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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:
37,671 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.

2013 Ford Focus drivetrain problems

drivetrain problem

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2013 Ford Focus Owner Comments (Page 9 of 51)

« Read the previous 20 complaints

problem #846

Jul 012014

Focus

  • 32,455 miles

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

Every time I try to even slightly incline the transmission sputters and shakes and continues until I'm not in any upcline at all. I've taken my car many times to multiple dealerships just to be told it's nothing or it's because your vehicle is a flex so the car thinks it's in manual. It's not a problem. Just drive it and itll be fine. Well 6years have past and it just gets worse each time. I've parted the car and drive it occasionally because when it jerks and doesnt go into gear or acceleration is none existant it's only a matter of time before someone hits me from behind on the hyw. But again Ford has not honored my 100000 warranty when my catilatic converter went out when I only had 80000 miles on it. Found out a year later that it was covered. Ford is horrible on correcting issues that are a safety matter.at this point like a service tech told me it's their word against mine. They have the power so either deal with it or get rid of your car.

- Winder, GA, USA

problem #845

Apr 172020

Focus 4-cyl

  • miles
My car keeps flashing the multiple warning lights. I can't get it diagnosed because it only flickers on for a second before turning off. It's the ABS light, the traction control light, the brake light and the information light. This only happens while I'm driving, it doesn't matter what speed I'm going. It will also restart the radio. Once I get to my destination, my whole car will turn off as if my battery died. I've taken my battery to be tested and it's fine. When I try to turn on my car, it won't turn on but it will make clicking sounds like it's trying to restart a connection. When my car finally turned on, it said I had transmission issues. This car is terrible, I don't feel safe when I drive it but I still owe money on it and can't afford to pay it off in order to get a new car. I'll never get a car made by Ford again.

- Cottonwood Heights, UT, USA

problem #844

Mar 242020

Focus

  • 85,758 miles
While driving after get my Ford Focus after having a oil change it started to stall out very hosting to drive at any speed. Transmission light came on telling me to service it. I pulled over back to priority Ford dealership.the tech came out and tells me that my Ford Focus was on a recall for my transmission. I had to take it to the service center 3blocks away, with the car in that horrible way driving.

- Va Beach, VA, USA

problem #843

Jan 012020

Focus 4-cyl

  • Automatic transmission
  • 77,100 miles

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

The contact owns a 2013 Ford Focus. The contact stated while driving at various speeds, the transmission started to slip. The contact stated no warning light was illuminated. The contact drove the vehicle to skalnek Ford located at (941 S lapeer rd, orion charter township, mi 48362) where it was diagnosed. The contact was informed that the transmission clutch needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and a case was filed. The approximate failure mileage was 77,100.

- Oxford, MI, USA

problem #842

Jan 012020

Focus

  • 30,000 miles
The transmission slips making car jerk during take off and shifting into second, on the highway transmission rpms go up and transmission won't shift gears when accelerating

- Spearman, TX, USA

problem #841

Mar 092020

Focus

  • 130,000 miles
The driver seat belt gets stuck alot and is very hard to disconnect, the car won't go in reverse and it is part of a clutch recall Ford won't honor it it's been replaced twice already,

- Port St Lucie Florida, FL, USA

problem #840

Jan 152020

Focus

  • 87,131 miles

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

The contact owns a 2013 Ford Focus. The contact stated that while driving at approximately 5 mph, the vehicle was shuddered. The contact stated that the failure was not experienced at a higher speed. The vehicle was taken to mclaughlin motors Inc located at (950 N main St, sumter, SC 29150) where it was diagnosed that the clutch needed to be repaired. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 87,131.

- Sumter, SC, USA

problem #839

Mar 092020

Focus

  • 134,000 miles
The contact owns a 2013 Ford Focus. The contact stated the previous owner took the vehicle to kenny ross Ford South located at (3200 library rd, castle shannon, pa 15234) to be repaired under NHTSA campaign number: 15V813000 (electrical system) however, the failure occurred after the recall repair was performed. The contact stated the engine stalled while driving uphill. The contact stated pulled over and restarted the vehicle. The contact took the vehicle to an independent mechanic to be diagnosed. The vehicle was diagnosed with an unknown wiring harness failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure but provided no assistance. The failure mileage was 134,000. The VIN was not available.

- Beaver Falls, PA, USA

problem #838

Mar 022020

Focus

  • 150,000 miles
The car shutters when going from a complete stop. I stop at a stop sign or stop light and when I take off the whole car shutters. When I asked about this I was told it was a common problem in this car modle and to report it. The car has done this since I have owned it and the Ford dealership said there was not a fix for it.

- Stockton, MO, USA

problem #837

Feb 292020

Focus

  • 119,000 miles
The issue has happened 3 times since I have owned the car. The car was shaking when I would push on the gas. There was a delay with exceleration. I was driving on the city street and the car would not excelerate the transmission was not changing gears. I had to coast down the street to make it to somewhere I could pull over. Once stopped the car would not go into any gear and would not drive. I had the car towed to the Ford dealership each time I was told that it was the transmission control module and the clutch that needed to be replaced.

- Phoneix, AZ, USA

problem #836

Feb 132020

Focus

  • miles

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

My Ford Focus 2013, has been fixed two times and the same problem is reoccurring. I have called customer service and they weren't very helpful and it is difficult to reach them. The car shutters upon accelerating. It is unsafe to drive as stated in the recall. I have been told that warranty is expired. This has been a lawsuit before and I strongly believe that the warranty that I had previously when fixing the Ford should apply this time as well. My car is currently in a Ford dealership waiting to get fixed, but I do need the clear that warranty will cover it since this is the third time this has happened. I should be able to rely on my car and not be worried if it will start.

- Elmwood Park, IL, USA

problem #835

Sep 012014

Focus

  • 29,000 miles
The contact owns a 2013 Ford Focus SE. The contact stated that while driving at 70 mph the transmission suddenly downshifted from an automatic six speed to a speed of approximately 35 mph. The cause of the failure has not been diagnosed. There were no consequences the contact called the manufacturer from the side of the road. They advised that the vehicle was covered under an extended warranty but the contact would have to pay for towing to the dealer. The vehicle was driven to the dealer jc lewis Ford (9505 abercorn St, savannah, ga 31406 (912) 210-5692) where the transmission module was reprogrammed under an extended warranty. The vehicle was test driven but no issues were found. The vehicle however experienced the same issue the same day it was returned to the contact. She had to schedule another an appointment with the dealer to re-inspect the vehicle. The failure mileage was 29,000.

- Statesboro, GA, USA

problem #834

Dec 202019

Focus

  • miles
When driving the vehicle it causes a stuttering movement from a stop. When pressing the gas from a stopped position it starts to shake upon acceleration. The car almost feels like the transmission is slipping and may cause the vehicle to stop. I feel that I and my children are unsafe when this happens!!!

- Fairfield, CA, USA

problem #833

Feb 212020

Focus

  • 158,000 miles
While at a stop light on a busy street my car jerks and then gets quiet, when the light changes to green I hit on the gas pedal and the car does not move, no matter how hard I press, I turn on my emergency lights and after about 3 mins the car finally moves but while driving once again I hit on the gas pedal to increase speed and it does not work, I decide to turn around in a small parking lot and take it home and while doing that the car doesn't reverse, I get it back on the road and it jerks and jumps to the point where I just had to park it and call a ride. The week prior a mechanic told me I just needed coolant after the car jerked and stalled on the highway while I was going 70mph, and now every time I bring the car to a complete stop it doesn't move once it's time to accelerate, I've had it stall in heavy traffic where cars where bumper to bumper and I could not move. All of this after I had the ECU flashed to fix the codes, the entire engine and head gaskets replaced, the fuel pump system and transmission fixed by Ford. So I took it to a mechanic to get it diagnosed and they inform me of multiple problems such as a new thermostat and air bag deployment issues but the main problem is that I need a new transmission again, unfortunately the cars value is not worth what it will cost to fix the transmission again.

- Jacksonville, FL, USA

problem #832

Dec 232019

Focus

  • 154,000 miles
On my way from work went to leave and press gas paddle car. Act like it speed up hill. Car start stuttering making a grinding noise jerking. Got half way home it start smoking.. when I first bought car I had to put in shop because of transmission problems it one thing after another ive done already had several recalls done on it. Now its given me more problems. Always on the high way

- Warrenton, GA, USA

problem #831

Feb 102020

Focus

  • 157,000 miles
At taking off at a red light my car stutters and shakes and it's worse when going uphill it feels like it's going to stall on me in the middle of the road.

- Spring Branch, TX, USA

problem #830

Feb 022020

Focus

  • miles
Faulty transmission defect relating to the clutch and transmission control module in the dps6 transmission. Loss of clutch engagement, loss of power and no start from engine. Ford Motor Company failed to determine my car to qualify for a clutch and transmission control module replacement. Ford Motor Company also failed to determine my car to qualift for a clutch and transmission control module replacement falling under the customer satisfaction program 14M01 - supplement #7 and customer satisfaction program 15B22- supplement #3. I have emailed david J. johnson on Sunday February 2, ,2020 and received a call from Mr. Johnson executive office on February 5, 2020 and have yet to received anything.

- Norcross, GA, USA

problem #829

May 302013

Focus

  • 300 miles
The contact owns a 2013 Ford Focus. The contact stated that while driving at various speeds, the vehicle vibrated and lost power, without warning. The vehicle was taken to the johnson city Ford dealer, located at 207 princeton rd, johnson city, tn 37601, where the clutches and transmission were repaired. The failure recurred several times. The manufacturer was made aware of the failures and referred the contact back to the dealer. The failure was no T repaired. The failure mileage was approximately 300.

- Elizabethton, TN, USA

problem #828

Dec 202012

Focus

  • miles
When accelerating, the vehicle shutters, shakes and jerks. This happens every time, no matter whether the vehicle has been idle for no specific amount of time and even when the vehicle is operational. The vehicle was purchased new in December 2013 and has been an ongoing issue.

- Sterling Heights, MI, USA

problem #827

Feb 082017

Focus

  • 65,000 miles
The contact owns a 2013 Ford Focus. The contact stated that the transmission experienced slipping gears and an abnormal shudder while driving. The contact stated that the vehicle had a salvage title and taken the vehicle to caruso Ford Lincoln located at (3500 cherry ave, long beach, ca 90807, (562) 426-3301) to be diagnosed. The mechanic refused to perform the diagnostic test due the vehicle having a salvage title. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The contact was referred to the NHTSA to file a complaint. The failure mileage was approximately 65,000.

- Long Beach, CA, USA

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