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:
23 / 3
Injuries / Deaths:
12 / 0
Average Mileage:
39,541 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.
The contact owns a 2014 Ford Focus. While driving 35 mph, there was an abnormal noise coming from the steering wheel. The contact lost power steering and the vehicle crashed into a guardrail. A police report was not filed. The contact stated that the front passenger side fender to the rear quarter panel was severely damaged. Additionally, the transmission began to shudder. The contact stated that the failure was intermittent. 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 contact stated that the clutch was replaced for the second time. The vehicle was not included in NHTSA campaign number: 14V514000 (steering). The manufacturer was not contacted. The approximate failure mileage was 9,999.
Transmission chatters and shudders, and does not shift in correct RPM range (according to dealership test). PS6 clutch replacement necessary for second time on 2014 Ford Focus. First replacement after 55K miles. Second replacement after another 35K miles (total mileage on car 90K). Since clutch failure is common on 2014 Ford Focus, need Ford warranty extended to cover this expense. (Ford dealership price to replace the clutch is $1341 for 9 hours of labor plus $463 for clutch and $71 for the seal assembly oil.) clutch replacement is due to mechanical design; not due to normal wear and tear, not due to operator.
My car has had mulitple issues in the past 2 years with over 7 visits pertaining to the transmission. From the beginning its had problems with stuttering and hesitating on acceleration.I'm currently without my car for the 5th time thia year due to problems which have been taken car of by warranty but is still coating me money due to rentals.
While driving down the road at 30 mph my vehicle stalled and lost complete power. I was nearly involved in an accident, but fortunately the alert drivers around me were able to brake in time. A friendly samaritan helped to push my vehicle to the side of the road. Thankfully I was physically okay, but emotionally not so much. I purchased a brand new 2014 Ford Focus off of the lot and have since had nothing but issues. I'm still paying on the vehicle today and now it is not in use unless I can come up with $2,500 to repair the entire fuel system. This system should not have failed at only 67,000 miles. There is an issued recall on similar Ford vehicles manufactured from 2013-2015 which is the same time frame in which my vehicle was manufactured. After repeated attempts to come to a resolution through Ford customer service, they won't even offer information on the type of fuel system used on the vehicles with the recall because they don't want to be liable for this defect. I'm out of a vehicle at 67,000 miles and have no consumer protection. It's scary to read about the 100's of people who experienced the exact same fuel system malfunction at similar mileage. This is a serious safety issue that Ford needs to address immediately. In addition, since I have had the vehicle the transmission has been jerky and I can't even accelerate onto a highway. Ford had vehemently denied that it was anything wrong with the manufacturer transmission and yet since they have issued a recall on the transmission, but now tell me I'm too far past my warranty(which was only 7,000 miles ago) I'm heartbroken because I don't have the money to repair this sort of system, especially knowing it is a defect on their part.
The vehicle was purchased new and the problem with the clutch (which has been replaced twice) begin to occur shortly after the purchase. While driving on the highway or on main roads with a stop light the car would jerk when I would begin to excel. This problem was noted every time I took my car in for an oil change. I was then notified that there was a recall on the part. The part was then replaced once the back order shipment came in. The module was eventually updated because my concern with the jerking continued. In July, my car began to hesitate while driving and then completely cut off while in reverse. The car was then towed to the dealership and the module was replaced. Today as I write this notification the problem with the hesitation while the car is placed in reverse has begun again. I am very unhappy with the car and was told that I was $10,000 upside down on the car if I traded it in. I do not trust driving the car and daily my commute to work is over 65 miles on the highway.
- Lewisville, TX, USA
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The contact owns a 2014 Ford Focus. While attempting to accelerate from a traffic light, the accelerator pedal was depressed and the vehicle lunged forward and stalled. The contact stated that the check engine indicator illuminated. An independent mechanic was able to reset the check engine indicator and the vehicle operated for several days before the failure recurred. The vehicle was towed to upper marlboro Ford (located at 5701 crain highway, upper marlboro, md 20772, tel: (301) 627-5600). The contact was informed that the transmission control module needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired; however, the failure recurred. The manufacturer was notified of the failure on several occasions. The approximate failure mileage was 50,000.
Received a warning on the freeway to pull over when safe. When slowing to a stop the vehicle lost all power and had to be pushed off of the freeway. A power cycle of the car restored power.
This vehicle shutters on acceleration from a stop so bad you have to hold on to the steering wheel tightly. Has already had the clutch replaced. This occurs every time the vehicle is at a stop. I marked the date as August 18th, but it happens every day.
Focus was bought brand new with 24 miles on it, December of 2013. Around 6 months into having it the Focus started to shudder anytime the gas pedal was pressed, then will take off like normal after a few seconds. This is happening driving down the road or coming from a stop. We've almost been hit several times due to delays in intersections. It has been taken to Ford many times first they would tell us "oh it is just the way the engine works, it's how you get great mileage".. then heard about the recall, took it in and they replaced the ac clutch telling us that is why it shuddered. Not even a week later same problems started happening. They kept refusing to fix the problem. Now, after the manufactor warranty is expired they tell us the clutches need to be replaced, and that it is not covered under transmission warrenty.. this has been on going since 2014, it needs to be fixed. Also the horn stopped working one day for no reason at all, they looked at that it. The tech said they need to replace the entire horn and that its a common problem among the Focus. This is unacceptable and Ford needs to fix these problems.
I was driving my 2014 Ford Focus came to a light to make a right turn, came to a stop, then proceeded to turn when car hesitate to drive when I pressed on the gas, it was like the car had shut down, engine like was flashing, but was able to coast to a area where I was safe. Turned ignition off then tried to restart, car would not start.
For the second time now, my transmission is jerking, stuttering, and hesitating, with the addition of it completely not going into drive at all this time, and the check engine light came on. This issue has been known by Ford for a very long time, and you at the NHTSA have been informed as well. The dealership supposedly fixed this once, and I have that paperwork, but like thousands of other consumers who are having this issue and had it supposedly fixed, it has returned! why are you waiting until this actually kills someone, before you do anything? my fiance was at an onramp entrance that was right at the gas station when this happened this time and because it wouldn't even switch to drive, he was almost rear ended. Someone is going to get hurt or killed with this transmission. It effects people in various ways, at various times, has caused some people to receive tickets because it refused to decelerate in school zones, which could have killed children, it stutters upon acceleration and then jerks into speed, it doesn't go into gear at times, it isn't shifting properly, and all kinds of stuff. And even when the dealership "fixes" it, it is a temporary fix and it goes back into the same issue within 40,000 miles. This is a very serious and dangerous issue that isn't being taken seriously enough! it is very well known by Ford, as when I took it to dealership for this the first time, the guy (I have all his info and paperwork) informed me that just at that dealership alone, they do about three of those trans issues per day. All they do is " see history for sop. Installed bv6Z 7B546 F: clutch asy. Verified concern. Check oasis. Found tsb 15-0120. Reprogrammed PCM and tcm. Cleared codes....removed and replaced transmission and new clutch...reprogrammed...etc.." which is only a temporary fix and they know it. Everyone has to bring back over and over! someone will die!!
When driving vechical it will sometimes shutter when going up an incline and when I stops at a stop light or sign and I accelerate the car to go the car will lung forward at times. I have a little over 17,000 miles on my car and as of August 7th 2017 the cluches have to be replaced by a Ford dealership.
The contact owns a 2014 Ford Focus. While attempting to accelerate to approximately 70 mph, the vehicle failed to respond or would jerk excessively until the desired speed was reached. Broadway Ford diagnosed that the clutch failed and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired, but the failure recurred. The contact returned the vehicle to the dealer who diagnosed the same failure. The contact was informed that the failure would continue despite a repair. The vehicle was not repaired and the contact traded in the vehicle. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and opened case number: 12381390. The contact stated there was a class action lawsuit; however, because the vehicle only received diagnostic testing regarding the failure twice rather than at least three times, the contact was not able to receive reimbursement. The approximate failure mileage was 21,000.
The transmission on this vehicle is terrible. I have taken the car in for the recall on the clutch assembly but that has not helped the issue. There is major hesitation when first apply the gas pedal at take off and it cause the car to "jump" or hesitate. This as almost caused accidents on may occasions and you have to be really careful when pulling into the flow of traffic. I feel that it is a real safety issue and I am not sure what the fix is since they have repaired it once already. It doesn't happen on a highway, it only happens when taking off from a stopped position. This has been an on going issue since I purchased the vehicle. It is the last Ford product I will ever own, bad design
When driving at low speeds transmission shimmers and there is hesitaion. Also when staring off from a stop the car is slow at accelerating. Windshield wipers when set to low or high only run for a few minutes then switch to intermittent. I was almost in an accident today telraveling at 50 mph because the windshield wiper issue in a bad storm wipers stopped and went to intermittent. The power train issue started in 2015.
Delayed acceleration and problems with downshifting result in unsafe movement. These unsafe conditions occur when accelerating from a stop, decelerating, and while in motion on city streets and highways. The clutch has been replaced twice and yet the problem continues. My vehicle only has 38,000 miles on it. These problems have been present since the day I drove the brand new car off the lot. I have not been in an accident because of this yet, but feel very unsafe and an accident is inevitable. Ford service has been unable to fix the problem.
The contact owns a 2014 Ford Focus. While driving approximately 45 mph, the vehicle did not accelerate when the accelerator pedal was depressed. The contact called the manufacturer and was advised to bring the vehicle to the dealer (peacock Ford in maitland, Florida) for diagnostic testing. The vehicle was diagnosed as having clutch failure. The vehicle was repaired. The contact stated that the failure recurred four other times and the vehicle was taken to sun state Ford in orlando, Florida. The clutch was replaced again, but the failure recurred. The approximate failure mileage was 29,000.
2014 Ford Focus. Consumer writes in regards to transmission slips and shudders. Consumer states vehicle has manual transmission disguised as automatic transmission. The consumer was advised by the dealer that vehicle was operating as designed. The vehicle was reprogrammed and the clutch was replaced. The failure worsened. The maufacturer was contacted, but did not offer any assistance.
The contact owns a 2014 Ford Focus. While the vehicle was at a complete stop, the contact depressed the accelerator pedal and the vehicle jerked, stalled, and the check engine warning indicator illuminated. The contact was able to restart the vehicle after several attempts. In addition, the contact experienced a failure with the gear shifter changing gears. The vehicle was taken to the dealer (monaco Ford, 767 new london turnpike, glastonbury, ct, 06033, ) where it was diagnosed that the E-vap chamber failed and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not contacted and made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 20,000.
Ford Focus will lose power on the highway. Ford told me that's how the car is and that the clutch on the Focus and fiesta are faulty from the factory. The car is a 2014 with 62,000 miles.
A D V E R T I S E M E N T S
- Hagerstown, MD, USA