You're missing option 0 - Never a problem, no TCU shield, which would be my entry.

EDIT: I missed that you said it would be for cars with the problem only. However, if your goal is to see how big of a problem it is, I'd think you'd want to see in comparison to all cars on here.

 

Yes, we will want to sample both the no problem with shield and no problem without to get % numbers on the protective role of this shield.

 

#7 for me although I have a new TCM waiting for me to be installed at Service next week.
We won't know if my TCM has been corrupted (from water or whatever else) until they take it out and analyze it.

 

OK, I added 9 and 10 for discussion. Although it might be more appropriate to say "no problem YET".
Most people who have experienced issues started out as either 9 or 10. And you can only vote once.
Since the poll will be open for some time (probably until a universal fix is found and circulated), it is not meant to represent just a snapshot in time.
To understand the full extent of the problem, I think it was understood that those not voting are in the "no problem" category until they experience problems.

But that's why I've put the categories up for discussion. We'll leave this thread open for comments until the weekend, and if we have some sort of consensus on the wording of the poll by then, I'll close this and start a new thread for the voting.

More comments welcome.

 

#90 is an early LE without the shield. The internal wires and the connections to the plug are exposed for all to see.
I tried Docron's tie wrap test and found that the engine compartment was somewhat protected by an internal plastic(?) lining applied to the bodywork that serves a barrier to the entry of water.
(I am almost afraid to type this) We have experienced no transmission problems.

I think that a solution such as the fix applied by Docron would be more effective in protecting the plug from moisture than the shield.

 

#90 is an early LE without the shield. The internal wires and the connections to the plug are exposed for all to see.

That's the same "lip" in the body panel that prevented my zip tie from slipping through.

 

To be truly helpful over time, this should be a foleydb spreadsheet, and it should probably factor in typical tranny use mode (auto/manual) and DNA mode, the mode(s) when it has happened, plus if the issue affects all modes once it has happened. Those seem to be variables in all of the reported experiences.

 

You may want to consider using survey monkey (www.surveymonkey.com) to collect the information. Its free and allows you to collect the info anonymously and the link to the survey could be a sticky on this forum. You can set it up so that it asks the questions of the user sequentially, ie: "have you had a transmission problem?" (yes/no), then ask " do you have the shield? "(yes/no), then ask "what transmission mode were you in when it occurred?" (D/N), etc. It may make it easier for the accurate info to be collected from the responders. Just a thought. Thanks

 

You may want to consider using survey monkey (www.surveymonkey.com)

The only problem with Survey Monkey is that people's responses can't be updated over time if they do then have the issue. Otherwise it would be ideal.

 

9. NO problem
NO TCU shield
13k miles
received July 2015
built February 2015
SE coupe

 

Mine is an LE car, and I am #5. Dealer has replaced tyranny pump, accumulator and regulator with no success. He is now looking at paddles shifters and DNA selector.

 

Mine is an LE car. I am problem #5. Dealer has replaced tranny pump, accumulator and regulator, and software patch. Now looking at DNA selector switch and paddle shifters.

 

I think you should clarify this a bit.

For instance, 'problem with shield' should only apply to factory installed shields. Not to single anyone out, but Ron had the shield installed yet his problem predates that. Thus he should fall into the no shield category IMHO. I would make the shield qualifier based on a factory installed shield for simplicity.

Similarly, does it really matter if the problem is consistent or occasional? I view this as a bit more binary; to me, the problem is a problem regardless of whether it is occasional or consistent.

Finally, and it doesn't seem like this has been a large issue to date, but to keep it scientific, I think you should add a delineation between tuned and untuned cars. Again, I dont think that the data will necessarily show a correlation on that front but I think it is worth calling out if for no other reason to confirm that that has not been a factor.

 

Yes, I agree. We want to get info on the history of transmission events with vs without the shield to know if it has a protective effect so members with early cars can add the shield if it has a protective effect before the problems show up.

I also agree with 4Canada's comment that the no problem is really a no problem YET. The fact that the 4c is mostly plastic and this has fewer ground points for the electrical system may make it particularly vulnerable to electrical issues. The only problem in an otherwise fantastic little car.

 

#6 - problem started as a fault that locked out manual mode and defaulted to natural. Then got worse to the point the car would fault and shift uncommanded into neutral whilst driving.

Problem occurred ~5,000km and the dealer eventually replaced the transmission and battery.
I don't have the TCM shield yet but have since shielded it with some plastic sheet and zip ties.

 

No shield.
Stock car.

Problem went from occasional to consistent given enough time. Eventually fixed.

I like the additional criteria to include.
Dynamic, Manual always.
Car lives out-of-doors.
Washed with water once a month.
Daily driver.
15,000 miles (maybe) when problems started.
18,000 miles when fixed.

Driving styles (for me):
Daily city.
Spirited twisties.
Tracked once or twice.

I always keep my foot on the brake pedal when stopped, or, I press the N button.
ALWAYS.

 

I'd like to also know what the related codes are/were and what the fix was if there was one, but that might be asking for too much.

We can talk about this all we want, gather, and collate all sorts of data, but doubt anyone is going to listen to us.

I'm guessing at this point from the lack of interest and indifference shown by FCA and Alfa that nobody there monitors this forum. That is why I suggested elsewhere that if enough of us file complaints with NHTSA (for those of in the US, not sure if NHTSA has any jurisdiction in Canada) perhaps then FCA will take notice.

 

No shield, no problems. 50,000km

 

After having the hydraulic pump and smart drive module replaced (two separate service events), our car has faulted again. Same as before, codes p1cc0-00 and b1067-67. The dealer is resetting the codes but I will drive it 500 miles tomorrow for relocation. I will be using automatic mode and crossing my fingers.

 

Bummer.

You should be fine though. I've been having similar issues and drove about 700 miles last weekend in auto mode without any problems.

 

I believe mine would be a #5.

It doesn't appear that I have this metal shelf. Not sure where it is. In front of the battery towards to drivers seat or next to the battery on the left? Either way there isn't a metal shelf. The tranny problem has happened 2 times in the last 2 times I've driven the vehicle. I'm currently waiting for the tow truck to bring it to the dealer. I will update all results etc. once I have more info.

 

Eegads. This is becoming an epidemic.

 

This issue/thread makes me a little nervous as I contemplate getting a new 4C. Did I read correctly that this is more common in LE cars??

 

When 4Canada creates a pole with the 4 or more button options, and if most of us fill in the data by responding, we can find out if there is a preventative advantage to the shield. It might also help to put pictures to help members recognize the shield (Docron took a bunch and I posted a close up as well as a wide angle). Anecdotal evidence is not as good a statistically significant numbers (assuming we can get enough responses).

 

I've also been on the edge of pulling the trigger on a 4C.

Still a few 2015's on lots, not sure if I should limit my search to 2016's or wait for the 2017.

 

I don't think it was intended as an insult merely a reality check.

 

Don't mind Cvh. You get his humour, or you don't. He's never been out to insult anyone here in the 2+ years I've known him.
The point is that this is just another Italian branch of the same company, and there is no "possibly" about it.

 

Thanks for the clarification. I should not have assumed Alfa would be any better than Ferrari or Maserati at customer service recovery. I just thought that Ferrari, in particular, was somewhat unique in terms of its cache and demand. I guess it's an Italian management thing.....cheers.

 

I suggest we hold off on calling it an epidemic until we get the survey results. The shield may help delay the issue but only the survey will prove or disprove it. So where are the voting buttons to take the survey?

 

2016 4C Spider. November 2015 Build Date. Shield on TCU (Transmission Control Module). Failed at 900 miles. Only ran in 'Limp Mode' (Natural / Automatic). Happened several days after the one and only time I washed it. There have always been water spots on the shield, but a noticable amount of water made it into the engine compartment when I did wash it. Dealer, Orange Coast Fiat in Costa Mesa where I purchased it replaced the TCU after going back and forth with the Technicians / Engineering Team in Michigan. Took about a week to get the OK from the Alfa Team and almost another week for the part to be shipped. Car now has 1600 miles, no issues since. The dealer technician did review all of the issues with SportCoupe's and RacerZ's. I am friends with both and my technician was able to pull both files. This took place after RacerZ's "Software Patch" but before the latest issue with SportCoupe's.

 

Clearly, the shield does not offer absolute protection.

If we did a systematic survey with a few hundred participants, we would find out just how much protection (if any) it offers. I have a November 2015 spider (with shield) and washed it once with out any incident (I bucket washed and dried with a leaf blower). I am sure we all wash and drive our cars differently but these variations should be balanced out evenly between the shield vs no shield groups.

 

Just for the records, i have the feedback of about 10 4c in Italy that are being regularly tracked (meaning at least once a month, more often twice a month), at least 3/4 of them quite pushed too, and about other 10 that running on road only. We had not transmission issues on the road ones, some (3/4) of the most tracked had some rare issue (rare meaning less than once a year of use) of gearbox switching to degraded mode, with self recovery after some minutes of pause. This has happened regardless of ambient temperature and more often on low temperature than high. I will try to pay more attention but I'm feeling that on most cases the weather conditions were damp/wet. O had it just once, on the last session at the Red Bull ring, wet. It was the last session of the day (so after a total of 3 hours), in the last minutes of a 45 min, no pause session. The car recovered alone after 2 minutes of cool down.

Inviato dal mio D5803 utilizzando Tapatalk

 

Thread closed. I'm making a new "poll" thread for this, and will copy some of the comments from here over to there for easier reference.

New poll/discussion coordinates:
http://4c-forums.com/16-engine-technical/33609-transmission-failure-poll.html#post563073