Focus MK3 Squeal - Clutch?

[skyking_comms]

Hi,

I've been having problems with a 2011 MK3 1.6 TDCI with 65k on the clock when pulling away in first gear. It's been sluggish since purchasing the car in September. I first tried putting in Shell V Power diesel which did make it run smoother. I also added BG 244 cleaner which helped again and have revved the car through the gears. The big problem comes when I need to pull away at roundabout's quickly as it stutters and is very sluggish. Someone mentioned it could be the fuel filter, but I haven't changed it yet.

Anyway...I now have another problem, which may be related. When I'm pulling away on a slight incline in first gear there is a loud squeal. It only happens as I'm releasing the clutch after the biting point. Sometimes it's very loud, but It only ever happens when the car is on a hill or slight incline. Does anyone have any ideas?

Ideally would like to go to a mechanic with some ideas rather than them spending hours doing investigations.

Hopefully soon I can get rid of the noise and have a car that pulls away quick / smoothly!

Thanks,

Darren

 

[Tony1]

Hi

I have a 2015 1.0 ecoboost Ford Focus I have the same problem as you when pulling away on a slight incline it makes a slight squeal from the clutch

[skyking_comms]

Is there anything that can be done? I'm really hoping it's not going to need a new clutch...

[goldtail77]

Just popped into say it isn't just you but probably one of these traits cars have. My 1.6TDCi 64 plate did this. Ford couldn't find a problem. It was on a lease, so I didn't spend too much time looking into it as it's no longer my problem.

[skyking_comms]

Seems crazy that Ford can't identify the fault, considering how many cars appear to have this problem.

Plus its a very loud noise that you can hear in the car even with the radio on - It's not something I'd like to put up with for long..

[AaronF]

My MK3 has exactly the same issue, noticed it doesn't always do it, seems to be when the clutch is 'cold' for me.

[dave1987]

Mine does it too, 2012 (61) 1.6 ecoboost 150. Mine happens when the clutch it hot and put under higher load (hill start for example). I believe it's called 'clutch whoop'. Doesn't seem to affect the performance of the clutch but is really annoying.

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[Ryan_Tango]

Pulling away being sluggish the only way I know how to resolve that is getting it remapped, as far the squeal had mine around 2 years and heard it once when slowly lifting the clutch to set off on a hill.  

[TomsFocus]

Is it definitely clutch noise?  Not brake noise due to the hill start assist?

The sluggish pull away is normal for the 1.6, partly to do with Fords rubbish EGR mapping, partly to do with the ESP not wanting you to spin a wheel and partly just as torque limiting in so you don't ruin the clutch/DMF/transmission.  So with all of that good luck getting a decent launch!  Jokes aside, even a remap only helps it slightly (although noticeably) it's still impossible to get a quick launch I find!!  

[goldtail77]

33 minutes ago, TomsFocus said:

Is it definitely clutch noise?  Not brake noise due to the hill start assist?

The sluggish pull away is normal for the 1.6, partly to do with Fords rubbish EGR mapping, partly to do with the ESP not wanting you to spin a wheel and partly just as torque limiting in so you don't ruin the clutch/DMF/transmission.  So with all of that good luck getting a decent launch!  Jokes aside, even a remap only helps it slightly (although noticeably) it's still impossible to get a quick launch I find!!  

My 1.6 pull away was far from sluggish. We have a notorious roundabout up here in Aberdeen for being a pain. I never once felt I couldn't just leap out into a gap and be on my merry way. In fact I could trigger the traction control readily if I was too enthusiastic :)

[skyking_comms]

Didn't realise there was a hill start assist on the focus! So can this be turned off? Should I get the brakes checked?

On the sluggish start - someone before mentioned there's a software update to the pcm for poor running lower down the revs when cold. I went to a ford garage and they wanted to charge £75 just to check whether there were any updates required. Apparently it's not part of the service, as the service they just resolve any warning lights. Perhaps £75 would be a good investment?

[TomsFocus]

13 hours ago, goldtail77 said:

My 1.6 pull away was far from sluggish. We have a notorious roundabout up here in Aberdeen for being a pain. I never once felt I couldn't just leap out into a gap and be on my merry way. In fact I could trigger the traction control readily if I was too enthusiastic :)

The traction control is half the issue here!  And is the part you can't change with a remap.  It suddenly cuts power as soon as it even smells the chance of wheel spin.  I can get a much better launch with it switched off, a bit of wheel spin isn't always bad, in fact it's far better than a sudden nose dive entering a roundabout.  Maybe it's a better system in the Mk3 though?

I still hate having to jump into a gap from a standing start, it's fine if I can roll up to it in gear but if I have to stop first it's always a pain, probably the thing I hate most about the car tbh.   

12 hours ago, skyking_comms said:

Didn't realise there was a hill start assist on the focus! So can this be turned off? Should I get the brakes checked?

On the sluggish start - someone before mentioned there's a software update to the pcm for poor running lower down the revs when cold. I went to a ford garage and they wanted to charge £75 just to check whether there were any updates required. Apparently it's not part of the service, as the service they just resolve any warning lights. Perhaps £75 would be a good investment?

I thought all the mk3 Focus' had hill start but could be wrong there!  I often hear brake graunch on hills from newer cars though as the car holds the brakes for longer than a human would.  Nothing wrong with it though, that's just how it works.

£75 for the update would be good if there are any, but if they check and there aren't that's obviously not good lol...  Sadly there weren't any updates for mine, in fact there was nothing wrong at all which was very annoying.   

[jmurray01]

I am very surprised there is such a common issue and Ford haven't yet found out what the problem is, or done a recall!  Very poor in my opinion. 

All this talk of traction control systems and pulling away makes me glad I own a MK1!  No T/C, Hill-Start or even ABS, just pure uninterrupted power to the front wheels.  Living up here with busy junctions and roundabouts it is very important that you have 100% power at your disposal, without the car deciding to hold you back when you just need to GO! 

It is that kind of interference that puts me off modern cars per se.

[TomsFocus]

Lol Jamie, you've been moaning about the wheel spin on the Mk1 but you're glad it doesn't have traction control...  

ABS is a must for me now, after a very near miss on a wet road in my first car, brakes just locked and slid straight across a dark junction that I hadn't even seen until it was too late.  The only time it's not good is ice and snow, but brakes aren't much use then anyway lol.

ESP (with combined traction control these days) is good in some places, but in certain cars it's just too over excitable.  I've never had an issue with the ESP, it's saved me a couple of times too, particularly on the Golfs that loved to understeer into kerbs.  But the traction control part on the Focus is too intrusive, it worked well on other cars I've had, allowing some wheel spin but not daft amounts, but in the Focus it just doesn't want to let any, so essentially slashes all power and brakes the slipping wheel which gives a sudden nose dive followed by basically coasting off the roundabout...

[jmurray01]

1 hour ago, TomsFocus said:

Lol Jamie, you've been moaning about the wheel spin on the Mk1 but you're glad it doesn't have traction control...  

ABS is a must for me now, after a very near miss on a wet road in my first car, brakes just locked and slid straight across a dark junction that I hadn't even seen until it was too late.  The only time it's not good is ice and snow, but brakes aren't much use then anyway lol.

ESP (with combined traction control these days) is good in some places, but in certain cars it's just too over excitable.  I've never had an issue with the ESP, it's saved me a couple of times too, particularly on the Golfs that loved to understeer into kerbs.  But the traction control part on the Focus is too intrusive, it worked well on other cars I've had, allowing some wheel spin but not daft amounts, but in the Focus it just doesn't want to let any, so essentially slashes all power and brakes the slipping wheel which gives a sudden nose dive followed by basically coasting off the roundabout...

It's the lesser of two evils! 

I'd rather have too much power (wheel spin) than the car suddenly bog down when trying to merge onto a busy roundabout.

ABS is something I've got mixed feelings about.  The Peugeot and Ford don't have it, whereas the Mercedes does.  I actually had a similar experience to what you described last week when I approached a junction that I've done hundreds of times before, but in this instance the wet road and cold temperatures (late at night) had made it very slick, and I almost ploughed straight past it and onto a busy main road had it not been for the C220's ABS keeping it controlled and stopping just in time.

That said, when driving a car without ABS (405 or Focus) I adjust my braking force accordingly (threshold braking) and use cadence braking if required.  That is one thing I learned before I even passed my test, as I knew that I'd spend most of my driving life with cars lacking ABS, and I needed to know how to control a vehicle without it.

T/C may be useful if it were set up to be a last resort (only stepping in if the wheels were spinning uncontrollably) and I wouldn't mind that too much, but when it affects the car unnecessarily - and potentially dangerously - I would rather have none at all.

[skyking_comms]

So it's been a few weeks since I last posted. I haven't got any further with either the sluggish pull away or the hill start squeal.

I did speak to a couple more mechanics and the sluggish start they said could be down to someone putting the incorrect oil in (said low ash is needed) or again the fuel filter. I have about 1000 miles to go before a 6000 mile service (I know its supposed to be 12.5k). So will get the oil and fuel filter changed. One of the posts above mentioned traction control - is it possible to turn this off to see if it makes a difference?

I also phoned another Ford dealer for a price of software updates - they would charge £100, so worthwhile shopping around. I will call a couple more to see if I can get it cheaper than £75. Like the member said above if there are no updates then it's a waste of money!

On the hill squeal - well it is annoying but do I really want to get someone to look at the clutch only to find there isn't an issue.. no. So when it get's the oil / filters changed I will get the mechanic to check the brakes, just incase they could be at fault.

I really do like the drive of the car, just wish I could get these couple if issues resolved!

[ajzetecs]

I also had problem with pull away with my mk2 1.8 tdci and the egr delete has helped that massively 

[skyking_comms]

Tonight I got the fuel filter replaced and it's like a new car! No problems in 1st gear and pulls away smoothly. I now wonder whether the filter has ever been changed!

Car still goes in for an oil and filter change as I'm not sure if low ash oil was used before I purchased the car. I also found a ford garage that only charges £40 to check whether there is a software update available. It's worth shopping around.

Will ensure the oil / filter gets changed every 6k and Fuel Filter every 12.5k from now on...

I'm not prepared to change the clutch just to stop the squeal (And it might not resolve it) - will ask with the Ford garage whether they have any ideas when I get the software update done.

Hope this helps someone else!

[dave1987]

I have clutch squeal as well on my mk3 focus (1.6 ecoboost). This first arose after a warranty clutch replacement (previous one used to judder under load) but when this one gets hot from stop/start traffic it sometimes temporarily squeals. I've heard it called 'clutch whoop'? Clutch still bites really well and it's operation is otherwise unaffected. I've heard of a lot of people have problems with clutches on the mk3/3.5, a common fault it seems.


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[steve171]

I've noticed if I keep my hand off the gear stick when pulling away that I don't get the "woop" noise, may just be me but it seems to be ok without pressure on the stick. 

[skyking_comms]

How do we address this clutch whoop problem to Ford?

It's loud and annoying - I dread to think how I would sell the car whenever the time arises as buyers will hear it, even though it's just a noise and doesn't affect the drive.