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CarComplaints.com Notes: The 2015 Ford Focus & its "Powershift" transmission has a defect trend where the car shudders when accelerating, especially when starting uphill.

Most owners have reported their Ford Focus remains driveable while the vehicle is still at low mileage, but the shuddering is annoying & unpleasant & may reduce the resale value of the vehicle.

However, owners of higher-mileage vehicles from earlier 3rd generation Focus model years report transmission failure & a host of other major & expensive transmission-related problems. Potential buyers beware.

10.0

really awful
Crashes / Fires:
11 / 0
Injuries / Deaths:
6 / 0
Average Mileage:
41,047 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.

2015 Ford Focus drivetrain problems

drivetrain problem

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2015 Ford Focus Owner Comments (Page 1 of 23)

problem #445

Jul 012024

Focus

  • miles

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

I was driving in the city and my car did the transmission clutch shudder so bad I almost got t boned I have 120k miles on it and I think ford should have to find a better replacement fix to fix it right I had it already in there for a year just waiting on a part for the transmission now this

- Gratiot, WI, USA

problem #444

Jun 262024

Focus

  • miles
The contact owns a 2015 Ford Focus. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle shifted erratically, after which the vehicle lost motive power. The vehicle returned to normal functionality, but the failure became a regular occurrence. The check engine warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, who diagnosed a failure with the transmission. The vehicle was not repaired. After investigating the failure, the contact related the failure to Customer Satisfaction Program: 14M02. The manufacturer was notified of the failure, a case was opened, and the contact was referred to the NHTSA Hotline for assistance. The failure mileage was unknown.

- Antioch, TN, USA

problem #443

Feb 222023

Focus

  • 183,000 miles
The contact owns a 2015 Ford Focus. The contact stated that while driving at various speeds, the vehicle started shuddering while accelerating. There were no warning lights illuminated. The vehicle was taken to a local dealer where it was diagnosed with transmission failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and referred the contact to the NHTSA Hotline for assistance. The failure mileage was approximately 183,000.

- Versailles, KY, USA

problem #442

Jun 212024

Focus

  • 156,970 miles

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

The contact owns a 2015 Ford Focus. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle had the message "Starting Fault System" displayed on the instrument panel. The contact stated that the instrument panel had completely failed. The contact stated that while at a stop sign, the vehicle stalled in the middle of the intersection, and had to be manually pushed into a parking lot. After several attempts, the vehicle was able to be restarted. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired by an independent mechanic or dealer. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was approximately 156,970.

- Sanderson, FL, USA

problem #441

Jun 042024

Focus

  • miles
1.Clutch shudders and hesitates on acceleration 2. safe driving requires non hesitation when accelerating 3. yes the dealer confirmed 4. Dealership has inspected, recommends replacement of clutch on automatic transmission at 27,000 miles 5. no warnings indicated, car has been regularly serviced by the dealership From what I am reading, this is a common problem and a design flaw per the dealership

- Tonawanda, NY, USA

problem #440

Jun 122018

Focus

  • 92,000 miles
The contact owns a 2015 Ford Focus. The contact stated that there was hesitation or lagging while attempting to accelerate at various speeds. The vehicle was taken to the dealer where it was diagnosed that the clutch had failed. The clutch was replaced; however, the failure persisted. The vehicle was returned to the dealer but was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure, and it was confirmed that the VIN was not under recall. The manufacturer referred the contact to the NHTSA Hotline to file a complaint. The failure mileage was 92,000.

- Port Saint Lucie, FL, USA

problem #439

Dec 152022

Focus

  • 65,000 miles

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

The contact owns a 2015 Ford Focus. The contact stated that while operating the vehicle and shifting to drive(D), the vehicle jerked and vibrated. Eventually, the transmission failed, and the vehicle would not drive forward. The vehicle was towed to the local dealer who diagnosed that the transmission clutch was faulty and needed to be replaced. The transmission clutch was replaced but the vehicle continued to jerk and vibrate while driving. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer to be diagnosed and it was determined that the transmission clutch was failing again. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 65,000.

- Gary, IN, USA

problem #438

Mar 152024

Focus

  • miles
What happened? I purchased a 2015 Ford Focus from Carvana in November 2022 with about 70,000 miles on it. Since then, the vehicle has experienced numerous and severe mechanical failures. The engine mount and transmission mount have both failed and required replacement. Additionally, the rotors, Transmission Control Module (TCM), and clutch have all needed to be replaced, with the clutch failing five times throughout the car's history. Despite extensive repairs costing upwards of $7,000, the issues persist. Most Recently, The vehicle was subsequently towed to a Ford dealership after replacing the clutch for the 6th time in vehicle history. What component or system failed or malfunctioned, and is it available for inspection upon request? The components that failed include the engine mount, transmission mount, rotors, Transmission Control Module (TCM), clutch, and evap purge system. These components are available for inspection upon request. How was your safety or the safety of others put at risk" The frequent mechanical failures and replacements, particularly of critical components like the TCM and clutch, have compromised the reliability and safety of the vehicle, posing a significant risk during operation. The vehicle's tendency to stall while driving or idling increases the risk of accidents, potentially leading to rear-end or T-bone collisions. Yes, the problems have been confirmed and addressed by both a dealer and independent service centers. Has the vehicle or component been inspected by the manufacturer, police, insurance representatives or others? The vehicle has been inspected by independent service centers and possibly by the dealer. Were there any warning lamps, messages or other symptoms of the problem prior to the failure, and when did they first appear" No, there were no check engine lights or warning lights prior to the failures. The issues began appearing shortly after the purchase in November 2022.

- Bronx, NY, USA

problem #437

May 162024

Focus

  • 94,946 miles
The contact owns a 2015 Ford Focus. The contact stated while driving 40 MPH, the transmission unintendedly shifted in to neutral(N). The check engine warning was illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer where it was diagnosed transmission clutch failure and the fuel pressure sensor needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and referred the contact to the NHSTA Hotline for assistance. The failure mileage was approximately 94,946.

- Jarrell, TX, USA

problem #436

May 082024

Focus

  • miles
When accelerating through 10-15 mph the vehicle shudders more than normal

- Mcdonald, PA, USA

problem #435

Mar 232024

Focus

  • 160,000 miles

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

The contact owns a 2015 Ford Focus. The contact stated while driving at 75 MPH with the cruise control engaged, the vehicle stalled. There were no warning lights illuminated. The vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic who was unable to assist. The vehicle was towed to another independent mechanic who stated that the transmission belt had caused of the failure. The local dealer was not contacted. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was contacted and opened a case. The approximate failure mileage was 160,000.

- Toledo, OH, USA

problem #434

Dec 062022

Focus

  • 62,000 miles
The contact owns a 2015 Ford Focus. The contact stated while driving 20-25 MPH, the vehicle was shuddering abnormally. There was no warning light illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, where the contact was informed that no defect was found; however, the failure recurred increasingly. The vehicle was taken to another dealer, Mace Ford (4501 S US Hwy 41, Terre Haute, IN 47802), where the TCM was replaced; however, the failure persisted. The dealer diagnosed the vehicle with transmission clutch shudder and determined that the transmission clutch needed to be replaced. The dealer informed the contact that the vehicle could not be repaired under Ford Campaign Number: 19N08 because the campaign had expired. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and a case was opened. The manufacturer referred the contact to the NHTSA Hotline for assistance. The failure mileage was approximately 62,000.

- Paris, IL, USA

problem #433

Apr 192024

Focus

  • 107,000 miles
The contact owns a 2015 Ford Focus. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle decelerated and shuddered. The contact also stated that the vehicle failed to accelerate above 17 MPH. The check engine warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer where it was diagnosed that the clutches and transmission needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired as the clutch was not included in a warranty program. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and confirmed that the module and transmission was covered under the warranty. The failure mileage was approximately 107,000. The VIN was not available.

- Palm Coast, FL, USA

problem #432

Apr 162024

Focus

  • miles
Stopped to get gas. Turned off engine. After filling up gas tank, car would not start, or crank/turn over. No check engine light has been on, no warning lights. Disconnected battery for about fifteen min. Car started up. Took it to shop, they changed out the evap Purge system. It failed when they tested it so they changed that out. Car did not stall when they test drove it. Car stalled two more times. Once when accelerating from a red light, and second time when just sitting in idle. Car just shuts itself off but the radio stays on. This is such a safety hazard because of the fact that not only does it stall in the middle of me driving But I-??m very lucky I didn-??t get rear ended or T boned because of this. So I thought this issue was fixed but obviously not. After the last time it stalled after getting it fixed, I then had it towed to a Ford dealership. I know this has been a recall on other Ford focuses. For some reason not mine which is a 2015 Focus. Last year I had to have the TCM fixed which was a recall so that was free however then they tell me that my clutch went bad at 60k miles" I shelled out almost $3k for that nonsense. Now This stalling it constantly Day after day at 75k miles" Thanks a lot FORD. Take your piece of [XXX] back and issue this a recall. Either way it-??s Ford-??s fault and should pay for this safety issue for free. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

- Washington , NJ, USA

problem #431

Apr 012024

Focus

  • miles
Purchased this car used from a family friend about 4 years ago. The car currently has 59,000 miles on it. I recently noticed a shuddering in the transmission when I accelerate the car (mostly in the lowest starting gear). The car was taken to the Ford dealer for diagnosis. The dealer states that the issue is with the transmission clutch and the price to repair the issue is approximately $4,300. The Ford service technician described this transmission as a manual transmission automatically shifted. The prior owner confirmed he had the same issue with the car early in his ownership and had the transmission clutch replaced then. I confirmed with the dealer that the transmission clutch was replaced at 10,178 miles. This is the same exact issue again. The Ford dealership said the transmission clutch issue had caused Ford to extend the warranty to 7 years and 100,000 miles, whichever occurred first. The car is now 8 1/2 years since original purchase, but way under the warranty limit of 100,000 miles. Ford will not honor any warranty or remedy the situation. I believe a $4,300 clutch assembly replacement at least every 50,000 miles or less is horrendous.

- Santa Barbara, CA, USA

problem #430

Aug 232023

Focus

  • 60,000 miles
The contact owns a 2015 Ford Focus. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle stalled. The contact stated that when the failure occurred, the contact turned off and restarted the vehicle. The vehicle was restarted; however, the failure continued for approximately eight months. Additionally, recently the check engine warning light illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer where it was diagnosed with a failed clutch fork and the clutch fork needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and advised the contact to report the failure to the NHTSA Hotline. The failure mileage was approximately 60,000.

- Firestone, CO, USA

problem #429

Apr 142024

Focus

  • 157,573 miles
Studdering, won-??t shift, stalls out, recall repaired still does the same thing, transmission doesn-??t shift right and stalls out in traffic.

- Brighton , IL, USA

problem #428

Jan 022023

Focus

  • miles
Transmission plate failed at 70k miles

- New Philadelphia, OH, USA

problem #427

Mar 222024

Focus

  • miles
Car has a transmission stutter when pulling out into traffic or at low speeds. Apparently it is a known issue from Ford and the vehicle is outside their 7yr warranty, but only has 67k miles on it so it is not covered.

- Sandston, VA, USA

problem #426

May 222022

Focus

  • 72,000 miles
The contact owns a 2015 Ford Focus. The contact stated while driving at various speeds, the transmission malfunctioned causing the vehicle to erroneously downshift and lose motive power. Additionally, the vehicle would not properly accelerate while depressing the accelerator pedal. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer who diagnosed that the transmission clutch disk and transmission actuators were faulty and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not yet repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure, but no assistance was offered. The failure mileage was 72,000.

- Columbus, OH, USA

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