[[email protected]]

Hi
I am acting as a sort of consultant for a friend who has just bought a 2016 1.6 litre petrol BMAX. and is worried about the auto. gearbox reliability.
Looking on the site it seems that the automatic has a history of gearbox problems which in many cases are not being fixed by the main agents.
I am well aware that these forums mainly reflect the views of people who have had problems and there are probably thousands more who have had no trouble at all.
My Daughter has a very hot VW golf with a similar gearbox (Getrag ?) which is used to drive into London every day and has had no trouble so far for 30000 miles so, though the VW automatic also has a reputation for jerky running after a while


As a professional Engineer I have read several accounts of the problem from a technical point of view and have come to the following opinions.
1. It is essential that the gear oil is changed at the correct intervals.
2. It is not good to sit stationary in traffic for lengthy periods in drive, because the "clutch" is slipping and heating the oil.
This could be a particular problem in hot weather and may explain why there are a disproportionate number of problems in say Australia and Malaysia. So go into neutral when possible.
3. It seems there were at least three separate problems with the gearbox which might explain why after a "fix" it soon failed again - due
to a different fault.
(a) One fault was due to the clutch material,
(b) a second due to a dry solder joint (or cracked track ) on a control printed circuit board, which would cause strange intermittent faults.
(c) and the third more common fault caused by a faulty oil seal allowing gearbox and other oil to mix.


I hope that I have my "facts" correct because I have not been directly involved with the problems but owners taking account of (1) and (2) above may help to reduce the likelihood of failures.

 

[number6]

mattynjane, I would suggest that you spend some time reading the threads on here about the Powershift box.
If it were as simple as you suggest, then there would not be massive recalls of cars with similar transmission in Australia and the US, while in the UK, Ford have baulked at every step of the way.

I am an ex-Bmax Powershift owner. I did get it fixed, at the 12th attempt, when a new design clutch pack was fitted.

 

[Hadrian1]

I had my clutchpack changed earlier this year, and it would appear to be alright now.
It would seem that the clutchpacks fitted since the end of 2017 have cured the problem.
Time will tell.


Not all clutch problems are the same, it can differ from car to car.

 

[[email protected]]

Hi
Thanks for your comments, I had in fact read most of the information on this site plus the link and from this, and other information I found on the net, before I came to the conclusions above.
The problem is that most of the complaints are about the effects of the faults and not the root causes, which are probably well understood now by the gearbox designers/manufacturers "- who I suspect are a Ford sub-contractor - and will have found "fixes.
The Ford dealers will of course only be able to change to the latest parts, which may well alter some tolerances and JUST make it work again, though only disguising but not finding the real cause of the problem, which then recurs. Multiple faults are of course always very hard to diagnose.
The problems found by the customers/users usually seem to be juddering, sometimes clutch slipping and less often strange random gear changes.
The latter has all the characteristics of an electrical contact/broken track or wiring problem, while most of the others could be blamed on overheating, clutch material, or incorrect oil caused by oilseal leakage or old oil.
I agree that the failure rate seems to have improved greatly over the last year or two so I hope my friend's 2016/2017 car has the benefit of the gearbox upgrades.
Thanks again
Matty

 

[[email protected]]

Hi
I have just seen an article which says that DCT gearboxes go into neutral when the footbrake is applied.
So the gearbox oil will not therefore overheat when the vehicle is in gear and stationary with the footbrake on.
Can somebody confirm that this is so, and if so I apologise for any misinformation.
Because I doubt if sitting in traffic in gear with the foot brake on will do any harm to the gearbox.
Matty

 

[dolly]

Hi, I don't do Forums so hope this is the right way to do it.
I purchased a 2016 B-max in October from Hammonds newly new cars in Ipswich, The car has the judder, especially in traffic when warmed up. I took it to Ford Dealership who did a software update and it seems worse. The chap there said that " the computer learns how you drive and will adjust - over 1000-2000 miles !!!! new cars do that !
This sounds like rubbish and getting fobbed off - but I'm just a white haired old woman, what would I know. I can't imagine anyone buying a new car and suffering a student computer. that's my first sort of query.
The 2nd is I read that Ford have extended the warranty by 2 years so in theory my car has 3 years warranty left - is that correct even if I didn't buy it at Fords. In other words can I keep pestering them till its fixed.
Does the problem get worse aver time and you end up with a dead car or very expensive bills ?
sorry that's a 3rd query.
grateful for any advise, Dolly

 

[number6]

Hi, I don't do Forums so hope this is the right way to do it.
I purchased a 2016 B-max in October from Hammonds newly new cars in Ipswich, The car has the judder, especially in traffic when warmed up. I took it to Ford Dealership who did a software update and it seems worse. The chap there said that " the computer learns how you drive and will adjust - over 1000-2000 miles !!!! new cars do that !
This sounds like rubbish and getting fobbed off - but I'm just a white haired old woman, what would I know. I can't imagine anyone buying a new car and suffering a student computer. that's my first sort of query.
The 2nd is I read that Ford have extended the warranty by 2 years so in theory my car has 3 years warranty left - is that correct even if I didn't buy it at Fords. In other words can I keep pestering them till its fixed.
Does the problem get worse aver time and you end up with a dead car or very expensive bills ?
sorry that's a 3rd query.
grateful for any advise, Dolly

Hi Dolly,
Most of what the Ford dealer has told you is rubbish. Ford are very aware of the issue and have faced class actions in the US and Australia. In the UK they try the gradual fobbing off procedure. It took me twelve Main Dealer visits. The 'learning' and software updates can change the characteristics of the judder but it's still there!
My 2014 Titanium X had several fixes, including replacement clutch packs, none of which were long term solutions. Then, around November 2017, a newly designed and manufactured replacement 'clutch pack' was made available by Ford, to its dealers. This was the proper fix. Insist upon having it! Keep nagging them and threatening them with Trading Standards as this is a known fault. Your point of complaint is with Hammonds. They should then take it up with Ford/Ford Dealer.
It sorted mine out and it was a lovely car, but I traded it in (IN IPSWICH!!) for a SEAT Arona.

 

[dolly]

Hi Dolly,
Most of what the Ford dealer has told you is rubbish. Ford are very aware of the issue and have faced class actions in the US and Australia. In the UK they try the gradual fobbing off procedure. It took me twelve Main Dealer visits. The 'learning' and software updates can change the characteristics of the judder but it's still there!
My 2014 Titanium X had several fixes, including replacement clutch packs, none of which were long term solutions. Then, around November 2017, a newly designed and manufactured replacement 'clutch pack' was made available by Ford, to its dealers. This was the proper fix. Insist upon having it! Keep nagging them and threatening them with Trading Standards as this is a known fault. Your point of complaint is with Hammonds. They should then take it up with Ford/Ford Dealer.
It sorted mine out and it was a lovely car, but I traded it in (IN IPSWICH!!) for a SEAT Arona.

Many thanks Number6, I will phone trading standards Monday to get ammo and have to go to Ipswich Thursday so will go to Hammonds then. will tr and keep this forum posted with progress !
Dolly

 

[Janie]

Hi Dolly and everyone. I bought my B Max a year ago, expressed concerns to the dealer when he was trying to sell it to me as I had read about problems, he rsaid assured me that it had been r called and work done at Fords expense early on. He gave us a years warranty. After Christmas there was an issue with the clutch/.over revving and slipping. The dealer told me it was a recall issue and we booked it in. They did a software update, the problem got worse. In May we booked it in against n but because of parts shortage and the number of people needing a new clutch pack it couldn't be done until July (all the time I'm losing warranty period which is ticking round towards the year end). They replaced the clutch pack at their expense, the girl told me when I expressed concerns - don't worry there is a years guarantee on the part. Now it's not working again, software update, didn't work. Fords dealer called to say 'it's now out of warranty and Ford won't pay for anything else, there is no guarantee on the part because we didn't pay for it and it was done by Ford under warranty! Sounds absolute rubbish to me. I don't have the money to pay out as we are retired. Any advice gratefully received. Dolly - how are you getting on?

 

[Hywel S Wales]

Disgraceful how you've been treated. Try trading standards
https://www.tradingstandards.uk/consumers/support-advice

 

[Hadrian1]

Hi Dolly and everyone. I bought my B Max a year ago, expressed concerns to the dealer when he was trying to sell it to me as I had read about problems, he rsaid assured me that it had been r called and work done at Fords expense early on. He gave us a years warranty. After Christmas there was an issue with the clutch/.over revving and slipping. The dealer told me it was a recall issue and we booked it in. They did a software update, the problem got worse. ..............>>>

The same happened with us, I took it in, then got a phone call to say the software update hadn't worked, and they were going to replace the clutch. Their only concern was that they didn't have a courtesy car available. In our case it doesn't matter as we have another car to use, and told them they could keep it as long as they liked. It was done in a couple of days though, just within the 12 month warranty. The new clutch also came with another 12 month warranty. So far it's working fine (touch wood)

 

[dolly]

judder auto gearbox problem sorted

Many thanks to folk giving advice :smile: I took the car ( reg Oct 2016 ) to Ford dealer before Xmas who said I need to drive it for 2000 miles so it could learn how I drove! couldn't work that one out as it may not have been me driving it all the time.... I then contacted Hammonds whom I purchased the car from and they were very helpful and spoke to dealer. I finally ( my fault as needed car specific dates ) had it fixed last week with new gearbox- not had much of a chance to try it out yet as it needs to get warm before the judder started - so am hoping it's all sorted now.
I think the fact that Hammonds contacted Marshalls ( Ford dealer) made it easier for me. It's a nice car to drive although not as good as my S type jag :sad: but then I couldn't get a mobility scooter and hoist in that.
thanks again. Dolly

 

[Hadrian1]

Seems like you've had a good result. Once all of the niggles have been sorted out (powershift clutch, windscreen etc.)
It's a nice car, with a good load capacity.