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.
The contact owns a 2016 Ford Focus. The contact stated that while driving at various speeds in stop and go traffic, a warning message that read, "transmission overheated, pull over" appeared on the instrument panel. The contact pulled over, restarted the vehicle after 5 minutes and resumed normal driving. The contact took the vehicle to an independent transmission specialist who was unable to diagnose the failure. The contact then took the vehicle to mooresville Ford (151 E plaza dr, mooresville, nc 28115) and was informed that there were no recalls on the vehicle and offered no further assistance. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was approximately 73,000.
I have been 3 times in Ford by problem with the clutch, the last time they said that the insure don't pay any more and I need to pay to fix it by 2350$. if I fixed it before, witch one will be the guaranteed, because they gave me the last time but they don't want to cover now, you can feel that the car lost power, this slip inside the transmition
When pulling off from a standstill the transmission slips and jerks. This problem does, nt happen every time but it appears to be worse when there are passengers in the car. The date below is the last time it happened. Have taken it back to the dealership and they said it did ok when they drove it.
- Bedford, VA, USA
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I was on the way driving to fiesta Ford in indio to get my transmission fixed I had no other way to get it towed down there that my warranty, patriot warranty decided not to fix my car after having my car for 2 weeks remind you I'm a caregiver so driving on the way you know my transmission is gone it startled on me and a diesel nearly hit mei've been trying to find the recall on on the transmission but they said that it's too late the transmission been messed up since the day that I got it it was a used car I got it from coachella Volkswagen
The contact owns a 2016 Ford Focus. The contact stated that the transmission shuddered between shifting gears. No waring light was illuminated. The contact stated that the vehicle was taken to the dealer for a letter he received from Ford for the repair of the clutch assembly and hardware, and the replacement of the clutch modulator. The contact stated that the repair was not due to a recall. The vehicle was taken to the northgate Ford (8940 colerain ave, cincinnati, oh 45251), and the contact was informed that the vehicle was out of warranty for the repair of the transmission clutch and he had to pay out of pocket for the repair. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and referred the contact to NHTSA. The failure mileage was approximately 79,552.
The affected vehicles are 2011 to 2016 fiestas and 2012 to 2016 Focus models. The powershift transmission is a six-speed dual-clutch automatic, and complaints about the gearbox include stumbling, shuddering, rough shifts, hesitation, and premature wear.Mar 6, 2020 does this apply towards my car make & model"??"
The vehicle has had 2 transmission failures withing 1,700 miles. The first at 64,000 miles and change, which began with grinding in 3rd gear and progressed to 4th as well. It was replaced with a factory refurbished transmission. This transmission failed at 66,000 miles, less than 2 months after repair. This time it was just grinding in 4th gear. Both of these occasions occurred during driving at about 30 mph and normal shifting, in a straight line. The vehicle was in motion during both of these
Vehicle manufactured 06/2016. Vehicle has shuttered when accelerating from a stop since purchase in fall 2016. I have brought the vehicle to the dealer for this and they informed me there is nothing they can do about it, it is just the way the 2016 Ford Focus is built. On 31 August 2020 the vehicle was off in a parking spot. When I turned the vehicle on and shifted into reverse, to back out, the vehicle would not move and the service engine light is came on. When I put the vehicle in reverse the dashboard indicator reads R and the back up camera activates but the tires do not spin and the vehicle does not move. To back out of a parking space I have to push the vehicle out. I have driven the vehicle approx 30 miles since this happened and the shuttering is much worse than before. When starting to move from a stop the vehicle struggles for about 5 seconds before acceleration. Vehicle is at 82,395 miles. Consumer has been in contact with the dealer and has replaced the tcm which was under recall but issue is recurring. Dealer is asking for $3,000 to have it fixed. Consumer has contacted the manufacturer and was provided #20B23 (replacement of clutch activator motor). Consumer provided info to dealer but vehicle is not qualified does not have error codes listed.
When you put the car into drive and start to drive to car starts to shutter, every time! until you are able to reach around 50 miles per hour, then it will stop. It feels as if the transmission is coming out. This car has done this since we purchased it in 2018. We have had the car serviced at a Ford dealership 3 X's a every time it happens again.
I had a recall replaced on 9/18/2018 for the dual clutch transmission. Shortly after it was replaced my car was having the same issues. I had this part retested and again it did indeed fail the test and the clutch is not properly working. I was told by the dealership that this issue tends to happen on Ford about 45,000 miles. Ive already had this part replaced and dont qualify under the new recall on the same part. Anytime I increase in speed my whole front end shakes and jolts. Ive paid attention to how it will do this in gears1-2 once it hits just over three it evens out.
I purchased vehicle from a used car dealer, 30 days later my transmission blows in the middle of a active freeway, I contacted my dealership and they refuse to take the car back because it's been over 2 weeks.
2016 Focus rs. I have only had the car for a year. Randomly the car starts blowing out a very light white smoke while idling (from what I have observed.) after multiple attempts at contacting my local dealership they seem to believe it is the head gasket with a defect. This smoke is only noticeable when idling. Also I was only able to get a significant amount of smoke to develop when putting the air conditioning on full blast.
Ford Focus purchased new for our daughter in 2016. We all noticed a stutter or jerking motion upon acceleration and odd feeling when it shifted gears.. this has been going on for years. This cars is essentially all my daughters. I advised her as well as calling myself to the dealership we purchased it from because she wanted to take it in for an oil change or tire rotation. She advised them of the issue many times, no every time she took it up there. She was always told it was "normal" and nothing was wrong with it. So we trusted them that for some odd reason this is normal. Jan 2020. She was driving and the car began to shudder very badly the check engine light came on and it began to stop in the road like she was breaking. She described it as the car was just breaking on its own type feeling in the middle of a busy road. She brought it slowly to the dealership right away as it was not drivable.apparently it is an transmission issue. A well known one! I will provide the service record in this for you to see what was replaced the numbers and codes etc. It was at the shop Jan 10-13th. Well they did replace some parts it was still doing the jerking stutter when accelerating after the repairs. Again she assumed that was normal because we have been told that many times and we thought maybe the actual problem she had was fixed. It was not. The transmission issue will never be fixed from what I am learning today in regards to this 2016 Focus in the news. I am reaching out for someone to listen to all of us. It is not a coincidence that so many of us can not seem to get our vehicles fixed at least if they can not fix them take them back! I never knew this was such a huge ongoing problem with essentially defective vehicles.. Ford needs to be held responsible. We will take the car in again next week for them to tell us its "normal". seat also has stopped adjusting.
Shuddering feeling while accelerating from a stop'like someone who can't feather the clutch properly on a stick shift'followed by a rough 1-2 upshift that again sends a vibration throughout the vehicle. Sounds very bad as well. Vehicle in motion.
The wipers stop working and freeze up in the middle of the windshield constantly!! blocking view from driving. The car shudders every time you go from a stopped position. Worst car I've ever owned. Been to the Ford dealer several times. Never gets fixed.
My check engine light came on and I took it to a local mechanic. The codes were P1450 and PO456 which are associated with the safety recall of the canister purge valve. The fuel tank is also deformed. My cars VIN is not associated with the recall so they will not cover it and I am expected to cover it. My car also has vibration at idle and has clutch shudder over 250 RPM. Ford fixed my transmission module in 2018 with a previous recall after it stalled several times. Now I am having issues again. The service advisor said they updated the transmission module in 2018 but the customer care agent tried to tell me they replaced the parts entirely in 2018 and not just updated. I notified her of the service advisors statement and then she went back to saying my VIN wasn't part of an open recall. My vehicle is at 74,563 miles and has already had several major issues regarding transmission and canister purge valve.
A D V E R T I S E M E N T S
- North Platte, NE, USA