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Ford Focus Transmission Problems

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  • starluck3000starluck3000 Member Posts: 14
    Just a reply to that. . I'm so tired of hearing that. . Learn your driving. I do believe this is the common response.. it's getting old. .. well I've got parts on back order.. that will be interesting to see the outcome.. and life goes on! ;)
  • starluck3000starluck3000 Member Posts: 14
    Well. .I took my 2012 Ford focus se in Wednesday. Had an email from the dealership that the parts that were on backorder until the end of June were in. .. early. What's in the report states this. .. fluid leak from input shaft seal causing clutch slippage...so they changed the clutch assembly the inner and outer input shaft seals ... plus all other fluids involved around there. ... so. . We shall see. Its like this. . You want to believe it's fixed.. but is it really?? It seemed to easy. ..Time will tell. . Keep you all posted!

    All shook up. . For a smoother drive! :)
  • maniac4maniac4 Member Posts: 41
    Well, that's good news, But I lost all faith in that gearbox. They are supposed to be upgraded seals. but I seen the same old ones being installed in mine.
    If this don't work, As in some cases it don't. Unfortunately,

    good luck to you. .Let us know how it turns out.
    If it isn't corrected after that, You have no choice but to rid of it.

    I hope you don't got to do that, I did. I had too. I was in a bad spot . no car and need transportation bad. Maybe im paranoid but I don't trust them dct . What were they thinking? yes Im deeper in debt, but I don't have this stress no more.

    best wishes
    Maniac.
  • starluck3000starluck3000 Member Posts: 14
    Thanks Maniac.. my husband said the same thing. . Time will tell I'll keep you all posted on the out come.. time will tell! !

    Happy for now.
    All shook up for a possible smooth ride!
    Fingers crossed. . :D
  • snnopy92snnopy92 Member Posts: 1
    Hello all,
    I have a 2001 Ford Focus 1.6 petrol with auto-trans and, i get transmission error codes:
    P0761, P0732, P0734 when I scanned the first time after having several dash board warning about the transmission.
    The transmission is slipping for 1st to 2nd then from 2nd to 3rd but hesitate to 4h then down-shift to 3rd and sometimes not upshift to 4th gear at all and the lignt goes on on the dash-board at this time or when I drive at 40 KM/H and stop pushing on the gas pedal!....*
    The lasr error code reading is P0734 only?

    What is the problem and what can I do to fixe it?

    Thank in advance for your help.
  • focuscraptranfocuscraptran Member Posts: 1
    please email me and tell me how that goes...i just bought a red 2013 focus se auto and drove 450 miles and now its sitting at the dealership ...i dont need it sounding like its grinding up aluminum cans under there for me...please email me at MarcusDavidLimbaugh@hotmail.com.....please let me know how it goes
  • 2005focuswagon2005focuswagon Member Posts: 1
    LIFESAVER!

    Thank you for the invaluable information
  • lmmygirl102003lmmygirl102003 Member Posts: 1
    I have a ford focus 2012 se with 13000 miles on it. I was just wondering if anyone is having the same problem that I had today. I was driving and it the car just shut off and would not restart. Also the time and date are two days behind and six hours off for the time. THanks
  • starluck3000starluck3000 Member Posts: 14
    Hi everyone. . Well since I got my car back. .2012 Ford focus se with close to 9k miles on it .. it was in for the tranny noise ...slipping and shuddering for those who didn't see my previous posts. It has been running beautifully! I still remain skeptical though. ..I have the fear that it might come back. . But that's the way i am. A skeptic! I do want tobbelieve that it's fixed for good and will have no more worries! I'm still annoyed that a brand new car had these types of issues but that can happen with anything! I'll keep checking in and reading updates! In case anyone was wondering it's been about 2 weeks now. ...

    Smooth driving ahead! :)
  • puffinalongpuffinalong Member Posts: 32
    no,sounds like a software problem though.
  • ptbishptbish Member Posts: 7
    So.....what was the fix, if you don't mind sharing?
  • puffinalongpuffinalong Member Posts: 32
    I hope It's fixed. You think Ford would of straighten the DCT by now.
    Drive it like it's new and don't baby it too much. That way you'll see ifit's fixed.
    :shades: Puffin
  • puffinalongpuffinalong Member Posts: 32
    ya , what was the fix? :confuse:
  • just_focusjust_focus Member Posts: 53
    edited June 2013
    I have a 2012 SEL with 13,000 miles and my Focus always starts but the My Touch is a Microsoft piece of junk. It loses time the channels go blank sometimes the blue tooth does not work. I have heard that the update/flash will fix most of these items. I do get 36mpg most of the time and it is a hoot to drive.
  • just_focusjust_focus Member Posts: 53
    I have a 2012 SEL with 13,000 miles on it. My car shifts fine and other than the my touch this car has been trouble free. It has been back to the dealer 1 time (my touch) but other than that no complaints. I am currently getting 36mpg. Here is the rub. You guys are scaring the hell out of me on this transmission thing, I do not want to spend $2000.00 plus every 30,000 miles for a clutch pack. I am not even sure if I did by the Ford extended warranty if they would cover it? Sounds like a wear item. I went as far as to trying to trade it in. My car stickered for $25,400 and a Ford dealer and Carmax both tried to give me $14,000 for my car (12,000 miles at the time) I see that there are 685 transmission complaints here but is there anyone out there who has a Focus with the automated manual who has a lot of trouble free miles out there?
  • puffinalongpuffinalong Member Posts: 32
    edited June 2013
    Keep the lemon and stay away from Car Max , or any dealers.
    You have a 36 month warranty on everything and 60 months on tranny and if you have read some post on here Ford has been finding fixes, or if you filed a lot of complaints with them , or with the NHSTA (gov.) You might get just compensation.
    Your car. You sell outright as the dealers are makin' more money on used cars rather than new. When you sell it make sure the new owner is a ware that you have still 2 or three years of tranny warranty left.(if they ask)
    MY TI 2013 cost the same25K and all sorts of people have asked me to keep them in mind as I sell every 29 months for a new car .No more DSG's or DCT's for me 6 spd or nothin'.
    The VW golf is coming out with a six speed and Mazda now has the skyactive engine.That Mazda is firm, but what a fun ride.
    Hang in there.Puffin
  • maniac4maniac4 Member Posts: 41
    edited June 2013
    Just focus. They all aren't bad. Some were and some were not. If you haven't any trouble forget about it. I got a bad one that was toast. And dumped it.
    A friend got a new 13. very different characteristics.
    As far as your warranty . The clutch and transmission are under warranty for 5 years or 60,000 miles. Whichever comes first.
    Of course getting the dealers to do anything was my biggest hurdle.
    So some of us with the first run got a bad deal.
    If yours aint broke....don't fix it. I wished mine did like yours. I would still have it.

    But no more dct or dsg 6 speed for me nothing same as puff said. !
    Left a bad aftertaste.!
  • bobanandabobananda Member Posts: 5
    My 2012 SE has 24k on it. It shuddered for the first 3ooo miles and then quit. It has been flawless in every way since. Very smooth both up shift and down. I'm averaging close to 42 mpg driving some city, some freeway, some country roads. I don't baby it and i don't beat it. Its my first Ford and going only by my personal experience so far, i have nothing to complain about.
    I read this stuff too, and it occurs to me that as a percentage of the subject cars on the road, this blog can't represent a very high number. This might not be the big deal it sounds like unless you have one of the problem cars. Lets hope.
  • mr_cassandramr_cassandra Member Posts: 19
    www.focusfanatics.com

    , do a forum search for the word tranmission, there are hundreds of posts about varying levels of the problems encountered with the DSC automatic.

    http://www.lemonlaw.com/wordpress/ford-focus-transmission-problem/

    same thing
  • iamziamz Member Posts: 542
    And 204,251 Fiestas with the Powershift tranny have been sold in the US and Canada since 2010. That would mean less than 1% of those Powershifts went bad.
  • professor22professor22 Member Posts: 1
    Wish I had found this forum earlier. Just took my 2013 Focus Titanium into the dealer - 450 miles on it. The same grinding noise that is reported is what I heard. The service department manager tried to tell me it was normal - and from the reports on here, it sounds like it is. I guess I take it in, they don't fix it and repeat this a couple more times and let the lemon law kick in. I'm really sad because I like everything else about the car. I don't hold out much hope that Ford will care enough to fix it.
  • iamziamz Member Posts: 542
    "And 204,251 Fiestas with the Powershift tranny have been sold in the US and Canada since 2010. That would mean less than 1% of those Powershifts went bad. "

    Completely forgot to add the Foci with Powershifts (I own a Fiesta :) - So, there are about 520,000 Powershift equipped Foci (couldn't find an exact number because of the model year change over) along with 200,000 plus Fiestas. That's over 720,000 powershift equipped Fords out there. Judging by the number of people who have reported complete failures across multiple Focus and Fiesta forums, less than a fraction of 1% are failing.
  • kam327kam327 Member Posts: 115
    Not to mention the hundreds of thousands sold in China, Thailand and other far east countries.
  • kevinw43kevinw43 Member Posts: 1
    The Power Train transmissions have a warranty of 150k miles. Whether or not you pay any labor I don't know, after the main warranty is up. Ford was never a company to care about offering great warranty compared to Hyundai. However, that being said, I've heard horror stories about Hyundai owners getting the dealer to cover things under there "100k mile warranty" so it's a toss up. There was a seal apparently which has issues on normal Focus trannies. I have the SFE which uses the Automatic Powershift transmission which came in the SFE Super Fuel Efficiency model, which frankly they say only gets 2mpg more then a normal Focus model with a normal transmission. You can contact Ford themselves as it seems one Ford dealer will cover things and another one won't. Might want to ask around you area and see which Ford dealer will take care of it for you. That would be the one I'd switch my service to. Some car buyers like me bought Extended Warranties for 7 years, and they claim they are transferable to the next buyer of the car. Maybe the dealer who sold it didn't know that. Ask Ford and give them your VIN and see if your previous owner had the extended warranty which they claim is transferrable to the next owner.
  • mbarnetmbarnet Member Posts: 1
    Hi all,
    I have a 2005 Ford Focus ZX4 SE with 130,00 miles on it.
    I was in a turn lane waiting for the light to change and as I stepped on the gas my car started to make a really loud screeching noise. I tried stepping on the gas and it wouldn't go. It only makes the noise when it is in any other gear except park. I had no wrench lights on my dash board come on at all either. I also just had my oil changed 3 weeks before and the all fluid was topped off so it wasn't empty. The car seemed to be running just fine and showed no signs of my transmission slipping, at least that I know of. I always get it serviced on time and take it to the shop at the first sign of any problem. Any idea if it is just a part that can be replaced or the whole tranny? My mechanic is trying to get me to pay $2,300 for a used one with labor and I can not afford that kind of money as I am a broke college student in debt!

    Thanks.
  • carthellcarthell Member Posts: 130
    You might want to have your car towed to a different place for a second opinion, preferably a transmission specialist. Something isn't engaging in your transmission, which means that whatever the former part(s) was/were floated in pieces all around your transmission causing more damage than you might have thought.

    Unfortunately, the true limiting factor in getting a fix of any type is your economic situation. If your college doesn't have a student car tech group that might be interested in looking at your problem, you might want to start calling all the vo-tech institutions in your area to see whether they're interested in fixing your car. Or ask whomever you can whether they know a shadetree mechanic who can handle transmission problems (if they exist).
  • jcoker12jcoker12 Member Posts: 2
    I was having problem with my daughters Focus zx3 automatic dropping out of gear into neutral. I have been unable to duplicate the problem myself, but today I got a check engine light with the code P0720. I believe this points to the transmission speed sensor. Has anyone had this issue with their cars?
  • mikeejeneemikeejenee Member Posts: 2
    My 2012 Ford Focus has only done 6000 miles. However, I too have experienced nearly 8 months of 'lousy' driving conditions whereby the car's transmission causes severe juddering to the car when changing from first to second gear and from third to fourth gear. In addition to this: the car has difficulty climbing slight slopes; the speed of the car suddenly drops during gear changes; and the clutch motors continually makes soft grinding noises. I too have been told by the Ford Motor Corporation, and several dealerships that my complaints are a characteristic of the car's transmission. The dealerships also undertook two computer upgrades in hope that it would correct the problem....in fact the problems with the transmission got worse.
    It was not until I threatened to apply the Lemon Law aspect of my warranty, now overseen by the Better Business Auto Line program, that Ford took my complaints seriously. Ford sent out a Field Service Engineer who examined the car and immediately ordered an internal examination of the transmission. The dealership, which undertook this work, advised that an oil seal failure allowed oil to get onto the two clutches fitted in the transmission. They concluded that this had caused all the problems with the car.....time will tell!
    I am in total agreement with others who have had similar problems with their cars, that Ford should be held accountable for their nonchalants and lack of interest in dealing with consumer complaints. A class action law suit must ensue.
  • lulu291lulu291 Member Posts: 2
    I've had the same issues. My car is a year old yesterday. I brought my car to the dealer for the first time last Sunday because the belt broke and the engine overheated. I had to call Roadside assistance for a tow. When I dropped the car off I also mentioned the hesitancy/lurching issue. They fixed the belt but ignored the transmission. It's still under warranty so I took the car back. They had my keys for all of five minutes before returning my car to me saying they had "reset" something. The minute I drove off the lot I felt the same stutter and lurch plus a new grinding noise. After several stern phone calls to the service manager in which I mentioned these forums, I finally received a call back. However, the dealership is claiming a new technical service bulletin was just issued. They are saying my car's transmission problem is different t than the previously known problems with oil leakage. Mine is being attributed to the computer system. I don't believe it. They said the bulletin came out 2 hours before they called me back. Something is fishy. And I still don't know what would cause a belt to break on a car that's 1-yr old. Next step is to get an outside opinion and bring the "diagnosis" to the dealer.
  • mr_cassandramr_cassandra Member Posts: 19
    if the dealer doesn't take care of you, you can go to the ford focus facebook page and contact "eric at ford". he is a customer rep who has been escalating peoples cases like your so that Fords home office works with the dealer to ensure you get it fixed.
  • mr_cassandramr_cassandra Member Posts: 19
    see tons more complaints here
    http://www.lemonlaw.com/wordpress/ford-focus-transmission-problem/

    then see also www.focusfanatics.com and do a forum search for the word transmission.

    This has been a bad execution of a good concept, ask any VW GTI owner (no problems)
  • abqwinterabqwinter Member Posts: 6
    August 02, 2013 I just bought a Focus auto tranny w/sport manual shifter in June and have the same shudder in first gear after it warms up as we read on the internet. This is totally not right. What on earth is going on with Ford that they don't fess up to the problem and let all the owners know about a fix.

    I took it to the dealer and they said the transmission is new and has to get used to my driving! Have you ever heard such a sorry excuse? I've owned 9 cars in my life so far and have never had a problem of this kind-- you get in and go--no transmission shudder. The only other car I had a transmission shudder from was in July 2013-- I rented a Ford Focus from Hertz-- go figure!

    C'mon Ford--cowboy up!
  • abqwinterabqwinter Member Posts: 6
    What did they do to fix it? Anything? The sound and shuddering may be normal for a Ford Focus-- but that is the only car in America that does that. Radiation poisioning is normal from atomic explosions but that doesn't mean that the explosions are good for you.
  • bobanandabobananda Member Posts: 5
    I wouldn't get too concerned just yet. I have a 2012 Focus with 25K on it. Mine shuddered for the first 3000 miles and then stopped. So far it has not come back and the transmission performs beautifully. In fact, the entire car is good.
  • abqwinterabqwinter Member Posts: 6
    Thanks, that was helpful. However, it still leaves me wondering about FORD engineering. How many car transmissions don't work well for the first 3.000 miles? And why is FORD not communicating with Focus owners about this known problem? The reputation of these transmissions is a PR nightmare and FORD is keeping it's head in the sand.
  • kippckippc Member Posts: 1
    I guess this problem is only with Automatics???
  • mr_cassandramr_cassandra Member Posts: 19
    for all the proof you need, please see post #73 at the thread called 2013 focus titanium trans noise, at www.focusfanatics.com which says>>>>>

    Had my 15k maintenance yesterday, again.. complained about the low speed / gear chatter and the ford rep just lost it and signed me up to have an engine / transmission pull apart, new clutch pack assembly, new engine and trans seals, the works.

    He said I was not the only one to complain, and he's tired of giving people the run around.     He said almost 9-10 focus trade-in's get this treatment only because they KNOW the probability of something failing is too high.

    Im glad to see even they're getting tired of this nonsense.

    Try different dealerships, guys... I was just lucky to find someone who is getting fed up.
  • dontbuyfocus12dontbuyfocus12 Member Posts: 1
    Bought a new car from ford dealership. but found metal grinding noise from the transmission at around 20miles/hour for low gear to higher. It should not be normal though the dealer guys think it is normal.
  • abqwinterabqwinter Member Posts: 6
    edited August 2013
    It is unreal how many and how consistent the complaints are about the Ford Focus first gear and how dealers across the spectrum are are telling owners "it is normal with this transmission" and dismissing the owners. It looks like a conspiricy by FORD, and the dealers, to really hide this problem. It is time to stop the charade and get the thing fixed.
  • mr_cassandramr_cassandra Member Posts: 19
    The only people I see getting any real help are the ones who contact ford CS reps like Crystal below. She can also be found at www.focusfanatics.com. You can also post your problem(s) at fords focus FACEBOOK page, where there is a ford CS rep called "eric at ford" who is also helping owners like yourselves get their cases escalated.

    Crystal
    __________________
    FORD SERVICE

    p: 800.392.FORD
    t: @FordService @FordFocus @Ford
    f: facebook.com/FordFocus facebook.com/Ford
  • mr_cassandramr_cassandra Member Posts: 19
    Yes, only the DCT automatic, the manual trans gets rave reviews.

    But the automatic is the subject of hundreds of unhappy customers who can be found at

    http://www.lemonlaw.com/wordpress/ford-focus-transmission-problem/

    and also at www.focusfanatics.com , just do a forum search for the word transmission
  • mr_cassandramr_cassandra Member Posts: 19
    that same DCT which has been such heartache for focus owners is great fun and NO heartache in VW-Audi vehicles. In addition, goto to new car auto show and read the transmissions, it is in over half the automakers offerings under various names.
    The problem is not the type of transmission, it is fords design.
  • mr_cassandramr_cassandra Member Posts: 19
    Food for thought, the dealers all have a memo they show to customers trying to tell them that many of these symptoms are normal.
    But many customers report that after various fixes like new clutches, seals, throwout bearings, the symptoms disappear.
    If the symptoms are "normal" how can they disappear?
    Furthermore, ask any VW GTI owner if his DCT transmission does all those things, especially the clattering/grinding noise. Why doesn't the GTI have those normal" symptoms?
  • mr_cassandramr_cassandra Member Posts: 19
    What's sad about your experience is that the seal leak is a known issue that ford has issued a TSB about. All they had to do was look to see if oil was leaking at the bottom of the bell housing to confirm this know issue and get you fixed the first time.
  • mr_cassandramr_cassandra Member Posts: 19
    I have read many posts where the owner got fed up and mentioned the lemon law and/or ford buying back his car and each ended like yours, the dealer said they "just" found a TSB that would help.
  • kam327kam327 Member Posts: 115
    "that same DCT which has been such heartache for focus owners is great fun and NO heartache in VW-Audi vehicles. In addition, goto to new car auto show and read the transmissions, it is in over half the automakers offerings under various names. The problem is not the type of transmission, it is fords design. "

    So epically wrong, Mr. Uninformed - uh - I mean Mr. Cassandra. Just look at the DSG wikipedia page, and specifically the section "Problems and recalls of DSG-equipped vehicles." Here's an excerpt:

    Since 2009 there have been widespread concerns from Chinese consumers particularly among the online community, who expressed that Volkswagen has failed to respond to complaints about defects in its DSG-equipped vehicles. Typical issues associated with 6-speed DSG include abnormal noise and inability to change gear; while issues associated with 7-speed DSG include abnormal noise, excessive shift shock, abnormal increase in engine RPM, flashing gear indicator on the dashboard as well as inability to shift to even-numbered gears.

    I buy the notion that DSG's generally perform better than DCT's, but that's due in large part to DSG's having been in use since 2003 and benefiting from gradual refinement in all the years since. Ford's dry-clutch DCT by contrast has only been in use since 2010 or so. Hence we are still fairly early in its long-term development and refinement. I have one or two relatively minor compliants with mine with 18k miles on it, but overall it works just fine.
  • mr_cassandramr_cassandra Member Posts: 19
    I stand epically corrected Kam. Sadly though, when you make your point about VW also having many problems, you may be painting an even grimmer picture for focus owners.
  • mr_cassandramr_cassandra Member Posts: 19
    some owners there have discovered a spot where your focus air intake have a leak.
    when taped up so it works as it was meant to, their cars run better.
    worth your while to go read the posts and see the pictures.
  • focusatlantafocusatlanta Member Posts: 1
    I had the same issues starting at 1k miles. The dealership had to replace the clutch assembly and then reprogram the transmission several times. It drove fine for a few days and then started up again. I had true metal on metal grinding in the assembly the first time. Acceleration up a hill was horrible and merging into traffic well there were a few close calls. They had the car for 2 weeks the first time and it was noted on my service report they even called Ford engineers to help out.

    I also had electrical issues which I think was part of the car not holding the reprogram. The radio and sirus units were replaced and the "a-pin" unit that controls both had to be replaced 2x at the dealership while working on it. Other issues included the window post rattling, volume control not working on steering wheel and radio and strut bearings making "old car aches and pain" sounds.

    I finally applied for the lemon law because my safety was more important. I submitted all my documentation (the car was in and out of the shop over a total of 30+ days) wrote a factual letter to support my issues and tried to have a bit of humor about a frustrating event. My car was repurchased and I am sticking with Ford. Matter of fact a new Ford Focus. Am I glutton for punishment? Maybe. But I love this car and want to give it another chance because it fits my lifestyle and my business needs. I will let you know how it goes. If it doesn't go well look for a 2013 Ford Focus obituary in a newspaper near you.
  • kevmac44kevmac44 Member Posts: 1
    I have a 2012 Focus, I bought it just over a year ago. I already have 35K on it as I live in Los Angeles. It has shuddered and made the noises the entire time. Just last weekend I was in heavy stop and go traffic going up the hill into Griffith Observatory here in Los Angeles and the computer system prompted me that my "transmission is overheating". My engine temperature was fine (and it was happening in the evening around 8 pm, not in the heat of the day). It prompted me to pull over and stop for 15 minutes. The computer actually counts you down with periodic prompts as to how much time you have remaining. This is absolutely ridiculous! No other car on the road had that problem, I've never had that problem on any car I've ever owned. So for those who've been told it will just go away are being lied to! I'm curious as to what they now have to say about the transmission overheating.
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