19 plate will be the late mk2 uplift before the mk3……the mk2 180 uplift (2016 onward) powershift is fine but the box needs a service every 3yrs/36k, I wouldn’t buy without proof of it being done, just for peace of mind
It was the 2013-2014 boxes that had the problem with plastic parts

 

Thanks. My Kuga has a 6DCT450 build box in it. I thought that one was full of plastic and hence my borrowed time feeling. I have serviced it on time and it has been no bother. I would like to keep the car as the engine is bombproof and chugs along the A38 with ease but might keep it if the box isn't full of plastic. Beats spending £12 grand on a new un.

 

Ford are known to be wrong as well at times.

I just noticed your thread title is shown as MK3. A 2019 car with a 180 diesel is a MK2 facelift or mk 2.5 as well call it here.

The MK3 would be a 190 engine with the new body shape and has a totally different engine running a wetbelt. I believe the auto version uses a CVT box.

I changed the thread title and moved it to the correct forum.

 

I recently spent a few days in Mablethorpe with my caravan pitch next to a fellow member who has Kuga fitted with the dreaded powershift, he went on to tell he has done over 60,000 trouble free miles and not really bothered if the gear box packs in or not, as he has contact with a company who does a total box rebuild to Volvo spec that is guaranteed for the life of the vehicle, He told me the frighteners had been put on owners and was blown out of proportion as a lot of internet nonsence is,

 

Perhaps do your own research on here and pay attention to the thread @keithmac created.

 

If I have the powershift with the dreaded plastic bits in then I will change my vehicle as I think with 86,000 miles on it I have rode my luck enough. However, if as it appears the 2015 6DCT450 powershift boxes are free from plastic then I am happy to take my chances as I like the vehicle.

As mine was built in January 2015 there must be a chance that the box was built in 2014 and has plastic in it. Sticker says FV4R 7000 AB but that is all Greek to me.

 

If I have the powershift with the dreaded plastic bits in then I will change my vehicle as I think with 86,000 miles on it I have rode my luck enough. However, if as it appears the 2015 6DCT450 powershift boxes are free from plastic then I am happy to take my chances as I like the vehicle.

As mine was built in January 2015 there must be a chance that the box was built in 2014 and has plastic in it. Sticker says FV4R 7000 AB but that is all Greek to me.

Your gearbox is the later type which is proving to be reliable.
All 180 engines have the later type.
If you do a forum search on the FV4R 7000 AB sticker @keithmac will confirm this.
Regarding the belief that the Volvo internals are different to the Ford, I don't believe that to be the case.

 

That may or may not be the case, I dont know, but even if correct you would still have the enormous expense of getting the rebuild done if it was needed

 

This is my dilemma, part ex it now while running or take my chances.

If I knew for certain my transmission had no plastic in it I would take my chances with it.

 

Getrag Ford Transmissions build all the Powershift gearboxes, the early Volvo 'box is identical to the Ford one, built in the same factory with the same parts..

@Dupont , your Euro6 180 has the later revised gearbox with the external DMF.

This is the main failure point of the early gearboxes, ours was only 60,000 miles old when it started playing up..

 

Getrag Ford Transmissions build all the Powershift gearboxes, the early Volvo 'box is identical to the Ford one, built in the same factory with the same parts..

@Dupont , your Euro6 180 has the later revised gearbox with the external DMF.

This is the main failure point of the early gearboxes, ours was only 60,000 miles old when it started playing up..

View attachment 25618

Thanks for this @keithmac. So, Ford did an improvement on the 6DCT450 before they introduced the 6DCT451? I think that is the bit I don't fully understand.

I just thought all of the improved boxes were the 6DCT451.

 

Do I need to worry with mine?

 

Two words. Get Rid.

 

Sadly, you are wrong and such 'absolutes' ignore harsh economic reality. The plastic gearbox debacle affects 10-12 year old vehicles worth, with a following wind £5-7000. If you are seriously suggesting that anyone should spend c£5000 on a gearbox rebuild (that is the cost of doing the rebuild with a degree of care) then I can only express,shall we call it, surprise.

 

I actually know a forum member with a powershift gearbox, He told me he has done over 65,000 a lot it towing a caravan '
He does know he is on borrowed time before it starts giving trouble ,And has looked at a replacement car and soon realised there is nothing on the market as good as his Kuga , He has already been quoted £4000 for an uprated guaranteed for life replacement, Which he said he would gladly pay in order to keep his Kuga, I could quote the members name but do not think it would be ethical to do that.

 

Just to add, that the original gearbox cannot be uprated ( it can be replaced of course) save for a single example where the work was undertaken by a mechanic with almost genius level engineering skills . No official channel would touch it

 

I myself do not feel competent to under take an auto gearbox repair, but for those who do feel competent there are uprated repair kits available with metal uprated spring retainers replacing the plastic problematic retainers which are the root of most powershift problems. From what I have seen the cost of metal repair kits looks very reasonable at about £150, sounds like a bargain for those who are up to it. Anyone with any doubts why not do your own search.

 

£4000, from experience, is remarkably cheap.

 

Maybe the forum member would like to reveal who they are.
I'm sure armed with the knowledge that they know a place who can make the older type powershift gearbox bullit proof they would get many followers on this forum.

 

Please let me know, I have found a specialist in Rayleigh, Essex but transporting the car will cost £800 plus around £3500 for a rebuild with guarantee. My gearbox has gone for a second time, and Ford France want 8000 euros to fix it after a simple diagnostic where they didn't even fully analyse the results! Well not fix it as they are so incompetent they can't, they just replace it with a new one. My options (I do like the car) are to get the box rebuilt and then sell it in part exchange at a dealer or just sell it for bits which is a shame. Anyone with any other advice (or the best course of action) please please let me know! Thanks

 

You won't get a new gearbox, it will be a "Remanufactured for Ford' gearbox which is just as bad as the one that has come out..

 

Please let me know, I have found a specialist in Rayleigh, Essex but transporting the car will cost £800 plus around £3500 for a rebuild with guarantee. My gearbox has gone for a second time, and Ford France want 8000 euros to fix it after a simple diagnostic where they didn't even fully analyse the results! Well not fix it as they are so incompetent they can't, they just replace it with a new one. My options (I do like the car) are to get the box rebuilt and then sell it in part exchange at a dealer or just sell it for bits which is a shame. Anyone with any other advice (or the best course of action) please please let me know! Thanks

I myself do not feel competent to under take an auto gearbox repair, but for those who do feel competent there are uprated repair kits available with metal uprated spring retainers replacing the plastic problematic retainers which are the root of most powershift problems. From what I have seen the cost of metal repair kits looks very reasonable at about £150, sounds like a bargain for those who are up to it. Anyone with any doubts why not do your own search.

Strange then that no one appears to have done it among all the members of this forum, including those who have advanced engineering and mechanical skills. I believed that the issue was the clogging of the galleries from the detritus when the plastic elements broke down rendering the gearbox totally irreparable.

 

I cant answer that one when considering there are uprated repair kits available replacing the plastic bits with stronger metal bits, There are also a lot of detailed Youtube clips showing how to carry out repairs, The high cost is possibly because of the time involved it would certainly be a very time consuming thing to do , I did previously say its not something that would tackle , but after looking at it in more detail and giving it a bit more thought, it would be something I would take on if I had to, I hope that anything I previously said did not come across the wrong way, But I believe that things are seldom as bad as they first look to be, and a solution can usually be found as daunting as it may appear to be.

 

My understanding is that over revving is an early sign but if one of the plastic guides lets go and breaks up there is no warning as such

 

ok thanks...had mine almost 8 years and it's been great, but was already thinking time to change in 2026. Do we know how prevalent this issue is, like what % of affected models are now conking out...will a garage take mine in p/x for example?

 

Many garages are oblivious to the problem, so, least said soonest traded. . As to prevalence of failed cars,in the great scheme of things it probably isn't that many, but every one is a total PITA for the unfortunate owner.

 

I'm trying a suppress the morbid fear of imminent disaster...and while not dismissing the fault I've been left stranded by sensors conking out on me and my battery going flat...I could drive into a ditch..or be hit by a truck...but the worm is now planted in my head..I'll buy a newer Kuga I think..any recommendations ??

 

Any post 2016 car with a FULL service history

 

I think 'uprated' gearbox is pie in the sky, I'm sure Keithmac would have uprated his instead of the gigantic task of fitting a euro 6 gearbox to a euro 5 engine.

 

There are upgraded metal clutch followers available, the problem is that you have to completely strip the gearbox to check that there is zero damage to the plastic components before you attempt to fit them. One tiny piece of the plastic components can block an oilway.

 

so , forgive my ignorance, is the clutch oil/filter part of the regular service routine or just a check it's not leaking ?

. My engine oil /filter gets changed every year but never seen anything about the gearbox/clutch service schedules..which just refers to 'DCT check for leaks' but never has a tick in the box to say it's checked/relevant ..previously the service schedule also included 'DCT oil' and 'DCT filter' but they're not listed on recent service schedules now... and were never ticked anyway .....

 

The gearbox should be serviced as in oil & filter changed every 35,000 miles or 3 years which ever comes first.
Most owners think if they send their car in for a service the gearbox will be included, this isn't the case, it has to be requested by the owner and is expensive.
So it seems your car has never had a gearbox oil change, I would be car shopping this coming weekend.
If you buy a newer Kuga with the powershift gearbox, make sure the gearbox servicing is up to date it should be stated on the servicing record, not just the general service.

 

The Powershift transmission fluid and filter should be changed every three years or 35,000 miles whichever comes first. People skipped it because of the cost. That false economy is coming back to bite in a big way.

 

Sadly my problem Kuga gearbox had its oil changed in accordance with guidelines, it has a full service history and only 50k miles on the clock and STILL the gearbox threw its hand in. I will NEVER buy another Ford, they just want rid of the problem, their after sales service is abysmal and sadly, due to the age of the cars, they are likely to get away with it.

 

@davidjohn

We get what you are trying to suggest about repairs but the topic has been going on for years. Unless you have done the job yourself then you have no idea of what it takes to do the job and the labour costs involved.

A reconditioned gearbox is 4-5 grand fitted so that is the same price of what the car is worth. Even then a reconditioned gearbox comes with risks regardless of any warranty given on it.

I would suggest you try doing the job yourself just to see what's involved in taking it to bits and replacing the retaining clips and then taking the mechatronic unit apart to get all the plastic bits out of it. Then there are the valves that fail inside because of the plastic.

Its not something that can be done on the drive or the garage at home. You need specialist tools that cost a lot of money but im sure you know that.

Not trying to be funny and I get your point that anything can be fixed BUT the costs and time are not an option for the average person.

PS...... I do this for a living and its not as easy as you would like to think.

 

@davidjohn

We get what you are trying to suggest about repairs but the topic has been going on for years. Unless you have done the job yourself then you have no idea of what it takes to do the job and the labour costs involved.

A reconditioned gearbox is 4-5 grand fitted so that is the same price of what the car is worth. Even then a reconditioned gearbox comes with risks regardless of any warranty given on it.

I would suggest you try doing the job yourself just to see what's involved in taking it to bits and replacing the retaining clips and then taking the mechatronic unit apart to get all the plastic bits out of it. Then there are the valves that fail inside because of the plastic.

Its not something that can be done on the drive or the garage at home. You need specialist tools that cost a lot of money but im sure you know that.

Not trying to be funny and I get your point that anything can be fixed BUT the costs and time are not an option for the average person.

PS...... I do this for a living and its not as easy as you would like to think.

If I thought I could do the job myself I would and I never said it was easy. And the reason I am on this forum is that I had no idea that this issue had been 'going on for years' or I obviously wouldn't have bought it in the first place. Thats why I have shopped around for options and for me it would be cheaper to transport the car to UK, get a recon box put in by a specialist which has quoted me £3500 and drive it back to the nearest dealer in France to chop it in for something else. Second hand car prices are much higher in France and I can get around 8-9000 euros for it in a part ex. If I really wanted to, and the thought had occurred, I can get a recon gearbox from Poland even cheaper and have it fitted locally...or dismantle it for parts, again higher prices here and time I have. The whole thing is just a s**t sandwich

 

I'm scanning the internet for 2nd hand cars..I see the diesel version of the Kuga now needs Adblue additive putting in. The Ecoboost (petrol version) doesn't have an automatic , I think.. The bigger cars are all part of fully electric and expensive. So far I've looked at the Mazda CX-5, Volvo CX , Kia Sportage, Peugot 2008,..all about 3-5 years old with reasonable mileage and 'extras'.. I'm drained... ..I'm looking at dealers where I can trade in my Kuga...

 

Kuga up to 2019 doesn't use ADBLUE. It's only the MK3 that uses it from 2020 but they run a wet belt engine. In the MK3 you want a FHEV in my opinion. It's a non-plug in hybrid.

 

As I said, the gearbox has to be otherwise to make the task viable. They very rarely are as the guides crumble to virtually dust which blocks the galleries .

 

Have looked at dozens of Powershift rebuilds from both professional and amateur gearbox rebuilders from the UK and Germany to all over Eastern Europe Where they seem to repair them with comparative ease and confidence, some with follow ups after thousands of miles ,Have never come across one where the gearbox casing was damaged beyond repair, maybe you can show where that came from,

 

I've had a 'senior moment' ..this issue is with automatics only isn't it ?

 

Yes