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.
On February 19, 2018, I was driving my 2014 Ford Focus (VIN [xxx]) in sugar land, tx.while operating the vehicle I stopped at an intersection.there was one vehicle in front of me at the traffic light.once the light turned green I slowly accelerated.while I was accelerating, the vehicle shifted gears so hard that it almost caused me to hit the vehicle in front of me.the transmission banged into gear very hard. I am very concerned that the transmission in this vehicle has a manufacturing defect which is causing this severe safety hazard. On February 21, 2018 I took the vehicle to helfmann Ford in stafford, tx. They informed me that the would be able to look at my transmission for 2 months due to their technician being out starting Monday. I then went to legacy Ford dealership located at 27225 South West freeway rosenberg tx 77471.I met with a service advisor who identified himself as john smith. I reported the incident to the service advisor on February 21, 2018 at approximately 10:30am.I advised him that I was concerned that the vehicle had a manufacturing defect that was causing the vehicle to be a safety hazard.he indicated that this was a known issue with this model vehicle. I purchased this vehicle brand new. It has never suffered any unusual wear or tear and has never been misused.additionally, I have had it into the Ford dealership for the exact same issue at least three times.I am concerned that the issue is not being reported to NHTSA and that the Agency is not aware of the safety hazard associated with this vehicle. Additional transmission issues include violent shuddering from a complete stop and while driving on incline. The transmission will become stuck in first and second gears and whined up but not shift any further without coming to a complete stop to "reset" the transmission.
I bought Ford Focus 2014 SE but I found out it has big transmission problems this car has only 87000 miles.I took it to dealership they tested they said it need to replace new family clutch but no under warranty coverage.it cost $1,750 that I have to pay from my pocket.it very bad so without car I think I'm going to lose my job it's very bad stuff I have ever seen before.
Car has been presenting transmission issues since day 1. I believe that there is a transmission recall for this car, however I do not see it listed for my VIN #. the issues are perceived when the car is in motion, and both, city and highways.
I started my vehicle after I dropped my 3 month old off at daycare, it was parked and my dashboard was flashing "transmission fault- service now". I pulled out of my space and parked the car to restart, to see if maybe the computer just needed to be restarted. At this point the dashboard computer was going black and then trying to turn on and going blue. The speedometer stopped working, I lost all power steering. I drove it home and parked it.
- Flemington, NJ, USA
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The vehicle lost the ability to reverse (parking lot), and the transmission lurches while shifting gears (street/highway). I took it to the service department of my Ford dealer, and they said it is the tcm module -- the same part that is the subject of a class action lawsuit. I'm afraid to drive the vehicle because everyone who has this issue says it recurs after Ford re programs the tcm, which does not fix the problem which gets progressively worse, often losing power on the highway or the steering wheel locking. I don't to keep having to drive this vehicle until enough people die.
The contact owns a 2014 Ford Focus. The contact stated that the gear shifter failed and was not engaging properly, causing the vehicle to jerk and lose acceleration. The failure was experienced numerous times. The vehicle was taken to Ford greenway auto group (9001 East colonial drive, orlando, fl, 032817, phone 407-275-3200) where it was diagnosed that the transmission clutch failed. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer stated that the vehicle was not included in the warranty repair for the dual clutch and the transmission control module replacement. The approximate failure mileage was 50,000.
The contact owns a 2014 Ford Focus. While driving 10 mph, the vehicle shuddered and jerked before returning to normal. The failure occurred numerous times without warning. The vehicle was taken to miracle Ford (1394 nashville pike, gallatin, tn 37066, (615) 442-8845) where it was diagnosed that the clutch was faulty. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. There were no recalls for the failure. The VIN was unknown. The failure mileage was 98,000.
The contact owns a 2014 Ford Focus. While driving 15 mph and decelerating, the vehicle stalled without warning. The contact stated that the failure occurred twice. The vehicle was taken to boggus Ford mc allen (1400 E expy 83, mcallen, tx 78501, (956) 686-7411) to be diagnosed; however, the mechanic was unable to duplicate the failure or retrieve a fault code. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was contacted and notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 25,000.
Transmission clutches shudder/tried to stall, was fixed last year at 4280 miles. I now have 7820 miles and transmission it slipping/ clutches not working correctly. All occurrences while driving hwy/low speeds.
In the city after stopping at light and starting to drive car shudders, vibrates and tires feel like they are not rotating. Which the car behind me to step on his brakes to avoid hitting me. Once I get pass the "shudder, vibrate and jerking the car drives O.K. I have been told it is the transmission. I also had the car jerk forward with increase speed without me increasing my speed.
Transmission does not engage smoothly between shifts. Transmission is slow to fully engage into gear. Vehicle shakes and shudders when progressing through gears. No power during attempted acceleration. Transmission does not shift into gear when gas pedal depressed. In all conditions, stationary, motion and all locations, city, highway, turning. Occurs continuously from purchase until current date.
The 2014 Ford Focus has several issues. The power shift transmission is a complete disaster. It jerks, bucks, shudders, delays shifting, and has an erratic shifting pattern. The uneven and erratic shifting causes gas mileage to fluctuate between 20 mpg and 28 mpg.(actual not average-average is somewhere between 23 and 25 mpg). There is never better gas mileage than 28 mpg. This is unacceptable for a 4 cylinder vehicle that is advertised as 33 average mpg. I have spent a lot of time registering, filing for, and documenting necessary repairs for the class action law suit and eventual arbitration. The local Ford dealer has been difficult to work with and we only have one on the East side of the big island of Hawaii, where I live. This has been a huge inconvenience and I have to rent a car every time I take the Focus in for repairs. Ford has replaced the clutch which has improved the shifting to some degree, but not mitigated the problems, completely. The car is going in for a third evaluation as it is still staying in first gear for an inappropriately long time and bucking at low speeds. I have requested that Ford replace or repurchase this vehicle. So far, so bad. The "deal" Ford offered me was nothing, after I filed my paperwork. I am waiting to be assigned an arbitrator, but that has been stalled by a third party in Colorado, who wants the rules of arbitration changed. I have read the entire arbitration document and it favors Ford, of course. However, if they offer to repurchase or replace this vehicle, I would be agreeable to that. I do not know what more the Colorado people want, but it is stalling all of us waiting for our chance at arbitration. In the meantime, I am stuck with this major lemon vehicle, which, is covered under Hawaii's lemon law as well. Ford manufactured a sub-standard vehicle and needs to take it back.
Dual clutch and electrical wiring harness shifted transmission in drive when I was in park resulting the car wrecking into my garage. Canister purge valve stuck open resulting in low fuel pressure causing the vehicle to stall when driving on the highway. Several occasions the car gave me inaccurate gas mileage miles to empty causing me to become stranded.transmission shutter when the vehicle is off but you open a door or turn on a light. Trunk came open while I was in the car wash. Another ncident almost causing me to wreck when I wss braking the car accelerated. Death trap!
The contact owns a 2014 Ford Focus. While driving 35 mph and merging off a ramp, the vehicle began to shake violently and shifted to neutral independently and without warning. The vehicle was pulled over to the shoulder lane, shut off, and restarted. The vehicle was able to restart, but the failure was persistent. The vehicle was taken to morristown Ford (1112 w morris blvd, morristown tn, 37813) where it was diagnosed that the seals in the clutch failed and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and informed the contact that the vehicle was not included in any recalls. The failure mileage was approximately 10,000.
I have had transmission issues with this vehicle since about the 10,000 mile mark. The car shutters and shakes when accelerating and looses power. It will barely pull hills and at times when driving the car will not shift into gear and the rpms have reved above 5000 and if I didn't shift into neutral I'm afraid the motor would have blown. This occurred when I was merging into traffic on the interstate and nearly caused an accident. There has been a warranty extension by you all for certain models of this vehicle but not all. I would request you guys extend the warranty to all model year Ford Focus as the issue seems to be the clutch.
Car transmission jerks, sputters, accelerates and stalls. In addition now having issues with fuel tank not guaging and now it hesitates, stalls out and is not safe. Car suddenly stopped running had to be towed to the shop and shop advised the fuel tank guage was not operating and registering gas. Now I am going to have to take it back to the shop as it appears it may involve fuel tank, fuel pump and vapor management. I only know this is because searching on line I see many simiilar complaints about the jerking transmission problems, and problems with the vehicle stalling out. It says Ford is not acknowleding this as a problem. I believe they need to recall this and fix this although it appears based on reviews even after repeated attempts to fix it is still not resolved. Many customers have had to pay thousands of dollars. This vehicle is not safe to drive and is in a class action lawsuit.
The contact owns a 2014 Ford Focus. While driving low speeds, the vehicle jerked without warning. When the vehicle was in third gear, it drove normally. The vehicle was taken to a local dealer (jerry duncan Ford, 801 N roane St, harriman, tn 37748) where it was diagnosed that the clutch needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the issue and opened case number: Cas 13448915. The failure mileage was 83,000.
A D V E R T I S E M E N T S
- Sugar Land, TX, USA