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CarComplaints.com Notes: The 2016 Ford Focus & its "Powershift" transmission has a defect trend where the car shudders when accelerating, especially when starting uphill.

Most owners have reported their Ford Focus remains driveable while the vehicle is still at low mileage, but the shuddering is annoying & unpleasant & may reduce the resale value of the vehicle.

However, owners of higher-mileage vehicles from earlier 3rd generation Focus model years report transmission failure & a host of other major & expensive transmission-related problems. Potential buyers beware.

10.0

really awful
Crashes / Fires:
3 / 0
Injuries / Deaths:
1 / 0
Average Mileage:
35,698 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.

2016 Ford Focus miscellaneous problems

miscellaneous problem

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2016 Ford Focus Owner Comments (Page 3 of 5)

« Read the previous 20 complaints

problem #43

Apr 162016

Focus 4-cyl

  • 300 miles

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

I owned this vehicle since March 25, 2016. I've had to take vehicle back to dealership for repairs on transmission issues. I would always be at a red light when the car would would shudder when I start to move.

- Wadesboro, NC, USA

problem #42

Jun 082020

Focus

  • miles
I have had the clutch in this vehicle replaced 3 times and it currently has 37014 miles. I have had the steering wheel replaced because the heated steering wheel didn't work. I had the transmission module reprogrammed 3 times. And now my backup camera suddenly turns pitch black. It's random. I could just go into reverse and it is already pitch black. Or I could be reversing with a clear screen and then it turns pitch black.

- New Smyrna Beach, FL, USA

problem #41

May 132020

Focus 4-cyl

  • miles
I just recently bought a car and it has been stalling while driving and having difficulty starting/revving itself up after I fill the gas tank. I have taken it to a shop to get a diagnosis and they said that it might have been the recall for the gas tank. Well, I looked up to see if my car had already gotten fix for the recall and it said that it did. So it might have happened again, and I'm not quite sure what to do. It happens every so often. As the engine light also comes on and off. When the light is off, the car is perfectly fine, but when it's on, it tries to stall.

- Fort Wayne, IN, USA

problem #40

Apr 062020

Focus

  • 143,336 miles

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

I was involved in a spin out due to rainy weather on Monday April 6th, 2020. The car ended up hitting the concrete divider in the center of the freeway in access of 55 mph and the airbags did not deploy, even though the vehicle had frontal/ side impacts. I was unharmed in the event, but it is concerning to me, as my car was totaled and the frame warped around the engine.

- Chula Vista, CA, USA

problem #39

Jan 122020

Focus

  • 87,000 miles
Earlier in January, I was driving down interstate 70 from Kansas City to St. Louis at the rate of 77 mph. All of a sudden the car dings and sends a message on the dash "engine failure" and the car literally shuts down. I had no control over the car, no lights, no brakes, nothing! luckily I got to the shoulder of the road safely and finally came to a stop. I put the car in park and turned the key off. Still nothing... I waited about 5 minutes and then turned the car back on and thankfully it started. I drove it to the nearest place to have them run a diagnostic test and nothing came up. Finally got it home. It's not done this again, but now it runs rough. Like really rough. I've had the transmission clutch fixed once already. Luckily it was still under warranty. I will be contacting my local Ford dealer about this issue. Was unaware it was under recall.

- Lawrenceville, IL, USA

problem #38

Dec 132019

Focus

  • 95,000 miles
Transmission module was going 60 car when to 30 mph, car can go in rev was informed by dealer. Car wont start on cold or warm days not battery, clicks after trying to start and turn off.

- Wf, TX, USA

problem #37

Jul 102019

Focus

  • 63,000 miles

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

While driving, my car all of a sudden stopped in the middle of turning, my foot was on the gas pedal and it wouldn't move. After a few attempts to get it going, it finally took off and started to make a grinding noise and shaking once it got above 25 mph. I've been to scared to drive it ever since.

- Wesley Chapel, FL, USA

problem #36

Feb 262017

Focus

  • miles
When I first bought the car it started making noise when I drove it I took it in they said they fixed the problems it was still under warranty. After a couple of weeks it started making the same noises so when I had time a couple of months later I took it in again and they told me it was the transmission and that my warranty was not active anymore. It made the same noises the first time I took it in and they never said it was the transmission it was a wheel problem. I'm asking for help on what to do thanks.

- Palm Desert, CA, USA

problem #35

Oct 212019

Focus

  • 30 miles
I have an issue with transmission slipping and car be stalling and I had it repaired two months ago and it's just recently started doing the same thing transmission slipping and over heating and it's stalling while driving and I had to turn off the car for a minute and when I put it in drive the dash board warning ⚠️ transmission overheating pull over safety and I had it repaired two times the first time I had an issue with the transmission the car wouldn't move at all when put the vehicle in drive.

- Baltimore, MD, USA

problem #34

Oct 212019

Focus

  • miles
2016 Ford Focus. Consumer writes in regard to Ford recall notice.

- Munroe Falls, OH, USA

problem #33

Aug 152019

Focus

  • miles

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

P1450 code purge valve

- Cahokia, IL, USA

problem #32

Aug 302019

Focus

  • 53,000 miles
The update was done on the PCM due to vehicle not starting and fuel gage saying empty when I knew it had more than half tank. Now it is doing the same thing only worse. It worries me that this has cause my ignition to go bad as well due to this recall.

- Grants, NM, USA

problem #31

Aug 262019

Focus

  • 10 miles
Transmission shuddering and vibrating upon acceleration. Vehicle shakes violently at most starts and done stops. Vehicle also does these things most of the time : jerking hesitation while changing gears, premature internal wear, delays in downshifting and, in some cases, sudden or delayed acceleration. Vehicle actually slipped out of gear yesterday into another parked vehicle. Enough is enough. Took to dealership they told me it's the way I drive it. Had mechanic drive it around parking lot w me and told me there's no problem w it!!

- Evans, GA, USA

problem #30

Aug 012019

Focus

  • 0 miles
I have a 2016 Ford Focus and had nothing but problems with it since day one I've had the car at dealership several times for the wipers first they said can't find anything wrong next they said they adjusted the wipers then they said they changed the motor. It still stops in my view whenever it rains I told them it's still happening and I was told to change the wipers. I'm no I should not have to with a new car. One morning I get into the car and had frost on the inside of my windshield I turned the defrost on and watch my windshield crack brought to Ford and they said something hit it like a rock I explained what happened but wouldn't acknowledge that there was a defect I told them that if the windshield had a solid seal I would not get frost on the inside they brushed me off. And now my car doesn't start right away and I called customer service and all they said was nothing they can do about it. I'm so frustrated with this car since day one no one at Ford will help me. There are other problems like the interior lights keep going out. I'm so tired of wasting my time bringing the car to the dealership being made to feel like an idiot. Ford says they pride themselves on customer service but I yet to see it as every time they treat me like I'm making things up. I want my car in safe driving condition. Is that to much to ask for!!!!it shouldn't be but that's how for makes me feel..,I showed videos of windshield wipers also but I'm crazy

- Blackwood, NJ, USA

problem #29

Jul 072019

Focus

  • 35,000 miles
Ford Focus 2016-trans. Wont shift right.

- Cumberland, MD, USA

problem #28

Jan 252018

Focus

  • 13,803 miles
My car is not yet three years old and I have had the clutch replaced twice. On July 2, 2019, I was told I needed another clutch, waited all day for the dealership to find a part, only to be told the next day that I didn't need a new clutch. However, my car is still making the rattling noise that has led to my clutch being replaced the other two times. On my second replacement in September of 2018, I was encouraged to "unload" my car as soon as I could as my clutch could not permanently be fixed, and that they could replace it, but that I would be back again in 6 months. When, in July of this year, I went from needing a new clutch, to suddenly not, I ended up with my car back at the dealership on July 16, 2016 to have them test the clutch again. I asked the service rep if it was true that my clutch could not be permanently fixed and he said that yes, unfortunately that was true. He explained to me the dual clutch and said that it was an experiment that worked in the factory, but failed in the real world. Possibly, most concerning to me, is that the car has twice, in the last couple of months, lurched forward with the car in reverse. The first time it happened, I was backing into my garage, and my car lurched forward when I pushed on the gas with the car in reverse. I barely missed hitting my neighbors fence. The second time, I was on my parking slab. When I went to back up, it lurched forward with the car in reverse. Since, on my most recent visit, they could not duplicate this action in my car they fixed nothing. They also, once again did not replace the clutch, and my car is still rattling. I've also had the two other warranty issues with this car. I have also had the block heater replaced, and I had a lose ball joint that needed to be replaced. The rattling and shuddering that I've experienced always happens when accelerating.

- Milwaukke, WI, USA

problem #27

Feb 152016

Focus

  • 1,000 miles
The transmission slips and the car shudders. I have had it repaired 3 times and every time the "clutch" goes bad again. The car will occasionally roll back when on a hill and also upon take off there's a delay and then the car shudders and then will start to go. There's also times that the rpms will go higher than they should before the car shifts into the next gear.

- Iowa Falls, IA, USA

problem #26

Jul 152019

Focus

  • 950,000 miles
Automatic transmission sometimes misses gears or slips into neutral while accelerating. So far it has always found a gear eventually, but causes a temporary slowdown that may eventually cause an accident. Ford says there is no issue or the clutch pack needs to be replaced. This is a dangerous design flaw Ford is aware of.

- Lake Mills, WI, USA

problem #25

Jun 302016

Focus

  • 20 miles
Vehicle seems to hesitate when stepping on gas

- Riverview, MI, USA

problem #24

Jan 122019

Focus

  • 37,113 miles
Canister purge valve, engine stall recall. I have been having this issue since I recieved the car febuary 2017. The issues was when I would step on the gas to drive, it would stall slowly the speed from its original speed and can feel a pull and push from the car trying to speed up even when I step on the gas pedal; the car moves slow, its like its trying to go up a hill with effort but tireless when its not even going up a hill. Its makes a loud clank noise when it tries to speed up. It doesnt feel smooth when driving. I had call the manufacturer Ford since January 2019. They ask for my date of birth to supposely look for me in the system and make me wait for 12 minutes, then they hang up the call. I made an appointment at Ford January 2019, they canceled it the day before. I recalled Ford July 2019, they hang up on me again.

- Fort Benning, GA, USA

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