8.9

pretty bad
Typical Repair Cost:
No data
Average Mileage:
49,850 miles
Total Complaints:
15 complaints

Most common solutions:

  1. not sure (8 reports)
  2. replace tcm (7 reports)
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This problem may be covered under warranty. Ask your Ford dealer.

problem #15

Jun 112015

Focus

  • Automatic transmission
  • 38,000 miles

The transmission modular fails to shift properly. The transmission lags and shifts roughly, often jerking and grinding in 1st and 2nd gear. This makes the car extremely dangerous, especially when taking off out into traffic. I have almost been hit multiple times because of the transmission failing to shift properly. Ford has offered no solution. Ford dealership also will not take responsibility. They have turned me away multiple types denying the issue. I have been stuck paying for this lemon every month for the past 5 yrs. Come to find out Ford has a long history ignoring safety issues and ignoring recalls when needed. They should be held reasonable under their strict product liability and reimburse owners. I would NEVER purchase another Ford in my life or recommend their shady company to anyone. Time for transparency Ford!

- Atlas S., Parish, NY, US

problem #14

Apr 162016

Focus

  • CVT transmission
  • 75,125 miles

This is a recall issue on the dual clutch transmission. It has been “reprogrammed” multiple times and it still f*cks up....now while waiting on this f*cking lawsuit to settle, I now own, rather making payments on a piece of sh#t car as an yard ornament and hasn’t been driven in over a year.

- Christian D., Logan, US

problem #13

Feb 042015

Focus SE 2.0L 4-cyl

  • Automatic transmission
  • 25,000 miles

This is the third time my transmission has failed. I took it to the dealer a week ago and it's still not fixed. The service representative is debating with her manager if they should take the entire transmission apart to fix the issue, or not. The rep assured me there is no need to do that and if they did, I would have to pay for it as it will not be covered under warranty. They will not provide me with a rental. The axle and catalytic converter also broke since I've had this car. I'm sick and tired of this. No one should have customer service screw them like this. Never buying a Ford again.

- joeschmoe014js, Charlotte, US

problem #12

Oct 062017

Focus SE

  • Automatic transmission
  • 75,000 miles

This 2013 Focus is a ticking time bomb. They are not safe to drive. My daughter drives a busy freeway to work, had this happened on that freeway she could have been seriously injured. I am livid!

The car just stopped accelerating while she was driving. She stops in the middle of the road, hazard lights on, the engine will rev up but she is going nowhere! She puts car in park, computer says it is still in drive!?

I get to her, we shift it to neutral and we are able to push off the road. Computer still says in drive by the way!! We replaced battery thinking it may help ($130.00) All that did was now... computer says it is in Neutral!?@? WTH?! It is in park!

At this point we try to start the car... nothing. Car will not do anything... says it is in neutral still

Bought this car in 2015... felt something was wrong from the beginning, complained of the rough jerking right away, was told... it is normal. It's the ford powershift or whatever they call it. It's junk! It's dangerous. The jerking has gotten worse. We have dealt with it. We knew there were recalls and hoping these cars would be bought back. No one should have to put up with getting repaired every time you are 'almost' in a horrible accident. Ford is waiting on someone to get killed? Would you want your car to stall in the middle of a freeway going 70mph? How about your child's car? This is so ridiculous.

Car is in shop now... they are saying it is most likely the tcm. I should hear today! but all they do is band aide it till next time. I want out of this junk!

- bixler, Chillicothe, US

problem #11

May 162016

Focus

  • CVT transmission
  • 77,000 miles

This Focus has a TERRIBLE transmission issue. It stalls, grinds, rolls back, and ultimately, STOPPED STARTING. The techs reprogrammed the transmission control module last year, and the problem persisted, but I was told it was "normal" and there wasn't anything they could do. Finally, the module completely failed, and my car would not start about 25% of the time. Ford customer care told me that the part was on back order until mid june and STAUNCHLY REFUSED to give me a rental car, even though the issue was ADMITTEDLY with a fault part, as apparent by the fact that they issued an "extended warranty" The TCM NEEDS to be recalled. It has caused me and my family to be put in an impossible situation, and others to be put in dangerous situations. The fact that there are so many complaints and Ford is still allowing people to drive these vehicles is ASTOUNDING. They refuse to take care of their customers when they made a mistake!

- Katie R., Fort Worth, TX, US

problem #10

Sep 252016

Focus Titanium 2.0L

  • Automatic transmission
  • 61,000 miles

I never knew Ford had transmission issues with the Focus. My 2013 Focus never had any issues until last Sunday, 9/25/2016. I was at Walmart and when I got in my car, it wouldn't make a sound. Then it finally started but wouldn't go in reverse or drive. Then a few minutes later I was able to drive it home. The transmission seems normal, however the engine light was on. Then the next day the engine light went out and the vehicle functioned well with no issue. Ford stated the computer probably reset and now it's working fine. Also my Ford Dealership told me this"if it's a transmission problem we're told not to take anymore vehicle with transmission issue until we remove our backlog" I never heard a dealership say anything like that before. I said what am I suppose to do, he said call another Ford dealership. I was upset about I mostly use this dealership because it's close to my home.

The vehicle has been functioning fine with no issue until tonight 10/1/2016. I heard a loud thump, then it jerked into gear, engine light came on but drove okay. I was at the red light and it turned green, the car wouldn't move, wouldn't go in reverse or drive. I had to put on my blinkers and ask people to go round me. I just sat there trying to figure out what's going on. Then a few minute later it went into gear but the engine light is on again.

Doing my research, this is a manual engine and the computer tells it to shift gears (thus functioning like a automatic engine). The shifter is just a cosmetic device, that makes you think you're actually putting the car in drive or reverse when it's basically the computer that tells the vehicle to go in reverse or go forward. So it seems, this computer malfunction isn't reading the car is started and it's not telling the vehicle to go forward or reverse. This is a very dangerous issue for me because I work downtown Atlanta and I have to travel on I-75 both ways. If this vehicle stalls on I-75 with speeds upward of 70 to 80 miles per hour I could be seriously injured or killed. I must get this fixed.

- Derrick W., Atlanta, GA, US

problem #9

Sep 222016

Focus

  • Automatic transmission
  • 71,000 miles

Second time transmission control module stopped working. This time long wait for new one.... still waiting18 days.

- Chris W., Mcdonough, GA, US

problem #8

Jul 142016

Focus

  • Automatic transmission
  • 35,000 miles

All of a sudden transmission would not shift out of low gear. Lucky was not on interstate.

- Chris W., Mcdonough, GA, US

problem #7

Oct 312015

Focus

  • Automatic transmission
  • 46,000 miles

So here it is, Halloween day, I have the vehicle that I had bought brand new, a two years beforehand, and I am getting ready to take my 4 year old nephew to Mickeys not so Scary, it's going to be his first time at Disney, and his first real "Halloween party" The car had already come back from the transmission shudder problem (that i was sworn to didn't exist until the recall came out) so I wasn't concerned about it. Get the kid in the car, get myself in the car, turn the key. NOTHING. Car doesn't try to turn over, car doesn't do anything. Good news, dad is a mechanic. After a few hours and literally renting a uhaul truck to take this kid to disney (they were massivly cheaper than a normal rental car or a taxi) dad calls me, something with the computer. Can't get an appointment at Don Reid Ford for several more days, naturally. We spend the next week hotwiring my car to start. Nice service lady said I probably shouldn't drive it, but guess what... I have to work if they want me to keep paying this junker off. Get it to Ford, first AM appointment. Tell them not to shut it off they won't get it back on. They shut it off. I being the kind and generous type of person who loves to be told problems with my car are in my head, let them try to start it and watch them mess under the hood (while the car is still in the way of other vehciles) before walking over and showing them what fuse you needed to pull and manually connect with a copper wire.

Waited two hours, got the "we would love for you to trade in your car" speech, waited another hour, finally handed a rental.

Four days later, car was given back to me, listing they replaced a second part in the transmission.

- emeris, orlando, FL, US

problem #6

Aug 262015

Focus SE 2.0L

  • Automatic transmission
  • 55,000 miles

When I initially called the women in service was wonderful. She explained that the TCM is likely the culprit, but they have been having ground wire issues as well. Set me up with an appointment the following Monday. Then I call because I really need a rental car. Can't have children and a job without a vehicle. No problem with that either. Once they are paying for a rental... I get a call from a man named Tim who informs me that if the reason my car won't start isn't the powertrain I will be paying the $72 for someone to look at it. Now this asshole knows full well these cars suck and of course he was very rude as I explained to him what the woman I talked to said. I can't stand Acrivelli Ford just throwing that out there.

- Heather L., Franklin, PA, US

problem #5

Aug 122014

Focus Titainium 4

  • Automatic transmission
  • 6,214 miles

We have had transmission issues with our 2013 Ford Focus since the beginning, I was almost killed along with my family last summer when the transmission failed to find a gear well passing. Now there is another issue for the control module that needs to be repaired. Ford has built an unsafe vehicle and we wanting out of the lease/loan immediately. We will drop the vehicle off at your location along with keys. We are not interested in another replacement vehicle from Ford.

- Ian M., Renfrew, ON, Canada

problem #4

Sep 042015

Focus SE

  • Automatic transmission
  • 61,000 miles

This car shut down on the highway and left me stranded....twice in two weeks!!

- Danielle D., Milton, ON, Canada

problem #3

Jul 072015

Focus SE 2.0L

  • Automatic transmission
  • 63,000 miles

This is the second time I had a problem with the transmission. First time was the clutch, replaced under extended warranty after waiting 3 months to get the part in. The car has been running worse since that fix. This time, the transmission overheated during rush hour and the car powered down. Had to tow it to the dealer and they said the TCM needs to be replaced. It is covered under extended warranty but it will take 7 days to receive the part. Top engine motor mounts were also found to be broken along with an 02 sensor.

Rental car was not authorized by the Ford dealer and I have no transportation. No reimbursement for the cost to tow or any out of pocket expenses due to the failure of their product. Ford did offer me $50 to test drive a new car so that solved all my problems.

This car has been unreliable and a total POS. The driver window motor burned out at 36,050 miles and it has been falling apart ever since. Ford has only managed to do the bare minimum and convinced me to never own another one of their products again.

- a-aron, Wesley Chapel, FL, US

problem #2

Jun 022015

Focus LES 4 cyl

  • Automatic transmission
  • 39,000 miles

I have leased cars through Ford Motor Co. for 17 years. The past two cars I have leased- a 2011 Fusion and a 2013 Focus have had problems that were not just an inconvenience but downright dangerous.

The Fusion had a brake issue that I was told by the mechanic at the local Dealership was a "wheel problem" and because my lease would be up in a couple of months not to worry about it. The brakes were wearing and making a terrible noise and were on the verge of total failure. I should have listened to my intuition at that point and gone to another manufacturer but the saleswoman at the Dealership talked me into a 2013 Focus lease and I naively fell for it.

The Focus started showing signs of wacky transmission at around 12,000 miles. I noticed it would delay shifting into gear intermittently at first and gradually became worse. I mentioned it to the mechanic at the Dealership and was told it was a known problem and it was a simple "computer problem" that could be fixed quickly. He wouldn't schedule an appointment for it and shrugged it off saying it wasn't a safety issue.

Then, a friend of mine with the same year (2013) and model had an accident because the transmission kicked into high and he couldn't stop his car in time. Upon doing some research and simultaneously getting a letter from a lawyer saying my VIN number popped up as problematic I started to get really scared. I drove for a couple of more months until one morning on the way to work, the transmission completely gave. I was at a red light in the rain and when I stepped on the gas- nothing. I had to have it towed to the dealership whereupon they didn't even look at it until after 2 days because they were so busy with other car repairs. I had to have a screaming match with the service department to get a loaner car because I missed close to 2 days of work.

The dealership did fix the transmission (they had to order a part and have it delivered) finally but it still didn't fix the shifting problem. Needless to say I am done with Ford. I recently got into the "pull-ahead" program with Chevy and I leased a 2015 Trax for less $$, better mileage and hopefully no car troubles. Sad but after 17 years I can't risk leasing a Ford any more. Thank goodness I didn't buy it. It looks like a Detroit problem to me and I feel kind of sorry for the employees at that dealership but I'm relieved I no longer have to deal with it.

- kmarie, Buffalo, NY, US

problem #1

Jul 242014

Focus

  • Automatic transmission
  • 20,000 miles

I was driving my 2013 Ford Focus on an extremely busy highway on the leftmost lane. Traffic was going very slow at that particular moment, I slow down and the car just stalled. I tried to put it in Park it would not change gears. Needless to say I was extremely nervous as I was in a very dangerous place for a car to just stop. I was very lucky to have a policeman from another jurisdiction come to my rescue after spending quite a bit of time seeing cars and trucks come at me and thinking one of them would hit my car.

The policeman did stay behind me with lights until the state trooper pushed me off the highway. Car is being seen by a mechanic, so far the diagnosis is that the computer for the transmission stopped working.

- Sue D., Seekonk, MA, US