Ford Powershift auto saga

Goldenyears

Our 2013 Ford Fiesta auto developed the Powershift judder about 5000 miles (1year ) into its life. My reason for posting is to say it was possible with persistence to get Ford to accept and fix the problem. We had to go through the usual fobbing off with reflashing the software twice. Then it turned out that some franchised Ford dealers do not have the training to repair Powershift gearboxes. Eventually a large chain dealer got Ford authorisation to replace clutch packs under warranty.
For those not familiar with the Powershift saga, Ford tries to tell owners that they don't understand that the new auto is different and the noises they hear, such as rattling under load, are normal. Owners reply that they don't care about the details of the design. They just expect an automated manual to work as smoothly as if you are changing gear yourself. The rattling noise was just tolerable. The judder definitely not. I am pleased to report that for the moment at least the repaired Powershift gearbox is working smoothly with no rattles or judder.
There is a Youtube video that suggest that full power acceleration 5 times in a row "may" cure the judder. I didn't try it but later it occurred to me that if there were traces of oil on the clutch plates it could burn it off. Cleaning oil contamination from the plates and reassembly was one of the intermediate steps that Ford would tell dealers to go through.

forgotmyname

If its a diesel then hard acceleration repeated several times maybe clearing the soot out of the system and not a gearbox fault at all.

Late 70's and early 80's auto issues were sometimes down to the carb adjustments, some owners thought i was mad adjusting the carb to fix their faulty gearbox.
When it cured it though they were happy with the tiny bill compared to new box.

Goldenyears

It's a petrol, although not really relevant. The Youtube video I was referring to was specifically about trying to cure a well-known fault with the Ford Powershift gearbox before going down the warranty route. Nothing to do with diesel injectors or any auto Fiesta sold in UK before 2012.

vickssinex

Currently I've got one of the last Fiestas with a traditional torque converter box. Normally I'd be thinking of trading in after three years but the older automatic transmission is becoming harder to find. The problems being reported with this Powershift type of gearbox are really putting me off. Fords, VW, etc.

bigjl

The shudder from the Powershift box has been an issue since 2011/2012.

At least it was on the Ford Galaxy fitted with that box.

Used to happen more when pulling away with just a small amount of steering lock on in the one I drove during the Olympics.

Apparently Ford where trying to work out some kind of software patch/fix to help sort it.

At least Ford might actually try and fix the issue.

I suspect VAG would just say it is a characteristic of the vehicle.

bigjl

Goldenyears wrote: »

It's a petrol, although not really relevant. The Youtube video I was referring to was specifically about trying to cure a well-known fault with the Ford Powershift gearbox before going down the warranty route. Nothing to do with diesel injectors or any auto Fiesta sold in UK before 2012.

I think they sold the Fiesta with a traditional torque convertor box later than 2012.

My V50 went in for a recall in 2013 (early) and the courtesy Fiesta was brand new, but pre facelift, and had the old box.

You need to weigh up the improved fuel consumption with this annoying trait that some, not all, have.

I still have mates at AddLee and I asked them a couple of months ago if they had heard of any gearbox failures, which at the time they hadn't.

AddLee used to replace the Autoboxes on the VW Sharan around the 70/80k mark, as they would all fail, the old Galaxy with the same gearbox was the same. When driving it was quite a nice box, but it was fine one day and broke the next.