The Ford Focus gearbox issues affected vehicles manufactured worldwide between 2010 and 2016. All vehicles were Focus, Fiesta and EcoSport models equipped with the PowerShift automatic transmission.
The issue became so serious that the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) took Ford Australia to court in the Federal Court in 2017. Legal action has also been taken in the United States and Canada. In addition, the Australian Consumer Law (ACL) protects owners of these models purchased after 1 January 2011 with an extended manufacturer’s warranty. Ford is obliged to repair or replace your vehicle if a transmission problem occurs after the warranty period has expired.
How many Ford Focus vehicles have been found to have transmission problems?
The problems specifically affected the transmission of the Ford Fiesta (2011 to 2016) and Ford Focus (2012 to 2016). The number of affected vehicles in Australia alone was around 68,000.
The company admitted that at first, when the problems first occurred, they failed to foresee the scale to which it would escalate. They found that the problems started to get worse in 2015, but it should be noted that the problem did not affect cars with diesel engines and manual transmissions.
What is a PowerShift transmission?
Ford Motor Company began using the PowerShift transmission in 2010. It is a six-speed dual-clutch semi-automatic transmission that operates like a manual transmission but is controlled by the car’s computer.
A dual-clutch transmission works like two conventional manual transmissions. Ford’s PowerShift has two clutches that can function in parallel and alternating shifting. Since it has a six-speed shift mechanism, one clutch engages first, third, and fifth gears, while the other engages second, fourth, and sixth gears.
These transmissions use a “dry clutch” instead of a “wet clutch,” which means no oil gets into the shift mechanism. Wet clutch transmissions also use hydraulic actuation, but dry clutch units rely on an electric motor (solenoid) for actuation.
From the very beginning, the Ford PowerShift transmission has been plagued by minor issues. Without public announcements, Ford has continually released software and firmware updates to address these issues. However, these were only temporary fixes that eventually led to bigger problems.
Ford Focus Issues
The main problem with these Ford vehicles was clutch shuddering during light acceleration. Why does this happen?
Company mechanics diagnosed this as a result of clutch contamination from fluid leaking past the transmission input shaft seals. Continuous oil leakage degrades quality over time.
Fixing the leaks or replacing the transmission did not always help. The problems returned within a short period of time, and some customers even complained of dry shuddering. According to Ford, the vibration that occurs during acceleration when the car shifts into second gear from first gear was not related to the PowerShift transmission.
The company’s technicians attributed it to excessive heat in the clutch friction material. It proposed a new clutch material to reduce friction and improve shift quality. The harsh shifting can also be the result of a cracked chip in the transmission control module (TCM).
Ford Focus transmission problems are dangerous because they are not only related to safety and driving comfort. These problems affect the car’s ability to accelerate and brake, which can lead to accidents.
Think about a situation where you need to accelerate to an intersection, how dangerous a delay in shifting gears can be. In addition, a failure to downshift can cause the car to fall forward, which creates safety concerns.
What steps has Ford taken to address this issue?
The company has attempted to address the Ford Focus gearbox issues by offering repairs or replacements. They have asked customers to take their affected vehicles to their nearest authorised dealership for diagnosis. Depending on the assessment, solutions may include replacing the TCM, recalibrating the TCM, replacing the input shaft seals or replacing the entire gearbox.
The Australian Federal Court has fined Ford Australia AUD 10,000,000 for ignoring these issues for too long and handling customer complaints poorly. The company has extended the warranty to cover the software for calibrating the gearbox, clutch and input shaft seals. Under the Australian Consumer Law, the company is also required to respond to and evaluate all requests for replacements or refunds.
Ford USA agreed to a settlement on April 25, 2017, following a lawsuit. The company extended the warranty to 160,000 km or 7 years depending on the year of the vehicle.
Ford Brazil also extended the warranty to 240,000 km or 10 years. Ford Thailand went one step further and agreed to buy back approximately 200 vehicles with faulty PowerShift transmissions.
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