10.0

really awful
Crashes / Fires:
14 / 1
Injuries / Deaths:
8 / 1
Average Mileage:
38,602 miles

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« Read the previous 20 complaints

problem #473

Jul 082016

Focus

  • 60,000 miles
The contact owns a 2013 Ford Focus. While the vehicle was merging into traffic, the vehicle failed to accelerate for approximately ten seconds. The vehicle was diagnosed and the transmission and power control module were replaced, but the failure continued. The manufacturer was notified. The approximate failure mileage was 60,000.

- Bel Air, MD, USA

problem #472

Dec 312015

Focus

  • 30,000 miles
2012 hatchback Ford Focus automatic the vehicle stalls whenever accelerated. It feels as if the computer sends the signal to maintain the speed or speed up but the transmission can not keep up with it, therefore it stalls. It does it when I'm driving on the city street and on the highway, the speed does not relate to when it occurs. In order words, if I am driving at a constant speed for a lapse of time it will still stall and if I need to speed up, for example when making a turn onto a street it will stall or when making a lane change.

- Downey, CA, USA

problem #471

Aug 102015

Focus

  • miles
Car shudders and jerks when driving, particularly when shifting automatically between 2nd and 3rd gear. This is problematic when accelerating to merge into fast-moving traffic, going up hill (which is virtually impossible), and when attempting to drive in stop-and-go heavy traffic. Car is slow to accelerate due to difficulty shifting. Once it does, it unexpectedly surges forward. Based on discussions with Ford dealership technicians and numerous other online complaints, the problem is obviously the new dct transmission. We were told the car had to "learn" our driving style and the problem would fix itself. There have been no improvements and it hasn't "learned" anything over the last year. The car is barely 3 years old and has already been taken to the dealership several times for transmission issues that haven't been fixed and apparently will not be fixed.

- Buford, GA, USA

problem #470

Jul 052016

Focus

  • 21,000 miles
In February 2016 clutch tcm and seals were replaced in May 2016 vehicle started to act up again while merging onto highway vehicle RPM would go to 6K car would not move car intermittently stalls while in reverse backing this car will end getting someone hurt or killed on 7/5/16 trans overheat message popped up took to dealer mccarthy Ford Chicago they said it was safe to drive.

- Oak Lawn, IL, USA

problem #469

Mar 052014

Focus

  • 29,800 miles
Transmission/clutch problem. Consistently grinds, lunges forward, sputters when taking off, turning & slowing down. It feels like the car is going to stall out. Worst when it is hot outside. Have been back to the dealer 3 times for the same problem! I have read the numerous complaints about this vehicle and it seems that I am not the only one that this problem is happening to. It all started 6 months after I bought the vehicle 4/2013.

- Lewisville, TX, USA

problem #468

Jun 152016

Focus

  • 54,672 miles
I have had this car for 2 years and it constantly shudders. Each time I go to Ford they do a "software" upgrade but it did not fix the problem. More recently my clutch went out and nearly killed someone when it jumped back into gear. They replaced the clutch but not the problem that caused it. So when does someone have to die for Ford to recall the vehicle? it still shakes and shudders.

- Bridgeview, IL, USA

problem #467

May 182016

Focus

  • 113,000 miles
Horrible transmission shudder / slippage when accelerating from a stop through the first few gear changes. Ongoing issue.

- Rancho Mirage, CA, USA

problem #466

Jun 122016

Focus

  • 21,000 miles
The 6-speed auto transmission, when accelerating the vehicle from a complete stop, the transmission components that the car is equipped with causes hesitation and shutter on take off. The electronic control module and the electronic clutch have both been replaced on recalls. The electronic clutch engages erratically, causing the car to shutter and larch forward as it engages. When changing oil in this car, the owner tried to drive the car up a ramp in L range on the gear shift, the engine would increase in RPM's but the clutch would not engage fully to allow the vehicle to go up the ramps, like it was in neutral. I had to check the the gear shift, thought it might have been in neutral, in wrong shift position. When explaining this to the service manager at our local dealership, we were told that the car can not go up a ramp, the transmission is designed for high speed take off. We were told that it is only intended to be lifted, never in my 58 years have I ever seen a car that would not go up a ramp, the ramp to me would only simulate going up a steep incline, which causes more concern with my 19 year old daughter driving this vehicle to and from college. Ford keeps telling us that this car is operating like it is intended to, they acually gave us a print out how the car should feel and react. One comment read that the car feels like it is pulling a trailer, who wants a car that feels like it is constantly pulling a trailer? this vehicle has been in the shop eight to ten times, we get the same explanation each and every time now. It is working the way it is intended to, they say it does not shutter or larch on take off. Numerous times my daughter has had someone with her that has experience the shutter and recently the car not going up the ramp without the cars engine racing and the clutch not engaging allowing the car to move forward. This car was purchased new,

- Myrtle Beach, SC, USA

problem #465

Jun 052016

Focus

  • 0 miles
Vehicle was parked. I went to turn on the car, and the steering wheel was locked and would not turn at all. Had the car towed to the dealership. The service manager says the electric steering rack and pinion has failed and has to be replaced at a cost of $1,497. In addition, the car has also had numerous repairs to the transmission system. The car has had problems with the transmission since the very first day of purchase. The car will vigorously shudder at random times. The shuddering occurs every time I drive the car and it causes the car to violently jerk forward. We have taken the car in for all of the service updates/recalls, and the transmission problems still persist. The computer screen also will turn off randomly while driving. One time while driving on a highway, the car died. It was very dangerous. I should not have purchased this car.

- Plano, TX, USA

problem #464

Mar 032015

Focus

  • 25,000 miles
The contact owns a 2013 Ford Focus. While driving 40 mph, the vehicle stalled and the instrument panel lights illuminated. The "transmission not in park please select (P)" message appeared; however, the vehicle was already in park. The failure recurred twice. The vehicle was towed to a dealer where it was diagnosed that the transmission module failed and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was being repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 25,000.

- Spring, TX, USA

problem #463

Feb 022015

Focus

  • 19,613 miles
Rear main seal failure causing complete loss of transmission fluid and engine oil, this could cause the engine to seize unexpectedly, leakage noticed and this has required the replacement of seal and clutch 3 times in past 15 months

- Babylon, NY, USA

problem #462

May 142016

Focus

  • 24,000 miles
I have had 5 transmission failures since I bought the car. The last 3 failures occurred in less than 3 weeks (and less than 30 miles on the road!) and, when the last one happened, my wife and I have almost crashed. We were driving downhill on a very steep road and suddenly the clutch disengaged and went to neutral right before a curve. I think this is a very dangerous problem, not taken seriously by Ford

- Seattle, WA, USA

problem #461

Dec 202015

Focus

  • 35,000 miles
The contact owns a 2013 Ford Focus. After shifting into the drive position, the vehicle hesitated to accelerate. In addition, the vehicle jerked forward and the rpms revved without warning. The vehicle was taken to the dealer where it was diagnosed that the clutch module and clutch package failed and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired twice, but the failure recurred. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 35,000. The VIN was unavailable.

- Harrison, TN, USA

problem #460

May 012016

Focus

  • 68,000 miles
The car shudders when taking off from a stop sign or light. This is ridiculous!

- Mesa, AZ, USA

problem #459

Nov 022015

Focus

  • 79,000 miles
The contact owns a 2013 Ford Focus. While driving at an unknown speed, the vehicle began to vibrate. The accelerator pedal was depressed, but the vehicle failed to accelerate and lost power. The check engine warning light illuminated. The failure recurred on numerous occasions. The vehicle was taken to a dealer where it was diagnosed that the transmission control module and clutches in the transmission needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired; however, the failure persisted. The vehicle was taken to another dealer, but was not diagnosed or replaced. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 79,000.

- Black Wood, ID, USA

problem #458

Mar 042016

Focus

  • 29,000 miles
When accelerating from a complete stop or when the car is running in a low gear, the car will hesitate, shudder, shake, jump violently, stall, grind gears, and/or make other noises at varying levels. Was first noticed when making a turn from a stop sign. At first I thought it was my front driverside tire rubbing the wheel well as that was the type of sound I was hearing. I then started experiencing the shuddering and stalling behaviors. I also began hearing noises that sound like the grinding of gears like may occur when driving a manual transmission and missing the gear. Most issues occur during city street driving. This went from an occasional occurrence to an every time I drive the car situation. This in no way feels normal or sounds normal.

- Indianapolis, IN, USA

problem #457

May 142016

Focus

  • 52,000 miles
With an automatic transmission and at slow speeds the engine stalled, and jerked especially in congested highway traffic such as stop and go speeds. After a new clutch was installed by the local Ford dealership, the engine now surges and hesitates at slow speeds and when in the passing mode at highway speeds the engine keeps accelerating even when the gas pedal is released.

- Beaverton, OR, USA

problem #456

Apr 292016

Focus

  • 54,000 miles
I was driving home and noticed a slight loss of power to transmission via the gas pedal. The next morning in rush hour traffic on I-20 my transmission failed. I was unable to move my car for several minutes and then it seemed to catch enough for me to pull to the side. I turned my car off and restarted it and was able to make it to work. I drove it to dealership and told them what happened. They called me Monday night to say it was fixed. I picked it up Tuesday after work. I was in rush hour traffic on weds morning and it failed again. This time it would not move at all. I put my flashers on to avoid being struck. I tried several times to get it to start again and go. Finally I was able to get the transmission to engage. I took it back to the dealership and the transmission failed again. I restarted my car and made it to the dealership. They said they fixed it. I don't trust it since they had just "fixed" it before and less than 24 hours later it failed again. I told them when I brought it in the first time it was a safety recall. I tried to recall all I could about when and where. My impression is that the transmission failed in all instances when I had been driving it for at least 20 minutes. I was in rush hour traffic but moving traffic the first time and the second time I was in stopped traffic due to an accident on I-20 and the last time also in moving traffic. Time seems to be the common factor, at least 20 minutes of driving time before it shuts down.

- Douglasville, GA, USA

problem #455

Apr 022016

Focus

  • 48,000 miles
After having the car from new for 3 years and 5 months, the car has been to the dealer for transmission issues and repairs multiple times and with a computer failure for the shifting. The computer failure left us stranded 80 miles from home and with out of state family. It took 4 complaints initially before the dealer finally looked and noticed leaking from the transmission to get the parts to replace the clutches, seals and other parts at 30,000+/- miles. Then the computer failure was at 48,000 miles. I don't trust the car now due to reliability issues with the dct transmission. The transmission computer failure happened while driving down the highway and pulling off to check things out. Complete failure happened once I tried to get going again. Dealer said the computer was under a recall that I was never notified on.

- Waterford, CA, USA

problem #454

Oct 262015

Focus

  • 65,000 miles
Since I took the car off the lot it shuddered when shifting from first to second gear. It never felt completely right but since it is a new car I assumed that's how it's supposed to feel. Well the shuddering progressively got worse and turned into grinding. I got new transmission fluid and cleaned out the system checked the plugs nothing got better. I took it in a few times to the dealership they said that the transmission was fine and that's how it is supposed to drive. Well I was on my way to work and the car kept slipping out of fourth gear and then it completely lost power every time I pressed the accelerator the engine revved but there was no power. This car is less than three years old it shouldn't have this type of problem. The check engine light never came on and I couldn't even get above 30 mph on the car. I looked online and this seems to be a recurring problem.

- Antioch, CA, USA

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