10.0
really awful- Crashes / Fires:
- 9 / 3
- Injuries / Deaths:
- 4 / 0
- Average Mileage:
- 58,823 miles
About These NHTSA Complaints:
The NHTSA is the US gov't agency tasked with vehicle safety. Complaints can be spread across multiple & redundant categories, & are not organized by problem. See the Back button — blue bar at the very top of the page — to explore more.
« Read the previous 20 complaints
Steering wheel wouldn't turn after starting up my 2012 Ford Focus SE. I turned the car off and back on again, and the steering wheel turned as it should. However, the next day it did it again. I immediately took it into the dealership and was informed the electronic rack and pinion needed to be replaced. This is apparently a very common issue (there are hundreds of complaints on the NHTSA website), yet no recall from Ford. Discouraging.
- Tomball, TX, USA
The contact owns a 2012 Ford Focus. While the contact was attempting to make a left turn, the vehicle seized. There were no warning indicators illuminated. The contact was able to shift into park, restart the vehicle, and drive to her destination. Later the same day, while driving up a hill, the vehicle began to hesitate. The contact associated the failure with NHTSA campaign number: 14V212000 (power train) and NHTSA campaign number: 14V614000 (electrical system). The vehicle was taken to Lexus of dayton (located at 1777 lyons rd, dayton, oh 45458, (937) 438-7455), but the failure could not be duplicated. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was notified. The failure mileage was 42,000.
- Centerville, OH, USA
The contact owns a 2012 Ford Focus. While driving 15 mph, the horn failed to sound. There were no warning indicators illuminated. The contact also stated that the key fob failed to work. The dealer and manufacturer were not notified. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The failure mileage was 99,500.
- Brea, CA, USA
My car wont start, radio, locks, lights all work. But upon turning key, wont start. No noises. Sometimes the remote start will work. If it does not start, it will keep trying to start it over and over without me even touching the remote again.it will start about 1 out of every 10 times.keep trying and sooner or later it starts. 2012 Ford Focus, might be ignition switch ?
- Niagara Falls, NY, USA
Loss of power steering on public road. Power steering assist failure
- West Monroe, LA, USA
I had my car at the dealer 5 times for transmission problems under warranty. 2 months ago I had to pay over $2500 to have repaired out of warranty by an independent repair shop. The purge valve is also bad, they sent a recall bot cancelled it. My gas gauge has not worked in over 3 years, the sound system also has not worked in over 3 years. The dealer said there has been multiple complaints. The fan for the heat/cool only works on high(4). The ignition also is a problem, my mechanic said that he knows of many ignition problems on the Focus and other Ford models. I did receive a lemon law settlement a few years ago which wwas nothing compared to all the problems and expenses.
- Warren, MI, USA
The contact owns a 2012 Ford Focus. The contact stated that the horn started to fail periodically and then stopped working completely. The dealer was not contacted. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The approximate failure mileage was 133,000.
- Lusby, MD, USA
The contact owns a 2012 Ford Focus. While driving 25 mph, the check engine indicator illuminated and the vehicle shut off. The contact was unable to remove the key from the ignition. After several attempts, the contact was able to restart the vehicle and drive home. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. A dealer and the manufacturer were not notified. The failure mileage was 101,329.
- Culpeper, VA, USA
Started car and dash light indicated the following message, "transmission malfunction. Service now"like many others I have seen online.it also states engine needs service
- Chandler, AZ, USA
My car just started flickering in and out. All these errors showed up on the dashboard. And now it wont start
- Chandler, AZ, USA
The horn stopped working before the headlight and brake light issues started.
- Mount Holly, NJ, USA
The car radio goes off the windows don't go down and the transmission went on the car out off no where when I maintain my car every 3 months and as needed
- Philadelphia, PA, USA
The electronic power steering goes out without warning while driving on a city street !!! the internet is teaming with complaints about this on this vehicle. Does someone have to die before the NHTSA takes action ?
- Jessup, MD, USA
The contact owns a 2012 Ford Focus. While the vehicle was parked at a grocery store, the engine would not turn off. The contact pulled the fuel fuse to discontinue the flow of fuel and shut the engine off; however, the vehicle lighting remained illuminated. The battery had to be disconnected to turn off the lights. The failure recurred three times. The contact called roy O'brien Ford at 586-776-7600 (located at 22201 E 9 mile rd, St clair shores, mi 48080) and was informed that the failure was not a known issue. The vehicle was not diagnosed. The failure recurred and the vehicle was taken to elder Ford (888-467-5023, located at 777 john R rd, troy, mi 48083) where it was diagnosed that the body control module needed to be replaced. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and did not offer any explanation for the failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was approximately 95,000.
- Mount Clemens, MI, USA
The rear tail lights are subject to a "brake lamp bulb fault" due to the shoddy wiring and wiring harness that affixes the wires to the trunk lid. After many open and close iterations of the trunk lid, wires become brittle and fray, and eventually fault. The problem is widespread throughout the forums with many individuals resorting to cutting the cables and resoldering or reattaching them with reduced wire tension. This is a major problem and can cause potential rear end accidents when the brake and tail lights fail to illuminate. The fault appears as soon as the car turns on, and can sporadically go away when driving. As sporadically as it disappears, it reappears and remains. This is absolutely a design flaw with wiring not shielded in any way and simply wrapped in tape.
- West Lafayette, IN, USA
Radio starts to pop and sound like machine gun fire. It goes off and on irregularly and even does it when car is turned off. Sometimes it will work for 10 minutes and then the popping and gun fire begins again. I am afraid that someone will think I'm shooting as them. If it comes on while driving, it is very scary. Could cause an accident.
- Grayling, MI, USA
Now when I start my car, the music may play for a couple seconds and then the loud popping takes over. Whether the volume is on "1" or "10" the noise is just as loud and startling. I would simply turn off the power to the stereo, but this did not seem to alleviate anything. Although not as consistent, the noise seems to intermittently come even if the car is turned off and the key not in the ignition. As stated, this noise is very loud and startling. It startled me enough that I accidentally jerked the wheel out of reflex while driving down the highway yesterday. Music is a luxury, but having the crap scared out of you by your own car while driving is a giant safety issue!!
- Belmont, CA, USA
Horn on my car and the alarm system doesn't work, this is ongoing problem with the horn on my 2012 Focus. Ford refused to repair or acknowledge this safety problem with my car. Reported the electrical problems to Ford in 2013-2019. This car has multiple problems, transmission repaired atleast 4 times.
- Normal, IL, USA
Takata recall: Transmission malfunction
- Berwyn, IL, USA
- Newport, TN, USA