She managed to make it home for 20 miles after everything went south. It’s a 2013 I’ve had since 2016. Not the flashiest car, but I made her mine, and she outlived most expectations. The real issue was what the engineers did to her, not her fault.
Here’s to hoping all of you have cars that last as long as she did
Were you in stop-and-go traffic when this happened? Did any check engine or transmission failure lights come on? Trans overheating can happen if you’re letting the car idle forward without giving it gas, especially in traffic. The TCM has to feather the clutch, and too many applications can cause overheating and limp mode. Unfortunately, if it wasn’t traffic, it might be something worse.
@Shea
What should I be doing in stop-and-go traffic then? Should I hold the brake constantly or give it a little gas?
Misha said:
@Shea
What should I be doing in stop-and-go traffic then? Should I hold the brake constantly or give it a little gas?
Leave space in front so you can go directly from the brake to the gas. In normal automatics, you can just roll forward without issue, but this transmission uses a clutch, so letting it idle forward causes the clutch to slip and heat up. Always go straight from brake to gas to fully engage the clutch and avoid extra wear.
@Shea
Is replacing the clutch plate the only way to fix that shudder? Sorry if this has been asked a million times.
Madden said:
@Shea
Is replacing the clutch plate the only way to fix that shudder? Sorry if this has been asked a million times.
Yes, if the shudder is bad. Light shudder can sometimes improve with hard acceleration, but if it feels like driving over a rumble strip, you’ll need to replace the clutch.
@Shea
Yeah, it’s definitely bad. Feels like the whole car is bouncing. I’ve got a clutch plate for a Fiesta sitting in my garage but haven’t done one before. Guess I’ll have to teach myself. Thanks for the info.
@Madden
Keep in mind this is a dual-clutch system, not like a regular clutch. Check out some YouTube tutorials first!
Misha said:
@Shea
What should I be doing in stop-and-go traffic then? Should I hold the brake constantly or give it a little gas?
In traffic, aim to move at a steady pace with the clutch fully engaged (5-7 mph). Anything slower will make the clutch slip and generate heat, which will wear it out faster.
@Nuri
Does just holding the brake work? There’s no way to keep a steady pace where I live.
Misha said:
@Nuri
Does just holding the brake work? There’s no way to keep a steady pace where I live.
Constantly riding the brakes isn’t great either. It’s tough, but minimizing clutch slip is key.
@Shea
This actually happened on a stretch of country road, not in traffic.
Avery said:
@Shea
This actually happened on a stretch of country road, not in traffic.
In that case, you might be in trouble. Get the codes pulled, and I can help identify the failure.
@Shea
We were already planning on replacing her; this issue just sped things up.
Avery said:
@Shea
We were already planning on replacing her; this issue just sped things up.
Still, let us know the code. Curious to see what it is.
Avery said:
@Shea
We were already planning on replacing her; this issue just sped things up.
Still, let us know the code. Curious to see what it is.
@Avery
P07A3—stuck actuator fork. You’d need new forks, a clutch, and a throwout bearing. That’s a $3k-$5k repair. RIP Focus.
Shea said:
@Avery
P07A3—stuck actuator fork. You’d need new forks, a clutch, and a throwout bearing. That’s a $3k-$5k repair. RIP Focus.
193,000 miles isn’t bad, though. She had a good run.
@Avery
Absolutely. Good luck with your next car!
@Avery
Honestly, that’s better than some other gearboxes out there. Maybe it’s time for a Focus ST or Fiesta ST—they’re more fun and reliable!
