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
I am having issues with the transmission in my vehicle. It has been in the shop 30 days now waiting to have it's 3rd transmission since birth. It has had two reprograms of the module as well. This car is unsafe and dangerous to drive. It shudders and shifts terribly. It seems to want to start in third or fourth gear many times, exposing me to danger when pulling out into the highway. This car needs to be bought…
ODI 10820325
Power Train
Car has continuously shuddered when trying to shift between gears. At times the car will almost come to a complete stop as if it can not find what gear it needs to be in to move forward. Happens in all scenarios, cold weather, warm weather, and at all speeds. More recently car has failed to start and shudders have become more violent when driving.
ODI 10811510
Electrical System · Power Train
Parking aid malfunction error: while driving 65 mph on a 3 lane hwy, the parking aid malfunction error appeared which caused the car to completely shutdown. Fortunately i was able to coast to the side of the road with no power steering, no power brakes without engine power. Pam message kept appearing and car would not start. Vehicle had to be towed to dealer. Ford is aware of this problem and fixed the vehicle under…
ODI 10810651
Power Train
I purchased my 2012 ford focus on sept. 25, 2012. I have had problems with the transmission and clutch ever since purchasing. On 7/16/13 ford performed a computer adjustment on the transmission. On 7/9/14 ford installed a new clutch in the car. On 9/17/15 they reprogrammed the transmission. Ford claims that the problems with shuttering on acceleration are normal operations for the car. They have also extended the…
ODI 10809918
Power Train
The automatic clutch shutter, slips, and causes a very jerky ride. Transmission does not seem to be in the right gear a lot of the time.
ODI 10809798
Power Train
I purchased a 2012 focus in 2012 in dallas with 7,000 miles on it. Since the very beginning the transmission shutters upon leaving a red light. I took it back and ford told me it was normal for that model until they came up with a new transmission programming. It was very alarming. I have taken the car to ford 4 times for the same issue that seemed to be getting worse. Then in march 2015 they came up with the…
ODI 10818781
Power Train
I continue to have transmission problems and i'm concerned that the problem involves other systems. I feel their needs to a complete recall on the powertrain and also an extended warranty offered.
ODI 10808663
Power Train · Vehicle Speed Control
For the fifth time in only eight months, the transmission has malfunctioned in this vehicle, causing it to stop accelerating or stall. It is a safety hazard, as it has happened on the highway twice and has been on the street in motion the remaining three times. Each time we have taken it to the shop at the owner's expense and it has required towing each time because it no longer accelerates. The transmission sensors…
ODI 10806484
Power Train
The dual clutch transmission was rebuilt less than a year ago after the clutches began to badly slip. Had noticed the trans slip some around town but car was okay to drive. On a weekend trip to the mountains it began to slip so badly that i did not know if i would make it back to town. Apparently the strain on the trans from all the hilly city driving compounded the already existing problem that was of no concern…
ODI 10929446
Engine · Power Train · Steering
Owned car for 2 years, in shop 5 times so far for dct issues. Car is completely unpredictable and going to cause me to get in an accident! Sometimes i hit the acceleration and it lurches forward unexpectedly causing me almost to rear end someone. Other times i hit the gas expecting it to go and i get a really sluggish response to the point where i'm scared another vehicle will hit me, so i will floor it trying to…
ODI 10790340
Power Train
Power-shift 6 speed transmission. Erratic clutch changes, grinding, hesitation, unwanted gear changes is heavy traffic lower gas mileage. After 3 software updates (january 2013, december 2014, august 2014, nov 2015), and a parts clutch replacement (december 2014), the car still does not run properly. Car worked fine for a few days, then went back to the same problem. Ford admits that the focus clutch assembly is…
ODI 10823073
Electrical System · Power Train · Service Brakes
Transmission is erratic, you do not know what it might do. It has a shuttering sound coming from underneath the vehicle when going 20-40 miles per hour. Drivers side window does not open and have 'information' light is on for low pressure on tires and aren't currently low. Brakes are making a growling noise when coming to a stop.
ODI 10820816
Engine · Power Train
After driving for 40 mins, the check engine light came on. I was in stop and go traffic and from stop (0 mph) to 30 mph the transmission would downshift violently and stall. I would give it gas, but the car would not move and the engine would rev up and lunge forward violently causing cars to almost hit me in the rear. I put in a similar complaint a few years ago about a shuttering when accelerating from a stop…
ODI 10790099
Power Train
The transmission is shuttering and the cars does not accelerate. The transmission stopped working on tuesday. Was on the expressway and the transmission quit while car was going 50mph. I have been told numerous times by ford employees that this is how the car works. Shuttering, not accelerating, stalling out. Car is currently at dealership. I was given the timeframe of 3-4 weeks to be fixed, the best timeframe of…
ODI 10790097
Power Train · Unknown Or Other · Vehicle Speed Control
Takata inflators: this vehicle in the "drive gear" lunges when gas is pressed and quickly takes off at the slightest press of gas making for a dangerous take off from stop lights and traffic signs while on major roadways. This vehicle when placed in the "park gear" jerks when placed in park and feels as if it will roll backwards while in parking lots or home driveway. The vehicle has been reported multiple times to…
ODI 11022441
Power Train
Transmission bucks, shutters, lags, lurches and slips. Often creates a serious safety concern. I almost hit people in a crosswalk one day when i tried to roll forward a few feet to the stop line on the street and the vehicle lurched forward. I have been pulling out in to traffic several times where it lags or slips and i've almost been hit. Ford tells me this is all normal.
ODI 10790363
Exterior Lighting · Power Train · Wheels
Purchased vehicle 6 months ago from auto nation ford union city, ga. First there was a problem with tire, then there is a problem with " brake lamp" then there is a major problem with " transmission malfunction". Car would not accelerate and stopped in mid traffic. Auto nation "said" they repaired as a result of recall, but i drove the car 8 hours after i picked it up from auto nation and car still having the same "…
ODI 10790551
Power Train
Vehicle has been in for service 6 times for the same transmission issues: dragging, bucking, loss of acceleration. I had a clutch replaced on nov. 4th and after only driving 100 miles i lost all transmission power to the car and was stranded roadside. The ford dealer service manager said ford is aware of the issues and none of the repairs will correct the problem.the warranty is only extended until 100,000 miles and…
ODI 10789764
Power Train
Vehicle transmission has been repaired under warranty at around 26000 miles for leaking, and again at 56000 miles for a bulletin (not a recall, it had time/mileage parameters). The most recent service, for the bulletin, was a reprogram of the tcm. Following this work, vehicle slips in and out of gear, seizing up on hills in both directions (uphill and downhill), and stopping the car. This has happened on multiple…
ODI 10787885
Power Train
Transmission/ clutch has always given us problems. We have been in for repairs more times then i can count for seals on the clutch, reprogramming after reprogramming and replacing the clutch itself. It still shudders lurches and does not drive safely. I have tried to get help and given up a thousand times over the three years i have owned the car. Thank god it hasn't gotten me killed yet. Clutch gave out again the…
ODI 10806660
Power Train
My car has shuddered since i bought it . It also did the roll back issues as well. It has been into the ford dealership 3 times now for this issue and it is still not resolved. The car has only 60,000 miles on it. It slips gears, struggles to get up hills, struggles to get going at lights, struggles in traffic when ideling, and shudders. I called ford to complain at first they seemed interested. They would follow up…
ODI 10788721
Power Train
Transmission shudders, skips, cannot find the right gear. This is a real hazard as my wife and kids pulled into traffic and almost got hit. It has been in to the dealership multiple times and all ford can do is flash the software? We now have about 41k miles and they still can't/won't fix it. These cars are a real hazard and i honestly don't know why a recall hasn't been performed. There are numerous documented…
ODI 10787803
Power Train
The transmission shudders when driving between 20-40 mph. We see misshifting when taking off from a complete stop, clutch appears to slip at take off.
ODI 10786441
Air Bags · Power Train · Seats
On 10/23/2015 at 51,289 miles, i took the car in because the car intermitterly would not start & when taking off from 1st to 2nd gear, it was jerky. I would have to let off the gas. I also experienced a rubbing & scraping sound that i found out is what they said was the transmission clutch shuddering. The clutch & tcm (transmission control module) were replaced under the ford technical service bulletins tsb15-0120 &…
ODI 10980416
Power Train
Tl* the contact owns a 2012 ford focus. While driving 65 mph, the vehicle slipped out of gear, the transmission light illuminated, and the vehicle overheated. The contact coasted over to the side of the road and left the vehicle there until the next day. The contact was able to drive the vehicle, but it stalled whitout warning. The vehicle was towed to the dealer, but was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer…
ODI 10789348