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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:
40,942 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 3 of 13)

« Read the previous 20 complaints

problem #219

Apr 202020

Focus 4-cyl

  • 115,000 miles

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

When the car is in park or I"M driving on the road. The radio will abruptly go out, with a loud noise. Then it?S silent, and abruptly you hear popping and loud static noises. It is a road hazard, because this loud static noise comes and goes; and when it happens it makes you jump. It take you Focus off the road, because you?re trying to turn the radio down or off, but it"S already off and nothing working. So you wait for it to stop. I did take my car into a dealership and had it inspected, they said it was the whole front component (radio/ ac) cost about $650. There"S no way of just disconnecting just the radio, because it"S also wired with some dash lights and the ac. There are also many other people struggling with this problem.

- Apache Junction, AZ, USA

problem #218

Apr 032020

Focus

  • 60,000 miles
While driving down the expressway at 70mph my vehicle loss power entirely and stalled. I was nearly hit by the vehicle behind me and forced to pull over to the side of the road. The check engine light came on at the same time and indicated a camshaft position sensor, crankshaft position sensor, and ignition errors. I've owned this vehicle from the day it arrived at the dealership. The problem at fault has been previously identified by Ford in a tsb for the engine wiring harness chaffing on the intake manifold. Owners are not notified through mail on tsb's and this vehicle has been serviced by the dealer since the tsb was issued. I believe this should be a recall condition due to the accident potential this problem creates.

- Ira, MI, USA

problem #217

Feb 152020

Focus

  • 43,000 miles
The vehicle displays "stop safely now" and all electrical systems shut off immediately. Not able to start the car nor charge the main hv battery. Ford service at certified Ford dealer reprogrammed some of the modules but that did not fix the problem.

- Bartlett, IL, USA

problem #216

Sep 012018

Focus 4-cyl

  • 125,000 miles

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

I was driving away from my boyfriends house heading to the interstate 95. As I was driving I noticed white smoke coming out of the dashboard, I the car around and headed back to my boyfriends house, I put the car in park and jumped out, my boyfriend came outside and he was able to put the fire out.

- Opa Locka, FL, USA

problem #215

Mar 292020

Focus

  • 80,000 miles
The contact owns a 2013 Ford Focus. The contact stated that while driving approximately 45 mph, the vehicle loss motive power and stalled with the check engine warning light illuminated. The contact had to get the vehicle to the side of the road. The contact had to jumpstart the vehicle. The contact took the vehicle to a certified mechanic who was unable to diagnose the vehicle. The contact then took the vehicle to the capitol city Ford located at (8623 E Washington St, indianapolis, in 46219, (317) 898-0700). The contact was informed that a wiring harness shifted and damaged other wires within the vehicle. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and referred the contact to NHTSA to file a complaint. The approximate failure mileage was 80,000.

- Fortville, IN, USA

problem #214

Mar 182020

Focus

  • 9,200 miles
Ok so for one, the screen (I think it's called the cluster) in between my odometer and my speedometer has officially gone all the way out. One day last week it started to have lines going through it and then all of the images went away but I could still see a back light, it just wasn't telling me any information. It stayed like that for two or three days and then it started flashing like a strobe light. It did that for a couple of days and then it went all the way out for like a day and then it started flashing again but it's out now. Well now the screen is connected to the radio is starting to do the same thing and I don't have to be driving down the road for it to do it. Sometimes when I crank my car it's already doing it but sometimes when I am driving my car it'll switch to whatever it wants to do next. I hope that makes sense, that's just the best I know how to explain it. Why is this happening"? has this happened to anyone else? I get migraines and I can't be driving with a strobe light happening like right in front of my face, ya know" like, that's a migraine trigger. This isn't cool.. in the picture that I submitted it's a radio screen in the first phase of what happened to my other screen above the steering wheel and the date selected is the date in which other screen started this whole process of whatever it did.

- Etta, MS, USA

problem #213

Feb 182020

Focus

  • miles

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

I bought a 2013 Focus St in February 2020. It was having stalling issues reportedly due to a wire harness tsb/recall car was taken in to have recall repair done. Took the vehicle in to corwin Ford in nampa Idaho after two weeks of them having the car they could not figure out what was wrong and told me the car was fine. I test drove it and it drove better than before they stated they did nothing so I left. The second I turn out of the dealership it stalls so I took it back and let them know its still stalling a tech came and looked and verified something was wrong with the car. I finally researched and came across that tsb so I called and left a voicemail advising them to check the harness. Well it turned out to be the splices not being done correctly the first time. I was charged and accused of trying to foot the bill for telling them it should be covered under a recall remedy or recall warranty...

- Twin Falls , ID, USA

problem #212

Feb 062020

Focus

  • 189,000 miles
My radio has very high static and I cannot use my phone system. My fuel gauge is not reading properly. My car just shuts off while I am driving it. When I pull off the engine stalls. These issues have been on going every since I owned the car. It is a complete lemon.

- Lumpkin, GA, USA

problem #211

Apr 042018

Focus

  • 75,000 miles
Driver side power window stopped working

- Fletcher, NC, USA

problem #210

Jan 152020

Focus

  • 100,886 miles
2013 Focus hatch with manual transmission. Bought the vehicle with 69K miles, currently has just over 100K. Great vehicle, very happy with it for the most part. Haven't had any issues since purchase. Ford recall number 16C13 for the reprogramming of the body control module to require 2 presses of the trunk release to open the hatch on manual transmission vehicles has been reported as completed on my vehicle in January of 2017. However my vehicle still only requires one press of the button to open the hatch. Something that I have done inadvertently several times while driving when attempting to turn on the fog lamps. I contacted the dealer that reportedly completed the recall (sioux falls Ford Lincoln, sioux falls, South Dakota), and Ford. Both of whom told me the recall has been completed and there's nothing they can do about it without bringing the vehicle in and paying for a service. I replaced the battery in the vehicle shortly after buying it. Not sure if the body control module lost the programming, or if the recall was never completed. At any rate it doesn't affect the overall performance of the vehicle, have not experienced any issues with the hatch coming open while driving, only unlatching. I have not looked any further into the issue than this, just wanted to put my experience out there.

- Freeman, SD, USA

problem #209

Oct 222018

Focus

  • 120,000 miles

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

The contact owns a 2013 Ford Focus. The contact stated that while driving at approximately 40 mph, the vehicle stalled without warning. The vehicle was taken to coggin Ford jacksonville located at 9650 atlantic blvd, jacksonville, fl 32225, phone number: 904-747-8996, to be repaired. The vehicle was repaired however, contact was unaware as to what was repaired. The vehicle was subjected to NHTSA campaign number: 18V735000 (fuel system, gasoline). The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 120,000.

- Jacksonville, FL, USA

problem #208

Aug 142018

Focus

  • miles
My car shudders when I try to drive and get up to speed or pulls sometime I have to push the gas pedal all the way to the car floor to go when I try to pull out a friend if mines received a recall letter about her car doing this her car is a a year or so older than mines but I haven't received anything but my car be doing the exact thing that's was being explained in the letter my car has being doing this since the last recall and I had to put it in the shop in August of 2018

- Jonesboro, AR, USA

problem #207

Oct 202019

Focus

  • 90,000 miles
With no cause or warning, the instrument panel notified me that "hill assist is unavailable". also, when stationary, there appears to be no power steering when attempting to turn left. This problem stops when rolling forward or reverse. After moving, the problem does not reoccur (stop signs, stop lights, etc). It does, however, occur again when the ignition is turned off, then back on. Both of these problems began at the same time.

- Pensacola, FL, USA

problem #206

Aug 122019

Focus

  • 108,990 miles
All dash lights such as traction control is off steering assist turns off etc all appear on the dash and the car usually stalls and various messages pop up such as engine fault service now and transmission fault service now this has been an on and off problem and it will come and go which means my car is at risk at stalling at any moment while driving and went to numerous repair shops and even went to a Ford dealer to fix a recall and still the problems remains there my vehicle stopped in a the middle of the road numerous times leaving me stranded I even lost my job because of my car and after doing some research my guess is that is has to be either the wiring harness or the BCM or possibly both because everytime the vehicle losses power and turns back on I usually hook up a scan tool and see the codes and the code that always pops up or it declared as permanent is "loss communication with tcm/PCM" I forgot the number the code is associated with but that was the description of the code

- Houston, TX, USA

problem #205

Oct 102019

Focus

  • 141,000 miles
My battery unexpectedly died. Upon further diagnostics my battery is charge and is fine. Car code reader indicates tcm power level low. My vehicle was stationary in a parking lot where I recieved a jump.

- Morehead, KY, USA

problem #204

Sep 262019

Focus

  • 90,000 miles
Car stalled on 99 highway without any warning losing all power and unable to restart. Towed to dealership and was informed tank was now deformed due to the vapor system lock of the cpv safety recall notice 18S32 technicians have sent pictures that they are in possession of and said they could not give us copies of but allowed us to see and showed us the technicians recommendations for tank to also be replaced along with the cpv. Ford customer service centers have not returned phone calls after being informed of our concerns and state specs due not met there requirement so therefor are refusing to pay for tank to be replaced. Although the specialist states different.

- Riverbank, CA, USA

problem #203

Sep 192019

Focus

  • 101,000 miles
The car, started jerking really hard. It was not shifting well, then not at all, it slung me into traffic even with my brakes pressed. The car began to just idle almost as if in neutral then it said warning transmission hot

- Jacksboro, TN, USA

problem #202

Aug 262019

Focus

  • miles
The contact owns a 2013 Ford Focus. The contact stated that the vehicle stalled and slowed down while driving various speeds. The contact stated that the check engine warning indicator illuminated. The contact took the vehicle to an independent mechanic where it was diagnosed that the vehicle had a defective camshaft sensor. The mechanic stated that the engine wiring harness needed to be replaced. The contact associated the failure with NHTSA campaign number: 15V813000 (electrical system); however, the VIN was excluded from the recall. The contact spoke with planet Ford (20403 I-45, spring, tx 77388, (281) 719-3700) and was informed that they were unaware of any recalls associated with the failure. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was unknown.

- Houston, TX, USA

problem #201

Sep 092019

Focus

  • miles
The car is overheated after 5 minutes of ignition, the engine stopped when the car was running and then the check engine light came

- Washington, DC, USA

problem #200

Aug 012019

Focus

  • 64,000 miles
Vehicle transmission stuttering while driving. Ac is out. Multiple electric issues

- San Antonio, TX, USA

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