Ford's $3 Billion Mistake: Why the PowerShift Dual Clutch Transmission Failed Hard (Full Teardown)

The Ford Focus PowerShift dual clutch transmission (DPS6) is one of the most controversial gearboxes ever put into a production car. From constant shuddering and slipping to complete TCM and clutch failure, the "PowerShift" series has left thousands of owners stranded, cars in the junkyard, plummeting resale values and resulted in massive class-action lawsuits.

But why does it actually fail? In today’s video, I am doing a complete technical teardown of the Ford Focus Dual-Clutch Transmission (DCT). I’ll pull it apart to look at the dry clutch operation, the input shaft seal, and the mechanical actuators in the TCM to show you exactly what goes wrong inside these units, and how each gear ratio operates. Its mechanics inside are very simple like a manual transmission, its the gear changing mechanism that is supposed to mimic the manual transmission that gives too much trouble and is best left to those who can actually drive a manual!

In this video, we cover:

How the Ford PowerShift (DPS6) Dual-Clutch system works.

Teardown: Removing the case and inspecting the gears.

Understanding how the gear ratios work.

Understanding the gears behind the TCM and how they operate the clutch forks.

Can you actually "fix" a PowerShift, or is it a design flaw? Ford never did!

Whether you own a Ford Focus (2012-2018) or a Ford Fiesta (2011-2019), understanding the mechanics of this transmission is key to keeping your car on the road—or knowing when to get rid of it.

Timestamps:

0:00 - The Notorious PowerShift Transmission Overview
0:48 - Beginning the Teardown: Removing the Case
1:19 - Inside the case - Gearbox Analysis
3:08 - Understanding the Gear Ratios
6:06 - The Selector Forks
6:42 - Failure zones
7:07 - Dual Clutch operation
7:54 - Final Verdict: Is it worth it or is this an Engineering Disaster?

Let me know in the comments section below what your experience is with Ford Transmissions, if they've lasted or failed, and how much it costed to repair!

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