MajorCommonTransmission

Ford Transit Custom: Clutch and dual-mass flywheel wear on manual vans (2.2 TDCi / 2.0 EcoBlue)

Clutch and dual-mass flywheel wear on manual vans (2.2 TDCi / 2.0 EcoBlue) is a common transmission fault on the Ford Transit Custom on the 2013–2023 cars, and we rate it major. Putting it right costs $2,000 to $3,500 at New Zealand independent workshop rates. Below is what goes wrong, the symptoms to notice on a test drive, where to look, and what to ask the seller before you hand over any money. It is one of 7 documented faults on the Ford Transit Custom.

Vehicle: Ford Transit Custom
Engine: 2.2L / 2.0L
Years: 2013–2023
Fuel: diesel
Gearbox: manual
System: Transmission

This page covers the Ford Transit Custom as a model. Some faults only affect particular engines or build years — enter a plate below to narrow the list to one car.

All Ford Transit Custom faults7 documented faults on this model

What you are looking at

No photograph available

We do not hold a verified photograph of the Clutch yet. We would rather show none than show a picture of a different part.

What goes wrong

Manual Transit Customs work their clutches and dual-mass flywheels hard, and worn DMFs are a staple of owner forums and van workshops — with documented failures as early as 56,000 km on hard-used vans. The DMF's internal springs wear, causing a rattle from the bellhousing at idle that stops when the clutch pedal is pressed, take-off judder, and vibration under load. Because the gearbox has to come out either way, clutch and DMF are replaced together, which is what makes the job expensive. A van used for towing or constant heavy loads is far more likely to be close to needing one.

What you would notice

Rattle from the gearbox area at idle that stops when the clutch is pressed
Judder pulling away, especially loaded or uphill
Vibration through the floor under low-rpm load
Clutch biting very high or slipping

How to check it

Where to look. Clutch and dual-mass flywheel inside the bellhousing between engine and gearbox; noise comes from low down at the front centre of the van

Let the van idle in neutral with your window down and listen for a chattering rattle from the bellhousing area between engine and gearbox — then press the clutch pedal: if the rattle stops, that is the classic worn-DMF sign. On the test drive, make several take-offs including one on a slope and feel for judder, and lug the engine at low rpm in a high gear feeling for vibration. Check whether the clutch bites near the top of the pedal travel and whether it holds under full throttle in a high gear. Ask what the van carried or towed, and whether the clutch and flywheel have ever been replaced — on a high-kilometre van a receipt for that job is worth real money. If a workshop inspection is possible: check DMF rotational free play and inspect for clutch dust and heat marks at the bellhousing.

Parts involved: Clutch.

What it costs to put right

$2,000 to $3,500 at New Zealand independent workshop rates. That is for this job on its own, not for the car.

An estimate, in NZD, for the repair as normally carried out. What a specific car costs depends on which part has failed and what it damaged on the way — treat this as the floor for a negotiation, not a quote.

Ask the seller

“Have the clutch and dual-mass flywheel ever been replaced, and at what mileage?”
“What did the van tow or carry day-to-day?”
“Is there any rattle at idle that goes away when the clutch is pressed?”

Now check the Ford Transit Custom you are actually looking at

Everything above is true of the model, and it is free. What it does not tell you is whether THIS car has been looked after: its odometer history and whether the reading has ever gone backwards, whether there is still money owing on it, whether it has been reported stolen, how many owners it has had and what it is really worth today. That comes from the official records for that plate. Enter the plate for the free details, or get the full history and a market valuation from $13.49.

Not sure what you would be paying for? See what a full KickTyres check includes.

Where this comes from

The failure described above is documented in the sources below. The inspection instructions and the cost estimate are KickTyres’ own interpretation of them.

fordtransit.org forum thread: 'Flywheel/clutch rattle' — DMF replaced, rattle with clutch depressed
Ford Transit Custom Owners Forum Group (Facebook): flywheel failure at 35,000 miles thread
Mr Autofixer: Ford Transit Custom clutch and dual mass flywheel replacement guide

Ford Transit Custom buyer questions

Is clutch and dual-mass flywheel wear on manual vans (2.2 tdci / 2.0 ecoblue) serious on a Ford Transit Custom?

We rate it major and common on the Ford Transit Custom. Manual Transit Customs work their clutches and dual-mass flywheels hard, and worn DMFs are a staple of owner forums and van workshops — with documented failures as early as 56,000 km on hard-used vans. The DMF's internal springs wear, causing a rattle from the bellhousing at idle that stops when the clutch pedal is pressed, take-off judder, and vibration under load. Because the gearbox has to come out either way, clutch and DMF are replaced together, which is what makes the job expensive. A van used for towing or constant heavy loads is far more likely to be close to needing one.

How much does it cost to fix on a Ford Transit Custom?

$2,000 to $3,500 at New Zealand independent workshop rates. That figure is for this job on its own. A car showing the symptoms on this page is usually worth either walking away from or negotiating down by at least the repair figure.

Which Ford Transit Custom years are affected?

Our research records this fault on the 2013–2023 Ford Transit Custom. Build dates move around, especially on imported cars, so treat the range as the years to look hardest at rather than a guarantee either way. The official records tell you the exact build and first registration date for the car in front of you.