Ford Fiesta problem-is this normal?

[rayinkrabi]

Hi all, following a number of visits to Krabi Ford to try to sort out the dodgy gearbox problem (which at first they denied a problem existed then had to admit it year or so later when there was a re-call) the last visit was a few weeks ago when they kept the car for a few days and then stated "all sorted now" they were never clear as to what they had done but I assumed some replacement parts.

The other day the display came up yet again with a warning of 'Transmission Malfunction, Service NOW' and the car felt terrible with the thing sticking in one gear for ages before changing up and when I braked to a stop it would still trying to pull away forcing me to quickly nudge it into neutral !

I drove straight to Ford who simply changed the battery (cost me 3k !) and said all ok now !

Sure enough the warning has gone and the gearbox feels better..how is this possible? or have they adjusted/replaced something without telling me just to save face?

[JaseTheBass]

If you read some of the other threads re. the Fiesta it seems poor electrical supply causes gearbox issues. Also check the negative strap from the battery to the car's body is to metal, not paint.

[Henryford]

Yes look on You Tube there is a long demo video about how to connect your battery to stop transmission problems.

[JAS21]

We bought an ecoboost new last year ...but it was built in 2014.

Have just had the latest TCM software installed ... make sure that you get it installed.

The queue to have it installed was about one month long ...it takes less than two hours to install.

No idea if an improvement as step-daughter uses the car ...but best to have the latest software one would think.

[stubuzz]

Did you have to pay for the software?

[JAS21]

No ... I think anyone who askes gets it installed. However I did complain earlier that it couldn't make up it's mind which gear it wanted to be in when I went up a steep hill slowly

[BSJ]

Seems like the Fiesta isn't a fun Flord for the owners!

[JAS21]

Seems like the Fiesta isn't a fun Flord for the owners!

Actually you are not quite right, it's fun to drive ... reminds me a little bit of a go cart though, there again most of the small quick cars do.

It corners well, for 999cc it's fast and like the other similar sized cars bounces along. I think if you are young it's an okay car, if you are aged, like myself, yes for shopping and around Bangkok. I once borrowed it to go to Phu Tub Berk ... never again..............

Ford have now dumped this dual clutch thing. There is a 10 year warranty on part of the gearbox and we have PPP so that covers just about everything for the first 5 years.

It was 650,000thb, knowing what I know now and what else is available now ... would I have bought ... probably not. The advantage ... for the next five years if we get a phone call at anytime of the day or night "my cars broken down" can just say ... phone Ford and get back to what I was doing .......................

[rayinkrabi]

Correct BSJ..in fact it's a complete pain in the ars as Ford Thailand are complete imbeciles and try to deny there is a problem at all then they try to bullshit us that there is no problem at all...they then try to continue to treat us as second class ignorant idiots..NEVER ever again !! Argghh..they are worse than useless and an insult to intelligent people but they are too stupid to even know this ...never ford again..

[JAS21]

Correct BSJ..in fact it's a complete pain in the ars as Ford Thailand are complete imbeciles and try to deny there is a problem at all then they try to bullshit us that there is no problem at all...they then try to continue to treat us as second class ignorant idiots..NEVER ever again !! Argghh..they are worse than useless and an insult to intelligent people but they are too stupid to even know this ...never ford again..

It does appear that some of the problem is associated with the electrics ... as you have been advised.

It's a well known problem ... Ford have a case against them in Australia. Gen up, on the internet, about the problem and find a dealer who speaks English. Contacting Ford Customer Service can be a problem ... you could try writing to them as phoning is not that successful.

Is it any better now with the new battery?

I have just bought a CTEK battery charger ... not for the Fiesta ... but for general use. One of those may be worth a consideration, it's always useful to have a battery charger anyway.

[TommyUK1960]

Had Ford Fiesta Sport 1.6 for 5 years and its been a pleasure to drive.

It does get a good thrashing now and then by me and the wife.

I see somewhere when you give push it hard it resets the clutch settings.

[rayinkrabi]

"Is it any better now with the new battery?"

Yep, it was an instant 'fix' and after reading all the (very helpfull) replies so far I am amazed a low or faulty battery could impact the gear change so drastically...I'm not kidding when I say it felt dangerous enough for me to have to nudge it into neutral at the lights etc..felt like it wanted to accelerate off on it's own and my worry was that it would get worse before I managed to get to ford.

It still feels a bit 'snatchy' though and I don't like it when maneuvering at low speeds...unlike the many auto's I've driven in the past which I've always enjoyed and felt confident with.

Thanks also for the info on the charger, I wasn't aware these were available and will indeed follow up on this. Cheers, Ray.

[JAS21]

"Is it any better now with the new battery?"

Yep, it was an instant 'fix' and after reading all the (very helpfull) replies so far I am amazed a low or faulty battery could impact the gear change so drastically...I'm not kidding when I say it felt dangerous enough for me to have to nudge it into neutral at the lights etc..felt like it wanted to accelerate off on it's own and my worry was that it would get worse before I managed to get to ford.

It still feels a bit 'snatchy' though and I don't like it when maneuvering at low speeds...unlike the many auto's I've driven in the past which I've always enjoyed and felt confident with.

Thanks also for the info on the charger, I wasn't aware these were available and will indeed follow up on this. Cheers, Ray.

Yes ... you need a massively light foot when driving at low speeds ...pretty impossible to be ultra smooth ...it is of course nearer a manual than an auto box.

But when you stamp on the pedal at low speed it leaps forward, unless you land on the wrong one of course.☺

[JaseTheBass]

Had Ford Fiesta Sport 1.6 for 5 years and its been a pleasure to drive.

It does get a good thrashing now and then by me and the wife.

I see somewhere when you give push it hard it resets the clutch settings.

That's probably the problem many are having - it's not happy if you drive like a girl.

[rayinkrabi]

There are times when it's necessary to drive slowly & with a v light foot such as reversing into a tight spot if thats what you mean by "it's not happy if you drive like a girl".

I've been driving over 43 yrs now, many different vehicles, big, small, private, commercial, manual and auto...all with confidence and without big issues and can honestly say this Fiesta transmission is the most horrible of the lot.

A friend of mine lent me his new Ranger for a few months some yrs back, and I have to say it was a treat to drive and the auto box was great but of course it didn't have the powershift setup. Interesting point re the Ranger & Fiesta is that the stalk controls are on opp sides, really annoying when you switch from one to the other.

I still wouldn't buy another ford though as the service and attitude I've experienced re this problem was so bad.

[BSJ]

When the small Flords where mostly Mazda they were a decent vehicle.......things change!

[patyh]

Your car now has a 10 years gearbox warranty from Ford..

They have already fix the issue with the new powershift on the fiesta and EcoSport.

Test Drove a 2016 Ecosport a while back, no issue with the gear during that one hour drive..

Except, it's a little slow to start.. but then again, that's the engine issue not the gearbox.

[Huayrat]

That has what has exactly just happened to mine one month ago.. Wouldn't change gear til high RPM.. They fixed it .. Cost me 3500 baht and now ok.. I've got the old part in the car they replaced.. It's like a fan belt but obviously it must be some belt around the gear mechanism

[ardokano]

Seems like the Fiesta isn't a fun Flord for the owners!

Actually you are not quite right, it's fun to drive ... reminds me a little bit of a go cart though, there again most of the small quick cars do.

It corners well, for 999cc it's fast and like the other similar sized cars bounces along. I think if you are young it's an okay car, if you are aged, like myself, yes for shopping and around Bangkok. I once borrowed it to go to Phu Tub Berk ... never again..............

Ford have now dumped this dual clutch thing. There is a 10 year warranty on part of the gearbox and we have PPP so that covers just about everything for the first 5 years.

It was 650,000thb, knowing what I know now and what else is available now ... would I have bought ... probably not. The advantage ... for the next five years if we get a phone call at anytime of the day or night "my cars broken down" can just say ... phone Ford and get back to what I was doing .......................

Ford have now dumped this dual clutch thing

If used as a manual gearbox as I know there are no problems.

It's dumped soft for use as automatic gearbox( it's not automatic really)

PS

This is my experience with dual-clutch on focus. I had no problems, but I know people who have. Ford makes the upgrade of the software, not for the first time

[stevenl]

When the small Flords where mostly Mazda they were a decent vehicle.......things change!

Ignorance is bliss...

Yes, any critical point of Ford is answered by Jase with 'you don't know what you're talking about'. Same thing happens with Toyota, when Transam chips in with the same comment straight away.

This is getting really irritating and obstructing opinions/discussions here.

[ardokano]

Had Ford Fiesta Sport 1.6 for 5 years and its been a pleasure to drive.

It does get a good thrashing now and then by me and the wife.

I see somewhere when you give push it hard it resets the clutch settings.

That's probably the problem many are having - it's not happy if you drive like a girl.

drive like a girl

"Girl drive"

"girl drive2"

Girl drive pick up

[seedy]

Flaming post removed. Keep the Personal attacks off this Forum

[seedy]

Another Flaming post Removed. Read post #22 again.

[Lancashirelad]

Rainkrabi said: There are times when it's necessary to drive slowly & with a v light foot such as reversing into a tight spot

Teach yourself to use 2 feet when manoeuvring at low speed / in tight spaces with an auto box.

[rayinkrabi]

Yep Lancashirelad, I've tried your your suggestion and found that both feet on the accelerator only made it worse :-)

[Goldieinkathu]

In my opinion it's nothing to do with how lightly you touch the accelerator. I had the same problem until the clutch was changed recently. The only way I could stop the jerking at low speeds was to drive in the low gear setting but even then it wasn't really happy.I had no problem in reverse though.

I would take the car back to Ford and push harder for them to fix the problem.If you read my earlier thread 'ford fiesta sport" you'll see how much trouble I had with mine.

I just had over 30.000B of work done free although it was out of warranty but it took a lot of threats and pushing. The new parts have made all the difference.

Good luck!

[rayinkrabi]

Thanks for your input Goldie, I will indeed take your advice if / when the situation deteriorates further. Im sure it will as I already feel a slight 'worsening' of the feel of the car from last week but not yet bad enough to convince them I reckon.

Were you ever offered a loan car by Ford? I asked, in fact demanded, for one on the 2 occasions they had the car for 3 days or so but they flatly refused but did eventually gve me a lift home in the works truck !

[Goldieinkathu]

On two or three occasions I only booked the car in if there was a courtesy car available, but sometimes had to wait in the queue.The last time it wasn't available but I couldn't wait as the car was dangerous to drive IMO. They took me home after I dropped it and picked me up when I went to fetch it back.

The last boy who drove me home was on his phone talking to his wife most of the way, was all over the road . Totally unprofessional all round.

If your car is still under warranty I think you'll have more chance of getting a courtesy car.

[fullcave]

On two or three occasions I only booked the car in if there was a courtesy car available, but sometimes had to wait in the queue.The last time it wasn't available but I couldn't wait as the car was dangerous to drive IMO. They took me home after I dropped it and picked me up when I went to fetch it back.

The last boy who drove me home was on his phone talking to his wife most of the way, was all over the road . Totally unprofessional all round.

If your car is still under warranty I think you'll have more chance of getting a courtesy car.

Does not make me want to rush out and buy a Ford. Total incompatence.