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:
18 / 8
Injuries / Deaths:
11 / 1
Average Mileage:
42,019 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.
The contact owns a 2014 Ford Focus. The contact stated that the vehicle hesitated, shook violently, and jerked hard. The vehicle was driven to redwood Ford (1170 S state St, ukiah, ca 95482, (707) 468-0091) where it was diagnosed that a new oil seal was needed. The vehicle was repaired and the power train control module was reprogrammed; however, the failures recurred. The contact scheduled another repair appointment this week. The manufacturer was contacted and did not assist. The failure mileage was 42,000. The VIN was unknown.
2014 Ford Focus. Consumer stated that while depressing the accelerator pedal, the vehicle did not shift into any gear and the engine revved highly and caused the transmission to slip.
The contact owns a 2014 Ford Focus. Upon purchasing the used vehicle, the contact was informed that there was an active recall on the vehicle regarding the engine. When the contact attempted to schedule an appointment with South Tacoma Mazda (6027 S Tacoma way, Tacoma, wa 98409, (253) 722-2888), she was informed that the parts for the remedy were not available. The manufacturer was not notified. The vehicle was not repaired. The NHTSA campaign information was not provided. The contact had not experienced a failure. Consumer stated my car stop without notice while driving down the street. I learned this also after purchase.
While driving in motion, I ramdonly get an alert that there is an engine malfunction, which then causes my car to have very little power when accelerating. If I come to a stop, then give it gas, it goes extremely slow, causing my RPM's to shoot up. My transmission is horrible while shifting. Its sputters, hesitates, jumps, and feels like it cant make up its mind on what gear to go in. And its only gotten worse. Thre has been 3 different occasions where after stopping for gas, or being at work that I have shut my car off, and when I went to start it up again, it wouldnt. It woulndt even turn over. After trying several times, it would finally start. Whatever is causing all of these problems, is also draining my battery as I had to get a new one after just over 2 years. A battery is supposed to last 5 years. Ford said only 3-5 and therefore would not cover it since I was supposedly coming up on the 3rd year. Which I was not. I do not feel safe in this car. And I now have a newly turned 16 Y/O daughter whos just is about to learn how to drive. And I should not feel its unsafe for her to have to learn in this vehicle I have a few more years to pay on it and it wouldnt benefit me to sell or trade in at this point. I have attached a picture of the second time I got this engine alert. I can't exactly take a picture of how my car drives or how the transmission shifts. If I can send video's, I'd be happy to do so if it would help.
My vehicle has at multiple times lost acceleration power at high way speeds and had a transmission warning flash on, causing myself to have to stop on the interstate and attempt to coast to the shoulder amid highway speed vehicles. I have also lost acceleration power going uphill, and my vehicle shudders at acceleration which makes it hard to merge on and off the highway or to turn at intersections, as I can't get guarantee my car won't hesitate and cause a collision, my car also sometimes accelerated forward in stopped traffic, so I always am super wary in stop go traffic. All of these problems typically occur when I am attempting to accelerate or decelerate. Multiple transmission repairs with same issue. Still happening to date.
- Fortville, IN, USA
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I purchased a used Ford Focus in July of 2016 from joe machens capital Ford in jefferson city, mo. It was sold with a 100000 mile warranty and had 20,725 miles on the odometer. Within 24 hours of driving it home to rolla, mo I started noticing a shudder and shake while driving the car. I was unsure what was going on and called the dealership only to be told this was normal due to the type of clutch installed in the Ford Focus and not to worry about what I was experiencing. This went on for some time and grew progressively worse. I received a recall on the shuddering problem which I learned was actually a clutch issue. I took my car to the local Ford dealership in rolla to have the clutch assembly replaced for the first time on 9/21/16. It should be noted the previous owner had the transmission control module replaced on 2/8/15 and replaced again on 8/3/15 at the jefferson city, mo dealership. After having the clutch assembly replaced in rolla it was only a matter of weeks before the problem was back - shuddering, jerking, sounds like a chain being dragged underneath the motor or gravel crunching, and sometimes, even had the car hesitate or completely stop in the middle of the road. The car was in motion each time I experienced the above situations. It does it upon take off, while driving, up hills, pulling out into traffic, etc. It has had the same problems day after day except for maybe hours after having it in the shop. I drive my car for work every day and was not able to have it back in the shop until January of 2018 to have the clutch assembly replaced again along with some other recall work that was done at the same time. When I picked the car up after the repairs were made a second time I was given a printout of operating characteristics of the powershift 6-speed transmission. What a load of crap that was.
Often when driving, the transmission will shudder, specifically with hitting the gas. I'm often concerned about turning up front of cars as it shudders before finally going. This has been continual with this vehicle
Dps6 powershift. I was at a very busy big intersection..right in the middle of it the car slips/jerks like it put itself in neutral and would not accelerate at all..a transfer truck was coming and barely got stopped almost T boned me on driverside with my son in the car. Please tell me how this is not a safety concern"? does someone have to die for the NHTSA or Ford to take this seriously?" this has went on for way to long for nothing to be done about it. No matter how dangerous it is to me, my family, and other drivers I have no choice but to drive it. It's our only vehicle and we still owe 11,000 on it and it's only worth 3,000. I have to leave a hour early for every trip bc I know I'm going to be stuck on the side of the rd literally every 5 min...or worse in the middle of an intersection. Something needs to be done about this...I am begging you!!!
Takata recall - I have been experiencing jerking and stuttering with my vehicle since I purchased it new in 2014. My vehicle will stutter and jerk upon pressing the gas from a standstill in traffic, on a highway and it is even worse going uphill. It is slow to pick up speed no matter how much pressure I put on the gas pedal. Now there is an issue with something revving under the hood and also with the vehicle overheating. I have had several near accidents due to the vehicles jerking and stuttering when moving from a stopped position to a forward mortion in traffic. These incidents have happened over the course of five years of me purchasing the vehicle new. The stuttering and jerking happens daily.
When I first purchased the car I had issues from the start. I would press on the gas and the car would hesitate to go forward and then jerk. It felt like I was driving a manual car but I had an automatic. I found out that there was a recall on the car for this specific reason. I took the car to my local Ford dealer in clarksville in and had to wait over 3 weeks for the part to come in. I was not offered a loaner car or anything. Once I got the part it was ok for like literally maybe 1 or 2 months and the issues arose again. I took the car back and was told it was the last time I would be able to get the issue fixed for free. This all happened in 2016. It is now 2019 and I am still having the same issues. Also the passenger side seatbelt works intermittently. And the car doors do not always latch tightly when you shut the door. I have been told several times that there is nothing that can be done. Now I am stuck still making payments on a car that I do not feel safe driving. I did have a wreck in the car back in 2016 where I was pushing on the gas and it jerked really hard and then went forward violently and I hit a pole. The damage is still on my car which includes a busted front bumper and the car horn is not working.
The car does not shift correctly it sputters when accelerating. When accelerating it doesn't shift properly like its not getting enough gas. Also when you are sitting in traffic and go to accelerate it jumps forward. This car also has died while driving as it is shifting gears. Even though there is a date at the bottom this has been like this since I purchased it. I was told by the dealer its the way I drive it the computer shifting has to get use to my driving habits.
Car shakes when going from a stopped position then pressing on gas. Feels like it jerks. Also my catalytic converter has been faulty since 2 years after I got my car in 2014
The contact owns a 2014 Ford Focus. While driving various speeds, the engine stalled and the vehicle rumbled and shook without warning. The contact took the vehicle to camelback Ford (1330 E camelback rd, phoenix, AZ 85014, (602) 635-7551) where he was informed that the vehicle was supposed to operate in that manner. The dealer replaced the clutch assembly and tcm, but the failure recurred. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was 14.
Dps6 transmission. This has been an ongoing issue and I fear for the safety of me and my family. We will be driving down the rd any type (interstate, country rds or in city) and the vehicle will loose power as if it all of a sudden goes into neutral..this is very dangerous and a major safety concern. To be going 65 on the interstate and all of a sudden your vehicle looses power, and keeps doing it the rest of the trip. I have been in near accidents several times bc of this. Also I will be driving down the rd and the car will accelerate on its on causing the rpms to go way up and then all of a sudden it will basically go into neutral with no warning at all. This is my family's only vehicle. We have no choice but to keep driving it and risk our lifes and the life's of others daily. We still owe 11,000 on this car. Ford knew of the problem when they sold us this vehicle and now we have to suffer" when is Ford going to be held accountable for this" we went to Ford regarding this is issue and they reflashed the tcm and it fixed it for 3 weeks then started doing the same exact thing. They also told me if it done it again then I would need a clutch replacement. (which I would have to pay for bc the miles have exceeded the extended warranty) I am sorry but when a clutch goes bad it's going to do it all the time..not just randomly. I have heard from several people who did replace the clutch 3 or more times and the problem still exists. So no I will not be paying for a new clutch when I've read hundreds of comments from people stating they did just that and it didn't fix it.
My cars transmission stalls everyday while driving. It shakes and stutters at light or stop signs when you go to take off. It shifts hard. This has been going on since about 3 weeks after buying the car. It does this all the time and on city streets and highways as well.
I have had this car since 2017 and it seems like there is a delay in shifting. I was driving the car in 2018 and the car suddenly stops in the highway. My car would not move at all. It was taken to a Ford dealer for power train issue but it has since been doing the same. It stalls and seems like there is a transmission issue. I can't afford another transmission. I'm not under warranty. I have nothing but issues with this car. My clutch has been changed thee times.
A D V E R T I S E M E N T S
- Niece, CA, USA