CarComplaints.com Notes: You should probably steer clear of the 2012 Focus. Otherwise, you might not be able to steer at all.
The 2012 is the first Focus to offer Electronic Power Assist Steering (EPAS). It's also the first year with massive power steering failure. These things are not mutually exclusive.
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 2012 Ford Focus. When the accelerator pedal was depressed, there was an abnormal severe vibration in the vehicle. The vehicle was taken to fairway Ford (2322 laurens road greenville, SC 29607) where it was diagnosed that the clutch was defective and needed to be replaced. The year before, the vehicle was serviced under an unknown Ford customer satisfaction campaign for the same component. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and offered no assistance. The failure mileage was approximately 105,431.
I have 2012 Ford Focus with about 85,000 miles. Since 2014, I've had my tcm reprogrammed several times and then replaced in Dec 2015 under the extended warranty after it completely stopped working. I brought my car to Ford again in July 2017 because my steering locked up while I was attempting to back up in a parking lot. I was told it was the epas system, and it would cost about $1,800 to replace since it's not covered under warranty. At their insistence, I paid for the replacement. I also made a complaint with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration at that time. Since July, I've have been back to three Ford dealerships - first two times because of a grinding noise (they couldn't diagnose it then but have since said it is my clutch) and a second time this past Tuesday (9/12) after my car basically short circuited in a parking lot on Monday and it started lurching forward while trying to reverse...simultaneously my breaks locked up and my steering locked up again (my sound/radio display/front buttons were also intermittently not working). Jc Ford did some "reprogramming" but said they couldn't duplicate the issues and told me my clutch would need replaced eventually but Ford would not cover it until it got worse. They told me these problems were unrelated despite me insisting they all felt similar while driving the vehicle. Yesterday (weds, 9/13), while attempting to turn onto a highway, my car again "stalled"/short-circuited (not sure what exactly happened - but the same thing as the previous times) and my breaks locked up and I couldn't move the vehicle from the middle of the road. Fortunately, I was able to get it out of the road after turning it off and on several times. I immediately took it to a Ford nearby and am waiting to hear if they find anything else. I am now scared to drive my vehicle despite Ford looking at it and "fixing" it several times.
Shudder when taking off, seems to be from 1st to 2nd....or 2nd to third. I dont really know. Automatic gearbox. As well, my radio will crackle and pop then "freeze" no sound or control other than a very loud and distracting static and popping from the speakers. This has gotten much worse.
Takata inflators: This vehicle in the "drive gear" lunges when gas is pressed and quickly takes off at the slightest press of gas making for a dangerous take off from stop lights and traffic signs while on major roadways. This vehicle when placed in the "park gear" jerks when placed in park and feels as if it will roll backwards while in parking lots or home driveway. The vehicle has been reported multiple times to Ford dealer for assessment and/or repair as "shaking" and "shimmies" while driving, to prevent this feeling, the emergency brake is used often. Once, the vehicle actually rolled backwards in the the "drive" gear but was identified as a defect and repaired by a Ford dealer. When placed in "drive" at that time it was showing on the dash as in "park". this too was corrected by Ford dealer by replacing tcm. Although repairs have been made to this vehicle since purchase, it continues to often shake and shimmy appearing to continue to have issues. As owner, I was not notified of the latest recall part prior to my warranty expiring which may have further resolved some of the lingering issues. Tcm has been replaced, the clutch replaced more than once, or tcm reprogrammed during multiple visits to the Ford dealer.
- Waldorf, MD, USA
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The check engine light will not turn off, the door sensors keep ringing, and the transmission does not shift properly amd rools backwards when I apply the brakes
Engine started growling and became very sluggish. At stop lights or even in traffic, the engine would shut off causing for a dangerous situation. Had vehicle repaired in April and now the same troubles are starting to appear again.
Power steering assist fault came on right after starting vehicle. Was unable to move the steering wheel. Kept shutting car down and restarting but to no avail. The previous day while on the freeway in commuter traffic day the ongoing transmission problem that 2 different local Ford service centers worked on 3 separate occasions. The 1st time I was told they replaced the transmission. The following times they replace a competent and re-programed it. As soon as I left the service center I could tell nothing was done. I called the service rep back and he said it was "adaptive" and I needed to allow it time to adapt. I was told I had a cracked motor mount. I told him it had to be caused by the violent jerking of the transmission when accelerating regardless of the circumstances. In stop and go city traffic I have been close several times to being rear ended because of its jerking /hesitation/acceleration. Tow truck driver could not move the wheel. Vehicle finally towed to local dealer. My extended warranty has been covering the transmission repairs but was told the safety problem on the steering was not covered under the warranty. I'm told to fork over 2K + to fix the steering before they would attempt servicing the transmission. Ford knows they have problems with steering and transmission but fail to correct them. The steering has been documented about going out on drivers at high rate of speeds on the freeway. Ford is intentionally risking the lives of Focus owners and passengers. This is a serious safety issue that Ford needs to correct now by immediate recall. It's obvious they gave no idea how to correct the transmission problem.
While driving down the freeway at 60 mph the inspection light came on and a message stating the power assist has faulted and requires maintenance. When I attempted to pull off at the next off ramp the car was extremely difficult to maneuver and I almost went of the side of the ramp. I had to struggle to get the car home.
The contact owns a 2012 Ford Focus. The contact stated that the vehicle jerked violently when the accelerator pedal was depressed while driving. The failure recurred once. The vehicle was not taken to the dealer. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The contact stated that the vehicle was previously taken to keystone Ford located in chambersburg, pa where the transmission was updated and the control switch of the transmission was replaced; however, the failure recurred. The manufacturer was not contacted. The approximate failure mileage was 79,798.
The contact owns a 2012 Ford Focus. The contact stated that the vehicle experienced unintended acceleration, jerking, and hesitation. As a result, the vehicle was involved in a front end collision. The failure occurred and the vehicle was taken to all american Ford where it was diagnosed that the transmission was defective and the clutch needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired; however, the failure recurred. The contact stated that the vehicle had numerous software updates and the clutch was replaced previously. A police report was not filed. There were no injuries. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and provided case number: 128-21707. The contact was referred to the dealer. The failure mileage was approximately 37,505.
Sometimes it won't go in reverse, it stutters, shudders, stalls (which is not great when trying to pull out in traffic or make a turn) won't go into gear (shift). Brought it in for tcm recall and they fixed and extended original warranty to 100,000 miles but now it's past that, my extended warranty is up. Took it again to dealer because of trans and they wanted $170 just to look at it. I'm on a fixed income and just don't have the extra. I had it "fixed" by a mechanic friend at his shop and he said this is an ongoing problem with this particular transmission! it has now become a safety issue and I don't know what to do! something needs to be done! Ford needs to make good on this!
When driving on city street to have the "check engine" light checked, the automatic transmission would go out of gear, the engine would rev up, then the transmission would slam back into 1st gear momentarily, then shift to a much lower gear (3rd?), moving at an unsafe speed for the traffic conditions, then slam back into 1st gear again before starting the whole process over again. Moving from a stop, the same thing would happen. Nor would it engage reverse to back up to park; it would only rev up. This car is unsafe to drive anywhere! Ford needs to recall this transmission asap, at no cost & permanently fix the ongoing problems with it, not just bandaid fixes.
Transmission stalls. Vehicle.jerks & grinds.wont shift into reverse.caused my wife to almost have accident on freeway. Class action in progress.wife has canser & cant get to dr.
Got car on 05/15//17, driving car stopped car gears wouldn't work car wouldn't move, had car in for this reprogrammed module, car did the same thing. Car has a manufacturer defect that can't be fixed. I told my brother if I and my dad end up dead in it he's to sue Ford.
Transmission shuttering driving up an incline or from a stop. Began as a shutter which then evolved into grinding and violent shutter before replacing faulty clutch. Vehicle was taken to dealer a total of 4 times in the last calendar year for the same repair without it being resolved. Vehicle will slip and shutter consistently from stop, incline, or highway driving with engine RPM around 1200 - 1800 RPM.
5/4/16 car would not start in a parking lot and had to be towed to the dealer. Dealer replaced faulty tcm fsa 14M02 7/22/17 while driving 70 mph on the expressway car abruptly jerked, rpms shot up from about 2500 to 5000 loss of power. Had to pull over to the shoulder, put car in park and then back in drive, & transmission re-engaged. 7/24/17 while driving 65 mph on expressway car abruptly jerked, rpms shot up again. Loss of power. Pulled over to the shoulder, put car in park and back in drive, no re-engagement of the transmission, put car back in parked, turned it off, restarted car, transmission re-engaged. 7/25/17 drove to dealer, while driving shifting became increasingly hard/harsh, shifting became more delayed as well. Dealer reported faulty tcm and damaged clutch. Both are to be replaced on 7/26/17 fsa 14M01 fsa 14M02
The contact owns a 2012 Ford Focus. While driving 10 mph, the vehicle inadvertently shifted into neutral. After several moments and depressing the accelerator pedal, the vehicle shifted back into drive. The contact mentioned that the check engine warning indicator illuminated and he was able to drive the vehicle home with no further issues. The vehicle was not taken to an independent mechanic or local dealer for diagnostic testing or repairs. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and informed the contact that the transmission was still under warranty. The contact received a class action settlement notice in the mail. The failure mileage was approximately 69,000.
Purchased car used and financed it and the second day the transmission started shuddering, getting stuck in low gear and almost got into an accident because it wouldnt go.took car back and had transmission replaced and the car does the exact same things it did before going out first time.
A D V E R T I S E M E N T S
- Wasilla, AK, USA