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CarComplaints.com Notes: Ford changed a lot of things for its 3rd generation, just none of them were a good idea.

The transmission tends to hesitate and jerk when accelerating. The new electronically-driven power steering can fail suddenly and without warning. Even Ford's SYNC can be a headache. Actually, scratch that last one — it's always been a headache.

10.0

really awful
Crashes / Fires:
7 / 6
Injuries / Deaths:
6 / 2
Average Mileage:
43,231 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.

2013 Ford Focus engine problems

engine problem

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2013 Ford Focus Owner Comments (Page 2 of 17)

« Read the previous 20 complaints

problem #306

Jul 172021

Focus

  • miles

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

Clutch and actuators, car only has 80,000 miles. $3500 transmission repair.

- Bradley, IL, USA

problem #305

Jul 152021

Focus

  • miles
Check engine light came on. Before I had a chance to get it checked, the engine wouldn't start after refueling until trying on the fourth time. Took the car to a parts store and the code read P1450. An October 25, 2018 recall acknowledged a problem with 2012-18 Ford Focuses with a 2.0L engine. Although this problem is clearly acknowledged with this same year, model, and engine, my VIN is allegedly not covered in the recall. Dealer will not service the car under the recall.

- Lancaster, PA, USA

problem #304

May 312021

Focus

  • miles
Two weeks after purchasing vehicle from a used car dealer, started having severe transmission shudders and car shut down stating the transmission was in need of repair. Had vehicle towed to dealership where diagnosis determined transmission needs replacing. Upon researching on line, , cars.com states NHTSA vehicle safety recall was issued for the transmission and also -€œcopilot-€ states on line that a recall was issued on this vehicle power shift transmission, ,, only two of many complaints on line about the transmission in 2013 Ford Focus.. However Ford states there is no safety recall.. only an extended warranty customer satisfaction warranty for transmission clutch slippage, , which ended last august, campaign #14M01... What am I to do ?... the price quoted for a new clutch exceeds the value of the car....

- Belton , SC, USA

problem #303

Dec 012019

Focus

  • 75,000 miles

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

The contact owns a 2013 Ford Focus. The contact stated while driving 45 mph, the vehicle stalled. The contact stated that the check engine and service now warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was not drivable. The contact towed the vehicle to the local dealer, where it was diagnosed with needing a spark plug and the fuel injector to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired but continued to experience the failure. The contact also stated that the vehicle was started and the parking aid fault, serviced required warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was not diagnosed nor repaired. A dealer was not contacted. The manufacturer was informed of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 75,000.

- Chardon, OH, USA

problem #302

Jun 052020

Focus

  • miles
I took my Ford Focus 2013 into the Ford dealership on June 2020. There was a recall for the door latches 20S30 code. The dealership said they took care of it. I just checked online and it's hasn't been fixed. It's been almost a year and we've been driving it with a newborn baby not knowing that they haven't fixed the recall.

- Kihei, HI, USA

problem #301

Mar 312021

Focus

  • 148,000 miles
When I drive in the rain my car will sputter and lose speed. The oil light and battery light turns on and it dies. I can get it to turn over but it immediately dies.I have had to get it towed twice. Still can't figure out the problem.

- Wellington, OH, USA

problem #300

Mar 052021

Focus

  • 187,000 miles

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

I was driving on the freeway at the posted speed of 65 mph when the car engine RPM dropped to 2000 and then back up to 4000 the car immediately slowed to 50 mph causing traffic behind me to slam in their brakes. The car wouldn't shift to speed up causing me to pull over and creep to a gas station.

- Tucson, AZ, USA

problem #299

Mar 202021

Focus

  • 141,700 miles
My 2013 Ford Focus would not randomly start the other evening, after a couple tries it started. On the way home it would not shift properly and acting like it was going to stall. My engine light came on, which never had before. So the next morning I went to go take it to auto zone to have them do a diagnostic and my vehicle started right up, however it would not go into reverse. I have read there have been several issues with the Focus' transmission.

- Fort Atkinson, WI, USA

problem #298

Feb 042021

Focus

  • 95,000 miles
Transmission transmission transmission the car jerks and the clutch is messed up. I've had nothing but issues with the transmission, clutch, repeated recalls.

- Highland, IN, USA

problem #297

Jan 162021

Focus

  • 140,000 miles
Transmission seems to be slipping as if the gears are not catching during certain times of shifting. Engine seems to lose compression. Mechanic after mechanic seems to have a hard time diagnosing and repairing issues.

- Lexington, SC, USA

problem #296

Dec 262020

Focus

  • 100,000 miles

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

Ford transmission problems wont go away!! transmission shutter and poor initial acceleration. The clutch has been replaced twice and tcm twice by Ford dealer. After the last tcm replacement in 2016 problems continued and I was turned away by Ford dealerships because no engine light came on. Now that finally a check engine light came on U0101, P07A3, I am now over 100, 000 miles the clutch is no longer covered under warranty but the tcm is. I have had several incidents where the car lost all acceleration abilities while driving on a busy highway or simply fail to accelerate and a traffic light causing major delays for anyone around me. It has been a saftey concern for years due to the unpredictability of the transmission intermittently not allowing acceleration.

- Whittier, CA, USA

problem #295

Dec 232020

Focus

  • miles
The car isn't drivable. When I start it it makes clicking noise and hard to start. If driving it, it doesn't give any gas or go over 20 miles. It sometimes shut off and sometimes have a hard time driving foward. Codes P0087, P0783, P2872, comes up on a diagnostic. That's driving on a street and can't drive on highway anymore.

- Houston, TX, USA

problem #294

Dec 172020

Focus

  • 0 miles
Car is less than 6 years old, steering completely fails in very cold weather despite a fully electric epas steering system (no power steering fluid). In addition to the radiator and fuel pump needing replacement within the full lifespan of this car, it is very unsafe and not road worthy.

- Westbury, NY, USA

problem #293

Oct 192020

Focus

  • 104,672 miles
I started the car and the steering assist fault alert came up and the steering wheel was locked in place. I turned the car off and back on and there was no longer an issue. The car also jerks when accelerating quickly. This has been an ongoing issue that the dealership claims to have repaired.

- Seaford, VA, USA

problem #292

Sep 262020

Focus

  • 175,000 miles
I have been having cooling problems for months. It would run hot without any signal of it getting to hot. Now it wont crank. I was traveling on interstate at about 65 mph and smelled burning pulled over and wouldn't crank again.

- Brookhaven, MS, USA

problem #291

Sep 172020

Focus

  • 145,000 miles
I just bought is car Wednesday the 09th 2020 and on Thursday the 17th I picked my car up from the garage after getting it inspected, I go back to work and leave around 730pm I went to drop my friend off at her house, her house is located on a hill, once I turned the corner and hit the gas, the car backfired and felt like it was going to stall, everytime I stop the car is hesitant to move everytime I try and take off. Also while I was on my way home I had to take a road with a hill and what a mistake I didn't think I was going to make it to the top that's when the check engine light came on.

- Laconia, NH, USA

problem #290

Feb 052019

Focus

  • 103,300 miles
I took car to dealer back last year for a fuel problem recall and when I was taking car to dealer the car shuttered and died and I about hit the car in front of me.I called allen vigil Ford.they said they did the recall but they replaced clutch and now engine lights been on ever since.before I picked it up the engine light was on and they took it back and tured out the light.went two blocks it came back on.took it back and they did it again same thing happened went 2 blocks and engine light came on.I left it for a few weeks and they called and said it was ready.I had my wife pick it up and got halfway how and engine light came back on.been on ever since. I all so told them that when you put gas in it takes several minutes to re crank engine.I took car to another Ford dealer they tried to sell me another clutch.so I just don't know what to do now.

- Hampton, GA, USA

problem #289

Sep 112020

Focus

  • 84,329 miles
While driving only 20 minutes on highway the engine light came on. Pulled over immediately and turned off the car. The car was towed to the nearest shop. They said they need to replace the failed water pump and thermostat. The next day they said that didnt fix the problem and that it needed a head gasket replaced. After opening the engine they said that its warped. The car (SE model) has only 84000 miles and was a certified preowned car we bought Feb 2016. I will be contacting Ford manufacturer on a possible recall #19522 as well as the dealership as this should be covered under the 7 year 100000 warranty.

- Fairfax, VA, USA

problem #288

Mar 262020

Focus

  • 121,976 miles
Ford Focus 2013 titanium in March 2020 on interstate 90 between St charles mn and eyota mn stalled without warning at 70 mph and had 32 miles to empty reading on gauge. Vehicle flatbed towed to home 35 miles away and gas was added and vehicle ran fine. August 2020 same vehicle stalled without warning on state highway at 60 miles per hour with 21 miles to empty on reading. Again vehicle flatbed towed home and gas was added and vehicle has ran fine since. I believe that the gas gauge is faulty in this model of Ford Focus as in other years but no recall yet for model 2013 year. We will make sure gas doesnt get below 50 miles as this has happened twice now within 5 months and not a coincidence.

- Rochester, MN, USA

problem #287

Aug 052020

Focus

  • 107,000 miles
I was driving along with my 3 children when my Ford Explorer 2011 suddenly turned off in the middle of a busy street almost causing an accident. Had to have the vehicle towed and was informed the water pump had failed and cause catastrophic engine problems.

- Chicago, IL, USA

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