CarComplaints.com Notes: You should probably steer clear of the 2012 Focus. Otherwise, you might not be able to steer at all.
The 2012 is the first Focus to offer Electronic Power Assist Steering (EPAS). It's also the first year with massive power steering failure. These things are not mutually exclusive.
This data is from the NHTSA — the US gov't agency tasked with vehicle safety. Complaints are spread across multiple & redundant categories, & are not organized by problem.
So how do you find out what problems are occurring? For this NHTSA complaint data, the only way is to read through the comments below. Any duplicates or errors? It's not us.
My vehicle had a door malfunction that wouldn't allow proper closure. As this was "after hours" for a typical dealership, I had to leave by car door ajar until we were able to get it into a service station. Once I did, I learned that this was an incredibly common malfunction and was advised that I shouldn't lean from the inside on any of my doors, including the driver door. I plead with Ford (both dealership and Ford corporate) to replace the necessary parts on all 4 of these defective doors, as this is a factory malfunction; well documented by thousands of Ford owners, and was told that it wasn't recalled so I'd have to settle for $600 per door in order to have this problem fixed. I, unable to afford $2400 in charges, now I have to hope that my car doesn't open while I am driving it. Which will only cause severe damage to any vehicle or persons around me if issue causes accident. I also will not be able to put my children in the car, or seated near passenger door, or back seat door that was not fixed - as they could have this situation happen. While always buckled, there is no guarantee that this horrifying factory defect won't cause harm while vehicle is in motion. At this point. I would hope that this issue only assists in getting a factory recall from Ford and for reimbursement of the $600 charge; before any further accidents. Not only for my children's sake, for my sake, or the numerous customers of these defective vehicles; but also for the sake of every driver and passenger on the road near an afflicted Ford vehicle. I plead for help in getting this fixed. Please.
The front driver's side door latch stopped closing. The part itself no longer closes around the pin causing the door not to shut or lock. Unless physically restrained, the door will swing open while driving causing several potential safety hazards. Thankfully it did not break while I was moving. I drove home from work, parked, and then left to go run errands, but when I went out to run errands the door did not close anymore. Upon visual inspection and comparison to the passenger side I noticed a small plastic piece that appeared to be broken off on the front of the latch.
In April 2016, the drivers side door latch quit working after I attempted to shut it to go home from work. I was no longer able to shut the door and had to tie it shut to drive it. I had it repaired at a Ford dealership for just under 600$. today, 07 July 2016, my passenger side door latch quit working while I was vacuuming the car. I went to leave and the "door ajar" indicator came on. I attempted to shut it and it would not shut. I called Ford and they said that because it isn't recalled they won't fix it.
Passenger side rear door opened while driving on a city street and will not re latch. Appears to be an issue with this vehicle with others reporting similar issues.
- Phoenix, AZ, USA
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This is the second/same issue with this vehicles door latching system. First was in Oct 2015, ref #10784961-driver side rear door. This time spouse was driving out of our neighborhood on the city street, car was in motion approximately 10 mph. She made a right hand turn and the driver door swung open. She stopped and pulled the door closed but it would not latch closed. She returned home and I found that the drive door latching system was not engaging. I am using a small rope attached to the interior door panel handle to keep the door closed when not occupied. I am unable to lock/secure my vehicle and the interior/exterior lights remain on when the door is not pulled closed with the small rope attached to the interior door panel handle on one end and the emergency brake on the other end. No injuries during incident.
Without warning the driver door flew open as car was pulling onto feeder street and would no longer latch after this event. When researching blogs found others who had similar events. Nearby dealer confirmed latch would not operate and was broken. Mechanic stated that this had been seen repeatedly on other Ford models but not often on Focus model. Was told by dealer that other models have recalls listed to replace all door latches.this could have been a major safety issue including possible ejection from the vehicle.
Got into my Focus as I normally do. Went to pull the door shut and it did not latch. Will not latch whether locked or unlocked. Glad it didn't fly open like I've read this happening to other people. Also glad it did not bounce back and hit my neighbors car. Very upsetting to read Ford has had this problem in over a half million of their vehicles.
Driver side door flew open when I made a right hand turn on a city street. Door will not close now. Defective latch. Door bounces open when I try to close it. I researched issue and Ford has done recalls for other models but not the Focus. Dealer said it would be $500 to fix.
Driver side rear door latch stopped working. Door won't stay closed, have to use tow straps to keep door closed or it will fly open while driving. Vehicle was stationary.
I have had* of my door latches fail. Driver door, and driver-side passenger door. I have had the driver door latch replaced (April 21st, 2016) and the 2nd latch just failed but not yet replaced (July 2nd, 2016). The first replacement cost me $381.47, and none of it was covered by Ford as it is not part of a recall.
I have had* of my door latches fail. Driver door, and driver-side passenger door. I have had the driver door latch replaced (April 21st, 2016) and the 2nd latch just failed but not yet replaced (July 2nd, 2016). The first replacement cost me $381.47, and none of it was covered by Ford as it is not part of a recall.
My driver side door swung open while driveing home, luckily I wasn't on the freeway just surface streets and not too far from home, the door ajar light came on. When I got home I checked to see if maybe it was stuck in the closed position, it was not, I closed the latch and attepmted to see if it would hold and a simple pull would open it.
While driving, the rear driver door opened up on it's own. Pulled over to close but it won't stay shut. Had to tie it closed with a bungee cord. Very dangerous. I called my dealer and was told there was a lock recall for a Ford Fusion but not the Focus. It is the same lock! they want $600 to fix it.
Latch of rear driver door will not latched. It was repaired and within 2 weeks the driver's door will not stay latched. According to what I have read, Ford is aware of the issue and has issued a recall for other models, but will not issue a recall for the Focus
The latch on the drivers side rear door quit latching and the door won't shut. I have seen several complaints and articles online about other people who own the same vehicle having this problem when driving the down the road or pulling into a parking lot and the door just unlatching and opening all of a sudden and no longer closing. Luckily, mine happened to stop latching while I was parked and putting something into the backseat. I have owned my car for a little over a year and it is only a 2012 model and I have had many issues with it, such as the radio system and I have had to have an update installed to the transmission. I think that it isn't right for a card door on a 2012 car to stop latching all of a sudden and it is very dangerous that other people have had the same problem while their car is in motion. I feel this should be a recall on the 2012 Ford Focus.
In March of this year, my driver's door latch broke unexpectedly. I went into a restaurant and the door closed fine. However, when I returned to open my door, it would not lock. As a result, I had to take my car to a Ford service center to fix it. They told me that it was not covered by the warranty and there was no recall. I had to pay over 600 dollars to get it fixed. Last week, I went to the grocery store and the rear driver's side door latch broke. I talked to Ford customer care and they told me that I had to take it in for repairs. This is the second time a door latch broke on my car in less than three months! the car has never been in an accident and the doors were working fine until the door latches suddenly broke. Both times, my car was parked when I experienced the door latch failures. I have never experienced a problem like this with older cars and I am the only owner of this car.
The car door in the back seat on the drivers side of my 2012 Ford Focus SE, flung open as I was making a sharp turn while I was attempting to drive into my son's apartment complex. Luckily my two children who were seated in the back seats were wearing their seatbelts, or this could've been much worse. The door latch no longer wants to latch on. The door does not close. The door ajar sensor keeps showing and an annoying beeping sound keeps going off to let me know that the back drivers seat door is ajar. Fortunately there was no accident, therefore law enforcement was not contacted or needed. We safely pulled over and attempted to close the door. Again, the door will not stay closed. The car is attempting to lock the door but cannot. You can hear it. Also the door handles appear to still be in working condition. It seems that it's the latch that does not close around the metal bar when closed. There is not a current recall on the 2012 Ford Focus SE, but from stories on the internet, I'm not the first to have this happen to this year and model. This is not safe and needs to be thoroughly investigated as soon as possible. There are two or three other Ford cars on recall for the faulty latches. I truly believe that this model needs to be looked at as well. Thank you.
A D V E R T I S E M E N T S
- Orlando, FL, USA