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:
18 / 7
Injuries / Deaths:
11 / 1
Average Mileage:
41,323 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.
- Faulty windshield washer pump pushing liquid into the Body Control Module and harness - Damaged electrical communications communications controlled by the Body Control Module including: 1) functionality of the wipers resulting in obscuring the windshield from clear visibility of the road 2) vehicle will not reliably shut off after removing the key. It continues to run. 3) vehicle will not reliably shift into different gears due to the disruption of the electronic transmission signaling. 4) electrical system drains the battery after a few hours of sitting idle. - The problem has been identified by a dealership - A dealer has inspected the problem. - Washer pumps would intermittently function and then randomly would not.
I started having problems the minute I drove off the lot they told me my transmission was fine when I knew it wasn-€™t 2020 started going in to be repaired transmission needed rebuilt rear main seal needed to be replaced that-€™s when the tech realized my transmission needed to be rebuilt it-€™s been in the shop three or four times for the transmission and the clutches then I think my transmission started messing up again 2021 then found out it was misfiring replaced spark plugs and coils all of it now on top of all my other problems my check engine lights back on it-€™s flashing I-€™ve done the spark plugs again just replaced my O2 sensors going to take it back to a mechanic and have it looked at don-€™t know what-€™s going on I-€™m really worried that my coolant is leaking because it-€™s went down and done and now I just filled it up again and it looks like it-€™s dropping again i-€™m hoping it-€™s nothing because I just found out that the eco-boost motors are leaking coolant into the cylinder heads they-€™re saying trucks right now I think it-€™s in Canada in California I know I have a eco-boost your car flex fuel or whatever you wanna call it so I-€™m really hoping it-€™s nothing but problems after problems with his car and Ford doesn-€™t wanna do anything about it they gave me some money as a good faith thing but that-€™s it I got a hold of Ford and they will the lady called me once she says she called three times she won-€™t return my phone calls I was told that they wanted to buy my car back now they won-€™t do anything and like I said I-€™m having problems with it again these cars are crap they need to take all of them back and I-€™m sitting here reading even more people having issues that-€™s not OK and I don-€™t even know what-€™s wrong with my car right now
There is a CSP recall on shudder clutch. The car shudders to the extreme and sometimes doesn't shift into second or third gear for 2-3 seconds nearly causing accidents while merging onto highways several times. I contacted I have taken it to the Ford dealership 3 times and called Ford and now want to acknowledge that that is the problem, but unfortunately the warranty has expired. I have been dealing with this for two years.
My car is still at the dealership (CrossRoads Ford, of Indian Trail, NC). The vehicle has been there since 11/22/22. The Service Department keeps telling me they are waiting on a Recall Part to come in and have not given me anything else. The car will not drive, and they advised it was a Recall Part, but the system shows all Recall has been repaired? I need my car back- I have already paid 3 months for a car payment, on a car that is still sitting in the Service Department there.
- Monroe, NC, USA
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I went to get into my car and it wouldn-€™t start. I called a tow truck to have it brought to my mechanic. It wouldn-€™t go in reverse once it did start. My mechanic thought it was the transmission module. I had it towed to Walls Ford Deslership. They stated it was the shift stuck in my transmission. Somehow it controls the power, etc. my car only has 51,000 miles on it and was past the 6 year warranty. It cost me $2,550 to fix it. I believe with all the transmission issues on the Ford Focus vehicles, this issue should have been covered and not paid out of pocket.
The rpm of the car all of a sudden felt like it was being forced just to accelerate. When I get to certain velocity the cars rpm shuts up and then come down again. After that it started saying that the transmission was getting over heated and that I needed to stop safely.
The entire car is a a safety issue. From the breaks and door latches, to the fuel system, electrical system, to the transmission. The 2014 Ford Focus SE needs to ne recalled aand taken off the roads.
The contact owns a 2014 Ford Focus. The contact stated that on numerous occasions while shifted into reverse(R), the vehicle failed to respond. The contact also stated that while shifted into reverse(R), the RPM increased and the engine revved while the brake pedal was depressed. No warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was taken to an AutoZone where it was placed on a diagnostic machine and produced codes: P090C, U0100-00, U3003-17, U3003-16, U0101-00, U0401-00. The vehicle was taken to the dealer where the failure could not be duplicated. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 114,000.
The contact owns a 2014 Ford Focus. The contact stated that the clutch was slipping. While driving at various speeds, the vehicle stalled with the check engine warning light illuminated and flashing on and off. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer however, the vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 82,000. The VIN was not available.
Took my vehicle to a dealership for TCM work they could not see anything wrong with it even though I had the check engine light on for it and read the code and it said it was the TCM. took it to the dealership again they said they replaced it but my vehicle is still having the same exact issue intermittently as always. I have been stranded once as it failed JUST after they said they -€œfixed my car. I didn-€™t even make it home at least the dealership towed my vehicle again saw nothing wrong with it then said there was a wire that was cut. (That was not there before at this point they were doing things and just wanted money) in the long run they said they fixed everything but my car is still having the stalling of tcm modual part failing and going to neutral. I-€™ve had almost MULTIPLE car accidents with the TCM going out at stop and go lights, and stop signs. ford NEEDS to fix this issue in all vehicles before someone gets hurt or worse.
While driving down the road I went to accelerate and the vehicle revved up but didn't accelerate at all so I parked my vehicle and when I tried to move it again I had to back up yet I had no reverse all of a sudden. I limped it to my dealership and they told me that my clutch went out but it's an automatic so I didn't understand that, I had to get a new transmission and ever since it hasn't shifted smoothly and not even 50000 miles later I'm having the same problems only it's not under warranty and I can't afford a new transmission or a new car. I know that's my problem but what if I had been turning into traffic and it slipped? I would be at fault for an accident that wasn't my fault, it was a crappy transmission that failed and could have cost me my life, my son's life, or whoever I would have collided with's life. I just want to make sure no one else has the same false hope of merging into traffic and instead causes an accident.
The contact's son owns a 2014 Ford Focus. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle shuddered. The vehicle was taken to the dealer; however, the dealer was unable to duplicate the failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was 84,317.
Transmission service failure comes on car runs like it is going 90 miles when it's just going at 25 and the car only has 30,000 miles. The system doesn't bring any codes of what's wrong with it and it keeps on doing it. It goes away and it comes back on and acts the same way all over again
The contact owns a 2014 Ford Focus. The contact stated while driving approximately 10 MPH, after coming to a stop, the vehicle started jerking and sputtering. The contact stated that she thought the vehicle was going to lose motive power however, the vehicle remained running. The contact stated that no warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was not taken to be diagnosed nor repaired. The contact stated that the vehicle had been repaired under an unknown recall 2 years ago for the fuel injection or fuel tank. The contact stated that recently while driving, the check engine warning light illuminated and the vehicle was sputtering. The contact stated that she had to depress the accelerator pedal for the vehicle to remain running. The vehicle was taken to an Auto Zone to be diagnosed. The DTC reading stated power train system and reprogram transmission control module. The Auto Zone employee advised her to contact a Ford dealer. The dealer was not contacted. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 50,000.
The contact owns a 2014 Ford Focus. The contact stated that while driving at various speeds, the vehicle hesitated while depressing the accelerator pedal. The check engine warning light was illuminated. Over the years, the contact had taken the vehicle to the dealer for multiple repairs; however, the failure persisted. The contact was informed that the transmission control module was the cause of the failure. The dealer then informed her that parts were on back order and that due to a limited amount of parts available, the transmission control module might never become available. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and the contact was given a case number. The manufacturer offered no further assistance. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was unknown.
The contact owns a 2014 Ford Focus. The contact stated while driving 60 MPH, the vehicle started to decelerate independently. The contact stated there was no warning light illuminated. The contact continued driving to his residence while experiencing the failure. The contact took the vehicle to the local dealer, where it was diagnosed with needing the clutch to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired but continued to experience the failure. The manufacturer had not been informed of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 25,000.
The contact owns a 2014 Ford Focus. The contact stated while driving approximately 20 MPH, the vehicle downshifted and inadvertently accelerated. The check engine warning light was illuminated. The dealer was contacted by phone and notified of the failure. The vehicle was diagnosed by an independent mechanic with a control module failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 72,000.
A D V E R T I S E M E N T S
- New Berlin, WI, USA