Ford Focus transmission problem - Need advice

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Jun 30th, 2021 10:44 pm

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Jun 24th, 2021 11:19 pm

SwapnaJ8786 [OP]: Newbie; Dec 24, 2018; 26 posts; 3 upvotes

Jun 24th, 2021 11:19 pm

Ford Focus transmission problem - Need advice

I need some advice.

My car starting giving trouble while starting. The Check-Engine light was on, and it would take 2-3 attempts to start. I took the car for service and was told that there are multiple DTCS errors, and the problem is with the internal transmission.

The service guy gave me a quote for C$2,500 to C$3,000 for a used transmission ($1500) and labor charges ($1500) included.

Is it worthy to repair the transmission ? alternatively, without fixing the transmission, can I trade-in the car for a reasonable value ?

Make/Model: 2012 Ford Focus; 110K KMs.

Thanks in advance.

35 replies

Jun 24th, 2021 11:28 pm

blexann: Deal Guru; Mar 10, 2005; 13317 posts; 6300 upvotes

Jun 24th, 2021 11:28 pm

tranny issues at 110kms? get a second opinion

"If you want to improve, be content to be thought foolish and stupid." - Epictetus

+2

Jun 24th, 2021 11:31 pm

blexann: Deal Guru; Mar 10, 2005; 13317 posts; 6300 upvotes

Jun 24th, 2021 11:31 pm

and there's this https://www.autoblog.com/2019/07/19/for ... WVFDRNEkC0

"If you want to improve, be content to be thought foolish and stupid." - Epictetus

+4

Jun 24th, 2021 11:34 pm

eklips: Member; May 27, 2016; 342 posts; 366 upvotes; BC

Jun 24th, 2021 11:34 pm

Do you mean starting the engine or putting transmission into gear and starting to drive? The only connection that the transmission has to starting the engine is the ring gear/flex plate.

Definitely get a second opinion.

+1

Jun 24th, 2021 11:41 pm

ES_Revenge: Deal Expert; Mar 23, 2004; 35607 posts; 19134 upvotes

Jun 24th, 2021 11:41 pm

If this car has a PowerShift trans, the solution is to...

Get. Rid. Of this. Car.

ASAP!

I don't believe this is covered under the warranty extension because Ford only gave 7 years on it, and a 2012 is certainly over that now.

No longer posting on RFD. Will answer PMs from time to time, if anyone needs help/advice/etc.

+4

Jun 25th, 2021 12:01 am

AlicW93740: Sr. Member; Sep 25, 2018; 990 posts; 2102 upvotes

Jun 25th, 2021 12:01 am

The car is worth 5k-6k, is it worth 3k to fix it, especially for a Ford?

Before you speak: THINK
T = is it True? H = is it Helpful? I = is it Inspiring? N = is it Necessary? K = is it Kind?

+1

Jun 25th, 2021 12:34 am

SwapnaJ8786 [OP]: Newbie; Dec 24, 2018; 26 posts; 3 upvotes

Jun 25th, 2021 12:34 am

The problem is not consistent, Today I was able to drive back and forth to service center without any problem.

In other occasions, the engine started at first, but the car reverses on Drive (or vice versa). Whenever that happens, I stop & start again, the engine won't start immediately, and will take few attempts to start.

Yesterday was the worst case, The car reversed on drive, and then the engine didn't start again. It drained the battery completely and needed a jump start this morning.

Jun 25th, 2021 1:04 am

ES_Revenge: Deal Expert; Mar 23, 2004; 35607 posts; 19134 upvotes

Jun 25th, 2021 1:04 am

SwapnaJ8786 wrote: ↑ The problem is not consistent, Today I was able to drive back and forth to service center without any problem.

In other occasions, the engine started at first, but the car reverses on Drive (or vice versa). Whenever that happens, I stop & start again, the engine won't start immediately, and will take few attempts to start.

Yesterday was the worst case, The car reversed on drive, and then the engine didn't start again. It drained the battery completely and needed a jump start this morning.

Just trade the car in and hope it works fine if/when they check anything, do it now before it gets worse. If you trade-in at a branded/1st party dealership it will probably go to auction and then it's not your problem and it won't become some unfortunate person's problem as it will probably fetch little money at that point anyway. You may not get much on a trade but hey at least you will get more than when it goes kaput and you're having to spend thousands to fix it or just junking it or selling as-is for a few hundred.

No longer posting on RFD. Will answer PMs from time to time, if anyone needs help/advice/etc.

+1

Jun 25th, 2021 1:13 am

tmkf_patryk: Deal Fanatic; Dec 27, 2007; 5266 posts; 2294 upvotes; Edmonton

Jun 25th, 2021 1:13 am

Throw in a used tranny. Set you back 300 from the junkyard. You have Canada day long weekend to tinker around and swap it.
It's an easy job to boot

Find one that's been on an accident, better chance of it being running before it smashed into something

warming up the earth 1 gas fill-up at a time...
You only live once, get a v8

+1

Jun 25th, 2021 1:40 am

redblack: Deal Addict; Nov 11, 2013; 1179 posts; 1564 upvotes; Calgary

Jun 25th, 2021 1:40 am

The problem with a used tranny is that it’s likely to have the same problem. Good old ford an their power-shit transmission.

Last edited by redblack on Jun 25th, 2021 8:39 pm, edited 1 time in total.

+4

Jun 25th, 2021 1:49 am

SwapnaJ8786 [OP]: Newbie; Dec 24, 2018; 26 posts; 3 upvotes

Jun 25th, 2021 1:49 am

ES_Revenge wrote: ↑ Just trade the car in and hope it works fine if/when they check anything, do it now before it gets worse. If you trade-in at a branded/1st party dealership it will probably go to auction and then it's not your problem and it won't become some unfortunate person's problem as it will probably fetch little money at that point anyway. You may not get much on a trade but hey at least you will get more than when it goes kaput and you're having to spend thousands to fix it or just junking it or selling as-is for a few hundred.

The check engine line is on, I cannot trade in a car with Engine light on. Is there a interim solution the engine light goes off / turned off ?

Jun 25th, 2021 2:14 am

mxthor3: Deal Fanatic; Oct 1, 2015; 5088 posts; 7856 upvotes; Barrie, ON

Jun 25th, 2021 2:14 am

blexann wrote: ↑ tranny issues at 110kms? get a second opinion

If you've got a Powershift absolutely. Class action lawsuit an all. Horrible transmissions.

+1

Jun 25th, 2021 2:16 am

Notsojdmgc4: Sr. Member; Feb 13, 2021; 922 posts; 1032 upvotes

Jun 25th, 2021 2:16 am

Always buy manuals.

Always.

+1

Jun 25th, 2021 6:25 am

cristianosham: Deal Addict; Sep 6, 2017; 4623 posts; 3093 upvotes

Jun 25th, 2021 6:25 am

SwapnaJ8786 wrote: ↑ The check engine line is on, I cannot trade in a car with Engine light on. Is there a interim solution the engine light goes off / turned off ?

Spend 15 dollars on a ELM code reader and erase the codes once you park at the dealership.

+1

Jun 25th, 2021 9:01 am

xjesterxx: Deal Addict; Jul 5, 2011; 2645 posts; 3242 upvotes; Toronto

Jun 25th, 2021 9:01 am

Used to sell those cars way back.. honestly Ford should have been forced to warranty those transmissions for like 15 years - every single one of them was garbage. Some started failing in some way within 100 KM or less.

I hated selling that and the Fiesta - I’d try to switch people into the Escape instead.

We used to have a 4x6 card to hand out on delivery (directly from Ford) to explain the different noises / clunks / clanks etc that the transmission made during normal operation because so many people complained.

2013 Wins - $1320 - Woohoo!

+1

Jun 25th, 2021 9:12 am

kr0zet: Deal Fanatic; Jan 16, 2011; 9718 posts; 13523 upvotes; The NORTH

Jun 25th, 2021 9:12 am

xjesterxx wrote: ↑ Used to sell those cars way back.. honestly Ford should have been forced to warranty those transmissions for like 15 years - every single one of them was garbage. Some started failing in some way within 100 KM or less.

I hated selling that and the Fiesta - I’d try to switch people into the Escape instead.

We used to have a 4x6 card to hand out on delivery (directly from Ford) to explain the different noises / clunks / clanks etc that the transmission made during normal operation because so many people complained.

Classic corporate response. 'We need to educate the public why our product is not shit, its normal'.

+2

Jun 25th, 2021 9:33 am

SwapnaJ8786 [OP]: Newbie; Dec 24, 2018; 26 posts; 3 upvotes

Jun 25th, 2021 9:33 am

xjesterxx wrote: ↑ Used to sell those cars way back.. honestly Ford should have been forced to warranty those transmissions for like 15 years - every single one of them was garbage. Some started failing in some way within 100 KM or less.

I hated selling that and the Fiesta - I’d try to switch people into the Escape instead.

We used to have a 4x6 card to hand out on delivery (directly from Ford) to explain the different noises / clunks / clanks etc that the transmission made during normal operation because so many people complained.

So what is my option here? Do I take the car to another Ford Service center ? it will cost be $150 for diagnoses, and if they confirm problem is with internal transmission then use ELM to reset the code and trade-In ?

Even if I reset the code via ELM, the engine-light will appear again when I start the car again -- Is that right ?

Jun 25th, 2021 9:33 am

SwapnaJ8786 [OP]: Newbie; Dec 24, 2018; 26 posts; 3 upvotes

Jun 25th, 2021 9:33 am

xjesterxx wrote: ↑ Used to sell those cars way back.. honestly Ford should have been forced to warranty those transmissions for like 15 years - every single one of them was garbage. Some started failing in some way within 100 KM or less.

I hated selling that and the Fiesta - I’d try to switch people into the Escape instead.

We used to have a 4x6 card to hand out on delivery (directly from Ford) to explain the different noises / clunks / clanks etc that the transmission made during normal operation because so many people complained.

If I reset the code via ELM, the engine-light will appear again when I start the car again -- Is that right ?

Jun 25th, 2021 9:42 am

kr0zet: Deal Fanatic; Jan 16, 2011; 9718 posts; 13523 upvotes; The NORTH

Jun 25th, 2021 9:42 am

SwapnaJ8786 wrote: ↑ If I reset the code via ELM, the engine-light will appear again when I start the car again -- Is that right ?

No, it will depend on when the fault happens. Then the computer will reference the fault against what the parameters are and depending on the severity of the fault it will freeze frame the data and wait for the fault to happen again before lighting the MIL.

Your bigger problem will be that anyone with half a brain can figure out when the computer was reset, it comes up in a scan.

+1

Jun 25th, 2021 9:45 am

redblack: Deal Addict; Nov 11, 2013; 1179 posts; 1564 upvotes; Calgary

Jun 25th, 2021 9:45 am

I think when you trade in a car you need to sign a disclosure form saying that there is no hidden issues. Just a thought.

Buy a Toyota next time

+1

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