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CarComplaints.com Notes: For the third year in a row, the 3rd generation Focus is experiencing massive transmission problems.

Most notably owners keep complaining about how there's bad hesitation and jerking when starting from a stop. This isn't the result of an old, worn out part. In fact, the average mileage it's reported to us is just over 15k miles.

10.0

really awful
Crashes / Fires:
22 / 3
Injuries / Deaths:
9 / 0
Average Mileage:
38,168 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.

2014 Ford Focus drivetrain problems

drivetrain problem

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2014 Ford Focus Owner Comments (Page 10 of 66)

« Read the previous 20 complaints

problem #1122

Jun 252021

Focus

  • miles

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

When my engine light came on, I took it to about 2-3 shops and they all said it was the catalic convertor. I took it to Coliber Auto Care, they did their own diagnostic and came up with 4 codes which was for the converter, spark plugs, fuel system and the coolant fluid system. I had the coolant system fixed and they told me it's best to have the catalytic converter fixed first before I have thr rest fixed and that the engine light will still be on until I get the converter fixed. It was at the end of the day when I picked up my Ford and when I got into my car, yes I saw the engine light on and as I was driving off, a warning transmission light came on. I then took it to Pepboys to have the convertor fixed and it was them that caught the transmission problem among other issues. I took my car back to Caliber Auto about my transmission because my car was driving just fine until they started working on it. When I picked up my vehicle from Caliber Auto and as I was driving off, my car was stalling and wouldn't automatically shift gears properly. Once I made it home, I had my car towed back to Pepboys then from Pepboys to David McDavid Ford in White Settlement, TX. I do have all the paperwork, but since I'm filling this form on my phone, I have no way of uploading them right now. Once I get a feed back to my email from you, I'll then use my laptop to upload all the documents.

- Fort Worth , TX, USA

problem #1121

Jun 142021

Focus

  • miles
I have a 2014 ford focus and i have had three services visits i have had the clutch replaced two shift actuators, the transmission oil seal and the transmission control module after the third service visit the car would shutter nearly every time i drove it but the symptoms were no more than just performance issues which went on for about two years. In addition the car would periodically overheat during extreme temperatures over rover 110 briefly when i would start the car but the temperature gauge would go right back down  and the car wouldn't overheat. However this was most likely due to the transmission overheating because in June the car would exhibit the same symptom but more frequently but then when i was driving on june 13th the computer told me the transmission was overheating. I barely managed to get the car home however the transmission began to lose power and the transmission service light came on. I later inspected the car and noticed the breather tube had come lose on top of the transmission most likely due to shuttering. I can no longer drive the car because of the potential that i could get in an accident even though you have braking and power steering there's a potential for a hazard when making left turns if you are unable to accelerate while making a left turn due to loss of power with the transmission you could be hit by oncoming traffic. Ford refuses to replace or repair the transmission and as with numerous other consumers they use the excuse of the car being out of warranty  I have also had a battery draw due to the transmission i have had to replace the the battery 3 times and the hill assist light came on numerous times 

- Laveen, AZ, USA

problem #1120

Jul 062021

Focus

  • 79,000 miles
The contact owns a 2014 Ford Focus. The contact stated while driving 30 mph, the vehicle stalled when she disengaged the brake pedal and depressed the accelerator pedal. There were no warning lights illuminated however, the hill start assist not available message was displayed on the instrument panel. The contact stated she was able to restart the vehicle and pull to the side of the road. The contact stated as she was attempting to park the vehicle at a nearby parking lot, she disengaged the brake pedal and depressed the accelerator pedal, and the vehicle stalled again. The transmission fault, service immediately message appeared on the instrument panel. The vehicle was towed to the dealer. The vehicle was not diagnosed nor repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure but did not provide any assistance. The approximate failure mileage was 79,000.

- Bronx,, NY, USA

problem #1119

Apr 302021

Focus

  • miles

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

The vehicle suffered a transmission clutch failure. There was an extended warranty service for the transmission module but not for the transmission clutch. Other models from the same year included transmission clutch service extended warranty but not my vin#. It-€™s unfair that my vehicle suffered a clutch failure and it is not a required recall.

- Philadelphia, PA, USA

problem #1118

Jul 032021

Focus

  • miles
Transmission keeps failing on the car and it is currently in a ford dealership as they are refusing to acknowledge that there's a recall on it and that it should be covered. This is the 2nd or third time time that I had issues with the transmission itself not including other constant issues with the car itself.

- Trinity, FL, USA

problem #1117

Jul 022021

Focus

  • miles
Vehicle was left with Midwest Superstore in Hutchinson, Kansas July 2020 for multiple fuel related and transmission related problems. Dealer replaced purge valve (recall), did not inspect fuel tank. Also a transmission test was done and all above failure levels. Picked up the car with a dead battery, broken fuel gauge, and still stalled regularly with less than half tank fuel. Did not have spare vehicle, dealt with for entire year. Transmission frequently shutters or locks up. Vehicle frequently stalls in traffic or after fuel addition. Finally was able to get it back to dealer (a year later). They note that indeed the fuel tank is crushed (purge valve recall) and will require a tank and pump assembly. Dealership states that Ford will not honor replacement of these components even though the recall was never adequately performed the previous year. The only thing that can make the fuel tank crush is the defective purge valve they replaced.

- Hutchinson, KS, USA

problem #1116

Jun 252021

Focus

  • miles

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

Vehicle overheated while driving. Took it to dealership and advised cause is transmission. Advised by dealership manufacturer was aware of problem and still put it on market for sale.

- Fayetteville , GA, USA

problem #1115

May 012021

Focus

  • 90,000 miles
The contact owns a 2014 Ford Focus. The contact stated that the clutch was hard to shift into gear. Additionally, the transmission became inoperable. There were no warning lights illuminated. The vehicle was towed to the local dealer to be diagnosed. The contact was informed that the transmission and clutch needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 90,000.

- Dallas, TX, USA

problem #1114

May 012021

Focus

  • 105,301 miles
The contact owns a 2014 Ford Focus. The contact stated while attempting to reverse, the vehicle lost motive power and failed to restart. The vehicle was towed to a local mechanic where it was diagnosed with needing the transmission to be replaced. The contact stated that the service transmission warning light was displayed. The manufacturer was informed of the failure and informed the contact they were unable to assist. The failure mileage was approximately 105,301

- Georgetown, OH, USA

problem #1113

May 212021

Focus

  • miles
I was noticing hesitation on my way to work when the traffic light turned green, I'd press the gas pedal and the car wouldn't move. I'd give it more gas then it would jerk into moving forward. While accelerating as the car would automatically switch gears the car would hesitate as if it weren't taking fuel then jerk into gear to keep moving normally. Once at work I was able to park the car and look at the engine and noticed nothing out of the ordinary. At about noon that day I got into the car to leave for lunch only to realize that I could no longer go into reverse. I would move the shifter from park to reverse then press the gas pedal to begin moving only to seem like I'm still stuck in park. I was able to put the car in Drive however I was in a parking spot facing a building and would not be able to exit only utilizing Drive. I was able to switch the car into neutral and push the car out of the parking spot by hand then drive off with there still being hesitation when the gears switched. I theorize that there may be an issue with the Power Train Control Module within the vehicle not allowing the clutch to shift effectively and a possible imbalance of fuel to air intake.

- Tallahasseef, FL, USA

problem #1112

May 012020

Focus

  • 120,000 miles

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

The contact's daughter owns a 2014 Ford Focus. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 13V523000 (Power Train). The contact took the vehicle to a local dealer and was informed that due to the salvage title, the recall would not be honored. The contact stated that while her daughter was driving 45 mph, the vehicle decelerated independently and failed to exceed 10-15 mph. There was no warning light illuminated. The driver parked on the side of the road until she arrived at the location to drive the vehicle to a nearby independent mechanic. The contact stated that the check engine warning light was illuminated. The contact was informed by the independent mechanic that the transmission needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not diagnosed nor repaired. A dealer was not contacted. The contact attempted to contact the manufacturer but was unable to reach a representative. The failure mileage was approximately 120,000.

- Waterford, OH, USA

problem #1111

Apr 182021

Focus

  • 130,000 miles
The contact owns a 2014 FORD Focus. The contact stated while driving at various speeds, the vehicle inadvertently shifted out of drive to neutral without driver input. The contact stated that the check engine warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer where it was diagnosed with needing clutch actuator, bearings, and sleeves to be replaced. The vehicle was not yet repaired. The manufacturer was not informed of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 130,000.

- Houston, TX, USA

problem #1110

Apr 302021

Focus

  • 53,598 miles
Starting in October of 2020, exactly one year after purchasing my 2014 Ford Focus from the Ford dealership, my car started to vibrate occasionally. Although I was concerned, I did not worry too much about it because it only did it once in a while. February of this year, the vibrations kept getting worse. Now instead of every once in a while, it would happen every-time I accelerated after a right hand turn. This was more noticeable when there was more people in the car. After doing some research I found out that what I was experiencing was a shudder. Even though it is common for these cars, it is not something I want to drive with everyday, that being said, I called my local Ford dealership, ray price Ford in mount pocono, pa asking if they can fix my clutch being that it's under warranty. They stated that was I was describing sounded like the clutch shudder and they can take care of it no problem. Ford told me that there is nothing wrong with my car. They stated that they test drove it and they tested my clutches and it passed the 'safety test'. I told them to test drive it again, it is not safe, and being that I have a 2014, it is only a couple of months until my car goes out of warranty. I'd rather take care of the problem now before it becomes an expensive repair that is difficult to fix and it's out of warranty. Anne hathaway that works there reassured me that my car is not and they would not be fixing it because there is nothing wrong, she stated 'the Ford mechanics may just be used to cars like that so there's nothing they can do'. it seems to me as if they are trying to have me wait until I'm out of warranty and then I have to pay thousands to fix the transmission and the clutches, that is not a solid solution for me. I would like for Ford to either have a lifetime warranty for the clutches/transmission or simply take all these cars off the road.

- Albrightsville, PA, USA

problem #1109

May 042021

Focus

  • 152,000 miles
The contact owns a 2014 Ford Focus. The contact stated while driving 40 mph, the vehicle independently decelerated to 10 mph. The contact stated no warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was not taken to local dealer or independent mechanic to be diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was informed of the failure. The contact was informed that the VIN was not under recall. The failure mileage was approximately 152,000.

- Reston, VA, USA

problem #1108

Apr 082021

Focus

  • 52,000 miles
The 2014 Ford Focus has been one of the most unstable and unsafe vehicles I have ever driven. From the constant shuddering and hesitating to the consistent repairs this car has to have. I was merging onto 380 in monroe county, Pennsylvania from the tannersville exit when my car hesitated to speed up. I was going 40 when I was trying to speed up to at least 60, I held my foot on the accelerator and my car did not pick up speed, it didn't gain speed, it actually dropped down to 35mph. After about 20 seconds my car then picked up speed and I was finally able to go 60mph +. this is an extremely dangerous situation to be in, especially on the highway. The clutches do not last long and constantly have to be repaired, Ford extended warranty is a joke, I have a 2014 and even though it is only at 53, xxx miles, because it has been seven years I am out of luck when it comes to repairs. I cannot afford to pay $1,500 + every couple thousand miles when these clutches go. The power shift dct was horribly manufactured and I truly believe that this car will be the cause of my death someday. I'm hoping Ford can either buy back my vehicle or the whole car will be recalled, it should be honestly.

- Albrightsville, PA, USA

problem #1107

Oct 122020

Focus

  • 124,000 miles
The contact owns a 2014 Ford Focus. The contact stated while driving at 5 mph, the vehicle would stall and shudder as the accelerator pedal was depressed. The contact stated no warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was taken to bowditch Ford Inc (11291 jefferson ave, newport news, va 23601) where it was diagnosed with the transmission clutch needing to be replaced. The vehicle was not yet repaired. The manufacturer had been informed of the failure and informed the contact that the failure was not covered under warranty. The failure mileage was approximately 124,000.

- Hampton, VA, USA

problem #1106

Jan 032020

Focus

  • 3 miles
Transmission clutch shudder

- San Sebastian, PR, USA

problem #1105

Mar 142021

Focus

  • 65,909 miles
Since I purchased my daughter a used certified Ford Focus from the dealership I've had multiple problems with the vehicle shifting properly. The worst case is when at high speed (60 mph or more) the car all of a sudden goes into 1st or 2nd gear causing a tremendous jerk that almost causes the vehicle to go out of control. Just yesterday (14mar21) I was driving thru a construction zone on I10 thru the town of benson Arizona at a speed of 60 mph when the tremendous jerk happened again with the RPM shooting up to 6,000 on my tachometer for 5 to 7 seconds. The normal RPM at a steady speed of 60 should be 2,200 RPM. The tractor trailer rig driving behind me almost ran into my Ford Focus, but luckily the driver had his eyes on what was happening. I got off the interstate at the next exit, drove onto a two lane country road and was able to repeat the downshift problem five times, but at the reduced speed of 40 mph. The jerk was still there but not as harsh or uncontrolling as at 60 mph. The normal RPM at 40 when accelerating should be 2400 RPM, but at the time of the downshift problem it shot up to 4500 RPM. The car has been in the Ford dealership repair facility numerous times since September of 2020 and still is not fixed. It is there as I am typing this report. When I purchased the vehicle there was no mention of the Ford Focus cars having any kind of transmission problems, or any information regarding a recall or class action lawsuit due to the Ford Focus transmission. My highest concern is for the safety of my daughter who is the primary driver and anybody else on the road who could possibly be hurt or killed because of a car that can go out of control due to the downshifting of the gears while at high speed. I believe that I have the Ford Focus that can prove that this automobile should not be on the road.

- Sierra Vista, AZ, USA

problem #1104

Jul 012017

Focus

  • 5,000 miles
The contact owns a 2014 Ford Focus. The contact stated that while operating the vehicle, the manual transmission failed to properly engage while shifting gears. Additionally, a grinding sound was present coming from the transmission and the vehicle would suddenly slow down when driving from a standing start. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer red mccombs Ford located at 7111 northwest loop 410, san antonio, tx 78238 who was unable to determine the cause of the failure. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 5,000.

- Cheasepeake, VA, USA

problem #1103

Feb 262021

Focus

  • miles
The transmission would slip badly, even totally disengage. I was getting on a very busy road and accelerated and suddenly the car decelerated; the car behind me almost rear ended me, honked his horn, but there was nothing I could do. It slipped not as badly last year and Ford fixed it, saying it was under an extended warranty for known issues with the transmission, but now they say it is not covered and will cost $2200 to fix. There are pages and pages on the internet talking about the problems with this transmission. It is dangerous!

- Eagle Mountain, UT, USA

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