Ford is extending clutch warranty coverage for selected Focus and Fiesta models spanning 2014 to 2016 model years by another two years and a further 40,000 miles (64,000 km) for owners of the vehicles in North America, from five years to seven years. Specifically, this covers the Focus built from July 4, 2013 to November 5, 2015 and the Fiesta built from July 4, 2013 until October 15, 2014.
The Blue Oval will also reimburse customers who are in this new group receiving extended warranties, who have previously paid for clutch repairs out of pocket, effectively aligning warranty coverage for these vehicles with that which has been in place since July 2014 for earlier Focus and Fiesta models, the automaker said, noting that the initiative was taken based on the latest findings from ‘ongoing analysis of customer satisfaction and quality data.’
The automaker added that it will also contact the remaining affected customers comprising approximately 165,000 owners, or 16% in the United States in order to provide a software update, free of charge. The other 84% of affected owners have already received the update, Ford says.
From this, the software update will provide an enhanced warning if the transmission control module begins to fail, and Ford will offer module replacements free of charge for up to six months where necessary, even if the 10-year/150,000 mile (240,000 km) warranty has expired.
With the announced actions taken, Ford says that all Focus and Fiesta customer units will either have the latest component and software updates for the DPS6 transmission, or have been provided with extended transmission warranties, comprising a seven-year/100,000-mile (160,000 km) warranty for clutches and related hardware, and a 10-year/150,000-mile warranty for the transmission control module.
The six-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission codenamed DPS6 (otherwise known as the Getrag 6DCT250) was introduced to Ford’s passenger car line-up in 2010, though the automaker has since been inundated with complaints of transmission jerking, shuddering and hesitation or slipping, according to Automotive News.
In 2014, Ford extended the transmissions’ warranty by two years for 2011-2013 model year vehicles, and has issued more than 20 service bulletins relating to the gearboxes, the report said. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) said it had reviewed complaints received for the gearboxes, though it had found ‘no evidence of an unreasonable risk to safety’, though it said it will continue to monitor complaints and take action as necessary.
On the Malaysian front, early Powershift dual-clutch transmission-equipped cars have also been granted the transmission warranty extension to seven years.
-paultan