Ford Dual Mass Flywheel - when to replace?

Ford Dual Mass Flywheel - when to replace?

Author
Discussion

Cliff J

Original Poster:

479 posts

175 months

Tuesday 25th September 2012
quotequote all
I have an annoying problem with my company car which I'd really appreciate some advice on.

First of all I have a Ford Mondeo TDCi(2009), which is leased on a 4 year contract by the company I work for. The car is soley for me to use for business and private.)

Back in April/May on approximately 60,000 miles, the car was struggling to start, making a noisey starter motor screech sound, and the clutch was very noisy when depressing the pedal. Some days its noisier than others, it also vibrates too.

After not too long, the clutch died, the pedal stuck on the floor etc, and the car recovered to Ford. The clutch was replaced, but not the dual mass flywheel as expected by the RAC man.

When I got the car back, noisy flywheel still evident, vibration of clutch pedal still evident, they said my lease company would not change the flywheel as there was not enough play?!!!

So, how exactly do I know when it gets too much? I'm sick of clutch controlling in London traffic with vibration under my foot and an embarrassingly rough sounding car. I'm not a snob but the noise it makes accelerating is loud and head turning when it's at its worst.

I spoke to the lease company, they stand by the fact the Flywheels cost too much to replace before they're due, so now I'm waiting for the car to die.

Has anyone got any experience of these DMF's and dealing with the lease company at all?
Does anyone know how long in mileage we're roughly talking about before they die once noisy?

Many thanks for reading.



Edited by Cliff J on Tuesday 25th September 23:29

paulrussell

2,084 posts

160 months

Tuesday 25th September 2012
quotequote all
Sounds like the DMF needs replacing now.

Cliff J

Original Poster:

479 posts

175 months

Tuesday 25th September 2012
quotequote all
paulrussell said:
Sounds like the DMF needs replacing now.
The problem is, it sounds the same now as it did when the clutch was replaced, but they refused to pay out for a replacement then and I was given the car back in that state.

Spitfire2

1,912 posts

185 months

Tuesday 25th September 2012
quotequote all
Does your company lease many cars. My employer must lease thousands and that puts our fleet manager very powerful with the Lease companies. If the car isn't right ask your fleet manager to stick his oar in.

Cliff J

Original Poster:

479 posts

175 months

Tuesday 25th September 2012
quotequote all
Spitfire2 said:
Does your company lease many cars. My employer must lease thousands and that puts our fleet manager very powerful with the Lease companies. If the car isn't right ask your fleet manager to stick his oar in.
Yeah, the company I work for lease many many cars and vans. I will try the fleet manager route, nothing to lose I guess.

Blue Oval84

5,276 posts

160 months

Wednesday 26th September 2012
quotequote all
Cliff J said:
Yeah, the company I work for lease many many cars and vans. I will try the fleet manager route, nothing to lose I guess.
If it's juddering then it's busted, simple as that. I'm stunned they're arguing about it!

How broken exactly do they think it should be before they fulfil their obligations?

spaximus

4,230 posts

252 months

Wednesday 26th September 2012
quotequote all
There are many variables with a DMF. The lease company may well be trying to eek out the car until the lease is due to end then they send it to the auction. There is a tool you can put on the DMF and then applying a set force the deflection is measured. Ford will have a recommeneded deflection they apply for warranty claims. The lease company want to save money as even though the box was out at dealer prices this would be another £500-£700 on the repair. Make a fuss with the lease comapny is the best advice.

Defcon5

6,161 posts

190 months

Wednesday 26th September 2012
quotequote all
Alternatively, could you drive about at 800rpm for a bit and see if it busts it properly?

Cliff J

Original Poster:

479 posts

175 months

Friday 28th September 2012
quotequote all
After some discussion between my employer, the lease company and myself, it's been agreed that the car go back into Ford and have the DMF replaced. Over the last 2 days the car has got really bad, making a huge loud noise around 2000rpm and terrible vibrations running through the car, much worse than it's been before, and now constant, not so irregular as they were before.

So, see what happens then smile