When you’re talking about the PowerShift, it’s hard to ignore how many issues the dual-clutch transmission in the Fiesta and Focus had and continue to have. Adding insult to injury, the newcomers switched to torque-converter gearboxes to hide the inherent faults of the Getrag DPS-6 co-developed with Luk.
Even a simple search on Wikipedia returns worrying information, including criticism over “rough starts and lack of smooth shifting.” Over the years, the Blue Oval released under-the-table upgrades to the software to address these widespread problems, but nevertheless, a few lines of code aren’t enough.
The biggest problem with the DPS-6, however, is that Ford has been selling cars with the six-speed DCT “despite knowing the transmission was unfixable.” A report from NBC San Diego highlights that fraud accusations are on the table, and the automaker will be taken to court at the end of the month for it.
“Jurors will decide whether America’s oldest carmaker committed fraud by selling millions of Ford Fiesta and Focus models from 2011 to 2016,” cars with well-known problems affecting the transmission at ridiculously low mileage. The Blue Oval is aware of how bad the DPS-6 is since 2011, a design so bad that the car can lose all power while driving down the highway at high speed.
Back in July of 2018, a jury in Los Angeles awarded $554,000 in punitive damages to an owner who accused Ford of “fraudulently selling a Focus with the DPS-6 despite knowing the transmission was unfixable.” In other words, the Ford Motor Company engaged in conduct with fraud, lying to the customer.
A lawyer specialized in Lemon Law cases, William McGee, is also aware that band-aid repairs are proof that the transmission is unfixable. Owners of the 2014 to 2016 Focus and 2014 to 2015 Fiesta were offered an extended warranty coverage over this whole mess-up, now covering seven years or 100,000 miles as opposed to the original warranty from the factory of five years or 60,000 miles.
Renault, Hyundai, and Kia also feature a dry-clutch DCT in mass-market economy cars and crossovers, but so far, none of them have been criticized as much as the Ford Motor Company. To this effect, the Blue Oval should prepare a whole lot of money for approximately 13,000 lawsuits over the faulty transmission.
The biggest problem with the DPS-6, however, is that Ford has been selling cars with the six-speed DCT “despite knowing the transmission was unfixable.” A report from NBC San Diego highlights that fraud accusations are on the table, and the automaker will be taken to court at the end of the month for it.
“Jurors will decide whether America’s oldest carmaker committed fraud by selling millions of Ford Fiesta and Focus models from 2011 to 2016,” cars with well-known problems affecting the transmission at ridiculously low mileage. The Blue Oval is aware of how bad the DPS-6 is since 2011, a design so bad that the car can lose all power while driving down the highway at high speed.
Back in July of 2018, a jury in Los Angeles awarded $554,000 in punitive damages to an owner who accused Ford of “fraudulently selling a Focus with the DPS-6 despite knowing the transmission was unfixable.” In other words, the Ford Motor Company engaged in conduct with fraud, lying to the customer.
A lawyer specialized in Lemon Law cases, William McGee, is also aware that band-aid repairs are proof that the transmission is unfixable. Owners of the 2014 to 2016 Focus and 2014 to 2015 Fiesta were offered an extended warranty coverage over this whole mess-up, now covering seven years or 100,000 miles as opposed to the original warranty from the factory of five years or 60,000 miles.
Renault, Hyundai, and Kia also feature a dry-clutch DCT in mass-market economy cars and crossovers, but so far, none of them have been criticized as much as the Ford Motor Company. To this effect, the Blue Oval should prepare a whole lot of money for approximately 13,000 lawsuits over the faulty transmission.