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Ford Focus 1.6 eco boost - Gearbox or Transmission - carljones1

I bought a Ford Focus 2012 1.6 diesel Eco Boost in February this year. The car is at present 9 months old. Currently I am experiencing a clunking sound when changing gears whilst the car is in motion.

When I took it to the dealer it would make that clunking noise when using first and second gear. I was told that the noise was part of the workings of the gearbox and that all these models did that. Unfortunately I do not share the same thoughts. I called the Ford Technical Centre (£1 per minute) and there Technical office stated “If you experience a noise within the gearbox whilst the car is in motion, then it is a fault”.

The Ford Relationship Centre was my next move. They were the mediators between me and the Ford dealer.

After I got the car back from the garage I am now getting a clunking noise from second to third gear as well.
I took the car back to the Ford dealership where a Head Technician would experience the noise while I was driving. We drove for a good ten minutes. He agreed there was a clunking sound and believed it was coming from the transmission. He stated “because Ford have made this transmission sol light you may get slack back”. (Or a similar term)

We proceeded to have a drive in a similar model of the same make and year. Strangely, I experienced the clunking in this model albeit to a much lesser degree.

After toing and froing with the garage and the relationship centre, everyone but the purchaser (me) the MAIN FORD TECHNICAL CENTRE, recognise this as a feature of the gearbox and that it is not a fault.

If I had bought a Focus and part of the selling chit chat would be; nice car, nice this and that and oh, there is a clunking in the gearbox but this is normal, I would not have spent £14500. Would You???

Please be aware that should this knocking may make you feel inexperienced and embarrassed when passers-by hear you change gear with a clunk clunk, remember it’s not you. "It’s normal for these cars".

Carl Jones

Ford Focus 1.6 eco boost - Gearbox or Transmission - Rosstoph

Hi Carl

I have been scouring the internet looking for people in a similar position to myself. I own a 1.6 focus titanium that I purchased new last September. After around 800 miles it developed the fault that you describe, I was however unconcerned as my car is new and under warranty.

Contacted the dealer, Benfield Ford-Leeds, they drove the car and the service manager commented that he wouldn't want to drive a car that made that noise and requested a Ford technician to come and diagnose, he also commented that they had recently revised the gearbox, which would go some way to explaining why the noise wasn't there in the test drive.

The ford technician confirmed that this noise is normal, so far they are yet to be able to explain what compnent with in the gearbox makes the noise, if they can’t pin it down how do they know that it is not a problem? if it's an internal part then how can they confirm its a known issue without stripping it?

At this point the ford CSC became objectionable and have stopped communicating.

What sticks in my throat is that if I had bough this car 2nd hand and test driven it I would hav erejected it as the gear box sounds damaged, but as I bought it new I have no such comeback, I just have to lump it.

Everyone that gets in my car hears the knocking and comments we should take to the garage as not normal.

But I guess a congratulation should go out to Ford they have successfully/ deliberately engineer a knocking noise into their gearbox, a feature as far as I am aware completely unique to Ford.

Safe to say that this will be the first and last Ford that I buy. What a huge disappointing mistake.

Anyone else had such troubles with their Focus? Perhaps had a fix suggested?

Ross

Ford Focus 1.6 eco boost - Gearbox or Transmission - MikeTorque

It's worth pursuing this issue with Trading Standards, AutoCar, WhatCar, Auto Express etc. to see what they have to say about it ?

Edited by MikeTorque on 18/07/2013 at 19:38

Ford Focus 1.6 eco boost - Gearbox or Transmission - GBP1705

This must just be a problem in the 1.6 as I bought a 1.0 Ecoboost in February this year an have no problems

Ford Focus 1.6 eco boost - Gearbox or Transmission - carljones1

Dear Ross,

I have just logged on and seen your reply to my Gearbox Noise 'PROBLEM'.

I can sypathise with you regarding the Ford relationship centre. Its amazing how their fully technicians regard it as a fauld yet the relationship centre say its a feature.

I have had the car 9 months now and have driven 6000 miles in it and it still make the noise. It is however worse. the only way to avoid embarresing driving is to slightly ride the clutch on changing gear. I admit this will wear out my clutch sooner but I am sick of fealing I can't get it right after 10 years of driving experience.

I have noticed also that if you race drive the car, the gearbox or gubbins is under compresion and you don't get the clunk. so much foe "ECO".

Come back to me through email if you want or have any other information that can help.

Kind regards

email: carljones4675@gmail.com

Ford Focus 1.6 eco boost - Gearbox or Transmission - carljones1

As an update to the transmission or gearbox issues I have had with the Ford Focus RV62PBU, I would like to add the recent happenings of late.

Ford Technical was contacted by me over the phone (£1 per minute) and the gentleman said “if can hear clunking when changing gear whilst the car is in motion, it is a fault”. This was confirmed by three independent Ford Specialists in Leeds.

Ford arranged for one of their specialists to come out and assess the vehicle over a four hour window. He recognised that there were tolerances within the drive train but these were in tolerance. Amazing, did you know, you can listen to a gear box and determine that it’s drive train is in tolerance. I believe this type of tolerance is likely to be specified to be within a 1000 th of an inch. Amazing, not faulty!

After some more weeks of pillar to post stuff; Polar Ford in Castleford have finally changed my diesel 2012 Focus for a petrol version as Ford acknowledge that petrol versions do not exhibit the same clucking noise. Previous Reponses to my posts stated that 1.0 Litre petrol version is fine with no noises. I can confirm that Ford still recognise this as a feature and so as this is not a fault and there is no reason for them to bottom this out and recall ones with this “feature”.

Apparently, according to Polar Ford Castleford, all the cars that are called Mini have the same gearbox and have the same feature.

So, here we are; Polar Ford Castleford has agreed to change my vehicle and invited me to look at alternatives. Then the insults came, I have had the Focus RV62PBU for less than a year and they stated that “they would change my vehicle but would lose any money through this exchange”. I have been pushed from pillar to post for 9 months and as long as I got a fair exchange I would go away with a car that does not clunk.

They had the cheek to value my vehicle at 10,000 GBP, that was a 4040 pound devaluing in less than a year and the car had been driven 11,000 miles by myself and was in immaculate condition. I walked out, disgusted and bewildered at why they would add insult to injury.

They called later that day to apologise and stated they must find resolve for their customer satisfaction.

They called later that week to offer me the aforementioned petrol version (1.6 petrol, manual,2012) and I went to view it. The car was on the forecourt for 11,499 pounds. I decided to take the vehicle as fair exchange as mine on the internet was valued at 11,499 pounds.

After a few faults have emerged soon after driving away I started to worry a little. I trusted Polar Ford throughout this exchange but felt that something was not quite right. I valued my vehicle online again to find that it was worth 10,600 at best. Now, this was a hit of 3,400 for all I have been through and god only knows why curiosity got the better of me but I wondered if my old vehicle has been put online yet for sale. Low and behold, !! They are advertising my old car for 12,499. I felt sick to my stomach. The cheeky sods had made money out of this whole saga. I roughly calculate this to around 1000 pound profit at minimum as book prices go. The maximum part exchange for my focus now is 11,499 if I drive a hell of a bargain.

Still a huge hit for a car a year later and this was second hand so not “drive out the showroom loss”.

People reading this should understand that the Ford Relationship Centre, was, and still is, involved and you would not believe the hassle I have had throughout.

Well that’s my rant! I will try reclaim all my losses one way or another and will not entertain Ford again. Once I sell this vehicle of course.

Summary, (after lots of digging)

Ford Focus RV62PBU 2012 1.6 ecoboost Diesel forecourt price = 12.499

Ford Focus RV62PBU 2012 1.6 ecoboost Diesel book price = 11,499

Ford Focus YL62PCO 2012 1.6 petrol (apparent) forecourt price = 11.499

Ford Focus YL62PCO 2012 book price = 10,600

I really need to take time, time, and more time, when dealing with things like this. L

Ford Focus 1.6 eco boost - Gearbox or Transmission - OldieDon

I do not know how Ford can say "..... that petrol versions do not exhibit the same clucking noise."

I reported my Ford Focus derived B-Max, petrol 1.6 litre, last April, a month after buying the Factory Reconditioned 2012 model with 9k on the clock. The engineers could not find anything wrong. I put up with the judder for another 5k until it got so bad it almost stalled in heavy slow moving traffic on a slight rise over a railway bridge. I thought it was impossible to stall an automatic.

Sandiacre are contacting Ford for advice! I'll keep this forum advised as to what happens next.

I'm sure it has nothing to do with whether the fuel is diesel or petrol.