P285BShift Fork A Actuator Circuit/Open
- Generic OBD-II code · Powertrain
- Turns on the check-engine light
- Matters for the ITP
- Can trigger limp mode
- How the car detects it
- P285B covers the electrical drive of the actuator that moves fork A, for designs where an electric motor rather than oil pressure shifts the gears. The module sets it when the output stage sees no load, typically a broken winding, a cut lead or a connector that has backed out. Ford documents the code for the DPS6 dual-clutch box of 2012: shift drum A, which positions the forks for 1st, 3rd and 5th, is turned by a three-phase motor geared 61.44:1 to the drum, and an open motor circuit is logged as P285B. Ford flags it for the MIL. Sibling faults on the same drum are split off: driver chip (P2831), hall sequence (P2835), short to ground (P285D), short to power (P285E) and lost drum position (P2832). Without drum A the odd gears cannot be selected.
- What you may notice
- Malfunction indicator lamp and transmission warning
- First, third or fifth gear not available, car may only move in the even gears
- Jerky starts or refusal to pull away
- Likely causes
- LikelyLoose, corroded or backed-out connector at the fork A actuator motor
- PossibleBroken lead between transmission module and actuator motor
- PossibleOpen phase winding inside the actuator motor
- RareFailed motor output stage in the transmission module
- Inspection (ITP)
- Matters for the ITP. While the check-engine light is on, the car fails the emissions check.
- Repair
- Hard · Usually a job for a workshop.Typical cost: €100 – €1,500
- Related codes
Explanation from obdex (CC0), exactly as the app shows it. Guidance only; confirm with a workshop.