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.
Even though transmission was replaced back in October 2016, March 2017 the vehicle was hard shifting, and not taking reverse. Was told 2nd, 3rd, and reverse gears were broken and power train went bad. Although everything was under warranty and all parts replaced. Still don't understand how power train and gears broke when a new transmission was placed into the vehicle less than a 1yr ago.
It all started one day after I purchased my 2014 Focus car from a dealer. When I pull out from a stop sign or when accelerating as the light turns green, the car hesitates and sputters before finally kicking into gear. It seems to be fine once it settles into place but it's pretty scary until it does. I dread when I have to slow down or stop. It seemed to be close to breaking down or stalling on a few occasions. I'm only a few days into owning this car and I really don't know what to do. I was promised a long life for this car but now I'm not so sure, the symptoms are somewhat similar to the last car I owned (an escape) - sputtering, hesitation, stalling and then it totally quit on me in the middle of the road on a hill. The engine blew up. This happened after I picked up the car after repairs from the same dealer. For the same symptoms. More to that story but I am afraid to bring it back for repairs fearing whatever is wrong with it, it wont be covered. But what choice do I have" help"
Upon acceleration from a stop, the RPM's rev up and the car does not proceed forward. When it does proceed forward, it is at a slow pace, with a jerking motion. There is also a vibration from the engine area at times when the car is stopped.
Just purchased a used 2014 Focus with only 012755 miles on it, two days later returned to dealer to report drivers side mirror light falling off and unit hesitating and jerking lurching forward and grinding noise from dead stop, dealer didn't seem to think it was a big issue, was told they will look at it when I return to have mirror blinker R/R (part on order) almost hit house when parking that evening. Unit also lost power at 60 miles per hour when driving but motor continues to run, had to pull over in a panic, unit would not move when put in gear even when giving fuel, lights blinking (prdl lights) engine light blinking, seems to be ok after it sits for awhile. Unit also seems to not engage gears as speed picks up (stuck in low gears?). help us please, we just purchased this car used from a Ford dealer why would they sell us a car so dangerous? it also is a Ford certified unit, we have put less than 100 miles on the car and afraid to drive it. We are senior's living on a fixed income and are a scared to drive the car. Someone is going to get hurt, we need this fixed soon, no way to get to the doctor. The car has been sitting out front for over a week now no contact from the dealer yet. Please help us, I have over two million miles safe driving record (awards....) with the largest trucking company in the us when I retired 4 years ago, I know how to drive and I know when something is not safe!
The contact owns a 2014 Ford Focus. While driving various speeds, the vehicle shook violently. The dealer replaced the transmission, but the failure recurred. The contact stated that the transmission was replaced three times. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was 48,000. The VIN was not available.
- Beaverdam, VA, USA
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Automatic transmission. Car stutters during when you try to quickly accelerate. When trying to accelerate from first gear into a turn or merging the vehicle loses power and has almost caused me to be hit several times since purchasing it. Driving in urban areas is a lot of trouble as you need to quickly get yourself onto the streets but the vehicle fails to perform leaving me having to very slowly accelerate out of first gear as to not have it completely lose power. This transmission is junk.
2014 Ford Focus. Consumer writes in regards to continuous problem with vehicle clutch replacements and transmission reprogramming. Consumer seeks financial reimbursement for emotional distress and fraud of vehicle purchase. The consumer stated that the vehicle had two clutch replacements and had been serviced over 12 for computer reprogramming. During an inspection, with the consumer present, the vehicle was driving less than 20 miles. The documents state that the vehicle did not miss-perform, as was normal on short trips according to the consumer. Several weeks prior, the clutch was reprogrammed then replaced. Updated 04/03/2017 updated 06/14/2017
The contact owns a 2014 Ford Focus. While the accelerator pedal was depressed, the vehicle failed to accelerate without warning. The vehicle was taken to a dealer where it was serviced twice under warranty and repaired per tsb: 13-6-10; however, the remedy failed. The VIN was not included in NHTSA campaign number: 14V495000 (electrical system). The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was 15,000.
The transmission problems. The dealership pennyrile Ford in hopkinsville ky. Has known about this every since my daughter has had the car. Yet just patches it up. She bought the car brand new from them. Now that warranty is out she has to pay. The transmission has been in a problem in these vehicles I have been told. Yet the place that sold the car to her do not take responsible or even Ford motor. You can reach her at this number. [xxx] ask for [xxx]. the car was faulty when purchased. In my opinion Ford needs to make this right at no cost to the purchaser. Its is an on going problem. Information redacted pursuant to the Freedom Of Information Act (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6).'
The contact owns a 2014 Ford Focus. When the accelerator pedal was depressed at various speeds, the vehicle shuttered and shook violently without warning. The vehicle was taken to the dealer where the transmission control module was replaced, but the failure recurred. The vehicle had not been repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 15,100.
The car has a faulty cluch. This is a widespread problem with the Ford Focus. I believe the design of the cluch was faulty. It causes the car to lose power while driving creating a dangerous situation. This has been an outgoing problem with the car since the day I bought it.
The transmission is unsafe. It has shuttered and doesn't always take off when you give it gas. According to the mechanic and the Ford dealer Ford has tried 4 fixes none of which have worked. To my knowledge none have been done to my car becuase by the time I am notified by the dealer Ford already knows the fix isn't working and stops shipping the parts. I have called Ford and started a case, they promised me I would hear back it has been a month and nothing. Without proper shifting and knowing what the vehicle is going to do it is not the safe reliable vehicle I had planned for my daughter. I would like Ford to fix it or replace it. It has been doing this for the last 20000 miles at least and at varying speeds. The car currently has 36000 miles on it.
The contact owns a 2014 Ford Focus. While driving 55 mph, the vehicle overheated and the transmission indicator illuminated. The failure recurred two more times. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic who diagnosed that the transmission computer failed and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the issue. The approximate failure mileage was 55,000.
The car stutters to start moving. The transmission is stuck. It takes a lot of RPM to get the car moving from a stop or start. I have had an episode where the car accelerated on it's own. Took it to the dealership they are aware of the stuttering and are doing nothing for that. They can find no reason my car took of on its own. I feel that the defect in the transmission they know about. And will do nothing about it. I am just getting frustrating why they won't discuss the transmission issue. Thank you.
The contact owns a 2014 Ford Focus. While driving various speeds, the vehicle stuttered. The contact took the vehicle to the dealer where it was diagnosed that the transmission failed. It was diagnosed that the transmission module and clutch needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and stated that, despite the warranty, the contact would be responsible for the repair cost. The approximate failure mileage was 52,000.
Any time I am stopped and start going my car shutters and jerks before it finally catches gear. When I hit the gas it takes about 5-10 seconds before my car will finally start going. Ford says this is normal with this type of clutch and keeps blowing me off
The contact owns a 2014 Ford Focus. While turning at a traffic light, the contact's vehicle stalled and caused a front end collision with another vehicle. The air bags did not deploy. The contact sustained minor injuries, which did not require medical attention. A police report was filed. The vehicle was towed to the dealer where it was diagnosed that the clutch and the tie rod needed to be replaced. Prior to the crash, the clutch was replaced five times. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was 13,000.
The contact owns a 2014 Ford Focus. While driving various speeds, the vehicles shifted into another gear on multiple occasions without warning. It was diagnosed that the transmission failed and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was 30,000.
Transmission: The vehicle has been stuttering and then unexpectedly jumping forward when pressing the accelerator since about 1,500 miles. It's been getting continuously worse since. The first incident that truly endangered my safety was when I was pulling out from a 3-way stop, it almost stalled in front of incoming traffic, then suddenly propelled forward into a gas station curb & blew out my tire. The second incident, which is why I'm filing this report, was with my 2 daughters in the car, leaving a stop light at a highway intersection. It was raining, and I was trying to get up to the 55mph speed limit but the car kept chugging and stuttering. Other vehicles were going around me as my speed slowly climbed, & at almost 50 mph the car suddenly accelerated and, despite tapping my brakes, continued to do so until it hit 65 mph. I was surrounded by other vehicles, and pressed the brake harder to avoid hitting the line of cars in front of me, to the left of me, or having to swerve into the ditch on my right at this high rate of speed, because tapping the brakes cautiously was having effect on the cars acceleration. When it stopped quickly accelerating, it continued to stutter, but seemed to level off at my chosen speed. Since then, its continued to stutter and chug and jump forward almost every time I accelerate, whether from a complete stop or to go faster than my current speed. It's terrifying.
A D V E R T I S E M E N T S
- Maitland, FL, USA