Ford Focus Complaints

22,326 consumer complaints on file.

#11678741August 6, 2025
POWER TRAIN
The contact's son owns a 2016 Ford Focus. The contact stated that while at a stop, the vehicle shuddered while depressing the accelerator pedal. There was no warning light illuminated. The contact then stated that while his son was driving at an undisclosed speed, the message "Transmission Hot - Wait 5 Mins" was displayed on the instrument panel. The contact's son followed the instruction; however, the warning light returned soon after restart the vehicle. Due to the failure, the vehicle was towed to the residence. The manufacturer was notified of the failure but offered no assistance. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact was referred to the NHTSA Hotline to report the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 137,000.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11678425August 5, 2025
POWER TRAIN
Transmission Control Module failed and i had that replaced. Now the clutch pack failed and had that replaced. Now it says transmission hot and to pull over. All of this has been recalled on 2012 to 2016 but for some reason my car is not and its the same powershift transmission. Im over 4000 dollars into these repairs and still having problems.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11678170August 4, 2025
ENGINE
Vehicles Canister Purge Valve was replaced and acting up again.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11678297August 4, 2025
POWER TRAIN
The contact owns a 2014 Ford Focus. The contact stated that while driving at 35 MPH, the vehicle shuddered, and the check engine warning light was illuminated. The contact pulled to the side of the road and turned off the vehicle. The contact stated that upon restarting the vehicle after a few minutes, the vehicle responded as intended. Additionally, the contact stated that while driving 30 MPH on another occasion, the vehicle failed to accelerate as intended while depressing the accelerator pedal. The check engine warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, where it was diagnosed that the clutch Actuator B had failed, which caused the TCM to fail. The contact was informed that the clutch Actuator B and the TCM needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and filed a case. The manufacturer referred the contact to the NHTSA Hotline to report the safety failure. The failure mileage was approximately 97,500.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11678324August 4, 2025
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING
The contact owns a 2012 Ford Focus. The contact stated that while attempting to start the vehicle, the engine shuddered while idling, with the check engine warning light illuminated. The local independent mechanic was contacted; however, the vehicle was not diagnosed. The contact was advised that the failure might be attributed to coolant intrusion into the engine. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 100,058.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11677715August 1, 2025
POWER TRAIN
This car should have been added to two customer service programs through Ford. 19N08 and 19N08. This covers problems with the TCM and clutch pack. After speaking with Ford customer service, they confirmed that my vehicle fell within the build dates outlined in those programs and was built at the Michigan facility that is outlined in these programs. They refused to add my VIN to these customer service programs stating that it has expired. Had I known about the customer service programs when I was supposed to know about them, I would have easily had this issue fixed, but now I am left with a car with severe transmission issues. The only thing they could tell me to do was file a complaint with NHTSA. I need help getting Ford to acknowledge and fix this issue.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11677726August 1, 2025
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION:CONTROL MODULE (TCM/PCM/TECM)
The contact owns a 2014 Ford Focus. The contact stated while attempting to drive from a complete stop, the vehicle failed to respond upon depressing the accelerator pedal. Additionally, the vehicle failed to respond upon shifting to reverse(R). The contact stated that the vehicle failed to shift into gear. The check engine warning light was illuminated, and the message "Transmission Fault - Service Now" was displayed. The contact was able to shift to neutral(N) after several attempts, and the vehicle was pushed into a gas station with assistance. The contact stated that upon scanning the vehicle with a vehicle scanner, the contact retrieved diagnostic trouble codes indicating a TCM failure. The contact accidentally reset the codes, and the vehicle became drivable; however, the vehicle failed to exceed 40 MPH. The contact stated that the failure recurred. The vehicle was taken to the dealer to be diagnosed, but the dealer was unable to duplicate the failure because the code had been reset. The vehicle was taken to a second dealer, Nielsen Ford of Morristown (170 Ridgedale Ave, Morristown, NJ 07960), where it was diagnosed with TCM failure, and the contact was provided an estimate for the repair. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and referred the contact to the NHTSA Hotline for assistance. The failure mileage was approximately 95,711.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11677529July 31, 2025
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION:CONTROL MODULE (TCM/PCM/TECM)
The contact owns a 2013 Ford Focus. The contact stated while driving approximately 20 MPH on two occasions, the vehicle lost motive power. The check engine warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was steered to the side of the roadway and restarted. The contact stated that after the first failure, the vehicle was taken to a dealer however, the failure could not be replicated; however, the failure recurred. The contact stated that on the second failure, the vehicle was able to restart; however, the failure persisted upon restarting the vehicle. The vehicle was towed to another unknown dealer, where it was diagnosed that the Transmission Control Module had failed and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact related the failure to an unknown recall. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 60,000.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11677672July 31, 2025
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM, ENGINE, FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM
I bought my car in early 2022 or 2023 and almost immediately the car started shuddering when accelerating. I took the vehicle in to the place I bought it from and one other Ford Dealer. Neither places could "duplicate the problem." Bith times I had to pay money just to have it looked at, and nothing was ever fixed. My horn keeps quitting and the shuddering has gotten so bad and now there are new issues like loss of power when accelerating. This car is starting to become a safety issue for me as I live in Washington State and the traffic here is very fast. I have almost been hit due to trying to pull out or merge and the car loses power or winds way out. I am a [XXX] who can't afford automotive bills. They will only give me $2700.00 as a trade in and I owe $12,000. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11677685July 31, 2025
FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM
To Whom It May ConcernI am writing regarding the fuel system recall on my 2015 Ford Focus (VIN: [XXX] ), specifically related to Recall Number 18S32 / NHTSA Campaign Number 18V735000, which involves the canister purge valve, a required PCM software update, and inspection of the gas tank. This recall was started at a Ford dealership in Two Harbors Minnesota which I paid cash in December 2022. The problem consisted with many inconveniences in side of the road break downs. I had the recall serviced again in 2024 in Blythe CA at Ford where the purge valve was supposedly replaced, but the software update was never completed by that Ford because they claimed that the update was done in Parker AZ around 2022. The gas tank was not inspected for damage. My car is stalling in the middle of driving leaving me in grave danger since this happens on the freeway in Las Vegas, in the middle of nowhere in the desert and has done so in below zero degree in Minnesota all while I have my two small children in the car with me. This jeopardizes myself and children’s lives by stranding us in unknown places and weather elements that are harass or stalling on freeway not allowing me enough warning to get to the side of the road which could cause someone to hit my car from behind at a high rate. The full recall has not been performed. I bought this faulty car in Parker AZ which it should have never been sold with this problem jeapordizong my family’s life. The fuel tank has never been inspected either. Recent: The car keeps dying in traffic in Las Vegas traffic. I paid to have it towed to a dealership which is harassing me and not fixing the car with excuse after excuse such as the car isn’t under recall and the battery terminal needs to be cleaned. Their excuses are petty when it comes to my vehicle, continuously stalling in the middle of traffic in Las Vegas on a busy freeway due to your recall that has not been completed. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11677237July 30, 2025
AIR BAGS, SEAT BELTS
Restraint Module went bad and after I looked it up online this was a recall for my year make and model.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11677241July 30, 2025
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM, POWER TRAIN
While driving my car on July 25, it started jerking then it stopped reversing. My LCD dashboard stopped displaying several years ago. This affects my ability to see warning lights and my mileage.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11677293July 30, 2025
POWER TRAIN
The transmission is slipping. Research shows it's a known issue. Ford has acknowledged the issue and extended support. My local ford dealership is refusing to fix the issue even though I fall within the extended service mileage. I called 2 transmission shops who refused to work on this specific model due to the dual clutch design and known problems. Attached is a letter I am disseminating requesting proper assistance with this issue.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11677393July 30, 2025
POWER TRAIN
Additional information related to a case I opened earlier today Vehicle: 2016 Ford Focus SE Component: PowerTrain – Transmission My 2016 Ford Focus has experienced three failed clutch packs with the Ford DPS6 PowerShift transmission. The first clutch was replaced at ~22,000 miles, the second at ~27,500 miles, and it now requires a third replacement at 80,000 miles. This is a known and dangerous defect that was part of a class-action lawsuit. Despite multiple replacements and low mileage, Ford is requiring me to pay over $4,000 for a third repair. This transmission causes slipping, hesitation, and safety issues when pulling into traffic or hills. I am requesting that NHTSA re-investigate or expand the scope of past complaints on this vehicle to include continued post-settlement failures.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11677025July 29, 2025
SERVICE BRAKES, ENGINE, FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM
Ford oil pump tensioner belt failed
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11677067July 29, 2025
POWER TRAIN
The contact owns 2018 Ford Focus. The contact stated while driving at various speeds and depressing the accelerator pedal, the vehicle hesitated to respond. The message "Transmission Is Overheating" was displayed. Additionally, the contact stated that the vehicle had failed to reverse as intended. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, where it was diagnosed that the transmission had failed and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact related the failure NHTSA Campaign Number: 18V845000(Power Train); however, the VIN was not included in the recall. The manufacturer was notified of the failure, but the contact was informed through a voicemail message that no assistance would be provided. The failure mileage was 99,500.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11677113July 29, 2025
FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM
Went to refuel my car with gas. Got into my car and it didn’t start right away. When it finally did the check engine light came on. I took to go check it out and was told the fuel tank/canister purge valve was faulty. I tried contacting ford to see if under warranty and or recalled. But nothing has come out of it. My 2016 Ford Focus only has 67k miles on it
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11676686July 28, 2025
POWER TRAIN
The contact owns a 2015 Ford Focus. The contact stated that the vehicle shuddered or hesitated while idling. Additionally, the failure also occurred while driving at various speeds. The contact stated that the transmission intermittently failed to shift as designed, and the vehicle stalled while driving. The vehicle was occasionally coasted or pushed to the side of the road, and several attempts were made to restart the vehicle. However, the failure recurred while driving at various speeds or while the vehicle was idling. The failure had become more persistent. The contact stated that on another occasion, while driving approximately 50 - 55 MPH, the vehicle went into LIMP Mode. The vehicle was towed to the residence. The “Service Vehicle Soon” and an unknown warning were illuminated. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic who diagnosed the vehicle and determined that the TCM had failed, causing the transmission to overheat, reaching over 1,000 degrees, causing damage to the shifting forks. The wiring harness was burned due to the failure. The mechanic stated that the PCM had caused damage to the forward gears. The vehicle was repaired; however, the failure persisted. The dealer was contacted and confirmed that the VIN was not under recall. The dealer referred the contact to the manufacturer for assistance. The manufacturer was informed of the failure and confirmed that the VIN was not under recall or covered under warranty. The manufacturer opened a case and referred the contact to the NHTSA Hotline to report the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 90,000.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11676698July 28, 2025
ENGINE, FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM, POWER TRAIN
Catastrophic engine failure, engine died and was unable to shift into gear My 16 year old daughter was driving on a busy highway when the engine died, causing her to stop completely on a 55 MPH road. She was unable to get the car into a gear to have it pushed to the side of the road and had to sit in the car with traffic flying by her until we could get a tow truck (approximately 30 minutes). She was unable to get out due to the traffic being so heavy. The vehicle had a limited warranty left on it, and it was towed to a facility where they diagnosed with blown head gasket and/or cracked cylinder head. It was towed to a dealership where it was discovered the car had an active recall that caused the engine failure. There was no warning signs previously.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11676720July 28, 2025
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING
The contact owns a 2017 Ford Focus. The contact stated while driving 55 MPH in traffic, the brake pedal was depressed; however, the brake pedal was firm. There was no warning light illuminated; however, an engine message was displayed on the instrument panel. The vehicle was taken to the dealer and was diagnosed and determined that the oil pump drive belt had fractured and there were debris inside the engine, causing engine failure. The vehicle was repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and referred the contact to the NHSTA Hotline for assistance. The contact related the failure to NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V905000 (ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING); however, the VIN was not included. The failure mileage was 55,784.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0

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