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CarComplaints.com Notes: The 2016 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:
8 / 0
Injuries / Deaths:
3 / 0
Average Mileage:
43,947 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.

2016 Ford Focus drivetrain problems

drivetrain problem

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2016 Ford Focus Owner Comments (Page 11 of 26)

« Read the previous 20 complaints

problem #316

Feb 162022

Focus

  • 120,000 miles

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

The contact owns a 2016 Ford Focus. The contact stated that while driving at 60 MPH, the vehicle began to stall as the service transmission warning message appeared on the instrument panel. The contact also stated that the vehicle would not accelerate above 35 MPH while the RPM would rev up while depressing the accelerator pedal. The contact had taken the vehicle to a dealer and the vehicle was diagnosed with a defective transmission control module. The contact was also informed that the PCM unit would be reset in order to resume normal driving while they awaited for the transmission control module parts to arrive. Once the parts arrived and the vehicle was repaired, the same failure occurred the moment the contact left the dealer parking lot; the vehicle then remained parked in the contact's driveway. A second diagnostic was performed by the dealer and the contact was given an estimate to replace the clutch. The contact filed a case with the manufacturer to have the cost of the repair covered; however, his case was denied. The vehicle had yet to be repaired and remained in the dealer's possession. The failure mileage was approximately 120,000.

- Fresno, CA, USA

problem #315

Mar 192022

Focus

  • 63,000 miles
The contact owns a 2016 Ford Focus. The contact stated that while the daughter was driving approximately 65 mph, the transmission erroneously down shifted causing the driver to lose control of the steering and crash into the center median causing damage to the undercarriage of the vehicle. During the crash no injuries were reported and no police report was taken. The contact indicated that prior to the incident the vehicle had experienced rough shifting. The vehicle was taken to a local mechanic who diagnosed that the powertrain control module needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not yet repaired. The manufacturer and local dealer were notified of the failure but no assistance was offered.. The failure mileage was 63,000.

- Vernon, TX, USA

problem #314

Mar 142022

Focus

  • miles
I was driving the car about 25 mph and it shudders, and the acceleration is very bad. Sometimes the engine rpms go up to about 5000 before it shifts into the next gear. Also while driving, a "transmission is hot, pull over" message appears randomly. I was able to restart the vehicle after sitting for about 10 minutes on the highway, but the message reappears randomly while driving, and I have to pull over again. The car was taken to Ford, where they said the transmission was in perfect health, but I was charged for replacing the Transmission control unit. Take note that all of the transmission overheating issues are after the Transmission control unit were installed. Every time the car is driven, the hot transmission message pops up and I have to pull over and wait. This is ridiculous. I noticed on this website there are more than 300 powertrain transmission complaints. When will something be done" How many people need to complain before Ford is forced to fix this" The car is very jerky as well, and it does not feel safe to drive.

- Springfield, OR, USA

problem #313

Mar 092017

Focus

  • 3,000 miles

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

The contact owns a 2016 Ford Focus. The contact stated that while accelerating from a complete stop, the vehicle shuddered and delayed in responding. The contact stated as the vehicle shifted from low gear to a higher gear, the vehicle stopped shuddering. There were no warning lights illuminated. The contact continued to drive the vehicle. The dealer was notified of the failure and advised the contact that it was not a failure and the vehicle was operating as designed. The contact stated that the failure had been reoccurring significantly and had increased in intensity. The dealer was notified of the failure and informed the contact that he would be responsible for the cost of the diagnostic test. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and informed the contact that they could not assist as the VIN was not included in a recall associated with the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 3,000.

- University Heights, OH, USA

problem #312

Feb 092022

Focus

  • miles
My vehicle will shutter almost every time I reach about 20 mph and shift from first to second gear. I took it to the dealership and they had explained to me it might be the clutch. I had that repaired a little over two years ago at another location for the same issue, very concerned.

- Mesa, AZ, USA

problem #311

Feb 172022

Focus

  • 112,000 miles
The contact owns a 2016 Ford Focus. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the transmission overheating warning message was displayed. The contact was able to pull over and restart the vehicle; however, the failure recurred and the vehicle hesitated to accelerate. The vehicle was taken to the dealer and diagnosed with clutch and transmission failure. The contact was informed that the transmission needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and directed the contact to a settlement lawsuit link for the transmission. The failure mileage was approximately 112,000. The VIN was unavailable.

- Annandale, VA, USA

problem #310

Nov 302021

Focus

  • 60,000 miles

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

The contact owns a 2016 Ford Focus. The contact stated while driving at various speeds, the vehicle failed to properly accelerate while depressing the accelerator pedal. Additionally, on multiple occasions, while slowing down, the vehicle would stall or attempt to stall before self-correcting and driving normally. The cause of the failure was not yet determined. The local dealer and manufacturer were notified of the failures but no assistance was offered. The failure mileage was 60,000.

- Buckeye, AZ, USA

problem #309

Feb 162022

Focus

  • miles
When I accelerate from a stop, my Ford Focus has a very jerky acceleration. I took it in for service at a certified Ford dealer and was told I need to replace the clutch for $1900. After doing research I found the "Ford Focus and Ford Fiesta PowerShift Transmission Settlement, " however, my Ford Focus is not included in that recall. I believe it's because the build date is outside of the recall/warranty extension, yet I'm having the exact same problems that are mentioned in the settlement. I'm concerned there are more Fords that should be recalled as this issue has persisted for a long time now in my car and is putting myself, my passengers, and other drivers at risk because I can't trust my transmission. And in spite of this ongoing problem, the "check engine" light has never come on.

- Beverly Hills, MI, USA

problem #308

Feb 142022

Focus

  • miles
According to NHTSA my vehicles VIN#, 2016 Ford Focus SE, 60,000 miles is not one of the vehicles covered under this recall. However, my vehicle has been evaluated by a credited mechanic and has found this is the exact issue with the transmission. Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2016-2018 Ford Focus vehicles equipped with a 1.0L Fox GTDI engine and a 6-speed manual transmission. The clutch may fracture, resulting in damage to the transmission assembly and possibly a transmission fluid leak. The 2016 Ford Focus transmission problems are jerks and stuck in gear. I feel this recall should be evaluated further.

- Dover, DE, USA

problem #307

Feb 092022

Focus

  • miles
I have had my shudder in the transmission of my car replaced thru the dealer, and now I am having the same problem. Am I going to have to get this fixed every 9 months?

- Houston, TX, USA

problem #306

Dec 012021

Focus

  • 26,998 miles

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

The contact owns a 2016 Ford Focus. The contact stated that while accelerating from a stop the vehicle jerked violently. Additionally, while driving on the highway, the vehicle jerked occasionally. There were no warning lights illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer where it was diagnosed that the clutch assembly was faulty and was causing the excessive shuddering. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was contacted but no further assistance was provided. The approximate failure mileage was 26,998.

- Boerne, TX, USA

problem #305

Oct 142021

Focus

  • miles
-??Car has problems upshifting/downshifting gears, especially going at high speeds. When braking it takes a while to downshift in result the car tries to maintain the speed resulting in a hard jerk in the car. -??since the car has a problem shifting gears especially braking could end up resulting in rear ending or being rear ended. -??A dealer has confirmed the transmission issue. -??UNKNOWN -??There weren-??t any warning lamps for the SE the problem appeared 3 weeks after I bought the vehicle. The dealer tried to charge me over $4000 for a new transmission.

- Indian Trail, NC, USA

problem #304

Feb 162019

Focus

  • 9,000 miles
The contact's husband owns a 2016 Ford Focus. The contact stated that while driving from a complete stop, the accelerator pedal was depressed, and the vehicle started jerking and was moving very slowly. There were no warning lights illuminated. The contact was able to continue to drive the vehicle with normal acceleration returning after a while. The contact stated that the failure had been reoccurring while driving from a complete stop and had increased in frequency and intensity. The vehicle was taken to the dealer who diagnosed that the transmission clutch needed to be replaced. The contact referenced NHTSA Campaign Number: 18V845000 (Power Train). The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was approximately 9,000.

- Lehi, UT, USA

problem #303

Jul 012018

Focus

  • 40,000 miles
The contact owns a 2016 Ford Focus. The contact stated that while driving at various speeds, the vehicle would hesitate and shudder while shifting gears without warning. The contact had initially taken the vehicle to the dealer where she had the clutch replaced; however, two years after the repair, the failure returned. The contact had then taken the vehicle to an independent mechanic who linked the failure to NHTSA Campaign Number: 18V845000 (Power Train) however, upon speaking to the dealer, the contact was informed that the vehicle was not included in the recall. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and referred her to the NHTSA for assistance. The vehicle had yet to be repaired. The failure mileage was approximately 40,000.

- Springfield, MO, USA

problem #302

Apr 062021

Focus

  • 86,000 miles
The contact owns a 2016 Ford Focus. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the transmission was slipping. The contact was informed by his wife that while driving the vehicle stalled. While adding fuel the vehicle failed to start. The check engine warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer where it was diagnosed with the clutch actuator, purge valve canister, and purge valve failure which needed to be repaired or replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified however, no further assistance was provided. The contact stated the failure was related to NHTSA Campaign Number: 18V845000 (Power Train). The approximate failure mileage was 86,000.

- Rockford, OH, USA

problem #301

Jan 032022

Focus

  • miles
The drive train consistently shudders when starting from a stop and also at low speeds.

- Florence, AZ, USA

problem #300

Jan 032022

Focus

  • miles
I-??ve had powertrain issues for going on 4 months now, I brought this vehicle in for repair soon as it started acting up. The clutch would slip and it didn-??t want to shift. It would jerk really hard if it did. And the rpm-??s would red bar and would get stuck in gear. I brought it into the shop and 2,500$ later they said it was fixed. 2 days later same issues, only worse.. now it wouldn-??t even reverse and was making extremely weird noises even while the car wasn-??t started or had the key in. You could literally just open the door and it would make weird clicking noises for minutes straight. Another 400$ later they said it was fixed for sure this time. 3 days later the car didn-??t even want to start. And when it did it still wouldn-??t reverse. I drove it home from work and it started to smell awful. Not sure what it was. While driving I heard a loud noise as if I had hit a brick wall-?? and my car jerked so hard I almost hit my head on the steering wheel. The transmission light comes on and I got stuck in the middle of an intersection and my car just shut off. I turned it back on and had to gas it to get onto the side of the road and I could only reach about 25mph max. Mileage is only 84K. 2016. I don-??t understand why this powertrain is giving me so many problems and is becoming a huge safety issue for me, as well others. Ford says there is no recall on it even though this has happend to so many others. I don-??t understand

- Grand Ledge, MI, USA

problem #299

Dec 102021

Focus 4-cyl

  • miles
The powertrain continues to have issues on my ford focus, specifically the transmission clutch continues to fail this occurred on 12-10-21 and previously had same issue with the clutch on 3-21-19 at 56, 949 mileage. Vehicle is available for inspection, my safety was put at risk because i was driving on freeway/expressway with cars going 65 mph and the vehicle clutch stalled and would not move forward in the middle of roadway endangering my safety in middle of freeway. The vehicle has been inspected twice by the same Ford Dealership. There were no warning lamps before my safety incident until after the fact where the check engine light appears. For these clutch issues ford says my vin does not qualify yet all these fords have the same issue and ford says im not eligible because my VIN which is ridiculous since they have even extended warranty repairs for 10 years or 100,000. I have attached my work repairs that document this same clutch ford issue. THE CONSUMER REQUESTED AN UPDATE.

- Pico Rivera, CA, USA

problem #298

Nov 052021

Focus

  • miles
Driving on the highway with cruise control on at about 60MPH, with no warning, engine revved to a high RPM with a near total loss of power. Message on the dashboard said to have the Transmission serviced. Car was brought to the dealer where they diagnosed that the Transmission Control Module needed to be replaced, and also the clutch needed to be replaced. Invoice attached. There is a Ford Customer Satisfaction Program associated with this problem that includes Focuses manufactured up to November 5, 1995. When they checked my car's VIN, they said it was not covered because my car was manufactured on November 11th 1995. This CSP is also attached. I believe that the actual number of vehicles affected is more than they have indicated in the CSP and that mine is also affected because it exhibited the same problem and was manufactured within 6 days of the cutoff. This is a dangerous situation that could have resulted in an accident. Luckily the highway was not very busy when it occured.

- Northport, NY, USA

problem #297

Dec 162016

Focus

  • 6 miles
The contact owns a 2016 Ford Focus. The contact stated that while his wife was driving approximately 25-30 MPH, between first and second gear, the vehicle started shuddering inadvertently. The contact stated that the failure had been occurring since purchasing the vehicle. The vehicle was taken to the dealer who diagnosed that the dual-clutch transmission needed to be replaced and that the failure was related to NHTSA Campaign Number: 18V845000 (Power Train). The dealer also advised the contact that he would be responsible for the cost of the repair because the VIN was not included in the recall. The manufacturer was notified of the failure but did not provide any assistance. The vehicle was not repaired. The approximate failure mileage was 6.

- Taylorsville, NC, USA

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