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The owners of the Ford Fiesta (2017-2019) and Ford Focus (2017-2018) models sued the company for failing to provide their promised PowerShift Transmission. This was supposed to be a more effective way of transmission, unlike other cars that contain a manual or automatic transmission. However, this DPS6 dual-clutch transmission caused drivers to have delayed braking, acceleration problems, and overall vehicle jerking while driving. Overall, there are more than 380,000 cars with this type of transmission.
Old Lawsuit
This is not the first time that people have had this same issue. Back in 2012, owners sued Ford for Powershift transmission defects in their:
- Ford Fiesta (2011-2016)
- Ford Focus (2012-2016)
This lawsuit was settled in 2020. As a result, Ford offered discount certificates for purchasing a new car. If the owners wished to have their old cars, the dealers also offered a clutch repair procedure. People thought that was when the issue would stop occurring, but unfortunately, that wasn’t the case.
Effects of This Defect
The DPS6 Transmission has faults in its manufacturing that causes knee-jerk movements while driving, which can cause many accidents. Along with that, the sudden acceleration and slowing down of the car are harmful not only to the passengers but also to the vehicles around them! The lawsuit also mentioned how these dry clutches could overheat and damage surrounding car parts. Some of these car owners mentioned how the car would shake non-stop and stall during traffic.
Ford Motor Company’s Response to the Lawsuit
After seeing how alarming the damages of the defect were, Ford took serious action against this lawsuit. As mentioned before, they offered repair services and discount certificates. But, an investigation was conducted known as “Out of Gear,” in which it was discovered that Ford already knew about the failed transmission before the vehicles were sold. This caused a lot of outrage among the people as they spent hundreds of dollars trying to fix this transmission defect.
Solutions for Such Vehicle Owners
Ford dealers informed the press about how there is no solution or fix for the DPS6 Transmission problem. This means that even if you spend your money trying to repair the clutches, it will cause the same issues over and over again. The root cause of the defect is the manufacturing, which is only controlled by Ford. So sadly, there is no repair for this. However, you can still contact your nearest Ford Motor dealership and ask them about the discount certificates to purchase a new car.
When you buy your next car, make sure to inspect it thoroughly and see if it has the same DPS6 Powershift transmission. It is best to avoid this type of transmission and instead go for your standard transmissions like manual or automatic.
Bottom Line
It is safe to say that Ford has made a huge blunder again by launching vehicles that they were previously sued for. As of now, the status conference is scheduled to be on 5th May 2023. Following that, the Final Pretrial Conference will be on 11th August 2023. Just a few days later, on 29th August, the Jury Trial will take place.
If you are facing similar issues with your vehicles, you can contact us at the Lemon firm at 833-536-6634. Our lawyers have won many cases against automakers and brought justice to our clients. So, call us to speak with a Lemon Firm expert today!