First, let's describe how the DPS6 Ford Powershift semi-automatic transmission works.

TCM: Basically your right arm if this car was a regular stick shift. The TCM has two actuators that control the shift mechanism thus shifting the gears for you. The TCM also controls the clutch actuator A and B.

Clutch actuator A - Top of transmission controls the clutch disk for gears 1, 3, 5. Clutch actuator B - Bottom of transmission, controls the clutch disk for gears 2, 4, 6 and Reverse

Clutch shift forks, engages clutch disk A and clutch disk B. There are two shift forks that correspond to the A and B clutch actuator.

Clutch pack - A clutch pack one piece assembly that houses the clutch disks and friction surfaces.

The design is a dry clutch system that generates a lot of heat and clutch dust. After a while (70,000 miles in this case) the dust can collect on the shift forks and bog down their operation causing them to get stuck or allowing the clutch to slip causing the TCM to shut down the offending actuator.

Our car has 113,000 miles on it and went for around 70,000 after the first failure that required replacing the clutch pack, actuator, seals, etc.

Took the car back to the dealer and they want $3,100 to fix the car.

The symptoms were a check engine light, P0902 code. I switched the Actuator A and B and then it gave a P090C code. The car will operate like normal and then it codes out and becomes a very rough shifting 3 speed. Gears 2, 4, 6 and Reverse will not work. Erasing the codes will get it fully operational again, but then it faults out and becomes a 3 speed again. I believe I'm going to figure out how to remove the transmission myself and fix it so we can hopefully get another 40-70K out of it.

Nice little fuel efficient car, runs great, but the transmission... Thanks, Ford...

Bought this 2015 Ford Focus SE (Automatic) brand new from a dealer in 2015. After only 8k miles I got the transmission shudder (before the lawsuit and known problems). I brought it into the dealer and they only reflashed the TCM because the clutch was still in good condition. Car drove fine for another 80k miles because I would drive it like a manual, as in taking my foot off the gas while it shifted. About a month ago (Today: 7/31/2018) I was driving on the freeway at ~70mph when it felt as if the car decided to moneyshift itself back into 1st or second, and the check engine light comes on a few minutes later. I immediately got off the freeway and had to limp the car back home about 40 miles. While driving back, it would redline in 1st gear before shifting into 3rd gear and jerk forward really hard while braking. (I'm assuming it was in some sort of limp mode). I got about half a mile from my house when the transmission totally failed and sounded like a bird trapped in a garbage bag while trying to get into gear. Thankfully was able to push it the rest of the way thanks to the help of some random homeless guy on a bike that used grunts as communication.

I had Surprise Ford (Surprise, AZ) tow it the next day and within 2 days, they had my car in working condition again. Apparently the extended warranty granted from the lawsuit only applied to the 2011 through 2014 models, even though my car has the SAME EXACT transmission and problems. The original cost of repair was $3400 for the TCM fix and a new clutch. The service manager was extremely helpful though all of this and was able to file a claim with Ford. Unfortunately, Ford was only willing to cover $900 of the cost. Alright whatever, nothing I can do as I need my car ASAP for work. I later found out that actuator A of the TCM was broken.

I pick up my car that night and everything seems perfect. It feels like a whole new car! I love the way this car drives when the transmission is not broken so I go on a short night cruise through the mountain roads and return home with no problems.

The next week, I start my pizza delivery shift feeling great having my car back. A few deliveries go by, and guess what? Transmission feels like its trying to kill itself again, and check engine light is on. I assume this is some sort of software glitch so I limp the car to the delivery and drive back as carefully as I can, and disconnect the battery for a while to let everything reset. I tell my boss about it and no one else can come in. Cool. I go to take the next delivery and everything feels fine again, cars working perfectly and no check engine light. I take the delivery and come back. Next delivery, car feels like its going to kill itself again. This pattern continued for a while until I am trying to leave for a delivery and have lost reverse. The transmission was making a new noise and sounded more like a larger bird trapped in a small cardboard box. My coworkers helped me by pushing my car out of the parking spot so I could limp the car home (Exact same situation before; redlining first into thrid).

Ford comes and collects the car again, and I get a call a few days later saying that they can't find a problem with the car. No idea why the car decided to start working at the dealership, but I let them know that there is definitely a problem and ask them to test drive it more than once. After having someone from corporate come look at it, they are able to get the car to do the same thing as before and get it on a lift to see wtf is going on. The report says that Actuator B was malfunctioning and was stuck, large amount of clutch material in the transmission fluid. Car gets fixed and the service manager files another claim with Ford, and they pay half of the $1400 repair cost.

I'm on day 3 of having the car back, but I am now $3900 in the hole on a car that was paid off 3 months ago.

While traveling in our motorhome and flat towing the 2015 Ford Focus we had a complete failure and transmission lockup. This happened after just 512 miles off towing. Car had just over 6,000 total miles. We were on the road and totally stranded. Prior to the failure, the transmission was jerky and stuttered badly from any start. We were told by Ford the transmission needed 5,000 miles of break-in, which we now find to be totaly untrue.

To get Ford to repair the unit under warranty, we were put through hoops and wasted time trying to get it fixed. First offer from Ford was to replace and repair the burnt up transmission, which would have taken three week. We were able to negotiate a NEW 2017 transmission and replacement time of 10 days.

After 4,000 additional miles of towing the car is operating far less jerky and as advertised.