Ford Focus Auto MK4 Transmission Issue (Slip)

[nicholasjanjon]

Hello Everyone,

My Ford Focus is showing a transmission slip in the last 5 months. 

I took my car to the repair shop and they suggested changing the transmission oil. I changed it but it looks like the problem is still there.

I read some forums and threads about TCM and PCM reset, but I'm not sure how to do it since my car's shift is electronic.

I worry if I have to change the entire gearbox or if just an update or reset of the TCM would solve the problem.

Suggestions?

[Jimpster]

did you also change the filter and check the solenoids. Stick it on FORscan see if any codes pop up. The TCM PCM can be reset with FORscan, unsure if theres any updates for your model.

[Karbonfaiba]

Checking for codes is good first step and I hope the fluid exchange was done professionally.

Purchase the Vgate vLinker FS OBD2 USB Adapter cable and download Forscan to a laptop. This is the lowest cost way to gain more information about the DTC (if present) and also enables you to initiate a clutch point relearn process, if necessary.

Is the transmission slip occurring on every gear shift? is the duration of slippage consistent when it occurs? this would be a good indication of how serious the fault is.

Also, have you done a battery health check? 

[nicholasjanjon]

2 minutes ago, Karbonfaiba said:

Checking for codes is good first step and I hope the fluid exchange was done professionally.

Purchase the Vgate vLinker FS OBD2 USB Adapter cable and download Forscan to a laptop. This is the lowest cost way to gain more information about the DTC (if present) and also enables you to initiate a clutch point relearn process, if necessary.

Is the transmission slip occurring on every gear shift? is the duration of slippage consistent when it occurs? this would be a good indication of how serious the fault is.

Also, have you done a battery health check? 

Yes, the transmission slip is occurring on every gear shift, but less with the higher ones (from gear 6). 

The battery health is ok, even the auto start/stop is working good.

[Karbonfaiba]

20 minutes ago, nicholasjanjon said:

Yes, the transmission slip is occurring on every gear shift, but less with the higher ones (from gear 6). 

The battery health is ok, even the auto start/stop is working good.

Perfect, so the slippage occurring on every gear shift is a better symptom to have, because you aren't dealing with excess wear to single clutch or a solenoid fault (since there are multiple clutches and all gears are engaging successfully) the problem must be affecting the gearbox as a complete unit.

In my non-professional opinion this could be caused by low fluid pressure from a bad transmission pump - but not low voltage because the battery is good - or the clutch packs have been wearing equally although maybe slightly excessively, so that auto adjustment hasn't kept up.

A TCU relearn would be very applicable solution. There is another post in these forums (which I cannot find) about how to do this properly. But do follow it if you find it.

Alternatively take to Ford so they can do the relearn, but also perhaps investigate if abnormal excess wear is occurring. I would've liked to have seen how dark the fluid that came out of it was.

[DaveT70]

Does it get worse the more you drive it, or is it just when it is cold?

Definitely get the lead and register to use Forscan.

Connect to the vehicle and look under the modules, it will tell you what current level software you are running in the TCM and PCM, if there's no TCM listed, don't worry, just look at the PCM, some transmissions are controlled by just the PCM

If it says "software level XXXX-XXXX-XX" and then, in brackets (XX available or last known), get it booked in to Ford and have the software updated, it will cost you, but it's worth it.

When you changed the fluid, did you use the correct fluid?

If you only drained and refilled what came out, run for 500 miles and drain and refill again as you only got 50% out and the cooling is the issue on these transmissions and cooked fluid causes slips.

Using Forscan, once the software is at the correct level, and the transmission is warm, you can reset "Adaptive Shift Learning" in maintenance.

One you have reset adaptive learning you will need to perform a relearn drive cycle.

 

Come back when you have confirmed all the above and I will talk you through the adaptive shift relearn procedure

[DaveT70]

MK4 1.0 is a torque converter BTW NOT a powershift

[Jimpster]

I'd investigate solenoid A as thats the main up/down change

[DaveT70]

16 hours ago, Jimpster said:

I'd investigate solenoid A as thats the main up/down change

Not if you're getting slip in all gears, a dodgy solenoid would just cause issues on one gear