SVT Focus Drivability issue

[TCroly]

I have generally enjoyed my Focus SVT over the past 4 months and 5000 miles of ownership, but I have an annoying drivability issue to raise. When driving at a steady speed of 25 to 45 mph in either 2, 3 or 4 gear, the car wants to surge and stutter. It is not severe, but sometimes it is more noticeable than other. Kind of like when someone who is first learning to operate a clutch can cause the car to buck when letting out the clutch too fast. My dealer has diagnosed it to be related to when the air conditioning compressor is turning on and off. He says that there just is not enough power to cycle the A/C on and off without the car hesitating a little. This is not totally beared out by me because the car can exhibit the same problem when driving without the A/C on. Has anyone else noticed that their car cannot maintain a steady speed without slightly bucking or shuddering. I have isolated this problem to the drivetrain, because when the car is doing it and you push in the clutch, the shutter stops. I have brought the car in twice for this problem and the dealer has not fixed it. Unfortunately, there is only one Ford dealer on the island of Maui. so I look to my fellow owners for advise.

Tom Croly
2002 SVT Focus Silver

[deactivated]

The surge thing is pretty well recognized and documented. The only word from SVT is that it will be fixed in an ECU update.

[TCroly]

Originally posted by inteller
The surge thing is pretty well recognized and documented. The only word from SVT is that it will be fixed in an ECU update.

Thanks so much for this information. The dealer here on Maui told me that he can find nothing in Ford's files about this problem. So that shows how much help he is. It definately seems like something that an ECU update would fix. I suppose this goes along with the warm up surging thing that this car exhibits as well. It makes me feel a bit better that it is not just my car. But I am very surprised that Consumer Reports didn't jump all over this issue in their recent report on sporty hatchback. They really liked the SVT snd rated it the best of all sporty cars they have tested recently. Their only big concern was reliability.

Tom Croly

[deactivated]

oh, and with the studder or jerking you are experiencing, it's all about getting used to the dual mass flywheel. I jerked a lot mainly cause I was shifting harder than I needed to be. I would try easing out a little more on the clutch when shiftig and see if that helps. I would practice first by trying to shift exactly at 3k every time. (well not 1st). Then I'd experiment from there. I like to shift at 4k cause you have a lot of power in that range. However this is not recoomended for gas performance, and it is slightly harder on the tranny. But shifting normal at 3k just isn't all that fun :)

[TCroly]

Originally posted by inteller
oh, and with the studder or jerking you are experiencing, it's all about getting used to the dual mass flywheel. I jerked a lot mainly cause I was shifting harder than I needed to be. I would try easing out a little more on the clutch when shiftig and see if that helps. I would practice first by trying to shift exactly at 3k every time. (well not 1st). Then I'd experiment from there. I like to shift at 4k cause you have a lot of power in that range. However this is not recoomended for gas performance, and it is slightly harder on the tranny. But shifting normal at 3k just isn't all that fun :)

Thanks for the shifting info, but I want to make it clear that the problem I am having with stuttering and jerking has nothing to do with shifting. It is experienced while driving the car at steady speed around 25-45 mph in the same gear. I am also not referencing the cold engine surging that happens at startup. This problem occurs when the engine is already warmed up. As I describe this problem, do you still maintain that this is a well documented issue?:wtf:

[deactivated]

yes, thats the surging for sure.


btw...what part of the island? I have friends there...I love that island. passed up a chance to live there..shame on me.

[TCroly]

Originally posted by inteller
yes, thats the surging for sure.


btw...what part of the island? I have friends there...I love that island. passed up a chance to live there..shame on me.

Yeh, I know how it is Oklahoma or Maui...which to choose...;)

We live in Kihei which is the sunny south shore of Maui. Just moved here in June from Atlanta to open up a Bed and Breakfast. Please visit us next time you are here. Our B&B is called Dreams Come True on Maui.

Tom

[deactivated]

ah, yeah Kihei was where I stayed at during my last trip there. Nice place to get away from the tourists.

[Bigred]

Originally posted by TCroly
I have generally enjoyed my Focus SVT over the past 4 months and 5000 miles of ownership, but I have an annoying drivability issue to raise. When driving at a steady speed of 25 to 45 mph in either 2, 3 or 4 gear, the car wants to surge and stutter. It is not severe, but sometimes it is more noticeable than other. Kind of like when someone who is first learning to operate a clutch can cause the car to buck when letting out the clutch too fast. My dealer has diagnosed it to be related to when the air conditioning compressor is turning on and off. He says that there just is not enough power to cycle the A/C on and off without the car hesitating a little. This is not totally beared out by me because the car can exhibit the same problem when driving without the A/C on. Has anyone else noticed that their car cannot maintain a steady speed without slightly bucking or shuddering. I have isolated this problem to the drivetrain, because when the car is doing it and you push in the clutch, the shutter stops. I have brought the car in twice for this problem and the dealer has not fixed it. Unfortunately, there is only one Ford dealer on the island of Maui. so I look to my fellow owners for advise.

Tom Croly
2002 SVT Focus Silver



Tom,
Mine does the same.
I figured it was the program in the EEC. (timing)
My remedy has been to downshift.

Brian

[doug]

Thanks so much for this information. The dealer here on Maui told me that he can find nothing in Ford's files about this problem. So that shows how much help he is. It definately seems like something that an ECU update would fix. I suppose this goes along with the warm up surging thing that this car exhibits as well. It makes me feel a bit better that it is not just my car. But I am very surprised that Consumer Reports didn't jump all over this issue in their recent report on sporty hatchback. They really liked the SVT snd rated it the best of all sporty cars they have tested recently. Their only big concern was reliability.

Tom Croly
just purchased an '04 svt with 39k miles. i do believe that there was a slight surging @ a cruise of 60 mph which seems to be more noticeable when a left off the throttle slightly. I've had the ecu reflashed with an sct kit and i have definitely noticed it on a regular basis. I may return to the tuner and have it reflashed. Had an AEM cold air intake installed and it was an older one with the oiled filter (new ones are dry) and the next day an oil spot was under the car at the filter location. I don't know if possibly the overoiling has caused a problem with the throttle body by coating it with oil and causing possibly a flutter situation. I'll try the reflash. I was thinking this was maybe a common oem problem with the svt.

[whljck]

Hello, I have a 04 orange Euro with 18k miles. I feel it too, I am the second owner and havent taken it in yet. From what I hear a Tune takes care of that (Preditor.SCT) from a good focus tuner.

[WD40]

While there is a "reflash" (see TSB 03-19-11 (YRFO) in the TSB thread), for 02 and 03 models, I've only seen a rumor of a reflash for 04 models.
Most of the surging and other problems were ironed out by the ZEDO (2004) version of the ECU.

But...you both do really need to invest in a tuning unit, with a custom tune.
The "canned" SCT and Diablo tunes are nothing like what you can get from either Focus Sport or Focus Power.
The improvements in drivability alone are well worth it.
^^^Let alone, power increase and gas mileage improvemt.
See here for a good discussion of the different tunes and tuning units available:
Clicky (http://www.focusfanatics.com/forum/showthread.php?t=36117)