- The PowerShift (DPS6) is a dry dual-clutch transmission: it feels different from an automatic, and some things, like a light braking feel when you lift off the gas, are normal per Ford.
- Its most documented failures are clutch shudder on take-off, from fluid leaking past the input shaft seals, and transmission control module (TCM) failures.
- The "Transmission malfunction / Service now" message means get it checked as soon as possible; check the battery too, because low voltage muddies the diagnosis.
- In the US, Ford extended clutch coverage to 7 years or 100,000 miles and TCM coverage to 10 years or 150,000 miles; those programs have largely ended.
- After replacing the clutch, the TCM, an actuator motor or the range sensor, the relearn procedures must be run with a scan tool, or shifts will be erratic.
If your automatic Ford Focus, Fiesta or EcoSport shudders on take-off, loses drive or shows a "Transmission malfunction" message, and it's one of the years below, it has the PowerShift transmission. Ford documented its problems in technical bulletins and service programs. In this article we'll cover what fails on the PowerShift by symptom, what its messages and codes mean, what must be relearned after a repair and which fluid it takes.
What is the PowerShift and which Fords have it?
The PowerShift, code DPS6, is a dry dual-clutch 6-speed from Getrag, which calls it the 6DCT250. Inside it's closer to a manual: two dry clutches, developed by LuK, each moved by an electric motor, and two shift drums driven by motors built into the transmission control module (TCM). For safety, the clutches open on their own if the system fails. It's in the automatic:
- 2012 to 2018 Focus (2.0 engine).
- 2011 to 2019 Fiesta (1.6 engine), built in Cuautitlán, Mexico, for North America.
- 2013 to 2017 EcoSport (2.0) and 2016 Figo, in Mexico. The US EcoSport (2018 and later) doesn't have the PowerShift. More by model in our guide What transmission does my Ford have?.
Know what's normal. According to Ford's manuals, you may feel a light braking sensation when you lift off the gas; the transmission runs self-checks after you turn the car off, and you may hear light clicks; and after a battery disconnect it may shift firmer or softer while it relearns. None of that is a fault.
Is the Ford PowerShift bad?
It has problems Ford itself documented. In the US, Ford ran customer satisfaction programs, which aren't safety recalls: it extended coverage of the clutch, input shaft seals and calibration to 7 years or 100,000 miles on 2011 to 2014 Fiestas and 2012 to 2014 Focuses built through June 2013 (program 14M01); coverage of the transmission control module (TCM) to 10 years or 150,000 miles on 2011 to 2015 Fiestas and 2012 to 2016 Focuses (14M02); and coverage of a clutch with revised material to 7 years or 100,000 miles on 2014 to 2015 Fiestas and 2014 to 2016 Focuses (19N08). These coverages ran from the original sale, so they have largely ended; a Ford dealer can check your VIN. Owners in the US also had the Vargas v. Ford class action settlement.
In 2019, a Detroit Free Press investigation brought Ford's internal documents on this transmission to light. Ford replied that it had addressed the quality problems and that the vehicles were and remain safe. We found no equivalent program from Ford Mexico. And there's no credible figure for how many miles a PowerShift lasts: the 7 and 10 years of those programs are coverage periods, not lifespans.
Common PowerShift problems by symptom
These are the problems Ford describes in its US bulletins and programs, which cover the same transmission sold in Mexico.
Shudder or judder on take-off: the clutch
It's one of the most documented problems. Ford describes it as an intermittent transmission clutch shudder on light acceleration from a stop. In the early years, the cause was fluid leaking past the input shaft seals and contaminating the clutches, which are meant to run dry; fluid may or may not be visible leaking from the clutch housing. Vehicles built from June 2013 have improved seals, and in 2019 Ford switched to a revised clutch material to reduce the shudder.
Ford's repair is to replace the clutch (and the seals, if they leak), reprogram the computer and run clutch adaptive learning with its scan tool.
"Transmission malfunction / Service now" or no drive
Ford's 2014 Focus manual says this message displays when the transmission requires service due to a malfunction; the Mexican manuals call it "Transmisión averiada / Servicio inmediato". On the PowerShift, one documented cause is a failing transmission control module (TCM). Ford lists these symptoms: intermittent no-start, loss of power or loss of transmission engagement while driving, usually with the check engine light on. Other cues it mentions: a "Hill Start Assist Not Available" message, a parking aid malfunction message and a flashing PRNDL indicator.
Ford warns that, left alone, the symptoms become more frequent and last longer, and that without a software update the car might give no warning before failing. Before replacing a TCM, Ford says to resolve any low voltage concern first: a weak battery can set codes that look like a module failure. And if the transmission overheats, for example idling in heavy stop-and-go traffic with the brake applied, the dash shows an overheating message: stop where it's safe, turn the engine off and let it cool.
Erratic or harsh shifts: the relearn
Ford warns that failing to complete every step of the relearn routines after a repair may result in erratic shifts and drivability concerns. It also notes that the PowerShift has a unique feel compared to a traditional automatic, and that its programs aren't designed to change that feel.
Why won't my PowerShift go into reverse, or only drive in some gears?
Inside, the PowerShift is two transmissions in one. According to Ford's (US) workshop manual, clutch A, the solid input shaft and one shift drum drive 1st, 3rd and 5th; clutch B, the hollow shaft and the other drum drive 2nd, 4th, 6th and reverse. That's why reverse and 1st depend on different parts. Ford also explains that if one half fails, the car keeps driving on the other: with a fault in clutch 2 or its components you keep 1st, 3rd and 5th, with no reverse; with a fault in clutch 1 you keep 2nd, 4th, 6th and reverse.
If your PowerShift has no reverse and only drives in low gears, the problem is probably on the reverse side: clutch B, its actuator motor, that side's drum and shift motor, or a damaged shift fork or synchronizer. Scan it: Ford has codes such as P073E (unable to engage reverse) and P07A4 (clutch B not applying). Check the battery too, because low voltage makes the shift motors fail.
PowerShift forks: the clutch levers and the shift forks
At parts stores, "PowerShift forks" usually means the levers that open and close the two clutches; they're sold as a set with the release bearings, and Ford includes them in the clutch kit. If they bind or are installed wrong, the scan tool's clutch travel test fails. Inside the transmission there are other forks, the shift forks moved by the drums: Ford says to inspect them, along with the synchronizers, when the transmission can't engage a gear or the drum learn fails.
Careful with codes P2831, P2837 and P2861: although their names say "shift fork", Ford defines them as drum motor or drum position faults, and those motors sit inside the TCM. On their own they don't mean a worn fork.
Clutch A and clutch B: what each does and when to relearn
Clutch A drives the odd gears (1st, 3rd and 5th) and clutch B the even gears and reverse. After replacing the clutch, the module, an actuator motor or any part of the clutch system, Ford requires the clutch adaptive learn with a scan tool, which also calibrates the shift drums. If it's skipped, Ford warns of erratic shifts, and its relearn bulletin links a corrupt adaptive learn to a car with no forward or reverse. To keep it from aborting, Ford recommends a well-charged battery, good grounds, the A/C off and a firm foot on the brake. With a new clutch, it may shudder a little more for the first few hundred miles while it beds in.
Common PowerShift fault codes
These are the codes named in Ford's documents and in GEARS, the technical magazine of the transmission repair trade:
| Code | What it points to (Ford's name) |
|---|---|
| P0606 | Internal failure of the transmission control module (TCM Internal Failure) |
| U0101 | Lost communication with the transmission module (Lost Communication With TCM) |
| U0100 | Lost communication with the engine computer (Lost Communication With ECM/PCM) |
| U1013 | Invalid internal monitoring data from the TCM (Invalid Internal Control Module Monitoring Data Received From TCM) |
| P0901 | Clutch A actuator fault (Clutch A Actuator Control Circuit Range/Performance) |
| P090B | Clutch B actuator fault (Clutch B Actuator Control Circuit Performance) |
| P073E | Won't engage reverse: drum learn, fork and synchronizer (Unable To Engage Reverse) |
| P07A3 | Clutch A stays applied (Transmission Friction Element A Stuck On) |
| P07A4 | Clutch B (even gears and reverse) not applying (Transmission Friction Element B Performance/Stuck Off) |
| P2837 | Drum 2 (even gears and reverse) lost its position (Shift Fork B Position Circuit Range/Performance) |
| P2861 | Short to ground in drum motor 2, inside the TCM (Shift Fork B Actuator Circuit Low) |
Ford also lists other codes where the TCM may be the cause, such as P0805, P087A, P0902, P090C, P2831 to P2837 and P2861, but says to diagnose before replacing anything. With the actuator codes, GEARS recommends checking the harness and swapping motors A and B to see if the fault moves before buying a new one.
Can the PowerShift clutch be calibrated or reset?
Yes, with a scan tool. After a repair, Ford calls for three adaptive routines: Transmission Range Sensor Adaptive Learning, Shift Drum Adaptive Learning and Clutch Adaptive Learning, followed by an adaptive drive cycle. A clutch replacement also includes reprogramming the computer, and for a TCM replacement Ford first downloads the old module's data and then uploads it to the new one. According to GEARS, besides Ford's own tool, a J2534 pass-thru device or many aftermarket scan tools can run these routines.
If the battery was only disconnected, the transmission relearns on its own as you drive: Ford says it may shift firmer or softer at first, and that's normal.
What fluid does the PowerShift take?
Ford dual-clutch transmission fluid (Motorcraft Dual Clutch Transmission Fluid, spec WSS-M2C200-D2), not ATF or MERCON: the manuals say to use only that fluid. There's no dipstick, so the level is checked by a dealer. Ford's 2014 Focus schedule calls for changing it every 150,000 miles.
How is it diagnosed and repaired?
- Scan it with a tool that reads the transmission module (TCM), not just the engine.
- Check the battery and charging system first: Ford says to resolve low voltage before replacing a TCM.
- Look for fluid in the clutch housing: it points to leaking input shaft seals.
- If you replace the clutch, the TCM, an actuator motor or the range sensor, run the relearns, or shifts will be erratic.
What does a repair cost? It depends on what failed: a sensor or an actuator motor isn't the same as a clutch or a TCM. According to GEARS, the actuator motors can be replaced without removing the transmission. Get a diagnosis before accepting a whole transmission.
See TSS parts for the PowerShift
TSS parts for the PowerShift
The TSS catalog has parts for the PowerShift DPS6:
- Clutch actuator motor: the electric motor that opens and closes each clutch (one per clutch). If it sets P0901 or P090B, check the harness and swap the motors before replacing it, and run the relearn after installing it.
- 3-piece input and output speed sensor kit: the module monitors the speed of both input shafts, and a sensor sending bad data can contribute to a no-start or no-move condition, sometimes without setting a code, according to GEARS.
- Transmission range sensor (TRS): it tells the module where the shifter is, which the car needs in order to start. It also needs a relearn when replaced.
- Dual clutch release bearing.
Before you order, confirm your transmission's code. On this blog there's also a guide to Ford's transmissions by model.
TSS is an aftermarket brand with OEM-comparable quality and quality control on every product. You can buy it from our authorized distributors: in the United States from Sun Transmissions, and in Mexico the full TSS catalog at Transmisiones Veinte 07.
