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.
Takata recall: Ok so I was driving the other day and all of a sudden my speakers made this thunder like noise and my stereo randomly went out and stopped working. It was a rather loud "boom" which startled me and almost got me a swerve into another car. When I got to my destination I turned off the car, and then tried to start it back up again to see if maybe it would turn on, well it did, but now my car randomly does this like everyday! and it startled me every time!!!!!! which is dangerous because it could cause a serious accident!!!!!
First problem is with the radio. This began when my car had 37000 miles and the radio would make a loud thumping sound. The car would seem to shake and I did not realize it was the radio until the other issues began. A loud screeching and popping started which would come out of nowhere. This can cause a big disturbance since you are not expecting it to happen and it is extremely loud. Eventually the sound always occurred and even after turning the car off it would still continue - doors open and keys out of ignition. It finally stopped and there is no sound, but after six months it started making the sound again, and again out of nowhere. This is extremely distracting because there is absolutely no sound coming from the radio, off or on and it will suddenly start to shriek or pop. It stopped again, but I am waiting for it to begin again. I have taken it in to the dealer several times only to be told there is nothing that can be done and they have not seen this issue before. My next issue is with the wiper blades. This began recently and I have around 45000 miles on my vehicle. At first the wiper on the driver's side flew off while in use. I thought that I had possibly put TR he wipes on incorrectly even though it had been working fine for a month or so. I had the auto parts store put new blades on and again about two weeks later it flew off. Luckily I hadn't driven off and was able to retrieve the wiper and put it back on this time. Three months later the drivers side wiper will just stop working midway through the window. I can flip the wipers on and off several times and it will work for a second, but continues to get stuck in the middle of the windshield. The passengers side gets stuck as well, but will fix itself.
Stereo will work for about 30 seconds and then there will be a loud popping and high pitched frequency of static, even with rhe radio volume on 0 or with the radio off. Could cause a driver to swerve off the road resulting in a crash or a fire to start from faulty wiring.
- Puyallup, WA, USA
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First time was on 15 March. Took Focus in for wipers not working driver side stops. Ford replaced motor for wiper on driver side. On or about March 27 while driving to work wipers quit working. It was raining out.I drove about 20 miles with the wipers stopping 30 plus times. Drove to Ford dealership and left car there for over a week. They replaced both motors.picked up car 5 of April.now April 14 raining out driving home from work and wipers stopped 6 times.
2012 Ford Focus. Consumer writes in regards to parts being unavailable for transmission/tcm safety recall. The consumer stated the dashboard illuminated "parking aid malfunction-service required". the dealer advised this was a recall and to contact the manufacturer. The manufacturer was contacted.
The contact owns a 2012 Ford Focus. The contact stated that the vehicle failed to start while attempting to drive. The vehicle was towed to malloy Ford of charlottesville (located at 1300 richmond rd, charlottesville, va 22911, (434) 977-7960), but a failure code could not be found with the transmission and alternator. The dealer repaired the connector of the BCM. While driving approximately 50 mph and approaching a stop light, the contact depressed the brake pedal, but the vehicle failed to decelerate. The vehicle also failed to accelerate appropriately. The contact drove to her home. The vehicle was not taken to a dealer or independent mechanic to determine the cause of the failures. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not contacted. The approximate failure mileage was 70,000.
Steering assist failure notice appeared on and off for nearly a year. Notice would disappear after turning vehicle off and straightening steering wheel. At 77000 miles, warning came on again and would not clear. This is a serious safety hazard especially if it happens while driving on the road. I was lucky it was just in my driveway. Ford has recalled several cars of similar make and model for this same issue yet have not recalled the Ford Focus. This is a serious safety hazard especially if it happens while driving on the road. Ford needs to own up to their mistake and send a recall and fix the problem on all vehicles. I should not have to pay for a manufacturing defect. The car is now out of commission because I can't afford the repair and I am to scared to drive it as is.
Power steering electrical rack.I prepared to leave work, check engine light showed issue with electronic steering.two weeks prior to this event, my radio system(loud crackling)failed.with no power steering assist, drove home, two miles.I called Ford dealer to have car tower to their shop.
My car constantly smells like gas when I start it up after filling the gas tank up, the car dies when driving down road I have to pull over to start it because it dies while I am on the road so I have to pull over since last year the fuel reader stopped working causing me to die on side of road because of running out of gas. The car still has transmission issues it jerks from time to time and the half shaft bearing and wheel bearings are currently going out in this car. I bought the car brand new at the Ford dealership. This is car is a lemon I have owned over 15 used cars and never had a problem as much I have had with this new car.
I have had my Ford Focus for 4 years now and I have recently started having problems with the radio/sync. Load noises will interrupt the radio or come on even if radio is off. This has happened to me a number of times while driving down the road and scared the living daylight out of me causing me to swerve in to the other lane or caused me to slam on my breaks with cars behind me. I have noticed that many other for Focus owners have experienced the same issues and don't understand why this hasn't been recalled! it is very unsafe and won't stop when car is turned off and key removed. Please help! it is getting worse!
On multiple occasions my 2012 Ford Focus got stuck in park and would not shift into drive. The steering wheel would not turn. The shift stick would not move from park back into drive. The electrical lights 'P N D S' turned off on the dash. When I pushed on the brake the car would not shift back into drive. Last night it happened in the middle of rush hour traffic at a red light. I turned the car on and off several times. The dash board lights would come on, but 'P N D S' remained unlit and the car would not shift back into drive. After 4 or 5 times of turning car on and off and opening and closing the door (this affects dash board lights some how). The lights came back on and the car would allow me to shift back into drive while pushing on the brake.
Connector for airbags keep coming undone. We took in after seeing notification on dash showing airbag issue. Paid 170 for them to put a new connector in. Less than a year later it is loose again. We cannot keep paying $170 for them to fix this. The switch just hangs under the driver's seat and we have made a point of not putting anything under there in case this was the problem. I have seen online where airbags are not deploying. Could be a faulty switch underneath causing this to happen.
On many different occasions my steering wheel will completely lock up. Today was not the first day - just now knowing I can report this. Happens frequently and randomly since getting the vehicle. This is dangerous when driving, and it seems to be a common issue on these Ford. When the wheel locks up - you have to stop the vehicle. If I turn the car off/back on 4 or 5 times it usually unlocks it. As far as the electrical goes - the car is possessed. If you turn the car off and remove the keys - the radio continues to play even after getting out of the car. The keyless entry will not lock the doors. Windshield wipers will go off randomly without keys in the ignition. Sometimes the radio will randomly turn itself all the way up and if you try to turn the whole thing off, it does not respond. Many issues with this car!
Driving on a city street when it just would not go after a red light. When I did get it to move off of the city street to a parking lot it was hard to steer. All the lights started flashing. I could not lock the doors with my remote, would not start. I had to have it towed to my house. The next morning I put my code reader on the vehicle and found about 13 fault codes which I reset since then I have had multiple instances of my vehicle shutting down, hard steering and transmission not shifting or going into gear. Displays transmission overheating, transmission malfunction service now. Wont, T go into gear. Horn stopped working and withut doing anything it suddenly started working.
Was driving car and randomly a warning came up ' power steering assist fault service required' then power steering turned off. Turn car off turn back on fix the problem. Then problem came back and has not gone away. I have no power steering. Radio has been acting strange since purchased car
Twice in the last month this car has stopped running, all the dash lights come on and it will not accelerate. The most recent time, my daughter was driving back to school in lubbock, tx going 80 mph when it shutdown. She tried to pull over but almost wrecked due to the fact she had no power brakes. I have seen many reports on the internet and youtube videos documenting the same thing she had happen to her. When she took it into the Ford dealership they of course could not find an issue and they would not give her a loaner or rental car during the time it took them to look at it. This is obviously a safety issue with Ford not having a fix. At this point, if I wasn't upside down on the car, I would trade it in on something different and it wouldn't be a Ford. I digress.
A D V E R T I S E M E N T S
- Stuart, FL, USA