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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:
9 / 4
Injuries / Deaths:
5 / 0
Average Mileage:
54,982 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 engine problems

engine problem

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2012 Ford Focus Owner Comments (Page 5 of 23)

« Read the previous 20 complaints

problem #370

Aug 012018

Focus

  • 40,000 miles

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

We have a 2012 Focus. From day 1, we have had problems with the battery going dead, within just a day. We have had it in numerous dealerships, with no resolve of the problem. After having had enough, we took it to a specialist who hooked it up to a diagnostic machine. The problem was the stereo system draining the battery. But we felt it wasn't our responsibility to have to pay for a new stereo, so we just had it disconnected. Fixed the problem. But the check engine light never goes off. And now it's making a funny noise in the engine and when you come to a stop and accelerate, it sometimes acts like it wants to cut off. I feel like Ford ought to replace the stereo free. We have had it in on other numerous occasions for other problems too. Had to have a new dash twice!

- Landrum, SC, USA

problem #369

Apr 122020

Focus

  • 113,630 miles
My vehicle is constantly telling me my "transmission overheating, please pull over safely" when im on the freeway (no traffic). I pull over and it say "wait 5 minutes, " which I do and then it will say "transmission ready". sometimes even before I pull over to allow transmission to cool down it will flash "transmission ready" before I can pull over to let it cool down.

- Adelanto, CA, USA

problem #368

Mar 082018

Focus

  • 130,000 miles
The car doesn't like to shift to any other gears it drives horribly going down hills or backing out of the road I have took the car to the dealership they said it was my clutch is bad and it is 1200 to fix it.

- Cottondale, FL, USA

problem #367

Sep 102019

Focus 4-cyl

  • 58,335 miles

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

When you depress the accelerator peddle the rpms max out.it will studder for a few second then the rpms will plummet to zero or one.the engine stalls while in motion.while operating the vehicle on a straight flat road.the rpms are all over the engine looses power surges and cuts out.when driving up hill or an incline the engine will loose up to half its power and the car will derastically loose accelerator power.the steering is irratic.it shakes and causes the vehicle to lurch.it is unsafe to operate on public roadways.since recall service I've had to return the car to the recall service provider.the car now has so many problems it sits in my driveway.since October I've paid full coverage insurance for a car the Ford Motor Company and sub sitiary companies of that company refuse to honor their re-calls and services stemming from those recalls.

- Spirit Lake, ID, USA

problem #366

Jan 012015

Focus

  • 20,000 miles
The contact owns a 2012 Ford Focus. The contact stated that while accelerating from a stop, the vehicle would shuddered and hesitated. The cause of the failure was not determined. The local dealer and manufacturer was not notified of the failure. No further information was available. The VIN was not available. The failure mileage was 20,000.

- Chicago, IL, USA

problem #365

Jan 312020

Focus

  • 102,886 miles
The vehicle just shuts down on the expressway without warning while in traffic. The transmission has been overheating without any unusual acceleration. If driving over 25 mph the transmission overheats and will not accelerate. The vehicle radio comes on without the key in the ignition. The vehicle engine light and transmission light continues to come on without warning.

- Arlington, VA, USA

problem #364

Oct 292019

Focus

  • 44,000 miles

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

The family has taken all three of our Ford vehicles to the same dealership for service since we purchased them and they have not taken recall action. The Focus not only has this recall but the shudder recall, that the dealer advised that it would cost us $1,500 because the recall requires clutch replacement. We received notices for the tcm, shudder/shaft seals, and cpv with no actions taken. The family's record is that our maintenance schedule has been consistent visits with the dealer's assigned return dates and nothing less. The family should not have to pay for a recall for that kind of money. That amount should be doubled and submitted to us as a down payment on a new Ford vehicle. We are not liking what sexton Ford told us though we have been nowhere else for maintenance except them since day one! now, we are being notified of nothing being done iaw what supposed to had been done already.

- Davenport, IA, USA

problem #363

Jun 092018

Focus

  • 48,000 miles
I was driving at a speed of 65mph and my Ford Focus displayed a yellow wrench and a stop safely now triangle, the car lost power and the steering wheel locked up. I was almost rear ended and fought with the car to coast to the side of the road

- Sonoma, CA, USA

problem #362

Nov 152019

Focus

  • miles
When I make a stop and try to move the vehicle, I feel vibrations, lost of power. I did not know that Ford recalled the vehicle to solve the problem. I just called but Ford refuse to fix. The agent to whom I spoke, said that the mileage is above 100 000 miles. The current mileage is 173 000 miles but I have been driving with this problem for long time.

- Rosedale, MD, USA

problem #361

Jan 082020

Focus 4-cyl

  • 49,975 miles
Vehicle purchased August 30, 2012. Two recalls for power shift six speed auto trans, clutch shudder. Taken in both times in accordance with warranty and recall instructions. In both instances vehicle was never fixed based on safety codes and instructions. Contacted Ford motor and dealership. In both instances compliance was refused. Last breakdown, Jan. 2020, regarding recall was denied due to claims that vehicle was not properly warranted. Took vehicle to dealer for recall issue again, and was told vehicle was not warranted for clutch and unsafe to operate. I believe the vehicle was never safe to drive! therefore, not only do I not have the funds to fix the original recall, but I do not have any vehicle or access to a vehicle. Recalls are not ever to be the responsibility of the consumer, especially when vehicle was not properly brought up to codes and standards in the first place. All attempts to negotiate a civil outcome have failed, and now Ford has completely locked me out of all access to any reps. And/or uppers authority supervisors, thus forcing me to file this complaint, which I hope resolves this issue and prevents me from obtaining legal representation. As a side note, if Ford or woltz and wind refuses to make this wrong, right - I will also be moving forward to the atty general as well as Consumer Affairs. I thought it was only fair to both parties (including yourself) to let you know all copies from this and any other decisions and/or correspondence will be copied and forwarded to said entities named. If that doesn't guarantee me a total resolve, I will then contact an attorney and file a civil suit-which on the commonwealth clearly states...I am also eligible to become part of the class action suit against Ford. I have until Feb.20, 2020 and I am involved in that also.

- Pittsburgh, PA, USA

problem #360

Nov 222019

Focus

  • 107,000 miles

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

When idling - my Ford Focus will often randomly accelerate, after a few moments it then bottoms out completely, nearly stalling. This also happens when I'm braking instead of decelerating it will accelerate and jerk the car terribly straining the brakes making it harder to stop.

- Chesapeake, VA, USA

problem #359

Nov 022019

Focus

  • 82,589 miles
High rpms died in flight stalling jerking

- Oceanside, CA, USA

problem #358

Jan 152020

Focus

  • miles
My daughter has a used 2012 Ford Focus that has an outstanding recall for cpv problems. She has had two experiences where the vehicle loses power and she's unable to accelerate no matter how far she presses the gas pedal. Last week, 1/15/2019 the same issue happened on the freeway, while in motion, going approximately 65mph. Very dangerous! especially with fast moving traffic. She managed to get off the freeway and coast into a parking lot. We had the car towed to camelback Ford and we explained the situation and that after some research found there is an open recall on her car for a malfunctioning part/S that can cause the exact problems she's experiencing. They say okay, we'll get on it. Well, they called us today, 1/20/2020, a whole 5 days later, to say that she needs a new battery and other things like a wheel alignment and bearing replaced. No mention of the recall repair being done. When asked they said they couldn't repair because they were unable to replicate the problem or find a code for it. So needless to say, she's been without her car for 5 days and the recall repair wasn't even done, and they come at use for other "repairs". right now we are more concerned for the safety aspect of the car stalling out while in motion. After chatting with a Ford customer service rep., who by the way says repairs should be done whether the issue is detectable or not, we have to take it to a second dealer and hope they make the necessary repairs. We can do a wheel bearings and alignment once the more critical safety repairs are done.

- Fort Defiance, AZ, USA

problem #357

Jul 172019

Focus

  • 97,500 miles
I have had to replace the same part multiple times. The tcm seems like it needs replaced almost every time I get an oil change. Every time my car gets fixed another problem appears. My car will not go in reverse right now, and has a misfire in cylinder 1 which I know the misfires happen often. But there is also a leak in the evap which happened right after my tank was fixed for the deformation of the tank recall. My transmission ticks, and the clutch plate needs replaced. I have an automatic Ford Focus but the car is constantly shuddering. The vehicle has the clutch shudder when I'm at a complete stop and I press the gas pedal. It doesn't matter if it's light or not.

- Amelia, OH, USA

problem #356

Sep 092019

Focus

  • 84,000 miles
I purchased a 2012 Ford Focus 11/2017 since then have had power train /transmission replaced 2 times larest in Sept. 2019. I am again experiencing the same types of symtoms leading to same. Called service where work was done in Sept. And told wait alittle longer for symtoms to show on the meter. But you can bring in you chose. I am scared to wait and last experience left me in an intersection vehicle wouldnt start and unable to get an ok to tow. Used someone else aaa to tow in. One week without a car no rentals avalilable due to high volume of Ford recalls stated at every Ford dealer in san diego. I could pay out of pocket but rental requirements and no credit card made it ineligible to do so. Ford okd a one day rental. No vehicles available I was told.

- El Cajon, CA, USA

problem #355

Nov 032019

Focus

  • 100,000 miles
The contact owns a 2012 Ford Focus. While the contact's granddaughter was driving 55 mph, the accelerator pedal was depressed, but failed to respond. In addition, the check engine warning indicator illuminated. The vehicle was taken to watermark Nissan of marion (3209 banterra drive, marion, il 62959) where it was determined that the power train control module needed to be replaced. The contact referenced NHTSA campaign number: 18V735000 (engine), but the failure recurred. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 100,000.

- Murphysboro, IL, USA

problem #354

Dec 012017

Focus

  • 53,000 miles
The contact owns a 2012 Ford Focus. The contact stated that the check engine indicator illuminated. In addition, the front driver's side wheel was wobbling. Furthermore, the engine stalled and the vehicle was pulled over to the side of the road. The contact had to restart the vehicle and the check engine indicator turned off and on. Thornhill Ford Lincoln (U.S. 119 North 500 Ford fairlane, chapmanville, wv 25508, (304) 855-8300) stated that there was no warranty coverage; therefore, the contact would have to pay for diagnostic testing. The contact received a recall notice for NHTSA campaign number: 18V735000 (fuel system, gasoline) and took the vehicle to the same dealer for the recall repair. The failure recurred after approximately one month. The dealer wanted to charge for another diagnostic test. The manufacturer was not notified. The failure mileage was 53,000.

- Chapmanville., WV, USA

problem #353

Dec 162019

Focus

  • 169,600 miles
Vehicle would lose motive power in long turning off/on ramps when fuel level got down to just above a 1/4 tank at first then as time progressed the same issue would occur in highway traffic. Narrowly avoided accidents on several occasions due to this. Vehicle never threw a code for anything, it would just stop running. I took vehicle in to dealer to perform manufacturer recall 18S32, they just reporgrammed it and gave it back. Problem got better at first but did not go away. Since the recall work another recall has come out and the level of fuel I need went from above 1/4 to above 1/2 a tank of fuel. When the fuel gauge reads 1/2 a tank the vehicle will take between 7 and 8 gallons of gas (the fuel levels on the gauge are wrong) this morning I lost motive power on the highway in traffic at low speeds with a full tank of fuel and it finally threw the code P00C6 twice, which after looking it up I identified this to be something along the lines of insufficient fuel pressure at the fuel rail. I plan on turning the car in to have the second recall for this issue performed in the next few days and, according to the recall from Ford, this should constitute replacement of several components in the fuel system. I want this on record before taking the vehicle in. This issue has been ongoing and has made me late for and miss work on several occasions.

- Deltona, FL, USA

problem #352

Mar 162018

Focus

  • 5,900 miles
Check engine light on, both on road and highway staling and front end making noise.

- Chapmanville, WV, USA

problem #351

Sep 042019

Focus

  • 82,397 miles
The engine light randomly came on. The car stalled while driving. Came to a stop. Was slow to start back up and was jerking/stuttering the rest of the way. Multiple auto body shops diagnosed my 2012 Ford Focus was transmission failure

- Los Angeles, CA, USA

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