vinkodex.PowerShift (DPS6): shuddering, slipping dry dual clutch
It does not show up on every car. Check before you buy.
expensive
severity
not available
mileage
1
sources
1 source next to the write-up.
The fault
How you spot it
Ford fitted its smaller models with a dry clutch dual-clutch gearbox (DPS6, factory designation Getrag 6DCT250). A dry clutch was designed for manual gearboxes: it sheds heat less well and tolerates slipping worse than an oil-bathed one.
The symptom shows up when pulling away and at low speed: bucking, kicking, harsh engagement, delayed acceleration. Ford named two causes: the throwout bearing, and leaking input shaft and rear main seals that put oil on the clutch, which then slips even when it should be fully engaged.
On top of that there are transmission control module (TCM) faults: faulty connector pins, failing shifter motors, and a badly connected main ground wire. Ford released seal and clutch kit fixes.
The gearbox led to class actions and fraud investigations in the United States, Australia and Canada. A US settlement was tentatively approved in April 2017.
Which model
Who it affects
The card opens the generation, the engine or the transmission.
Engines and transmissions
Transmission
DPS6
vinkodex.Checklist
PowerShift (DPS6): shuddering, slipping dry dual clutch
What you would check for this fault. Take it to the car.
Before you buy
Checklist
What you tick stays on this device only.
Sources
How we know
Information, not an expert opinion
We write the descriptions, and we put the source next to them. A person reviews them before they go out. They are still information, not a technical expert opinion.
- A fault on the list does not mean the car you are looking at has it.
- A fault missing from the list does not mean the model is fault-free. Write-ups are made model by model. Not all of them are done.
- You decide whether to buy. This is no substitute for an inspection. That needs a workshop and a history check.