wannavolunteerFT wrote:
theoldwizard,
not to hijack op's thread, but what is issue with Fiesta transmission? I am considering one as it is one of the vehicles available in hatchback that can be towed four down.
The first 4 years of the transmission had some major teething issues. All of them were prone to developing clutch chatter based on driver's habits (basically, treating it like an automatic, and letting the car creep while on the brakes or using the throttle to hold hill roll-back). This was made worse by the first clutch compound being too low-temperature and prone to early wear. There was another problem with the first 3 years where the input shaft seal would leak oil, contaminating the clutches and making them chronically slip and burn up. I'm sure some unavoidable habits, like commuting on steep hills, contribute as well since it's basically a computer controlled manual transmission.
The 2016's+ seem ok. But verdict is still out if they're problem-free long-term.
Reliability aside, I actually like the transmission. When its working right, it delivers good power, and is far more responsive than the 6F15 torque-converter automatic.
2000 Ford E450 V10 VAN! 450,000+ miles
2014 ORV really big trailer
2015 Ford Focus ST