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. While driving at an unknown speed, the vehicle failed to accelerate, the check engine light illuminated, and the vehicle stalled. The vehicle was able to restart. The vehicle was taken to a dealer where it was diagnosed that the transmission clutch needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired; however, the failure persisted. The vehicle was serviced under a manufacturer recall; however, the failure recurred. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 42,000. Updated 05/20/16
My Ford Focus is one of the many cars that have a transmission issue where the car shows a stutter and sometime stall while in motion. Ford is aware of this but won't respond to taking the car back. This recently became a safety hazard while driving on free way. They have attempted to fix this problem about 3 times and have failed.
The contact owns a 2012 Ford Focus. The contact stated that while driving at approximately 40 mph, the vehicle stalled without warning. The vehicle failed to restart. The vehicle was towed to a dealer where it was diagnosed that the engine needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was unknown.
The contact owns a 2012 Ford Focus. While driving 35 mph, the vehicle stalled without warning. The vehicle was able to restart. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic where the failure could not be determined. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 50,000.
The contact owns a 2012 Ford Focus. While driving approximately 35 mph, the vehicle jerked and the battery and tire pressure warning lights illuminated continuously. In addition, the accelerator pedal was depressed, but the vehicle failed to accelerate. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic where the diagnosis was unknown. The technician stated that there was a recall on the vehicle. The vehicle was repaired according to the unknown manufacturer recall; however, the failure recurred a week later. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was unknown.
The contact owns a 2012 Ford Focus. The contact had not experienced any failures prior to taking the vehicle to the dealer to receive a manufacturer's recall remedy. After the repair, the failure progressed randomly for longer than a year. Upon depressing the accelerator pedal, the vehicle was slow to respond and the rear tires locked when accelerating. The contact later experienced the vehicle stalling without warning. The contact had to coast the vehicle over to a fuel station and, after several attempts, the vehicle restarted, shook violently, and stalled. The vehicle was not able to be driven and was towed to the dealer for inspection. The contact waited longer than a week for the diagnostic results. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The NHTSA campaign number was unknown. The approximate failure mileage was 40,000.
The contact owns a 2012 Ford Focus. When placing the clutch in reverse, the vehicle failed to move. The failure recurred twice. The engine warning light illuminated. In addition, while driving 60 mph, the vehicle failed to accelerate and stalled. The vehicle was taken to the dealer for diagnostic testing. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 25,300.
The contact owns a 2012 Ford Focus. The contact stated that the vehicle began to decelerate unexpectedly while driving on the interstate at 65 mph. The vehicle was taken to the dealer where it was diagnosed that the vehicle was safe to drive. Days after the failure, the key was inserted in the ignition and the transmission malfunction and check engine warning indicators illuminated. The vehicle was not returned to the dealer to be diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failures. The failure mileage was approximately 84,000. Updated 04/20/16
While driving my 2012 Ford Focus hatchback, the check engine light came on and the vehicle idled rough and the engine stopped working. Restarted and took vehicle to dealer. Dealer stated that the emissions control system had pulled a vacuum on the fuel tank causing raw fuel to enter the emissions control system and the engine causing the issues. The tank had to be replaced due to collapse and the evap tank, tubing, control valve and fuel pump. Per Ford tsb 11-09-03. Shouldn't this be a recall?
I drive a 2012 Ford Focus. I bought the car used in January 2015. In the fall of 2015 my car began jolting every time I put pressure on the gas, this was alarming. When it became worse, I bought the car to a Ford dealership, and came to find that the transmission was recalled. To fix this Ford had a strict protocol to fix the transmission in a 3 step process. The mechanics are only told to do step 1, and then if the problem persists months after the repair, continue with step 2 and so on. The transmission started jolting again a few months later, this time worse. I have been waiting a month for the Ford dealership to get that part that will "fix" my problem, while I was assured the problem would not get worse. In that time a piece in the exhaust has also been recalled, neither one of my windows in the front two seats will go down, and the jolting has become incredibly unsafe. There have been two occasions where my car has just come to a completely alarming stop while driving up to 20 mph, on a busy two lane street. I take this street everyday to and from work. There is no other option. I avoid the highway completely now. I feel completely unsafe and on guard at all times while I am driving this vehicle. Because of my experience wth this car in only a year I will never purchase a Ford vehicle ever again. I regret ever driving it off of the lot. I am only 25 years old, and can't afford to trade this in right now, and that is all I want to do. It is not a nice feeling to have a pit in your stomach every time you buckle your seatbelt.
The contact owns a 2012 Ford Focus. While driving at approximately 40 mph, the engine stalled when the accelerator pedal was depressed. The check engine warning indicator illuminated and the vehicle was able to restart. The failure recurred several times. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 87,000. Updated 02/26/16 the consumer took the vehicle to another dealer, where they replaced the vacuum cylinder. However, she continued to experience problems. Updated 02/29/16.
My issues with this car started the day I drove it off the lot and have not stopped. There was an issue with the fan that made my engine sound like it was chewing rocks whenever the air/heat was on - this has been fixed. I bought the car brand new and from day one it has been grinding, shuddering and not shifting smoothly. I've had issues with the RPM's skyrocketing when I'm slowing down and the RPM's skyrocketing when I'm trying to accelerate but the car isn't moving. I've had the car feel like it's completely lost power while in stop and go traffic then "wake up" and lurch forward...my transmission has been replaced once, my clutch replaced twice. Once I've been told it's a figment of my imagination and once I was told that I need to learn how to drive the car. The clutch I have now is the same one being used in the 2015 Focus's, and though it's "better", it's still off...it's just off so sporadically that I can't bring it in because I don't want to be told it's all in my head again. This car is not safe. It is not a car that I'm comfortable passing on to my child when she starts driving next year and it's not a car that I would drive day to day if I had to drive rush hour traffic. It's too bad, too, because the design of the car is wonderful - it's comfortable, it's got the right set up, but the most important part of the vehicle is dangerous and doesn't operate properly.
The contact owns a 2012 Ford Focus. The contact stated that while making a left or right turn, the vehicle stalled. The check engine warning light illuminated. The vehicle was taken to a dealer where it was diagnosed that purge valve not opening properly. As a result, the fuel pump, purge valve, purge tank needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The VIN was not included in NHTSA campaign number: 15V605000 (fuel system, gasoline). The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 47,000.
I am currently on my 2nd clutch on my 2012 Ford Focus. I am still experiencing shuddering and miss shifting when driving. This causes lurching when taking off and have almost been in a few crashes. Speaking with Ford corporate there is currently no fix for this issue.
The contact owns a 2012 Ford Focus. The contact stated that the engine stalled without warning on two separate occasions. The vehicle failed to restart and was towed to the dealer. The dealer had not diagnosed the failure. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The vehicle was no repaired. The failure mileage was 107,000.
The contact owns a 2012 Ford Focus. While driving approximately 70 mph, the transmission overheated, the warning light illuminated, and the engine stalled. The failure recurred seven times. The vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic where the failure was undetermined. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 10,500.
Owned car for 2 years, in shop 5 times so far for dct issues. Car is completely unpredictable and going to cause me to get in an accident! sometimes I hit the acceleration and it lurches forward unexpectedly causing me almost to rear end someone. Other times I hit the gas expecting it to go and I get a really sluggish response to the point where I'm scared another vehicle will hit me, so I will floor it trying to get it to move, this will result in the back wheels locking up and fish tailing! I have had at least six moments in this week where the car responded unexpectedly and made me think I was going to get in an accident. Tonight in rush hour I was maintaining a speed of about 20 mph, the car decided to downshift and send more forward a few yards. I want so badly to get rid of this car as I have a baby, but I'm very upside down on it. I have various warranties but have been warned by Ford that they are a "one time get out of jail free card" and if the car comes in for the same repair it previously had it will no longer be under warranty! this is horrible, my car is constantly in the shop for the same transmission issue!
After driving for 40 mins, the check engine light came on. I was in stop and go traffic and from stop (0 mph) to 30 mph the transmission would downshift violently and stall. I would give it gas, but the car would not move and the engine would rev up and lunge forward violently causing cars to almost hit me in the rear. I put in a similar complaint a few years ago about a shuttering when accelerating from a stop after 40 + mins of driving. This is unacceptable for a car company to allow this car out on the streets.
This car has been a lemon. Ford has attempted to "fix" the repeated issue I am having with this car stalling out unexpectedly due to transmission failure. Ford replaced the tcm but the car still is unreliable. The service advisor at the O'meara Ford in Colorado told me that this car is a lemon and that he has not seen a product from Ford this bad in many years. He also said that he has advised his family to not ride or drive one of these cars as they are unsafe and dangerous! this car has stalled out while I am trying to make a left turn, in the middle of the highway, and in many situations that have compromised my safety and the safety of my fellow motorists. I feel that Ford needs to buy this car back and replace it as it is clear that this car can not be fixed in any lasting way. I ask NHTSA to please step in and investigate these dangerous cars before someone gets killed! I absolutely hate my Ford and will not by another.
A D V E R T I S E M E N T S
- Fort Myers, FL, USA