I've had the typical issues associated with the transmission since I bought the car in 2015. I just had the clutch replaced again on April 3, 2017. $2,000 later, my car is fixed. I went to pick up my car and noted that when I went to start the car, the electronics would turn on but my car would not turn over, not one sound. Mind you, most, if not all, Focus' are equipped with a computer assisted cranking system that allows the driver to "flick" the key without having to physically hold it until the engine cranks and starts. This is how I've always started my car. With that said, my car was not starting when I "flicked" the key.

I contacted the dealership and was instructed to bring my car back due to the nonexistence of the issue prior to the clutch replacement. My car was at the dealership for FOUR AND A HALF WEEKS and I was informed THREE different times my car was "fixed" only to drive off the lot with the rental car. Have you ever heard of having to service a rental car? No? Me either BUT I had to get the oil changed in the it.

Anyways, back to my car, I was initially informed my battery was bad and needed a new one although I had just replaced the original factory battery 1.5 years prior. I was also informed it was an internal part of the starter, which was replaced, and did not fix the issue. Then the dealership reprogrammed, and replaced, my TCM, PCM, and BCM. Still did not fix the issue.

By May 6, 2017, I was informed my car was fixed but only after being told May 4, 2017ct(two days prior) that the dealership, and Ford, could not figure out the issue and at this point, MY CAR WASN'T EVEN STARTING! So how the hell does my car magically get fixed in two days? Apparently the issue was as simple as my computer system needing rebutting since it had not been done following replacement of the battery. Interesting.

I went to pick up my car, didn't start, told the advisor, shop foreman, and the on duty service manager. They may as well have laughed in my face. They informed me there was nothing else that needed to be done since it was "fixed" and was "within Ford standards" so I had no choice but to drive the car off the lot. It's now May 10 and my car starts less and less as the days continue. I contacted Ford and they told me they would request an engineer to look at my car but, assuming they can find the issue, I would need to pay out of pocket for any repairs.

Am I wrong to think I should not pay a dime considering this issue did not arise until IMMEDIATELY AFTER the clutch was replaced? I'm at a complete loss here. Has anyone had the same issue that's been fixed by something other than the TCM or BCM? It's sad, Ford has been involved for the last 3.5 weeks and even they couldn't figure out the issue. How?! You're the ones who built the car!

10/10/16- while driving the car, I received a message on the dashboard stating “car not in park.” I immediately pulled over and put the car in park, and the car slowly turned itself off including the engine and the lights on the dashboard. The audio was still playing, but after I consecutively tried to restart the car nothing was happening. I heard clicking noises. The clicking noise continued as I tried to restart the car to no avail. After about 20 minutes I tried starting the car again and received the message “key not recognized.” Upon attempting to start the car again, it turned back on 10/16/16- while driving, the car read the message “car not in park” and slowly began to turn off. Upon trying to restart the car all of the lights continued to flash. After 20 minutes of trying to start the car I received the message “key not recognized.” Then I started the car again and it worked. 10/17/16- I was able to drive the car a few miles and parked it. Upon turning the car off and on again, the car would not start and the lights began to flash. The car was unable to restart and was towed to the Fox Ford Lincoln Dealership in Illinois where the service department reported that the car’s “body control module” appeared to be the problem and would cost $812.99 to repair. 10/18/16- met with the service department manager at Fox Ford Lincoln Dealership, and was informed that the car is only covered for 3 year 36,000 miles so currently it is out of warranty. I was also informed that the shudder of the car will “never go away” due to the make of the engine. The service department also stated that they “didn’t make the car” personally showing the poor customer service I continue to receive. Received a call back from the service department stating that the body control module would be replaced for a discounted price of $400.The dealership also stated that they would take a look at the auxiliary chord (that has not been working since I received my car back just 3 months ago after the audio control module was replaced) could be in relation to the body control module. I advised to have the body control module replaced for $400 with a 2 year warrantee. I was informed by the service department that there is “no explanation about why” the body control module “went out.” I was simply informed that the modules are like computers that “go out sometimes.” I was informed that the car would be ready on 10/20/16 as the part would be ordered on 10/19/16. 10/20/16- I phoned the Fox Ford Lincoln Dealership to follow-up about the car being ready. I was informed that the incorrect part came in and that the correct part would need to be obtained. I was informed that the car would be ready for pick-up on 10/21/16. 10/21/16- I phoned the Fox Ford Lincoln Dealership to ensure that the car was ready. I was informed that it was not and would be ready tomorrow, and that I would receive a call back. I asked for the update regarding the auxiliary chord and was informed that “this wasn’t even in the notes” by the service department, but that they would have someone look at it. 10/22/16- I was contacted by the Fox Ford Lincoln Dealership stated that the car was ready to be picked-up, and that the auxiliary chord would cost somewhere around $200-$350 to replace. The car was picked-up. 10/23/16- while driving the car in the middle of a busy intersection with the radio and air on, I received the message “car not in park” and the car slowly began to shut off. I was not able to restart the car again. The audio system in the car was on but there was nothing occurring as far sounds to the engine. The car was towed to the Fox Ford Lincoln Dealership after the battery was tested and found to be normal. 37,424 miles 10/24/16- Fox Ford Lincoln Dealership called and inquired about the conditions in which the car turned off. I informed the dealership that nothing out of the ordinary was happening when the car turned off. I was informed by the dealership that because the lights were not flashing when the car did not start, it means that replacing the body control module “worked.” I was informed that the car continues to give 12 error messages, but that it started fine at the dealership and they were able to drive it into the service department. A technician will look at the car tomorrow (10/24/16)and I will be contacted back. I was assured that the car “will be taken for a long drive” to ensure that the issue does not come back. I informed the dealership that I was not comfortable taking the car back and driving it again if something else was not fixed.

A few weeks ago, I was sitting in my car after a particularly stressful day at work ( I work the late afternoon shift at Meijer) trying to go home, I turned the key to start it, and it would not start, all the electrical came on, but the engine made no effort to turn over. After repeated tries, about 10 attempts and having no success, i thought maybe it possibly could be the battery, I had a jumpstarter in my trunk, hooked it up, left it alone a minute or two, tried it again and nothing, again all the electrical worked, but the engine did nothing. It was around midnight when I had to call my dad to pick me up and take me home, I didn't want to spend all that money for a tow truck to tow me and my car home 20 miles away. I had to call a mechanic the next morning, I told him my problem, and my aversion to tow trucks, and he suggested to hammer or jiggle the ignition to get it started, I got a ride to work (where my car was) and I tried jiggling, and turning the key in the ignition and it started, so stupidly I thought that was the "fix", and didn't take it to the mechanic. But after a couple back and forth trips, home and to work, the "fix" stopped working, it was stuck at home. I called my local mechanic, it was just down the street, (and not the mechanic that was down the street of my work), but it turned out that he had to close down due to health reasons, so back to the mechanic near my work, I got in, and he said it was probably the starter, I was in sort of a time crunch so I said sure, replace it. It took about an hour, and I was glad to finally solve the problem, it cost almost $400, but I was glad, I drove it to work and back home with no problem. However when I tried to go to work the next day, nothing, same thing (no crank, but all the electrical came on), I was livid, but late, I had to to take my mom's jeep to work and back. The next morning I called the mechanic that installed the starter, and explained calmly that it did not fix my problem, so he said he would need more time to diagnose the problem, for logistical reasons it had to be my day off and my mom's day off which was yesterday (Wednesday June 15), so I dropped it off, mind you I had no problem getting it there. Four or so hours later he called to say he diagnosed the problem as something about the keys needing to be reprogrammed, he consulted with Ford and got the codes to do so, but it was something that the dealership mechanic had to do. I have an appointment with them next Monday (June 20), but I'm not holding my breath, they did not seem confident when I was setting up the appointment, it shouldn't be an intermittent problem. I looked at the paper my mechanic gave me to give to the dealership, and it said it was a problem for cars of my make and model made before or on February 22, 2012, however I looked at the side panel of my car door and it was made in June 2012, so I don't think that's the problem either. But I should find out more Monday.

A couple of side notes; it seems to work a little better with the A/C and fan turned off, maybe the radio too, and I know that each incident should be reported separately but since it's an intermittent problem, I think this should be reported as one problem. I have two keys and both have the same problem, of not cranking the engine.

Update from Jun 22, 2016: I got it back from the dealership, and it turned out to be a possible defect of a transmission control module as diagnosed from a code program. It was fixed for no charge, (I was still in warranty).