P2872

Symptoms

• Check Engine Light on
• transmission gear shifting problems up to no shifting at all (vehicle unable to move)
• stuck in gear
• sluggish acceleration
• erratic shifting
• sudden loss of power in traffic
• in severe cases transmission overheating. Driving with this code is a significant safety risk.

Probable causes

1) Failed clutch actuator motor or a binding clutch fork (reported as the cause of the large majority of cases on DPS6 units). 2) Faulty transmission solenoid or hydraulic pressure issues. 3) Low or dirty transmission fluid causing clutch binding. 4) Poor grounding of the clutch actuators. 5) Malfunctioning Transmission Control Module (TCM).

Diagnostic steps

1. Scan the TCM for P2872 and companion codes with freeze frame data.
2. Check transmission fluid level and condition; correct if low or dirty.
3. Check power and ground circuits to the clutch actuators.
4. On DPS6 units, isolate the failure by swapping the A and B clutch actuators - if the code changes to P287A, replace the actuator.
5. Use a capable (OEM-level) scan tool to command the shift forks while monitoring their position; most aftermarket scan tools cannot perform this test.
6. If actuators and wiring test good, evaluate the TCM.
7. After any actuator, clutch, or TCM replacement, perform the mandatory TCM adaptive relearn with a bi-directional scan tool - otherwise the code can return immediately.
8. On Ford DPS6 vehicles, check dealer coverage under Customer Satisfaction Programs 14M01 (clutch assembly) and 14M02 (TCM).