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 transmission malfunction sevice now warning came on. Car shudders and lurchs when on incline, slowing at intersection, difficulty maintaining 60 mph on expressway. Clutch had been recalled and replaced several times: The first at 3,543 miles. The vehicle had shuddered, lurched forward I off/on for four years when stopping, slowing down and at highway speeds.
The horn stopped working, with no apparent cause, in all capacities. I first noticed the problem when attempting to use the remote locking feature on the key. Later, while at a stop sign in city traffic, trying to signal to another driver they were making a dangerous traffic violation, I discovered the horn itself, and not the key interface, was to blame.
About 2 months ago, while driving, my radio made a very loud pop similar to a gunshot noise, then stopped playing music and would not turn back on until I turned the car off and back on. This would happen periodically. In about the past 2 weeks it has happened more and more often, and now the radio will not turn on at all. The noise coming from the speaker has gotten much worse. It now crackles, booms, makes high pitched noises, some of which are extremely loud. These noises now happen all the time- when the car is on and in drive (any speed), stopped, in park, and even happen when it is completely off, no key in the ignition at all. Being someone who scares easily, there is no doubt in my mind that if it happened at the right moment, these loud noises would cause me to crash. There is no recall and I cannot find any information where Ford even acknowledges the problem, even though a quick search on google shows that this is clearly a problem happening with many focuses and similar models. I have video recordings but unfortunately cannot figure out a format that will work to upload them here, I would be happy to send them another way if who ever receives this complaint would like.
The car has a bad stutter from complete stops, or even when slowing down it stutters and shakes. Even at low speeds the RPM staggers from 200 to 800 just sitting still. When I'm in traffic going under 40mph the RPM staggers between 1-2000 RPM it's just unsafe and worrisome and needs to be fixed by Ford! I've ready serval different blogs with various customers having the same issue! it would be sad for someone to lose their life behind this problem because Ford won't address and handle the issue
- Las Vegas, NV, USA
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The driver side door latch will not keep the door closed. I was driving down the road and the door flew open on a backroad. I had to bungee my doors shut just to make it home. This is a huge safety hazard and I am worried that this will happen with my children in the car next time.
Door latch on driver side passenger door stopped securing the door - would not keep door from opening - would not keep door in closed position. Vehicle was stationary. A tie-down strap is keeping door from swinging open.
"takata recall" while driving my car going to work suddenly the passenger side door opens so I tie it with rope and bring it to mechanic after work and they found the door latch is not working, after 2 months same thing happen on the driver side door while driving going to grocery the door opens and it wont lock anymore so both my doors are tied with rope while driving.thank you
My car has been going backward when in drive and then just won't go. Today it totally stopped moving while driving on the highway. Thank god I was close to home and was able to pull over on the side of the highway. Walked to the garage down around the bend and they pushed it off the highway and into their yard. Before totally stopping the car would buck forward while driving then slow down and speed up on its own. Now won't start or run. Possibly the transmission or gear stick
Driver side door would not latch shut. There is a recall on this vehicle since September 2016, which I have not been contacted about. How does it take 2 years to get in contact with a person who bought a Ford from the dealership?
It started as the radio being on and a loud cracklings sound would occur then the radio would stop and never turn back on. Now the radio is always on and still the sound occurs more frequently and sounds like gunshots going off. It's been so loud it has scared me to the point where I've lost some control of the wheel. Also the 911 assist can't be used when the radio isn't working. The vehicle can be sitting in my driveway of on the road.
At 73,000 miles error code in dash read steering assist malfunction service needed. It is very difficult to steer my car. At 76,000 miles error code read engine too hot, stop safely and wait 8 minutes. Car shudders and high revs at low speeds and very loud engine noise. I hope that Ford recalls these issues soon!!!
The steering wheel has sharp edges in the aluminum trim in the center of the steering wheel, covering the horn & airbags. This trim is flaking & has very jagged edges. My husband & I have both cut our fingers, drawing blood on numerous occasions. What a feeling it is to flinch after being nicked while turning into a busy intersection, how dangerous..hurts like hell!!
Transmission issues including shuttering and delayed forward motion when accelerating. Also sounds like it idles too low when stopped at a light vibrates like it's going to die. Sounds like something is going to fall out from under the hood when transmission changes gears. All happens when city driving. Also check engine light came on when these issues began.
Twice in the last month this car has stopped running, all the dash lights come on and it will not accelerate. The most recent time, my daughter was driving back to school in lubbock, tx going 80 mph when it shutdown. She tried to pull over but almost wrecked due to the fact she had no power brakes. I have seen many reports on the internet and youtube videos documenting the same thing she had happen to her. When she took it into the Ford dealership they of course could not find an issue and they would not give her a loaner or rental car during the time it took them to look at it. This is obviously a safety issue with Ford not having a fix. At this point, if I wasn't upside down on the car, I would trade it in on something different and it wouldn't be a Ford. I digress.
I was verifiying on internet if my car had an open recall and it appears that a door latch with a fractured pawl spring. Apparently a previous owner had an issue with one of the door no closing. Need to work this situation as soon as possible, trying to Transport my car over seas in less than a month and they wont do it if the car hace an open recall.
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.
A D V E R T I S E M E N T S
- Fairlawn, OH, USA