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:
39,816 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.
Transmission dps6 issue that is noted all over the press but the NHTSA refuses to investigate further and pursue recall. Stutters on acceleration, goes into neutral getting up to speed on highway. This is a daily occurrence, millions feel unsafe in this car.
I purchased Ford Focus 2014 in 2015 brand new with only w few miles on it, after 2 months of driving I started having issues with this car. The car started to jerk/ shudder/shake, when I took the car back to Ford dealer, I was told that's how the transmission is made and I will get use to it. Few months later I try to revers from a parking spot and the car was not moving, I called Ford and they told me to bring the car in they did software update. Few months later while I was driving the car jerk so hard, I thought I was hit by a car. Ford replaced the clutch, at least that was I was told. In 2016 the car lurched forward slamming into a car in front of me, the damage totaling to $23,000. Ford replaced the clutch 3 times and with the last repair they try to charge me for the clutch which I refused to pay the car was under extended warranty. I am extremely afraid driving this car every little jerk I panic. This car is not drivable.
Automatic car would not shift correctly in gear especially while in 1st gear this made it difficult to pull into traffic and keep up speed with the transmission jerking trying to change gears. This almost caused my daughter to get hit several times. Took to dealership 3 times for computer programming. 1 time for clutch replacement and finally dealership said the car was unsafe to drive but they couldn't do amy more warranty work on it. Clutch wore out less than 6 months after being replaced. Dealer wanted payment up front before they would repair the car.
Rear doors - latches were bad. Passenger side opened while turning. Used bungee cords to keep it shut until latches could be replaced. Transmission - chattered upon driving, like when 1st learning to drive stick shift. Sometimes it would not shift until reaching high rpms. Occasionally would momentarily seem to pop into neutral. That happened January 25, 2019. Was pulling out of a restaurant after dark, turning left on a 4 lane divided highway. It paused half way across the near lane, a car was coming directly toward me and I turned too sharply and ran over the median. Ended up cracking the oil pan, messing up the steering and cracking the engine. It was a total loss. I was livid when I found out that the transmission was well known to be defective and don chalmers Ford knowingly sold it to me.
Car badly stutters, makes it hard to take off at lights. Very dangerous at intersections. Sometimes can feel like the car is powering out. Very rough when switching gears. You can even hear a grinding sound and great vibrations of the car. Some days you don't feel safe driving it.
- San Antonio, TX, USA
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Purchased the vehicle new from Ford. The sales person took us on a test drive during which time he advised that he car handled "differently" but that it was normal and the way that the vehicle should operate. The vehicle stalls almost completely out, hesitates to go jerks when accelerating and skips. When sitting in traffic or on surface roads with alot of stop and go the vehicle jerks, hesitates and attempts to stall out. There have been instances where it has jerked so bad it sees that the transmission was going to fall out. Ford has repeatedly said to drive it and it will work itself out. We have taken it in for service, but no fix has been made. The cost of repeatedly going to "service" these concerns is costly and time consuming, especially when no resolution seems available.we are extremely fearful that the vehicle will stall out while traveling at higher speeds on the highway. Not at all safe!
The contact owns a 2014 Ford Focus. When the vehicle was placed in reverse, it moved forward instead of backwards. There were no warning indicators illuminated. The contact stated that the accelerator pedal was slow to respond. Also, when the vehicle accelerated, it would not move forward. The contact took the vehicle to jordan Ford (13010 ih 35 N, san antonio, tx 78233, (210) 653-3673) where it was diagnosed that the vehicle was operating as designed. The manufacturer was not notified. The failure mileage was 82,000. Consumer stated not included from my verb statement is the following: Car has had failures to respond on numerous occasions, with the most recent being listed on the report.(7/2019). Car has not been taken to dealer since July 2017 when it was experiencing all of the same symptoms but they told me nothing was wrong with it after keeping it for over a week. Car has had issues since date of purchase Jan 2004 and I am the original owner. To this date, car continues to slip out of both reverse and out of drive while in operation. Acceleration is slow and unpredictable, sometimes doesn't move forward at all when accelerating, sometimes jumps forward and takes off at a rapid speed from a dead stop. Car hesitates, shakes, shudder, jerks and makes grinding noises all indicators of transmission issues. I have scheduled another service appt. With jordan Ford for 9/2/19, which was the first appt. They had available.
I have transmission problems since I bought my car in 2016. Lose of power on freeways and acceleration problems all the time. The service engine light continues to turn on and off unexpectedly. Ford continue to denying those problem, causing a lot of stress every time that I drive long distances
The contact owns a 2014 Ford Focus. The contact stated that the vehicle shuttered whenever the gears were shifted. When the contact depressed the accelerator pedal, the pedal would not let up easily. The vehicle was driven to autonation (20777 katy fwy, katy, tx 77450, (281) 305-8949) where the contact was informed that the vehicle was out of warranty; therefore, they would not service the vehicle. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and did not assist. The dealer also stated that the vehicle was out of warranty. The failure mileage was 58,000.
My 2014 Ford Focus has had several instances where I have had to press the accelerator multiple times to even get it to move but on Sunday July 14th, 2019 at about 2:30 in the afternoon I was crossing an intersection in downtown apex nc and my car just stopped and wouldn't go. It continually kept revving up and wouldn't go anywhere! I had a 6 month old as well as my 2 year old son in my backseat and traffic was about to start coming right for me. I had to literally floor my car numerous times before it would even move and when it did it jumped into the next lane over. I have had the clutches replaced in this vehicle 4 times already and have taken it back to get them done and have been turned down because supposedly there isn't an issue. I am officially scared for mine and my sons lives driving this car but there is nothing I can do because it is the only car I have to drive to work. Something needs to be done about these cars and they need to be taken off the roads!
Car transmission hesitates, shakes and shimmers. I have had this car repaired 3 times. Each time it comes back. Its especially worse in stop and go traffic. At about 20-25 miles per hour I have to let go of the gas then press again just to get it to go. The dealership pretty much told me their isn't much else they can do except keeping replacing the manual clutch inside the automatic transmission. When it hesitates, it literally doesn't take off as fast as it should. I don't feel like I can trust it.
The transmission clutch shudders during light acceleration causing hesitation when at stop light or stop sign. On several occasions, when at a stop, I was almost rear-ended due to delay in acceleration. It feels like I am in 3rd gear when trying to accelerate at a stop light/sign.
Many times pulling out from side road onto hwy shudders and sometimes lunges. Also when turning this happens frequently. Had the clutch inside transmission replaced, had computer recalibrated twice, and last time we took back Ford said it fell within their parameters of being ok.
The contact owns a 2014 Ford Focus. While driving various speeds, the vehicle jerked. The contact slowed the vehicle down, but the jerking continued. The vehicle was taken to ziems Ford corners (5700 East main street, farmington, New Mexico 87402, 505-325-1961) and the dealer replaced the transmission clutch twice; however, the repair did not correct the failure. The vehicle continued to jerk and lose acceleration when the accelerator pedal was applied. The vehicle was taken back to the same dealer where they replaced the transmission module; however, the failure was not corrected. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was 27,000.
Hesitates when on the expressway shutters while driving very unsafe to drive but when I take it to Ford dealer they can not duplicate problem so they dont do anything so I end uo wasting my day.
While leaving work, I was backing up in the parking lot and the transmission shuttered very badly and even as I had my brakes applied it lurched several feet almost colliding with a garbage dumpster.
7/15 while approaching a stop sign off of highway cline my Ford Focus sounded like it was downshifting as I had my brakes applied with smooth pressure throughout but as the car downshifted again it launched me into a 4 way intersection almost causing a major accident.
7/15 driving North bound on cline (highway) and while my Ford Focus slipping out of drive in to neutral. Couldn't get my car to respond at all or get back in drive so I pulled off to the shoulder
Since owning this vehicle brand new, there have been consistent transmission issues. While the vehicle is in motion, regardless of speed, it feels like it slips into neutral gear even though it is an automatic. We have to pull over as quick as we can to avoid getting hit by other moving vehicles. Our vehicle has been back to the dealership numerous times for this issue to where they have replaced parts related to some clutch system. The dealership did not provide repair order documents for these repairs. The most current issue was this past Saturday when the vehicle again lost power while driving, had to pull over and sit for a while. Start the vehicle back up and it works normal again. This is extremely dangerous. We are the original owners and still owe $ on it. Would like Ford to just buy back the car.
I am currently driving a Ford Focus and it is a complete mess. The transmission is awful. The whole car either chugs in low gear or is on a massive delay from the gas pedal. I have been in situations when trying to pull out of a parking lot and the delay is so bad that traffic has almost caught up and T-boned my car. The chugging is just as bad. It jerks terribly. It is incredibly disappointing. I have stuck by Ford for years and I feel completely hung out to dry with this vehicle. I will not be buying another Ford.
A D V E R T I S E M E N T S
- 313, OR, USA