If you purchased or leased a 2011-2016 Ford Fiesta or a 2012-2016 Ford Focus with a PowerShift Transmission (the 'Class Vehicles'), you may be entitled to obtain benefits provided by the Settlement and the Orders of the Court. What is the current status of the Settlement? The PowerShift transmission uses a dual clutch system; this advanced gearbox pre-selects the next gear for you so you don’t lose power when you change. The first clutch handles gears one, three, and five; the second clutch handles gears two, four, and six. When the car is in first gear, for example, the second clutch is disengaged even though. The Powershift transmission is currently only available with this 134bhp 2.0-litre TDCi diesel and the less powerful 108bhp variant, and can be specified solely in the hatchback version of the.
The 2014 Ford Focus has had transmission problems since its launch. For owners of the SUV, visits to the mechanic’s shop have become more frequent, specifically to diagnose and repair powershift transmission Problems. Over the years, Ford Focus automatic transmission cars have characterized an avalanche of transmission problems ranging from bad hesitation and jerking when starting to shuddering, slips and grinding noise, among others. These issues have been reported for cars with as little as 106 miles, although most problems occur in vehicles with mileage between 10,000 and 20,000. Even so, these SUVs are still covered under warranty and owners can qualify for paid repairs. Ford also extended its PCM (powertrain control module) warranty from 5 years and 60,000 miles to 10 years and 150,000 miles. This was after acknowledging that specific models, built between 2011 and 2015, had PCM failures.
On the newer Ford Focus, PowerShift automatic transmission problems (this is actually an electronically shifting/ controlled dry clutch gearbox) have been found to occur. Ford’s powershift transmission issues can quickly reduce your car’s power and performance. Stalling transmission, jerks, vibration and PCM faults are all terrible for engine health and performance. Ford Focus has LED light on the dashboard to indicate if the transmission is faulty or has any issues.
5 common 2014 Ford Focus transmission problems:
a) Stalling and jerking
This is the most reported Ford Focus transmission problem. The car hesitates before taking off or stalls when switching gear, which might result in jerking. As with most transmission issues, the stalling and jerking result from faulty powertrain control modules and wrong inputs to the TCU (transmission control unit). The TCU, alongside the ECU (engine control unit), is part of the powertrain module, which is the brain of every modern car. Sometimes the car jerks when you start from a resting position or when slowing down. It may also jerk when you are braking, which can be frightening.
b) Shuddering in transmission
Shuddering transmission can cause panic, especially if it happens for the first time while driving. You might think something just broke away from the main components. Some users have reported terrible vibration, especially when shifting to a lower gear (slowing down), although shuddering in transmission can also happen while accelerating. Other users report vibrations coupled with a peculiar grinding noise when taking a corner. The shuddering might trigger or be triggered by jerking and might also cause the gears to disengage and bring the car to a halt. Shuddering is the second most reported 2014 Ford Focus transmission issue.
c) Grinding noise
If the PCM is causing transmission issues, the car is vibrating and there are lapses in gear shifts, it is only a matter of time before noise becomes an issue. 2014 Ford Focus users have reported unbearable sounds that occur after the 10,000 miles mark. Ford initially claimed the car is designed to work like that and the noise is normal. According to users, at purchase, the noise is admirable and might reflect powerful engine and transmission. However, once the transmission issues begin, the sound gets worse and can become unbearable when accelerating or marking turns. Possible in the ford fiesta too.
d) Transmission failure
Transmission failure is the hallmark of a PCM or component that has gone from bad to worse. Since the PCM hosts the transmission control unit, faulty inputs at any point may result in poor combustion and transmissions problems. However, various things can result in transmission failure other than the powertrain. Ford transmission failure is one of the common issues customers have reported. Some gears disengage and stop working in the middle of the road, while other transmissions fail to accelerate past a given gear. The engine may continue to run, but stepping on the gas does not cause any movement.
e) Significantly reduced power
Ford’s powershift transmission issues can quickly reduce your car’s power and performance. Stalling transmission, jerks, vibration and PCM faults are all terrible for engine health and performance. Ford Focus has LED light on the dashboard to indicate if the transmission is faulty or has any issues. This should prompt an immediate protocol to address the problem and restore normal transmission. In most cases, 2014 Ford Focus PCM and engine management issues can also result in transmission issues and vice versa. As such, reduced power, which is usually a sign of a troubled engine, can stem from transmission failures and faults. Also common for focus fiestas
Conclusion
Ford has been receiving heavy criticism for various issues with their trims. Their popular 2014 trims, including Ford Fiesta, Ford Fusion and Ford Focus models have all been criticized. The most common issues customers raise concern transmission, powertrain control module and control computer errors. These issues cause weak powershift transmissions, loss of engine power, hesitation, rolling back on a slope, jerking, terrible noise and other undesirable symptoms. More users are contemplating a class action lawsuit or pursuing the lemon laws against the company. However, Ford insists that their fiesta and focus transmissions issues do not pose any safety risk. While there are stern laws to ensure all consumer cars meet safety requirements, NHTSA is yet to take any action as Ford Focus cars have automatic braking and other smart technologies to ensure driver safety. This might be the same for the focus and fiesta
Focus Powershift Judder
There isn’t any recall of the 2014 Ford Focus Transmission. Recently, some states have filed a class action suit against the company to recall and replace Ford transmissions. However, Ford only extended their PCM warranty, so customers can get free checks and repairs for longer. They have already extended the warranty twice, so a recall might never happen if the lawsuit fails.
Does Ford Focus have transmission problems?Yes. Various transmission problems characterize Ford Focus and the company has even come forward to admit the fault is theirs. Specific models were manufactured with faulty PCM, which might cause the hesitations, slips, grinding noises and other undesirable transmissions problems.
What year Ford Focus has transmission problems?Customers report transmission issues with various Ford Focus models. However, Ford initially announced that their extended warranty covers cars made before 2013. Mostly, it is SUVs built between 2011 and 2015 that have the most transmission problems. Nonetheless, transmission issues are becoming rampant for Ford Focus trims regardless of year.
What transmission does a 2014 Ford Focus have?The 2014 Ford Focus uses automatic transmission, which means everything is operated by the computer that determines the right time to switch the gear. The dual-clutch automatic transmission works efficiently, except for when the gears disengage and the car stops.
Ford Focus and Ford Fiesta PowerShift Transmission Settlement
If you are a current or former owner or lessee of a 2011-2016 Ford Fiesta or 2012-2016 Ford Focus vehicle that was equipped with a PowerShift Transmission and was originally sold or leased in the United States (including territories), you may be affected by a nationwide settlement that has been reached in litigation concerning the PowerShift Transmission. You might be eligible for the following benefits, among others:
- Repurchase of your vehicle through an arbitration procedure
- Discount Certificates of up to $4,650 toward a new car purchase
This website provides you with important information with respect to the Settlement, and the website will be updated as new information becomes available.
On March 5, 2020, the District Court entered a Final Approval Order of the Settlement. Please visit the “Case Documents” section of this website to see the Final Approval Order, and the renewed motion for Final Approval of the Settlement, which describes amendments to the Settlement. The Settlement became effective on April 7, 2020. Current and former owners or lessees of Class Vehicles may submit claims for benefits under the Settlement. Please check this website frequently for updates.
Basic information regarding the Class Settlement and a summary of the Class Member benefits can be found under the Class Member Benefits tab.
CLAIM SUBMISSION DEADLINES
| Claims for cash payments/vehicle discount certificates/clutch repair reimbursement for repairs that were performed on your vehicle on or before April 7, 2020 | October 5, 2020 |
| Claims for cash payments/vehicle discount certificates/clutch repair reimbursement for repairs that were performed on your vehicle after April 7, 2020 | 180 days after the repair(s) for which you seek payment |
| Claims for a one-time $20 cash payment if you experienced Transmission problems and sought relief, but a Ford Dealer refused to make hardware or software repairs because the Dealer claimed that there was nothing wrong with the vehicle and did not subsequently make hardware or software repairs. | The later of (1) 180 days after the date on which the Ford Dealer refused to make repairs, or (2) October 5, 2020. |
| Requests for repurchase arbitration | The later of (1) six years after delivery of your vehicle to the first retail purchaser, or (2) November 4, 2020 (extended from October 5, 2020). |
| Requests for breach of warranty arbitration | Expiration of the statute of limitations for express warranty claims established by the law of the state in which you purchased your vehicle. |
IMPORTANT DATES
Focus Powershift Review
| Preliminary Approval Date | April 25, 2017 |
| Notice Date | July 14, 2017 |
| Opt-Out Deadline | September 5, 2017 |
| Opt-In Deadline | September 5, 2017 |
| Objection Deadline | September 5, 2017 |
| Fairness Hearing | February 28, 2020 |
| Final Approval Date | March 5, 2020 |
| Effective Date | April 7, 2020 |
CURRENT STATUS OF THIS MATTER:
The parties in Vargas v. Ford Motor Company, C.D. Cal. Case No. 2:12-cv-08388-AB-FFM, have reached a nationwide settlement which was granted preliminary approval by the Court on April 25, 2017. On March 5, 2020, the Court issued a Final Approval Order of the Settlement. The Effective Date of the Settlement was April 7, 2020. The 'Case Documents' section of this website contains the Final Approval Order, and the renewed motion for Final Approval of the Settlement, which describes amendments to the Settlement.
Ford Focus Powershift Extended Warranty
Class Members may submit claims for benefits under the Settlement, including cash payments, vehicle discount certificates, and vehicle repurchase arbitration or breach of warranty arbitration. Please see the 'Submit a Claim' section of this website for more information about how to submit a claim for benefits under the settlement.
Ford Powershift Transmission Problems