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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 18 of 26)

« Read the previous 20 complaints

problem #176

Nov 302019

Focus

  • 110,319 miles

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

Car has been vibrating whenever accelerating since the first 6 months after it was purchased. Car was purchased in 2016. Started stalling a few months ago after any stops. Thought maybe transmission oil was low or dirty so I had it changed. Right after oil change check engine light came on and car began driving as it would get stuck. Had the car coded and it came back that the clutch was getting jammed. When I contacted Ford they said this was a known problem and that they would fix it as long as I was under 100K. I am an uber driver full time and my car is over 100K. Called Ford recall office and they told me I was never notified of this extended warranty because my car didn't fall under the year of the clutch issues. Ford has been trying to buy back my car 4months since I drove off the lot and I should of knew that was a red flag. I am currently spending 55 dollar a day on a rental so that I may continue doing uber which is how I earn my income. I do not want to pay money to get this car fixed and then another issue arises.

- Fort Washington, MD, USA

problem #175

Sep 012019

Focus

  • 66,000 miles
The 6-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission has a well-documented shudder when beginning to accelerate- jerky motion, no or delayed motion, extreme shaking of the front of the car. It happens repeatedly. Ford has repaired this problem once, but the repair process was faulty, as the problem has returned. In 8/2019, Ford extended the warranty on the car to 7 years or 100,000 miles, for focuses built between July 4, 2013, to Nov. 5, 2015. My 2016 Focus was built after this date, so Ford is not making the repair. They claim changes were made to subsequent models to alleviate the need for repairs-- but my 2016 Focus is problematic for the second time, shooting down that assertion.

- Palm Springs, GU, USA

problem #174

Dec 012019

Focus

  • 12,000 miles
I bought the car at a Ford dealer in March of this year and was steered into it without any mention of the tranny and clutch problems. Sure enough the clutch is slipping at only 12000 miles! we have been waiting for a clutch to come in for 10 days so far. I contacted Ford and they just said they would keep fixing it. I can`T believe that they were allowed to keep selling these cars knowing the problems that they had! we told them we were buying a car to get back and forth to the city when my bf gets his kidney transplant and this is what we are stuck paying for for over 5 more years and they say there is no permanent fix! we are scared to even drive it! it jerks into gear from low to 2 and sometimes hesitates. If it does this at the wrong time, it could get us killed!

- Batavia, NY, USA

problem #173

Dec 132019

Focus

  • 95,000 miles

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

Transmission module was going 60 car when to 30 mph, car can go in rev was informed by dealer. Car wont start on cold or warm days not battery, clicks after trying to start and turn off.

- Wf, TX, USA

problem #172

Dec 042019

Focus

  • 21,000 miles
I was driving to work and noticed a hitch in the automatic transmission's gear shifting. It felt like it was slowing down at moments while I accelerated. It would kick back in during those moments and start to work as normal. When I left work at a later date my car did not accelerate properly as I was merging onto a highway ramp from another ramp. A car that was coming down the blvd almost hit me but I rode off to the shoulder beyond the first ramp onto the second entrance. As I drove home I noticed a worse loss of power to the point of a feel of almost shutting down as I drove home. As I was parking I noticed my car was not working in drive. It felt like it was in neutral. I had to put it in park then back to drive to get it to go forward. One thing I notice about a year ago was that the low gear was far slower than other cars I had in the past. I mentioned it to a person at the desk at Ford's repair department and they said that the low gear was just slower than it is on other cars.

- Middle River, MD, USA

problem #171

Dec 072019

Focus

  • miles
I've gotten my vehicle's transmission serviced twice in the last year under warranty for the same problem. The transmission's clutches were replaced to supposedly fix problems with the vehicle lacking acceleration and rough shifting. Even after getting the transmission serviced, the vehicle still suffered the same symptoms. The most extreme problem/concern is that the vehicle sometimes goes into neutral although it's in 'drive'.vehicle currently has 78,000 miles.

- Seattle, WA, USA

problem #170

Nov 232019

Focus

  • 94,000 miles

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

While driving 70mph on the highway - the car immediately shifted into neutral and then after a short period, slammed into a lower gear. This could have been bad if there was any traffic as the car immediately slowed down.

- Lake Ozark, MO, USA

problem #169

Nov 012019

Focus

  • 67,000 miles
I bought this 2016 Focus in hopes on giving it to my daughter but I will not, it is not a safe gave to drive. Out of nowhere it was struggling to go into drive gear and the reverse gear and then I was jerking really bad where my daughters heads we're hurting because of itso I took it to a Ford dealership in riverside California and they are trying to charge me now $3,000 and they had it for more than a month now and I am about to lose my job because of the situation with this car Ford is saying that they would pay for my rental but it's still being charged to my card which I am being overdraft for and I'm coming in more in-depth and debt because of this car I am a single mother trying to provide for my children all on my ownthis is unacceptable of Ford and this situation has caused me to go into an accident and I end up hitting another carthis transmission issue should not be an expense I should be paying for or becoming in debt for fortune be fully liable for the situation

- San Bernardino, CA, USA

problem #168

May 012017

Focus

  • 20,000 miles
My vehicle shutters and lurches when accelerating from a stop, and has issues while the automatic transmission shifts. This has been ongoing for several years. It has not "failed", but looking online, there are several blogs and reports on this same issue. When sending a complaint to Ford and the local dealership, I keep getting told that there are no known issues with the production of the Ford Focus and its transmission. I just got done reading an article I found on fox new, where it states that there is an investigation by government agencies into the issue of Ford knowing about the possibility of a defective or problematic transmission.

- El Paso, TX, USA

problem #167

Nov 262019

Focus

  • 21,000 miles
The contact owns a 2016 Ford Focus. While driving 55 mph, the vehicle jerked and lost power without warning. The contact veered to the shoulder of the road, shifted into park, and turned the vehicle off and back on; however, the failure continued. The vehicle was towed by the police to the impound lot where roadside assistance was contacted. The vehicle was then towed to koons falls church Ford (1051 E broad St, falls church, va 22044) where it currently remained. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The contact referenced NHTSA campaign number: 16V479000 (power train). The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 21,000.

- Arlington, VA, USA

problem #166

Nov 022019

Focus 4-cyl

  • 55,000 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 after a stop, the vehicle slowed down and stopped. At some point during the failure, the check engine indicator illuminated and then turned off. The failure recurred. The vehicle was taken to autonation Ford sanford (407-680-0781, located at 4911 wayside drive, sanford, fl 32771) where it was diagnosed that there was a faulty purge valve. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 55,000. The consumer stated the vehicle was tested for the recall repair but, was not needed. Six (6) months later the recall repair was needed. The manufacturer declined to honor the recall.

- Lake Mary, FL, USA

problem #165

Mar 152019

Focus

  • 26,000 miles
I was not told about the known defect at the time of sale. Shortly after driving the car after purchase, I called in to have it serviced. The car has trouble accelerating most times going up hill but also on flat. I was told then that this is a known issue and will be an going problem. When asked why I wasn't told prior to buying I was told by the head of service that this is business. I've tried to get it fixed three times, each time has been unsuccessful. I have another service appointment Dec 4. I have children and worry about their safety. My car has also stalled three times when the car wasn't on E. I was parked each time it stalled. There are times when driving it feels like it's going to stall.

- Pittsburgh, PA, USA

problem #164

Nov 012019

Focus

  • 103,009 miles
Transmission element stuck on neutral, Ford Focus 2016, Ford sold the cars and knew there was a problem. Gear sifts in neutral, my car hesitated in a crossing and my car was hit in the back door..the clutch slips in neutral, Ford uses dry clutches in this car for efficiency, but wet clutches would bathe the friction discs. Ford issued documents with the problem code dps6, around the world they have had class action suits pertaining to this problem.

- Cleveland, OH, USA

problem #163

Nov 182019

Focus

  • 93,000 miles
After driving the vehicle for about 2 hours I pulled over on a flat parking spot and then put the car in reverse and when I pushed on the gas the vehicle lurched forward almost hitting the car in front of me I switched gears back in to drive low then back to park then back to reverse and it still wanted to go forward. After 4 times going through the gears it finally went into reverse.

- Petaluma, CA, USA

problem #162

Oct 152019

Focus

  • 105,000 miles
I bought this Focus a year and a half ago and I've replaced the clutch 2 times already. This is an ongoing issue with the Ford Focus SE. It's only been 8 months since I replaced it and it already going out again. Its starting to grind going into 1st,2ed and 3rd gear and it grinds as I'm coming to a stop

- Casa Grande, AZ, USA

problem #161

Feb 262017

Focus

  • miles
When I first bought the car it started making noise when I drove it I took it in they said they fixed the problems it was still under warranty. After a couple of weeks it started making the same noises so when I had time a couple of months later I took it in again and they told me it was the transmission and that my warranty was not active anymore. It made the same noises the first time I took it in and they never said it was the transmission it was a wheel problem. I'm asking for help on what to do thanks.

- Palm Desert, CA, USA

problem #160

Oct 102019

Focus

  • 59,000 miles
While driving within city limits on a daily basis, my vehicle shutters from the start and at acceleration, sometimes stalls as I start to eccelerate from red lights and stop signs, creating potential hazardous conditions. Engine light has come on and want go off, and smells of fuel while vehicle is being driven.

- San Antonio, TX, USA

problem #159

Oct 252019

Focus

  • 65,000 miles
Issue with the clutch. I have to replace the clutch again on my car and there appear to be continued issues with Ford Focus clutches. My car won't shift correctly and I was told inaccurate information by two separate Ford dealerships. The car won't properly shift when gaining speed and feels like it is going to stall. My car does not shift well all all types of roads, including city streets and highways. This has happened multiple times and an ongoing issue, not one occurrence. After researching Ford Focus clutches, there appears to be a recall on some vehicles. I was told my car is not part of this recall. However, my car is having the same issues as noted in the recall and this seems to be a poor quality clutch manufacturing issues on all Ford focuses, not just the specific group that was initially listed. I feel that my car also should be a part of this recall and there could be many other customers experiencing this as well.

- Nashua, NH, USA

problem #158

Aug 012019

Focus

  • 27,000 miles
When car warms up about 25 minutes when accelerating from a stop the car jolts and shutters and shakes your body as you're holding the steering wheel. So it is very dangerous when entering an intersection and your go to accelerate and the car shakes your body because it's jolting because the transmission is acting up. This is definitely a safety issue and needs to be addressed.

- Trenton, NJ, USA

problem #157

Mar 212017

Focus

  • 8,600 miles
Transmission shudders, shakes, bangs, mis-shifts, etc. While driving; mostly during up or down shifts. This is dangerous. Dealer romano Ford in fayetteville, NY has given up; we all know there is no repair.

- Cazenovia, NY, USA

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