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CarComplaints.com Notes: The 2015 Ford Focus & its "Powershift" transmission has a defect trend where the car shudders when accelerating, especially when starting uphill.

Most owners have reported their Ford Focus remains driveable while the vehicle is still at low mileage, but the shuddering is annoying & unpleasant & may reduce the resale value of the vehicle.

However, owners of higher-mileage vehicles from earlier 3rd generation Focus model years report transmission failure & a host of other major & expensive transmission-related problems. Potential buyers beware.

10.0

really awful
Crashes / Fires:
2 / 1
Injuries / Deaths:
7 / 0
Average Mileage:
27,141 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.

2015 Ford Focus electrical problems

electrical problem

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2015 Ford Focus Owner Comments (Page 1 of 3)

problem #52

Feb 282024

Focus

  • miles

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

Unknown, vehicle slips out of gear leaving you stranded in the middle of the street

- North Highlands, CA, USA

problem #51

Nov 292023

Focus

  • miles
1. MY car shuts off while driving and I don't understand why because my battery is new and all other components don't seem to be the issue i.e.: battery, starter, alternator. 2. My safety and the safety of my passengers were at risk because the car shuts off with no warning while driving. 3 I currently have the vehicle being inspected by my local Ford dealership but the problem has happened several times before taking the car to the dealership. 4. The problem is currently being inspected by the Ford dealership. 5. There were no warning's before the car shut off.

- Weeki Wachee, FL, USA

problem #50

Aug 192023

Focus

  • miles
In August 2023 Focus would not accelerate smoothly while in traffic. Check engine light turned on. Vehicle would not go into reverse. Diagnostic scan negative with personal scanner. Took to transmission shop. Actuators replaced per diagnostic check $880. TCM ok. Slipping on acceleration continued with RPM to between 5-6 on acceleration. Took vehicle back to shop and actuators resynched with TCM. I received Ford Recall for defective TCM module dated September 2023. Ford evaluated by local Ford repair shop. Diagnostics performed. Recommendation was to replace clutch assembly $4100. Was charged $200 for diagnostics. Ford diagnostic report states: Description-U0073 Control module communication bus A off Failure type-88 Bus off Status-28 (Not current DTC) *Fault previously detected, not currently present* My concern with this info is if the fault was detected there is still fault! Am concerned that the faulty TCM and actuators caused issues with the clutch assembly and do not feel safe operating my 8 year old Ford due to skipping while accelerating in traffic. Vehicle one owner with 70,000 miles. No accidents and am young senior driver-age [XXX]. I can forward repair shop documentation. Thank you for your review and look forward to your recommendation. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

- Palm Harbor, FL, USA

problem #49

Sep 012023

Focus

  • miles

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

Spark Plugs/Ignition Coils. Car was not shifting into gear while driving, jerking. Revs up in between 5-7 Rpms. Car has stalled while driving. Car got spark plugs and ignition coils changed and problem got worse. No. Engine light was on for codes that read spark plug and ignition coil. Fixed problem. Engine light still on problem worse and still the same. Reading same codes.

- Meridian, ID, USA

problem #48

Jul 012023

Focus

  • miles
My car stopped working on the freeway due to a recall. Multiple Ford dealerships have refused to fix it.

- St Paul, MN, USA

problem #47

Jun 222023

Focus

  • miles
Radio and speakers have not worked for over a year- making loud popping and screeching sounds. Automotive center #1 stated it was a computer system fail and they could not fix it because they did not have the proper software. Then I went to get a new fuse for the cigarette lighter and was told something is leaking. Took it to Firestone automotive center to be told nothing is leaking and I should go to Ford because it is most likely a sensor issue. Car says it is overheating when it is in idle. And no one I go to seems to care to help me get things fix. Ford can't help for 2 weeks due to availability. This has been the worst experience with a car I have encountered with trying to figure out the problem.

- Firestone, CO, USA

problem #46

May 052023

Focus

  • miles

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

I am having issues with the company Ford in regards to my vehicle. It has been at Dowling Ford, in Cheshire, Connecticut for 5 weeks. I believe I am one of the unlucky 2015 Ford Focus owners who was sold a one of the cars that has a faulty transmission. After doing some research, I discovered that Ford has a lawsuit against them for unloading Ford Focus' with faulty transmissions. I will attach the link to the article stating this information. Ford is trying to charge me $5900 to fix the car that wasn't even brought in for the reasons that they are trying to charge me with. I bought the car for just under 7,000. It is only a 2015 and has 106,000 miles on it and should not be running into these problems. I have contacted the corporate office of Ford multiple times and they refuse to offer any help what so ever. I have only had the car for two years. My car was only brought in because the wipers weren't working properly and it was overheating while only in idle. It was diagnosed that the transmission module needed to be replaced which was covered under the warranty. Well, the bad news began there when I had to wait 2 weeks for that part to come in because it was "back ordered". Once that was replaced, they tried to tell me now that something else needs to be replaced which was the clutches on the transmission and it would cost $3200. Then once they fixed that which took 4 more days, they now are saying something else is wrong which is the transmission case and would be an additional $2700. My car was not brought in for any of these issues and now all of a sudden, my car needs them all replaced. Ford, hasn't even offered me a loaner during the last 5 weeks. I don't feel safe in this vehicle, and I know that I am driving an unsafe vehicle that shouldn't have even been sold to anyone.

- Plantsville , CT, USA

problem #45

Nov 152022

Focus

  • miles
When driving my car the first day I bought it, the wrench icon illuminated, telling me to check the manual. I figured I would do so after work, but as I tried to start the car to leave work, I received a "Stop Safely Now" message and could not start the car. It had at least 30% charge, being electric, so that had nothing to do with it not starting. I am glad this did not happen when I was driving, as I have seen other instances of earlier years of the Ford Focus electric with this same issue. In other cases, it came in while the owner was driving, causing all power to the accelerator to stop. It was recently serviced since I just bought it, so I know there shouldn't have been any outlying service to be done. I am calling a tow service in the morning to have it taken to a dealer, so hopefully they can figure out the issue. I just wanted to let others know that this item that has had a recall on earlier years still persists with the 2015 model.

- Speedway , IN, USA

problem #44

Aug 182022

Focus

  • miles
Ford Focus 2015 w Select Shift. The warranty is in effect for 10 yr 100,000 drivetrain. TCM - AE8Z7Z369F The car began sputtering in the middle of August when pressing on the gas. The car would jump when hitting about 12-15 mph and again at 28-35 mph. At this point the engine light was on I took the car to a local certified auto shop where it was diagnosed that the TCM module was having problems and I would need to take it to a dealership. Late august I took it to the Beacon Healey Ford Dealership to get it fixed and they confirmed it was the TCM and that it could be a few weeks because the part was on backorder. I called every few weeks and it has been the same status since then. Luckily this part and the labor will be covered under warranty but this has left me in a very difficult situation that the dealership or ford are not doing much to help with. I was not offered a loaner/rental car and have been using a relative's car which they will be needing back soon. It has been 3 months and they still do not have a loaner for me or any updates at all on an estimated time for resolution or when the part will at least become available.

- Port Ewen, NY, USA

problem #43

May 242022

Focus

  • miles
Radio is making a loud popping noise at random times. It-??s easily distracting and could very possibly cause an accident due to the random loudness of the popping.

- Kearney, MO, USA

problem #42

Mar 032022

Focus

  • miles

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

Vehicle stalls & shuts off during use with zero warning, both while in park and while car is running and stopped with foot on brake at a stoplight, and also seems sluggish and straining during active driving as if it wants to stall and shut down. When car stalls, a warning displays (System Start Fault) when attempt is made to restart vehicle and the vehicle WILL NOT restart for anywhere between 45 minutes to 4 hours (so far). The vehicle will then go through varied reactions to attempts to restart when ignition key is turned... ranging from the dashboard warning of System Start Fault with no success at restart to absolutely NO response of dashboard or other lights/warnings/electrical (completely dead). When this stall/complete shut down occurs, it also becomes locked in whatever gear it was in (Park or Drive) when the stall & immediate shutdown occurs and the gearshift locks in place and you're unable to shift into park or neutral as needed for tow or to move the vehicle off the roadway without the tow driver or other person dismantling the area covering the gearshift to access the hidden pin to shift into neutral to move the vehicle from the roadway. After the first complete shutdown during use occurred, it was taken to a local Ford dealership who was "unable to find the cause" at that time. Since that time, this complete shutdown while in use has occurred another four times within the 3 months following, resulting in either towing the vehicle or waiting 1-4 hours where the vehicle stalls/dies (parking lot, stoplight, etc) until the vehicle decides to restart. I have become terrified of driving this only means of transportation as I don't know when or where this vehicle is going to shut down without warning and fear I will be struck and killed by another vehicle or someone else killed when it shuts down again on the active roadway.

- Las Vegas, NV, USA

problem #41

Mar 162022

Focus

  • miles
I had a ford certified tech work on my Ford Focus and after my recalls were supposedly repaired my car is doing worse than ever, if I stop on a hill I will sometimes roll backwards due to apparent engagement issue, and after a new tcm to fix that my car now displays -??transmission overheating stop safely-?? after a few miles on the highway. it shifts really rough and I haven-??t ran the risk of stopping on a hill. Not what I would expect coming from a family who has over 100 years put into working at ford motor company.

- Clarkson , KY, USA

problem #40

Feb 092022

Focus

  • miles
I was driving down the highway and my door locking latch and cable failed. The door came open going 75 MPH.The defective dealership part I found out is the subject of recalls on other Ford Focus year models but my model was left off the recall. This is a huge safety concern as my door is unable to lock at all times including highway driving.

- Fort Worth , TX, USA

problem #39

Dec 012020

Focus

  • 60,000 miles
While driving my car the center display which has my odometer and digital speed as well as any warnings for my car showed lines across it and it is difficult to read. In researching it I found this is a common occurrence with these cars and it will eventually go completely black and not work at all.

- Toledo, OH, USA

problem #38

Nov 142020

Focus

  • 90,500 miles
I was sold a 2015 Ford Focus SE sedan from a Ford dealership. I didn't know about the on going lawsuit. Tell the year after when the transmission started to act up. Now as of 11/14/20 the steering assit which is electric stop working in mid drive. And it hard to steer the car. After checking the web about this I found out there was a massive recall on the Focus's for the steering assit. The dealer service guy is telling me there was no recall. I found on line tonight that the statue of limitations states that the recall stays open for eight years. It's only been 5 yrs. Since the call was built. The service guys want $2,200 the replace the steering assit. I don't get that much on disability. Please please help me.

- Oro Valley, AZ, USA

problem #37

Jul 012020

Focus

  • 62,219 miles
While driving home (five hour road trip) noises started coming from the steering wheel. Felt like it was is binding and grinding. This only happened when the vehicle was in motion. Happen on the highway on my way home, later on city streets, when turning. I immediately took my car to savannah tire to see what was wrong. The dx was rack and pinion. They could not repair my car. I was told that my car was unsafe to drive. The problem started around the first of July. My steering not working properly on a five year car is a problem, this made my car unsafe for me to drive. At any time my steering gear could have went out causing me to have an accident hurting myself or others. I could have died. Ford has had steering issues in the past on my car. The car has had three recalls. One Ford recalled on there own (steering issues). I had to get this problem fixed on my own paying the amount of $2,457.70 please for the safety of others recall this, so that Ford can take responsibly for the safety of people who have bought this car.

- Pooler, GA, USA

problem #36

Jul 152020

Focus 4-cyl

  • 48,147 miles
After driving the vehicle and parking, after putting it in neutral with the E break on and pressing the engine start stop button to turn it off, the engine shuts off but the display on the radio after sitting in it for a while says "turn off ignition saving power" or if I go to get in the car the next day it sounds like it's dead then starts with everything reset

- United States, TX, USA

problem #35

Apr 022020

Focus 4-cyl

  • 62,354 miles
Every 4 days the stereo drops the bluetooth connection. Thought maybe it needed a software update. Then I noticed my mpg was only at 13.3mpg while highway driving. Further investigation I noticed my distance to E would sometimes read 415 miles after filling up then it would say 226 or even 183. Am I missing something here? contacted a couple of Ford dealerships because my warranty & extended warranty expired ( mind you the vehicle is only 5 years old) starting to have electrical issues and Ford wants to charge me to even look at it. If I am wrong please someone educate me. Also resetting the sync system helps with the bluetooth problem but I also have to disconnect the battery for 30 seconds.

- Wilmington, DE, USA

problem #34

Jan 302020

Focus 4-cyl

  • 72,000 miles
I literally just bought the car with the shuddering when coming off of a complete stop and was told it was my tires. I have gotten all new tires and it is the same problem not solved. Then my car started to have a bigger problem with the radio one day out of no where my speakers started to be staticky. The next day it was static and very loud popping noise almost making me get into an accident on the highway because it is so loud. I have to pull over every 10 minutes and shut the car off with most of the time the noise still going with the car off. Now I cannot see anything on my radio screen other than the date and time with a black screen. I have the radio and screen off and this loud popping / static noise is unsafe till this day. Due to the problem I cannot drive my car anymore. There has been many complaints online and in person about it but nothing is done.

- Florissant, MO, USA

problem #33

Jun 032020

Focus 4-cyl

  • 86,713 miles
Was driving down highway at 60 mph. Vehicle stalled. Pulled to side of road. Restored car. Got off the highway and while driving car stalled again. Restarted pulled to side road and while driving stalled again.

- Wichita, KS, USA

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