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Ford Kuga 2.0 TDCi 2WD ST Line common faults.

2016–2019, SUV, diesel, 150 HP.

The fault list covers: T7MA, T7MB engine, MMT6 transmission.

What you save stays on this device only. My saves

3 fault write-ups. All are important. 7 recalls.

If you know the year, pick it. Faults for other years drop out of the list.

Before you buy

Known faults

3 important faults

MMT6 manual: worn shift mechanism, hard shifting when cold

expensive

The gearbox itself is reliable, but the shift mechanism wears noticeably between 100,000 and 150,000 km. Shifting becomes stiff, and it is most obvious when cold: the lever does not want to find its place, or the gear only goes in with force.

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At high mileage the synchros on the first two gears wear out, and then the shift grates. The gearbox comes with a dual-mass flywheel, which is not the most durable part either.

between 100,000 and 150,000 km

What to check

  • Set off from cold: both first and second must engage without snagging
  • Stop and select reverse: it must not grate or need force
  • While rolling, change down into second: this is where worn synchros are audible
2 more steps in the write-up

Injector copper washer: the carbon glues the injector into the head

expensive

The copper washer under the injector is a one-time seal: it is permanently crushed when torqued, so once refitted it can no longer seal. If the seal goes, combustion gas escapes past the injector at over 2000 degrees and over 300 bar, carbonises the engine oil and eats into the seat of the injector. The fault appears at around 150 000 kilometres, but an early failure can also be caused by incorrect torque, a dirty seat and a reused washer.

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The escaping gas mixes the unburnt hydrocarbons with the engine oil under the rocker cover, and a hard, coal-like crust bakes out of that. This deposit surrounds the injector and over time glues it into the cylinder head.

The symptoms are easy to recognise. At idle a rhythmic chuffing noise is audible, one per combustion event. A diesel smell comes from the engine bay, and through the ventilation into the cabin as well. Black, oily deposits are visible at the base of the injector. The engine oil becomes diluted with fuel, and whitish-blue smoke can appear too.

If things are taken past this point, the carbon literally welds the injector into place, and a dedicated injector puller or a slide hammer is needed to get it out. Prying damages the body of the injector. If the seat has already been eaten away, the cylinder head has to be machined or replaced.

The quality of the repair decides matters here. A new copper washer is needed, the old one can never be reused, the seat has to be cleaned with a hand-turned seat cutter, and the torque has to follow the factory figure. Cleaning the seat is the most important step and the one most often done wrong. If one injector needs replacing, typically all four do, because their state of wear is similar, and a new one alongside worn ones does not give the right metering.

above 150,000 km

What to check

  • Listen at idle: a rhythmic chuffing noise means a leaking copper washer
  • Look at the base of the injectors: black, oily, hard deposits belong here
  • Smell the cabin and the engine bay: a diesel smell points to the same thing
3 more steps in the write-up

High pressure pump: metal debris throughout the whole system

expensive

The high pressure fuel pump wears from the inside, and metal dust forms in the friction pairs. The debris gets into the system and blocks everything there. The wear is reported above 160 000 kilometres, and the upper limit of the pump's life is around 200 000 kilometres, beyond which an overhaul is needed.

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The metal dust travels on to the injectors and destroys those too, so a pump fault easily turns into a repair of the whole injection system: the system has to be flushed and the injectors replaced. The pump can also give up suddenly, even on a motorway, and the engine then stops while driving.

The injectors themselves also give up at around 200 000 kilometres, and their symptoms are easy to recognise. The most characteristic is difficult starting on a warm engine. With it comes damaged atomisation at the nozzle, a back-leak through the worn nozzle which makes starting worse still, and fuel getting into the crankcase and raising the oil level.

That last sign is the one that can be caught on the dipstick: if the oil has risen above MAX and smells of diesel, it belongs to the injection system.

above 160,000 km

What to check

  • Look at the oil on the dipstick: oil risen above MAX and smelling of diesel belongs to the injection system
  • Start it with a warm engine too: difficulty starting warm is the most characteristic symptom
  • Ask for the last fuel filter change and ask whether the filter was checked for metal debris
3 more steps in the write-up

Checklist

Ford Kuga 2.0 TDCi 2WD ST Line

First what you would check on any car. Then the faults of this model.

Before you buy

Checklist

The printed sheet starts with what you would check on any car. What you tick stays on this device only.

On every car

Ask the owner

Faults of this model

vinkodex.com · Before you buy it, see what can go wrong.

Official recall7 recallsShow

The manufacturer fixes these for free at a franchised dealer. Ask with the VIN whether it was done.

Most recent: 9 June 2026

26V374000VISIBILITY:POWER WINDOW DEVICES AND CONTROLSVISIBILITY:POWER WINDOW DEVICES AND CONTROLS9 June 2026 · NHTSA (USA)

Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2017 Escape vehicles previously repaired incorrectly under recall number 16V617. The power-operated windows may exert excessive force when encountering an object, before they automatically reverse. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 118, "Power-Operated Window Systems."

Risk: A closing window that does not reverse direction as expected can pinch a driver or passenger before retracting, increasing the risk of injury.

Remedy: Dealers will update the power window operating system software, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed July 22, 2026. Owners may contact customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 26C29. Vehicle Identification Numbers (VINs) involved in this recall will become searchable on NHTSA.gov on July 6, 2026.

We could not check this: model year. The authority's notice

26V011000EQUIPMENT:ELECTRICAL:ENGINE BLOCK HEATEREQUIPMENT:ELECTRICAL:ENGINE BLOCK HEATER15 January 2026 · NHTSA (USA)

Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2013-2018 Focus, 2013-2019 Escape, and 2015-2016 MKC vehicles equipped with a 2.0L engine. The engine block heater may crack and develop a coolant leak, causing it to short circuit when the block heater is plugged in.

Risk: An electrical short circuit can increase the risk of a fire.

Remedy: Owners are advised not to plug in their block heater until the vehicle is remedied. Dealers will replace the block heater, free of charge. Owners will also have a alternative option to replace engine block heater element with a threaded plug, and remove the block heater electrical cord. Interim letters, notifying owners of the safety risk, were mailed March 6, 2026. Additional letters will be sent once the final remedy is available. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 26S01. Vehicle Identification Numbers (VINs) involved in this recall became searchable on NHTSA.gov on January 16, 2026.

We could not check this: model year. The authority's notice

21V155000TIRESTIRES10 March 2021 · NHTSA (USA)

Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2018 F-150, 2018-2020 F-250, F-350, and 2019 Escape vehicles equipped with Continental tires. On the affected vehicles, it is possible that one or more tires were cured for too long during tire production.

Risk: Over cured tires may develop a break in the sidewall, resulting in sudden air loss or belt edge separation which could lead to tread/belt loss. Either condition can cause a loss of vehicle control, increasing the risk of a crash.

Remedy: Ford will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the tires, and replace them as necessary, free of charge. The recall began on March 27, 2021. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 21S10.

We could not check this: model year. The authority's notice

18V104000SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:HOSES, LINES/PIPING, AND FITTINGSSERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:HOSES, LINES/PIPING, AND FITTINGS12 February 2018 · NHTSA (USA)

Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2018 Ford Escape and Lincoln MKC vehicles. These vehicles may be equipped with incorrect front brake hoses that may chafe against other components, possibly resulting in a brake fluid leak.

Risk: A brake fluid leak may lengthen the distance needed to stop the vehicle, increasing the risk of a crash.

Remedy: Ford will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the brake hoses, replacing any that are incorrect, free of charge. The recall is expected to begin March 2018. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 18S04.

We could not check this: model year. The authority's notice

17V803000AIR BAGS:SIDE/WINDOWAIR BAGS:SIDE/WINDOW18 December 2017 · NHTSA (USA)

Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2018 Ford Escape vehicles. The side curtain air bags on these vehicles have a component that may detach during deployment of the inflatable curtain air bag.

Risk: If the component detaches during deployment, it may enter the passenger compartment and be a projectile within the vehicle cabin, increasing the risk of injury.

Remedy: Ford will notify owners, and dealers will replace the driver and passenger side curtain air bags, as necessary, free of charge. The recall is expected to begin January 2018. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 17S44.

We could not check this: model year. The authority's notice

17V398000AIR BAGS:KNEE BOLSTERAIR BAGS:KNEE BOLSTER26 June 2017 · NHTSA (USA)

Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2016 Ford Escape vehicles. The driver's knee airbag modules installed in these vehicles were produced without the inflator gas generant material, and, as a result, the air bags may not inflate properly in the event of a crash. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 208, "Occupant Crash Protection."

Risk: In the event of a crash, if the driver's knee air bag does not inflate as intended, the driver has an increased risk of injury.

Remedy: Ford will notify owners, and dealers will replace driver's knee air bag, free of charge. The recall began on August 8, 2017. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 17C11.

We could not check this: model year. The authority's notice

16V617000VISIBILITY:POWER WINDOW DEVICES AND CONTROLSVISIBILITY:POWER WINDOW DEVICES AND CONTROLS24 August 2016 · NHTSA (USA)

Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain model year 2017 Ford Escape Titanium and SE vehicles manufactured October 5, 2015, to May 12, 2016. The settings for the closing-force of the power-operated windows may allow the windows to close on an object such as a body part and injure it before the windows auto-reverse. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 118, "Power-Operated Window Systems."

Risk: If a window closes on a body part, it can increase the risk of injury.

Remedy: Ford has notified owners, and dealers will update the power window operating system software, free of charge. The recall began on September 6, 2016. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 16C12.

We could not check this: model year. The authority's notice

Engine and transmission

2 engines · 1 transmissions

T7MA · 2.0 TDCI

110 kW (150 HP) · diesel

MMT6 · 6-speed manual

manual · 6 speed

Torque limit400 Nm
MakerFord/Getrag

We built the code from the model and the gear count. The factory sheet does not state it. More than one engine code is possible. The fault list shows the faults of each.

Variant data

What is in this version

Factory data

Trim
ST Line
Body
SUV
Fuel
diesel
Transmission
manual
Engine size
1997 cc
Power
110 kW (150 HP)
Drive
FWD
Production
2016–2019

Factory service interval

The manufacturer specifies this for this version. Of the mileage and the time, the one that comes first is the one that counts.

  • Air filter

    • 60,000 km or 4 years

  • Cabin (pollen) filter

    • 30,000 km or 2 years

  • Brake fluid change

    • first: 3 years, then 2 years(first change at 3 years, then every two years)

  • Fuel filter, diesel

    • 60,000 km or 2 years
All Mk2.5 versions

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.
Details in the terms