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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.

2.9

hardly worth mentioning
Crashes / Fires:
0 / 0
Injuries / Deaths:
0 / 0
Average Mileage:
48,135 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 miscellaneous problems

miscellaneous problem

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2013 Ford Focus Owner Comments (Page 4 of 10)

« Read the previous 20 complaints

problem #126

Aug 172019

Focus

  • 60,000 miles

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

When I accelerate from a stop the car shutters/jerks. Feels like strong tumble strips. Also almost like wheels are locking and trying to grip. I have been scared at I intersections as with hesitation the car doesn't have much power. Once it shifts (I have automatic) it's fine. Doesn't happen every time either.

- Ironton, MN, USA

problem #125

Jul 062019

Focus

  • miles
My sterling get stuck and my transmission making noise and my car dont go into reverse

- Miami, FL, USA

problem #124

Jul 132019

Focus

  • 109,446 miles
All recalls were corrected. My car currently has a light, when decoded it says it is the vaccum system and epa regulations. When has is put in the car, it stalls and struggles to start. To start it, gas pedal must be pushed first. If gas pedal is not pushed, call stalls for several minutes. It does not matter how low gas is when gas is put in the car, it stalls.

- Pueblo West, CO, USA

problem #123

Jun 152017

Focus

  • 73,531 miles

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

Transmission stop working in middle of busy intersection during rush hour. I was turning left, car was stationary waiting for traffic to pass. Thankful I think it quit in neutral although dashboard was black & gear shift would not lock into any gear; could be pushed into corner business parking lot. It was fixed but never completely better nor did I feel completely safe. I had 2 clutch replacements, which were also fixed & paid by them. Ford dealer replace some recall on side doors, but never fixed the recall on fuel tank, never informed that they ever got part in as letter stated.

- Duluth, MN, USA

problem #122

Aug 032019

Focus

  • 40,000 miles
I was entering the on ramp for the highway. The car would not accelerate past 15 mph. However, the RPM's went up to 4-5. I immediately got off the highway. The problem persisted when try to accelerate after each stop sign and light on city streets..

- Spring Lake, MI, USA

problem #121

Jul 012016

Focus

  • miles
My vehicle has an issue with the transmission/clutch that is a known fact to Ford! it's been fixed twice but still having issues! when I called they told me no longer under warranty and would not fix again! the car hestitates when U excellerate which is very dangerous especially when merging onto a highway. I am at a loss it has low mileage but worth nothing. Do you have any solutions for this problem" do you know if Ford are going to fix these defective vehicles" your help is greatly appreciated!!!!

- Spring Hill, FL, USA

problem #120

Jun 012019

Focus

  • 68,395 miles

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

The vehicle was bought used, it had a battery boil over issue, the battery has been replaced, the vehicle will not start.

- Spring City, TN, USA

problem #119

Sep 272018

Focus

  • 52,014 miles
My car is at the dealership for the second time since September 2018 due to the transmission recall. The car died while driving four times before I could get it home. I I had it towed to bill collins Ford the next day. I was told in September the transmission was fixed yet the car never drove right. Now the transmission and clutch need repair/replacing. They have had my car for one week and I have yet to be contacted by the dealership. These cars are not safe. Someone is going to die as a result of these faulty transmissions.

- Louisville, KY, USA

problem #118

Oct 012018

Focus

  • 80,000 miles
Faulty transmission. While driving the lights would come on that the transmission is overheating and the car would come to a halt. We took it in once to have it fixed and had to pay $1500 for them to replace parts in the transmission because they were not covered under the recall. Our car still shudders. We have had nothing but trouble with this car which isn't even paid off yet.

- Scottsville, NY, USA

problem #117

Nov 012014

Focus

  • miles
Soon after the purchase of my vehicle I began to experience problems with the transmission. In the early years of owning my car I took it into Ford for the recall repairs which did nothing to solve the issue with my car. After about 3 or 4 failed attempts to have my car properly fixed I stopped taking it in. So for the last 5 years I've been driving my vehicle with this transmission issue. There are times where my vehicle stalls completely and the steering wheel stiffens so I am unable to drive. They're have been times where I had to continually pull over and stop my vehicle completely, waiting a few minutes to restart my car so I would be able to drive. I know have a 2 year old son and feel extremely uncomfortable and unsafe in this vehicle. At this moment I cannot afford to trade my vehicle in either and take the loss of all the money I put into this car.

- Dover, PA, USA

problem #116

Jul 212019

Focus

  • 43,000 miles

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

Sunday July 21st, I noticed the car was lurching erratically while driving no more than 35 mph and from stops. I really didn't think much about it, because the car has always driven like crap. On the 22nd, I noticed the engine light was on when I started the car. I took my chances and started to drive to work. It was a total lurch fest for the 3 miles I drove, and I decided to drive to my mother's house instead of driving on to work. I somehow managed to park it safely at her residence. I called for a tow to the dealership, sunset Ford of St. Louis. It is now sitting there awaiting diagnosis. The technician basically already informed me that he expects my repair to not be covered under warranty. I already had a major transmission overhaul 2 or 3 years ago, I think. That one was still covered under warranty. The car only has 43000 miles on it. This is the 5th time I have brought it in for this issue, I believe. Also of note, I never received the follow up letter from the 18S32/18-V-735 NHTSA recall from Ford notifying me that the parts were available for repair. The technician looked at me like I had 4 heads when I told him I never received the letter. I asked him if he had heard from anyone else that they had never gotten the letter. He said no. I don't believe him.

- St. Louis, MO, USA

problem #115

Jul 032019

Focus

  • 1 miles
When I take off from stop position the car shakes and sometimes lunges toward. You never know how long it will take to get through the intersection

- Cedar Falls, IA, USA

problem #114

Jul 172019

Focus

  • 39,300 miles
I purchased this vehicle used in July 2014. It had about 3,500 miles on it at the time. Within a few days, I noticed that the vehicle had a "shudder" to it and made a horrible scraping sound when going around corners. I took it to the place where I purchased it and they said they couldn't find a problem. Since then, it's really been just one thing after another. I have taken it to a Ford dealership for safety recalls involving (1) a software update to correct electrical circuit failures, (2) a side door latch replacement, and (3) a problem with the cpv. I have also had to replace the front shocks - a visit that uncovered additional problems with original parts that also resulted in my vehicle being immobilized for more than one day and resulted in additional expenses of a rental vehicle. I have been very diligent in the upkeep of this vehicle with oil changes, filter replacements, a new battery, and tires. Still, I am presently experiencing challenges with this car accelerating after braking. It feels like it is jumping gears and is reluctant to up-shift. This is very similar to the overall "behavior" of the car before I took it in for the electrical circuit failure recall. I have also, on occasion, noted that there seems a delay when I am braking (brakes were replaced in June 2019). I feel that these problems increase the likelihood that I will get rear-ended or perhaps rear-end someone myself when approaching or leaving stop lights.

- Lake Worth, FL, USA

problem #113

Jul 032019

Focus

  • miles
I purchased my brand new 2013 Ford Focus, from the dealer in may of 2013. I took it back a week later because it was "clunky" when accelerating. The Ford dealership told me "the car just needs to learn how you drive, we will reset the computer". since then I have had it "reset" 4 times and am on my 3rd clutch repair. Last week while braking my car decided to accelerate instead. This is the 4th time in a year, one resulting in a bumper on bumper accident with minimal damage. I dont feel safe driving my car, I commute two hours a day. Ford should be ashamed of themselves! if the I had been told back in 2013 when I purchased that there was an issue I would have traded that car the first week.

- Oviedo, FL, USA

problem #112

Jun 102014

Focus

  • 15,000 miles
Our car has one of the dps6 transmission automatic clutch systems. We purchased the car new in 2013 for approx. $26,000. We started having problems with the car at only about 10,000 miles. The car to date has 68,000 miles and has been in the shop for repairs over 20 times with 6 new clutches and several other adjustments. The safety issue is you never know when the car will stall and start to sputter and buck. Sometimes it has no power and sometimes it shoots forward. One time in particular we pulled out into traffic and has to cross three lanes of traffic on a left turn. The car stalled and we were almost hit, it was so close that I started to cry and scream. This car is a nightmare. Someone needs to look to see if anyone has died because of these cars. As a realtor, because of the lack of dependability, I had to buy another car and am now stuck with two car payments because this car is worthless I can't trade it in. Please help. All of my life I drove Ford and quite honestly I cannot imaging how callous Ford is about the safety of these vehicles. Peoples lives are in danger... please do something....

- Bentonville, AR, USA

problem #111

Jul 012017

Focus

  • miles
This vehicle has had a shutter and poor initial acceleration. The clutch has been replaced twice and tcm once while in my ownership. I was just told that because I am now over 100, 000 miles the clutch is no longer covered under warranty but the tcm is. I have had several incidents where the car lost all acceleration abilities while driving on a busy highway or simply fail to accelerate and a traffic light causing major delays for anyone around me. It has been a saftey concern for years due to the unpredictability of the transmission intermittently not allowing acceleration.

- Co Springs, CO, USA

problem #110

Apr 012017

Focus

  • miles
Car was sold to me from drive time, I went back and forth with for service many of times with slipping transmission issues. I had to do a repossession on the car do to Ford not wanting to buy it back I have documentation of all this.

- Farmville, VA, USA

problem #109

Apr 252019

Focus

  • 50,000 miles
Transmission overheating light comes on, saying stop ssafely, wait 5 minutes, jerking from stop, shifting like a manual transmission, with a person who does not know how to use the clutch.. front end noise, very loud.took to dealer, was told nothing was wrong with it.

- Kansas City, KS, USA

problem #108

Jul 122019

Focus

  • 90,000 miles
Dps6 transmission continuously causing problems to car from gears being skipped, takes a second for the car to get going when pressing gas then when it goes it's like a rocket blast. Stuttering when idle. When traveling down the highway and you take your foot off the gas but then needing to step on the gas to go up hill, the car doesn't accelerate properly- its a delayed acceleration. When lightly pressing the gas the car stutters and you can hear the metal gears shifting. When recalls are fixed, it leads to me having to pay for other issues to be fixed (I.e. got fuel take recall fixed but paid $900 B/C of other damages caused from the defect- is what I was told). All of these issues have occurred since 2015 when the car was purchased used. Ford put more effort in teaching their dealership personnel how to B.S. customers with false language of what issues are and not ever being honest. No one should be driving this death trap of a car.

- Atlanta, GA, USA

problem #107

Jul 032019

Focus

  • 80,000 miles
Side door latch

- Galt, CA, USA

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