Ford B-Max Radiator: Specs, Fitment & Common Faults
The B-Max's 1.0 EcoBoost has a well-documented degas bottle cracking issue — serious enough to be referenced in a UK Parliament transport document.
Illustration for editorial purposes
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Ford B-Max Radiator: OEM Part Number
| Manual gearbox, all engines | Standard radiator with no transmission cooling circuit |
|---|---|
| 4/6-speed automatic (torque converter) | Radiator includes a built-in internal transmission fluid cooler as a separate circuit within the same tank — if this internal cooler fails, coolant and transmission fluid mix into a pink, milky fluid nicknamed the "strawberry milkshake of death," which can destroy the transmission if not caught quickly |
| Powershift (dual-clutch automatic, where fitted) | Uses a separate standalone transmission oil cooler rather than one integrated into the radiator tank — confirmed as a genuinely different cooling architecture from the older automatic's built-in design |
A Genuine, Documented Weak Point on the 1.0 EcoBoost's Cooling System — Ford B-Max Radiator
Across the 1.0 EcoBoost family generally (primarily 2012-2017 production), the plastic degas bottle (coolant reservoir) and its connecting hoses have a well-documented tendency to develop hairline cracks as the plastic ages and heat-cycles over years of use — serious enough that a UK Parliament transport committee document specifically references "failure of the degas pipe affecting 1.0L Fox engines" as a known issue Ford was asked to address. Watch for dropping coolant levels requiring more than one top-up between services, a sweet smell from the engine bay, or white smoke from the exhaust on starting — all worth investigating promptly rather than simply topping up and continuing to drive.
Ford B-Max Radiator: The Part That Keeps Everything Else From Cooking
This isn't a part anyone gets excited about, but on the Ford B-Max, overlooked cooling problems are responsible for most serious engine failures that aren't simple wear-and-tear. Catching the early symptoms is about the cheapest insurance available against a major bill later.
Ford B-Max Radiator: What It Does
Keeping the Ford B-Max's engine temperature within safe limits comes down to the radiator's job of transferring heat from the coolant into the surrounding air. Automatic-gearbox versions often build in a second circuit for transmission fluid cooling too, which is exactly why fitting the wrong part number can cause two problems, not one.
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Ford B-Max Radiator: Faults, DIY Difficulty & Aftermarket Advice
These are the same regardless of make or model — see our full Radiator Guide for the three common failure modes, confirming fitment against your VIN, and OEM vs aftermarket guidance.
More Ford Radiator
The same part, covered across other Ford models.