Is my Transmission Possesed?

[DynoDean]

I recently traded my 2010 Edge Limited for a 2012 Focus Titanium. I am convinced my transmission is posessed. Recent Auto enthusiast magazines call this transmission "half baked" and "horrible". I have 1260 miles on a 3 week old car. I took it back first day for shudder at takeoff. Was told this was normal and would go away after break-in. At intersections, it searches for gears and hesitates for 2-3 seconds. While driving thru the hilly terain of Hocking HIlls Ohio, it would rev up between 3000 and 5000 rpm while in "S" mode. It would do this even if there was no driver input and foot off the accelerator. Quite disconcerting. I can find no mention of this phenomenon in the owners manual. Has this happened to other Focus owners? Thanks for your input.

[Chibana]

It sounds like yours is more annoying that mine, but I also am not happy with the programming of this transmission. The "manual" mode isn't (it's more of a "make a suggestion as to what gear you want, and I may, or may not, do what you ask of me" mode), and it hunts for gears way too much. It downshifts when I tap my cruise control "speed down" button more than twice (why the heck would they program it to do that?). Even in "S" mode, there's too long of a delay after hammering the gas pedal to the floor before it downshifts and gets moving. Gear changes are too slow in pseudo-manual mode. Dual clutch transmissions (like this one) have such great performance potential, and Ford clearly didn't do a good job with this one. I'm fine with "D" mode being the mode to maximize fuel economy (within reason), but even "S" and the manual mode suck. I'm hoping that some of this mess will be addressed with a future ECU update, but regardless, I'm hoping that FSWerks, or some other *reputable* Focus tuner, will release a chip or ECU flash to fix this.

[aneekr]

At intersections, it searches for gears and hesitates for 2-3 seconds.

I've experienced this on test drives of both a new Mk3 Focus (not more than 20 mi. on the odometer) as well as a used Fiesta with 3k mi.

 

Even in "S" mode, there's too long of a delay after hammering the gas pedal to the floor before it downshifts and gets moving. Gear changes are too slow in pseudo-manual mode. Dual clutch transmissions (like this one) have such great performance potential, and Ford clearly didn't do a good job with this one. I'm fine with "D" mode being the mode to maximize fuel economy (within reason), but even "S" and the manual mode suck.

You described it perfectly, Chibana. "Horrible" and "half baked" are very accurate descriptions of this transmission.

Edited September 10, 2011 by aneekr

[fordtion]

No it's not possesed, it just a shitty dual clutch transmission. Way too many complaints, shudder seems to be a norm for this tranny, plus the crappy shifting.. Good luck having Ford do a "fix" on it..

 

There's another thread on this topic..It will give you some info as to other Focus owner complaints.

[DynoDean]

It sounds like yours is more annoying that mine, but I also am not happy with the programming of this transmission. The "manual" mode isn't (it's more of a "make a suggestion as to what gear you want, and I may, or may not, do what you ask of me" mode), and it hunts for gears way too much. It downshifts when I tap my cruise control "speed down" button more than twice (why the heck would they program it to do that?). Even in "S" mode, there's too long of a delay after hammering the gas pedal to the floor before it downshifts and gets moving. Gear changes are too slow in pseudo-manual mode. Dual clutch transmissions (like this one) have such great performance potential, and Ford clearly didn't do a good job with this one. I'm fine with "D" mode being the mode to maximize fuel economy (within reason), but even "S" and the manual mode suck. I'm hoping that some of this mess will be addressed with a future ECU update, but regardless, I'm hoping that FSWerks, or some other *reputable* Focus tuner, will release a chip or ECU flash to fix this.

Thanks for your feedback. So do you think the only solution is to wait for aftermarket fixes? I know Ford has done fixes on the MFT with software upgrades, has anyone heard of anything in the works to address this issue? When I take it to the dealer, all I get from the service writer is a dumb blank stare, and a refusal to look into it because it doesn't throw a code.

[Chibana]

I would see if there's a number for Ford customer service somewhere and call them directly. I'm going to mention my frustrations with it when I'm in for my first oil change next week, but I expect I'll also get a bit of a blank stare, too. I like this dealer and their service department, but they tend to "pooh-pooh" these kinds of things too often. If I don't get a reasonable response from them, I'll probably start hunting for a Ford number myself.

 

I should probably temper my complaints about this transmission a bit. Although I really feel Ford seriously missed it with this transmission, I still feel that compared to all the other traditional automatic transmissions I've driven, the PowerShift in my Focus is better in most ways. I'm just a die-hard enthusiast and manual-transmission fan, but I suspect many "normal" drivers would find little wrong with the transmission in my particular car. I don't feel the chatter that many complain of very often, and when I feel it, it's subtle. Hopefully that won't get worse.

[NSA]

Same thing here.. though I really feel the gear hunting at intersections is borderline dangerous, I've been hanging out in lanes for a second or two longer than I wanted to.. I suppose maybe it's something you get used to, but with 3k miles I'm still caught unawares sometimes with its lack of power.

[630land]

never mind

Edited September 14, 2011 by 630land

[Chibana]

Sounds like first year model bugs. Always best to wait for improvements before buying.

 

If you have a choice. I would still take my 2012 Focus Titanium over any other car in its class.

 

I'm also not convinced these are "bugs," but rather choices made by Ford when developing the transmission. The behavior would be hard to miss in all that road testing.

Edited September 13, 2011 by Chibana

[akirby]

If you have a choice. I would still take my 2012 Focus Titanium over any other car in its class.

 

I'm also not convinced these are "bugs," but rather choices made by Ford when developing the transmission. The behavior would be hard to miss in all that road testing.

 

I think it's pretty clear this is caused by the dry clutch design. The wet clutch version doesn't seem to have these issues.

 

Either some people have trannys that are worse then normal or they're making much ado about nothing.

Edited September 14, 2011 by akirby

[aneekr]

Either some people have trannys that are worse then normal or they're making much ado about nothing.

"Normal" operation of this transmission is anything but.

[BlackHorse]

I think it's pretty clear this is caused by the dry clutch design. The wet clutch version doesn't seem to have these issues.

 

Either some people have trannys that are worse then normal or they're making much ado about nothing.

 

I agree with aneeker. There is nothing normal about this tranny.

 

I took mine to the Ford dealer this morning because of the shudder and the rattle when it changes from 1st to 2nd. I already knew they were going to tell me that the gear hunting and surging was "normal" for this car.

 

At any rate, they had the shop foreman take a ride with me and he informed me that the shudder is part of the aggressive fuel management system. So it's normal and there's nothing they can do about it. And the rattle is caused by synchronizers in the dry clutch so it's normal and there's nothing they can do about it. So I'm going to do what any "normal" person would do. I'm going to trade this thing for a doggon Toyota, and there's nothing they can do about it.

Edited October 13, 2011 by BlackHorse

[mettech]

I agree with aneeker. There is nothing normal about this tranny.

 

I took mine to the Ford dealer this morning because of the shudder and the rattle when it changes from 1st to 2nd. I already knew they were going to tell me that the gear hunting and surging was "normal" for this car.

 

At any rate, they had the shop foreman take a ride with me and he informed me that the shudder is part of the aggressive fuel management system. So it's normal and there's nothing they can do about it. And the rattle is caused by synchronizers in the dry clutch so it's normal and there's nothing they can do about it. So I'm going to do what any "normal" person would do. I'm going to trade this thing for a doggon Toyota, and there's nothing they can do about it.

 

 

Check out the Civic before you buy.. It's made in the USA..

[BlackHorse]

Check out the Civic before you buy.. It's made in the USA..

 

I really don't like the way the civic looks and I need something with some cargo space which is why I opted for the Focus hatch. I would consider a Tacoma or a Frontier but the frames are still rusting out from under the things.

[nyfocus]

TSB

11-10-2•CALIBRATION UPDATE - AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION/ENGINE DRIVABILITY IMPROVEMENTS, AMBIENT TEMPERATURE DISPLAY - BUILT ON OR BEFORE 8/12/2011

Publication Date: October 2, 2011

FORD:2012 Focus

 

 

 

This article supersedes TSBs 11-5-11, 11-7-22 and 11-9-5 to consolidate previously released articles, updated Title, Issue Statement and Service Procedure.

ISSUE:

Some 2012 Focus vehicles built on or before 8/12/2011 may exhibit the following engine drivability and/or automatic transmission concerns; RPM flare on deceleration coming to a stop, rough idle on deceleration coming to a stop, intermittent engine idle fluctuations at a stop, intermittent vehicle speed control inoperative, intermittent harsh engagement/shift, engine no-start with engine coolant temperature (ECT) open circuit faults and intermittent no-crank/no-start condition after performing normal Powertrain Control/Emissions Diagnosis (PC/ED) pinpoint test (PPT) diagnostic procedures. The vehicle may also exhibit diagnostic trouble codes (DTC) U0422, P00D2, P068A, P0850, P2610, P2832, P286F or P2877. The vehicle may also exhibit intermittent false initialization to 21 °C (70 °F) on the instrument cluster's ambient temperature display upon engine start up.

 

 

ACTION:

Follow the Service Procedure steps to correct the condition.

 

 

SERVICE PROCEDURE

 

 

1.Reprogram the powertrain control module (PCM) and transmission control module (TCM) to the latest calibration using IDS release 75.02 and higher. This new calibration is not included in the VCM 2011.9 DVD. Calibration files may also be obtained at www.motorcraft.com.

2.Perform Transmission Adaptive Learning. Refer to Workshop Manual, Section 307-01 General Procedures.

 

NOTE:REPROGRAMMING PCM AND TCM WITH LOW VEHICLE BATTERY VOLTAGE AND/OR LOW IDS BATTERY VOLTAGE MAY RESULT IN A BLANKED PCM AND/OR TCM.

 

 

 

NOTE:THE PCM AND TCM ARE A MATCHED SET. PROGRAMMING THE PCM WILL AUTOMATICALLY UPDATE THE TCM.

 

 

 

NOTE:PLEASE ADVISE THE CUSTOMER THAT THIS VEHICLE IS EQUIPPED WITH AN ADAPTIVE TRANSMISSION SHIFT STRATEGY WHICH ALLOWS THE VEHICLE'S COMPUTER TO LEARN THE TRANSMISSION'S UNIQUE PARAMETERS AND IMPROVE SHIFT QUALITY. WHEN THE ADAPTIVE STRATEGY IS RESET, THE COMPUTER WILL BEGIN A RE-LEARNING PROCESS. THIS RE-LEARNING PROCESS MAY RESULT IN FIRMER THAN NORMAL UPSHIFTS AND DOWNSHIFTS FOR SEVERAL DAYS.

 

 

 

WARRANTY STATUS:

Eligible Under Provisions Of New Vehicle Limited Warranty Coverage And Emissions Warranty Coverage

IMPORTANT: Warranty coverage limits/policies are not altered by a TSB. Warranty coverage limits are determined by the identified causal part.

 

OPERATIONDESCRIPTIONTIME111002A2012 Focus Automatic Transmission (DPS6): Reprogram The PCM And TCM Includes Time To Perform Adaptive Learning And Drive Cycle (Do Not Use With Any Other Labor Operations)1.1 Hrs.

[TheJBH]

If you have a choice. I would still take my 2012 Focus Titanium over any other car in its class.

 

I'm also not convinced these are "bugs," but rather choices made by Ford when developing the transmission. The behavior would be hard to miss in all that road testing.

 

While I'm not sure I would choose this vehicle over again, I do tend to agree that the tranny behavior was a Ford decision. IMO, one probably driven by the government's fuel efficiency standards.

[TheJBH]

Check out the Civic before you buy.. It's made in the USA..

It may be MADE in the USA, but the profits still go to Japan.

[TheJBH]

TSB

11-10-2•CALIBRATION UPDATE - AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION/ENGINE DRIVABILITY IMPROVEMENTS, AMBIENT TEMPERATURE DISPLAY - BUILT ON OR BEFORE 8/12/2011

Publication Date: October 2, 2011

FORD:2012 Focus

 

 

 

This article supersedes TSBs 11-5-11, 11-7-22 and 11-9-5 to consolidate previously released articles, updated Title, Issue Statement and Service Procedure.

ISSUE:

Some 2012 Focus vehicles built on or before 8/12/2011 may exhibit the following engine drivability and/or automatic transmission concerns; RPM flare on deceleration coming to a stop, rough idle on deceleration coming to a stop, intermittent engine idle fluctuations at a stop, intermittent vehicle speed control inoperative, intermittent harsh engagement/shift, engine no-start with engine coolant temperature (ECT) open circuit faults and intermittent no-crank/no-start condition after performing normal Powertrain Control/Emissions Diagnosis (PC/ED) pinpoint test (PPT) diagnostic procedures. The vehicle may also exhibit diagnostic trouble codes (DTC) U0422, P00D2, P068A, P0850, P2610, P2832, P286F or P2877. The vehicle may also exhibit intermittent false initialization to 21 °C (70 °F) on the instrument cluster's ambient temperature display upon engine start up.

 

 

 

My biggest tranny issue is when you're on the freeway and you want to pass. You get an opening, but if you wait until that opening happens and press the accelerator, you get nothing back from the car. You actually have to anticipate the opening and accelerate early in order to catch your opening. When I hit the gas, it should GO!

 

Does the TSB cover that?

[svtenthusiast]

My biggest tranny issue is when you're on the freeway and you want to pass. You get an opening, but if you wait until that opening happens and press the accelerator, you get nothing back from the car. You actually have to anticipate the opening and accelerate early in order to catch your opening. When I hit the gas, it should GO!

 

Does the TSB cover that?

 

 

 

Yes, the transmission is alot more responsive to throttle input after the TSB update.

[NSA]

+1 for the TSB update helping.

 

While I really haven't been driving nearly as much, when I do, I don't think I've had one "I hate this car!" moment since the update.. which is rather amazing actually.

[mettech]

It may be MADE in the USA, but the profits still go to Japan.

 

:reading:

Does the Honda Civic plant employ Americans?

 

Does a community in the USA benefit from the Honda Civic plant?

[Chibana]

Besides, the new Civic sucks. The Focus is far and away the better car.

[dynavet]

I have been reading comments about the Focus transmission and here's my experience. I traveled to Maine in September rented a 2012 Focus with 6000 miles. I drove 525 miles in Maine was totally impressed with the car and transmission. It's probably the smoothest automatic that I have used and I have been driving for 43 years(mostly Fords and 3 Pontiac's). I was so impressed with the Focus when I returned home, I traded my 2006 Focus on a 2012 Hatchback SEL. This car is quiet, smooth and virtually all automatic. I have 1260 miles on my car and the transmission shifts smooth with no shudders or unusual behaviors. The shifts a low throttle input does have a slight RPM rise between gears, but at large throttle openings the shifts are fast and the car is quick. I have NEVER used "S" on the transmission selection, I bought an automatic transmission because I don't want to shift myself otherwise I would have purchased a manual shift transmission. From what I have been reading about transmission troubles, they seem to come from people who want to use the "S" feature and change gears themselves.

[akirby]

Be aware that you can use Sport mode (S) in automatic mode as well. When you first shift into S it will stay in automatic mode but maintain higher RPM in each gear and downshift more aggressively. It doesn't go into manual mode until you manually select a gear.

[BlackHorse]

I have been reading comments about the Focus transmission and here's my experience. I traveled to Maine in September rented a 2012 Focus with 6000 miles. I drove 525 miles in Maine was totally impressed with the car and transmission. It's probably the smoothest automatic that I have used and I have been driving for 43 years(mostly Fords and 3 Pontiac's). I was so impressed with the Focus when I returned home, I traded my 2006 Focus on a 2012 Hatchback SEL. This car is quiet, smooth and virtually all automatic. I have 1260 miles on my car and the transmission shifts smooth with no shudders or unusual behaviors. The shifts a low throttle input does have a slight RPM rise between gears, but at large throttle openings the shifts are fast and the car is quick. I have NEVER used "S" on the transmission selection, I bought an automatic transmission because I don't want to shift myself otherwise I would have purchased a manual shift transmission. From what I have been reading about transmission troubles, they seem to come from people who want to use the "S" feature and change gears themselves.

 

That is completely inaccurate. I have never used the "S" mode on my dual clutch transmission. The car still shudders pretty regularly. It was somewhat improved for a couple of days when they applied the software update last week but the shudder is just as bad as it was before and from time to time the clutches still rattle. Additionally I have seen plenty of posts about the transmission on other forums that share the same problem as mine. They aren't using the "S" mode but the car still rattles and shudders. I'm glad you got one that runs well and I hope it stays that way because I wouldn't wish the experience I'm having with mine on anyone.