[junemarch]

This is what has happened since I took my car back to the dealership.I contacted Fordby email at Daventry and was phoned by their Motability dept to see if they could help me, the lady I spoke to said she would follow up everything I had told her with the dealership on my behalf.
I took the car to my dealership and got the representative for Motability to test drive my car to see if he could hear the noise coming from the front passenger area, he said he did hear the noise and thought that it was the selection box near the wheel that wasn't kicking in at the right time. To cut a long story short the out come was that the noise is coming from the gear box as the gear box is manual with an addedselector and should cause no problems. I would advise Primrose to contact Ford at Daventry (0845-6040019)to let them know she has the same problem, I am still not sure if I will keep the B MAX.....

 

[Davis_Zadian]

Did they let you drive another one? as if this is an "expected noise" , any BMAX you drive should have the same sound...??

 

[junemarch]

no they didn't. as they don't seem to keep "automatics" for test drives

 

[Robertdownie]

Yes that's one of the drawbacks when you drive automatics through motability , they don't seem to have automatic courtesy cars, except for Nissan who seem to have them no problem.

 

[junemarch]

More news on my B MAX, I am now looking for another car through Motability as I just can't cope with all the problems I have had, I have lost my confidence in the B MAX as it is only semi automatic which I wasn't told when I took delivery or before when I chose the car, I need a full automatic car so I will keep looking, thank you all for the information you have on this web site .....

 

[ChadDoobray]

Only semi-automatic? I'm not sure that I understand your complaint. It's a DCT, but effectively it's a fully-automatic car. You don't have a manual clutch, you don't have to select gears - it doesn't even have paddles. Why would this be a problem for you?

 

[Davis_Zadian]

JuneMarch is correct it is a semi automatic transmission. Ford call it Powershift Transmission.
The Duel Clutch Transmission (DCT) even by Wikipedia(top of that link) is classed as a semi automatic. Despite superficial similarity to other transmissions, automatic transmissions differ significantly in internal operation and driver's feel from semi-automatics. An FULL automatic uses a torque converter instead of a clutch to manage the connection between the transmission gearing and the engine. In contrast, a semi-automatic uses a belt or other torque transmission scheme to allow an "infinite" number of gear ratios instead of a fixed number of gear ratios. Lastly, a semi-automatic retains a clutch like a manual transmission, but controls the clutch through computer controlled, electrohydraulic means. Full automatics will also hold a car on a hill forever without roll back, semi-automatic have a limited time which varies (for the BMax semi-automatic it's 3 seconds approx)


However, no matter how the inner workings of the engine, it does behave like a full auto and like ChadDoobray, I do not see how it being one or the other would be cause to give the vehicle back, unless it was something else ??



Edited by: Davis_Zadian

 

[makem]

Do you know how the hill start assist which is standard, works on my manual car?

I think it keeps the brake applied for a few seconds.

So, I am wondering why this assistance needs an automatic gearbox of whatever type.

http://www.ford.co.uk/Cars/B-MAX/Featuresandspecifications

 

[johnmaster]

the hill hold features currently we are seeing are mostly asscociated to manual or semi-automatic transmission (automated clutch in manual transmission)


when the caris in tilt and gear is engaged, the wheels are clamped (brake) for a few seconds after the driver releases the brake pedalfull automatic transmission naturally have 'hill hold' (cars which doesn't have hill hold)
(usually when the automatic is in D mode, it tend to drive forward, even when you don't press the accelarator .so the car dont drive up because there is not enough torque and don'troll back downbecause there is enough torque to keep it in place.)

and then there is a new generation of hill hold comes to full automatic transmission
(the brakes are engaged and then the transmission is put into neutral, and then when the accelarator is pressed, breakis released before auto transmission starts)

 

[Davis_Zadian]

I believe it works on gradient detection, if the car is at an angle (nose higher or lower then the tail) then the computer will hold the brakes until the accelerator is pressed. The Bmax is the first I have ever heard of a manual gearbox including a hill assist system, the driver of a manual does not really need it.

Without it, the driver would balance the clutch on the hill (as taught in the driving test )... So I believe it's just a facility they have brought to their manual box's as a "feature" One thing you can do that people with the semi manual box's cannot, is turn off the hill start assist, within the SYNC screen. So you get the choice of using the "feature" or going back to manual clutch control.

 

[johnmaster]

>>The Bmax is the first I have ever heard of a manual gearbox including a hill assist system


Really?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hill-holder

 

[makem]

I don't think it is anything to do with the gearbox, especially if you can turn it off electronically More likely to be electronic brake caliper/shoe hold. Similar to the forward looking laser stopping the car to prevent a slow moving collision.

 

[Davis_Zadian]

Really?

Yes, as it's pretty pointless. One or the other granted, either manual clutch control, or hill assist... whats the point of both on a manual geared car ?

 

[makem]

It is to 'assist' drivers from unintentionally rolling back, a safety addition which costs nothing to enable. Therefore a cheap selling point. On a very steep hill it helps even experienced driver.

BTW, are the brakes controlled by wire?

Edited by: makem

 

[johnmaster]

Really?

Yes, as it's pretty pointless. One or the other granted, either manual clutch control, or hill assist... whats the point of both on a manual geared car ?

....The Bmax is the first I have ever heard of a manual gearbox including a hill assist system, the driver of a manual does not really need it.....

D_z not sure which one you are refering to but B-MAX in not this first one with manual box which have hill assist...i've driven manual skoda and mercedes before which do have hill assist system

 

[johnmaster]

I don't think it is anything to do with the gearbox, especially if you can turn it off electronically More likely to be electronic brake caliper/shoe hold. Similar to the forward looking laser stopping the car to prevent a slow moving collision.

the 'hold' itself is nothing to do with gearbox..yes you need braking system for that hold..

 

[Davis_Zadian]

Fair enough.