Ford Galaxy
2.0 EcoBlue 88 kW/120 hp, S-Max II facelift (2018-2023) / Galaxy III facelift
Van Disappointment
120 hp diesel in the Galaxy: barely adequate fully loaded. Not recommended for families.
Engine Weaknesses 7
Continental injectors with a faulty internal coating (vehicles built Feb–Sep 2019). The coating delaminates and blocks the injector. Ford service action: free injector replacement (Ford TSB-20-2335). Affected vehicles: Transit, Ranger, Focus, Mondeo, S-Max, Galaxy, Edge.
Symptoms: Hesitation, poor idle, power reduction, increased fuel consumption, limp mode
Faulty injectors generate excessive soot that prematurely clogs the DPF. On the high-output variant (190 hp), soot also blocks the low-pressure filter of the dual EGR system. Repair requires simultaneous replacement of injectors AND DPF (TSB-20-2335). Replacing the DPF alone does not resolve the issue long-term.
Symptoms: Fault codes P2002, P02EC, P02FA, check engine light, power reduction
The oil bath timing belt deteriorates and clogs the oil pump strainer with debris. The engine dies from oil starvation — bearings, crankshaft, camshaft, and turbocharger are destroyed.
Symptoms: No warning: oil pressure drops, engine runs roughly, then total failure. Belt itself may appear visually intact.
The 2.0 EcoBlue turbocharger sometimes fails before 50,000 km. Cause: belt debris in the oil circuit or excessively long oil change intervals block oil supply to the turbo bearing.
Symptoms: Whistling noise on acceleration, noticeable power loss, blue smoke. Turbo warning light may be absent.
Design-related uneven distribution of EGR exhaust gas causes excessive soot ingestion into the middle cylinders. Soot particles cause abrasive wear via piston rings — compression loss and engine replacement.
Symptoms: Rough idle, elevated oil consumption, white or black smoke, high fuel trim correction values in fault memory.
The NOx sensor in the SCR exhaust aftertreatment system fails prematurely. Fault code P20EE is typical. AdBlue consumption increases measurably as the system reverts to a base map. Sensor replacement is relatively inexpensive.
Symptoms: Check engine light P20EE, increased AdBlue consumption, occasional no-start after many km
The EGR valve of the 2.0 EcoBlue clogs with soot deposits, causing power loss and engine fault. Short-trip driving significantly accelerates wear.
Symptoms: Engine fault warning, power drop, stumbling under load, increased fuel consumption
Vehicle Weaknesses 7
Ford recalled hundreds of thousands of Galaxy and S-Max vehicles: the original rear axle trailing arm bolts can fracture due to corrosion. If they break, the vehicle loses rear axle control — acute accident risk.
Ford recalled Galaxy models with EcoBoost engines and manual gearboxes because heavy clutch wear could cause overheating and fracture of the clutch pressure plate — with a risk of fire in the engine bay.
In the Galaxy III too, the wiring harness runs beneath the washer fluid reservoir. Overfilling or a leaking reservoir allows washer fluid to attack the cable insulation, causing cooling fan failures, AC problems and P0003 fault codes.
The heavy Galaxy III wears its brake discs and pads significantly faster than average for comparable vehicles. ADAC and TÜV reports confirm this as a frequent fault.
The Galaxy III is — like many Ford models of this generation — known for elevated oil consumption. Without regular oil level checks, engine damage from oil starvation can occur.
The Galaxy III's electric sliding doors attract attention through failed contact sensors and worn guide rails. Clicking noises when accelerating or braking and occasional unresponsive sliding door operation are documented issues.
Despite fundamentally improved build quality in the Galaxy III, tie rod ends and anti-roll bar drop links continue to show elevated wear, which is regularly flagged at MOT inspections. The high vehicle weight accelerates axle wear.
Reports & Tests
442 owner complaints filed with NHTSA (2015–2023). Most reported: Backup Camera/Sensors (145), Other (88), Electrical (61).