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CarComplaints.com Notes: Ford changed a lot of things for its 3rd generation, just none of them were a good idea.

The transmission tends to hesitate and jerk when accelerating. The new electronically-driven power steering can fail suddenly and without warning. Even Ford's SYNC can be a headache. Actually, scratch that last one — it's always been a headache.

10.0

really awful
Crashes / Fires:
3 / 4
Injuries / Deaths:
2 / 0
Average Mileage:
41,136 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.

2013 Ford Focus electrical problems

electrical problem

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2013 Ford Focus Owner Comments (Page 11 of 13)

« Read the previous 20 complaints

problem #53

May 262014

Focus 4-cyl

  • 9,850 miles

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

As I was driving the car, at low RPM's the car would stutter and stall. It is more pronounced with the air conditioning on. Took it to the dealer and could find nothing wrong with it, I was told this is common. On my way home from the dealer the car stalled leaving a green traffic light and I was almost hit in the rear end. The car finally lite a check engine light 3 weeks later. Dealer changed an O2 sensor and 4 days later in July car went into "limp mode" in first gear as I was leaving a restaurant. The car hesitated and stalled in traffic, I was almost hit in the rear of the car again. The dealer claims that the an actuator controlling the radiator vents is bad, but this should no have caused the car to go into limp mode. Ford has a tsb for a wiring harness problem, the number is tsb 13-9-7 that explains the issues of stuttering and stalling, but unless 2 codes are read on the computer they refuse to fix it. The problem is well documented on fordfocusst.org website. Hundreds, if not thousands of cars have the same issue. I believe that one day someone, if not many people, will be seriously hurt due to this issue.

- Galway, NY, USA

problem #52

Jun 072014

Focus 4-cyl

  • 9,000 miles
As I was waiting a traffic light my engine revs dropped so low the engine quietly died. When I went to accelerate from the light I realized the car had stalled and had to restart the car. It only happened once more in the next month and a half, then happened three times yesterday. The last time the car stalled I was getting ready to make a left turn through a traffic light during the rush hour commute home. The car did start up again, but it struggled to turn back on and some dash lights flashed up me (I believe the cel flashed on.) I was stuck in the middle of an intersection during rush hour for approximately 5 seconds with a dead car.

- Carmel, IN, USA

problem #51

May 192014

Focus 4-cyl

  • 7,100 miles
Engine started idling rough while down shifting, once the vehicle came to a stop the vehicle shuttered (rpms) and then stalled. This has happened quite a few times, but is intermittent. Engine started idling rough while traveling through a corner and down shifting from 3rd to 2nd, at that time the clutch was pushed in and the car stalled. I lost power steering and slightly traveled into the on coming lane of traffic at 25 mph. The stalling while down shifting has happened quite a few times, but is intermittent. Engine idles rough while at stops or down shifting, but does not stall. This happens almost all the time, does not always stall, but is also intermittent. Hill assist seems to be intermittent as to when it wants to work or not work. After performing a tsb on my car the clutch stuck to the floor. After I pumped the clutch a few times it started acting normal.

- Grand Junction, CO, USA

problem #50

Jul 012014

Focus 4-cyl

  • 7,600 miles

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

There is a known issue on the 2013-2014 Ford Focus St where the car will idle rough and sometimes stall for no apparent reason. This is incredibly dangerous and has happened to me 2X already, both during left turns. I was able to remedy the situation otherwise I would have been involved in an accident both times. I do not know if there is a fix yet, but there is a tsb announced. I am trying to get it done now but this is a major problem similar to the current GM recall. People can die from this malfunction if on the highway or while turning through an intersection.

- Staten Island, NY, USA

problem #49

Jun 122014

Focus

  • 19,500 miles
The steering problems started nearly two months ago. At first it was a faint pull in the wheel... I incorrectly assumed it was a tire balance issue. Then three weeks ago, I noticed the "pull" was getting stronger, and seemed to coincide with the A/C fan or random light failing. Two weeks ago was the worst - I was on my way to the dealership and slowed down to stop at a light. My wheel was slightly to the right; and about 5 seconds before coming to a stop, the wheel all of a sudden yanked an extra forty degrees and pulled me into the turning lane. After getting back into my own lane, I noticed that the A/C fan also quit working. The car has also had random electrical problems/failures. The car has been in the dealership for 2 weeks now, and they are unable to reproduce/resolve the problem.

- Ooltewah, TN, USA

problem #48

Jun 212014

Focus 4-cyl

  • 13,258 miles
I purchased my vehicle in Sept 2013 brand new with 23 miles on it. I have no medication done to my car, and for the past few months I've noticed a small miss every once and a while. This problem started getting worse at times my car would accelerate without me pushing the throttle. On 21 June 2014 the problem got much worse and started to stall when I am in neutral, and the throttle is all over the place. The car is currently at the Ford dealership, this problem is all over the internet, with quite of few 2013 Ford focuses effected this is a problem that need to be raised. It is a major safety concern that if left untreated could result in someone losing their life.

- Fort Meade, MD, USA

problem #47

Aug 272013

Focus 4-cyl

  • 1,400 miles

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

We were driving home and had been on the road using cruise control for approximately 2 1/2 hours when the vehicle shut off completely going from 70 mph to no power or electrical. We were fast lane on I-75 North and the car was without any power or hazard lights. We attempted to restart the car several times and finally it started after 5 minutes. Luckily a car stopped and had their hazard lights on. Since then our car fuel has decreased to 12 mpg in the city and 22 on the highway. When you take off car bogs down and you have to mash hard on the gas to get it to move. The idle is rough and you can feel it running rough. We have had it into the dealership five times and since car does not code they will not work on it per Ford's policy. Thus, we have that Ford has advertised will get 28 in the city and 40 on the highway which we did get the first month before it died on the highway. Since then we are afraid to drive using cruise on a trip.

- Berkley, MI, USA

problem #46

May 042014

Focus 4-cyl

  • 5,000 miles
While driving, instrument cluster lights and notification lights blinked off and on 5 times car continued to run normal. Also possible that the tach and speed needle dropped to zero and then went back up to normal. Also starting from a stop hesitation and jerking while starting out from stopped position and from shifting from 1st to 2nd gear. Automatic transmission.

- Wausau, WI, USA

problem #45

Nov 012013

Focus 4-cyl

  • 26,000 miles
Upon startup, the car idles rough and the rpms drop until the ECU catches it and the rpms increase. The problem becomes more frequent as the car is driven. At times, the rpms will drop so far that the car will stall. The problem tends to get worse as the car heats up. It has stalled multiple times when come to a stop at an intersection or to park. For example, I went out to start the car after about 20 minutes of it sitting after 40 minutes of mixed commuting and the car could not keep an idle. It stalled on me 3 times and felt like it was going to shake itself to pieces. I finally got it started by holding down the throttle and I was able to move the car. It was 60-63 degrees out on April 3rd, 2014 in southeastern ct when this problem occurred. The problem also seems to get worse as the air temperature increases.

- Groton, CT, USA

problem #44

Feb 082014

Focus 4-cyl

  • 13,286 miles
I was driving on the highway at midnight 2/8/2014 at about 75mph when my car started to become stiff in the steering and lost speed rapidly. I down shifted from 5th gear to 4th gear the car would not accelerate even with my foot pressed all the way down on the accelerator, I shifted down to 3rd because of the sudden loss of speed and still nothing the cars rpms would go higher but the speed would not change. This nearly caused me to have an accident so I exited the highway and shut the vehicle off. Once the vehicle was shut off and turned back on the problem went away, I contacted Ford brought it in to their service center and they could not replicate this problem and suggested I continue to drive the vehicle until it happens again.

- Chatsworth, CA, USA

problem #43

Nov 082013

Focus 4-cyl

  • 10,000 miles

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

When you drive the car from 5 - 20 minutes and when you remove the seatbelt - there is no alarming sound and no light on the dashboard. But, when you turn off the engine and start again, you can hear the alarm and the light will appear on the dashboard when you remove the seatbelt. Concerns: If the driver stop (for driving let say 5 - 3 minutes) for example and he remove the seatbelt for whatever reason, he might forgot to fasten the seatbelt as the car will not alarm and no light will illuminate on the dashboard. Note: The local dealer tested the same car model/year and having the same result - no alarm and lights on the dashboard when unbuckled after driving 5-20 mins.

- Bethlehem, PA, USA

problem #42

Jan 122014

Focus

  • 8,700 miles
While traveling on the freeway the car just died. Engine shut off, how ever all the electrical in the car were still working. Once pulling off the free way, the car started after several attempts but then died shortly after. The car then would not work. After getting the car towed to quirk Ford in quincy they had to keep it as a code they do not know what it means came up, so they do not know how to fix the car. The car is still in the shop to this day and they wont give me a rental.

- Allston, MA, USA

problem #41

Dec 112013

Focus

  • 4,215 miles
This is similar to the car that I am driving (another Ford Focus electric). My daughter was driving the car to school at the intersection of roseville parkway and douglas boulevard, in roseville, ca to day at about 7:15 am for no apparent reason, the car stopped. She was waiting for the light to turn green. My daughter freaked out and called me. I asked her to shut the car off, open one of the doors, wait for one minute and try to start the car again. After the second attempt the car started. Lucky for her, the other cars switched in the other lanes and she was able to move the car. Again. This is happening too often and feel this is a safety hazard. Same thing has happened in same model and make car that I drive.

- Granite Bay, CA, USA

problem #40

Nov 112013

Focus 4-cyl

  • 5,562 miles
Driving home from school with my grandson and the car started to jerk as we crept in the line of traffic. Almost sounded as if it was ready to stall! this car has just over 5000 miles on it and I enjoy driving it but this problem has persisted and is a safety issue as jerking makes it difficult to judge how close to get to the car in front of you ( because the "slipping " in and out of gear surges forward ) and could cause an accident. Even at speeds up to 35-45 mph the hesitation makes me feel as if it is going to stall. So today I researched the problem and am shocked to find this is a major issue and needs to be addressed asap by Ford. Also the door locks don't work properly when using as the manual states. I plan to be at my dealership first thing in the morning.

- Newport News, VA, USA

problem #39

Oct 202013

Focus

  • 1,500 miles
Car: Ford Focus ev (all electric) - second report on NHTSA website on this specific vehicle failure: Incident: While backing out of packing space in costco parking, I started to shift from reverse into drive. All of sudden, the car shut down and had complete loss of power. I could not move the auto transmission shifter out of the (N) neutral position. The weird thing was that as you looked at the dash board panel, it said the car was in (P) but the shifter was physically in neutral and the car acted as if in park (wheels in gear - can't push it). The car had no power and I was stranded in the parking lot lane between parking stalls. I called my husband and fritz Ford in riverside, ca (where I recently bought the vehicle). Fritz called a tow truck to get the car and my husband came to pick me up. Being that the Focus ev is new, the tow truck driver was a little confused on how to get it on the truck as the car would not move and the transmission was locked in neutral. Fritz still has the car after 5 days claiming there is no issue with it. Hmm?

- Wildomar, CA, USA

problem #38

Oct 242013

Focus

  • 100 miles
The contact owns a 2013 Ford Focus. The contact stated that while in reverse, the vehicle suddenly accelerated and moved forward. The contact also stated that the navigational system could not be activated with the navigational button and the speedometer provided two different speed readings. The vehicle was towed to the dealer for further inspection. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 100 and the current mileage was 5,633.

- San Francisco , CA, USA

problem #37

Sep 052013

Focus

  • 1,500 miles
While driving the car at any point in time the car starts to sound like its going to die almost like I'm driving a standard but I'm not. I mostly notice it when driving in town. Yet I have noticed it when going faster as well. I purchased this vehicle brand new. I was never informed of this being "normal". I have taken the vehicle in. The person working on my vehicle said they drove it and noticed the issue. Stated that resetting the computer system would resolve this problem. Yet after having this redone. Not even an hour later I notice the issue has not be resolved and is still happening. I am afraid that I will get into a wreck, not to mention I have wasted my money on this vehicle. I feel as if I am throwing my money away completely. When talking to my sales man after having this issue not resolved. He tells me that this is an issue that everyone complains about though Ford states this is normal. I have had many vehicles in my life and this is by far not normal. If this vehicle did this while I was test driving the car. I would not have purchased this car ever. Something needs to be done about this issue. Do we need to wait until someone is seriously injured from the defect before something will be done. Ford... fix this!!

- Lyons, NY, USA

problem #36

Oct 042013

Focus

  • 6,000 miles
Vehicle stops middle of no where abruptly.

- Cupertino, CA, USA

problem #35

Aug 132013

Focus

  • 6,000 miles
When driving on residential roads, I often feel my 2013 Ford Focus stall or jerk. Often times there are glitches in the electrical wiring of locks and also in the radio. The door will stay locked after hitting the unlock button on the inside multiple times. The radio will not turn on, unless I turn off and re-turn on the car. As for the stalling, it often stalls when going anywhere from 30-65 mph.

- Stow, OH, USA

problem #34

Jun 032013

Focus 4-cyl

  • 164 miles
Car is equipped with voice command. When I use voice to turn on heat or ac, I will say for example, climate 68. The car will respond, setting climate 68. Then it does not turn on. If I touch the climate touch screen it then comes on at 68, even if it was previously set at 75. Been to the dealer repeatedly for two software updates, once pulling out the control box per Ford request to check the part number and once to have the 8 pin control module replaced. Now waiting for Ford engineering to come up with a fix.

- Monee, IL, USA

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