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CarComplaints.com Notes: The 2016 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 / 0
Injuries / Deaths:
1 / 0
Average Mileage:
35,698 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.

2016 Ford Focus miscellaneous problems

miscellaneous problem

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2016 Ford Focus Owner Comments (Page 1 of 5)

problem #83

Oct 162023

Focus

  • miles

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

So ive bee battling the same tcm issues out of my 2016 ford focus. I have othing now. My car will no longer go into gear at all. So i have spent upwards of 8 to 9 grand over last two years trying tomfix this. This vehicle per customee satifaction progrm in the parameters of 2011 to 2017 ford Focus/Fiesta w/dps6 transmission having tcm issues. To my understsndig this should be replced and reprogrammed one time regardless of the milage. But my VIN doesnt register that my vehiicle is elegible for this recall or program. Please i need help. I am out of options. No vehicle, lost my job bedcause of this and my apartment.

- Charles Town, WV, USA

problem #82

Aug 232023

Focus

  • miles
Car turned off while driving three times. Once when put in park it locked on a busy road. Replaced fuse to battery, still turned off while driving. Lights stay on and its a pretty new battery so thats nit the issue, when turning the key there is no noise, no clicking or grinding. Main issue is the fact it turns off while driving and the fact it locks up when put in park. That's helpful to no one. Windows can't be rolled up either which meant being trapped guarding a vehicle in 92 degree weather. Anti theft is literally so dumb and in annoying. Great thought, terrible in practice. Am currently waiting on tow truck. Open invention on what caused this now.

- Bettendorf, IA, USA

problem #81

Aug 112023

Focus

  • miles
The transmission/clutch causes the car to sputter when accelerating which is so dangerous at red lights. When I went to the mechanic he said this is happening to does focuses all over so this sounds like a universal ford thing.

- Hartford, CT, USA

problem #80

Jul 162023

Focus

  • miles

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

My car has become hard to start after I fill up with gas. It also randomly loses all power. While driving everything in the car stops. It displays a message that says transmission is not in park, like I turned the key off but I did not. After this it won't start and displays a message on the dash that says "system start up fault". If I wait a few minutes it starts again. This has happened 3 times. I had a mechanic pull any codes. The only code is for a gasket in the evap system. The mechanic told me that Ford had a recall for this problem so I had the car towed to a Ford service center. The Ford dealer told me that my car is not included in the recall. I looked up Ford recalls and my car exhibits all of the problems described in the recall.

- Dawsonville, GA, USA

problem #79

Jun 102023

Focus

  • 106,200 miles
The car worked fine in the first couple months and slowly declined. The rpm will shoot up and down causing the car to jerk and not able to surpass certain speeds. It works sometimes, so when going to work in the freeway it was fine then it started acting up again, causing other cars to almost crash into me. I had to drive with hazards and luckily i was able to safely pull to the side. Instances like this occur a lot more now because the car doesn-??t act normal anymore. I took it to a mechanic and it was a gear issue and a module error. I had asked how i was to fix it, and they said only main dealerships can fix a module board. It-??s making my transmission overheat and now my steering wheel is stuck and won-??t move.

- Philadelphia , PA, USA

problem #78

Jun 182023

Focus

  • miles
The speakers are making a LOUD POPPING AND CRACKING. This is now happening with the radio turned off, and no Bluetooth connected to it. It even sometimes does it when the car is completely turned off. This sounds to me like an electrical issue for one. For two, this is an extreme safety issue, especially when I am driving. The last time it happened, it sounded like gunshots going off that that-??s how loud it was, when my car was turned off completely, and now I am suffering from extreme tinnitus. Next time this could actually explode my eardrums. I have heard this to be an issue for multiple of these vehicles yet there has not been a recall on whatever may be causing this?! THIS IS AN EXTREME HEALTH/AUDITORY/NEUROLOGICAL SAFETY ISSUE.

- Springfield , IL, USA

problem #77

Feb 222023

Focus

  • miles

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

I have been having problems with ford focus for a long time. I have been told that this is normal. Recently, I had my car fixed by ford. Soon after, I was having problems with car slow start, hesitation and studdering. This is the same problems I was having before. I was told by Ford dealership that it was not the transmission. They told me that it was a crack engine head and purge valve problem. I paid for the fix even though I felt like it should have been covered in a recall. The car is not fix. I have completed 2 surveys with Ford. The department of transportation should investigate ford for its ford focuses.

- Rocky Mount, NC, USA

problem #76

Oct 022022

Focus

  • miles
When I start to go it lags, doesn't want to go like it gets stuck in gear. No it has not been seen by dealer but other cars the same as mine has had recalls due to the same issue. No warning lights or signal lights come on.

- Jacksonville, FL, USA

problem #75

Oct 132022

Focus

  • miles
Shortly after fueling my car, it will start to act like it-€™s going to stall. Sometimes it stalls completely, other times I am able to accelerate the problem away. My car runs very loud, shaky, and rough. A few days ago, it stalled without any notice, and i wasn-€™t able to restart it. I had to have it towed to the mechanic. They are saying it could need a new fuel pump, but with the low mileage on my car no one can understand why that component of my car would be failing already.

- Clearwater , FL, USA

problem #74

Jan 012019

Focus

  • 20,000 miles
The contact owns a 2016 Ford Focus. The contact stated that while driving at various speeds, the vehicle was hesitating, vibrating, and driving rough. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer on multiple occasions however, the mechanic was unable to duplicate the failure. The contact stated that no repairs were performed. The contact stated that the failure became more frequent and included improper acceleration. The contact stated that the check engine warning light remained illuminated. The manufacturer was notified of the failure but no assistance was offered. The failure mileage was 20,000.

- Wilmington, OH, USA

problem #73

Jul 302022

Focus

  • miles

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

My TCM stopped working and now my vehicle won't go into reverse 2nd 4th gear. My dad noticed it when he tried to back it into the garage to do some maintenance on it. I have been told it will be months to fix because of a backorder. I know this is a common issue for Focus but my vehicles Vin doesn't have a recall listed.

- Pulaski, VA, USA

problem #72

Jun 102022

Focus 4-cyl

  • miles
The vehicle was purchased used on June 4, 2022 from Next car imports (984) 989 5000. June 10th 2022 approximately 8 pm, while stopped at a light, the car shut off. I turned the key. The car crank back up. This occurred after putting gas into the car. Being the dealership added a warranty, I called the customer service and dealership. I called the dealership and spoke with [XXX] of (next car import, Clayton, nc) agreed to take the car and have their mechanic look at. Calling the dealership was the instruction from [XXX], of First Automotive (warranty). Next Car Import kept the car from June 13th thru June 15th. Stated they drove the car tested the car and no issue. The evening of June 15th several hours after retrieving the car, I drove 1 mile from my home to get gas and the car stopped in the middle of the road, a very busy road. Someone push the car using another car the rest of the way to the gas station. I filled the car up and it still wouldn't start, it took at least 10 minutes before cranking up. The car has shut off several more times since then. Including the scariest of all being on a busy interstate June 19, 2022 while heading home from work. Barely 2 weeks owning this car, the dealership isn't willing to take it back. I'm experiencing anxiety every time I have to get in my car. I need options INFORMATION Redacted PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6).

- Raleigh, NC, USA

problem #71

Jan 092017

Focus

  • miles
Ever since I first purchased this car I have had issues with the automatic transmission. It feels like the gears are slipping whenever you speed up and the car also vibrates when speeding up and you can feel and hear the gears slipping. I took my car to Hagerstown Ford a little after I bought this car and told them about this and they just told me that they hooked it up to their "machine" and it told them that the transmission was fine but yet it still to this day, over 5 years later, is still doing the same thing but now it's also making a strange noise when going in faster speeds, anywhere from 50mph to 80mph, and really has me worried that the transmission is now failing. I have heard that many, many people have had issues with ford focus/fiesta's automatic transmissions around the same year as my car, a 2016.

- Falling Waters, WV, USA

problem #70

Dec 122021

Focus

  • 62,000 miles
The contact owns a 2016 Ford Focus. The contact stated while driving approximately 45 MPH, the vehicle began to experience loss of speed, the contact would depress the accelerator and the vehicle hesitated and jerked. The contact heard a grinding metal sound coming the floorboards. The contact stated that the check engine warning light was illuminated. The contact drove the vehicle to an auto parts store where the failure was diagnosed as the "transmission friction element A frozen in the on position." The contact drove the vehicle to a dealer where it was diagnosed that the transmission clutches needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired. The contact stated that the failure reoccurred and the vehicle was taken back to the same dealer. The vehicle was diagnosed that the Transmission Control Module (TCM) needed to be replaced. The contact purchased a non-OEM TCM and the vehicle was repaired. The failure recurred and the contact purchased another non-OEM TCM which was re-installed. The failure reoccurred and the vehicle was returned to the same dealer and had not been repaired. The manufacturer had not been informed of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 62,000.

- Panama City, FL, USA

problem #69

Mar 312022

Focus

  • miles
Car died and would not accelerate after slowing down to turn; no warning or dashboard lights on before incident; no overheating; started back up afterwards but stalled before engine turn over. Happened 3 times within 30 minutes

- Austin, TX, USA

problem #68

Feb 102022

Focus

  • miles
My drivers side door latch went on my 2016 Ford Focus with just 36,000 miles although there are prior recalls for these to be replaced on these vehicles my vin was not one so I am being forced to pay over $600 for an original part failing on a car with 36,000 miles

- East Syracuse , NY, USA

problem #67

Aug 312021

Focus

  • miles
A code of P0086 Fuel Rails System Pressure too low appears when starting a warm engine and the car stalls while accelerating. The check engine light doesn-€™t come on until after multiple attempts of starting the engine. The rear passenger seatbelt starts to fray and the buckle cuts into it.

- Rome, GA, USA

problem #66

Nov 192021

Focus

  • miles
The car would shake and jump when starting from a stop or going up hills, also feels like it-€™s slipping when shifting gears will not shift when going up large hills or when on Highway and passing if it needed to change gears it would slip.I called Ford dealer told them same info they said my car is not under recall, well it needed to be, I took the car to trans shop he pulled a code of Transmission Friction element a stuck on. (Tans needs repair most likely clutches, He said take it to ford, I called ford they were backed up months in advance, and acted like they had never heard of this.I called Ford Motor company told them about issue, same response never heard of it and no recalls. Took the vehicle back to dealer I purchased it from and traded it for a different brand car, just wanted you to know Ford that-€™s wrong! I panicked and took the car to be traded in.I hope they don-€™t try to sell that car like that, I was not about to let my child drive that car one more day so I took it to the thieves that sold it to me and gifted it back to them.if you have a 2016 Ford Focus and it gets 80k miles like mine was your just screwed!Ford needs to fix these cars I-€™ll never trust Ford again.

- Birmingham , AL, USA

problem #65

Nov 192021

Focus

  • miles
I have been having nothing but problems with my Ford Focus transmission. And it-€™s 2016. I-€™ve only had it for about 4 years and it-€™s not working again. Ford said it was the clutch.

- Fostoria, OH, USA

problem #64

Nov 132021

Focus

  • miles
I believe it was the fuel system that failed. The safety of myself, my child, and other drivers was at risk. The Ford dealer I spoke to said my vehichle is not affected by the recall that causes this issue (18S32). The auto center I took the car to could not reproduce the incident. The vehicle has not been inspected by police or insurance. The check engine light was on at the time of the incident. I was at a stop at an intersection. When I was ready to proceed, I pressed the accelerator and the engine died. Pressing the gas did nothing. I was partially through the intersection where cross traffic does not stop when this happened. I turned the car off and back on and was able to get the car moving. This happened twice that night. The auto shop checked for error codes and found the following: P1450 No DTC definition found, P2195 O2 sensor signal biased, and P0507 Idle air control system revolutions per minute higher than expected. The auto center suggested I take the car back to the dealer for inspection as they can not diagnose. I fear for my family's safety while driving. I feel this problem is caused by the excessive vacuum in fuel vapor management system (Recall 18S32).

- Bourbonnais, IL, USA

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