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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.

8.3

pretty bad
Crashes / Fires:
0 / 0
Injuries / Deaths:
0 / 0
Average Mileage:
4,167 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 wheels / hubs problems

wheels / hubs problem

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2016 Ford Focus Owner Comments

problem #6

Jun 092024

Focus

  • miles

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

All of the lugs nut have swelled likely due to rust under the chrome caps and we can not get the lug wrench provided with the car onto any of the lugs nuts. A properly sized 19mm 4 way lug wrench would not fit either. This prevents us from being able to change a flat tire which could leave us stranded during my commute or on a vacation and left in an unsafe situation on the side.of the highway. This also prevents routine maintenance such as brake wear inspections and tire rotations from being completed. The car has not been taken to a dealer or service center since the issue was noticed but they would also have the same issue and would need to hammer a socket over the lug nut with excessive force. The car has a bad wheel bearing that needs to be replaced but can't since we can not remove the tire.

- Lusby, MD, USA

problem #5

Oct 272023

Focus

  • miles
The lug nuts are swollen and cannot be unscrewed. Also my electrical system inside my car goes off sometimes for unknown reasons. I'm talking about my stereo.

- Indianapolis, IN, USA

problem #4

Jul 232022

Focus

  • miles
The issue is the lug nuts have a swelling effect and the problem is they are hard to if not impossible to remove and the cost to replace them all is expensive

- Canton , OH, USA

problem #3

May 252022

Focus

  • miles

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

This is a lug nut-related complaint regarding the swelling and distorting of your tire factory installed lug nuts. I was not able to be remove lugnuts with the cars provided lug wrench. I was left stranded in a parking lot with a flat tire and had to drive the car with the flat tire to a local Firestone dealer, to have them remove and replace the damaged tire because I couldn't remove the tire after several attempts. an hour later I had several people try and help, It was a nightmare with my 90 year old mother. I should contact a lawyer, this is very unsafe if stranded on the highway. Ford needs to recall and replace all lug nuts. ASAP!

- Palm Bay, FL, USA

problem #2

May 062022

Focus

  • miles
Lug nuts have expanded and have to be replaced. This is a known safety issue and a recall needs to take place.

- Bentonville, AR, USA

problem #1

Nov 162019

Focus 4-cyl

  • 25,000 miles
The lug nuts on this vehicle are improperly designed, and this issue is well know by the Ford dealer, (felix sabates Ford, charlotte, nc) and tire shops such as Goodyear. The aluminum over-cap on them becomes "swelled" and deformed to the point that a lug wrench will not fit on them, after only a few uses. This can be more than just a nuisance, as it can leave someone stranded in the event of a flat tire. Ford refused to rectify the issue with replacement lugs nuts when I called their customer service. The dealership has also been told by Ford that they have no intention of compensating the dozens of customers that this is happening to. I had to pay for after-market replacements. There is no way lug nuts should be defective after only 3 years (5 tire rotations), and the dealer did most of them. I paid $62 + 8% tax for replacements (while I was at Goodyear). See photos of deformed lug nuts and receipt for replacements.

- Fort Mill, SC, USA

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