What 3,789 owners told NHTSA about the 2012 Ford Focus Bev

The contact owns a 2012 Ford Focus. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle hesitated while shifting to the intended gear. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic who diagnosed that the transmission clutch plate needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and advised the contact to file a complaint with the NHTSA. The failure mileage was approximately 110,000.

NHTSA ODI 11477558

-Loss of power from the pedal, not able to accelerate from a stop. RPM rides high until it shifts. "Transmission Malfunction. Service Now" notice. -Unaffected by other traffic but not able to properly maneuver traffic. -Problem has re-occurred but not taken to a service center. -No inspection conducted yet. - No warning lamps appeared until issue occurred a few times.

NHTSA ODI 11477335

There is a warning light showing a code 1450, unable to create fuel vacuum, that at first was thought to be an issue with a current recall for the car that was fixed. But after a routine oil change a fuel leak was found. I was told by the mechanic that it appears to be a fuel tank deformation similar to the 19S22 recall. My Ford focus was not apart of that recall and I was told by Ford to contact you to potentially have my car added. The leak is subnational enough that it could cause an engine fire.

NHTSA ODI 11477467

The vehicle needs PCM and TCM replacement. Stalls while braking or apply pressure to gas peddle while driving, faulty gear changing mechanism has issues switching to proper gear due to the underlying problems above. It has turned off while driving on the interstate without warning. May instantly stop while applying minor pressure to brakes. Has been inspected by mechanic and AutoZone employees confirming the issues. It is unsafe due to the instant stopping or applying to breaks behind another driver almost hitting them or causing someone to hit from behind. Furthermore, inaccurate gear changing causes an increase rapidly in speed or very slow in speed which could lead to accidents.

NHTSA ODI 11476543

The contact owns a 2012 Ford Focus. The contact stated while driving at approximately 60 MPH, the vehicle shuddered and inadvertently downshifted. The contact stated that the downshifting occurred while accelerating to merge into traffic. The contact stated that the failure was intermittent but had since become constant. The contact stated that the transmission control module warning light was illuminated. The contact had taken the vehicle to a local dealer, where it was diagnosed and determined that the transmission control module needed to be replaced. The dealer informed the contact that the part was not available and he would be placed on a waiting list. The vehicle had not been repaired. The manufacturer had been informed of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 101,000.

NHTSA ODI 11476548

I bought this car in February of this year, and the problems were present at purchase, I have brought it in and had them looked at but unable to determine what was wrong. The car sometimes stalls out whenever parked, or idling. Every time i put gas in, then start it, the vehicle will start then immediately stall. I have to start it and push the gas to keep it from stalling and quickly put into drive and his the gas to get it from stalling when i try to drive away. While starting the car the RPMS go very high and reves as if someone was pushing the gas. The hood display on the dash always says the Hood is open. This has been present since start.

NHTSA ODI 11476405

The contact owns a 2012 Ford Focus. The contact stated that while operating the vehicle, the transmission failed to shift into reverse(R). The contact stated that the failure was intermittent; however, occasionally the failure caused the contact to be stranded. Additionally, while driving at various speeds, the check engine warning light illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the local mechanic who diagnosed that the failure occurred whenever the transmission became overheated. The contact was informed that the transmission needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not yet repaired. The manufacturer and local dealer were notified of the failure but no assistance was offered. The failure mileage was 132,000.

NHTSA ODI 11476169

The power steering quits working and has no power assist when driving down the road. You are not able to turn the vehicle at all and even get it off the road to a safe spot on the side of the road. It goes out even when trying to turn a corner and it starts to go head on into traffic putting other drives at rick of being hit by a car I can’t control.

NHTSA ODI 11476003

The power steering has gone out again. We replace the rack and pinion with a brand new one and it still went out again. There are many complaints in regards to the power steering going out, including a death due to this car. There have been recalls for other Ford’s that were forced to be recalled because Ford continued to ignore the issue. Even with those recalls, my focus is not included and it a huge safety issue and decreases the drivability.

NHTSA ODI 11475830

The cars transmission computer says it needs service now , the car won’t shift gears and has no power I have replaced many parts but it has only gotten worst , these transmissions are terrible and it caused me to almost get killed because of this faulty transmission problem I need this transmission fixed

NHTSA ODI 11475606

The contact owns a 2012 Ford Focus. The contact stated that the check engine warning light was illuminated. The contact had taken the vehicle to several independent mechanics and each diagnosed the vehicle with a defective canister purge valve due to a faulty fuel tank sensor. Upon investigation, the contact linked the failure to NHTSA Campaign Number: 19V515000 (Fuel System, Gasoline). The contact called Hoffman Ford Lincoln (600 Connecticut Blvd, East Hartford, CT 06108) and Tasca Ford Berlin (250 Webster Square Rd, Berlin, CT 06037) and both informed him that his vehicle was not included in the recall. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and referred the contact to the NHTSA. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was approximately 55,000.

NHTSA ODI 11475253

I had regular service done on my vehicle 5/27/2022 to which the battery needed to be replaced. That was done without issue however 3 days later as I was on my way to work the check engine light came on and my engine began revving then stalling/losing power as well as shuddering. This was especially concerning as I was on the highway traveling at 70 MPH when suddenly I lost engine power and my vehicle began lurching. I was close enough to home that I was able to turn back and drive very slowly as it was apparent there was an issue in the gears turning over when accelerating. I could not get my vehicle in for service as the dealership could only schedule me later the following week to get it diagnosed. I was able to drive it, again very, very slowly - to the dealership. I was told it was the TCM; 14MO2 Extended Coverage Warranty. The dealership assured me this would be covered yet now continues to tell me that this is not being accepted and that I have to pay out of pocket for this repair. I'm unsure of what to do at this point as my daily commuter has been at the dealership since June 9th 2022.

NHTSA ODI 11475295

The contact owns a 2012 Ford Focus. The contact stated while driving 10-15 MPH, the vehicle stalled. A message indicating that the transmission was faulty was displayed and the traction control warning light was illuminated. The contact was able to restart the vehicle within three minutes. The contact was able to continue driving; however, the failure reoccurred several times while driving. The vehicle was taken to the dealer where it was diagnosed but no issues were found. The dealer informed the contact that the vehicle could not be repaired under Ford Transmission Control Module Extended Warranty Coverage Campaign Number: 14M02 because no issues were found. However, the failure persisted. The vehicle was taken back to the Ford dealer who informed the contact that they could not repair the vehicle under Ford Transmission Control Module Extended Warranty Coverage Campaign Number: 14M02 as the mileage of the vehicle had exceeded 150,000. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and a case was opened. The manufacturer then referred the contact to the NHTSA. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was approximately 125,000.

NHTSA ODI 11475336

The Transmission Control Module went out on my vehicle in late May of this year. It's been nearly two months since I sent my car to the dealership and as of yesterday they have no ETA as to when the part may come in. I asked for a loaner and was denied. I asked for rental assistance and was denied. Now because I have no other option I'm having to purchase a new vehicle because I need one for work. This part has been the subject of many recalls and lawsuits but because I never had an issue with it until this year it appears I have no recourse. They're blaming covid and the supply chain but this issue has been ongoing since before covid was a thing. I want to be very clear, I do not blame the dealership in the slightest for this issue. This is a Ford issue 100% of the way. Do I have any recourse? Is there anything I can do to recoup my losses?

NHTSA ODI 11475114

While driving at 35 - 45 mph the car just jumps out of gear and will not go back to drive. This has happened several time over the last months. If this were to happen on an interstate it could be life threatening causing wrecks due to being unable to accelerate. It give no warning at all before just stopping.

NHTSA ODI 11474935

Major transmission problems , shutters, want go in gear , no power , stalls when you gain speed , have done major repairs to the transmission and the problems are temporarily fixed

NHTSA ODI 11474414

The contact owns a 2012 Ford Focus. The contact stated while attempting to start the vehicle, the transmission was clicking. There was a parking aid malfunction warning light illuminated. The vehicle was taken the next day to an independent mechanic but was not diagnosed with a failure. The contact continued to drive the vehicle and the failure recurred. The contact stated that while exiting the highway at approximately 30 MPH, the vehicle lost motive power and stalled without warning. The contact was unable to restart the vehicle. The vehicle was safely pushed to a local mechanic. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was informed of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 120,000.

NHTSA ODI 11474444

The transmission has given trouble since the beginning of owning this 2012 Ford Focus and now it is in the shop as of 6-11-2022 and the Transmission Module Control is on back order. They say they reset it and my daughter could drive it but if it goes out again then it will be her bill bc the warranty will be out

NHTSA ODI 11474267

I have taken my car into to Carson City, NV Ford dealer many times. They say they fixed something else and do not have the time to fix the door latches that I made the appointment for . The only one that needs to be done is the back door on the driver's side. The rest were done the first time I took it in. I'm on a six plus month waiting list again to have the latch replaced with the right one! This has gone on way to many years. What happens if the door open and then closes on a kid/person in the back seat? Safety recall notice 20S30 / NHTSA 20V-331

NHTSA ODI 11474016

The contact owns a 2012 Ford Focus. The contact stated while driving approximately 30 MPH, the vehicle stalled and was difficult to start. The contact also stated that the vehicle inadvertently stalled while stopped. There was no warning light illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer to be diagnosed; however, the mechanic was unable to determine the cause of the failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The contact and an independent mechanic related the failure to NHTSA Campaign Number: 18V735000 (Fuel System, Gasoline). The VIN was included in the recall. The approximate failure mileage was 78,400.

NHTSA ODI 11473882

Transmission module fails causing the transmission to disconnect from the drive wheels. (Transmission comes out of gear). Driver has no control of the vehicle speed or engine speed and this forces the driver to attempt to stop the car. The engine will continue to rev until the gas petal is released.

NHTSA ODI 11473241

Back in October 2018, (& during the time Ford was settling their class action lawsuit against them regarding transmissions, clutches, the Powertrain Control Module, and more), I received another recall described by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) as: "NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID: 18V735000 October 22, 2018 Ford will notify owners & dealers will reprogram the Powertrain Control Module. Dealers will also check for fault codes & replace the CPV as needed. If the CPV is replaced, dealers will inspect & replace the carbon canister, fuel tank & fuel delivery module as necessary. The recall is expected to begin December 10, 2018. Ford's number for this recall is 18S32. Note: Until the vehicle is serviced for this concern, owners are advised to keep the fuel tank at least halfway full." I brought the vehicle in to have the recall taken care of and after a day of servicing the vehicle, I was told that the PCM was reprogrammed & the issues were fixed. A week or 2 later, I received notice that the issue hadn't been resolved & a new recall was issued regarding the very same thing. As reported by the NHTSA: "NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID: 19V515000 July 5, 2019 Ford will notify...(same text as noted above)" Then added, "(Ford) is recalling certain vehicles...previously recalled under 18V-735. The affected vehicles did not have the PCM updated as intended. Therefore, the Canister Purge Valve (CPV) may malfunction, possibly causing excessive vacuum in the fuel vapor management system." Consequences are an excessive vacuum resulting in an engine stall while driving, w/o warning & w/o the ability to restart the vehicle, increasing the risk of a crash. Plus, uncontrolled release of hydrocarbons into the atmosphere. I've now failed emissions inspection due to an illuminated check engine light (OBD2 error code P1450) and I therefore cannot get my car registered. The dealerships now deny my vehicle ever being part of these recalls & state I musn't be taking care of the vehicle.

NHTSA ODI 11472846

The contact owns a 2012 Ford Focus. The contact stated that while his son was driving, the vehicle was jerking. The contact stated that several unknown warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic where the contact was informed that the transmission and PCM needed to be replaced. The contact called the local dealer however, the vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and referred the contact to the NHTSA for assistance, but no additional assistance was provided. The contact related the failure to NHTSA Campaign Number: 13V523000 (Power Train). The approximate failure mileage was 169,000.

NHTSA ODI 11472769

The contact owns a 2012 Ford Focus. The contact stated that while her daughter was driving approximately 65 MPH, the vehicle was shuddering and jerking. The transmission was shifting in and out of neutral(N). The transmission malfunction service now and check engine warning lights were illuminated. The local dealer was not contacted. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure but no additional assistance was provided. The approximate failure mileage was 165,618.

NHTSA ODI 11472587

The contact owns a 2012 Ford Focus. The contact stated while attempting to lock the door, the driver's side door latch was unable to lock securely. The door ajar message was displayed. The contact also stated that due to the latch failure and the door not closing securely, the battery became drained. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer who diagnosed a failure with the door latch. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The contact related the failure to NHTSA Campaign Number: 16V643000 (Latches/Locks/Linkage). The approximate failure mileage was 152,528

NHTSA ODI 11472422