Another Powershift problem, starting the process

[JonSick]

Hi

 

I am joining the official ranks of the juddering powershifters owners club and just about to start the process of trying to get Ford to sort it. So if you'll bear with me, some background and then a couple of questions for anyone in the know.

 

Car: Nothing in particular special about it. It's a 1.6 Titanium Automatic on a 62 plate (build 23/11/2012, sold a couple of weeks later). Special to me though. Great load-lugger for band equipment and the black looks awesome on the drive. I bought the car in July 2016.

Problem: I noticed around March this year that the clutch would judder. I managed to narrow it down to once the car has heated up (about 15 minutes of driving) and if I was stuck in traffic, the car would judder in gears 1 and 2. I also noticed that if I went from a slow speed and then took off with decent acceleration that the judder would persist or the car just wouldn't do a good job of deciding what gear it should be in. This is also taking a dramatic hit on the mpg. Right now over a week, my combined MPG is around 31mpg which is a bit rubbish if you ask me.

First efforts: I had my MOT due in July 2017. I had already reported the issue to my dealership when I first noticed. They just said that there was a recall on the vehicle for software and I would be just as well to wait until my MOT/Service to have it done. Not a problem, I waited. I picked up the car and the girl said that they did the software and had reset whatever it is they had reset.

It reoccurred maybe 3-4 weeks after. I've been using it like that until now after reading the horror stories of clutch packs and £1600 bills. Frankly I can't do £1600 and given my only warranty was a 1-year ford direct used warranty and I've been busy with work lately, I just didn't have time until the last few days. OK my fault, no excuse, silly me.

So I'm doing a little more research and I check on ETIS that I have an Outstanding Field service Action which is: 4W567 - DPS6/6DCT250.

Ford Customer Service: I didn't call up to have a go, I merely wanted to know direct from Ford what this was, was it actually a warranty extension as various Google posts seem to think and what exactly is covered? The question had been raised on one of the topics I had read that this OFS only covered the actual software and not the clutch pack, gearbox, what have you. Ford Customer service rep wouldn't even confirm that it was even a warranty extension, only that the OFS related to the "gearbox control module". He wouldn't be any more specific than that and referred me to my dealership. Without sounding like "that guy" it sounded like an offshore call center to me so I accepted this guy had no clue what I was on about in any case.

Dealership: I called up the dealership. The guy who booked me in was a lot more helpful. I'm using Gates of Stevenage as it's my closest one, but I don't know if the booking in guys are some sort of Centralised place or if it's a bloke sat in Stevenage somewhere. Whatever is the case, he was as helpful as he could be. He listened to what I was saying and said that the warranty was extended on my gearbox. He couldn't say how long the warranty was extended too and referred me to Ford Customer Services (I don't think I'll bother getting back to FCS given the above conversation) but I'm happy he gave me what information he had to hand. Well, he can't give me what he doesn't have.

 

tl/dr: So my story so far is it's going in on Thursday. It's had the software update/reset whatever it is and the problem is not resolved.

 

So my questions if anybody knows is:

1 My car is a 2012/13 build. Is my OFSA code 4W567 - DPS6/6DCT250 still valid? Is it five years as what seems to be posted? If so that takes me up to December 2017 which is grand.

2 If it is indeed covered until December 2012 and my dealership do another software fix, if the problem reoccurs after December 2017 when my (suspected) five year extension is up, am I basically boned? Or because the software fix didn't fix the issue, will it still come under this OFSA given the problem was reported initially within the period?

3 Does anybody actually know what exactly is covered? Does it relate to software only? Is it the entire gearbox?

4 Has anyone been through this process before with their Powershift gearbox? What was your result and rough timeline to get it resolved?

5 Did anyone not get any luck with this OFSA? If so, just so I'm prepared for the worst case scenario of my dealership saying "No warranty, box is boned, your bill is £xxxx", what sort of money am I looking at for a proper permanent fix and how long are we talking? Given my work, being without a car will be very difficult. Not impossible and I can put up with it for a couple of weeks if need be but if we're talking months then I have a bigger issue.

 

I will keep this post updated as to be honest, on my travels I didn't really find any comprehensive timelines. So for any would-be Googlers of the future, hope I can help!

[iantt]

5yr cover from first registered. So you shouldn't have to pay a penny.

[iantt]

As for time scale. Should take no more than 2/3 days.

[JonSick]

Do you know if dealers in general are just straight out now just replacing the clutch pack? Or can I expect to be messed around with more software updates? 

Is there any way I can demand the pack be replaced using the warranty as by my figuring it will be done in December. I don't really want January to roll around and I'm left with a hefty bill to sort it. Maybe I'm thinking pessimistically but after reading more on the problem at the BMax forums and having seen what goes on at car manufacturer's HQ (note I worked at a different not-Ford manufacturer for a while), I just don't want to be left in the lurch.

[iantt]

they may do another software update if there is another one since you had the last one. but i doubt that will improve your problem. so they will do a roadtest and capture the clutch judder on diagnostics. then they should get authorisation to remove box and inspect.

[JonSick]

So just to update this slightly, I had to move my appointment to next Thursday instead, however I did discover something whilst reading various forums. I read somewhere about a temporary fix where the advice was to run the car through all gears at speed 5-6 times and see if that helps. I took the car out night before last at about 1am on a part of the A1 I know is quiet at that time so I could actually do this. I performed it across this stretch actually 8 times one after the other, the turning points I had meant I could safely stop the car completely in appropriate laybys and take off again from stop.

 

Well all day yesterday I didn't get a single repeat of the shudder. Added to that, I was previously getting a combined 29mpg monitored over 3 days from reset. After this run, the car is now returning 41mpg and no shuddering all day yesterday and it was continuing early this morning. Annoying, the car has never done 41mpg in the year I've owned it haha. Stupid thing! 

Come to this morning, I didn't get a shudder this morning's commute but I did find a single repeat of a slight hesitation moving from slow moving traffic to speed. It was no way as severe as previous but still implies that there the fault was resolved temporarily but is on its way back.

 

I have a drive to do over the weekend of a good 200 odd miles in quite mixed traffic so we'll see then.

 

I know, stupid to try and fix it before it gets to Ford for a proper investigation, but I'm confident that the problem will most likely return before my appointment anyway.

 

So we'll see.

[JonSick]

So I handed the car in this morning and asked about the warranty. The garage I gave it to stated categorically that the extended warranty only pertains to the software on the TCM Module. 

 

That seems to contrast with what I've read on forums; Ford Customer Services will not confirm nor deny anything. Again I only just about managed to convince the rep today into admitting that the car had wheels.

 

I've decided if it's a deeper problem than what the dealer will warranty, I won't do it and just part-ex next year.

[FatHead1979]

I was firmly under the impression that the "extended" warranty was also for the "box", I'd be digging my heels in if needed.  Even if you do end up looking to part ex, the better the car runs, the more money you'll get for it!

[JonSick]

I was in that belief as well given various forum posts I have read. But as I can't get any particular information from Ford Customer Services other than "you possibly own a car made by us" and nobody higher up the chain appears to know any more than "You were told you have a car with a Ford badge and we have discussed it and fully wiling to admit that cars sometimes have four wheels and generally some way of propelling itself forward", there isn't much I can do. Seriously Ford CS are that rubbish! The dealer is adamant that the only thing covered for me is the software and nothing further. I assume I'm getting a "software update" in that case as I told them to call me prior to any billable work. 

 

What I found earlier in the week is taking the car out for fast runs through the gear range 5-6 times seems to cure the problem for a bit. If that's the case, I'll just have to do that every so often when it gets bad again. But I will wait for the garage to actually give me a response before I start on any other pathways.

[FatHead1979]

I'd keep an eye on this thread as several of the guys have access to Ford TSBs etc and are sometimes able to provide specific info that can be used to beat a dealer into submission 

[JonSick]

I'll happily take any help I can get! I enabled notifications so I'll definitely keep an eye out. Really I need to wait for what my dealer says in the first place. But I am expecting either a silly repair bill or another software update.

 

Should that be the case, I've honestly no idea what to do next as I have no info other than what's on the 'net which amounts to public forum posts. While they're informative, they're not proof of anything.

[JonSick]

OK the garage have come back to me... with good news. So cool, call it me overthinking.

 

The guy I dropped the car into is who said it was software only. I just got called and told that yes it does need a clutch and it's covered under the warranty. I'm picking the car back up today and they'll call me back to book in when the clutch arrives.

 

So OK good news all round. Hurrahs.

[iantt]

Shows what a poor dealer you used. Don't know what's warranty and what isn't. I've fitted modified clutch packs and seals under warranty and outside the normal 3 yr warranty.

[harpersimon]

Hello  - Just joined to seek specific info on this topic, as guess what - just picked up a 64 plate Titanium Nv Focus with power shift, and it shudders and judders when warm. 

Thus far I have an appointment with a dealer to do some 'diagnostics' - mindful of not blazing in there telling them what the issue is and demanding a warranty fix  - are we saying thats exactly what I ought to get?

I'll try and remember to report back on my experience also as we go along, appointment isn't for a week (13th) as they couldn't give me  loaner until then and I need a car for work

Curious in the meantime to try the 'cane it up through the gears' temp fix and see what that yields.. 

Interestingly following this post..