We are the owners of a 2012 Ford Focus Estate 1.6 with Powershift Gear (Automatic). We bought it second hand from a Ford dealer, expecting better service, 18 months ago. We've recently had problems with it, namely with the gears and the transmission. The gears not engaging and when in gear juddering as it is trying to move up, say from first to second and then to third.

A few months ago we broke down and we took it to our local dealer who replaced the gear actuator (still not sure if this was needed given the current problem that we are experiencing). All looked good until a few days back when suddenly the problem came back, this time though juddering away and revving up as it tries to move up a gear.

The day before yesterday I took it to the Ford garage and they told me yesterday that Ford knew about the issue and had released a 'software update'. They installed this update and the car was ready to be picked up. I turned up and as I tried to drive off from the forecourtI noticed the same problem/s. My wife spoke with the garage this morning and they said that the car COULD be picked up and driven off and that the computer "needed to learn the new gearing", or words to that effect. And they added that this could take up to "a couple of hundred miles." 

So, drive a juddering car for a few hundred miles so that the computer could learn where to move gear up or down? This sounds to me like a crock of s*^%.

I challenged the service guy in store and asked him to join me going round the broke. The problem was obvious to him. I added that I am extremely concerned that if I or my wife with our son in the back of the car was at a roundabout and the car would not pull away and I got his then it could be Ford, who have knowledge of the problem, who would be questioned, especially given that they have cars on the road with these problems. Possibly even un-roadworthy cars IMO.

Is anybody else suffering the same issue with their Focus with Powershift? Anybody had a reliable diagnosis or even better customer service? I took the car to Ford dealer rather than local mechanic as it is my opinion that they are liable.

I read online about calls for a recall of models with these Powershift gears.

Insight, advice and similar experiences welcome!

Sounds like the clutch is at fault, possibly due to the input shaft seals weeping oil on to clutch pack, the clutch has a 5yr warranty.

And yes, crock of !Removed! about learning over 100miles, the clutch biting points and shift drum are learnt as part of the process of software update. No need to drive to learn

Thanks for the insight IanTT. I'm not a car expert by any means. But earlier in the year when we broke down and the garage changed actuator my gut was telling me that it the problem was with the gears. Angry that they are checking things based on a 'Health Check'.

Any other insight on how to deal with the Ford muppets welcome! :) 

Sadly Julio It is a well know issue with the ford power shift. I wanted it on my new focus, but i did a lot of googling and reading up on powershift. Needless to say I chose manual.

 

Hi  I have a Focus power shift October 2014 the earlier ones had a problem with oil getting on clutch plates,and as was said in another post the warrenty was increased from 3 to 5 years. Hope you get it sorted with out too much trouble.

Thanks for the insight. Ford dealer, I had to call for update, tell me that the "software update has corrupted the module and so it now needs a new one of these which is being installed tomorrow. They added that there might still be some juddering after. I asked about the clutch and the dealer sounded like he hadn't even considered this. My instinct was that he was going to rush to the mechanics to get them to check this. Muppets.

Thanks again. Will keep you posted!

tell them they need to use fdrs to do software updates now, and not standard ids. they will know what you mean. 

a fully functioning powershift should not judder at all . dont accept any juddering as ok.

the mechanics need to do a check for iss a raw signal fluctuations, this will confirm judder and above a certian rpm variation will require box out, clutch inpection for oil contamination. if oil contamination on clutch, the clucth can be cleaned, but rarely works. if no contamination, then new clutch is the only option including seal replacement .

 

A quick update on this. I collected the car and was told that they changed the module. The reason for this is that after the update the module was got corrupted, so they took the data, sent it to Ford. The advised on installing a new module. Since then all good.

Thanks for the help. The insight that I got here help me focus (excuse the pun!) some people.