Ford Focus Complaints

22,326 consumer complaints on file.

#11673922July 16, 2025
POWER TRAIN
My battery died in my car. I replaced the battery with a brand new battery and then I noticed transmission issues that were not present 1 day prior. My check engine light came on as well as a “transmission fault warning” message. My car would not drive over 10 mph in drive. My car would shift into reverse, but would not drive at all. Car would not shift into S gear. Dealer told me it was the TCM. And that I just missed the TCM warrant by 3 days. They replaced the TCM and now they’re telling me there are deeper issues with the transmission.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11674011July 16, 2025
POWER TRAIN
The contact owns a 2012 Ford Focus. The contact stated that while driving 35 MPH, the vehicle jerked and the transmission unexpectedly downshifted. The contact was able to pull over to the side of the road. The message "Transmission Overheating" was displayed, and the check engine warning light illuminated. The contact turned off the vehicle and waited until the transmission had cooled down. The contact was able to restart the vehicle. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, where it was diagnosed that the transmission had failed and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and referred the contact to the NHTSA Hotline for assistance. The approximate failure mileage was 195,000.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11674067July 16, 2025
POWER TRAIN
The contact owns a 2014 Ford Focus. The contact stated that while making a turn from a complete stop at an intersection, the vehicle stalled. There was no warning light illuminated. The contact was able to pull over to the side of the road; however, the vehicle failed to restart and remained on the side of the road. The contact stated that the vehicle was previously repaired under NHTSA Campaign Number: 13V523000 (Power Train); which the contact related to the failure. The dealer was not contacted. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and referred the contact to the NHTSA Hotline for assistance. The failure mileage was approximately 100,800.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11673707July 15, 2025
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING
The contact's daughter owns a 2018 Ford Focus. The contact’s daughter received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V905000 (Engine and Engine Cooling); however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. Additionally, the contact's daughter was fearful of driving the vehicle with the open recall. The contact stated that previously the vehicle experienced engine failure and the failure had occurred without warning. The contact stated that his daughter was traumatized and afraid of the failure reoccurring while driving. The manufacturer was made aware of the issue. The failure mileage was unavailable. VIN tool confirms parts not available.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11673282July 14, 2025
POWER TRAIN
Driving and all of a sudden the engine light comes on while sitting at the light. Went to accelerate and it was like I was driving a stick shift and then it was a big jerk. The car has never done this. Pulled over in a parking lot and then was not able to reverse my car.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11673492July 14, 2025
POWER TRAIN
I am reporting a recurring safety issue with the DPS6 dual-clutch automatic transmission in my 2012 Ford Focus (VIN: [XXX] ). The vehicle intermittently fails to shift beyond 3rd gear while in motion, resulting in loss of acceleration and inability to maintain safe highway speeds. The most recent incident occurred in July 2025 while my son was driving. The car would not upshift past 3rd gear, forcing him to pull off the road. We took the vehicle to a Ford dealership, which ran diagnostics and ultimately identified diagnostic trouble code P2832: “Shift Fork B Position Sensor Circuit Low.” This error points to failure of the clutch actuator assembly, a key component of the DPS6 system. The dealership linked the issue to internal transmission component failure but stated the original warranty repair had already been used and no coverage was currently open. Ford Customer Relationship Center advised us to have the dealer submit through the Specialty Recall Program and to file a safety complaint with NHTSA. This failure is consistent with the issues outlined in Technical Service Bulletin (TSB) 16-0109, which addresses shuddering, hesitation, and shifting failure in Ford’s DPS6 transmission due to actuator and clutch contamination. The vehicle previously underwent warranty repair for transmission issues, and this is a repeat failure tied to the same known defect. This defect affects drivability and safety, especially for younger or less experienced drivers. Ford has acknowledged the defect in class action settlements and internal bulletins, but is denying coverage in this case. I am requesting NHTSA investigate this ongoing pattern of failure and pressure Ford to address these safety risks before they result in serious injury. 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
#11673117July 13, 2025
STEERING
I was waiting to pull out of the parking lot after work making a left turn. When it was clear I accelerated but the car felt like it didn't want to turn, it just went straight, the wheel felt like it had locked up, it was super stiff. I almost hit parked cars and almost was hit by the oncoming traffic. I was able to stop before hitting the parked cars, put my emergency lights on, put the car in reverse and had to go incredible hulk mode on the steering wheel to turn it any kind of amount.. I managed to steer the car towards the curb and park. I was stuck on the side of the road for a bit looking up what it could be and I found that it was most likely the electronic power steering system going out. I also found that there was a recall on the 2018 Ford Focus already for that same issue NHTSA#15S18/15V340. I took it to the dealer and explained what happened, they looked at it and said it is the power steering and needs to be replaced but that it's not showing up as under recall for my VIN. I called Ford but they say my VIN is not effected as well. I don't understand how since the description in the recall is exactly what happened to me and the dealer is saying that is also the problem. The car is a 2018 and has 22k miles on it, used just for work commutes. It should not be having these issues. I have 3 payments left on this car and they now want $5k plus for repairs..
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11673223July 13, 2025
POWER TRAIN
Most recently, my transmission stopped working leaving my [XXX] daughter and I stranded at an airport, in congested traffic, right around a bend where traffic was exiting in Phoenix, Arizona. It was 111 degrees outside and we had to be towed by the airport contracted tow company to a little area where we could only stay for 20 minutes. They were originally going to tow us to the top of the parking garage, where the sun blazes down, but decided since I had my daughter with me that they would take us to a shaded area. I’m a [XXX], her father [XXX] and hasn’t been any help her entire life. I don’t have any family besides my sister which lives in California. I couldn’t afford a tow truck back to Kingman, AZ which is a which is a 3 1/2 hour drive. My car ended up starting and I was able to park in the parking garage so we got her flight moved back a couple of hours. Again, I was able to get the car started and it drove fine until it cut out about two hours from Phoenix in Wikieup Arizona where I stayed for 12 hours in my vehicle waiting for somebody to come and pick me up with a tow dolly. Now it’s at Anderson Ford in Kingman with an $8000 bill for a new transmission. This transmission issue is a known issue with many of the Ford focuses and I think that Ford needs to fix it and or give me a new vehicle because I’ve already had two new engines put in and I’m waiting on the third engine for the oil pump failure the first time the oil pump went out again. The first time the engine failed at 47,000 miles just outside of Wikiup Arizona, it was hot outside, I had two young girls with me and we were driving 65 mph up a hill in the car just lost power and we were stuck on the side of the road with no tow trucks even available for over 4 hours to come and help us. It was a mess. I included the repair invoices from both times the engine was replaced and then verbal communication between the dealership and I about the current transmission issue INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 55
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11673040July 12, 2025
FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM, VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL
I’m pretty sure the tcm went out because the check engine light is on and it is shuddering and losing power randomly. Also will not go into reverse unless I shut car off.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11672878July 11, 2025
POWER TRAIN
The contact owns a 2015 Ford Focus. The contact stated while driving approximately 65 MPH, the vehicle started shuddering and vibrating and decelerated unintendedly. The contact stated that the transmission failed to properly shift and failed to reverse. During the failure, the messages "Transmission Overheating" and "Transmission Fault" were displayed. The cause of the failure was not yet determined. The manufacturer and local dealer was notified of the failure, but no assistance was offered. The contact was informed that the VIN was not included in the NHTSA Campaign Number: 18V169000 (POWER TRAIN). The contact indicated that the vehicle had experienced the failure listed in the recall. The failure mileage was 143,000.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11672929July 11, 2025
POWER TRAIN
The contact owns a 2014 Ford Focus. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the "Transmission Malfunction" message was displayed, and the contact continued driving to the destination. Additionally, the message "Transmission Overheating – Pull Over Now", displayed and the contact stopped driving the vehicle. The check engine warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, who diagnosed a failure with the transmission control module. The vehicle was repaired. After investigating the failure, the contact related the failure to Customer Satisfaction Program: 14M02. The manufacturer was notified of the failure, a case was opened, and the contact was referred to the NHTSA Hotline for assistance. The failure mileage was 103,000.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11672535July 10, 2025
POWER TRAIN, ENGINE
The contact owns a 2015 Ford Focus. The contact stated that the check engine warning light was illuminated, and while driving at various speeds, the vehicle failed to accelerate as intended. The contact had to continually depress the accelerator pedal to continue driving. The failure also occurred while the vehicle was idling. The vehicle was included in a recall related to the failure and the vehicle was taken to the dealer and repaired under the recall; however, the failure recurred 6 months later. The vehicle was taken to the dealer however, without a warning light being illuminated the vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The contact stated that stalling failure persisted, and the check engine warning light illuminated. The contact stated that the vehicle failed to shift into reverse and was returned to the dealer and was diagnosed with PCM and transmission failure. The dealer related the failure to the previous recall; however, the recall had since expired. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was informed of the failure and confirmed that the vehicle was not covered under recall. The manufacturer referred the contact to the NHTSA Hotline to report the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 125,000. The VIN was not available.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11672597July 10, 2025
POWER TRAIN
Transmission Control Module stopped working. The car is significantly below amount of miles when the TCM should stop working.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11672626July 10, 2025
ENGINE
The car keeps stalling and losing power while driving. There is no warning sign. Can cause accident if this keeps happening.Is not the first time.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11672173July 9, 2025
POWER TRAIN, ENGINE
The contact owns a 2014 Ford Focus. The contact stated that the message "Transmission Overheating" was display while driving at various speeds. The contact stated that the check engine warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was taken to a Certified Mechanic who diagnosed the vehicle with transmission control module failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was informed of a possible recall but confirmed that the VIN was not under recall. The manufacturer 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
#11672200July 9, 2025
POWER TRAIN, ENGINE
The contact owns a 2012 Ford Focus. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the transmission unexpectedly downshifted with the check engine warning light illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, where it was diagnosed and determined that the TCM, purge valve, and clutch assembly had failed and needed to be replaced. The TCM and purge valve were repaired under warranty. The clutch assembly was not repaired or replaced. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and referred the contact to the NHTSA hotline for further assistance. The approximate failure mileage was 128,000.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11672268July 9, 2025
UNKNOWN OR OTHER
Engine light is on for no reason and when the rpm’s spike and stutter when accelerating
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11672370July 9, 2025
POWER TRAIN
The contact owns a 2018 Ford Focus. The contact stated that while driving 65 MPH, the transmission unexpectedly downshifted to a lower gear and the vehicle jerked abnormally. The transmission warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was able to restart. The vehicle was taken to the dealer but was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 93,000.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11671606July 7, 2025
POWER TRAIN
The contact called on behalf of the owner of a 2017 Ford Focus. The contact stated that while his friend was driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle jerked and unexpectedly downshifted. The contact stated that the check engine warning light was illuminated. The owner of the vehicle pulled over to the side of the road. The vehicle returned to normal functionality, but the failure became a regular occurrence. The vehicle was taken to the dealer where it was diagnosed with transmission failure. The contact was informed that the transmission needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact stated that the failure persisted. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and referred the contact to the NHSTA Hotline for assistance. The approximate failure mileage was 91,000.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11671609July 7, 2025
POWER TRAIN
We have a 2017 Ford Focus Hatchback with a 2.0L engine and a Powershift transmission. We are the original owners and the vehicle only has 56,000 miles. The vehicle, when accelerating and shifting from 1st gear to second gear, is slipping, yielding a loss of torque in an unpredicted fashion. My daughter has nearly been rearended several times. The slip and reengagement is only in this shifting pattern (i.e. not evident in higher gears nor at higher speeds). Ford service acknowledges that there is a problem but is not warrantying the service do to the age of the vehicle. My contention that unintended acceleration is a safety issue and I would like NHTSA to investigate this very serious issue, on such a low mileage vehicle. I worry about the safety of my daughter and other vehicles.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0

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