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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 17 of 67)

« Read the previous 20 complaints

problem #1019

Sep 112019

Focus

  • 30,000 miles

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

After multiple transmission visits the vehicle is guzzling gas, still shuddering with a lack of power. We primarily only drive my wife's truck so we don't get stranded.

- Canoga Park, CA, USA

problem #1018

Sep 122019

Focus 4-cyl

  • 100,541 miles
I have already had to take my Ford Focus 2012 SE..I have already had my car checked out for the transmission and I feel like it's still running poorly I can hear the transmission still getting stuck and the words transmission failure has appeared on my dashboard... now the fuel gauge is definitely not working...have invested too much for this car already as I am leasing and I have paid 3xs the amount the car is worth...and now afraid anything can go wrong while driving the car....what can I do?? seems no one has anything to help me...I have always trusted Ford...now what...am I to die in the car before it will be replaced...I have paid too much to worry like this...my family will not let it go if anything happens to me as a result of these recalls that do not get fixed...I'm going back to the dealer and see if they will honor what you say...I feel like no one is caring about the state of my transmission which is still not right. When I drive on high ways it revs toll hits right gear and pulls constant on regular city streets..please tell me what to do...I don't feel safe in my own vehicle...not anymore..please help I'm 54 and do not have means to start again...please help me.

- Bethany, OK, USA

problem #1017

Sep 032019

Focus

  • 155,567 miles
Have taken my Focus four times to Ford. Twice for the shuddering the car was doing to tucker Ford in brunswick me. And now twice to rowe Ford in auburn, me. Where a new clutch was put in and now the module that controls the clutch needs to be replaced and Ford will not cover. They want $950 to do the work and I may get my money back in the settlement. The car has been there for a week and a half. I have taken pictures of the code from the car and all repair records since I filed with the settlement group. Ford is making things even more difficult to deal with any clutch issues. They even admit the issues and do nothing at the dealership. They are waiting for the customer top get made and just pay for the repair so that they may not have to cover it in the end. The code that came up is transmission malfunction service now and no hill asst.. I was driving on a flat road.

- New Gloucester, ME, USA

problem #1016

Jul 012019

Focus

  • miles

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

2012 Ford Focus. Consumer writes in regards to issues with transmission. The consumer stated days after having the recall repair 19S22 completed the vehicle began to shudder.

- East Brunswick, NJ, USA

problem #1015

Sep 062019

Focus

  • 83,000 miles
Vehicle stalls during acceleration, will not shift into reverse, skipping and shifting hard when driving, cuts off during driving (especially upon downshift) vehicle has a Ford extended warranty to 100,000 miles or 10 years to replace the tcm. Dealership refuses to make the car safe because they say it is not a recall.

- Lawrenceville, GA, USA

problem #1014

May 162016

Focus

  • 47,128 miles
Transmission shudders, especially on acceleration. The vehicle stopped on me recently; it took me about 10 tries before it finally let me move it out of reverse and put it into drive

- Northridge, CA, USA

problem #1013

Aug 132019

Focus

  • 59,000 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 the vehicle hesitated at the stop light. There was no warning indicator illuminated. The contact called ganley Ford West at 216-941-9800 (located at 16100 lorain ave, cleveland, oh 44111) and was informed that letters were sent out approximately five years ago and that the warranty would have covered the failure at that time. The technician stated that the warranty was currently expired. The failure recurred several times. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and did not confirm that a letter was sent to the contact. The manufacturer stated that the warranty was expired. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The failure mileage was approximately 59,000.

- Lakewood, OH, USA

problem #1012

Jun 222015

Focus

  • 37,602 miles
The transmission shudders and slips on acceleration from stops. The transmission malfunction light is on and it will not shift. Vehicle jerks when shifting.

- Roseville, CA, USA

problem #1011

Sep 082019

Focus

  • 151,000 miles
Canister purge valve recall (cpv) and prior powertrain and PCM recall issues. History involving powertrain, PCM and cpv. Check engine light (cel) came on a few years ago and the car could not restart. Could have had an accident. Recently, in the summer 2019, cel on and gave a code about faulty catalytic converter when I spent $106 at green Ford to read and diagnosis the code. The light went on and off and on September 8, 2019, the car stalled and/or would not start back up many times when the cel was on. The car would not crank the next morning, twice, on the way to green Ford, and waiting on recall to be performed. The car has 151,000 miles and is a one owner vehicle. The powertrain, PCM and this current issue has been the only issues that seems to be connected.

- Mcleansville, NC, USA

problem #1010

Dec 182015

Focus

  • 80,679 miles
The engine dies while driving and now will crank but won't start. The transmission shutters when taking off from a start.

- San Juan Capistrano, CO, USA

problem #1009

Sep 082019

Focus

  • 125,600 miles

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

Car hesitates and shudders before pulling off from a complete stop. Create a tin rattling noice when make turns too fast. The hesitation is too dangerous.

- Smyrna, GA, USA

problem #1008

Sep 272014

Focus

  • 31,733 miles
Excessive shuddering on acceleration from a stop. Te engine will not start sometimes. The transmission failure light comes on.

- Perris, CA, USA

problem #1007

Jul 302015

Focus

  • 25,780 miles
Hesitation on acceleration; transmission shudders and has no power

- San Bernardino, CA, USA

problem #1006

Jun 272013

Focus

  • 17,049 miles
Transmission shudders on accelerations and has trouble shifting into gears. There is a scraping noise from the transmission after driving a long time.

- Los Angeles, CA, USA

problem #1005

Aug 222016

Focus

  • 90,465 miles
Transmission and clutch shudder on acceleration. Check engine light reads transmission malfunction. Multiple recall reprogrammings of PCM and tcm

- Fontana, CA, USA

problem #1004

Sep 052019

Focus

  • 45,000 miles
My 2012 Ford Focus has recently began making a grinding, rattling noise during acceleration, and sometimes shudders or jerks on acceleration from a stop or when the automatic transmission shifts white driving. These symptoms are most severe when starting from a stop or transitioning from city street to highway speed. The current symptoms cause my vehicle to behave unpredictably in traffic. My Ford dealer diagnosed this as a failure of the clutch, common in powershift transmissions from this era. Others have reported the development of even more dangerous symptoms, such as vehicles shifting into neutral without warning while on highways.despite widely-reported defects in these transmissions, Ford is not willing to cover any repairs to improve the safety of my vehicle.

- Corvallis, OR, USA

problem #1003

Jul 302019

Focus

  • 162,000 miles
The contact owns a 2012 Ford Focus. While driving 60 mph, the vehicle shuddered and stalled and the transmission overheat warning indicator illuminated. The vehicle was taken to atchinson Ford (located at 9800 belleville rd, belleville, mi 48111, (734) 697-9161) where it was diagnosed that the power train control module needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The vehicle was not included in NHTSA campaign number: 13V523000 (power train). The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 162,000.

- Canton, MI, USA

problem #1002

Aug 012019

Focus

  • miles
My car is currently shuddering and not properly shifting some days it drives and some days it won't move at all. It all started about a month ago when I was on the freeway and was almost rear ended due to it shuddering, the car started to slow down and came too a complete stop and dash read transmission is too hot wait 8 mins. I am guessing once it cooled it would be better but it kept shuddering some days it drives fine and most of the time it's dragging RPM high and shuddering when pulling off from light or stop sign.

- Canton, MI, USA

problem #1001

Sep 022019

Focus

  • 53,000 miles
The contact owns a 2012 Ford Focus. While driving 40 mph, the transmission failure warning indicator illuminated and the vehicle changed into second gear independently. The vehicle was taken to thomaston Ford, Inc (2230, 1011 us-19, thomaston, ga 30286, (706) 648-2191) to be diagnosed, but the results were unknown. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was contacted, but the contact was not able to speak with a representative. The failure mileage was 53,000.

- Thomaston, GA, USA

problem #1000

Aug 082019

Focus

  • 78,949 miles
"takata recall" when attempting to reverse out of a parking space, I put my car in the reverse gear however nothing happened. I tried several times, pressing on the gas pedal but the car would only back up slightly. After some time I was able to slowly back out and shift into drive. When I was in drive, the car was moving very slowly and jerking as I was in motion. I was able to get to a local garage to have my vehicle checked out. The garage communicated that they could not get the car to drive at all. They tried driving it in reverse as well as forward.

- Pittsburgh, PA, USA

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