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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:
0 / 1
Injuries / Deaths:
0 / 0
Average Mileage:
31,352 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 electrical problems

electrical problem

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2016 Ford Focus Owner Comments (Page 3 of 4)

« Read the previous 20 complaints

problem #29

Jan 122020

Focus

  • 87,000 miles

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

Earlier in January, I was driving down interstate 70 from Kansas City to St. Louis at the rate of 77 mph. All of a sudden the car dings and sends a message on the dash "engine failure" and the car literally shuts down. I had no control over the car, no lights, no brakes, nothing! luckily I got to the shoulder of the road safely and finally came to a stop. I put the car in park and turned the key off. Still nothing... I waited about 5 minutes and then turned the car back on and thankfully it started. I drove it to the nearest place to have them run a diagnostic test and nothing came up. Finally got it home. It's not done this again, but now it runs rough. Like really rough. I've had the transmission clutch fixed once already. Luckily it was still under warranty. I will be contacting my local Ford dealer about this issue. Was unaware it was under recall.

- Lawrenceville, IL, USA

problem #28

Dec 132019

Focus

  • 95,000 miles
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 #27

Mar 202018

Focus 4-cyl

  • miles
2016 Ford Focus SE. Consumer writes in regards to crooked steering wheel and defective charging ports and bluetooth.

- Elmer, NJ, USA

problem #26

Aug 302019

Focus

  • 53,000 miles

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

The update was done on the PCM due to vehicle not starting and fuel gage saying empty when I knew it had more than half tank. Now it is doing the same thing only worse. It worries me that this has cause my ignition to go bad as well due to this recall.

- Grants, NM, USA

problem #25

Mar 012019

Focus

  • 55,000 miles
The contact owns a 2016 Ford Focus. While driving various speeds, the infotainment screen malfunctioned and caused the screen to freeze. The contact heard a loud noise when the failure occurred. The vehicle was taken to ourisman Ford & Lincoln (6129 richmond hwy, alexandria, va 22303, (703) 660-9000) where the contact was informed that the accessory protocol interface module needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and informed the contact that the vehicle was not included in a recall. The failure mileage was 55,000.

- Alexandria, VA, USA

problem #24

Jul 192019

Focus

  • 45,522 miles
The transmission seems like it is slipping and not going into gear. When I try to put I put the car into reverse and push gas peddle it does not go, but when I put in drive it moves. The car only has 45, xxx miles. When I start the car a bunch of clicking sounds come from the motor, and when I turn the car off it makes a bunch of weird clicking sounds also

- Mansfield, TX, USA

problem #23

May 292016

Focus

  • 24,000 miles

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

I was driving on my way home, and my car stalled in the middle of the road. I had to throw the car in neutral and crank it back up and slam it into drive and speed off, because I was going to get hit both directions. The transmission shudders hard in between gears, stalls out on hills/ struggles on hills, it fails to accelerate in the moment, the car fails to know what gear it wants to be in. That's just the beginning. I live in the city a small area not very populated but I still deal with stop and go traffic the transmission jerks hard if you don't start moving at a steady pace. The highway though it does relatively well, but that's when other problems start I have loss of power at times while in cruise control, it will bounce back and fourth like I have bad gas or something, it also has a very bad glitch with the windshield wipers (they hit each other). I have had the upmost problems with this car primarily the transmission, but that's not all folks. I do however feel this car is such a safety hazard to people, I have a "dont buy a Focus" sticker going down both sides of my cars windows. I'm stuck with this car because of credit issues so I'm going to let everyone know my story if I can save them having problems not even a year after buying this brand new Focus. All Ford had to say is it's a clutch problem if completely safe. That's even when I told them I didn't feel safe and I didn't want to drive it till they did something about it. I'm not on transmission clutch set #5 I've dealt with so much lost time because of this matter and Ford should be held completely responsible. Start date for the problems is the day I bought the car. Dont buy a Focus!!!!

- Daphne, AL, USA

problem #22

May 102019

Focus

  • Automatic transmission
  • 50,000 miles
" takata recall" I was driving to work when my car started smelling hot. I literally just left my house I was about 5 miles from home. It smelled like how you use the heater for the first time during cold weather. I checked the gauges to make sure I was not over heating. I had no warning lights pop on and my temp gauge was normal. I than started seeing smoke coming from the side of the hood. I pulled over on the side of the road and got out. The entire car under neath was on fire. I immediately got away from the car and waited for the fire department and police to come.

- Kalamazoo, MI, USA

problem #21

Mar 312019

Focus

  • 18,131 miles
The vehicle shuts down, while coming to a stop. The message in the window reads, put the car in park in restart the vehicle. This has happened on four occasions. Most recently three weeks after servicing for the same problem. On this most recent occasion, Sunday, March 31st., I stopped to put the car in reverse to park and begin to move the vehicle shut down. I was in front of my home parking.

- Baltimore, MD, USA

problem #20

Feb 142019

Focus

  • 52,000 miles
Ive had several occasions where I have my keys in my purse never opened the hatch in the back went inside a store came back out to my hatchback door open this is very concerning to me I do have my sons baseball equipment and my speakers in which one got stolen I need to know if anything is going to be done soon so I know what my next steps are going to be.

- El Cajon, CA, USA

problem #19

Apr 012018

Focus

  • 30,000 miles

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

The contact owns a 2016 Ford Focus. When the vehicle was started, the fuel mileage displayed 50 miles when the tank was halfway filled. The contact also mentioned that the speedometer and fuel gauge needles were rapidly fluctuating. Also, while attempting to accelerate from a stop, the vehicle would not accelerate. The contact turned the vehicle off and heard an abnormal ticking noise when the vehicle was restarted. The vehicle was not taken to a dealer or independent mechanic for diagnostic testing or repairs. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failures. The failure mileage was 30,000.

- Peyton, CO, USA

problem #18

Jan 032019

Focus

  • 117,000 miles
The transmission clutch sticks and if not repaired car will stop running; car dealer stated it will be over $2200 to be remedied. This happens on the roadway while driving: Car hesitated before going into gear. Even when I'm motion it will back down and slow up. The ignition over years and needs to cool down before the car restarts.

- Lindenwold, NJ, USA

problem #17

Nov 072018

Focus

  • miles
Overheating

- San Fernando, CA, USA

problem #16

Oct 252018

Focus

  • 32,020 miles
Driving to work all instrument lights came on, RPM and speedometer dropped to 0, milage turned to -----, followed by message steering assist failure, followed by transmission failure service now message, I pulled over to the side of the road. Turned off the engine to see if messages would clear. Would not restart, not in park message came on. I disconnected the battery to try to reset the car, car started and allowed me to shift into park, but would not shift into drive. I turned off the car and disconnected the battery a second time. Started the car put it into drive the car moved all instrument lights except the engine light went off. Drove the car to the dealer. The dealer found the following codes U1013:00:68 & U0101:00:68 replaced the tcm all codes were cleared. They road tested it to verify it was fine. A week later this all happened again, except I was stopped. I turned off the car, it would not start a new message ignition failure came on. I had to have the car towed to the dealer where it has been for 2 days. No update as to what is wrong.

- Tuscola, IL, USA

problem #15

Oct 272018

Focus

  • 74,897 miles
I have a 2016 Ford Focus hatchback every time when it rains hard or when I have the car washed water is getting into the wiring underneath the taillights shorting out the wiring I smelling burnt wiring the left taillight is out, the right brake light stays on, the right rear red turn signal is out, the left front side running light is out, the right front side turn signal is out. This car is a 100% lemon!

- Kingman, AZ, USA

problem #14

Oct 162018

Focus

  • 20,000 miles
Ford Focus 2016 is transmission is still experiencing problems as previous Ford models in category, including engine slips, shuddering, stalling and not changing gears properly, create hazards, im constantly battling to drive this vehicle, and it doesn't even have more than 20,000 miles on it, I have almost been in a numerous amount of recks on the highway, or even leaving my house because of this car, I constantly fear for my safety within this vehicle, and I know its a matter of time before something happens, im stuck in this vehicle and nobody has the answers. Today for example I was leaving my house I stoped at a stop sign to take a left it was morning traffic, I take a turn in an appropriate manner, but the rpms jump to 4 almost 5, and the car starts to violently shake and it stalls briefly in the middle of both lanes and makes a shuddering noise as I accelerate more to get out of the way, it shakes more and jumps forward in a jerking motion, I was almost hit by a car!! this car has a clean record, no recks or anything and properly taken care of!

- Birmingham, AL, USA

problem #13

Jun 212018

Focus

  • 55,000 miles
When I cut off the car and hen got back in everything was dead nothing would come on would not even come out of park it would no do anythimg

- Gaylesville, AL, USA

problem #12

Apr 242018

Focus

  • miles
Windshield wipers stick in line of site safety hazard when driving. Has been in shop multiple times and still continues to be unsafe to drive.

- Pickerington, OH, USA

problem #11

Mar 072018

Focus

  • 7,000 miles
The contact owns a 2016 Ford Focus. While driving at an unknown speed, the vehicle hesitated without warning. The vehicle was taken to roundtree moore Ford (2588 w us hwy 90, lake city, fl), but they were unable to duplicate the failure. The failure recurred. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 7,000.

- Lake City, FL, USA

problem #10

Mar 082018

Focus

  • miles
Wiper blades stopping in line of sight during rain and snow conditions car has been taken to dealer multiple times and not being fixed. Has replaced windshield and motors and still occurring. Video showing problem not being taken seriously and tired of ricart not fixing

- Pickerington, OH, USA

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