CarComplaints.com Notes: For the third year in a row, the 3rd generation Focus is experiencing massive transmission problems.
Most notably owners keep complaining about how there's bad hesitation and jerking when starting from a stop. This isn't the result of an old, worn out part. In fact, the average mileage it's reported to us is just over 15k miles.
10.0
really awful
Crashes / Fires:
22 / 3
Injuries / Deaths:
9 / 0
Average Mileage:
38,168 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.
Have been experiencing major jerking and stuttering when car change from 1st to 2nd gear. Really have to press on gas for it to accelerate. Very dangerous for when trying to merge lanes on freeway. It has shut off twice on different occasions and would not restart. Check engine light just turned on at 89,000 miles. Extremely uncomfortable with driving it due to these problems. There were occasions where I could not accelerate and cars were close to crashing into me.
The car has been stalling, jerking, jumping and skipping every time I accelerate. I have taken the car to the dealers more than 4 or 5 times since I bought it in 2014! they told me those cars will do that. Wrong! I have all the paperwork of how many times I have taking it for the same thing. The car continues to shudders at slow speeds, and jerks into gear. When backing up on incline street/driveway, rolls back. When accelerating in a highway is dangerous as the car does not respond and making it a safety hazard when shifting lanes, entering on intersections or highway. The problem continues after taking if to the dealer many times.
The contact owns a 2014 Ford Focus the vehicle independently accelerated the contact was almost involved in a crash the contact was concerned about the transmission and a problem with shuddering while diving while driving at 25 mph, the vehicle independently accelerated with the RPM's redlined. The brake pedal was depressed and the vehicle fishtailed to a stop. The vehicle was not taken to be diagnosed. Additionally, the vehicle experienced a hesitation when the accelerator pedal was depressed on several occasions. On one other occasion while driving at 10 mph, the vehicle stalled without warning. The contact was able to restart the vehicle. The contact stated that the vehicle was scheduled to receive field service action number: 19N08 (power train). The vehicle was not repaired. John sang Ford Lincoln, 195 upper river rd, gallipolis, oh 45631, (800) 272-5179, was contacted by phone to have the field service campaign performed. The manufacturer was contacted and informed of the failure. A case number was not provided. The approximate failure mileage was 97,000.
My 2014 Focus is part of the group of cars that has a terrible clutch slippage problem. It's so bad that Ford has offered to replace the clutch on extended warranty through a customer satisfaction program. Only one problem, because my car has a restored salvage title, that program doesn't include me. Ford has replaced this clutch once a while back, the car had a restored title then as well. So this clutch that is bad is the replaced clutch that should have a warranty regardless of the title status of the car. If this had been listed as a recall, it would have covered me, but because it's called a "customer satisfaction program" they won't cover me. Ford claims they came to that consensus with the help of the nhsta, if this is so, please extend the clutch coverage to people like me! we have the same problem clutch as cars with a clean title, and the clutch didn't go back because of an accident! it's a terrible product that Ford discontinued for good reason. Please reconsider and make this a recall.......
- Gilbert, AZ, USA
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Car has been in dealer at fred grande Ford for over a month for recalls on transmission and fuel tank no resolution recall 18 V dash 735 and transmission shutter dealership will not repair a vehicle and is trying to charge me a fee for a recall
The contact owns a 2014 Ford Focus. The contact stated that he experienced several failures with the transmission. The vehicle was repaired per NHTSA campaign number: 13V523000 (power train); however, the failure persisted. After the repair, the check engine warning indicator illuminated. The contact informed viva Ford (5550 N desert blvd, el paso, tx 79912, 915-834-2800) and was informed that the failure was not related to the recall. While driving various speeds, the vehicle stalled and shut off without warning. The contact took the vehicle to viva Ford on several occasions to have the vehicle serviced for several unknown recalls and defects. Regarding the latest failure, the dealer informed the contact that the warranty had expired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and did not assist. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was 18,000.
From a dead stop car shudders, between gears will slip then pull. Not really accelerating. Clutch will slip, then jerk when it catches. This is prevalent in lower gears.
Just got another letter from Ford extending warrant on parts. At 80K transmission, from take off still pulls ans jerks, hesitates, and finally lunges, can't even pass on freeway. It's a safety hazard.
Quite often my car shutters when I start to take off or go up an incline. The shifting seems to wind out longer than it should when I press the accelerator to speed up. I also experience a rollback when on a hill while stopped. The shuttering and these other issues have been happening since I bought the car at a Ford dealership in Feb, 2017.
The contact owns a 2014 Ford Focus. While driving various speeds, the vehicle failed to shift into gear and the service engine warning indicator illuminated. The vehicle was taken to hagerstown Ford (1714 massey blvd, hagerstown, md 21740, (301) 733-3673) where it was diagnosed that the clutch needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired. The manufacturer was contacted and provided case number: Cas 24237271. The failure mileage was 85,000.
Received a notice for a clutch repair, bringing in on Friday. Car still shudders at slow speeds, and jerks into gear. When backing up on incline driveway, car rolls back.
Takata recall. My car was stationary when the check engine light came on. I was able to slowly get home once I got past two RPM's car drives fine. Before you get to two rpms, the car will stall, jerk, shake. Car died at intersection when I had to make complete stop, started shaking terrible bad was able to turn off the engine off and turn it back on barely making it through the intersection again once you go past two rpms speed is fine symptoms disappear. Going through another major intersection car almost stalled in the middle of the intersection almost causing a T-bone accident. This is a very dangerous car.
Takata recall. On the date of 9/4/19 while backing out of my driveway onto a main street, my car stalled as I shifted my gear into drive. The check engine light immediately turned on after. I then pressed the gas pedal after shifting into drive to move my car from impeding traffic but the car would not move. I proceeded to get out of the car and push the car to a safe area. After, I turned off and on my car hoping this would just be a minor electrical mistake but when I turned the engine back on, the car would take approximately 15 seconds (while pressing on the gas pedal) to jolt forward and proceed to drive in a jittery manner. While driving to my nearest mechanic, the car continued to stutter, while the gas pedal and acceleration did not correspond with each other. Upon arriving to my mechanic I was notified that I may still have warranty on my Ford vehicle. I was then told by Ford dealership that I had around 6 or 7 recalls on my vehicle, one being transmission. I was unaware of this nor did I receive any notification that most of these recalls were called on my vehicle. After talking with the Ford service assistant he stated they were unable to fix my transmission fully but only replace the parts that was recalled for the vehicle (transmission module). I was at risk of a very back car accident due to the Ford recalls and the lack of their ability to make their customers aware of these problems. I am very upset and would like to have my car's transmission fixed as soon as possible.
Not only have I brought my car in 4 times for the transmission, now the suspension is starting to sag which is causing the tires to rub and wear out after a year. I have been told by the service department that this is irreparable.
Car will show "stop safely now" warning and completely shut off all controls at highway speeds. That car does not allow you to move it out of the fast lane or any lane. There is no way to move the car to safety once the warning activates. Very dangerous situation.
A D V E R T I S E M E N T S
- El Cajon, CA, USA