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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:
3 / 3
Injuries / Deaths:
4 / 0
Average Mileage:
28,454 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 miscellaneous problems

miscellaneous problem

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2015 Ford Focus Owner Comments (Page 2 of 6)

« Read the previous 20 complaints

problem #86

Feb 032022

Focus

  • miles

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

My sound system in my vehicle, OEM, started making loud crackling noises in my speakers. It comes at no warning at full volume. When I'm driving it may cause me to jump when it happens. I've already caught my self veering to out of control when it happens, because of jumping out of my seat. The only solution I have is to remove the fuse that supplies power to my center console. Now it is completely blank. No radio, backup assist, being able to use my phone through the vehicle to prevent accidents or have a clock for time.

- Columbia, PA, USA

problem #85

Apr 242021

Focus

  • miles
The car feels like it's skipping when I try to pull out at stop signs and lights. Also does it when I'm driving. Feels like a gear slips or something

- Johnstown, PA, USA

problem #84

Jan 012019

Focus

  • miles
-recall title: Transmission control -unknown -the problem has been confirmed by Arizona vehicle emissions --unknown -the problem appeared about 3 years ago. If feels like shaking.

- Tucson, AZ, USA

problem #83

May 112022

Focus

  • miles

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

The CHECK ENGINE light keeps turning off and on, had a diagnostics test done and it came back, "TRANSMISSION FRICTION ELEMENT B STUCK ON", SERVICE INTERVAL LIGHT RESET PROCEDURE" the vehicle is a 2015 Ford Focus it has approximately 67,223 miles on it. we keep it maintained. it has been periodically shaking and jerking while driving and it tends to loose momentum as well. This started about a month ago. I have put in some gas treatments thinking it was bad gas. it gets better for a minute then gets worse. it has progressively gotten worse over the week.

- Woodlake, CA, USA

problem #82

May 222022

Focus

  • miles
Esta es la segunda vez que se arruina la caja de la transmisión voy caminando y no agarra velocidad voy en el freeway y no avanza no hace los cambios al tratar de rebasar, aparece una luz roja y marca motor. Hoy apareció una advertencia en el tablero que dice transmisión caliente espere 5 minutos voy en freeway do de me parqueo"?" Fui a la agencia y no me han ayudado dijeron que debo dejar el carro por 3 meses.ahi parado con ellos repito es la segunda vez en 2 años y medio que esto pasa

- San Antonio , TX, USA

problem #81

Apr 242022

Focus

  • miles
1.) After getting gas the car wouldn-€™t start. It took several attempts over half an hour to get it to start. This happened a couple of of times before the next incident. 2.) While driving on I-35 at 70 mph the car stopped accelerating, like it were in neutral, the dashboard warning message said -€œVEHICLE NOT IN PARK-€. Lights, radio, etc. continued to work at full power, . The car never started again, but gave faint sounds of attempting to turn over. This is dangerous because I and my fellow drivers doing 70+ mph on a popular hwy weren-€™t expecting a car to just suddenly stop without warning. Towed to Grand Prairie Ford. Told it-€™s likely a transmission recall issue. They have 3 other 2015 Ford Focus in their service lot with the same issue. Those cars have been waiting for 2 & 3 weeks since diagnosis and parts are still not available.

- The Colony, TX, USA

problem #80

Apr 092022

Focus

  • miles

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

Violent shaking, not starting, feels like it-€™s switching gears while driving. Was told may be clutch b actuator motor, started as soon as purchased car and has worsened. Rpm randomly revving

- Kenner, LA, USA

problem #79

Mar 062022

Focus

  • miles
1. Fluctuating fuel gage. 2. Car stopped while driving on highway multiple times. 3. Rough Idle and hard to start. DTC code P1450 is displayed. I went to the Ford dealership for 18S32 Recall and I was charged over $ 400 for recall to be performed. I did show them the Safety Recall Notice-18S32. There was not a crash but I went from Middle lane on GSP to right most lane and a nice lady slowed down to let me pull over to the shoulder. This could have been an accident. How can Ford dealership refuse to perform this recall and charge customers over $ 400? I will have to scan and upload the bill tomorrow.

- Lawrence Township, NJ, USA

problem #78

Mar 072022

Focus

  • miles
When moving forward from a stopped position, the front tires shake/stutter which requires you to let up on the accelerator and move forward at a lesser speed to stop the shaking/stuttering. Also while the engine is warming up, the transmission is slow in changing gears, and in some cases it doesn't feel as if they change at all.

- Ft. Mill, SC, USA

problem #77

Feb 032021

Focus

  • miles
I financed this car with Wii Auto in Arizona, I have had work done multiple times trying to fix the problem and nothing Wii auto mechanic or Ford dealership can figure out the problem. Every time I get my car out the shop and spending all this money -€œto fix the problem-€ my car does the same thing. My car will shut off while I-€™m driving because it thinks it-€™s over heating. I-€™ve had my battery replaced, fuel pumps/modules replaced, coolant tank replaced, everything they can thing of. I haven-€™t drove my car in months and I-€™m still making payments because when I try and talk to the dealership they basically say oh well, the car in my eyes was sold to me as a lemon my car has been in the shop more times than I can think. I have all the paperwork and I feel so helpless because every time I try and talk to Wii Auto they just brush me off like it-€™s not a major problem. I almost lost my life in this car because it shut off while I was driving in the freeway. I-€™ve even gotten loaner cars from this dealership when they were -€œworking on my car-€ and they-€™ve done the same things like shut off on me or even almost cost me my life because the back tires were literally coming off the car. I-€™m in need of help. I-€™m tired of making payments on a car I haven-€™t even got to drive. I had to literally go and financed a whole Different car from a different dealership because Wii Auto won-€™t help.

- Litchfield Park, AZ, USA

problem #76

Oct 012021

Focus

  • miles

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

The door latch on my driver side rear door just stopped working and it won-€™t shut at all.

- Douglasville , GA, USA

problem #75

Sep 142021

Focus

  • 66,844 miles
The contact owns a 2015 Ford Focus. The contact stated that she had discovered that her vehicle had been placed under NHTSA Campaign Number: 18V735000 (Fuel System, Gasoline). The contact took the vehicle to a dealer; however, upon return of the vehicle, the contact stated that the vehicle stalled while driving home at 35 MPH. The contact stated that the check engine warning light had illuminated the instrument panel and that the vehicle eventually restarted after multiple attempts. The dealer was notified of the failure and an appointment was made to have the vehicle serviced. The failure persisted and the contact had the vehicle towed to the dealer. Once the vehicle was back in the possession of the dealer, they informed her that due to the size of the fuel tank, they could not repair the vehicle. The contact was given an estimate for the repair. The manufacturer had yet to be notified of the failure. The vehicle had yet to be repaired. The failure mileage was 66,844.

- Norman, OK, USA

problem #74

Sep 142021

Focus

  • miles
While driving to work, my transmission started to slip. On the freeway, if I pressed the gas pedal, my car would NOT go faster. Instead, my engine would rev to almost redline and my car would continue to coast, but loose momentum. Once the transmission downshifted to a lower gear, then the transmission would begin to work. Once I got into the City, I almost rear ended someone when the transmission surged. I was pushing the gas through an intersection, and suddenly my car lurched forward, the tires squealed, etc. I had to slam on my brakes to avoid slamming into the car in front of me.

- Annandale, VA, USA

problem #73

Jul 312021

Focus

  • miles
The vehicle is slow to move when put into gear, (or from a stopped position on the road), and then suddenly lurches forward. This has been reported to several FORD car care centers but they do nothing about it and expect the driver to "adapt" to the way the car handles. This can cause an accident when making a turn from a stop because there is no acceptable predictability of it happening.

- Apo, CA, USA

problem #72

Jul 012021

Focus

  • miles
RPM jumps when pedal is not pushed. Car has issues going into reverse. TCM issues.

- Stockdale, TX, USA

problem #71

Jun 242021

Focus

  • miles
I hit a deer, lost control of my vehicle and rolled it twice. None of my air bags deployed and my 911 assist never dialed 911.

- Bainbridge , NY, USA

problem #70

Apr 162021

Focus

  • 90,000 miles
My car is stalling while in motion and at a idle. It will stall after sitting idle for about 15 minutes. I have brought it to a Ford service center and they refused to fix the recall because the diagnostic machine did not show a code when the car was hooked up to the machine.

- Thonotosassa, FL, USA

problem #69

Apr 022021

Focus

  • 87,349 miles
Transmission he runs well in first and second perfectly and in third skates

- Chelsea, MA, USA

problem #68

Mar 252021

Focus

  • 50,400 miles
The push open gas cover won't open leaving me stranded at gas station.

- San Jose, CA, USA

problem #67

Mar 082021

Focus

  • 173,000 miles
Car will not start after gas is put into the car. Takes a few times to start it back up and will stall if not thrown into drive real quick and speed off. RPM's will constantly run up. Takes a lot of power to pick up speed or go up a hill.

- Bath, PA, USA

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