Ford Facing Potential $4-Billion Liability Over Dual Clutch PowerShift Transmission Used in Focus And Fiesta


Ford Facing Potential $4-Billion Liability Over Dual Clutch PowerShift Transmission Used in Focus And Fiesta

This is one of those things that you just have to shake your head at and one of those things that has had engineers and executives at Ford rubbing their temples over for years now. The dual clutch transmission used in millions of Ford Focus and Fiesta models is just not that great and so much not that great that the company is now facing down a big time problem over its functionality and frankly lack thereof. Ford has already gotten heat for this thing in Australia and they have been replacing transmissions in customer cars, quietly.

Having driven my fair share of Ford Focus rental cars since this transmission was introduced in 2010, I have personal experience with this unit and all of the problems that people are complaining about. A few years ago in Las Vegas I specifically remember having a car so bad that I drove it for five miles, was convinced that the thing was about to heave the unit out the bottom of the chassis and leave me stranded, that I went back to the rental agency and demanded another car. About a year later I had no choice but to head off into the hinterlands with one and dealt with its crumminess for days on end, all the while wondering how anyone could possible enjoy owning a car that acted like this. Welp, as it turns out, they don’t.

There’s a law firm that is working on a suit where they are trying to wrangle at $35-million settlement out of Ford for their clients. As part of that suit, the firm filed paperwork that said Ford could have a potential $4-billion liability on their hands if they really have to get in the trenches with this problem. Heck, they offered ONE GUY $132,000 as a settlement for a lawsuit that he was seeking $550,000 over because of the badness of this transmission and the fact that he claims Ford was covering up the problems.

This is a mess. Read the full story at the Detroit Free Press below!

Detroit Free Press: Ford PowerShift Transmission nightmare continues 


  • Share This
  • Pinterest
  • 0

10 thoughts on “Ford Facing Potential $4-Billion Liability Over Dual Clutch PowerShift Transmission Used in Focus And Fiesta

  1. Gary

    Huumm, I’ve rented quite a few Focus cars in the last few years, liked them so much I considered buying one.
    One thing about the lawsuit, though, and this is in no way political, but the lawyers aren’t going to get money for the car owners. They’re going to make themselves rich, and they know it, by settling out of court. This is such BS, these “class action” lawsuits! They are one of the two main reasons I haven’t had cable or satellite TV in over a decade. All the commercials are for pharmicutical companies pushing their drugs, and the scores of law firms pushing class action lawsuits against the drug companies. It’s endless! We need tort reform!

  2. Bill

    We have a 2014 Focus great little car……but HORRIBLE shifting. We have always been loyal Ford people but this problem and the BS explanation we get from the dealer here in Tucson is enough to make us NOT buy another Ford. Last year leaving the SEMA show to drive home it took driving 3 blocks from the hotel before it would pick a gear and drive smoothly. Fords explanation was its learning my drving style over my wifes driving style. I think the transmission needs more time in school…..Sorry Ford we are done.

  3. Truckin Ted

    Much like yourselves, I’ve rented a few Ford Focus cars to go back and forth between Texas and Missouri. I honestly never had an issue with them, and also had thought about buying one for a commuter car. Then, I did some research and discovered the nightmare that others were going through. I never went much further, but had wondered if the ST had a manual transmission that was any better.

  4. Willie Smith

    I bet the same thing happens with the gas tank deformation my car stopped running in December they have been working on it since late January

  5. Bob

    Ford Taurus\’s had issues with torque converters for year and most owners got nothing even though the issue was well documented by owners and hundreds of transmission shops.

  6. Mike C

    We own a 2013 Focus and let me tell you from experience, the transmission is shit. We\’ve had the clutches replaced, the power module reprogrammed multiple times. Every time we asked what the hell was going on, they tried to say it was thew way we were driving it. They also said that is was a little clunky by design because you are getting the best of both worlds. The \”reliability of an automatic with the fuel economy of a manual\”. LOL. Maybe this is why Ford has stopped making passenger cars?

  7. Dave

    \”\\”reliability of an automatic \”?
    When were autos ever more reliable than manuals?

Comments are closed.