While the DPS6 internally is what one would find in a manual transmission. By virtue of it being clutched and shifted by a robot without driver intervention makes it an automatic.

Just like how an El Camino is considered a truck by virtue of it having a pickup bed, even though the rest of it is a car.

It's a shit transmission though, and is rightfully costing Ford hundreds of millions in warranty costs. Ford would have been much farther ahead by developing a nice CVT with a torque converter like Honda has. It's not like they don't know how. They actually had one in the mid 2000's on the Five Hundred that actually held up pretty well.

-- Edited by PowerStroker on Sunday 11th of April 2021 04:59:35 PM

And you are right about the torque converter having a big hand in how smooth an automatic wet clutch is compared to a dry clutch. But that just further proves my point while deflating yours and Ford Motor Company's. 

I have some perverted analogies that come to mind, but I'll just save them for another time and the private forum. LOL

PowerStroker wrote:

---

While the DPS6 internally is what one would find in a manual transmission. By virtue of it being clutched and shifted by a robot without driver intervention makes it an automatic.

---

 

I am glad you have admitted this... because my Grandmothers 2014 Ford Focus is looking down the barrel of it's THIRD clutch in just 30,000 miles! I tried to explain this to the jag-off Service Manager (Robert Jones) there at Hines Park Lincoln to no avail... of couse I'm sure they know, just like everyone else, that the years of trying to program their design flaw out of these cars to minimize the violent shudders causes the clutches to wear out... yet the people at the dealerships are trained to deny-deny-deny!

On 1-23-2023 I visited the Lincoln Dearlership here in Plymouth Michigan to inquire about their DPS6 transmission warranty... My service rep, Jerry Patterson was a nice fellow but I could tell he had been well trained in the art of dealership politics and was a veteran of the trade... in other words, he was a salesman... I'm sure if I had been anyone other than the Master Certified Mechanic that I am, he would have succeeded in his efforts to sell my Grandmother her THIRD clutch in just 30,000 miles, or at the very least the $159 inspection charge.

I meantion that because our first "flare up" when I dropped off the 2014 Focus was the "authorization" (aka my signature) for the $159 inspection fee. Said $159 is simpily the hourly rate there at the Plymouth Michigan Lincoln dealer. Anyway I objected to the fee right off the bat and refused to sign! I explained to Jerry that in Feburary 18th of 2020 (at 19,571 miles) that Fords had already replaced the entire clutch assy and slave! And that prior to that, Fords had performed a flash on the transmission module (aka trying to program away the problem). I explained to Jerry that as a certified master mechanic licensed in the State of Michigan that I drove the vehicle and observed the 2014 Focus was indeed shuddering. I told him that I would not sign any paperwork authorizing money to check for open recalls or extended warranties relating to their DPS6 transmission. It was at this time Jerry tried to look up the repairs on his computer but claimed there was no record of any repairs being done. This somewhat made me even more nervous, so I called Grandma and asked her if she still had the paperwork, she said it was in the glove box... so back out to the service lane I went to look for the documents! Thankfully I found them

I handed the documents to Jerry and it was at this time he informed me the work was done at the local Ford dealership, and not the Lincoln dealership I was currently at... Fair enough I thought, however I thought it was very odd that only an internal search of the service history within the dealership was done... seems they should and would have access to the repair history without my having to bring in two year old reciepts... Jerry asked me if I wanted to take the car to the Ford dealership and I asked him if it mattered where the car was fixed? He looked somewhat confused and said "Well I doesn't really matter I suppose, it's one of them things where you're damned if you do, damned if you don't" while gesturing throwing his hands in the air. He also mentioned that I was at a Lincoln dealership, which also reminded me about the paperwork for my car. I told him the reason I was at Lincoln is because that is just always where I have gone for my recall work, and that I had a few recalls that I needed to schedual for my Lincoln Zephyr while I was there.

 

These recalls on the Lincoln may seem un-related to the 2014 Ford Focus but it becomes important later in the story... besides, I had already been waiting since December for this appointment that I was at for the Focus and I needed to set up another appointment while I was there for the 2006 Lincoln Zephyr... THUS, THE REASON I WAS AT A LINCOLN DEALERSHIP.

Jerry set me up an apointment for the 20th of next month (February) for the Lincoln and we moved on with discussions about the Ford Focus... It was at this time I agreed to sign the repair order to allow them permission to opperate and inspect the car, but I was in no way agreeing to pay them $159 for them to tell me if the car still had an extended warranty for the DPS6 transmission (with only 30,000 miles)... this is when Jerry pushed a button hanging from his ear and started talking to someone. I though perhaps Jerry just had a hearing aid because he was an older looking caucasian gentleman with gray hair, but apparently everyone running around the service department is wired up with a hands free setup like you would see on Secret Service or CIA people! LOL

Since Jerry was out of excuses, had supporting paperwork and realized that I owned and was making an appointment for my Lincoln he decided to just stay quiet and accept my key. I appoligized to Jerry for getting upset about the paperwork, as I didn't realize he was just searching for repairs done inside the Hines Park Lincoln Dealership, but now he had the paperwork and I felt much better. He said it was no problem, and that if I was the worst he had to deal with on a Monday he would still call that a good day. So I left the dealership and the Focus and awaited a call back.

The following day I got the call... late in the afternoon. Jerry said that the test come back right on the edge, but that the vehicle was in need of a clutch! That's right folks, it's THIRD clutch in 30,000 miles! I asked if it was under warranty, to which he replied that it was NOT! Trying not to get upset I asked him when the vehicle would be ready for pickup... Jerry informed me it would be ready for pickup the following day and that the cost would be $159! I bit my tongue and said, "Well just call me when it's ready to be picked up"

Sure enough, the following morning Jerry calls and says it's ready to be picked up... so I have the woman drive me down there. I get into Jerry's office and tell him flat out, "I'm not paying for you to tell me this is out of warranty, because you told me the module had a 10 year warranty and it's clear you folks haven't figured out the proper programing if this car is already on it's third clutch in 30,000 miles!" I then damanded to talk with the Service Manager. Once again Jerry pushed his little button and called for the Service manager on his little hands-free wire hanging from his ear, but this time it was clear the Service Manager was asking questions that Jerry could not answer in front of me... He then excused himself and wandered off, I suppose to talk to the Service Manager behind my back... slimy, but I get it...

Jerry returns with the Service Manager, Robert Jones... Robert is much younger than Jerry, maybe even a few years younger than myself even... Robert appeared to be of Pacific Islander or Asian heritage, and had quite the attitude on him right off the bat by suggesting that it was policy that if I was threatening legal action that conversations would have to end... he said this right off the rip! I had to slow him down by telling him that my Grandmother owned the Focus and purchased it brand new off the lot, so if any legal action was to arrise it would be between her and Fords... I then let him know that the invoice for said $159 in labor was in MY NAME, and as such, if I was required to pay this joke of a charge that I'd be filing a complaint with the State of Michigan's Automotive Regulations department immediatly upon returning home! Robert seemed to clam up pretty quick, either that or he was listening to what he was being told thru his little Secret Service ear wire... yes Robert had one hanging from his ear too!

I then asked Robert, "In what world is it acceptable that a vehicle should need three transmission clutches in 30,000 miles?"... clearly Robert wasn't to bright as he suggested that it wasn't being driven properly! That is when I had to slow him down again and ask "Are you suggesting that the driver can shift and control such things?" then he got real quiet again, probably listening to the person in his hands free speaker stuffed in his ear... Robert then came out of left field by saying, "The entire clutch was replaced two years ago as a one time courtesy and those repairs are out of warranty... the clutch is worn almost to max specs and needs to be replaced"... Clearly he didn't hear anything I said because as I quoted from PowerStroker above, the DPS6 transmission is computer controled! There is no manual clutch or gear selection inputs that can be made by the driver, it's in essence, "Automatic"... So I asked him again how in the hell a person is supposed to minimize the slip and engagement of the clutch? This seemed to make him even more frustrated, and then he said "Well the clutch is worn out, it needs a new clutch pack... and the car is out of warranty! How do you justify this being under warranty?" to which I replied, "Well apparently you folks don't have the programing right, and the module has a 10 year warranty, however you don't have any in stock! They are all on back order! There is no world where anyone would accept that THREE clutches in 30,000 miles is an acceptable design! This car is a LEOMON and I am not going to pay you $159 to lie to me!"

This really pissed him off... So he got all huffy and wrote on the invoice ZERO BALANCE, the date and his signature... then having been totally defeated Robert says, "You know, I'd like to see you take this to the state, even though I am not charging you... I'd like to see how you're going to handle this"... I just smiled at him and didn't say a word because all I needed was that balance waived NOW, we all know what it's like trying to get money back from a dealership! He could tell this is what I was thinking, and he knew deep down that he had not seen or heard the last of me by far... So he went one step further and said "And furthermore, you and your entire family are banned from this Lincoln Dealership! Don't bring any more of your families cars here for service anymore!"... I looked him dead in the eyes and said "What about the appointment I have for my Lincoln to have it's Federally Mandated Air Bag and ABS recalls done?"... to which Robert looked over at Jerry and said "Cancel any and all of his appointments!"

At that point, I just grabbed my Zero balance invoice, the key and said to them "Have yourselves a nice day, Buh-Bye!"

 

 

So here I am... working on my next move... as usual I like to write about these things when they happen so I can keep the timeline down... because honestly Fords really screwed a lot of people with this DPS6 transmission! It would almost seem like they are going to get away with it too! What makes it WORSE is they are also trying to weasel out of two FEDERAL RECALL'S on our Lincoln too! It's just crazy that Ford and Lincoln would act this way, but there was no point in giving them any satisfaction at the dealership... the guy Robert was just trying to get under my skin, but it wasn't working! He just got more and more upset until he finally fucked the dealership by turning away Brandee's Lincoln! The sad part is my youngest son just recently got his license this year and is driving that car! So I'm not going to let it go!

Furthermore, this issue with my Grandmothers Focus presents some geniune issues for me... for example, if Fords does not have a proper fix for this problem and all their fixes by way of programing just makes the clutch wear out twice as fast (read that as instead of getting 20,000 miles out of clutch, you only get 10,000 after the programing and a new clutch)... For me as a mechanic, how am I supposed to warranty that! If I know that even the dealership, using FACTORY PARTS and computer equipment can only muster 10,000 miles out of a clutch pack before it start shuddering, then it's obvious that as a private repair facility this is going to be an issue! When Fords builds something this poorly, and keeps using it even though they know it's bad, it starts to make me wonder if they are doing this to ensure people CAN'T hang on to their cars very long! Why in the hell the NHTSA is letting Fords get away with this is BEYOND me! They need to issue re-calls and demand buy backs for these cars RIGHT NOW! If anything to prevent Fords from ever doing it again in the future! 

But the NHTSA is letting them get away with it, by extending the module warranty for 10 years... only one problem, said module is the #1 backorded part for Fords right now! I am starting to think it's not backordered, rather, they still haven't figured out a working program to keep these cars from shuddering and burning up the clutches! 

One thing is for sure, this thread will be active! I will get to the bottom of both these issues! It's just a shame an unprofessional employee at Lincoln will forever tarnish the brand for me... and I am seeing more and more of this sort of behavior everywhere! Where the company knows they are in the wrong, don't want to fix it and just ask the customer not to return! 

I'd be interested in your thoughts PowerStroker! And I'd be interested in hearing what anyone else had to say about this as well... I could easily put a new clutch-pack in the car for Grandma, and she would be happy to pay me handsomly to do so! But that's really not the point! If the clutch I put in there is only going to wear out in 10,000 miles I'd just be setting myself up for problems in a short time when it's shuddering again! This is really somewhat crazy that with all these regulations and bodies to oversee them, that they would allow a manufature to get away with this... makes me want to start digging a little deeper! 

My thoughts are as follows:

The DPS6 is a junk design for which there is no long term fix, and there never will be. We have customers on their 10th clutch, and clutches aren't the only problem... The TCM which includes the robot that shifts and clutches the transmission is also junk and they have been on national back order for months. We have rows of these cars on our upper lot waiting for a TCM to show up. Some of these cases have rental car bills that far exceed the value of the car itself.

Design flaws aside though, lets look at your situation. Since the receipt you showed for the prior clutch replacement in 2020 had a zero charge to the customer (it was replaced under warranty) it is therefore ineligible for the 2 year unlimited mile service part warranty. ONLY the person who paid for a repair is ever eligible for service part warranty. If you had paid even a dollar toward that repair, you would be barely in the SPW window, but you didn't so you aren't.

The powertrain warranty on the vehicle is for 5 years or 60,000 miles whichever comes first, so you are out of luck there too.

The fact that you had something replaced under warranty does not start the warranty clock over at the beginning on that component, and never will.

Dealerships don't engineer things or write software, if you have a problem with the manufacturer of something, you should take it up with the manufacturer and not a privately owned dealership. You should have paid the diag charge, and you never should have let a loved one buy such a car in the first place.

It kind of sounds like the Lincoln dealer isn't interested in dealing with you, and they can refuse service to anyone for any reason just like you can. I'd try a Ford dealer for your Lincoln recalls. If your local Ford dealer is anything like mine, they stock the Lincoln parts too, and often it's the same part number anyway.

Just bear in mind, the terms of a warranty are the terms of a warranty even if something is a notorious shit pile. In the case of the DPS6 trans, Ford was obligated to replace clutches as many times as necessary until it reached 5 years or 60,000 miles whichever came first, which they did. They even extended the warranty on that particular issue otherwise grandma would have had to pay for the one in 2020 based on being beyond the 5 years, but Ford picked up the tab on that repair under a 1 time extension program they offered, which resulted from a class action lawsuit. At some point, people should expect to start paying out of pocket for repairs on a 2014 vehicle, even if the problems are well known. At this point, Ford is happy to offer you the same repair in exchange for money, and this time since you'd actually be paying for the repair, you'll get a 2 year unlimited mileage warranty on the clutch... Just hope the TCM doesn't flake out because that wouldn't be covered and those are on back order for about 8 months.

Tell her to get rid of it, it's one of the worst cars Ford has ever produced and this issue will keep happening forever.

You can't do a recall at home, it needs to be done by a warranty certified tech at a dealership in order for the dealer to get reimbursed for the repair. I suppose you could buy a replacement driver's inflator at the dealer parts counter and install it yourself, but doing so wouldn't close the recall as it would still show as active under that vin until replaced by a dealer. Also, resist the temptation to deploy one of those defective air bags as some have been going off like a stick of dynamite and shooting shrapnel everywhere.

 

PowerStroker wrote:

---

It kind of sounds like the Lincoln dealer isn't interested in dealing with you, and they can refuse service to anyone for any reason just like you can. I'd try a Ford dealer for your Lincoln recalls. If your local Ford dealer is anything like mine, they stock the Lincoln parts too, and often it's the same part number anyway.

Just bear in mind, the terms of a warranty are the terms of a warranty even if something is a notorious shit pile. In the case of the DPS6 trans, Ford was obligated to replace clutches as many times as necessary until it reached 5 years or 60,000 miles whichever came first, which they did. They even extended the warranty on that particular issue otherwise grandma would have had to pay for the one in 2020 based on being beyond the 5 years, but Ford picked up the tab on that repair under a 1 time extension program they offered, which resulted from a class action lawsuit. At some point, people should expect to start paying out of pocket for repairs on a 2014 vehicle, even if the problems are well known. At this point, Ford is happy to offer you the same repair in exchange for money, and this time since you'd actually be paying for the repair, you'll get a 2 year unlimited mileage warranty on the clutch... Just hope the TCM doesn't flake out because that wouldn't be covered and those are on back order for about 8 months.

Tell her to get rid of it, it's one of the worst cars Ford has ever produced and this issue will keep happening forever.

You can't do a recall at home, it needs to be done by a warranty certified tech at a dealership in order for the dealer to get reimbursed for the repair. I suppose you could buy a replacement driver's inflator at the dealer parts counter and install it yourself, but doing so wouldn't close the recall as it would still show as active under that vin until replaced by a dealer. Also, resist the temptation to deploy one of those defective air bags as some have been going off like a stick of dynamite and shooting shrapnel everywhere.

 

---

 

Well said PowerStroker !

IMO, 30,000-MILES out of a clutch isn't bad going...And why not try an after-market clutch ? Possibly someone has made a multi-disc set-up, as in the past.

The price to pay for new technology is the results above, as posted by PowerStroker.

It is a throw-away society remember...And PowerStroker indicated that there's cars on the lot awaiting warranty repairs that have exceeded market values.

The price one has to pay for learning is sometimes higher than expected.

* Oh yeah, let's wait & see what the new "Vette has in store for its customers in a few years time......

-- Edited by Rastus on Sunday 29th of January 2023 01:42:48 AM

PowerStroker wrote:

---

You can't do a recall at home, it needs to be done by a warranty certified tech at a dealership in order for the dealer to get reimbursed for the repair. I suppose you could buy a replacement driver's inflator at the dealer parts counter and install it yourself, but doing so wouldn't close the recall as it would still show as active under that vin until replaced by a dealer. Also, resist the temptation to deploy one of those defective air bags as some have been going off like a stick of dynamite and shooting shrapnel everywhere.

---

 

**** YOU TOO POWERSTROKER!

You see that *****? It's the positive cable removed from a ******* POS 2006 Lincoln Zephyr!

You see that *****? It's the defective Takata airbag that your c*** sucking GOD, Ford Motor Company sold out to the lowest bidder being ejected from the steering wheel!

You see that *****? It's the dangerous Takata air bag being disconcerted from it's power source!

You see that you piece of **** Rastus and PowerStroker? That's the Takata air bag power wires being taped off with electrical tape!

You see that **** suckers? That's the air bag being re-inserted without being hooked up, and my Son being made aware that Ford, Lincoln and asshole Rastus would have rather him be killed than admit the truth!

What is the truth? The truth is both you ***********, along with Ford and Lincoln are some ******* BUSTERS!

This is FAR FROM OVER! Believe that! 

-- Edited by Stellar007 on Sunday 29th of January 2023 01:13:30 PM

FYI - readers need to understand that the Takata airbag recall, and my current issues with PowerStroker and Rastus at this moment have nothing to do with the DPS6 transmission and it's woes.

While I appreciate PowerStrokers warnings with regards to the dangers of the Takata air bags (which I have neutralized) I still expect Lincoln/Ford Motor Company to come correct on a replacement!

The same holds true on issues with the DPS6 Transmission, wherease, until they have a VIABLE program to shift said transmission, it's not worth putting clutches into!

So long as my family intendes to keep this vehicle, I will be the shark at FoMoCo's heels until it's resolved! Even if that means having to put clutch packs in it myself! You just let your friends at Fords know that PowerStroker! And there is a whole nation of people like me who feel the same! Fix it! 

Yo, I think you mis-understood Rastus.... the Forcus is on it's THIRD CLUTCH in 30,000 miles.

It's not time for a new car Rastus, because that would be doing just what Ford wanted everyone to do --- to buy new cars and keep them making car payments. Although when it comes to the Focus, I'm thinking I'll probably suggest it get traded in for a vehicle designed a lot better.

There is no telling what direction this is going take over time as more and more people are forced to replace their clutches in short 10,000-20,000 mile intervals. I agree the aftermarket needs to step in and offer a fix for this mess, and they usually do at some point. I don't care for Ford vehicles, but the wife wanted the Lincoln because it came from her family and my Grandmother bought the Ford because her Son works for Ford. 

I don't think anybody (read that as the customer) could have imagined how bad this DPS6 transmission in the Ford Focus was going to be... but apparently they knew these transmissions were junk before they even put them in the cars! In fact, there are reports that a lot of them were shuddering right off the assembly line! And yet Ford just kept on putting them in cars, knowing damn well they still hadn't fixed the software that controls clutch and shift actuation. 

The only Ford I have ever bought were 80's and 90's Fox Body Mustangs... my 1988 Ford Mustang was 100% rebuilt by me, so technically it's only a Ford in name... but still, nobody can forget about the exploding Pinto's, or the rollover Explorers and their Firestone Wilderness AT tires... I just don't understand how Ford's makes any money putting out this garbage when they just have to go back and fix them all the time under warranty.

I'm unsure why PowerStroker has such a knack for getting me all worked up, cussing and foaming at the mouth... I'm sure it's got nothing to do with what he is saying, more than how I perceive he says it. I think he rather enjoys seeing me melt down lol, but I keep forgetting this is not the off-topic or private forum so I had to edit out all my swearing from last night.

That being said, the drivers side airbag has been disconnected on the Lincoln (along with the one in the drivers seat) until a Dealership can get me in to fix the problems per the recall.

Guess I'll call the Ford Dealership on Monday and see what they have to say before I file any complaints. Perhpas they can be of more help with both the Lincoln and the Focus? But I doubt it...

I don't feel I should have had to pay ANYTHING to inspect the vehicle for warranty replacement items that had their warranty times extended! I explained that to the service rep right off the rip! Just read above and I was CLEAR in my words "Don't do ANYTHING that would cost money, just check for any warranty, recalls or TSB's that are covered by Fords"... I was also VERY CLEAR that I was only signing to authorize them to possess the vehicle... this I was VERY CLEAR ABOUT right off the rip! Could not have conveyed that any clearer when I dropped off the car. 

The dealership does have a right to refuse service to anyone for any reason, this is very true at any private business... however in the case of these mandated Federal Recalls, it was very POOR form that should be reported! Every day someone drives a car with a bad Takata airbag is unnecessary risk! When PowerStroker said these Takata air bags were going off like a stick of dynamite sending shrapnel everywhere I didn't waste a single moment and immediatly got off my ass and disconnected the defective bag that very moment! It's just not worth it! Should the kid get in a small wreck and the bag go off it could kill someone! That's SERIOUS! Fords, nor the Lincoln dealership should be dragging their feet on this! 

I guess I extended the bird in the photos while disconnecting the air bag because I was really pissed it had to come to that! It's not very hard to change these things out, and in terms of liability, I feel Fords should be on the hook while they play around! This is nonsense for something so serious! 

Just a real bad experence at the Lincoln dealership... feel bad for the guys who own a newer one! 

And that's just it, I don't ever think I'd buy a brand new car and put myself at the mercy of a dealership! 

Stellar007 wrote:

---

Guess I'll call the Ford Dealership on Monday and see what they have to say before I file any complaints. Perhpas they can be of more help with both the Lincoln and the Focus? But I doubt it...

I don't feel I should have had to pay ANYTHING to inspect the vehicle for warranty replacement items that had their warranty times extended! I explained that to the service rep right off the rip! Just read above and I was CLEAR in my words "Don't do ANYTHING that would cost money, just check for any warranty, recalls or TSB's that are covered by Fords"... I was also VERY CLEAR that I was only signing to authorize them to possess the vehicle... this I was VERY CLEAR ABOUT right off the rip! Could not have conveyed that any clearer when I dropped off the car. 

The dealership does have a right to refuse service to anyone for any reason, this is very true at any private business... however in the case of these mandated Federal Recalls, it was very POOR form that should be reported! Every day someone drives a car with a bad Takata airbag is unnecessary risk! When PowerStroker said these Takata air bags were going off like a stick of dynamite sending shrapnel everywhere I didn't waste a single moment and immediatly got off my ass and disconnected the defective bag that very moment! It's just not worth it! Should the kid get in a small wreck and the bag go off it could kill someone! That's SERIOUS! Fords, nor the Lincoln dealership should be dragging their feet on this! 

I guess I extended the bird in the photos while disconnecting the air bag because I was really pissed it had to come to that! It's not very hard to change these things out, and in terms of liability, I feel Fords should be on the hook while they play around! This is nonsense for something so serious! 

Just a real bad experence at the Lincoln dealership... feel bad for the guys who own a newer one! 

And that's just it, I don't ever think I'd buy a brand new car and put myself at the mercy of a dealership! 

---

To clarify, based on info I gained from Fords internal discussion boards, some technicians have been deploying the old units before they were sent back for warranty. Not all, not even most, but SOME of them got real ugly and now we just send the defective ones back undeployed and let Ford dispose of them. Ford IS trying to make this right by issuing the recall to replace the round inflator part with a new design, I have replaced several myself. The recall is absolutely free. If you can resist the temptation to get into a pissing match about the Focus, there should be absolutely no problem getting the Ford dealership to replace your Lincoln air bag under the recall. I'm unaware of any issues with the seat ones, Just because they too may be made by Takata doesn't mean those are bad too, they are a different design anyway.

Regarding the Focus, you need to accept the fact that there is absolutely no coverage on that anymore, and you need to separate that issue in your mind to get that Lincoln air bag taken care of, otherwise you'll get kicked out of another dealership without getting that fixed again.

When a car is completely out of coverage, a dealership can, if you're real nice and have a history of being a good customer advocate on your behalf for some Ford assistance on a repair, wherein the manager submits a case to ford asking for financial help on a repair. At this point, a Ford rep will review the request, and look up the customer's loyalty score which is based on number of Ford vehicles purchased and whether they are a regular service customer. Based on that score, Ford MAY chip in partially for a repair. But for any of this to happen, dealership management has to be willing to advocate on your behalf. I get the feeling that you have given them absolutely no reason to do so. Shit may attract flies, but you'll catch more with honey.

PowerStroker wrote:

---

Regarding the Focus, you need to accept the fact that there is absolutely no coverage on that anymore

---

 

This is technically not true... Fords has extended the TCM (Transmission Control Module) to 10 years. This means that the 2014 Focus is still under warranty until 11/03/2024 for the TCM... 

Regardless of warranty, with the history of service records alone this vehicle is a LEMON by definition... I'm relatively confident that Grandma would win in a legal battle as you are hearing about more and more people winning in court against Fords for these DPS6 transmissions.

But again, it's not my car... but if it were, I'd have demanded a buy back LONG AGO.

Stellar007 wrote:

---

This is technically not true... Fords has extended the TCM (Transmission Control Module) to 10 years. This means that the 2014 Focus is still under warranty until 11/03/2024 for the TCM... 

Regardless of warranty, with the history of service records alone this vehicle is a LEMON by definition... I'm relatively confident that Grandma would win in a legal battle as you are hearing about more and more people winning in court against Fords for these DPS6 transmissions.

But again, it's not my car... but if it were, I'd have demanded a buy back LONG AGO.

---

 

I ran your vin and yes, you are correct if the TCM fails there is still coverage under program 14N02 on that part for a while, just expect the car to have a birthday before you get one. There is no more coverage on the clutch period, so get that idea out of your head.

Regarding lemons, if ALL of them do the same thing it's not a lemon, it's a characteristic. Lemon laws are very specific about what qualifies for a buyback, and it's possible that the class action lawsuit that allowed for the last clutch to be replaced for free even though it was beyond the original 5 years, may preclude anyone who took advantage of that program from having their car bought back under a lemon law. Something to look in to, but I don't like your chances here. If it's still drivable, sell the fucker now.

That was for something you hadn't done yet... lol, but I knew you wouldn't let me down.

Besides, it was everything I had to keep from melting down in the Lincoln dealership... I had to vent it all out

Stellar007 wrote:

---

 

Yeah-Yeah-Yeah... you can't really get any money out of a Focus with a DPS6 transmission in the private market, and you run the risk of it coming back on you - when really it aught to go back on Fords! The car only having 30,000 miles and being like new makes it very hard to trade in at a loss... even if I do have to put clutches in it! It's a clean car and we know it's history.

Calling ANYTHING that will burn up a clutch in 10,000 miles a "characteristic" is bad comedy. The expectation out of a clutch is somewhere in the neighborhood of 70,000-80,000 miles and that is with a youthful driver! You might see way more than that with a conservative driver on a normal manual transmission with a dry clutch and a human shifting. If Fords "MODULE" or "COMPUTER" cannot even come close to 70,000-80,000 miles on a clutch then they are at fault for trying to bring something to market that wasn't ready! All it will take is a few more fatal accidents due to this issue and it will be made into a RECALL... at that point it won't matter how many miles the car has, or how old it is! 

Clutch still works, it just shudders.

I'd also say that this "one time replacement" of the clutch is a farce, because based on what I just explained above, it shouldn't have needed that clutch! I still maintain that until Fords comes up with a program that can meet 80,000 miles of opperation without burning up, they should be on the hook for any and all replacement cost until such time, or buy the car back! You have already said that Ford's has paid more in rental car fee's than the cars are worth on some of them... 

You can "maintain" whatever you want, but this issue has already been adjudicated at a national level, which is why the last one was free when it otherwise wouldn't have been.

It's very convenient of Fords to have a part on back-order until after it's warranty expires! Especially considering they don't even have a known good software program to install on it! 

If the repair order is opened before the warranty expiration date you're fine with regard to back ordered parts.

The ONLY excuse that Fords could claim for a clutch that wears out from the factory in 19,000 miles and from the dealership in 10,000 miles would be driver error... but again, as I quoted you above originally, the driver does not have command of said operations... It's a manual transmission shifted automatically by way of the computer and robotics. 

LEMON

They all do it, it's a characteristic.

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They were made to extend the warranty on the clutch, which is why the last one was free.

That's the end of it as far as Ford is concerned.

My step mom asked me about buying one of those and I convinced her not to. If only you were as good a grandson as I am a stepson.

The court system as at your disposal. Just know that this issue has already been adjudicated at a national level so good luck.

That recall pays .3 hours (18 minutes) if that's the "gravy" you're referring to.

Stellar007 wrote:

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That is far-far below the minimum 1 hour charge that most shops bill for service. Don't blame us for the warranty time contract you have with Fords... But don't forget about the ABS recall! What do they do for that? Just change the fluid or the entire ABS pump?

Ford doesn't have a minimum payout for warranty work. The ABS recall involves first performing a scan tool test to check whether the HCU has any internally leaking valves. If it does it gets replaced and flushed with Dot4, if it passes, it just gets flushed with Dot4. Oh, and we also have to replace the master cylinder cap with one that says use Dot4.

I had Lincoln try to charge me $159 to simpily check for warranty coverage on the DPS6... had they not made the ludicrous suggestion that THREE clutches in 30,000 miles is normal, I may have felt bad about putting up a fuss!

For a technician to look at a car on a customer pay basis there will be a minimum charge, even if it's just to perform research. You could walk up to an adviser and politely ask for them to run the vin number and check for coverage on something before opening a ticket, and they may be willing to do that for free, but the moment they generate a repair order someone is paying.

But since they were outright lying to my face without a care in the world, I was not going to tolerate it! 

What was the lie exactly?

  

PowerStroker wrote:

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We should have a basic standard for what constitutes truth.

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https://autotrend.activeboard.com/t69151228/clones/

 

Let me ask you, PowerStroker... Is it your opinion a vehicle should need THREE clutches in 30,000 miles? It's a very simple question.

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 No, it's a very simple answer. My agreement that the DPS6 is garbage does not change the terms of a warranty though.

You could have left the airbag unplugged, it doesn't matter to the technician. If the air bag light is on before the recall begins, and it stays on after the recall is over it's considered unrelated and you would be welcome to pay for a diagnostic at that point, but in your case replacing the bag would have made the light go out.