Hey everyone, I know you’ve probably seen a lot of posts about this, but I’m hoping to get some clarity.
I found a 2012 Ford Focus on Facebook Marketplace in great condition—low miles, no damage, fully loaded. The catch is the transmission. From what I’ve read, Ford extended the warranty on the TCM, and it sounds like this could be the issue based on the seller’s description.
I’m thinking I might have lucked out with this. I’ll get the VIN from the seller later today. My question is, if I buy this car for $800, could I take it to my local Ford dealership and have them fix it for free under the TCM warranty? Has anyone else had a similar experience with this model and the TCM issues?
I’ve been searching for a car for a while, and this seems like a sweet deal if I can get it fixed. Appreciate any advice, and hope everyone has a good Tuesday!
I have a 2014 Hatch SE with 221k miles. I had to replace the clutch and actuator at 189k. If you do a lot of city driving, I’d be cautious. I mostly drive on highways, except for about 4 miles each way to work, so it’s been okay for me.
Bowie said: @Teal
I’m mostly on highways or taking long trips. I live in a pretty quiet area in upstate PA, so no city traffic for me. Just a small town.
In that case, you might be okay. As long as the TCM hasn’t completely died from all the shuddering, you should be able to replace the clutches and actuators, and it should run fine. My girlfriend had a similar issue with her car, where the previous owner let it shudder so much it led to TCM and overheating failures.
@Teal
Thanks! I appreciate the insight. I’m going to check it out in person and take it for a test drive this weekend. From what I’ve gathered, it’s just slipping gears for now, which makes me think the TCM might already be the issue. I don’t know a ton about these cars, though, so I could be off.
@Bowie
No problem! If you can, take it to a mechanic or Ford dealer to check for the right codes. If it’s the TCM, you might save some cash and just need new clutches and actuators.
Teal said: @Bowie
No problem! If you can, take it to a mechanic or Ford dealer to check for the right codes. If it’s the TCM, you might save some cash and just need new clutches and actuators.
Good idea! I’m probably going to buy it either way. For $800, I could have some fun with it. If I can get it running well, maybe I’ll flip it or trade it for something else.
@Bowie
That could work! And if you’re handy, there are plenty of tutorials online that walk you through doing a manual swap on these cars if you’re interested.
Teal said: @Bowie
That could work! And if you’re handy, there are plenty of tutorials online that walk you through doing a manual swap on these cars if you’re interested.
I’ve actually thought about that! Seems pretty straightforward on this model.
Unfortunately, there’s more to it than just the TCM. These cars use a dual dry clutch system, which has a ton of issues. The TCM work is covered under an extended warranty, but the clutch repairs aren’t. That could cost you around $4500 at a dealership or $2800 at an independent shop. People who mostly drive on highways have better luck with the clutch than those who drive in stop-and-go traffic. The manual transmissions seem to have fewer problems.
No, you can’t just take it to Ford and get it fixed for free. The TCM has an extended warranty, but Ford will only replace it if it’s actively failing and has the correct codes stored in the system. Plus, there are other transmission issues besides the TCM. Proceed with caution, but as someone who fixes these cars, I’d recommend against buying one.
@Florian
Gotcha, thanks for the heads-up. From what I’ve seen, it seems like this car might already have the right code. If not, it’s still an $800 beater, so I’m not too worried.
Bowie said: @Florian
Gotcha, thanks for the heads-up. From what I’ve seen, it seems like this car might already have the right code. If not, it’s still an $800 beater, so I’m not too worried.
If it has the code, you might be in luck. Ask the seller what the code is, and I can tell you more.