CarComplaints.com Notes: Ford changed a lot of things for its 3rd generation, just none of them were a good idea.
The transmission tends to hesitate and jerk when accelerating. The new electronically-driven power steering can fail suddenly and without warning. Even Ford's SYNC can be a headache. Actually, scratch that last one — it's always been a headache.
10.0
really awful
Crashes / Fires:
14 / 1
Injuries / Deaths:
8 / 1
Average Mileage:
38,533 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.
I bought my car in December of 2014, certified preowned. After having the car for not even a full month, I received a call that I had a clutch that came in to their service department. I had not ordered one, nor did I know the car needed one at time of purchase. Since then I have been through 3 clutches and the fourth was just ordered Monday June 12, 2017. Every 15,000 miles the car begins to shudder and experience shifting hesitation. This is extremely unnerving, especially when it only does it when taking off from a stop or when accelerating after slowing down foe say a red light that just turned green. It doesn't make me feel safe, I've had multiple instances where this has caused near collisions when pulling out into traffic because the car essentially stalls out and I stop moving. Ford has not issued a recall for this and this is my third year experiencing these problems. I don't want to pay for something that is the manufacturers responsibility. I got a recall for something trivial, door latched, but not thw huge safety problem that is my clutch failing. The dealer also stated on a 07/16/16 invoice that this is a recall item, but I'm still paying for it. I have all prior invoices of all clutch work done
The contact owns a 2013 Ford Focus. The contact stated that the vehicle did not accelerate when the accelerator pedal was depressed. The contact had to depress the accelerator pedal several times in order for the vehicle to move. The contact stated that the vehicle had four transmissions and three clutches replaced by moon Ford (5304 university boulevard in moon, Pennsylvania), but the failure was not corrected. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 49,000.
The contact owns a 2013 Ford Focus. While driving at unknown speeds, the vehicle stalled without warning and was unable to restart. The vehicle was towed to edd rogers valley Ford (located at 111 auto ln, sparga, tn 38583, (931) 738-2311) where it was diagnosed with a faulty transmission control module that needed replacement. The contact stated that the module was replaced at no cost to her. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and referred the contact to NHTSA. The failure mileage was unknown.
When accelerating after being completely stopped vehicle has a delayed acceleration. At times when I am coming to a stop the vehicle lurches forward like I have my foot on the gas. I have had the clutch replaced several times due to the recall and its never fixed the problem and now Ford is refusing to fix under the recalls extended warranty. I am worried that I may hit someone when pressing the brake and the car jerks forward or someone may hit me when taking off from a stop because my vehicle will not go.
- Clayton, NC, USA
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The contact owns a 2013 Ford Focus. While driving unknown speeds, the vehicle shuttered when accelerating and the traction control and transmission warning indicators illuminated and flashed. The dealer diagnosed that an unknown module needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired, but the failure persisted. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was 70,000.
After purchasing the vehicle brand new in June 2013, the car would stall/jerk/grind when trying to take off after being stopped at a red light or stop sign, or just accelerating to increase speed. Had to take it in to the dealer to have the clutch repaired and even after this was performed, it still jerks, especially when the air conditioner is on. In January 2016, had to take it to the dealer to reprogram the PCM/tcm and perform clutch which was the 15B22 software update issued by Ford Motor Company. After 36,000 miles the horn stopped working. After 65,000 miles the check engine light turned on and after taking it to the dealer, was told it had a code P0456 which is a small evap leak present. Since it's not under warranty, I have to pay $119 just to diagnose the problem. Now I have a safety recall notice 16S30 which states it may be possible that my side door latch may break, which may make the door difficult to latch. All this on a vehicle that is under 100,000 miles and almost 4 years old.
The transmission went out.the car gave me about a 60 second window to act on it. The message said "transmission fault act now" then went out on me in the middle of the road
The contact owns a 2013 Ford Focus. While driving various speeds, the vehicle jerked while the accelerator pedal was depressed. There were no warning indicators illuminated. The vehicle was taken to a dealer, but the cause of the failure could not be diagnosed. The dealer stated that the vehicle was designed in that manner. The manufacturer was not notified of the issue. The failure mileage was unknown.
The contact owns a 2013 Ford Focus. While driving various speeds, the vehicle hesitated to accelerate and shuttered. On several occasions, the vehicle failed to start. The cause of the failure was not diagnosed. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not notified. The contact indicated that the vehicle was previously repaired for the same failure. The VIN was unknown. The failure mileage was 72,000.
Vehicle is back at dealership for 5th time for catastrophic failure in the transmission. The clutches have been replaced 3 times and the current failure is an acm module. We have been advised that their is not a permanent fix for the issues that have plagued this vehicle. This particular incident, the vehicle stalled out in drive thru lane. Was able to restart but warning lights to service transmission came on immediately.
The vehicle's clutch has been replaced twice it stutters/hesitates, makes grinding noises, etc. And still does since second repair, radio made popping, static skrecking sounds that got worse over time to the point of happening all the time and made radio useless, purge valve failed and could have destroyed gas tank and fuel pump if not dealt with which thankfully I did. These are all known issues with this vehicle thousands of similar complaints online.
Vehicle shudders at take off or when slowing down to make a turn when initializing gas. Issue was found to be a problem with the clutch. Similar vehicles with the same make, model and year have been given extended warranty# 14M02 for this same issue. My vehicle does not fall under the VIN#'s being covered. I believe this issue is affecting more vehicles than Ford realizes. My car is currently at 65,369 miles.
My 75 year old mother in law was driving this car (her car) on 4/4/17 in bellmead, Texas. She was hit at about 40 mph in the front passenger side quarter panel/wheel area by a 1998 Honda sedan. She was driving on a paved feeder road in clear sun shiny weather. The car was a total loss due to the axel breaking and the air bag did not deploy. She hit her head in the accident which resulted in her death a week later due to a stroke caused by a left hemorrhagic stroke (brain bleed). I can provide the police report and photos via personal email not through this public forum.
We have had the tcm replace one, the cluthes replaced twice and the shuttering, non shifting, shfting when not supposed to are still happening. After multiple visits to two Ford dealers, Ford is unable to fix these dangerous problems.my wife was on the freeway traveling at 70mph when the car suddenly died, no power. Lucky it was very early in the morning and there was no traffic. Under normal driving conditions, my wife may have been severely injured or worse. These 2011 - current year Ford Focus and fiesta are a danger on our roads, Ford must be made to recall these death traps.
This happens consistently, from a stop when the car is accelerating theres a very distinct stuttering where the car feels like its bucking or moving back and forth as if it can't get into gear. Occasionally this will make it feel like the car is about to stall. We've had the car in the shop for service for this exact issue 3 times (about to be a 4th). We were most recently in Lincoln city, Oregon and trying to merge into traffic from a dead stop, pressing on the accelerator made the car lurch and didn't offer us the ability to merge smoothly, instead we were unsure if we were going to stall out or if the gear would catch.
The contact owns a 2013 Ford Focus. When the accelerator pedal was depressed at 25 mph, the vehicle failed to respond and the check engine warning indicator illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer where it was diagnosed that the transmission failed and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 70,000.
I'm currently experiencing issues with the shifting of gears. It feels like a mild case of whiplash when it happens. Sometimes I start to accelerate and the car doesn't go it bucks slightly and sometimes just doesn't accelerate at the speed it should and it scares me in heavy traffic. On the highway I will feel loss of power which shows the rpms rapidly going up and down during these episodes. Going to a local Ford dealership to see what's going on. Many websites with people complaining of transmission problems having them replaced more than once. I'm not a very happy camper and I've been a Ford owner my whole life.
My family has always had Ford's growing up. For the most part I always remember them being reliable and great vehicles. In 2005 I bought a 2003 F-350 with the 6.0 diesel engine. Anyone that is familiar with the 6.0 powerstroke knows it was a money pit from the start. It was a poor design from Ford. They did nothing to help me out. I eventually spent around 6,000 dollars to fix the engine to make it reliable. A big disappointment in Ford. I recently bought a 2013 Ford Focus and the problems started all over again. To my understanding Ford is very aware of the problems with the transmission. Another bad design from Ford. The problem is a bad oil seal in the transmission that is leaking oil on the dry dual clutches and causing them to slip. They did extend the warranty 100,000 miles. My car has just over 66000 miles on it. They will not cover the fix because it has a salvage title. My argument is the problem is in the defective parts in the transmission it has nothing to do with the light damage it had in the front end to stamp a salvage title on it. Of course again Ford will do nothing to help me out. Another big disappointment in Ford.
The contact owns a 2013 Ford Focus. The contact stated that there was an abnormal noise progressing from the transmission and that the gears were difficult to shift and change over. The failure began after a dealer's repair for a manufacturer recall to service the transmission. The contact was included in two manufacturer service campaigns, but was not notified of the transmission clutch shudder / transmission input shaft seal campaign extension and the transmission control module extended campaign coverage. The manufacturer was contacted to determine when they may be able to address the two service campaigns pertaining to the transmission failure. The recall information was not provided. The failure mileage was not available.
A D V E R T I S E M E N T S
- Walpole, NH, USA