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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.

And while you wait for your steering to disappear, you'll be greeted with a transmission that shudders, vibrates or won't shift at all.

10.0

really awful
Crashes / Fires:
30 / 3
Injuries / Deaths:
15 / 2
Average Mileage:
59,215 miles

About These NHTSA Complaints:

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.

2012 Ford Focus drivetrain problems

drivetrain problem

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2012 Ford Focus Owner Comments (Page 11 of 67)

« Read the previous 20 complaints

problem #1139

Feb 012020

Focus

  • 65,000 miles

A D V E R T I S E M E N T S

The contact owns a 2012 Ford Focus. The contact stated that while driving at various speeds, the transmission malfunction and transmission not in park messages displayed on the instrument panel. The vehicle was not taken to be diagnosed nor repaired. The manufacturer and an unknown dealer were notified of the failures. Additionally, the instrument panel displayed warning lights including the seat belt, tire air pressure and ABS warning lights. The cause of the failures were not determined. The failure mileage was 65,000.

- Salt Springs, FL, USA

problem #1138

Aug 012020

Focus

  • 100,000 miles
First off, when accelerating, even after the transmission recalls were "fixed", we still have very bad jerking and shuddering when accelerating. Sometimes it sounds like a grinding sound. Secondly, there is a clanking sound that happens when we drive over very small bumps. It sounds like metal hitting metal in the back of the car. There is nothing in the trunk that could be making that noise, and is heard outside of the car also. Problem cannot be located by mechanics or myself.

- Mount Vernon, OH, USA

problem #1137

Apr 292020

Focus

  • 120,000 miles
Took car to capital Ford dealer in charlotte, nc on 4/29/20 because it kept shutting off while in motion. Ford dealer said the car had a faulty transmission and needed to be replaced. They told me that Ford manufacturers put a 6 speed manual transmission in an automatic straight drive and theres a class action lawsuit with over 2 million cars. As a result Ford stopped producing the Focus and fiestas. Ford dealer stated they could replace the transmission for $3900, but it would be per specs (oem) and the clutch would ultimately burn out on the new one too. Now we are without a vehicle that we paid 11K for. Additionally, we have been to two Ford dealerships regarding a recall for our door latches for over a year. Neither is interested in doing recall work because "they dont make any money off it"

- Charlotte, NC, USA

problem #1136

Jul 222020

Focus

  • 115,000 miles

A D V E R T I S E M E N T S

Check engine light is on - diagnosed as transmission control module is bad and needs to be replaced; however, the code (P0908) is not part of the extended warranty. The vehicle is showing all symptoms/behavior which if the code was P0606, replacement would be covered. If the tcm is bad, it's bad and Ford should offer consideration - currently, the vehicle is not safe to drive!

- Waukesha, WI, USA

problem #1135

Jul 162020

Focus

  • miles
My car jerks and shifts hard in gears in reverse it pulsates took to the dealer and they said it was the clutch although the dealerships states that it is a recall but my car dont fall under it cause I have 123K miles. I just got the car looked up the recall and on some Ford website it say extended warranty until 150K

- Maricopa, AZ, USA

problem #1134

Aug 222014

Focus 4-cyl

  • miles
2012 Ford Focus. Consumer writes seeking reimbursement for vehicle recall repairs.

- Midland, MI, USA

problem #1133

Jul 122020

Focus 4-cyl

  • miles

A D V E R T I S E M E N T S

My car started making a strange noise then it began to jerk now it won't go into reverse. Transmission warning light came in I can't drive it.

- Sanford, NC, USA

problem #1132

Jul 012012

Focus 4-cyl

  • 15,000 miles
Transmission shutters and causes the car to stall while accelerating

- Gatesville, TX, USA

problem #1131

Jul 042020

Focus

  • 40,000 miles
I was driving about 25 mph on a narrow winding mountain road when the car shifted out of gear into neutral and displayed the "transmission problem service no" message. I coasted to a stop in the middle of the road as there was no shoulder. Moving the snifter did not get back in gear. I shut the car off and restarted. I then had control of the car but it would not shift into into high gear. It would go neutral to first with a jerk, then shift smoothly into 2nd but not shift into high gear at all. I drove it home at 3300 RPM at 55 mph. The car only has 40000 miles on it. Had I been pulling out into traffic when this occurred I would have caused a crash. Like ralf nader said about the corvair.... "unsafe at any speed". I have read the horror story of this car and your lack of action. You should be ashamed! would you let you loved ones drive this car? I think not. It deserves a total recall and buyback from Ford. Please do your duty and make it happen. Ps, I have had it in the shop multiple times for slow speed shifting issues which resulted in "reprogramming" to resolve the issue which of course it didn't.

- Redmond, OR, USA

problem #1130

Jun 232020

Focus 4-cyl

  • 85,000 miles
The transmission shutters and shakes very frequently. Vehicle also periodically will almost stall while driving. Overall the vehicle just feels incredibly unsafe and unreliable while operating.

- Fort Gratiot, MI, USA

problem #1129

Jun 012019

Focus 4-cyl

  • miles

A D V E R T I S E M E N T S

When I shift the gear from N to D and start to push the accelerator, the engine vibrate irregular, jerk, shudder, tremble, or thrill for 5 seconds. I don't know the right word to describe the situation.

- Dublin, CA, USA

problem #1128

Jun 012020

Focus 4-cyl

  • 99,000 miles
The transmission shutters and shakes very frequently. Vehicle also periodically will almost stall while driving. Overall the vehicle just feels incredibly unsafe and unreliable while operating.

- Knoxville, TN, USA

problem #1127

Jun 142020

Focus 4-cyl

  • 65,000 miles
My transmission has been acting weird since getting the car. But around 60,000 mile mark, the transmission has completely failed. I almost got into a car accident because the transmission stopped while driving.

- El Paso, TX, USA

problem #1126

Jun 042020

Focus 4-cyl

  • 5 miles
Had replaced part of the transmission the module. But now my car has transmission issues again.

- Millington, MD, USA

problem #1125

May 292020

Focus 4-cyl

  • 163,200 miles
Current recall for 14M01 and 14M02 by the Ford Motor Company states that the factory mileage limitations for the program is 10yr 150,000 miles. My vehicle is a 2012 Ford Focus. It has been the diagnosed with the same clutch assembly malfunctions, this will be the 4th time that this vehicle has had the clutch assembly replaced, recalibrated and reprogrammed. It has been fixed twice under this recall once since I have financed the vehicle. Now the same manufacturer issue has arisen and has been diagnosed by the dealership service dept, but I do not qualify anymore due to mileage of 163,000 plus mileage. I cannot see how a factory defect is not covered or vehicle bought back by the manufacturer for recurrent issues that the manufacturer has failed to deal with. People who use these vehicles every day will put miles upon the vehicle, but with the mileage limitations of the recall. What happens to the owners who exceed the mileage limitations and who are still in need of a vehicle. With the vehicle as is, trade in value is out right is closer to $0. what is the fix? I cannot keep paying for a vehicle that will eventually breakdown.

- Albuquerque, NM, USA

problem #1124

Aug 022019

Focus 4-cyl

  • 64,000 miles
The contact owns a 2012 Ford Focus. The contact stated that while driving at various speeds, the vehicle hesitated with the accelerator pedal depressed. The vehicle was taken to currie Ford located at 2052 w morthland dr, valparaiso, in 46385 to be diagnosed. The contact was informed that the transmission was defective and needed to be repaired or replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure persisted. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 64,000.

- Gary, IN, USA

problem #1123

May 102020

Focus

  • 157,550 miles
I bought it off the previous owner that told me when I took it for a test ride the car sputtered on take off the previous owner said she had put it in the shop a few times for the same problem and she got the same response every time which was they did it know what the problem was or the cause I bought the car and looked up any recalls and I called a Ford dealership the employee I spoke to told me.yes there was a recall on my car and yes it was covered and for me to take it in the following Monday I take inas said to and was told I missed the recall time frame and and I'd have to pay $2500 to replace the clutch the car was always over heating and I replaced the water pump thermostat pulley & belt tune up and still kept marking hot one day I get to a stop sign and the car stalls and never started again I was on the highway going out of town when the car temp over heated pulled over waited 45 min to cool I turned around took the back roads home so I could drive slow it was night by this time came 2 a 4 way stop and that is when my car turned off and never started

- Porterville, CA, USA

problem #1122

May 052020

Focus 4-cyl

  • 170,000 miles
There was a recall on the dps6 I tried to get it repaired twice in Sept 2019 when I received the letter that they had to reimburse me me for the tcm they make me pay for even though Ford was at fault and knew it. Of course the two times I took it they said nothing was wrong with the transmission clutch/shutter it was to be fixed no charge until Feb 29 2020 but now of course the car is stalling out going down the road. When you take off from a stop it acts like its in neutral and the car will not go instead rolls back. Then it will decide to go that's very dangerous the a car is my teenage daughters. Ford expects to me pay 2600 to fix it even though they know the transmission clutch are broken.

- Kannapolis, NC, USA

problem #1121

Jun 182019

Focus

  • 92,000 miles
The contact owns a 2012 Ford Focus. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the accelerator pedal was depressed and the vehicle hesitated to respond without warning. The vehicle was taken to an unknown Ford dealer, located in winston-salem, nc, where the technician repaired the vehicle under NHTSA campaign number: 16V643000 (latches/locks/linkages) however, the failure recurred. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic who diagnosed that the transmission needed to be repaired or replaced. The contact called the same unknown dealer and was informed that the vehicle was over the mileage and therefore would not be covered under warranty or NHTSA campaign number: 13V523000 (power train). The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and provided a case number. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was approximately 92,000.

- Winston-Salem, NC, USA

problem #1120

Oct 012019

Focus

  • 83,500 miles
Extreme transmission shudder to the point of tires losing traction while trying to take off from a standstill. Included shuddering at random from standstill and when shifting. Lack of any consistency in acceleration during some shifts. It continues to do this as we've owned the car approximately 2 years. Has already had the module reflashed.

- Basehor, KS, USA

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