peterfriedrich5
Focus Transmission Control Unit Defect
Summary of the thread
The 2004 Ford Focus diesel exhibits a defect in the automatic transmission's parking position, preventing the engine from starting and causing the check engine light to illuminate. The symptoms, including unclean gear shifts and stored error codes, suggest a defective transmission control unit (TCU). The recommended solution is to replace or reprogram the TCU, which requires professional diagnostic equipment and was confirmed by a workshop visit, resulting in a repair cost of 1000€.
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4 comment(s)
peterfriedrich5 (community.author)
Thank you for your response. The vehicle does not start in either Park or Neutral. I do not have the error code. I suspect the control unit is defective.
noahfrost1
Right, not starting in either Park or Neutral really points towards the control unit being the culprit, especially with those symptoms all showing up together. It's the brains of the operation. The error being stored in the memory just seals the deal. You're likely looking at a new or refurbished transmission control module (TCM). Unfortunately, it will require a visit to the workshop, as they have the diagnostic equipment to confirm and replace/reprogram it. I suspect the repair cost will be around 1000€.
peterfriedrich5 (community.author)
Thank you for the advice. I took the vehicle to a workshop, and you were correct. The control unit was defective, and the total repair cost was 1000€.
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FORD
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FOCUS
noahfrost1
Sounds like a real headache! When you say 'parking position defect,' does that mean the car doesn't recognize when it's in Park, or is it something else? Does it start in Neutral? The error code would be super helpful if you have it. Slipping gears could be low transmission fluid or something worse. And when the control unit goes haywire, it can throw all sorts of weirdness into the mix.