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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:
18 / 0
Injuries / Deaths:
16 / 1
Average Mileage:
55,208 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 seat belts / air bags problems

seat belts / air bags problem

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2013 Ford Focus Owner Comments (Page 1 of 2)

problem #25

Apr 082023

Focus

  • 110,000 miles

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

The contact owned a 2013 Ford Focus. The contact stated while driving 30 mph, she lost control of the vehicle, causing it to roll over twice and ended up in a ditch. The contact stated no warning light was illuminated. The contact stated the front driver's side and the front passenger dashboard air bags did not deploy. The contact stated the front passenger curtain air bag did deploy. The contact stated no one was injured nor sought medical attention. A police report was filed. The insurance company deemed the vehicle a total loss. The vehicle was not drivable. The vehicle was towed to a towing lot. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. A dealer was not contacted. The manufacturer had not been informed of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 110,000. The VIN was not available.

- Chestnut Hill Cove, MD, USA

problem #24

Feb 272023

Focus

  • 74,000 miles
The contact owns a 2013 Ford Focus. The contact stated that while her son was driving at 30 MPH, he ran a red light and hit the passenger side of another vehicle. The air bags did not deploy upon impact. No injuries were reported at the scene and a police report was vehicle. Due to the failure, the vehicle was towed to an independent auto repair shop where it remained in their possession. The dealer nor the manufacturer had yet to be notified of the failure. The vehicle was deemed a total loss. The failure mileage was approximately 74,000.

- Davenport, IA, USA

problem #23

Mar 072022

Focus

  • miles
blah

- 2, TN, USA

problem #22

Jul 012020

Focus

  • 66,000 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 at a complete stop, the vehicle would hesitate upon the depression of the accelerator pedal without warning. The contact also stated that the passenger-€™s side air bag was defective and would not recognize an occupant seated in the passenger-€™s seat. The contact had taken the vehicle to a dealer where they inspected the vehicle and made repairs; however, both failures returned soon after the repairs. The contact stated that she had sent a letter to the manufacturer for assistance but had not received a response. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was 66,000.

- Stuart, FL, USA

problem #21

Jun 112020

Focus 4-cyl

  • 137,000 miles
I was waiting for the light to turn green and then boom I get rear ended by a truck going at least 60 mph and did not hit the brakes at all and my airbags didn't deploy.

- Whittier, CA, USA

problem #20

May 012020

Focus 4-cyl

  • 70,000 miles
My Ford car engine light is on whenever it rains and my Ford car stalls and I have no idea what recall issues it hash latch door check look at the sales service Ford dealership!2020

- Palm Springs, CA, USA

problem #19

Oct 222017

Focus 4-cyl

  • 112,000 miles

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

The contact owned a 2013 Ford Fusion. The contact stated while driving at 45 mph, the vehicle began to shake and the contact stopped the vehicle. As she began to drive again, the vehicle began to stall and was hit by another vehicle. The air bags deployed upon impact and the vehicle was destroyed. The contact had minor injuries, however, the other driver claimed to be injured but her injuries were not disclosed. An ambulance went to the scene and treated the contact and the other driver was taken to the emergency room. A police report was filed. There was no diagnose given for the vehicle failure. Al serra auto plaza 6167 saginaw rd, grand blanc, mi 48439 (810) 694-5600 and the manufacturer were made aware of the failure; a recall had been associated with this vehicle's VIN; NHTSA campaign number 18V735000 (fuel system, gasoline). In addition, the contact mentioned that the vehicle was taken on 6 occasions to 3-4 different dealers where the vehicle hesitates while driving and stalls was said to be a normal function of the vehicle. The contact also mentioned that the failure occurred on several occasions. The failure mileage was 112,000.

- Grand Blanc, MI, USA

problem #18

Apr 132019

Focus

  • miles
The contact was calling on behalf her client who owned a 2013 Ford Focus. The driver was driving at 35 mph and decreasing to 15 mph in order to make a left turn, the vehicle stalled with no warning, as a result the vehicle crashed a tree. The airbags failed to deploy. The vehicle was included in NHTSA campaign number: 18V735000 (fuel system, gasoline). Both the driver and the front seat passenger were transported by ambulance for medical treatment. The driver sustained neck, back, and shoulder injuries as well as a fractured knee. The front seat passenger required three surgeries due to the injuries sustained from the crash. A police report was filed with case number: 0046196919U. The vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic but a failure was not diagnosed as the vehicle was deemed a total loss. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was unknown.

- Houston, TX, USA

problem #17

Jun 082019

Focus

  • 0 miles
I just got the car from dealership with financing it, they didn't know notify me, that there was an unfixible recall!!! I am a single mom, it was my long way to getting a car, I want it be safe for me and my daughter, I don't, it won't even last 6 years, I am really upset!!!! please fix ingeen light pops on, hatchback opens, airbag is pff

- Yerington, NV, USA

problem #16

Mar 012019

Focus

  • 133,132 miles
Takata recall. On Friday March 1 2019 as I was driving my air bag exploded. No damage to vehicle occurred.

- Durham, NC, USA

problem #15

Oct 082017

Focus

  • 40,000 miles

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

Vehicle purchased in 2015 with less than 20K miles. 1st problem, exploded tire causing minor body damage and sensor damage. Thankfully just came from a stop sign and not traveling fast, no injury. 2nd problem, driving down road at approx 35mph when airbags suddenly deployed. Wondered if hit small animal. Got out to investigate.....nothing. Vehicle then rolled off road (decline in terrain) landing rested in a chain link fence. Upon inspection, discovered that motor mounts had failed causing motor to drop forwards towards radiator therefore indicating crash and deploying airbags. All components connected to motor ripped forwards as well. Thankfully also no injury. If that would have occurred at high speeds, serious injury or death could have resulted. There is no reason or excuse for failure of motor mounts. This is clearly a defect. Contacted Ford at the highest level number I was able to obtain. Requested only to address safety issue. They issued a claim, dismissed it and would not allow me to speak to anyone with the authority to address the issue. Contacted Chevy dealership where vehicle was purchased, they said Ford would have to address the issue. Then took vehicle to Ford dealership to run diagnostic to evaluate why airbags deployed. This vehicle contains a module that contains data pertaining to airbag deployment. It is as simple as retrieving the data! only Ford field rep can do this. Towed vehicle to dealership to perform diagnostic to next be referred to rep for data retrieval. Employees of dealership were not allowed by their supervisor to examine the vehicle due to the extent of damage under the hood. Someone needs to be concerned with the integrity of the motor mounts on this vehicle. Other vehicles may have this problem as well. If mounts were to fail at high speeds, catastrophic crash would be eminent. Damage from crash would hide failed mounts as cause

- Salem, WI, USA

problem #14

Oct 112018

Focus

  • 115,000 miles
The contact owned a 2013 Ford Focus. The contact stated that while driving at 35 mph, the vehicle was involved in a crash with another vehicle. The contact stated that the air bags failed to deploy. A police report was filed. The contact and a passenger in the other vehicle sustained injuries which required medical attention. The vehicle was towed to a tow yard. Neither the dealer nor manufacturer was notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 115,000. The vehicle was destroyed.

- St.Cloud, FL, USA

problem #13

Oct 122018

Focus

  • 71,568 miles
Airbag did not inflate when my son had an accident the airbag deployed but did not inflate he went into the back of another vehicle on highway 40 on October

- Winston Salem, NC, USA

problem #12

Oct 062018

Focus

  • 89,000 miles
'takata recall' I have a 2013 Ford Focus SE hatchback. I was recently involved in an accident head on and only one airbag engaged. It engaged from underneath the dashboard on the driving seat of the vehicle... ~

- Liberty, NY, USA

problem #11

Oct 232017

Focus

  • miles
Takata recall

- Copperas Cove, TX, USA

problem #10

Apr 042017

Focus

  • 52,000 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.

- Springtown, TX, USA

problem #9

Nov 132016

Focus

  • miles
The contact owns a 2013 Ford Focus. While driving at 55 mph, there was another vehicle approaching the contact's vehicle head on. However, the contact swerved off the road to avoid crashing into the other vehicle and crashed into a poll. The contact stated that the air bags did not deploy and the seat belt did not remain secured. The contact hit her head on the windshield and fractured her wrist. The dealer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was not available.

- Crandall, TX, USA

problem #8

Sep 302016

Focus

  • 60,000 miles
The contact owns a 2013 Ford Focus. While driving 40 mph, another vehicle pulled out in front of the contact's vehicle. A crash occurred and the air bags failed to deploy. The contact sustained minor injuries that required medical attention. A police report was filed. The vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic, but was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 60,000.

- Chatsworth, GA, USA

problem #7

Jun 122016

Focus

  • 30,500 miles
I was entering an intersection, going straight at about 5-10mph (accelerating) when I was T-boned by a car running their red light at about 40mph. She struck the driver door and front driver side wheel. None of my airbags deployed. The impact was enough to make the driver door unopenable and bend the front wheel to an irregular angle. The unibody was damaged as well as the exterior parts and the car was declared a total loss.

- Alexandria, VA, USA

problem #6

Aug 192015

Focus

  • 43,000 miles
Last night I hit a deer going 70 miles per hr. On the highway. My leg airbags deployed but my steering wheel did not only the clips came out. Due to knee airbags I have huge bruises on both legs. I feel that the steering wheel has a defective airbag since it did not deploy. If I had hit a tree instead of a deer its possible I would not be here to file this it did not protect me at all.

- South Ryegate, VT, USA

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