Ford Focus Complaints (2014)

2,661 consumer complaints on file.

#11668452June 22, 2025
FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM, UNKNOWN OR OTHER
My car smells like it’s leaking gas and when I took a flash light n went under the car it shows the tank and the hose connected to the tank has signs of it being wet but when the car is running it smells a lot worse and constantly is shaking, shuddering and causing my transmission to malfunction and I’ve read online that there was a re call # 14S20 But i can’t find it on this website
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11667830June 18, 2025
POWER TRAIN, VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL
On June 10th 2025 the engine light came on in my 2014 Ford Focus and I lost transmission function. The car was slipping out of gear, completely losing power and speed between first & second gear and third & fourth gear. I pulled into traffic before realizing the issue and almost got hit by two oncoming vehicles - one locked up their brakes to avoid hitting me, the other swerved into another lane which thankfully was empty. Slowing down was difficult, it was very hard to stop and I lost reverse gear. The overall driving experience was very rough and jerky. Driving 3 miles home I almost got rear ended two times due to loss of power between first & second gear. Driving 6 miles to the Ford dealership I almost got rear ended 1 time & 1 time I could not completely stop until I was halfway into a busy intersection. I had no ability to backup and traffic was completely blocked in one direction until I was able to safely cross the other 3 lanes of the intersection on a red light!! Prior to this incident & since I bought the car with 12,000 miles in 2020, it ALWAYS had rough transitions between gears & sputtering/brief loss of power when accelerating from stopped. I formerly had a 2013 Ford Focus which had these same issues so I figured that’s just how these cars drive with the Powershift dual clutch transmission. I had no idea that I should have been extremely concerned about the hard shifts & sputtering. I never received a single Customer Satisfaction Program letter from Ford about the clutch, leaking seals, or TCM warranty extensions and issues. If I had I would have brought my car in for service a long time ago. I am disappointed & dismayed that a recall has not been forced by the NHTSA. Ford has gotten away with putting unsafe vehicles on the road with little to no accountability. I, and dozens of others, could have been killed or severely injured while I was on the road in this unsafe car.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11667352June 17, 2025
ENGINE, POWER TRAIN
The contact owns a 2014 Ford Focus. While the contact’s daughter was driving approximately 30 MPH, the lost motive power and started to decelerate unintendedly. The driver coasted to the side of the road; however, while attempting to turn around to return home, the vehicle failed to reverse as intended. The driver drove the longer route back to the residence because the vehicle failed to shift into reverse. The check engine warning light was illuminated but was off the following morning. The vehicle was not taken to the dealer to be diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not informed of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 86,000.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11666839June 13, 2025
POWER TRAIN
Jerking or shuddering when shifting gears Delayed or harsh gear changes The check engine light is on Trouble accelerating or decelerating The car stalls or has trouble starting
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11665914June 9, 2025
POWER TRAIN
The contact owns a 2014 Ford Focus. The contact stated that while driving 30 MPH, the vehicle hesitated and lost motive power. The contact stated that the vehicle failed to accelerate or exceed 30 MPH. The message "Transmission Overheating" was displayed. The check engine warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was not taken to the dealer or an independent mechanic. The vehicle was not repaired. After investigating the failure, the contact related the failure to NHTSA Campaign Number: 13V523000 (Power Train); the VIN was included but was already repaired under the recall. 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 75,000.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11665588June 8, 2025
ENGINE, UNKNOWN OR OTHER, POWER TRAIN
The clutch keeps giving out. It’s been fixed 2 times and I have the same issue. It takes a bit in order for the car to generate power to go forward & it shutters when it moves froward when pushing on the gas. It can sometimes move forward a bit when placed in reverse and same thing when I shift to move forward from a parking mode it will go backwards a bit forward a few seconds then moves forward. It also shutters a lot more after I been driving longer distances. It’s a scary feeling when it shutters really bad, makes it feel like the car is going to power off.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11665276June 6, 2025
POWER TRAIN
The contact owns a 2014 Ford Focus. The contact stated while her daughter was driving 30 MPH, the vehicle started to stall with the message "Transmission Hot - Wait 5 Minutes" displayed on the instrument panel. The contact pulled over and allowed the vehicle to cool down; however, the vehicle failed to resume normal operation. The contact stated that despite the message being repeatedly displayed on the instrument panel, the contact's daughter was able to coast the vehicle back to the residence. The following day the vehicle was towed to a dealer where the clutch assembly was replaced. The vehicle was repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and a case was filed. The manufacturer also referred the contact to the NHTSA Hotline to report the failure. The failure mileage was 124,624.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11664481June 3, 2025
POWER TRAIN
Car shakes and shutters while shifting between gears, no other warning system came on to let me know about the transmission issues prior to this day.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11663744May 29, 2025
FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE
The contact owns a 2014 Ford Focus. The contact stated while driving 60 MPH, the vehicle started sputtering and then stalled. The contact pulled over to the side of the road and restarted the vehicle; however, the failure reoccurred a short while later. The contact stated that gasoline was added to the fuel tank allowing the vehicle to be driven to the residence. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic where it was diagnosed and determined that the canister purge valve, fuel tank ,and fuel pump module needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 80,074.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11662010May 19, 2025
POWER TRAIN
I am submitting this complaint because Ford Motor Company is refusing to honor its Customer Satisfaction Program 14M02, which extends warranty coverage on the Transmission Control Module (TCM) for certain 2012–2016 Ford Focus vehicles. The 14M02 program extends TCM coverage to 10 years or 150,000 miles from the original warranty start date, and according to updates from Ford, offers a on updates from Ford, offers a one-time repair for TCM failure through June 30, 2025, regardless of mileage or vehicle age. My vehicle experienced issues delayed shifting, transmission failure, or loss of which I have been told is caused by the faulty TCM covered under this program. However, both Ford and the dealership have refused the repair, claiming the program does not apply—despite my vehicle falling within the described criteria. I have found the official 14M02 program bulletin online (e.g., via TSBSearch.com) and spoken to other owners who have successfully received the repair. I believe Ford is failing to uphold its Please investigate Ford’s refusal to honor the TCM extended warranty under Program 14M02 and help ensure affected owners receive the repairs they were promised, especially prior to the June 30, 2025 deadline public warranty commitments, potentially putting drivers at risk due to sudden transmission failure. The company’s inconsistent handling of these repairs raises serious concerns about fairness, accountability, and public safety. Ford has failed to properly diagnose the issue and misled me regarding the coverage of the TCM under the 14M02 warranty. Despite having paid for diagnostics and extensive repairs, my vehicle continues to have the same problems, which should be covered by the 14M02 warranty, and Ford refuses to address the underlying TCM issue. This not only causes significant financial hardship but also leaves me with an unsafe and unreliable vehicle.
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
#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
#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
#11658562May 2, 2025
UNKNOWN OR OTHER
I originally purchased this car in June of 2022. Less than a week after I purchased it, the issues started. My check engine light came on and my vehicle revved high, but did not accelerate. When it did this, it made a mechanical humming/grinding noise. It did this for a few short trips, then the issue seemingly resolved itself...the check engine light never turned off. I got the following codes from my reader: P0420, P2782, and P07A3. This vehicle had multiple recalls regarding the TCM malfunctioning. I tried multiple times to have Ford do the repairs as stated in the recalls. They have refused every single time. I was told that the warranty did not apply to my vehicle, then that the parts were on a major backorder, and that I should leave my car with them for an undisclosed period of time. This is not feasible, as I have 2 jobs and a child. Within the last few months, my transmission has started doing the same thing as well as overheating. I am going through coolant much faster than I should. As the issue gets worse, Ford has been of no assistance. Despite my efforts to have the recall work done as legally required, I have been turned away and am now past the 10 year/150k mile replacement warranty. I had brought it in before it ever reached that point. I am terrified to take my child to school or make it to work. My vehicle stalled on the interstate last night and I almost lost my life. There isn't really a trigger, as it acts up like this at random. Some days I drive it with no issues at all. Others, it takes me nearly an hour to get home on an otherwise 18 minute commute.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11657906April 30, 2025
ENGINE, POWER TRAIN, FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:STORAGE:EVAPORATIVE EMISSIONS:CANISTER
The contact owns a 2014 Ford Focus. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle shuddered abnormally. The check engine warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was taken to a dealer where it was diagnosed that the transmission control module and canister purge valve needed to be replaced. 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 131,595.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11656908April 25, 2025
POWER TRAIN
Transmission unexpected stalling and acceleration while driving. Yes Ford dealer located on 9371 Roosevelt blvd Phila PA 19114 they refused to fix the issues stating that the TCM 14302 warranty expired although it has been extended to June 30Th 2025.as well an an independent dealer who has fixed the clutch and transmission but I am still having transmission issues and warning lamp “service transmission now” and vehicle is still experiencing sudden stalling shuddering and is unsafe to drive. I purchased the vehicle Feb 2024 I started experiencing issues the end of December 2024 I took my vehicle to Ford Jan 9th and Fixed the Vehicle through and independent shop on 04/14/2025 and after replacing clutch and transmission I am still experiencing transmission issues.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11655156April 17, 2025
POWER TRAIN
The contact owns a 2014 Ford Focus. The contact stated that while driving on several occasions at various speeds, the transmission shifted hard and hesitated while accelerating. The vehicle was taken to a dealer on three occasions, where it was diagnosed that the transmission had failed and needed to be repaired. The vehicle was repaired twice however, the failure returned three years later. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 35,000.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11654969April 16, 2025
ENGINE, POWER TRAIN
Dual transmission clause stooped working properly in the road ....I was in the uphill ride so the car behind me had some problems due to me slowing down abruptly in the road.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11654814April 15, 2025
ENGINE, UNKNOWN OR OTHER, VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL
Unknown, The car refused to turn on one day and then started up again once I popped the hood. The car refused to go into reverse, I tried some reboot steps and the car started driving like normal, drove the car all the way from NV to NV, husbands new military station, took the car to the ford dealership and they assessed it was the tcm and that the car would be fine to drive again but they recommend another part for up keep, as soon as they replaced the clutch aculators the car started to have more issues than before letting me know it's worse than they thought something about the engine going out and they mentioned its why ford discontinued the dual clutch engine bc it was failing.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11654487April 14, 2025
POWER TRAIN
The contact owns a 2014 Ford Focus. The contact stated that while her sister was driving 30 MPH and attempting to depress the brake pedal, the vehicle failed to respond as needed. The contact stated that when her sister attempted to reverse, the accelerator pedal was depressed, and the vehicle failed to respond as needed. 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 contact stated that a software update was performed on the rearview camera. The manufacturer was notified of the failure, and informed the contact that her sister’s vehicle was not under recall. The contact related to the failure of the Customer Satisfaction Program: 14M02 -(Focus Vehicles Equipped with a DPS6 Automatic Transmission Control Module Extended Warranty Coverage); however, the VIN was not included in the customer satisfaction program. The contact was referred to the NHTSA Hotline for assistance. The failure mileage was 143,000.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0

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