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CarComplaints.com Notes: For the third year in a row, the 3rd generation Focus is experiencing massive transmission problems.

Most notably owners keep complaining about how there's bad hesitation and jerking when starting from a stop. This isn't the result of an old, worn out part. In fact, the average mileage it's reported to us is just over 15k miles.

10.0

really awful
Crashes / Fires:
22 / 3
Injuries / Deaths:
9 / 0
Average Mileage:
39,086 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.

2014 Ford Focus drivetrain problems

drivetrain problem

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2014 Ford Focus Owner Comments (Page 3 of 69)

« Read the previous 20 complaints

problem #1328

Dec 232023

Focus

  • miles

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

Car was in idle and decellerated. The check engine light came on. The dual clutch assembly and fork have already been replaced once due to same issues. Now they are saying it is the same thing and they want to charge us!

- Winterset, IA, USA

problem #1327

Dec 222023

Focus

  • 42,000 miles
The contact owns a 2014 Ford Focus. The contact stated that while driving at approximately 35 MPH, the transmission fault warning light illuminated. The contact stated that the vehicle began jerking and lost motive power. The vehicle was restarted; however, the vehicle would only operate in reverse. The vehicle was towed to a dealer where it was diagnosed and determined that the clutch needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 42,000.

- Garfield, NJ, USA

problem #1326

Mar 152023

Focus

  • 12,000 miles
The contact owns a 2014 Ford Focus. The contact stated while driving at approximately 5 MPH, the vehicle lunged into gear and shuddered before moving forward. The contact stated that the failure occurred whenever the accelerator pedal was depressed while driving forward. The contact stated no warning light was illuminated. The contact had taken the vehicle to an independent mechanic where it was diagnosed and determined that the transmission needed to be rebuilt. The independent mechanic advised the contact that the transmission failure was covered under Customer Satisfaction Program Number: 19N08 - Automatic Transmission Clutch Shudder (Power Train). The contact called the dealer and was advised that the vehicle was out of warranty for Customer Satisfaction Program: 19N08. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was informed of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 12,000.

- Clinton, CT, USA

problem #1325

Dec 192023

Focus

  • 18,000 miles

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

The contact's mother-in-law owns a 2014 Ford Focus. The contact stated that while shifting into 1st gear and 2nd gear, the vehicle shuddered. No warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, where it was diagnosed that the actuator fork and clutch needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure but informed the contact that the vehicle was not covered under warranty. The failure mileage was approximately 18,000.

- Lexington, KY, USA

problem #1324

Feb 182023

Focus 4-cyl

  • 121,000 miles
The contact owns a 2014 Ford Focus. The contact stated while driving 40-45 MPH, the check engine warning light was illuminated, and the vehicle decelerated to 15-20 MPH. The contact merged to the right lane and continued driving at a slow speed. Additionally, the contact stated that the vehicle failed to start while in a parking lot. The contact waited 30 minutes and was able to restart the vehicle. The check engine warning light was illuminated. The contact then shifted into reverse(R), but the vehicle failed to respond. The contact stated that she turned off and restarted the vehicle, and the vehicle responded as needed. The contact received notification of Ford Service Campaign Number: 14M02, and the vehicle was taken to the dealer for repair. The dealer diagnosed the vehicle with transmission clutch shudder. The vehicle was not repaired. The vehicle was taken to a transmission specialist, where it was diagnosed that the transmission needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure, but no assistance was provided. The failure mileage was approximately 121,000. The contact stated that the transmission got worse over time with no assistance from the manufacturer for repairs.

- Cathedral City, CA, USA

problem #1323

Dec 042021

Focus

  • 68,000 miles
The contact owns a 2014 Ford Focus. The contact stated that after the vehicle was idle, the vehicle shuddered before accelerating forward. The check engine warning light was illuminated. The contact stated that while driving at various speeds, the contact felt as if the transmission had shifted into neutral and or lost motive power. The vehicle was included in the Customer Satisfaction Program NHTSA ID: 10237441 (Power Train) however, the part for the repair was on backorder. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 68,000.

- Ypsilanti Charter Twp, MI, USA

problem #1322

Aug 012023

Focus

  • miles

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

There is a recall on this car for TCM transmission module. This part is available through non-dealer car repair shops, however, Ford has been unable or unwilling to provide this part for recall for over 1 year, saying that it is back ordered with no date of arrival estimated. I received my recall letter in August of 2023. I was in dealer and had this part tested on September 18th, confirming the recall applied to it. The dealer had my car for one month before returning it to me still broken. Today they still have no estimate on when they will fix this. This issue causes my car to lose power and shudder and the engine light comes on when starting off from being stopped, or sometimes just suddenly act like it has gone into neutral on the freeway. Ford apparently only has to replace this on vehicles with less than 150,000 miles that are under 10 years of age. My car is a 2014, so in one month it will be 10 years old, and only a few months after that it will reach 150,000 miles. It seems like Ford is trying to wait out this recall so they do not have to pay for the repair. It is unreasonable that there are obviously suppliers for this part but Ford is not willing to contract with them and make the repair, meanwhile those of us who spent tens of thousands of dollars on Ford vehicles have to take our lives in our hands every day just to drive the garbage they wont fix. Please make Ford do more to help those affected by this recall and please don't allow corporations to time out their responsibility to fix the low quality garbage they produce. I have received no indication that Ford will ever fix my car. Ford Motor Company said they have a loner program that goes through the dealer, but the dealer says they know nothing about any such program. It's a lot of games being played and very few cars being fixed. Thank you.

- Ypsilanti, MI, USA

problem #1321

Oct 012023

Focus

  • miles
My 2014 Ford focus SE hatchback is having bad transmission codes throwing at me. Automatic transmission electrical system codes and transmission stuck in clutch A. I have 123,000 miles on it. I'm afraid to drive it as it being a electrical problem and I have my teenage son in the car with me. I'm afraid of a fire. Ford wants hundreds of dollars just to diagnose what 3 other mechanics have already diagnosed it. I have a picture of the codes. Ford knows about this problem but wants hundreds of dollars to tell me what I already know and then thousands of dollars to fix it.

- St Paul , MN, USA

problem #1320

Oct 302023

Focus

  • miles
Transmission programming recall, clutch recall, fuel cap recall and many more recalls were not performed at ford dealership! Had to pay out of pocket at dealer for -??labor-?? task was never performed at dealer for all recalls!

- S El Monte, CA, USA

problem #1319

Sep 222021

Focus

  • 135,610 miles
The contact owns a 2014 Ford Focus. The contact stated that while driving at various speeds, the vehicle would shake uncontrollably, and the vehicle was hesitant to accelerate when the accelerator pedal was depressed. The contact also became aware that the clutch was slipping. Additionally, the vehicle occasionally failed to start with a clicking sound coming from the engine compartment. An unknown warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was towed to a dealer but was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and determined that the VIN was not included in a recall. The failure mileage was 135,610.

- Diamond Bar, CA, USA

problem #1318

Nov 112023

Focus

  • 133,318 miles

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

The contact owns a 2014 Ford Focus. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle shuddered and jerked before losing motive power. The contact was able to pull over to the shoulder of the roadway, where the vehicle stalled and failed to immediately restart. After restarting the vehicle, the vehicle briefly failed to indicate that the power was available to the vehicle before finally displaying electronic information. The vehicle was towed to the dealer, who diagnosed a failure with the clutch assembly. The vehicle was not repaired. After investigating the failure, the contact related the failure to NHTSA Campaign Number: 18V845000 (Power Train) but the VIN was not included. The manufacturer was notified of the failure but referred the contact to the NHTSA Hotline for assistance. The failure mileage was 133,318.

- Charlotte, NC, USA

problem #1317

Nov 152017

Focus

  • 46,000 miles
The contact owns a 2014 Ford Focus. The contact stated while driving 40 MPH, the vehicle briefly jerked and shuddered, and lost motive power. After restarting the vehicle, the vehicle returned to normal functionality; however, the failure became a regular occurrence. The contact also stated that while driving at night, she became aware that the headlamps provided inadequate illumination, severely compromising nighttime visibility. After a visual inspection of the headlamps, the contact became aware that the housing had deteriorated significantly. No warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, who diagnosed a general failure with the transmission but diagnosis for the failure with the headlamps. The contact was informed that the headlamps needed to be replaced. Additionally, the transmission was replaced however, the failure recurred. After investigating the failure, the contact related it to NHTSA Campaign Number: 15V813000 (Electrical System), but the VIN was not included. The manufacturer was notified of the failure but provided no assistance. The failure mileage was 46,000.

- Encinitas, CA, USA

problem #1316

May 082023

Focus

  • 98,000 miles
The contact owns a 2014 Ford Focus. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle shuddered with an abnormal sound coming from the rear passenger's side wheel. The check engine warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, who diagnosed a failure with the tire but provided no diagnosis for the warning lamp. The vehicle was taken to another dealer, who diagnosed failures with the rear passenger-??s side wheel bearing and clutch. The vehicle was repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure but referred the contact to the NHTSA Hotline for assistance. The failure mileage was 98,000.

- Brandy Station, VA, USA

problem #1315

Oct 312023

Focus

  • 107,000 miles
The contact owns a 2014 Ford Focus. The contact received notification of Customer Satisfaction Program: 14M02, prompting her to schedule the vehicle for service with the dealer. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, who informed the contact that the service could not be completed, due to a general failure with the transmission. The contact was informed that the transmission needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure, and a case was opened. The failure mileage was 107,000.

- West Palm Beach, FL, USA

problem #1314

May 012023

Focus

  • 100,000 miles
The contact owns a 2014 Ford Focus. The contact stated that the vehicle occasionally failed to reverse. The contact stated that the vehicle had to travel for five to ten minutes before it would accelerate as needed. The check engine warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was taken to an independent who checked the transmission, but the failure persisted. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer, where it was diagnosed and determined that the clutch needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not covered under warranty and was not repaired. The manufacturer was contacted and informed the contact that the warranty had expired. The contact was then referred to the NHTSA Hotline. The failure mileage was approximately 100,000.

- Detroit, MI, USA

problem #1313

Oct 202023

Focus 4-cyl

  • Automatic transmission
  • 90,000 miles
The contact owns a 2014 Ford Focus. The contact stated while driving approximately 60 MPH, the vehicle began to lose forward momentum. The contact depressed the accelerator pedal and the vehicle revved; however, the vehicle did not respond as needed and stalled. The contact pulled over and attempted to restart the vehicle however, the vehicle failed to restart. The check engine warning light was illuminated. The contact had taken the vehicle to a local dealer, where it was diagnosed and determined that the transmission clutches needed to be replaced; however, the dealer stated that the vehicle was no longer under warranty for the Customer Satisfaction Program: 19N08 Transmission Clutch Shudder (Power Train). The vehicle had not been repaired. The manufacturer had been informed of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 90,000.

- Rancho Cucamonga, CA, USA

problem #1312

Sep 142023

Focus

  • 127,000 miles
The contact owns a 2014 Ford Focus. The contact stated that while the vehicle was parked, the contact attempted to reverse however, the vehicle failed to respond while depressing the accelerator pedal. The check engine warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was towed to a dealer to be diagnosed. The contact was informed that the failure was due to a faulty transmission and that the Shift Motor-B stop was fractured inside the case. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 127,000.

- Phoenix, AZ, USA

problem #1311

Oct 242017

Focus

  • 28,000 miles
The contact owns a 2014 Ford Focus. The contact stated that the vehicle failed to start and was jumpstarted. The contact stated that the failure recurred several times. The check engine warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, where the battery was replaced; however, the failure persisted. The contact stated while attempting to reverse at 2 MPH, the vehicle failed to respond. The contact parked the vehicle. A mobile mechanic could not determine the cause of the failure. The vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic, where it was diagnosed that the failure was related to the transmission. The vehicle was then towed to a certified transmission specialist, who referred the contact to the dealer for assistance. The vehicle was towed to the dealer, where it was determined that the PCM needed to be replaced; however, the dealer did not replace the PCM although the replacement was covered under warranty. Additionally, the contact stated that the dealer had previously replaced the transmission in 2017. The vehicle was later taken to the second dealer, Metro Ford, Inc. (2860 S Noland Rd, Independence, MO 64055), where it was diagnosed that the transmission needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and informed the contact that they would partially cover the cost of the repair. The manufacturer also referred the contact to the NHTSA hotline for assistance. The failure mileage was approximately 28,000.

- Grandview, MO, USA

problem #1310

Oct 232022

Focus

  • 112,000 miles
The contact owns a 2014 Ford Focus. The contact stated while driving from a complete stop, the engine revved significantly, and the vehicle experienced hard shifts. The contact stated that the vehicle shifted from 1st gear to 3rd gear, and from 3rd gear to 5th gear. The contact depressed the accelerator pedal and continued driving. The contact stated that the failure recurred several times while driving. The power train warning light and the message "Transmission Overheating - Puller Over As Soon As Possible When Safe" was displayed. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, where the transmission actuator motor B was replaced; however, the failure recurred within an hour of driving the vehicle. Additionally, the vehicle was shuddering. The contact pulled into a parking lot, turned off and restarted the vehicle several times. The contact then drove to the residence. Upon restarting the vehicle, the power train warning light illuminated. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact related the failure to an unknown TCM recall. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and referred the contact to the NHTSA hotline for assistance. The failure mileage was approximately 112,000.

- Crestview, FL, USA

problem #1309

Aug 202023

Focus

  • 140,000 miles
The contact owns a 2014 Ford Focus. The contact stated that the check engine warning light was illuminated. The contact stated that the vehicle failed to shift into the intended gear and the vehicle started to shudder. The vehicle was taken to an auto repair shop where it was diagnosed that the clutch failed and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was then taken to the dealer where it was also diagnosed that the dual clutch had failed and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and the contact was informed that the VIN was not included in a recall and that the warranty had expired. The failure mileage was approximately 140,000.

- Minooka, IL, USA

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