Ford’s powershift transmission issues can quickly reduce your car’s power and performance. Stalling transmission, jerks, vibration and PCM faults are all terrible for engine health and performance. Ford Focus has LED light on the dashboard to indicate if the transmission is faulty or has any issues. The PowerShift transmission uses a dual clutch system; this advanced gearbox pre-selects the next gear for you so you don’t lose power when you change. The first clutch handles gears one, three, and five; the second clutch handles gears two, four, and six. When the car is in first gear, for example, the second clutch is disengaged even though. The Powershift transmission is currently only available with this 134bhp 2.0-litre TDCi diesel and the less powerful 108bhp variant, and can be specified solely in the hatchback version of the.
- The Powershift in my Focus SE rental was by far the worst transmission I’ve ever used. Loved the rest of the car, but that transmission was abysmal. Login to reply: DeadWeight. May 18th, 2016 at 3:29 pm; You are overly sensitive, overly picky, or outright imagining any problems with the PowerSh!t Transmission.
- Along with the Ford Fiesta, the Focus equipped with the Ford DPS6 PowerShift transmission has received much criticism due to transmission shuddering, including several lemon law, claims. The issue is due to the dry type clutches associated with gasoline models.
If your case qualifies, you are entitled under the law to a buyback or substantial monetary compensation!
(You can have a lemon law case whether the repair visits have solved the problems or not.)
These owner problems and complaints may include:
On the newer Ford Focus, PowerShift automatic transmission problems (this is actually an electronically shifting/ controlled dry clutch gearbox) have been found to occur. These transmissions are known to have an internal seal(s) that leak oil from the gearbox case onto the shifting clutches, thus causing transmission operational problems, as well as transmission 'tear-downs' and major internal parts replacements.
Among the transmission problems reported by Focus owners includes:
'CHECK ENGINE' warning light and transmission operational problems.
Harsh shifting of transmission, or other transmission shifting complaints/problems.
Loss of power on initial take-off from a stop or from low speeds.
The feeling of the transmission 'slipping'.
Harsh or delayed engagement of transmission
'Jerking' or 'shuddering' upon take-off from a stop.
Transmission oil leaks.
Repeated re-programming (re-learning) of transmission by Ford dealers to 'correct' the issue.
Rebuilding or replacement of transmissions for these problems.
Replacing leaking transmission seals due to contamination of shifting clutches by leaking oil.
Car owners are routinely being told 'this is normal operating characteristic for this transmission' by the Ford service departments to complaints of the transmissions operation.
Ford Motor Company, and its authorized Ford dealers are aware of the various problem(s) with the 2011 - 2016 model-year Ford Focus. Many dealers are performing 'software updates' to the engine and transmission systems on the 2011 - 2016 models to correct the transmission issues.
Here is what some dealers are doing in an attempt to correct the issues with these vehicles“Clearing” DTC’s (Diagnostic Trouble Codes)
Replacement of TCM (Transmission Control Module)
Updating software to the engine and/or transmission computer
Contacting Ford Technical Support HOTLINE.
Performing TSB’s (Technical Service Bulletins) or NHTSA mandated Safety Recalls.
Contacting/referencing Ford “Oasis” online shop information system, and following “Oasis” topics repairs.
Awaiting further instructions from Ford Technical Support HOTLINE for problems that cannot be remedied by the above, or simply that Ford Engineering has the issue “under investigation”, but with no current fix available for the vehicle’s transmission.
Yes, you can do something about this, whether the vehicle is currently fixed or not!
If you own or lease a 2011 - 2016 Ford Focus (whether the issue(s) are fixed or not), you live in California, and you have had 2 or more clutch replacements in the automatic transmission under factory warranty at the ford dealer, we encourage you to call our law firm, or use the convenient free online case evaluation form below.
1-800-225-3666
Your Ford Focus may qualify for a buyback under the California Lemon Law, or you may be entitled to substantial cash compensation in the thousands of dollars. In California, your attorney’s fees are billed to the automobile manufacturer. You can call us, or use our convenient free case evaluation form below. Either way, you don’t have to put up with a vehicle that does not drive/operate correctly, or is unsafe!
When I was shopping for my certified pre-owned car, I knew the Ford Focus and Fiesta would probably be a big part of my search. While researching the vehicles and their features, many articles referenced the vehicles’ “PowerShift” automatic transmission and the additional fuel economy it offers. Ford is famous for the names of its technologies (I’m looking at you, EcoBoost), but what is so special about this transmission that it warrants a different name?
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The short story is that the PowerShift transmission is billed as an automatic transmission, but it really is a dual-clutch manual transmission in disguise. Lifting up the hood, shoppers and owners will notice that there is no way to check the transmission fluid, because this dry manual transmission does not require fluid flushes like a traditional automatic. If you don’t know how to drive a manual transmission, don’t worry, because the gears are shifted by the car’s computer without any extra work from the driver. Beyond the Focus and Fiesta, the PowerShift system is popular in several European Ford models that are not sold in the United States.
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When the PowerShift transmission was first introduced in the United States, it made some waves. While European drivers are familiar with the feel of a manual transmission, since those systems are more popular across the ocean, American customers were thrown for a loop. Ford has admitted that the fledgling system had a few issues in the earlier years (since fixed by software and parts updates), and PowerShift was redesigned for the 2015 model year to improve its performance. A lot of the customer complaints also seemed to come from drivers not understanding what PowerShift is and misinterpreting how it behaves.
Anyone who has been behind the wheel of the Ford Fiesta or Ford Focus knows about the difference I’m talking about, because drivers can feel the car shifting gears as it cruises down the road. It’s generally fairly gentle, but it is noticeable (especially when shifting from first to second gear). On my Ford Focus, it also took some miles for the vehicle’s computer to learn how I drive, and the ride has gotten smoother as my car anticipates my acceleration and braking styles.
Focus Powershift 2015
While a car equipped with PowerShift will never move as smoothly as a traditional hydraulic automatic transmission, the standard in the United States, I encourage shoppers to test drive a vehicle equipped with the technology. It might be different, but it saves money on fuel in the long run and it makes the driving experience more dynamic.
Source:Automotive News
Focus Powershift Judder
A Dayton native, Rebecca got her start blogging at the curiously named Harlac’s Tongue while studying abroad in the UK. She loves tooling around town with her Ford Focus named Jerome to the song they’re playing on the radio. On any given weekend, you can find her with her camera at area festivals, concerts, and car shows, shopping at flea markets, or taking an adventure on the open road. See more articles by Rebecca.