CarComplaints.com Notes: You should probably steer clear of the 2012 Focus. Otherwise, you might not be able to steer at all.
The 2012 is the first Focus to offer Electronic Power Assist Steering (EPAS). It's also the first year with massive power steering failure. These things are not mutually exclusive.
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.
[xxx] is my name. This about my 2012 Ford Focus which I bought in 2014 with 27000 miles. In July 2020 it has about 65000 miles. It has been used for local driving, not for commuting. After I drove it several thousands of miles I discovered that there was a leak in the roof above the driver's shoulder and head as well as over the driver's front side window. The leak would occur only after heavy sustained rain down pours. I thought that the sunroof had somehow owned but I could no see any opening at any time. After several leaks occurred during heavy rains I took the car to the dealer. They gave me an appointment on a Monday in the middle of the month when the water man comes! I told them the problem and asked what I should do. The service boss told me to park it in a garage the bill was 264 dollars. I was not happy. They had to clean a passageway from the car roof and windows that passes through the door and front body to the pavement. It takes a while to get clogged again and it is time for the waterman. It not necessary to have a sunroof for this leak to occur. Ik think that this situation in the 2012 Ford Focus is common and should be considered as a recall issue. Is there any way that NHTSA would pursue such an action. The leaking occurs when it is raining very heavily. It has occurred while the car is parked when I have driven while it rained. The water would drip on my left side and leg, occasionally on my head.since 08/15/2016 and ongoing in heavy rain while the car is parked and while I am driving if it rains heavily. There was evidence in the car insides that the leakages had occurred before I bought the car from the Ford dealer in nanuet, NY. [xxx], [xxx] information redacted pursuant to the Freedom Of Information Act (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6).
Purchased the car used in 2014 with approximately 26,000 miles from schultz Ford route 304, bardonia, NY for about $18,000. In 2017 it was noticed that during raining water was entering the car interior above the left window onto the driver's seat and onto the front left floor mat where it would pool. Subsequently the interior wetness was heavier as the rain was heavier whether car is parked or in motion. The water needed to be soaked up with towels and sponges as necessary. Then an appointment was made with schultz dealership and repair to remedy the problem. The appointment was made with 'the water man' on a Monday that he was scheduled to be at schultz's Ford dealership (once or twice a month). The leak was fixed by the water man for $265 who used tools to re-emerging out mostly tree and plant debris that fell on the car and somehow entered the draining channels that allow the entering rain water to drain through the roof and doors to the ground. I asked the supervisor of the schultz service center why the car had a leaking problem and why isn't there recall for the problem, and what can I do to eliminate or alleviate the problem. His snide response was 'park you car in a garage when not driving!' after the leak was tended to by schultz dealership the leaks were greatly minimized, but they slowly returned over months and months until now they are as bad as they when we first had the 'water man' remediate the problem temporarily. This vehicle safety complaint is being made to alert the Agency to this problem in the 2012 Ford Focus car, and to ask you to see if there is a systematic safety problem in water leakage for this Ford model that should result in a recall for this model. There is a great danger that this continual leakage problem could cause microbe and mold problems due to moisture accumulation.
On 10/23/2015 at 51,289 miles, I took the car in because the car intermitterly would not start & when taking off from 1st to 2nd gear, it was jerky. I would have to let off the gas. I also experienced a rubbing & scraping sound that I found out is what they said was the transmission clutch shuddering. The clutch & tcm (transmission control module) were replaced under the Ford technical service bulletins tsb15-0120 & tsb-15-0121. On 10/12/2016 at 71,906 miles, I took the car back into the same local Ford dealer for shuddering again. They replaced the clutch again & reprogrammed the PCM/tcm & preformed an adaptive learn procedure. I still experience a grinding sound mainly while turning, but have been assured that it is normal & not an issue. My most recent issue is my airbag light came on stationary (no flashing). I currently have less than 80,000 mile on the car. I took it into my local Ford dealer & the car gave code dtc B00C2-11-ocsm (right front seatbelt retractor assembly shorted). It will cost over $700 to replace!!! I was told if I am in an accident where the airbags need to deploy, they will not deploy......none of them! less important problems I've experienced is the manual lumbar in the driver seat broke & the "beauty ring" around the headlight switch cracked. Ford does not sell just that piece. You have to buy the whole cover that also goes around the air vent right above it even though they are separate pieces clipped together, which is $45.
Why isn't there a manual release on a power seat" the driver's seat in my 2012 Focus sel continually blew fuse after fuse. There is a safety problem when the power seat blows a fuse causing the driver's seat to automatically move forward to the most forward position putting the driver on top of the steering wheel. If the air bag had been inflated I would have been killed. Why aren't the manufacturers required to have a manual release on a power seat"
Repair drivers side seat will not adjust forward or backwards. Replaced track assembly. For abnormal access to track air duct came loose and locked up and broke track assembly. Second issue started at lower mileage but continued driving and got worse and at 35500 miles took Focus to dealership with transmission shuttering jerking and making noises. They reprogrammed the computer. Before reprogramming I was getting 34.2 miles to the gallon afterwards getting worse noises jerks and mileage down to 28.6. told me then at the time of reprogramming that they would order the clutch to be replaced but it would take two months to get the parts and it was ok to drive till then. I drive 64 minimum highway miles every work week. Seriously concerned about safety and being stranded on the side of the interstate, my wife drives this car. This was December 2013, reprogramming.
The vehicle was parked with the engine off. A fire spontaneously began in the engine compartment. The vehicle was in service for 14 months, bought new and under a maintenance contract. No previous issues.
The contact owns a 2012 Ford Focus. The contact stated that when laying on the driver's seat head rest, it would fall in between the seat and the head rest hole. The contact stated that the head rest was designed that it could not go all the way down and connect with the top of the seat. The failure mileage was 5 and the current mileage was 513.
A D V E R T I S E M E N T S
- Pearl River, NY, USA