Although the new Ford Fiesta is no longer manufactured, you can still buy it from dealers all across the UK and in some European countries. So, I decided to review one of the transmissions this model offers – the 7-speed PowerShift which is the only available automatic gearbox in the UK for the new Fiesta right now.
The majority of new Fiestas are manual and all manual transmissions used in the MK8 are good. But the 7 PowerShift DCT transmission deserves more attention. In short, the 7-speed dual-clutch transmission in the new Fiesta is not as durable as you may expect and it has several common problems like clutch death and TCU issues as well as unexpected software failures.
In this article, I will cover the following:
- What do you need to know about the 7-speed Power Shift?
- How long will this transmission last in your Fiesta?
- What are the common problems with the 7 PowerShift gearbox?
- Driving style and maintenance tips to prolong the life of the gearbox.
Ford Fiesta automatic (7 DCT) – what should you know?
Before 2021, Ford used 6-speed automatic transmission in its European Fiestas. It was not bad, although had several common issues. But in 2022, after offering a restyling version of the MK8 Fiesta, the 7DCT or 7 PowerShift transmission appeared under the hood. Now, it’s only available with the 1.0 TSI mild hybrid engine which is, frankly speaking, not the most popular choice.
But still, the 7 PowerShift transmission is also available in the Puma, Focus, and some other cars offered by Ford in Europe and the UK, so it’s worth understanding what you should expect from this unit.
Here’s what we know so far about the 7-speed dual-clutch transmission in the Fiesta:
- the 7 PowerShift gearbox was developed with the understanding of common failures of the 6-speed PowerShift unit;
- it’s the 7DCT300 model manufactured by Getrag as well as the former 6-speed DCT gearbox;
- the gearbox has a wet clutch which can be considered good news for Fiesta owners, the former PowerShift had a dry clutch which was the major problem;
- this is the dual-clutch transmission which has two sets of clutches that operate different gears and help the gearbox shift very smoothly and quickly;
- the transmission is controlled by the electronic module called TCU (transmission control unit);
- the gearbox itself resembles a manual transmission but it’s operated by a mechatronic that is controlled electronically.
I should say that Ford compromised the brand name PowerShift with a very faulty and problematic 6-speed transmission. Millions of vehicles worldwide had similar problems and there were several common lawsuits, recalls, compensations, and other problems related to the 6 PowerShift.
But you shouldn’t immediately change your plans of buying the new Fiesta or Puma with the 7DCT300 transmission because it’s absolutely different. Now the clutch is wet, so it won’t slip because of internal fluid leaks. Also, the TCU has been engineered with the understanding of the problems with the previous model.
How many miles will the 7-speed PowerShift last?
When it comes to PowerShift, the most important thing you will want to know is its durability. But I can’t tell you exactly how many miles or kilometers this transmission will last. It was first introduced in 2020 and all vehicles equipped with it haven’t yet had the chance to hit high mileage. So, the world still waits to have some real-life data about this gearbox.
But I can presume that it will last significantly longer than its older sister – the 6-speed PowerShift. Firstly, the wet clutch pack usually lasts much longer. Secondly, the TCU was engineered from scratch and shouldn’t cause so many problems now. Getrag has a good reputation for understanding its mistakes and addressing them in its new products.
But I wouldn’t hope that the transmission can go 200,000 miles like the conventional automatic gearbox. I believe you should target about 140,000 miles or 220,000 kilometers for this transmission.
Given it now accompanies the 1.0 EcoBoost Hybrid in the Fiesta, there is little chance your transmission will fail earlier than the engine, so everything seems to be fair.
What are the expected problems with the 7-speed PowerShift?
If you hope that you will never see the “Transmission Malfunction, Service Now” error message, forget about it. The transmission is made for fuel economy and better overall emissions. It’s not made for durability. Although the gearbox was significantly modified and updated, it will still have some common issues showing up a little later than in the 6 PowerShift.
I will update this section when I get real-life data. But even now I can tell you several bad things about this transmission:
1. Rough work after changing driving style
These transmissions are quite smart and they adapt to your driving style. But when something changes, they need some time to work properly. For example, after you go 200 miles on a motorway and then suddenly arrive in the city and dive into the stop-and-go traffic, the transmission may jerk and shudder for some minutes.
This is just how it works – don’t take it in for inspection and don’t pay money for this. But if jerking persists, you should clearly have the gearbox inspected as soon as possible.
2. Clutch pack is extremely expensive
One of the major concerns with the previous PowerShift gearbox model was that the dry clutch pack cost about $1000 euro (LuK kit). I couldn’t find the proper information about the price of the clutch pack for the 7DCT300 gearbox. But wet clutches usually cost about 20-30% more than dry ones.
Also, replacing the wet clutch kit is much more complicated, so the labor prices in the dealership or in a good garage will also be quite high.
3. Unpleasant fluid leaks
The fluid is leaking from the plastic fluid pan forming wet spots on it. You will not find the actual leak but the pan is almost always wet. There is nothing much to worry about but you should obviously pay attention to any more serious leaks if they show up.
I should say that I’ve already written the article about the 7-speed DCT transmission in the Puma and you should read it to learn more about the problems with this transmission.
How can you prolong the life of the 7 PowerShift in the Fiesta?
If you have the Fiesta that’s equipped with the 7-speed PowerShift transmission, you shouldn’t worry much. The vehicle is light, the transmission is based on the 7DCT300 used by Mercedes, BMW, Renault, and many other brands. So, you will most likely use it for a long time and with no serious problems.
But still, remember the following requirements:
- if you decide to tow some trailer, you will most likely kill this gearbox very fast;
- give this transmission some time after you arrived in the city from a motorway – it should adapt to new conditions;
- avoid abusive driving, don’t press the gas pedal sharply to the floor;
- change transmission fluid more often than Ford says – the wet clutch pack’s life depends on the fluid quality;
- don’t ignore issues like constant jerking, gearbox malfunction error messages, etc.
To wrap up
Although the 7 PowerShift is basically the 7DCT300 transmission by Getrag, there are several changes in the Ford gearbox. You should still be careful with this transmission to avoid problems and premature death. But it’s much better than the 6 PowerShift that was full of bad surprises and unexpected failures.
If I were buying the new Fiesta, I would choose the manual transmission that gives you more control over the vehicle and lasts much longer without risks of expensive clutch failure and so on. But if you need an automatic Fiesta, you basically have no choice.
