What P073A means
Ford's DPS6 dry dual-clutch transmission moves its gears with two electrically driven shift drums whose position is read by Hall sensors: drum A shifts 1st, 3rd and 5th, drum B reverse, 2nd, 4th and 6th.
How the engine computer detects it
Ford's 2012 summary lists 'stuck in gear' codes for each drum: the module commands the drum out of a gear, but the gear stays engaged. It gives no thresholds or MIL rating. P073A is the code for drum A: fifth gear cannot be disengaged. The car stays in fifth – very weak pulling away – or sub-transmission A is locked out. Slip in fifth gear is P0735.
Written from public technical sources and not yet checked by a mechanic. How we write these pages
Symptoms
- Transmission stays in one gear, no further shifts
- Limp mode, transmission warning
- Clunking or blocking when shifting
Common causes
- Shift fork or synchronizer for this gear sticking Possible
- Shift drum A motor, Hall position sensing or driver faulty Possible
- Transmission module Less likely
- On planetary automatics: clutch or brake not releasing (sticking valve) Less likely
How to diagnose P073A
- Read every stored code with an OBD-II scanner. If misfire or fuel trim codes are there too, fix those first: they often cause this one.
- Inspect the parts involved: shift drum, shift fork, shift drum motor, transmission control module.
- Work through the causes above from most to least likely, cheapest checks first.
- Clear the code and drive a full drive cycle to confirm the repair held.
Reading the code
- P
- Powertrain
- 0
- Generic (SAE) code
- 7
- Transmission
- 3A
- Specific fault
Questions drivers ask
Can I drive with code P073A?
If the car shifts normally, drive gently to a shop. If it's stuck in one gear, slips, shifts harshly or won't move out of Park, don't drive it: have it towed.
This page is general information, not a substitute for a professional diagnosis. Repair costs are rough estimates for parts and labor and vary by vehicle and region.