dreadful to drive. Of the new transmission technologies I'd much rather have the DCT than a CVT, even given the DCT's teething problems.
My senior Mother also drives and depends on this car and I think this justifies the extra concern.
1) Tell them you want the absolute latest software update installed regardless of whether they think it needs it
2) Insist on going for a ride in another Focus on their lot to demonstrate to them this is what you expect your car to drive like
3) Go to a different dealer (yes, there can be vast differences in service between dealers)
4) Get the regional Ford reps involved
It handles beautifully and the brakes are impressive.
Don't understand this stuff about rolling backward when starting on a hill. Standard shifts do that all the time---sounds like driving 101 to me.
it was a semi recall and it worked great!. I had the same problems but after the update to the computer its a blast to drive!. cant remember the TSA though. I think it 12 b 37. but cant recall. get it done and you will like that dct!.
I did.
aint nothing wrong with that tranny. one might suppose it hasnt been updated.
Its a cool tranny for sure!