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.
On 10/23/2015 at 51,289 miles, I took the car in because the car intermitterly would not start & when taking off from 1st to 2nd gear, it was jerky. I would have to let off the gas. I also experienced a rubbing & scraping sound that I found out is what they said was the transmission clutch shuddering. The clutch & tcm (transmission control module) were replaced under the Ford technical service bulletins tsb15-0120 & tsb-15-0121. On 10/12/2016 at 71,906 miles, I took the car back into the same local Ford dealer for shuddering again. They replaced the clutch again & reprogrammed the PCM/tcm & preformed an adaptive learn procedure. I still experience a grinding sound mainly while turning, but have been assured that it is normal & not an issue. My most recent issue is my airbag light came on stationary (no flashing). I currently have less than 80,000 mile on the car. I took it into my local Ford dealer & the car gave code dtc B00C2-11-ocsm (right front seatbelt retractor assembly shorted). It will cost over $700 to replace!!! I was told if I am in an accident where the airbags need to deploy, they will not deploy......none of them! less important problems I've experienced is the manual lumbar in the driver seat broke & the "beauty ring" around the headlight switch cracked. Ford does not sell just that piece. You have to buy the whole cover that also goes around the air vent right above it even though they are separate pieces clipped together, which is $45.
I'm currently on my 4th powershift transmission. I get a new one installed yearly due to unsafe driving hazards it causes. Jerking, hesitation, rolling backwards on slight inclines. Several times while driving at highway speeds the powershift transmission slipped out of gear and I had no speed control. Very scary! Ford keeps installing a new transmission but, it never fixes the problem. They did increase my warranty to 100,000 miles. I intended to keep this car for my teenage daughter when she starts to drive but, I would never trust her life with this car. I can't trade it in because all dealers know this car is a lemon.
2012 Ford Focus SE 65K miles: Automatic transmission stops suddenly loosing power and can cause an accident when you go on the highway or on busy street. Shift gear get lost and speed, velocity and acceleration decrease. Wheel bearings make a lot of noise on the rear tires like if they going to fly out of the car. Radiator have a hair line crack so is leaking coolant. Note: The car is well maintained and have all maintenance made on time. No abusive driving. What happen Ford"?"😡 no quality at all!!!
Vehicle was stationary when I turned the car on. Steering column locked up and the car started beeping and presented the warning "system check steering assist fault service required." This only happens when the vehicle is stationary and not in motion. In order to stop the above issue, I had to turn the car off and back on and then the steering would unlock.
- Carmi, IL, USA
Search CarComplaints.com for these popular complaint phrases...
My first issue with the vehicle is a malfunctioning horn and front passenger side window. Then the transmission failed on me while I was driving. I had to have the vehicle towed to the dealership for service. Ford replaced the transmission after having the car for about a month. The dealership said they also fixed the horn. But that is not the case. The horn is still not working. I don't use the horn much, but I realized how dangerous not having one can be last week. I had to signal a vehicle backing up into the main road in order to avoid a collision. Since my horn was not working, I had to swerve. The vehicle is back at the dealership for service. The vehicle has been there for 3 days and they still have not updated me on the status of my vehicle.
The contact owns a 2012 Ford Focus. While driving various speeds, a green and red light flashed on the instrument panel. The vehicle's downhill indicator illuminated without being activated. The vehicle revved and shifted into neutral. The contact stated that the vehicle eventually returned to normal. Other times, the contact would have to turn off the vehicle and restart it a few times until it returned to normal. The contact took the vehicle to the dealer, but the cause of the failure could not be diagnosed. The vehicle was not repaired and the failure recurred. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 71,000.
Recently, on March 18, 2017 I was driving my car again on major roadway and all of a sudden the 'engine light' comes on in the car and the car comes to a complete stopped in the middle of me driving in which almost caused a major accident out of my control. I turned the car off and sat with my hazard lights on for a few minutes. I restart the vehicle in which the 'engine light' was still illuminated and the vehicle was barely moving upon acceleration. I was able to get it to Firestone complete autocare located at 7320 elgin St, philadelphia, pa 19111. I asked them if they could check to see what the issue may be with my vehicle. They informed me that the transmission control module appeared to be failing again and that I should take my vehicle to the dealer due to the past recall. I did extensive research on this dps6 automatic transmission. Although, the transmission is supposed to be automatic, it actually operates as a manual transmission. The car drives like a manual vehicle. This issue is extremely urgent and operation of this vehicle is extremely dangerous due to the fact that you do not know what it may do next. Also, due to the fact that Ford technicians continue to state that this issue is not fixable. At this point, I no longer want this vehicle and would like to know my options about full refund or option of another vehicle. I have also contacted lemon law in regards to these issues in which there are hundreds and thousands of others who have had the same issues with the same vehicle along with other models such as the fiesta. Consumers should be able to trust that a company would sell us a safe vehicle rather such a hazardous one. I am extremely concerned and am looking for an answer for my issues with this vehicle before this has to proceed to legal action.
2012 Ford Focus. Consumer writes in regards to vehicle transmission programming issues. The consumer stated the modular switch was replaced. The consumer stated the vehicle was at the dealer six times for the same transmission issue. The vehicle would not move, when he pressed the accelerator pedal.
My 2012 Ford Focus has been nothing but a piece of junk. The transmission has been replaced 5 times. I continue to have problems with shifting, acceleration, lunging forward, hesitation, and overall performance issues on the transmission. The last transmission ( clutch system ) was installed by paul miller Ford in lexington ky. I reported problems with the same issues on the transmission. Each time I dropped my vehicle at the service center, I was told "everything looks good, we show everything is within parameters, no problems found." What a load of crap. I take it back for the same problem and oops, "we are sorry but the test we ran failed." You will have to pay to replace your transmission. When I asked it Ford has figured out how it fix the problem with the transmission, I received no answer, only that " we are so sorry about my transmission. I called customer service to open up a case (#cas11662039) and was basically told the same thing, " we are sorry, we don't have any programs that help pay for fixing your transmission, but hang on to your receipt and if there is a recall you can get your $ back." Also, paul miller Ford refuses to provide me with a list of parts installed on my vehicle each time transmission was replaced, thier computor would be having problems each time my transmission would be replaced. Why hasnt there been a recall on my 2012 Ford Focus if there is no way to fix the transmission?
Was driving down freeway at 65mph. Rpms shoot past 5 and car accelerates on its own up to 80mph. Cars message screen read "transmission malfunction- service now". I was able to pull over to the left - as there was traffic. Was able to get off highway but could only get my car to get as fast as 30mph before the rpms were past 5 again. Ford replaced transmission computer module. Drove car for ~hour and a half next day. Car is jerking forward worse than before. Shaking in the transmission. Would accelerate ~5mph on its own. Happened 5 times during the duration. Doesn't matter if you're in motion or stationary - this car has a mind of its own and I'm scared to drive it. I'm positive had someone been in front of my on the freeway, when it accelerated to 80mph on its own, I would have rear ended them.
I got in my car, but it in reverse and began backing out of my parking space when my suddenly car lost power. The car was in motion but the steering wheel and brake pedal locked up and I could not steer or stop my car from going backwards and I hit a parked car in the parking deck at school as a result. The code on my dash was (I) steering assist fail. I turned the car off and on several times before the steering wheel and break released and I was able to gain control of the car again. This is the 3rd time in 2 weeks it has done this (Jan 28, Feb 2 and Feb 8). All three times the car has been in motion and in reverse gear. I contacted Ford corporate offices and the Ford dealership where I purchased the car from and they said there is nothing they can do unless the car duplicates the problem in their presence.
Automatic transmission disengages while traveling at speed. Card rolls backward on any type of hill. I have been driving and was passing a vehicle on a 2 lane road and had the transmission disengage and narrowly avoided an accident as there was no power to the drive wheels to get back into the traffic lane. This car has been in multiple times for transmission work. The tcm and automatic clutch replaced with another faulty tcm & automatic clutch. This model of transmission is a danger to the driving public.
I've had multiple transmission/clutch issues and it continues no matter what temporary fix Ford gives. I've had 2 clutches put in and multiple trips to the dealership for shaking and the car jerking and also the car wont shift sometimes and accelerates out of nowhere. Today, and the reason I'm complaining, my transmission started acting up and then my "transmission malfunction" light came on and and the car jerked and wouldnt shift and caused me to almost lose control. This transmission issue needs to be resolved. I inly have one picture but have all the service records
The contact owns a 2012 Ford Focus. While driving various speeds, the vehicle suddenly shut off. After restarting the engine, the failure continued. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 90,000.
Vehicle disengages and leaves you stranded right where you set, no matter if the gear shift is in drive, park, reverse, or sport it disengages without warning. This has happened to me numerous times. Once, pulled into gas station to get gas and put vehicle into park, got out, filled tank then got back into car and put into drive and, nothing. Transmission would not engage. Another time, driving on interstate and same thing, disengages then would lunge then disengage completely, stranded on the highway. Another time, and this has happen so much that now I try to time myself while approaching traffic signals as to prepare myself as if it where going to lose power every time. These times you will be setting in traffic at a light or just rush hour bumper to bumper and the light changes or traffic starts to move and without warning transmission, disengages. Stranded, in the middle of an intersection with oncoming traffic. I am surprised with all the problems that I see everyone is having with these vehicles pertaining to the transmissions, someone hasn't been killed. This problem isn't a secret anymore. Just google Ford Focus transmission problems! the NHTSA needs to "(as a federal Agency, NHTSA regulates the safety of motor vehicles and related equipment)" do what is right for the consumer. Call Ford motor out on this issue and make them stand behind their product that are selling. Go to wlos.com/news/news-13-investigates/Ford-sued-over-faulty-transmissions-in-some-Focus-feistas this pretty much explains it. This is why Ford stopped using this transmission in end of 2015. There is no fixing it! it is a defective design issue and they know it. And as far as the when did this happen box at the bottom of this page, these aren't isolated incidents, this happens often and to most people who own these cars manufactured with this transmission between 2011-2015.
The vehicle loses power even though it is still in drive; engine still running fine, transmission is not. Makes no difference where the vehicle is driven; highway, city street, turning, the transmissions simply slips out of gear. Yikes.. driving on highway and lost power, yet engine still running. Like transmission is slipping out of gear into neutral but still in drive. Also, turning into driveway and did it again.
I purchased my 2012 Ford Focus in July of 2016 with 29,000 miles on it and I was aware of the transmission problems when purchased. However was not notify about my door latches unable to close. Apparently October 3, 2016 Ford decided to send out a recall letter claiming that my doors won't close while driving or just won't close. Asked me to take my car to the nearest dealership to get my car repaired. My back driver door just stopped closing completely, I damaged my side of the door from stopping the door from coming open. My nearest dealership told me that parts weren't available for my car and that I'll have to wait until next year to get my car fixed. I begged them to do at least something to keep my car doors close and they tied my seatbelt to my back car door to prevent the door from opening. However my front passenger door still opened and stayed open randomly which cause a few of my friends to fall out of it! my car was like that for about three months. Then they finally "fixed" it by putting replacement parts on it until the actual parts become available sometime this year. My front passenger door is even worst than before. Usually it takes me slamming the door three times before it closed, but now it takes more than three times and I have to slam harder!!! I've had enough of dealing with this car, I think it shouldn't be doing that when it was almost new!!!! also they still won't do anything with the transmission because of the "parts" which I think there's not going to be any parts. I don't even know what I purchased, if my transmission doesn't work or my doors don't close how can anyone considering this a car"!?! what did I buy?!"! this is outrageous!!! I don't know if one day if my front driving door will come open and I'll be flying out somewhere dead on the highway. I just don't feel safe and I wish someone would do something about this!
A D V E R T I S E M E N T S
- Belton, TX, USA