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.
Car shudders sometimes making it hard to get into traffic (no power) and when coming to a stop the car sometimes lunges forward unexpectedly almost putting it into cross traffic or rear-ending the car in front of you
The contact owns a 2014 Ford Focus. While driving 20-30 mph, the instrument cluster gauges fluctuated and the vehicle lunged forward. The contact stated that the hill assist and ABS warning indicators illuminated and the instrument cluster became inoperable. The contact stated that the vehicle had not experienced the failures prior to being repaired per NHTSA campaign number: 13V523000 (power train). Castle Ford (located at 3930 franklin St, Michigan city, in 46360, (219) 879-5381) and the manufacturer were informed of the failures via telephone. The failures were intermittent. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The approximate failure mileage was 52,154.
Made complaints to Ford regarding my transmission failures while drive on roads, I.e. stalling, decreasing speed, jerking etc. As a result I had to take a loss on the trade in at mountain view Ford in chattanooga, tn (loss = $8500)
The contact owns a 2014 Ford Focus. The contact stated that the transmission shook when the vehicle accelerated. Also, the vehicle stalled, would not shift into the proper gears, and there were delays with the rpms increasing. The contact took the vehicle to cavalier Ford at chesapeake square (4021 portsmouth blvd, chesapeake, va 23321, (757) 488-8311) on eight separate occasions for the transmission failures, but the failures continued. The contact believed that there was no permanent remedy and that the dealer was just performing a patch job each time it was serviced. The manufacturer was not contacted. The failure mileage was 14,086.
Purchased 2014 Focus on 6/7/14, clutch asy replaced 11/30/15, clutch asy replaced 9/12/16, install new etb 9/14/16 (throttle body), replace battery 12/20/16, given extended warranty w/$100 deductable 11/11/16 - warranty expired 6/7/19, replaced clutch asy 6/9/19 - 7/3/19. Three clutch assemby's in 5 years - very unsafe. Also 6/9/19-7/3/19 replaced side door latch (safety recall) and fuel tank deformation - replaced tube asy - fue. With this many clutch repairs Ford new they had an issue. Even though Ford gave me an extended warranty in 2016 due to the issues with my car, they backdated the warranty to the date the car was purchased. This also seems deceptive. Numerous times I was traveling on instertate roads, when I pulled out to pass a semi, the car would cut out. When accellerating in the city or on instertates, there would be no acceleration when pushing the accelator. Just the opposite would happen. The car would caugh and choke before finally catching to accelorate. I believe both Ford and the dealer should be held accountable with all the safety issues this car has had, and continues to have.
- Indianapolis, IN, USA
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My 2014 Focus has been sent to Ford 3 times since I purchased it new in 2014 for for transmission issues. Three times, I have lost all power in the vehicle and have had to coast to a stop. Two of those times I was able to restart the vehicle and continue driving, the other time the vehicle had to be towed to the dealership for a repair. Each time this happened I went to the dealership and was told that the issue was fixed or they couldn't repeat the issue. My car is the largest purchase that I have ever made, after researching this issue it seems to be widespread. The government is supposed to be looking out for its citizens. What can be done to hold Ford accountable for selling a faulty vehicle and not providing a solution? while not a severe as the car shutting off, I also regularly experience uneven acceleration where the car speeds up and slows down violently when in first gear.
Immediately upon purchasing the car it started hesitating as if it would stall from a stop on city streets, while turning, and almost every time it accelerates from a stop, it does not have to be in park or neutral in order for this to happen. It occurs also when the car is in drive. Ford replaced the clutch 3 times, at 6779, 13844, and 20156 miles. It is now behaving in the same way, the car does not accelerate properly and chugs along. Ford stated this June at 39030 miles that the car is behaving within normal limits, however it is doing exactly what it did before when they replaced the clutch.I am hesitant to believe this is the truth.
Ford Focus has had transmission replaced, and it still shakes, jerks, shudders, etc. What Ford knowingly did is outrageous. I bought my car brand new. This has been an ongoing issue and I don't feel safe driving my car.
The transmissions in my 2014 Ford Focus has never operated properly. I purchased the car new from Mahwah Ford in October 2014. The transmission slips and shudders when trying to accelerate in first gear. It behaves as if someone just learning to operate a manual transmission vehicle is behind the wheel. This makes is very dangerous trying to accelerate from a stop when entering a roadway. I have brought the car to the dealership on many occasions, but was told this behavior is normal for the vehicle. My other family members will not drive the vehicle, because they do not feel safe doing so. Twice the dealerships said they applied software updates to the vehicle, but that did nothing. I do not feel safe in this car, but due to financial considerations, I am not able to purchase a replacement. Please help get these unsafe vehicles off the road.
We have had problems with the acceleration since we bought the car. The car does not change gears cleanly. Instead it may hesitate before changing gears, act like it is in neutral with high revolutions and no change in acceleration. We have to play with the pedal constantly to try to make it act normal in changing gears even thought this is an automatic transmission car.
Having problems with transmission. Clutch would chatter, shudder and slip. Transmission control module was reprogrammed on: 6/15/2015, and 2/01/2016. After that action the clutch was replaced on 2/16/2018. While turning into traffic the transmission would sometimes slip and not get the car up to speed. When the engine is turned off the clutch shudders off.
My transmission shutters when starting to move when transmission in warm. I have had this repaired once and they replaced some kind of rubber seals. They also replaced the brain box for the transmission.
My module control to the transmission went out, I paid to have it replace. Now my car is at Ford because the motor clutch to the transmission needs to be replace, this happened within a week of getting out of the shop for the first time. I can't upload anything, car has been at Ford since June
This car hesitates and jerks from a stopped position. There is a rattle as the car starts moving. On two occasions, while merging uphill into traffic, the car stalled. On several other occasions, it came close to stalling. I've taken it to the dealer several times over the years and they tell me there is nothing wrong. When I get the car back from being repaired, the 'check engine' light comes back on after a week or two. I can't answer your question below about when it happened. It happens all the time.
The car constantly has severe shuttering when accelerating. Already had to replace the clutch, on a N automatic car at 70K miles, and it immediately had the same issues the dealership said couldnt be fixed.
Upon launch of vehicle, the dps6 transmission shudders violently leaving me and my occupants prone to danger. The car is undrivable for the 1st 3 seconds you apply the gas. This issue, even after their initial "fix" has done this from mile #01. 90,000 miles, 5 years, safety of everyone driving these vehicles is compromised daily.
Had the trans clutches repaired, and still having the same issues: Car shudders and shakes while taking off from a light and acts like it is slipping in between gears. Makes stopping and starting or entering a highway very dangerous. Seems that this problem is an on going issue with this year model Ford. There should be a recall or the trans should have a lifetime warranty for Ford know daul clutch problems.
Transmission keeps going into fault mode, randomly does not appear to be in a gear at all. Does this at intersections, driveways, and while regular driving, out of nowhere. Do not know what the cause this however it is a very big safety issue with children in the car. It is not safe to drive like this.
April 25 2019 to this day July 10th 2019 is when everything started breaking down out of nowhere, I'm going to work at 6am I notice my car starting up odd and so on my way to work I was getting on the high way as I was accelerating something happened in my car that made a loud noise and my car bucked as if it was having trouble trying to rev so I turned my emergency lights and managed to get to work by driving slowly and man was it a scare. I ended up leaving my car overnight at work and got it towed to a local mechanic saying my radiator was busted ($260 out my pocket), looked online to see about any recalls and saw I had a couple to be fixed and that's when I took it in to a local dealer Ford dealership and they supposedly fixed my car but when I got it back it was just as bad and I even started getting messages on my dashboard about my lid compartment being open making me get off on red lights to get out and close the trunk. Then my second time being stranded on my way to work, same thing starting off my car felt odd but this time I made it to work but as soon as I pulled into the parking lot my car had felt like it died and stalled right as I was parking and when I got off and locked my car it started making weird mechanical noises, that's when I had to get it towed the next day again but this time the mechanic told me it was my transmission module, so I go online again and see there is an extended warranty for my exact problem. So I take it in to the dealer so they can fix it but they turn out telling me I have a hole in my transmission and that they can't fix the problem even though it's due to the computer software malfunctioning causing it to break now the dealership is asking 2,000-5,000 to replace. I'm sick and tired to be honest I'm about to lose my job for going in late, I've paid a month already without even using the car I need help.
Car shudders and shakes while taking off from a light and acts like it is slipping in between 2 and third gears. Makes stopping and starting or entering a highway very dangerous. Seems thisnproblem is an on going one with this year model Ford.
A D V E R T I S E M E N T S
- Nampa, ID, USA