Ford was totally aware of the clutch assembly transmission issues with this vehicle (2012 Focus) BEFORE it ever left the factory, but sold it anyway to unsuspecting consumers. I have had the clutch assembly repaired in 2015 while still under warranty (25,000 miles) and now again at 51,000 miles at my expense. I have seen that there is an investigation for fraud with the US Department of Justice that was initiated in April 2019. I expect that we consumers will never live long enough to see justice served as Ford will, no likely, delay and stall this in the court system for many years. I have written Ford directly and received no satisfactory answer or have they taken responsibility for their product. It's sad to say, as their past and present CEO's make millions of dollars yearly on our hard earned income purchases. I will never buy another Ford product.

Transmission threw a code P07A3. When accelerating car will not shift into 1st gear, it gets stuck in neutral and then suddenly kicks/jolts into 1st through 3rd gear(rpm jumps high) despite only traveling less than 15 mph. When coming to a stop the transmission jerks trying to go into a lower gear and causes the car to not stop completely unless I hard brake. This cycle continued driving from auto part store to my home, 3 miles approx. I still owe $6800 on it, the cost to repair was estimated to be around $4000. I would like for Ford to pay the loan off and take the vehicle so that I can look for another one.

it all starts with the car stalling while shifting and then refuse to reverse. I took it to the mechanic he recommended a transmission shop he trusts. after checking the car he told me it needs the new module and there is a recall for it. So I take it to the dealer Sterling McCall and they couldn't identify the problem even taking them 10 days to give a report. Made me fix a different kind of things motor mount paid $740 and bought the extended warranty for $1800.

Just 4 days after I took the car from them the same problem happened again, but this time there was an error for transmission overheated and ask me to stop. After cool down, I went to them again. Another 8 days and they say the problem was the clutch, not the module!! How could the car keep going with a clutch failure? I don't know. So they asked me to fix with a total cost of $4400 and when I mentioned that I have an extended warranty they said it's not covered under warranty!!

Does anyone have any idea what to do, besides not buying Ford or dealing with Sterling McCall again?

I had already contacted the dealership twice for a rough transmission (grinding, noisy, hesitating) but I was told this was normal in 2013. It was so bad I took it in in 2014 to have it reprogrammed. It improved for a few months. In 2015 I had the recall work done and it was acting okay for several months before it started getting worse. This latest incident involved my car starting to fall out of gear while driving with the car completely failing to get into gear when I went from reverse to drive. I took it in assuming the extended warranty( up to 100, 000 miles) for the transmission that Ford gave for this model (due to such a horrible transmission) would cover it. WRONG! The service department said that the shift fork needed to be replaced and that wasn't covered. This is an automatic transmission with 77,000 miles that was a lot of highway driving. I paid over $1000 for the repair and on my way home from the dealership it did exactly what I took it in there to get fixed! It dropped out of gear while I was driving and then when I started to try to accelerate from a stop light it wouldn't accelerate at all! I paid $1000 for nothing apparently! Had it towed back since I don't want to get rear-ended and am waiting for the next batch of temporary fixes for a poorly designed transmission! This car's transmission-even when it was "fixed" on the 3 occasions NEVER worked well. It always seemed to be underpowered and awkward. After 20 years and 6 Fords I'm probably going to have to give up.....they need to resolve this once and for all or I'm done with them. If they cared about their customers they would put out good products and back them up.

After re-sealing the transmission, and re-programming, Ford dealer says the problem was fixed. Later, Ford did a recall on the 2012 Focus for transmission slipping problems. But mine was ok at the time, or so I thought. On Feb 18,2015, the transmission started slipping again, just a few blocks from the Ford dealership. I turned around and drove straight to the dealership. The next day, they confirmed the internal clutch in the Select Shift Auto Transmission was the problem, causing a slippage in gears. The fix was new internal parts, 10 days to 2 weeks out, due to the tremendous recall on the transmission. I demanded and received a "small" rental car.

2 weeks later, not hearing from Ford, I inquired again about the parts. The answer was "no parts yet". Nobody at this dealership knew why there were no parts, or when they would have the parts. I called Ford Motor Co, Customer Service and a few days later, I was contacted by the Regional Customer Service person who told me parts were back logged, and expected in 6-8 weeks. I asked for a larger rental car, and got the upgrade.

Recently, 5 weeks out now, I stopped by the Dealership (Frontier Ford) in San Jose, spoke with the Service Manager who said he thinks they are re-manufacturing the transmission parts because of the defect, causing the recall. Why wasn't I told this at the very beginning? I guess they want to string you along so you don't get to pissed off in the beginning.....I don't really know. However, my 2012 Ford Focus HB Titanium model is still under Factory Warranty for the drivetrain (5 yr/60K miles I think), and I am seriously considering selling it when it is repaired.

At the time this happened I was driving the car and not able to merge into traffic because the car would shift into neutral causing me to loose speed. Then it would tremble terribly on one side only...which made me think it was a bearing problem. When I notified the dealer they told me to come in and after inspection said that I should not drive the car because it was dangerous. I was given a rental car, at their expense, and I left the car there thinking it was something simple.

After a few days I was notified that it was not just a chip that needed to be replaced but the transmission needed a new clutch assembly, bolts, nuts, seals, seal assembly for oil, snap rings, nuts, retainer bearing. I was very upset since the vehicle only had 11,000 miles and who wants a new car with a problem transmission after spending so much money for NEW??? I was informed that this was a common problem with the vehicle and that it could be fixed. So they fixed it. Kept my car for a week. Not sure how long it will last. I am a little worried about it ....especially when I am trying to merge into traffic.

I now have 16,000 miles. I am not positive but I feel as If the car is slipping, just a little, at over 50 miles an hour. Not always so I cannot be sure. If it starts to shake or tremble or slip more often I will have to return it again to see what the problem is.

Since car was fixed I am not getting the kind of mileage I originally got. When filling up I had 320 miles to a tank now I register about 290 miles to a tank sometimes less. Big Difference on what I felt I was supposed to be getting in mileage. They said at least 35 miles to a gallon. My primary reason for purchase has now cost me a transmission problem.

The dealership tried their best...but I am still mad that I spent so much money on a car that looks very nice but has problems. Hopefully, if this continues' we all will be entitled to some kind of adequate solution to a problem that Ford knows about and should stand behind .....at their expense...no matter how long a person owns the vehicle.

Right after purchasing the FORD FOCUS we noticed a significant slipping/jerking from transmission. The car was covered under warranty and the car dealer took it right into the Ford Dealer in Boise to get it fixed. It was returned doing the same thing. We notified them of the problem and heard there was a recall for this issue. They, Ford Dealer, took the car in and then returned it saying they did noticed a problem but was not significant to repair and returned it to us. The car is still not repaired and runs like crap.

Update from Apr 6, 2015: altho this part is now a recall, FORD has not fixed the problem and the car in almost inoperable. The part is on back order and will take 3 months to get it in. It has only been 6 weeks and they do not care.

My 2012 Ford Focus SEL automatic drives me nuts!! After it shifts on the second gear it makes this awful grinding noise that sounds like rocks in a garbage disposal and then it shutters. Took it to the dealer multiple times and supposedly the car just makes these noises. I have put $1,000 in making this car nice and unique from led headlights to chrome etc. and doesn't matter if you polish a turd...it's still a turd. I paid like 20000 dollars for the car and it is just annoying I am paying for crap.

I am really considering going to a different brand. I can honestly say I am at the point I would buy anything but Ford. Everyone who rides with me notices it and it is just embarrassing. They have cheaper cars than me and they are better quality. I can honestly say do not buy this car. At least the 2012 cause you will not be happy with it. They draw ya in with the looks but don't be fooled. I have leather seats and all the goods, it looks nice but that stuff doesn't matter if the car's transmission doesn't function right. They pretty much cut corners to get better gas mileage and suckers like me took the bait. I mean I get 34 mpg average but I shouldn't have to listen to my car making grinding noises and shuddering to get that.

People tell me to just keep it and ignore the sounds and stuff, but I say, I paid the money for the product I shouldn't have to settle. I mean if I paid $5000 I would understand if it had problems but this was a new car...a new car shouldn't have these problems. Ford should make this right but of course they won't even if they know there is a problem. For you guys looking to buy this car don't, and for those who own this car I feel sorry for you, and I understand your pain. DON'T BUY 2012 FORD FOCUS!!!!

Update from May 2, 2015: The problem is this is my first vehicle that I have purchased myself. I have been saving and now have wasted it on this Focus. I feel like I have been lied and cheated to by Ford. The car looks nice and had some pretty cool features but the catch is they say its an automatic transmission, no its really like two manual transmissions and two clutches that have been automated. I'm thinking really all this for gas mileage, no thank you just make it work. The end result is Ford has pull a fast one on me but their loss because they have just lost what was going to be a life long buyer, and my next purchases are going to be expensive because I really like cars, wanted to buy the new mustang gt. Guess someone else is getting my business like chevy (new stingray). Just wish I knew what I was buying and that Ford actually cared about its owners instead of focusing on how they can cheat you to make some extra bucks. Feeling disappointed. Please if your in the market for buying just buy something else its not worth the money.

Two months in and out of the dealership. Tranny re calibrated-not fixed. Tranny leaking-remove tranny, rear main engine seal leaking-replace seal, wash clutch packs, re-install. No change. Remove tranny, change out parts. Out-put shaft seals leaking, not available from Ford, seals obtained from other dealerships. Still waiting for seals, no idea if the last fix worked, seems unlikely and guess what, No Lemon Law in our province.

Beautiful looking car, loaded, prone to mouse damage, mileage claims questionable. Should have listened to my mother about beauty being only skin deep. While enduring all this, Ford Customer Service had the audacity to tell me that Ford and the dealer had bent over backwards for me and that he was closing my case that very night. He was gracious enough to change his mind when I reminded him that the tranny wasn't fixed and the car was currently at the body shop having the damage done the dealer repaired.

This was to be our retirement car, has turned out to be a nightmare that we can do nothing about living on meager pensions. We put out almost $30,000 for what we believed would be a trouble free car for our golden years. Thanks for nothing Ford Mo. Co. I should have listened to my kids and bought a Honda. The only thing we can do is put signs in the windows about what a rip-off Ford Focus is and move closer to the dealership till the warranty expires.

Update from Mar 25, 2015: Transmission problem still happening.