Post-TCM Replacement Transmission Troubles

[djroff]

Hey, folks, I'm wondering if anyone out there has had the TCM replacement, only to start having transmission troubles again, within 6 months. I drive a 2014 Focus SE.

Last summer, the car became undriveable (over the course of 2-3 weeks), and I finally got my Ford garage to admit it was a TCM. (At first, they "couldn't find anything", but after I made them take it out and drive it, they saw the problem. Great troubleshooting skills, there.) The car had about 113,000 miles on it then, so that particular extended warranty was the only way they would have fixed it for me. The part took almost 2 months to arrive, so I didn't get the car back until late October. Now, suddenly, in April, I'm having transmission trouble again. They tell me it's some other problem (which they have no clue about, despite another $150 worth of "diagnostics"), but I'm kind of suspicious that they're not being straight with me.

What's happening now is very similar stuff -- I go to drive and the car will pop out of gear into Neutral, but if I pull it down to L, I can drive slowly. The dash will display "TRANSMISSION FAULT, SERVICE NOW". (Last summer, it started popping out of gear at highway speeds, but quickly progressed to where pulling away from a traffic light it would pop out of gear and drop into 2nd.) Call me simple, but when something called a "Transmission Control Module" was at fault the first time, common sense tells me that the same problem only 6 months later could probably be the same (faulty) module. The shop disagrees, and sent me on my way. But even disregarding the first trouble, 118,000 miles seems awfully soon for the transmission to fall apart. Anyone else in a similar situation?

 

[Handy Andy]

I've had several electrical issues around the fleet of Focus' we currently drive.

Most have been from the Battery - it's breakout box (panel in front of it that the positive cable goes into) is prone to several key areas of corrosion and breakage due to the corrosive effects the batteries' acid does to it.

Alternator - is another and their "diode array", brushes and cables to push voltage into the battery along with monitoring thru it's regulator - being back at the Focus' own Body Control Module and Dashboard pods - the regulation is external to the alternator. The Regulator is in there - but it's control is back at the "Brains" of the outfit. IF the output lead is poor, or the alternator has a lot of miles on it, just replace it - it's safer than to guess how much longer it will last before trade in or it dies.

To cut to the chase, that "pop out of gear" is a warning shot across your bow, that the battery to electrical connections to the TCM are getting weak, as in simple vibrations generate enough noise and loose connections do the rest - to pop it out of gear.

So you'll have to roll up your sleeves take out the battery and start cleaning electrical contacts and connectors - and most of all - GROUND connections that they use.- gotta clean them up to help restore what power and current capability it once had - all over again.

 

[djroff]

The "drive it and see what happens" prescription for happiness lasted for exactly one day... the car got me to work, and back into town, whereupon it promptly decided to put on another show: "SERVICE NOW", pops out of 1st gear, then sticks in 3rd, etc.. Fortunately, I was within limping distance of a different Ford dealership, so I coaxed the car there and told them all about it. I got lucky this time, and found an actual, honest-to-God, good old fashioned decent mechanic who knew what to look for. He said that one particular "shaft speed" sensor had burned out, and was likely responsible for the entire problem. He replaced that, and the problem magically went away. For now, knock on wood. I will update as the situation changes.

 

[Handy Andy]

He said that one particular "shaft speed" sensor had burned out, and was likely responsible for the entire problem.

Wow...ok, electrical issue - don't wait too long to have someone test your charging system. Referring to the Alternator.

IF you have got a lot of miles on it - Alternator may also need service - else you may have a recurring SERVICE NOW message when you hit ponding water or a pot hole - can leave you stranded. The Alternator is on a serpentine belt and can slip - so monitor your battery voltage - test when done with day and again in the morn - may seem tedious, but if the Alternator and the regulator in it - go bad - they start by pulling down the battery voltage more and more until the avalanche moment - similar to what I said earlier - a catastrophic fail caused by the water or vibration shake dropping out the regulation and by that drop - it will put the vehicle into neutral because the TCM can't find enough power to keep the solenoids active and you're coasting until you either roll to a stop or you can restart the car to bring the alternator up and it can keep the system alive when and until the battery plays catch up.

So you may not be done with the entire fix yet...