2012 Ford B-Max problems

• PowerShift DPS6 dry clutch, first generation (2011-2016)

  · DPS6, 6DCT250

  It is the generation with the most documented juddering and slipping complaints and the one Ford revised most often (clutch and software); it is only worth considering if you check the software update history and take a long test drive, watching for hesitation when pulling away.^[2][3]

  With caution

Faults that affect 2012 cars

• High severityFrequency: Very frequentClutchJuddering, hesitation and slipping of the dry clutch (DPS6)Yes: the dry-clutch DPS6 judders, hesitates when pulling away and slips in a very large number of cars. Ford revised the clutch and software at least six times without fully solving it, and in the US a 2020 court settlement covered close to 600,000 Ford Fiesta and Focus cars.
• High severityFrequency: Very frequentClutchClutch pressure plate breakage (2018 and 2019 recalls on the Focus and C-MAX)Ford recalled the Focus III and C-MAX II with the Powershift gearbox over the risk of the clutch pressure plate breaking, in two successive campaigns (2018 and 2019) covering vehicles built between August 2012 and May 2018.
• Medium severityFrequency: CommonElectronicsCold hesitation and electronic faults in the control module (TCM)Both the DPS6 and the 6DCT450 depend on a control module (TCM) that manages the clutches; there is cold hesitation, resonance at idle and occasional electronic failures, and Ford has revised the software several times without a single fix.

• 1.6 HDi / e-HDi 92/95 8V (DV6D, 2009-2016)

  92–95 hp · DV6D, DV6DTED, 9HP

  According to the testimonies collected by Fiches-Auto, the 92 hp is clearly more reliable than the other outputs; with correct maintenance and the belt up to date it has no specific serious faults documented.^[5][6]

  Buy

Faults that affect 2012 cars

• High severityFrequency: Very frequentTimingTiming belt failure and premature wearOn the 8-valve 1.6 HDi/e-HDi 112/115 built between October 2010 and September 2011 the belt could break and leave the car stranded. PSA covered the repair and in 2014 preventively replaced the belt and crankshaft sprocket on those that had passed 120,000 km.
• Medium severityFrequency: CommonInjectionLeaks at the injector washers and carbon build-up in the cylinder headIt is common for the copper washers of the 1.6 HDi injectors to stop sealing: the engine blows gases, carbon forms around the injector and soot gets into the oil. It is cheap to repair, but if left it contaminates the oil and is one of the causes of turbo failure.Repair (garage): €110–€310
• Medium severityFrequency: CommonEmissions controlAdditive-fed particulate filter (Eolys cerine): depleted additive and cloggingThe DPF on the 1.6 HDi and BlueHDi works with an additive (cerine) that runs out at 80,000-120,000 km and has to be topped up for around €100-120 (price in Spain). With a lot of town use the filter clogs and the warning appears; if it is left, a new DPF costs around €1,500.Repair (garage): €100–€1,500Appears at around 80,000 km
• Medium severityFrequency: CommonEmissions controlDirty EGR valve and EGR cooler leaksThe 1.6 HDi EGR valve gets dirty easily, especially in town use, and causes jerking and stalling at idle. On the 8V engines the EGR cooler also fails, consuming coolant with no visible leaks.

• 1.0 EcoBoost 100/125 (Fox, 2012-2017)

  100–125 hp · SFJA, SFJB, SFJC, SFJD

  This is the version with the most documented cases of degradation of the belts running in oil and of coolant leak reports in early units; only recommended with the belts checked or replaced and no oil temperature or pressure warning lights.^[8][9][10]

  With caution

Faults that affect 2012 cars

• Critical severityFrequency: CommonTimingDegradation of the timing belt running in oilYes: the 1.0 EcoBoost's timing belt runs in oil and can degrade over the years, shedding bits of rubber that block the oil pump and seize the engine without warning. The NHTSA is investigating the case in the United States and Ford has shortened the recommended replacement interval.Repair (garage): €800–€1,200
• Critical severityFrequency: OccasionalCoolingCoolant leaks and overheating from the turbo hoseThere are documented cases of turbo hoses that crack and drain the coolant without warning, which can overheat the engine and even seize it. We have not found a Ford campaign for the 1.0 EcoBoost in Spain; Ford's best-known fire recall concerns a different engine, the 1.6 EcoBoost.

• 1.4 Ti-VCT 90/96/97 hp

  90–97 hp

  On the Fiesta, fiches-auto.fr documents testimonials of excessive oil and coolant consumption, including coolant in the spark plug wells; on the B-Max, by contrast, no equivalent complaints have been found for the 1.4.^[11][12]

  With caution

• 1.6 Ti-VCT 85/105/120/125 hp (revised actuator)

  85–125 hp

  Gebrauchtwagenberater expressly confirms that the variable valve timing actuator problem, present in the Focus II, «did not reach» the B-Max, and that on the Focus III and C-Max II that reputation improved «thanks to the absence of faults».^[11][13][14]

  Buy

Faults that affect 2012 cars

• Medium severityFrequency: OccasionalLubricationHigher-than-expected oil consumptionThere are documented testimonials of higher-than-expected oil consumption in the Ford Fiesta, both on the 1.25 (with oil reaching the air filter through the crankcase ventilation) and on the 1.4, where it is combined with coolant consumption.Appears at around 40,000 km
• Medium severityFrequency: OccasionalCoolingThermostat, water pump and coolant lossYes: there are testimonials of coolant consumption and loss in the Ford Fiesta, including one case of coolant in the spark plug wells of the 1.4, as well as thermostat and water pump failures documented across the Ti-VCT range.
• Low severityFrequency: OccasionalIgnitionMisfires from coils or spark plugsThere are documented cases of ignition coils replaced several times on the Ford Focus II (1.6 Ti-VCT) and of spark plugs changed at 60,000 km on the Ford Fiesta 1.25, which points to earlier-than-expected ignition system wear on some units.Appears at around 60,000 km

• High severityFrequency: CommonGearbox and clutchClutch wear and gearbox faults, including the Powershift automaticfiches-auto.fr records 13 cases of gearbox failure and 11 of clutch failure among 127 Ford B-Max owner testimonials, concentrated mainly in the 1.6 Duratec 105 hp and 1.0 EcoBoost 125 hp versions; Auto Express adds that the Powershift automatic gearbox can suffer persistent judder.
• Medium severityFrequency: OccasionalBrakesABS failure caused by the hydraulic unit and premature wear of the brake discsfiches-auto.fr documents 7 cases of ABS failure among 127 Ford B-Max owner testimonials, caused by a hydraulic unit that no longer modulates braking pressure properly, along with complaints of brake discs wearing out sooner than expected.
• Medium severityFrequency: OccasionalBodywork and interiorPoor durability of the mechanism, locks and wiring of the rear sliding doorsfiches-auto.fr notes that the mechanism, locks and wiring of the B-Max's rear sliding doors may not be durable enough; Auto Express adds that, because the doors are heavy, they can close by themselves if the car is parked on a steep slope.
• Low severityFrequency: OccasionalElectrical systemElectric window faults and minor sensor or electronics faultsAuto Express flags electrical problems as the most common on the Ford B-Max in the Driver Power owner survey; fiches-auto.fr gives specifics: 4 cases of window or wiper failure and 4 more of sensors or minor electronics among 127 testimonials.