Taking the Fusion in for tranny issues

[dave1251]

People are going to hate me for this. But how much can we attribute this new 6 speed transmission does not work to drivers not being familiar with it? I have drove and owned a couple of vehicles with 6 speed autos that where had shifting "surges" this only happened the first 3-5 days of driving the vehicle after that I no longer had the same issues. Do you remember the outcry when 4 speed autos became normal a lot of the same complaints where made then? I am not saying there is not a problem with the OP's transmission but in general do not handle change very well at all.

 

[Klutch9]

Originally Posted By: dave1251
People are going to hate me for this. But how much can we attribute this new 6 speed transmission does not work to drivers not being familiar with it? I have drove and owned a couple of vehicles with 6 speed autos that where had shifting "surges" this only happened the first 3-5 days of driving the vehicle after that I no longer had the same issues. Do you remember the outcry when 4 speed autos became normal a lot of the same complaints where made then? I am not saying there is not a problem with the OP's transmission but in general do not handle change very well at all.


Good food for thought, but I assure you that this is not the case here.

 

[PTBH04]

I had the "shift flares" happen several times, initially never on a cold start. Wasn't really worried about it. Had read already about people having issues with this trans. Figured mine was a 2012 and wouldn't be an issue. Wrong. Was pulling out into traffic, when it went to shift from 2nd to 3rd mega flare, to 5,000 rpms and started losing speed. Finally it figured out what it was doing the car started to go. Took it right to the dealer. They didn't argue at all, said there was a reflash and they would do it. At the same time tho, they did say "cannot duplicate any customer concerns". It has not flared since the reflash. However, it always feels like it is ready to. The 1-2 shift is still pretty [censored], but better. Still annoys me because the trans was NOT this way when it was new, this happened gradually, becoming noticeable around 1000 miles. Do not trust this trans at all. The shifts are better with the reflash, but still soft for lack of a better word. Sometimes still doesn't want to go into reverse. I have a 6 speed in my 200 and it has been flawless.

 

[Klutch9]

UPDATE: I just heard back from the tech who worked on the car. He finished installing the new reflash for the Fusion. Evidently it was a TSB from Ford, addressing the shifting 'flares' between gears 2, 3, 4, and 5 (exactly the problems I was noticing). I'll pick the car up this afternoon, and report back. Hopefully this fixes things. Another member had posted earlier that their 2012 Fusion had this reflash done, and since then has had no flaring to speak of. We'll see if my situation is the same.

 

[Klutch9]

Well, drove the Fusion home from the dealer, a good 20 minute drive, and no flaring to speak of so far. If it is still flaring, it's too small to notice on the tachometer. I thought I saw a teeny tiny movement of the needle on one 2-3 shift (it could've just been my imagination), but that was more or less likely from the throttle being partly open between shifts at that exact second. I've seen other cars do this before. The 1st to 2nd shift is also slightly improved... not great, but better, as PTBH04 also experienced.

 

[mechanicx]

I don't have all the info on this tranny issue, but I think a big part of the problem is Ford's original programming. There's some that claim that the reprogramming TSB if done soon enough prevents the transmission from eventually failing and if not done in time damage is done to clutches and internal parts. I think the transmission from a hardware prespective is a good design, but maybe there was a bad run of parts as not all the transmission have issues. The transmission design might need a little more prefecting to get to be bear bulletproof.

 

[dave1251]

Originally Posted By: Klutch9
Well, drove the Fusion home from the dealer, a good 20 minute drive, and no flaring to speak of so far. If it is still flaring, it's too small to notice on the tachometer. I thought I saw a teeny tiny movement of the needle on one 2-3 shift (it could've just been my imagination), but that was more or less likely from the throttle being partly open between shifts at that exact second. I've seen other cars do this before. The 1st to 2nd shift is also slightly improved... not great, but better, as PTBH04 also experienced.


I am happy to hear about the improvement. Now lets up it does not flair up again. Think of it with in the 5 years 8 speed auto's will be the norm! This will implemented into auto's before 6 speed transmissions are perfected.

 

[SwampSurvivor]

I'm not sure what transmission was in it, but I drove a 2008 3.5 Taurus X.

I noticed a really really soft, slow shift from 1-2 under light acelleration. Only way I could get it to shift so I felt comfortable was to take off hard.