Ford Focus Complaints

22,326 consumer complaints on file.

#11661427May 16, 2025
POWER TRAIN
The contact owns a 2017 Ford Focus. The contact stated that while operating the vehicle, the check engine warning light remained illuminated, and the vehicle would not operate while shifted into reverse. Additionally, the vehicle jerked while driving and attempting to accelerate from a standing start. The vehicle was taken to a local mechanic who diagnosed the vehicle and determined that the transmission was faulty and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not yet repaired. The manufacturer and local dealer were notified of the failure, but no assistance was offered. The failure mileage was 151,000.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11661459May 16, 2025
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION:INTERNAL:CLUTCHES/BANDS, POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION:CONTROL MODULE (TCM/PCM/TECM)
The contact owns a 2018 Ford Focus. The contact stated that while driving at undisclosed speeds and then attempting to park the vehicle, the check engine warning light illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer where it was diagnosed and DTC: P087B and P287A were retrieved, indicating a failure with the transmission clutch, and specifically the B-clutch and indicating a failure with the transmission control module (TCM) communication bus. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not contacted. The failure mileage was approximately 47,892.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11661478May 16, 2025
POWER TRAIN
The contact owns a 2013 Ford Focus. The contact stated that occasionally upon starting up the vehicle, the transmission was difficult to shift into gear. The contact stated that while attempting to reverse, the vehicle failed to respond. The contact shifted into neutral and was able to push the vehicle because the reverse(R) was inoperable. The contact stated that the check engine warning light illuminated and remained illuminated. The vehicle was taken to a local dealer where it was diagnosed, and the contact was informed that the transmission was faulty and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 130,000.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11661132May 15, 2025
STEERING
The contact owns a 2015 Ford Focus. The contact stated that while attempting to turn the steering wheel, the steering wheel was sticking and jerked abnormally, making it more difficult to maneuver the vehicle. The contact experienced resistance while turning the steering wheel to the left or the right. The contact stated that there was a rubbing, grinding, and scratching sound coming from the steering wheel. The contact stated that the jerking had gotten progressively worse and occurred while accelerating from being idle. The vehicle was taken to the dealer who diagnosed that the steering gear and rack and pinion had failed. The contact became aware of NHTSA Campaign Number: 14V514000 (Steering); that was related to the 2014 model vehicles. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and opened a case. The manufacturer referred the contact to the NHTSA Hotline to report the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 87,000.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11661152May 15, 2025
UNKNOWN OR OTHER
Power train or speed control. The transmission acts up and it’s a common problem in this model and it’s almost caused an accident and I haven’t had a reliable source of transportation since this issue arose.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11661224May 15, 2025
POWER TRAIN
The contact owns a 2015 Ford Focus. The contact stated that while operating the vehicle, the vehicle was jerking and hesitated while attempting to accelerate. Additionally, the message "Transmission Fault" was displayed. The cause of the failure was not yet determined. The local dealer and manufacturer were notified of the failure, but no assistance was offered. The contact stated that the vehicle was previously serviced under a Manufacturer’s recall related to the transmission. The failure mileage was 90,050.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11661272May 15, 2025
POWER TRAIN
On [XXX], we reported the vehicle to a local dealership that it was running rough, with hesitation at acceleration, then a sudden surge of speed; stalls at low speeds/while idling at stop lights; and unexpected increases in RPMs when driving a constant speed. This left my son feeling very unsafe and at risk for accidents. We took the vehicle to the dealership for inspection, suggesting it may be the Transmission Control Module causing issue (for which we've received two notifications about the warranty recall). The dealership said that there was no issue with the TCM and refused to perform the repair. (The dealership said that any repair could not be covered because there was no error code related to the TCM, even though the symptoms were as described in the warranty recall letter.) The dealership instead replaced the canister purge valve. On [XXX], approximately 2.5 weeks later, my [XXX] son was driving this vehicle when he got a transmission warning light indicating an urgent repair. He barely got the car home (at midnight) and was unable to put it in reverse to park. We took the car to the dealership for further inspection. The dealership said that the entire clutch assembly needed to be replaced, for $4100. Based on our research on past class action suits and recalls, it seems like the deterioration of the clutch assembly may be directly related to the TCM issues. However, the dealership has said that... > There's no error code related to the TCM so they can't say whether it is related > Without an error code, the TCM itself can't be replaced, nor can they associate the needed repairs to the TCM > Clutch repair was covered but only to 10 years (this vehicle is low mileage, but 11 years old). Consequently, we are expected to bear the burden of the entire $4100 cost ourselves for a known issue that resulted in thousands of recalls and repairs. Furthermore, this issue should've been caught much earlier given the information we've provided. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11660996May 14, 2025
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION:INTERNAL:CLUTCHES/BANDS
The contact owns a 2015 Ford Focus. The contact stated while driving from a complete stop, the vehicle made an abnormal grinding sound and hesitated to respond. There was no warning light illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, where the transmission clutch was replaced several times under an extended warranty; however, the failure persisted. The dealer was notified of the failure and informed the contact that a fee would be charged for a diagnostic test and repair. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and referred the contact to the NHTSA Hotline to report the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 50,000.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11660853May 14, 2025
UNKNOWN OR OTHER
Was at a red light and the clutch wouldn’t work. I had to pull the clutch up with my foot. I was so afraid someone was going to hit me. Then when you drive the car sometimes the clutch sticks and you can’t put into gear. I looked on the internet to see if other people were having the same problem. There were so many people who had the problem. I called Ford Dealer up to see if a recall . The mechanic said no they haven’t had the problem. I told him to look it up cause there was all kinds of people with the problem. I called Ford up to do a complaint. At that time was told no recalls to have anything fixed on the car. I took it to my mechanic and it was what the internet people had said the problem is. plastic actuator arm to the back of the pedal is made of PLASTIC and is breaking clean off!! My car is in the shop getting fixed. I can send the bill when I pick my vehicle up. Was told anywhere from 850 to 1000.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11660701May 13, 2025
POWER TRAIN
While driving my 2017 Ford Focus SE (automatic), the vehicle began experiencing severe transmission problems including hesitation, shuddering during acceleration, jerking between shifts, and eventually a complete failure to engage any gear. The car became inoperable in traffic, posing a serious safety risk to me and others. There were no warning lights or messages prior to the failure. I took the vehicle to a certified Ford dealership, and after performing a diagnostic inspection, they confirmed the transmission had failed and needs to be completely replaced. The symptoms are consistent with widespread issues linked to the DPS6 PowerShift dual-clutch transmission used in Ford Focus models from 2012 to 2018. Ford is aware of these defects, as documented in multiple Technical Service Bulletins (including TSBs 16-0109, 17-0044, and 18-2358), and several class action lawsuits. Despite this being a known and well-documented defect, Ford has refused to provide any assistance or coverage for the repair, citing the expiration of the basic warranty. I believe this is a manufacturing defect that should be covered regardless of mileage due to the nature and safety risk of the failure. The transmission issue has been diagnosed and confirmed by a Ford dealership and the vehicle is available for inspection upon request. I am filing this report because I believe this issue continues to put drivers at risk and warrants further investigation and action by NHTSA.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11660108May 10, 2025
ENGINE
Was driving the car and it just stalled in the middle of the road and wouldn't start
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11660048May 9, 2025
POWER TRAIN
The contact owns a 2017 Ford Focus. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle inadvertently lost motive power. The contact was able to pull to the shoulder of the roadway, where the vehicle was able to restart after cooling down. The transmission overheating warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, who diagnosed a failure with the transmission. The contact was informed that the transmission needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. After investigating the failure, the contact related the failure to NHTSA Campaign Number: 18V845000 (Power Train); but was informed that the VIN was not included in the recall. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 86,000. The VIN was not available.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11659707May 8, 2025
ENGINE
Clutch needs to be replaced at 77,000 miles. This is a related issue with Ford Focus vehicles’ transmission. I was never told that the transmissions were an issue when I purchased this vehicle. I took it to ford and they said it’s wear and tear instead of addressing the issue that the transmission is bad. They wanted $4000 for repairs. I paid $17k cash for this car. The car does not switch gears and makes grinding noises when driving or coming to a stop.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11659719May 8, 2025
POWER TRAIN
The contact owns a 2014 Ford Focus. The contact stated that the vehicle was shaking and shuddering while accelerating. The contact stated that there was a rattling sound coming from the vehicle while attempting to accelerate. There were no warning lights illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer who diagnosed that the clutch had failed and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired. The failure persisted and the vehicle was returned to the dealer who diagnosed the same failure. The clutch was replaced a total of three times. The failure was persistent. The contact was informed that the clutch needed to be replaced; however, the vehicle was not repaired due to the vehicle no longer being under warranty. The manufacturer was informed of the failure and opened a case. The manufacturer referred the contact to the NHTSA Hotline to report the failure. The failure mileage was 34,720.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11659768May 8, 2025
POWER TRAIN
The contact owns a 2015 Ford Focus. The contact stated that while driving at various speeds, the transmission malfunctioned, and was slipping and shifting erratically. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer who diagnosed that the transmission fork and transmission clutches were damaged and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure, but no assistance was offered. The contact stated that the vehicle was previously repaired under the NHTSA Campaign Number: 18V169000 (POWER TRAIN); and the vehicle had experienced the failure listed in the recall. The failure mileage was 45,000.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11659557May 7, 2025
ENGINE
My vehicle stop from running on a red light and it wouldn’t go forward or backwards
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11659250May 6, 2025
POWER TRAIN
The contact owns a 2012 Ford Focus. The contact stated that the message “Transmission Overheating – Pullover and Wait 5 Minutes Before Continuing to Drive” was displayed. The contact stated that the vehicle jerked while driving at various speeds, the transmission failed to shift properly. The contact stated that while attempting to accelerate from idling, the vehicle jerked abnormally before accelerating. The contact stated that occasionally the RPM became elevated; however, the vehicle failed to accelerate as intended. The vehicle was taken to the dealer who diagnosed that the Transmission Control Module (TCM) had failed and the dual-clutch system, A and B, was faulty and needed to be replaced. Additionally, the seals on the transmission had failed, causing transmission fluid to leak from the transmission. The contact was informed that the TCM, dual-clutch system, and seals need to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was informed of the failure and provided the contact with a reference number for the call. The manufacturer referred the contact to the NHTSA Hotline to report the failure. The failure mileage was unknown.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11659320May 6, 2025
POWER TRAIN
The contact owns a 2013 Ford Focus. The contact stated while driving on several occasions at various speeds, the transmission was slipping, and the vehicle lost motive power. There were no warning lights illuminated. The vehicle was taken to a dealer where it was diagnosed and determined that the clutch needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 180,000.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11659342May 6, 2025
STEERING
The contact owns a 2015 Ford Focus. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, the steering wheel failed to turn in the intended direction. Additionally, the contact stated that there was an abnormal sound while turning the steering wheel. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic where it was diagnosed with a failed rack and pinion. The contact was informed that the rack and pinion needed to be replaced. The dealer was made aware of the failure. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure but provided no assistance. The contact referenced an unknown recall; however, the VIN was not included in the recall. The failure mileage was approximately 140,000.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11659374May 6, 2025
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING
The contact owns a 2015 Ford Focus. The contact stated while driving 50 MPH, there was an abnormal knocking sound coming from the engine compartment before the vehicle lost motive power. The contact was able to coast to the shoulder of the roadway, where the vehicle failed to restart. The check engine warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic, who diagnosed a failure with the oil pump belt tensioner, resulting in damages to the engine. The contact was informed that the engine needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. After investigating the failure, the contact related the failure to NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V905000 (Engine and Engine Cooling), but the VIN was not included. 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 70,000.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0

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