2012 Ford Focus Power Train Problems
- 1,052
- Owner complaint records in our dataset
Records are owner complaints, not a measured failure rate.
Owner complaint recordsComplaint records reflect reports in our dataset and do not measure how frequently the problem occurs across all vehicles.
Among these 1052 stored complaint records:
- 27 indicate a crash
- 11 indicate injury
- 3 indicate fire
What owners report
- Automatic Transmission · 4 records
- Clutch Assembly · 3 records
Mileage in stored records
| Band | Records |
|---|---|
| 1–30k mi | 330 |
| 60–100k mi | 243 |
| 30–60k mi | 239 |
| 100–150k mi | 96 |
| 150–400k mi | 20 |
Complaint records
Owner-submitted complaint content, presented as stored.
Power Train
While driving on surface streets @ 25 mph, check engine light came on. Transmission shuddering, rough shifting, overheated and needed to stop driving to cool down. After parked overnight, car won't start. Tried three times and then hold key and car resets and starts. Waited next day, car won't start. Tried three times and then hold key and car resets and starts. Drove car to dealership. Need new clutch, battery in…
ODI 11032221
Electrical System · Power Train · Steering
Was driving car and randomly a warning came up ' power steering assist fault service required' then power steering turned off. Turn car off turn back on fix the problem. Then problem came back and has not gone away. I have no power steering. Radio has been acting strange since purchased car
ODI 11058581
Electrical System · Power Train · Service Brakes
I have 2012 ford focus with about 85,000 miles. Since 2014, i've had my tcm reprogrammed several times and then replaced in dec 2015 under the extended warranty after it completely stopped working. I brought my car to ford again in july 2017 because my steering locked up while i was attempting to back up in a parking lot. I was told it was the epas system, and it would cost about $1,800 to replace since it's not…
ODI 11023403
Electrical System · Power Train
Shudder when taking off, seems to be from 1st to 2nd....or 2nd to third. I dont really know. Automatic gearbox. As well, my radio will crackle and pop then "freeze" no sound or control other than a very loud and distracting static and popping from the speakers. This has gotten much worse.
ODI 11022838
Engine · Power Train
The check engine light will not turn off, the door sensors keep ringing, and the transmission does not shift properly amd rools backwards when i apply the brakes
ODI 11021701
Power Train · Steering
Power steering assist fault came on right after starting vehicle. Was unable to move the steering wheel. Kept shutting car down and restarting but to no avail. The previous day while on the freeway in commuter traffic day the ongoing transmission problem that 2 different local ford service centers worked on 3 separate occasions. The 1st time i was told they replaced the transmission. The following times they replace…
ODI 11020708
Power Train · Unknown Or Other
Transmission shutters, and driver door opens up while driving.17 year old son drives this car worried about his safety. Screen shot this document! !!!
ODI 11020736
Power Train · Steering
While driving down the freeway at 60 mph the inspection light came on and a message stating the power assist has faulted and requires maintenance. When i attempted to pull off at the next off ramp the car was extremely difficult to maneuver and i almost went of the side of the ramp. I had to struggle to get the car home.
ODI 11015881
Power Train
Engine started growling and became very sluggish. At stop lights or even in traffic, the engine would shut off causing for a dangerous situation. Had vehicle repaired in april and now the same troubles are starting to appear again.
ODI 11021708
Power Train
Tl* the contact owns a 2012 ford focus. The contact stated that the vehicle jerked violently when the accelerator pedal was depressed while driving. The failure recurred once. The vehicle was not taken to the dealer. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The contact stated that the vehicle was previously taken to keystone ford located in chambersburg, pa where the transmission was updated and the control switch…
ODI 11015232
Power Train
When driving on city street to have the "check engine" light checked, the automatic transmission would go out of gear, the engine would rev up, then the transmission would slam back into 1st gear momentarily, then shift to a much lower gear (3rd?), moving at an unsafe speed for the traffic conditions, then slam back into 1st gear again before starting the whole process over again. Moving from a stop, the same thing…
ODI 11012610
Power Train
Tl* the contact owns a 2012 ford focus. The contact stated that the vehicle experienced unintended acceleration, jerking, and hesitation. As a result, the vehicle was involved in a front end collision. The failure occurred and the vehicle was taken to all american ford where it was diagnosed that the transmission was defective and the clutch needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired; however, the failure…
Crash reported
ODI 11013462
Power Train
Got car on 05/15//17, driving car stopped car gears wouldn't work car wouldn't move, had car in for this reprogrammed module, car did the same thing. Car has a manufacturer defect that can't be fixed. I told my brother if i and my dad end up dead in it he's to sue ford.
ODI 11010920
Engine · Power Train
Tl* the contact owns a 2012 ford focus. While driving 10 mph, the vehicle inadvertently shifted into neutral. After several moments and depressing the accelerator pedal, the vehicle shifted back into drive. The contact mentioned that the check engine warning indicator illuminated and he was able to drive the vehicle home with no further issues. The vehicle was not taken to an independent mechanic or local dealer for…
ODI 11010622
Power Train
Transmission stalls. Vehicle.jerks & grinds.wont shift into reverse.caused my wife to almost have accident on freeway. Class action in progress.wife has canser & cant get to dr.
ODI 11011003
Power Train
5/4/16 car would not start in a parking lot and had to be towed to the dealer. Dealer replaced faulty tcm fsa 14m02 7/22/17 while driving 70 mph on the expressway car abruptly jerked, rpms shot up from about 2500 to 5000 loss of power. Had to pull over to the shoulder, put car in park and then back in drive, & transmission re-engaged. 7/24/17 while driving 65 mph on expressway car abruptly jerked, rpms shot up…
ODI 11010746
Power Train
Ford has issued numerous bulletins related to problems with the ford focus transmission. Over the past few years ford has extended the coverage on certain systems. My car transmission failed, preventing the car from being driven faster than approximately 15 mph (first gear). The dealer completed a software reboot which temporarily addressed the problem but stated that i needed a new "clutch pack" (approximately…
ODI 11040538
Power Train
I was driving my 2012 ford focus out of town while i was away for work and the clutch went while i was driving and almost caused me to go off the road.
ODI 11001312
Engine · Power Train
2012 ford focus. Consumer writes in regard to safety hazard; transmission shifting out of gear unexpectedly. *as *tr
ODI 11181870
Engine · Power Train
My car is having transmission problems, and loses power and has a hard time shifting sometimes. I got a recall notice at one time and lost the paperwork, and the ford dealership refused to look up the recall and said i needed to have the paperwork to get it looked at.
ODI 11005129
Power Train
Help me understand why the nhtsa has not forced a recall concerning the major issues found with these transmissions? Has ford pulled the wool over the eyes of nhtsa just as they have with their very own customers? My car sits at the dealership because im not convinced the mechanic has determined the true cause of the trans to cause a loss of power while i was driving about 20-25mph the trans seemed to slip into…
ODI 11000324
Power Train · Unknown Or Other
On long trips (over 160 miles) with consistently high speeds, the engine torque and tachometer gauge level rises/whines, indicating a shift should be made in the automatic transmission, but the automatic transmission lags behind, causing the hover/forward stall due to engine torque, much like when you increase the torque causing the engine to "roar" before shifting in a manual transmission. This usually happens…
ODI 11003832
Power Train
Tl* the contact owns a 2012 ford focus. While driving 40 mph, the "transmission malfunction service now" indicator illuminated. The vehicle hesitated and failed to accelerate. The vehicle was towed to academy ford ([redacted], laurel, md 20707) where it was diagnosed that the transmission control module and transmission clutch failed and needed to be replaced. The module was repaired, but the clutch was not. The…
ODI 11000075
Power Train
Transmission continually falters and sensors give out. Literally gave out while i was driving down the middle of the road. Luckily there wasn't any oncoming traffic. This isn't the first time the transmission has faltered, but it was the most severe instance. Other instances occurred while driving also. Others have experienced this as well:…
ODI 10994237
Power Train
The car would get shaky at times when driving, and then yesterday, it wouldn't go into reverse. Later, i tried to start it, and it wouldn't start. I disconnected the battery and reconnected it, then the car started and went into reverse. Later, it went into reverse, and then it wouldn't go into drive. It has an automatic transmission. I took it in and was told it needs a whole new transmission. Apparently this is a…
ODI 10992223