The Ford DPS6 PowerShift is the transmission Ford put in the Focus and Fiesta from 2011 to 2019, and it is one of the worst widely-deployed transmissions of the modern era. Ford was trying to do something clever — get manual-transmission fuel economy out of an automatic-feeling experience by using two dry clutches operated by computer-controlled actuators. In a perfect world it would have been a manual-without-the-stick. In the real world, the clutches wore out fast, the actuators got contaminated with seal-leaked fluid, and the cars shuddered, jerked, and stalled their way through traffic. The class-action lawsuits started piling up. Ford eventually issued multiple software calibrations, hardware revisions, and extended warranty coverage on the affected vehicles. The settlements have paid out money to owners. None of that fixes the fundamental design problem. The DPS6 has poor heat management, the dry clutch is sensitive to driver behavior in stop-and-go traffic, and the transmission control logic was clearly not ready for prime time when these cars went on sale. Some of these cars have had two or three transmission rebuilds under warranty. Some have had successful long-term service after a particular software update plus a clutch replacement. A small fraction of them seem to work fine — usually owned by people with mostly highway driving and a light right foot. The Ford 2018-2019 last-year revisions are mildly better than the early years, but only mildly. Used Focus and Fiesta values reflect this. Cars from these years sell at significant discounts to the rest of their cohorts because the transmission risk is priced in.
Ford DPS6 PowerShift problems
15,521 owner complaints filed with NHTSA across 16 vehicle applications. 18 active recall campaigns.
Known issues
- Shudder, jerking, and slipping under normal driving
- Premature dual-clutch wear (clutches require replacement well before 100k miles)
- Input shaft seal failure causing transmission fluid contamination of clutches
- TCM (transmission control module) calibration issues
- Class action lawsuit settled — multiple settlements; extended warranty available
Problem categories Aggregated across all 16 affected vehicles
Affected vehicles Top 16 by complaint volume
Recent owner reports 8 most recent across the family
The contact owns a 2016 Ford Focus. The contact stated that while her husband was driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle inadvertently lost motive power. The driver was able to pull over to the shoulder of the roadway, where the vehicle failed to restart. No warning lights were illuminated.…
The contact owns a 2017 Ford Focus. The contact stated that while driving at various speeds, the vehicle hesitated while depressing the accelerator pedal. There was no warning light illuminated. The vehicle was taken to a local dealer who diagnosed the vehicle with a defective transmission clutch.…
12/4/2023 while attempting to pull into a parking spot in a parking garage car suddenly accelerated forward at a very fast rate, just prior to acceleration felt like it shuddered. Afraid that it would keep going and go over edge so I pulled to the right while trying to brake and hit a concrete…
Was driving the vehicle and saw that the vehicle was losing coolant change the coolant reservoir and the replaced both of the heater hose, all of a sudden it was still losing coolant but I was always topping it out with coolant. Until the day that it gave out
This is Safety issue because vehicle stalled and check engine light comes just before Christmas. Dealer reset check engine light and a few days later the vehicle was idling rough and check engine light came on again. There have been numerous recalls over several years for this problem identified…
THE VEHICLE WAS SHUTTERING WHEN DRIVING. THEN THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON AND NOW THE CAR IS SAYING TO SERVICE THE TRANSMISSION NOW. I HAVE ONLY HAD THIS CAR FOR 2 MONTHS!
Common questions
What vehicles use the Ford DPS6 PowerShift?
The Ford DPS6 PowerShift was used across 16 model-year combinations from 2011-2019. Affected applications are ranked on this page by complaint volume.
What are the most common problems with the DPS6 PowerShift?
The dominant complaint patterns are: shudder, jerking, and slipping under normal driving; premature dual-clutch wear (clutches require replacement well before 100k miles); input shaft seal failure causing transmission fluid contamination of clutches. Across all affected vehicles in our database, 15,521 owner complaints have been filed with NHTSA, plus 18 active recall campaigns.
How much does it cost to repair the DPS6 PowerShift?
Costs vary widely by failure mode. A fluid service or solenoid replacement can be a few hundred dollars. A valve body or mechatronic unit replacement runs $1,200-$2,500. Full transmission replacement on a unit of this scope is typically $3,500-$6,500 at an independent shop, more at the dealer. The specific cost on your vehicle depends on which failure occurred and how far it progressed before service.
Should I avoid vehicles with the DPS6 PowerShift?
The complaint data points to specific failure patterns. Some affected vehicles have had successful long-term service after a software update, fluid change, or valve body replacement. Others have needed multiple full transmission replacements. The right call depends on the specific vehicle's history. Read the editorial above and check the rank list for the model-year combination you're considering.
Does an extended warranty help on a DPS6 PowerShift-equipped vehicle?
On transmissions with documented widespread failure patterns, the math frequently favors coverage. A $4,000-$6,000 transmission repair against a $2,000-$3,000 warranty is straightforward. The key is reading the contract carefully — many service contracts exclude transmissions specifically on vehicles with known patterns, or require the failure to occur during specific mileage windows. Use the calculator on the specific vehicle's page for the actual math.
If you own one of these, know what your warranty status is. The class-action settlement extended warranty coverage to 7 years/100,000 miles for many affected vehicles. Some owners are eligible for additional compensation through the settlement administrator. Worth checking even now. If you're shopping one used, the transmission needs to be the centerpiece of your inspection, not an afterthought.