Powershift "frustrations"

[davewill]

I have now done 8,000 miles in my 2010 Powershift 140 (facelift model) and the Auto gearbox is starting to frustrate me a bit

 

When driving in "Auto" mode i get anoyed by the following things

 

1/ The engine revs up to 3500 revs between gear changes, especially 2nd to 3rd, unless you back off the accelerator when it changes up at around 2500 revs

 

2/ When driving motorway at say 70mph, and on cruise control, the car will be in 6th gear. If you cancel cruise control only for a second, and then re-engage, the auto box drops down to 5th gear and then changes back up to 6th. No speed has been lost, so why does this happen??

 

3/ When coming to an island and breaking steadily the car slows OK, but if you then want to nip out before a vehicle approaching from the right arrives, there is no power for about a second, and then it kicks in and the car lurches forwards.

 

4/ If you stop the car and then select reverse, it takes about 2 seconds for reverse to engage, and then you can move. If you engage reverse and then try to move straight away, there is a big jolt and you lunge backwards

 

I had a Mk11 Galaxy Auto previously, and actually think the Auto box in the Mkll is better than the Auto box in my Powershift model

 

I am now tending to drive in "manual shift" mode as i can change gear and keep revs under 2000, and also get around 4 to 5 MPG better economy than in Auto Mode

 

The car has not been in for its first service yet, do you think it needs the Software upgrade with the above happening??

 

Would welcome comments

 

Cheers Dave

[Rodders53]

Hi Dave

Thanks for sharing your experience of the new DSG double clutch auto box, I assume? (Ford use the Powershift name for all autos).

 

You can check http://www.etis.ford.com/fordservice/home.do;jsessionid=9570D06103579FD7EAE74A2BDB9190A2.dulv0675 if your vehicle is due any 'next visit' checks and updates.

 

1. Sort of how I'd expect if accelerating hard(ish). My 2009 auto (torque converter) shifts similarly under load/hard acceleration. Annoyingly it will run along steady speed at 2050-2100 rpm when I'd prefer it to change up a gear....

 

2. Logical as changing down would help deceleration - as that's normally why you cancel CC ?? It's an odd thing to cancel and re-engage so quickly. Seldom use CC (no motorways here) so can't compare to mine.

 

3. This has been complained about a lot re the DSG box. I'd say mine is almost similar, though, a combination of no turbo boost and the fly-by-wire throttle I think.

 

4. Not a problem on my auto. Assume it's a DSG gearbox thing?

[chrispb123456]

I have now done 8,000 miles in my 2010 Powershift 140 (facelift model) and the Auto gearbox is starting to frustrate me a bit

 

When driving in "Auto" mode i get anoyed by the following things

 

1/ The engine revs up to 3500 revs between gear changes, especially 2nd to 3rd, unless you back off the accelerator when it changes up at around 2500 revs

 

2/ When driving motorway at say 70mph, and on cruise control, the car will be in 6th gear. If you cancel cruise control only for a second, and then re-engage, the auto box drops down to 5th gear and then changes back up to 6th. No speed has been lost, so why does this happen??

 

3/ When coming to an island and breaking steadily the car slows OK, but if you then want to nip out before a vehicle approaching from the right arrives, there is no power for about a second, and then it kicks in and the car lurches forwards.

 

4/ If you stop the car and then select reverse, it takes about 2 seconds for reverse to engage, and then you can move. If you engage reverse and then try to move straight away, there is a big jolt and you lunge backwards

 

I had a Mk11 Galaxy Auto previously, and actually think the Auto box in the Mkll is better than the Auto box in my Powershift model

 

I am now tending to drive in "manual shift" mode as i can change gear and keep revs under 2000, and also get around 4 to 5 MPG better economy than in Auto Mode

 

The car has not been in for its first service yet, do you think it needs the Software upgrade with the above happening??

 

Would welcome comments

 

Cheers Dave

I have another name for your DSG box it's an automated manual gearbox

[scooper1]

If you not had a software update done after 31/1/11 you will want to get it done

 

It does not cure the 6th / 5th gear switch but it does make car much more drivable

 

To avoid the double gear drop after long coast try to pause on accelerator after first demand for power and wait for turbo to kick in - car will still take off like a rocket but without spinning the front wheels : The ford engineer could see the turbo doping out before power request but said all ford turbo euro 5 engines have same problem

 

The big update on the software in the change to steering - it sorts out the power steering map and make car track a lot better when running over 50 mph

 

I have had the chief mechanic of daigningham motors raise issue with ford about the long pause after long coast before power is available - new software is better now only happens when costing down to 5 to 25 mph - normally just before a roundabout

 

The more people that put in a official complaint about this the more likely ford will do something about it

 

If you have a software update done please post a review hear - It getting about time I could go back in and get another update done if they have improved it more since my last update on 31/1/11

 

Btw it not just ECU update - my last update changed about 10 different modules

 

If you have the adaptive cruse control I would be interested if the latest update fixes the intermittent drop out bug when increasing the speed using +5mph button

[theduck]

is there anyway to see the software version the car has fitted?

[scooper1]

You can find the dashboard version by keeping the ok button pressed for 10 seconds while starting

but I don't think this will show the versions in other models

 

When I last got mine updated - the engineer said there were two or three modules being updated every week

[theduck]

Had a look on ford ETIS and there are about 10 modules that have "install new module" aganst them.

Rang several Ford dealers including where I puchased it from and unless its a recall they wound not do a software changes, as Ford will not pay.

I asked if I have a problem what would they do, and they said only update the area affected and then only if it will clear the fault.

 

So dont know how to get these changes applied to the car.

Edited May 3, 2011 by theduck

[Rodders53]

1. Call Ford Customer Services to check the official policy on these updates..... {Often they are supposed to be applied at each Service?. Certainly Land Rover do this as a routine.)

 

2. Offer to pay the dealer for the time taken to install them? It surely can't take more than 1/2 to 1 hour tops.... ask to be present to see the work done ;-)

 

Keep hassling the supplying dealer as they are the only one you have a contract with under the sale of goods and services act.

[theduck]

Thanks.

I have emailed Ford on there policy. will post here there reply.

[theduck]

Had a phone call from Ford customer services today, about the official position on module software updates. They say that dealers should only install new software if there is a problem that the new version might correct. They are worried if they globally put new software on it could cause new problems and it would also be difficult the get the original version on if it didn

[scooper1]

well that simple - make a official complaint about what ever problem you are having

Then ford knows you have problems and will do a update to fix problem

 

Really ford should just do the updates if you contact them - You would not be wasting your time contacting them if you did not have a problem

 

I have a promise from my ford dealer that updates will be done at next service when I take it to them

 

I put in a official complaint about the amount of turbo lag that occurs after coasting to a roundabout - The more people that complain about this problem that appears to affect all the new ford euro 5 turbo engines the more likely ford will do something about it

[scooper1]

update to this topic

 

as jan 2014 I can say that turbo lag is a lot less now - I get my car serviced in december and each year there has been new calibrations available (not software updates ........ )  the latest one with the temperature gauge showing on the main screen all the time  is very much better in many areas  from radio behaviour to much less lag and gear box software that does a much better job