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.
The contact owns a 2012 Ford Focus. Whenever the contact placed fuel in the vehicle, the tank would go straight to empty. In addition, fuel would leak from the vehicle and caused it to run out of fuel. On another occasion, after the fuel tank was filled, the contact drove off and the vehicle decelerated on its own. The contact called her boyfriend to help push the vehicle to the side of the road. The vehicle was towed to the contact's home. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer and dealer were not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was 152,300.
I purchased this vehicle from Ford of kirkland in Washington state in 2016, and noticed driving issues the day I drove it off the lot. This vehicle has a dps6 transmission and it constantly jerks, shudders and slips out of gear while driving at any speed. It often fails to accelerate or accelerates suddenly and out of control, especially when going uphill. It also frequently overheats, especially when idling, despite having work done on it several times that was supposed to fix this problem. I was told this was an automatic transmission when the vehicle was sold to me, and the dps6 is not an automatic transmission at all. I also frequently have issues with the electrical and radio system. The clock changes randomly and the audio switches unexpectedly to radio stations from blue tooth while driving and then fails to switch back to any blue tooth device, sometimes for several days until it randomly begins working again. This is especially problematic when I am relying on audio directions from navigation apps that are paired from my cell phone while driving. I was also told by Ford of kirkland service center that there is "nothing wrong" with my transmission or my vehicle and that I'm just not driving it "correctly, " which makes absolutely no sense. This vehicle and its faulty transmission are unsafe to drive. I do not let anyone else drive this vehicle because I fear for their safety and I only drive it myself in times where it is absolutely necessary, which I can prove by the very small amount of miles I have put on it since purchase. I experience the above stated problems every single time I drive it this vehicle, which is a clearly a lemon by definition. Ford broke the law by selling me this dangerous vehicle with a transmission that they knew was unsafe and by falsely advertising this transmission as an automatic.
Recall notice number18V735 has not been performed. I received a notice December 2018 and nothing has happened. I'm concerned my vehicle has an open issue that hasn't been remediated. Apparently, Ford hasn't identified a solution. Why hasn't this been resolved?
We bought the 2012 Ford Focus as a car for our daughter. When test driving it, for a short period, we didn't notice anything with the transmission. But now that we are driving it more, there is a shudder when we accelerate. Like driving a stick shift when you take off and didn't do it smoothly. It lacks in power at times when turning onto the road, which scares me at times when other cars are coming and we can't get it to accelerate. The more I'm reading about this car, I am seriously so scared for my daughter to drive it alone. Extremely scared!!! as someone who saved to get what we thought was a good car for our daughter, I feel we are stuck with it. I wouldn't feel right selling this to someone else, I wish the previous seller had felt the same way!! people are putting their families in these cars, their loved ones. There needs to be a recall on these vehicles so we can have a chance to get safer cars to protect us. I did take the vehicle in for it's other recall regarding something with the fuel tank, where we had to keep it half full. The mechanic took the car for a drive and noted the shuddering on the vehicle, but they wanted $150 to diagnose it. And couldn't tell me if that was covered under warranty. If Ford knows this is a common problem, they would know if it's covered. Their just trying to get money out of me.
Constant problems with the transmission and transmission control module including shuddering overheating lack of power jerking motions and constant replacement. From 2013 to current date.
- Boston, MA, USA
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My Focus has had numerous transmission problems over the past few years. My car would randomly not be able to shift into second gear and would leave stranded. While driving my car would randomly not shift gears, allowing me to go a max of 10 mph with my children in my car. Many times my car would not start at all. Sometimes when it did start, I could not even turn my wheel. I had the computer chip reset and within 4 months my car became inoperable. I took it to the shop and they said multiple service bulletins were found for my transmission that came back in the diagnostics and told me to take it to the Ford dealership. When I went there I was told it would be minimum $2K to get the internal clutch fixed, if that was the issue, upwards of $5K for the other transmission issues. I felt extremely unsafe with two kids and had to go out and lease a new car. I am furious now that I am reading that Ford knew it was selling 2012 focuses with faulty transmissions. I still have the car in my possession. I cannot even count the number of times my car would not shift or start, and while driving with my children in the car this happened. It caused me to almost be rear ended or stuck in intersections. The only thing that saved me on many occasions was quickly turning on my hazard lights/blinkers. I am outraged that this has happened. Prior to owning my 2012 Focus, I had a 2002 Focus and never ran into any of these issues and loved the car so much I bought another one. If I could go back in time I would never have bought the 2012 knowing what I know now. I am hoping a class action lawsuit is filed, and if not, I may find my own lawyer and go after Ford.
I have a 2012 Ford Focus titanium hatchback. I took my car into bob tomes Ford for a shuttering problem and was told to wait and see to continue to drive the car. Months later I had the tcm replace and now my clutch is out. These were all issues at the time I originally brought my car into Ford. After the tcm was replace I tried to pick up my car from bob tomes Ford service center and the service team could not start my car or get it in gear( yet somehow they "test drove" it). My car has stalled in the middle of intersections, my check engine light has come, my transmission is overheating and asking me to pull over and wait 5 minuets. This is extremely dangerous as I am a mother and have up to 3 children with me at one time. I can not trust my car to get me from a to B safely. My car dies randomly when it wants to. My car is now completely undriveable. I am still paying on this car and I can not even drive it! I need something to be done about this asap. This is absolutely terrifying that Ford is allowed to sell cars knowing the transmission is faulty before they were on the market.
My car shutters and shakes when I'm accelerating. Going from a dead stop is the worst. I've taken my car in and there is no resolution as of today. Ford knows of all of these issues and knew of them before my car was manufactured. My extended warranty runs out next month and will be on the hook for any future damages to my car.
The contact owns a 2012 Ford Focus. While attempting to drive the vehicle, the check engine warning indicator illuminated. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic who diagnosed that the cpa05 vapor canister purge solenoid failed and needed to be replaced. The contact called quick lane at briarwood Ford (located at 7070 E Michigan ave, saline, mi 48176, (734) 429-8888) and was informed that there would be a diagnostic fee. The vehicle was not taken to a dealer and was not repaired. The contact stated that the vehicle was previously repaired per NHTSA campaign number: 18V735000 (fuel system, gasoline), but the remedy was unsuccessful. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and did not assist. The approximate failure mileage was 122,034.
The contact owns a 2012 Ford Focus. While driving, the vehicle stalled in the middle of the highway and the check engine indicator illuminated. The contact was able to coast the vehicle to the side of the road. When the vehicle was powered off and restarted, the vehicle drove normally. On another occasion, while attempting to drive the vehicle, it failed to start. The vehicle was taken to rogel Ford (located at 26167 ms-27, crystal springs, ms 39059, (601) 892-3673) where it was diagnosed that the fuel pump failed and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. Furthermore, the front driver side door failed to close. The vehicle was taken back to rogel Ford where the door was repaired, but not diagnosed. The contact was informed by the dealer that they also reprogrammed the power train module. The contact stated that the fuel gauge would show full when it was supposed to be at half a tank. The manufacturer was notified of the failures and stated that rogel Ford repaired the vehicle per NHTSA campaign number: 18V735000 (fuel system, gasoline). No further assistance was offered. The approximate failure mileage was 159,000.
There have been several recalls for my car regarding the fuel system and gas tank, my car exhibited all the same symptoms, I took it to a Ford dealership that refused to do the work unless I pai'd $2,000 for an expired previous recall for a different issue that was unrelated. They claimed without doing that work if they did this work the car wouldn't work at all. I complained to Ford who told me dealerships don't have to honor recalls and to keep trying other dealerships. I asked what to do if none would do the work and they said pay out of pocket. Worse yet, the first dealership cleared the recall as not being needed, so now I have a damaged car that I can't get the recall work on that I can't afford to do myself. I'm going to just have to sell the car.
The contact owns a 2012 Ford Focus. While driving 25 mph, the check engine indicator illuminated and the vehicle shut off. The contact was unable to remove the key from the ignition. After several attempts, the contact was able to restart the vehicle and drive home. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. A dealer and the manufacturer were not notified. The failure mileage was 101,329.
When parked and going into reverse, the console lit up with "transmission malfunction service now" and it would not go into reverse. We replaced the transmission control module, but a few days later it would not even go into gear.
Started car and dash light indicated the following message, "transmission malfunction. Service now"like many others I have seen online.it also states engine needs service
Takata recall started car and dash light indicated the following message, "transmission malfunction. Service now" also got power steering assist error message earlier in the month.
I received a recall letter in December 2018 stating a recall on the canister purge valve would be available the first quarter of 2019. My car has stalled, has issues with this affected part and cannot rely on my vehicle. The recall has not been fulfilled and it is now may29, 2019. I have an engine malfunction light that comes on every time the car is driven. It's unreliable and I don't feel safe with the lack of exceleration.
The car radio goes off the windows don't go down and the transmission went on the car out off no where when I maintain my car every 3 months and as needed
I was driving my car in a rural area going about 45 mph when the car started jerking and reving near 6 RPM. The car will no longer drive in reverse and is undrivable.
A D V E R T I S E M E N T S
- Corpus Christi, TX, USA