Focus 2012 starting and transmission issues

[MJH1986]

Hi All,

I have a 2012 focus powershift. I recently started having starting problems after a trip to garage for a tyre puncture repair... obviously that wouldn't have caused this issue. 

The starting issue was intermittent and after trying many times and clicking, it suddenly would start, following this, then turn off and on again fine until it gets left off again for a small period.. even then sometimes a whole day later it just starts first time. I put a battery tester on and it showed battery was a bit low and tested voltage with engine on and voltage increase indicated alternator was charging battery.

I changed battery and though all was fine, then next day starting problems again.. a few days later during a drive...stopped at traffic lights while taking my heavily pregnant wife and with 2 kids in back for hospital checkup and suddenly get "transmission fault, service now" message (always great timing for these things) while the gear lever was in drive, the car was just stopped, pushing gas just increased rev counter but gears would not engage in drive/sport or go into reverse gear. Got pushed to a car park and turned car off and called recovery. While waiting for the next 30 minutes, struggled to turn engine on but eventually engine started and suddenly gears working again, so just drove straight to my local garage with some dodgy movements when in gears 3/4 around 30mph. 

Garage diagnostics came up with Fuse relay for PCM and TCM faulty. But their test drive came up with no issues (typical).

They replaced relays f1425754 for starter and f1425752 for ignition and reckon the gearbox module had possibly lost power. They also checked all earth's and said they were fine.

Their subsequent test drives and starting had no issues.

I paid invoice and got car back, all seemed fine then next morning, it's chucking down with rain and I'm about to jump into my work van to go to work and but my wife had an appointment to go to so thought, let's just see if it works fine. Try to start and again nothing..sometimes clicking, sometimes nothing but about 5 minutes of trying and it wouldn't start.

Decided to stay home for a bit and 30 minutes later tried again and after about 5 attempts it started. Took it straight to garage and left it with them that day and whole of next day. Everytime they went to start it, it started. I went and picked it up, knowing I'm going to have it come up again soon as nothing had been changed since the last episode.

Fast forward 2 days - today as I'm posting this, I had a problem starting the car when we went to go out, after about 5 attempts it started. Then driving down the road and after a few miles (similar location to last time) this time didn't stop but driving about 35 mph and trying to get to 40, the rev counter suddenly goes up and notice no drive power. Car again fails to go into any gear, I stopped on side of road and switched off engine and started again. It started up straight away and gears were engaging again and I drove off.

Problem as you can see above is I have no confidence of when this car is going to suddenly going to breakdown and what the circumstances might be (I could be on a Motorway and lose power, or pulling out on a roundabout) if I'm in it I can at least deal with whatever happens, but if its my wife on her own (she's a nervous driver anyway) this is seriously stressing me out. Annoying problem is- everytime it goes into garage they can't even replicate the fault, be it the starting or transmission.

So, I came across this thread; https://www.fordownersclub.com/forums/topic/134748-transmission-malfunction-service-now-after-a-battery-change/

Was wondering if my initial battery change is causing this issue with transmission?

Anyone else having/had starting issues like mine?

Cheers