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Ford Focus Transmission Problems

670 messages,  Last post on May 17, 2013 at 10:56 AM

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What is this discussion about? Ford Focus SVT, Ford Focus, Coupe, Hatchback, Sedan, Wagon

    
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Messages Page 7 of 67

#61 of 670 transmission when car gets warm... by robo30988

Feb 24, 2008 (6:36 pm)

I have a 2001 Ford Focus (automatic transmission) that has 75,000 miles on it. When i first start driving the car from a cold start, it shifts fine thru the gears. once the car warms up, it stops shifting into 4th gear and will not shift up if i have to accelerate quickly (it revs for a sec like it's going to shift up, and goes strait back into 3rd). after a while of that, it starts shifting really rough, jerking between 1st, 2nd, and 3rd gears. also, i noticed that, once the car is warmed up and 4th gear disappears, if i try to turn off overdrive and shift down manually it doesn't do anything.
anyone have any idea what might be wrong?

#62 of 670 Re: transmission when car gets warm... [robo30988] by iamech

Feb 25, 2008 (2:32 pm)

Replying to: robo30988 (Feb 24, 2008 6:36 pm)
I'm post #60 and was just reviewing the site as I was reading the service manual. Might be the transimssion oil temperature sensor. If the sensor has failed in some odd way, my guess is that this could happen. This sensor is located in the tranny oil pan, under the transmission filter. The sensor can be checked by use of an ohm meter. See below...
 
This is out of the manual:
Transmission fluid temperature (TFT) sensor
The TFT sensor is located on the internal wiring harness to the solenoid valves in the fluid pan.
It is a resistor and measures the transmission fluid temperature.
The transmission fluid temperature is used by the PCM for the following functions:
Applying the torque converter clutch is not permitted until the transmission fluid reaches a certain temperature, engagement of 4th gear is prevented in extreme sub-zero temperatures until the normal operating temperature is reached,
if the transmission fluid temperature is excessive, a pre-set fixed shift curve is selected and the torque converter lock-up clutch is closed in "2", "3" and "4"; of the transmission warning indicator is activated.
 
Resistance between transaxle vehicle harness connector pin 5 (component side, transaxle internal harness), and transaxle vehicle harness connector pin 4 (component side, transaxle internal harness).
Resistance should be approximately in the following ranges:
-20 ° C (-4 ° F) - 236Kohms - 317Kohms
0 ° C (32 ° F) - 83.2Kohms - 107Kohms
20 ° C (68 ° F) - 33.5Kohms - 41.2Kohms
40 ° C (104 ° F) - 14.6Kohms - 17.6Kohms
60 ° C (140 ° F) - 7.08Kohms - 8.01Kohms
80 ° C (176 ° F) - 3.61Kohms - 4.06Kohms
100 ° C (212 ° F) - 1.96Kohms - 2.20Kohms
120 ° C (248 ° F) - 1.13Kohms - 1.25Kohms
130 ° C (266 ° F) - 0.87Kohms - 0.96Kohms
  
Pin numbers as looking at the connector on top of tranny with lock tab on top:
1 2 3
4 5 6
7 8 9
 
Good luck, let us know what happens,
iamech

#63 of 670 Re: 2000 Ford Focus ZX3 Automatic Transmission [2000zxefocus] by lightning3

Feb 25, 2008 (4:12 pm)

Replying to: 2000zxefocus (Oct 12, 2007 1:17 pm)
I HAVE THE SAME PROBLEMS WITH FORD DEALERSHIPS & FORD
CORPORATION. THE DEALER MECHANICS & SERVICE WRITERS THAT
I HAVE HAD TO DEAL WITH PLAY ALL KINDS OF GAMES, REFUSE
TO ACKNOWLEDGE VERY WELL KNOWN PROBLEMS, CAUSE ME TO
CHECK & QUESTION WHETHER THEY DID ROUTINE SERVICES THAT
I PAID FOR, AND JUST FLAT OUT LIE TO ME. IT IS REAL OBVIOUS TO
ME THAT FORD MOTOR COMPANY DOES NOT CARE WHETHER OR
NOT I GET RIPPED OFF OR MISTREATED BY THEIR DEALERSHIPS.
THEY REFUSE TO ACKNOWLEDGE VERY WELL KNOWN PROBLEMS.
IT SEEMS TO ME THAT THERE IS A HUGE QUALITY ISSUE WITH FORD
PARTS & THAT THEY KEEP SELLING THE SAME BAD PARTS RATHER
THEN TRULY REDESIGNING THEM & SOLVING THE PROBLEM.

#64 of 670 Re: Transmission starting to suck [mercheng] by hnbr44

Mar 18, 2008 (11:23 am)

Replying to: mercheng (Aug 23, 2007 2:43 pm)
the code that is coming up for my ford focus is P0750 and i see that it means Circuit malfunction, but what does that mean? is it a part or what? thx

#65 of 670 Focus auto transmission problem by fish92

Mar 28, 2008 (9:53 am)

I seem to be having some of the same issues as many of you with the automatic transmission on my 2001 Focus. It hesitates before going into drive and sometimes does not downshift right away. It almost acts like it isn't sure what gear it wants. I do a lot of interstate driving and once it is in overdrive everything is fine. Reverse also works fine. I've read through the posts here and see lots of suggestions but has anyone figured out the exact problem? It has 57,000 miles on it, I bought it with 47,000 miles, and I have no idea if the fluid was changed at 30,000 miles.

#66 of 670 2005 FORD FOCUS - A PIECE OF JUNK! by jerrynashevill

Apr 03, 2008 (5:19 am)

Ford really dropped the ball on this car! Overall, it's a piece of junk with many problems: transmission (auto), engine, lights, tires, missing parts from assembly, etc., etc., etc. These problems are one thing and along with a certified Ford Dealership not honoring Ford's warranty just put the icing on the cake. Our 2005 Focus is GONE! We never plan to buy another Ford product again!

#67 of 670 Range sensor problem affect mpg? by carlt1

Apr 07, 2008 (8:05 am)

At 664 miles I got a check engine light. Dealer said it was a "transmission range sensor out of range" (Code P1702-00-68) and performed " PCM recalibration with new level software". Since then my gas mileage has dropped about 10%. My computer had been quite consistent. I reset it with each trip. Outings with consistent 32-34mpg are now 27-29mpg. Dealer tells me it takes 10K miles to get reliable computer estimates of fuel economy. My readings were quite consistent...and still are, just 10% lower, since the software adjustment. Dealer further states the adjustment could have nothing to do with gas mileage...is this just an unfortunate coincidence?
That Corolla I passed over to buy American is looking better and better,
Disgusted

#68 of 670 Re: Range sensor problem affect mpg? [carlt1] by rmcomie

Apr 10, 2008 (1:11 pm)

Replying to: carlt1 (Apr 07, 2008 8:05 am)
I have the same problem but my mileage had dropped 30-40% and now transmission hesitated to shift into 4th gear after the dealer replaced the shift sensor. AMCO is going to look at it next week to see if they can figure out what the problem is since the dealer thinks this is normal operation but likes to see me come by so they can charge me for the visit. Doctors and Dealerships must come from the same mold.

#70 of 670 Should I just do a trade in and get a new car ? by randomness

May 13, 2008 (5:39 pm)

Reading through some of these posts sounds like similar problems to what I'm having. Brought it to the dealer today to be serviced and of course they found nothing wrong whatsoever.
 
I know nothing about cars. All I know is that a couple of weeks ago the car started acting weird. On the highway, I'd be driving about 50mph and would step on the gas to go faster and it wouldn't do anything so I had to do it again and it would kind of jump.
 
Then it started doing this driving down regular roads at no particular speed. It last did it on a 30-40 road and I didn't even have my foot on the gas. The ride would be smooth and all of a sudden the car would jump or spurt.
 
Then the other day as I approached a red light and started braking, the car slowed down but not fast enough. I know my car and I know that road, it couldn't have been the way I was driving. There was a puddle (although not that deep) and I think I might have just slid through the puddle and that's why the car didn't stop correctly. But when the light turned green and I stepped on the gas, the car wouldn't move. Turned the car off and on again, all I did was roll a few inches. Shut if off for a minute and restarted and I was able to go again and that has been the one and only time it's ever stalled. I want to blame the puddle even though it wasn't raining hard at all and I have driven in much deeper puddles than that on flooded roads and nothing ever happened.
 
I've also suspected that my gas mileage has been going down but blamed it on the way I was driving but seems other people on here are saying it goes with transmission problems.
 
I'm wondering if I should trade it in rather than wait for the next time to stall and I can't get started again. Or, the next time the brakes don't work, there happens to be someone in front of me and I get to "roll" right into them killing my insurance and driving record with an at fault accident. Trading it in seems like the best option.

Messages Page 7 of 67

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