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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:
3 / 0
Injuries / Deaths:
1 / 0
Average Mileage:
31,520 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 miscellaneous problems

miscellaneous problem

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2016 Ford Focus Owner Comments (Page 4 of 5)

« Read the previous 20 complaints

problem #34

Oct 212019

Focus

  • miles

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

2016 Ford Focus. Consumer writes in regard to Ford recall notice.

- Munroe Falls, OH, USA

problem #33

Aug 152019

Focus

  • miles
P1450 code purge valve

- Cahokia, IL, USA

problem #32

Aug 302019

Focus

  • 53,000 miles
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 #31

Aug 262019

Focus

  • 10 miles

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

Transmission shuddering and vibrating upon acceleration. Vehicle shakes violently at most starts and done stops. Vehicle also does these things most of the time : jerking hesitation while changing gears, premature internal wear, delays in downshifting and, in some cases, sudden or delayed acceleration. Vehicle actually slipped out of gear yesterday into another parked vehicle. Enough is enough. Took to dealership they told me it's the way I drive it. Had mechanic drive it around parking lot w me and told me there's no problem w it!!

- Evans, GA, USA

problem #30

Aug 012019

Focus

  • 0 miles
I have a 2016 Ford Focus and had nothing but problems with it since day one I've had the car at dealership several times for the wipers first they said can't find anything wrong next they said they adjusted the wipers then they said they changed the motor. It still stops in my view whenever it rains I told them it's still happening and I was told to change the wipers. I'm no I should not have to with a new car. One morning I get into the car and had frost on the inside of my windshield I turned the defrost on and watch my windshield crack brought to Ford and they said something hit it like a rock I explained what happened but wouldn't acknowledge that there was a defect I told them that if the windshield had a solid seal I would not get frost on the inside they brushed me off. And now my car doesn't start right away and I called customer service and all they said was nothing they can do about it. I'm so frustrated with this car since day one no one at Ford will help me. There are other problems like the interior lights keep going out. I'm so tired of wasting my time bringing the car to the dealership being made to feel like an idiot. Ford says they pride themselves on customer service but I yet to see it as every time they treat me like I'm making things up. I want my car in safe driving condition. Is that to much to ask for!!!!it shouldn't be but that's how for makes me feel..,I showed videos of windshield wipers also but I'm crazy

- Blackwood, NJ, USA

problem #29

Jul 072019

Focus

  • 35,000 miles
Ford Focus 2016-trans. Wont shift right.

- Cumberland, MD, USA

problem #28

Jan 252018

Focus

  • 13,803 miles

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

My car is not yet three years old and I have had the clutch replaced twice. On July 2, 2019, I was told I needed another clutch, waited all day for the dealership to find a part, only to be told the next day that I didn't need a new clutch. However, my car is still making the rattling noise that has led to my clutch being replaced the other two times. On my second replacement in September of 2018, I was encouraged to "unload" my car as soon as I could as my clutch could not permanently be fixed, and that they could replace it, but that I would be back again in 6 months. When, in July of this year, I went from needing a new clutch, to suddenly not, I ended up with my car back at the dealership on July 16, 2016 to have them test the clutch again. I asked the service rep if it was true that my clutch could not be permanently fixed and he said that yes, unfortunately that was true. He explained to me the dual clutch and said that it was an experiment that worked in the factory, but failed in the real world. Possibly, most concerning to me, is that the car has twice, in the last couple of months, lurched forward with the car in reverse. The first time it happened, I was backing into my garage, and my car lurched forward when I pushed on the gas with the car in reverse. I barely missed hitting my neighbors fence. The second time, I was on my parking slab. When I went to back up, it lurched forward with the car in reverse. Since, on my most recent visit, they could not duplicate this action in my car they fixed nothing. They also, once again did not replace the clutch, and my car is still rattling. I've also had the two other warranty issues with this car. I have also had the block heater replaced, and I had a lose ball joint that needed to be replaced. The rattling and shuddering that I've experienced always happens when accelerating.

- Milwaukke, WI, USA

problem #27

Feb 152016

Focus

  • 1,000 miles
The transmission slips and the car shudders. I have had it repaired 3 times and every time the "clutch" goes bad again. The car will occasionally roll back when on a hill and also upon take off there's a delay and then the car shudders and then will start to go. There's also times that the rpms will go higher than they should before the car shifts into the next gear.

- Iowa Falls, IA, USA

problem #26

Jul 152019

Focus

  • 950,000 miles
Automatic transmission sometimes misses gears or slips into neutral while accelerating. So far it has always found a gear eventually, but causes a temporary slowdown that may eventually cause an accident. Ford says there is no issue or the clutch pack needs to be replaced. This is a dangerous design flaw Ford is aware of.

- Lake Mills, WI, USA

problem #25

Jun 302016

Focus

  • 20 miles
Vehicle seems to hesitate when stepping on gas

- Riverview, MI, USA

problem #24

Jan 122019

Focus

  • 37,113 miles

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

Canister purge valve, engine stall recall. I have been having this issue since I recieved the car febuary 2017. The issues was when I would step on the gas to drive, it would stall slowly the speed from its original speed and can feel a pull and push from the car trying to speed up even when I step on the gas pedal; the car moves slow, its like its trying to go up a hill with effort but tireless when its not even going up a hill. Its makes a loud clank noise when it tries to speed up. It doesnt feel smooth when driving. I had call the manufacturer Ford since January 2019. They ask for my date of birth to supposely look for me in the system and make me wait for 12 minutes, then they hang up the call. I made an appointment at Ford January 2019, they canceled it the day before. I recalled Ford July 2019, they hang up on me again.

- Fort Benning, GA, USA

problem #23

Jun 212019

Focus

  • miles
My vehicle makes a grinding sound like tge floor is going to fall out, my gas tell me im 50 miles untill empty and I run out also when I turn my car makes a like a screch sound and also shakes at the same time. My car is getting do hot its melting thr plastic and tire covers to where its rubbing on my tires. My vehicle does not want to catch spped seems like it wants to die.

- Phoenix, AZ, USA

problem #22

Aug 302017

Focus

  • miles
Vehicle stalls every time I accelerate from a stop. It's almost as if it stutters or drags and then finally takes off. This happens every time I drive.

- Gary, IN, USA

problem #21

May 302019

Focus

  • 43,000 miles
May 30 2019 my car cut off from driving in the of the middle of the highway call road side told I'm stuck in middle of the highway can't move, they'll be a hour, tow directly to the dealer where I brought it and get car service they found its the clutch had it fix already maybe a year ago, I purchase premium care warranty ask to a safe vehicle until they can fix my that it was on back ordered two weeks give back my not fix told me it's safe drive I feel is unfair. Also there's a lawsuit about problems with Ford.

- Pittsburgh, PA, USA

problem #20

May 172019

Focus

  • 202 miles
Purchased vehicle in Aug 2018. Vehicle has stall on me 4 times since I had it also, went to the Ford homestead dealer for recall issues but car seem to still stall. Ended up taking the vehicle on 05/17/19 for an oil change and diagnostic due to the check engine came on and vehicle was taken to pep boys and was there all weekend. Now I thought the repair was fixed and the was returned to me on 05/19/19 which the check engine light came back on. So now the care continue to stall.

- Homestead, FL, USA

problem #19

Sep 022018

Focus

  • 30,300 miles
When it's driving up a hill it's makes a sound where as the speed stays the same and do want increase. I believe it's the clutch is scraping when it runs. When driving same level does the same but sometimes unexpected.

- Fort Benning, GA, USA

problem #18

Nov 042018

Focus

  • 38,000 miles
On November 4, 2018.I was stopped to make a left-hand turn, I had both my hands on the steering-wheel, I looked left and then I looked right, I pushed down on the gas pedal with my right foot.the car started to go, then it jerked back, and then it died down to nothing and coasted out onto the main road. The car got hit it was a (total loss). On December 7,2018 I called up to tell Ford about the accident, and they said the car was under recall (recall-18S32), a male representative said someone would call me back in 15 days, but no-one ever did. On December 27,2018 I was reading on the internet about the recall, I read something that seemed odd about the recall, it is listed where it says remedies, it says(Ford provided the general reimbursement plan for the cost of remedies paid for by vechicle owners prior to notification of a safety recall in February 2017) why does it say this" on December 27,2018 I called Ford and asked what does it mean, and the customer service representative said that she did not know. Is this a 2017 recall or a 2018 recall"

- Rochester, NH, USA

problem #17

Oct 112018

Focus

  • 27,000 miles
On October 11, 2018 the same day as hurricane michel, my 2016 Ford Focus St was involved in a single car accident where the vehicle cut off while in motion and lost complete control by itself, causing the car to flip on its side and be completely totaled. The cause of the crash was unknown at the time, but on October 25, 2018 Ford puts out a recall for the exact model Ford Focus because of an issue causing the car to randomly stall. They are telling owners to keep their fuel tank above half full to avoid this problem and I know at the time my fuel tank was not above half and the indicator lights were on. I believe the cause of this crash was from the recall that Ford put out only a few days after the accident totaling my 2016 Ford Focus St.

- Durham, NC, USA

problem #16

Oct 272018

Focus

  • 61,000 miles
On 10/27/2018 approximately 1330 after making a right turn onto 29 in warrenton headed towards culpeper going about 45mph the car sputtered and stalled. Took 3 times to get the vehicle restarted. Then did it again after making a left onto 17 in bealeton. The vehicle would get up to about 20 mph and just stall in traffic. This is becoming a major safety issue especially having my 12 year old in the vehicle with me.

- Bealeton, VA, USA

problem #15

Sep 042018

Focus

  • 55,000 miles
I bought 2016 Ford Focus, total 55,000 miles on it now 2018 and nothing but trouble in the first 6 months and there after, always in the garage for drive train 2 years now, straps on roof fell off twice, trunk out of line, new tires bought at 26,000 miles. Wire harness totally shut down car in 2017 while doing 65 on the highway, could not steer the car or stop it, brakes went to the floor car total shut down and this year 2018 the steering froze up at 55,000 miles, could not steer the car, , car runs like crap has power then no power, don't dare to pull out in traffic unless I have a long free space to get in, cause it hesitates, back up camera wont shut off till I have gone 100 feet forward, 2018 phone system keeps failing, new brakes, twice I almost got killed, cause I could not stop or steer the car on the highway I am so done with Ford and this car.. performance is the worst I have ever seen in a car, , I could go to the garage every week cause the performance is so bad, done done done, if I had gotten killed in this car the two worst times it failed, my family would have sued Ford and as far as I am concerned they should have taken the car back, would have been alot less head aches than a death law suit

- Webster, MA, USA

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