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

TAKATA RECALL FORD FOCUS 2012 PASSENGER REAR DOOR NO LONGER CLOSES AS LATCH WILL NOT ENGAGE, THIS HAPPENED WHILST STATIONARY LUCKILY, THE REAR DOORS ARE RARELY USED AND FOR A 3 YEAR OLD CAR THIS IS A POOR FAILURE. HAD TO USE ROPE TO BIND DOOR TO DRIVERS REAR DOOR AS I HAD TO GET VEHICLE BACK HOME. EXTREMELY DANGEROUS SITUATION AND AM GLAD IT DID NOT HAPPEN WHILST DRIVING OR BRAKING. CONTACTED CLOVIS FORD DEALERSHIP AND BASICALLY THEIR RESPONSE WAS IT'S NOT IN WARRANTY SO YOU'RE ON YOUR OWN. REGARDLESS OF ALL THE FIESTA AND FUSION RECALLS WITH SIMILAR ISSUES YOU THINK THEY WOULD BE AT LEAST SLIGHTLY INTERESTED IN HELPING WITH THIS MATTER. POORLY CONSTRUCTED SAFETY LOCKS IN MY MIND. POOR SHOW FORD AMERICA. *JS

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THE TRUNK LID OPENS WHILE DRIVING. IT HAS HAPPENED ABOUT 7 TIMES DRIVING AT VARIOUS SPEEDS INCLUDING HIGHWAY SPEEDS. I HAVE BROUGHT IT TO THE FORD DEALER TO CHECK FOR PROBLEMS. NO PROBLEM IS EVER FOUND BUT IT CONTINUES TO HAPPEN. NOTE THE ONLY WAY TO NORMALLY OPEN THE TRUNK IS WITH THE REMOTE. I HAVE TRIED USING THE SPARE KEY TO DETERMINE WHETHER IT IS THE REMOTE SENDING A SIGNAL WHILE DRIVING BUT THE PROBLEM OCCURS WITH BOTH KEYS. MY SUSPICION IS THERE IS SOME RF SIGNAL WHICH IS CAUSING THIS TO OCCUR. THE LATCH IS FINE AND FORD CONFORMED NO ISSUES WITH THE LATCH.

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DAUGHTER WAS DRIVING AND THE DRIVER DOOR LATCH FAILED AND THE DOOR WOULDN'T STAY SHUT. DEALERSHIP SAID DEFECT IN DOOR LATCH. SAID THERE IS A RECALL BUT ONLY FOR FUSION & FIESTA MODELS. 2 MONTHS LATER SAME HAPPENED TO DRIVER SIDE BACK DOOR. AGAIN TOLD BY FORD NOT COVERED, HOWEVER THEY DID REIMBURSE 2 OTHER 2012 FORD FOCUS OWNERS FOR SAME ISSUE. WHEN I PRESENTED FORD WITH THIS INFO, THEY SAID THEY WERE NOT GOING TO COVER THIS SAFETY DEFECT AT THIS TIME....

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TODAY, WHILE PUTTING SEVERAL THINGS IN THE BACK OF THE CAR, MY WIFE NOTICED THAT THE REAR DRIVES SIDE DOOR WOULD NOT CLOSE. UPON FURTHER INVESTIGATION, IT APPEARS THAT THE LATCH OF THE DOOR IS NOT FUNCTIONING PROPERLY AND THE DOOR IS NOT ABLE TO BE CLOSED. IT IS CURRENTLY SITTING, UNDRIVEABLE, IN THE GARAGE. THIS VEHICLE IS MY DAILY DRIVER. LUCKILY, I AM ABLE TO DRIVE MY WIFES CAR THIS WEEK AS SHE IS STILL OFF FOR THE HOLIDAY. FROM WHAT I HAVE SEEN, THE FAILURE OF THE LATCH IS A COMMON PROBLEM ON OTHER FORD VEHICLES AND HAVE BEEN RECALLED.

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LATCHES ON REAR LEFT DOOR BROKE. NOT EVEN 2 WEEKS LATER LEFT DRIVER SIDE LATCH BROKE. TH FOCUS HAS THE EXACT SAME LATCHES AS THE FIESTA AND FUSION WHICH BOTH HAVE RECALLS, BUT THE FOCUS DOES NOT. THE CAR WAS NOT IN MOTION, BUT NOW WHEN I DRIVE I HAVE TO HAVE THE DOOR TIED TO THE OTHER DOOR, SO IT DOES NOT FLING OPEN. I ALSO GOT PULLED OVER IN BETWEEN THESE TWO WEEKS AND WAS CITED FOR DRIVING AN UNSAFE VEHICLE.

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MY DRIVER DOOR SWUNG OPEN AS I WAS TURNING RIGHT FROM A STOP LIGHT ON A CITY STREET. I WAS ABLE TO LATCH THE DOOR BUT IT UNLATCHED AND OPENED AGAIN.

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PASSENGER SIDE FRONT DOOR LATCH ASSEMBLY BROKE CAUSING THE DOOR TO SWING OPEN WHILE DRIVING. THIS OCCURRED WHILE DRIVING THROUGH A PARKING LOT AT THE MALL AND MY WIFE ALMOST FELL OUT OF THE CAR. NOT ONLY WAS SHE FORCED TO CATCH HERSELF AND THE DOOR FROM FLYING OPEN BUT NOW I AM FORCED TO USE A RATCHET STRAP TO HOLD THE DOOR CLOSED AS THE LOCAL FORD DEALER STATED THEY ARE STILL WAITING TO GET THE PART BUT HAVE NO IDEA WHEN.

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DRIVER SIDE DOOR SUDDENLY WILL NOT LATCH, CREATING A DANGEROUS SAFETY HAZARD. THE DOOR REMAINS OPEN PREVENTING THE VEHICLE TO BE DRIVEN WITHOUT SOME KIND OF STRAP HOLDING THE DRIVER'S DOOR CLOSED TO PREVENT IT FROM SWINGING OPEN WHILE THE VEHICLE IS IN MOTION. THIS TYPE OR CONTRAPTION IMPAIRS THE DRIVER FROM DRIVING SAFELY AND COULD POTENTIALLY CAUSE AN ACCIDENT IF SUDDENLY SWINGS OPEN, EVEN WORSE PERSON CAN FALL OUT OF VEHICLE IF THIS FAILURE WAS TO HAPPEN WHILE THE VEHICLE IS IN MOTION. FORTUNATELY, THIS HAPPENED TO US AS WE HAD ARRIVED AND PARKED OUR CAR. ONCE THE DOOR WAS OPENED AND THE DRIVER EXITED THE VEHICLE THE DOOR WOULD NOT LATCH CLOSED AGAIN.

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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 FORD FOCUS. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE FRONT DRIVER SIDE DOOR HANDLE AND THE REAR DRIVER SIDE DOOR HANDLE FRACTURED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC TO BE REPAIRED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED; HOWEVER, THE FAILURE RECURRED. THE DETAILS OF THE REPAIRS WERE UNAVAILABLE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 54,000.

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THE REAR DOOR LATCH ON THE DRIVER'S SIDE SUDDENLY FAILED WITH THE DOOR FLYING OPEN. THE DOOR WILL NOT LATCH. THE LATCH IS MADE OF PLASTIC. THIS IS AN EXTREME SAFETY HAZARD AND IT IS JUST A MATTER OF TIME UNTIL SOMEONE FALLS OUT OF A MOVING VEHICLE AND IS KILLED OR INJURED. FORD HAS ALREADY RECALLED THE FIESTA AND OTHER MODEL(S) FOR THE SAME FAILURE. I CALLED FORD AND THEY REFUSED TO TAKE RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE FAILURE. THEY DID SAY THAT THEY WERE AWARE OF A LARGE NUMBER OF FAILURES BUT WOULD NOT ISSUE A RECALL.

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THE LEFT HAND BACK DOOR LATCH BROKE. THE DOOR WILL NOT LATCH AND MY WIFE IS KEEPING THE DOOR CLOSED WITH THE SEAT BELT. THE CAR WAS IN A PARKING LOT AND WHEN MY DAUGHTER GOT IN THE DOOR WOULD NOT LATCH.

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DRIVERS SIDE REAR DOOR NO LONGER LATCHES, FORD DEALER QUOTED $430 TO REPAIR. THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUE AND SHOULD BE RECALLED BY FORD. WE MANAGED TO GET THE DOOR TO LATCH BY CLAMMING THE DOOR, FORTUNATELY IT HAS NOT POPPED OPEN WHILE PARKED OR IN MOTION.

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11/4/2015 - PARKED AT RESTAURANT THE CAR WAS STATIONARY IN PARKING LOT OPENED THE DOOR AND WHEN CLOSING IT THE DRIVER'S SIDE FRONT DOOR SUDDENLY QUIT LATCHING AND WON'T LOCK. THE DOOR SWINGS OPEN FREELY AND SLAMS AGAINST THE FRAME AND MY ELBOW AS THE CAR IS MOVING. THE ALARM AND DASH WARNINGS GO OFF CONSTANTLY AS THE SWITCH CAN'T BE DEPRESSED PROPERLY. THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUE DUE TO PREMATURE PRODUCT FAILURE. FORD SAYS IT'S NOT COVERED UNDER RECALL IF THE CAR IS OUT OF WARRANTY. THERE IS NO DIFFERENCE IT'S A PLASTIC LATCH JUST LIKE THE FORD FIESTA, FUSION, AND MKZ LATCHES UNDER CURRENT RECALL.

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IN JULY 2015 THE LEFT FROND DOOR LATCH FAILED TO SECURE THE DOOR AND THE VEHICLE HAD TO BE TAKEN TO THE DEALERSHIP FOR REPAIRS AS I WAS UNABLE TO CLOSE THE DOOR. I HAD TO PAY A 100.00 DEDUCTIBLE BECAUSE THAT "SAFETY" FEATURE WAS NOT COVERED. THEN IN OCTOBER 2015 THE LEFT REAR DOOR LATCH FAILED TO SECURE AND I HAD TO REPEAT THE PROCESS. THIS IS A SERIOUS SAFETY HAZARD AS I WAS FORCED TO DRIVE ON THE I-10 FREEWAY WHILE REACHING IN THE BACK TO HOLD THE DOOR CLOSED AS THE DOOR LATCH WAS INOPERABLE. PLEASE REVIEW THIS SITUATION CAREFULLY AND CONSIDER THIS A RECALL SERVICE ITEM. IT IS IMPERATIVE THAT ALL DOORS BE SECURED WHILE DRIVING. VEHICLES ARE INOPERABLE IF THE DOOR LATCHES ARE NOT SECURING THE DOORS. THANK YOU IN ADVANCE FOR YOUR CONSIDERATION IN THIS MATTER. *TR

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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 FORD FOCUS. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 65 MPH, THE REAR DRIVER SIDE DOOR SUDDENLY OPENED AND COULD NO LONGER BE CLOSED AND SECURED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHO DIAGNOSED THAT THE REAR DRIVER SIDE DOOR LATCH FAILED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 70,000.

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DOOR LATCHES BROKEN. DOORS WON'T CLOSE.HAPPENED WHILE VEHICLE WAS STATIONARY.

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DRIVER FRONT DOOR LATCH STOPPED WORKING. CAN NOT LOCK DOOR. CAR WAS STATIONARY

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SPOUSE WAS DRIVING KIDS HOME FROM SCHOOL LATE YESTERDAY AFTERNOON (10-20-2015). YOUNG TEENAGE DAUGHTER WAS IN THE DRIVERS SIDE, REAR SEAT, SEAT BELTED AND RESTING AGAINST THE DRIVER SIDE REAR DOOR. VEHICLE WAS IN MOTION ON OUR CITY STREET WHEN SHE MADE A RIGHT TURN INTO OUR NEIGHBORHOOD. THE DRIVER SIDE, REAR DOOR SUDDENLY OPENED AND MY DAUGHTER SCREAMED, HER BACKPACK FELL OUT OF THE CAR. MY SPOUSE IMMEDIATELY STOPPED THE CAR AND FOUND THAT THE DRIVER SIDE, REAR DOOR LATCH WAS NO LONGER LATCHING CLOSED. SPOUSE NO LONGER DRIVING VEHICLE TODAY. I HAVE THE DOOR HELD CLOSED WITH THE DRIVERS SIDE, REAR SEAT BELT. I AM UNABLE TO LOCK/SECURE MY VEHICLE AND THE EXTERIOR LIGHTS REMAIN ON WHEN THERE IS NO PRESSURE PUSHING/PULLING THE DOOR CLOSED. DAUGHTER WAS NOT INJURED.

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MY 2012 FORD FOCUS WAS TAKEN INTO FORD DEALER ON 8/24/15 TO REPAIR A BACK DRIVER SIDE DOOR LATCH, DOOR OPENED UP WHILE DRIVING ON TURNPIKE FROM DAVIE TO NORTH MIAMI BEACH, FLORIDA AND I HAD TO HAVE IT REPAIRED SINCE THERE WAS NO RECALL FOR THIS ITEM WITH MY VIN # , COST ME $615.00 TO REPAIR. GOT MY CAR BACK SIX WEEKS LATER SINCE FORD MOTOR DIDN'T HAVE THE PART AVAILABLE FOR THIS LENGTH OF TIME. THERE IS A RECALL FOR THIS SAME PROBLEM ON THE FIESTA AND FUSION 2012 BUT NOT FORD FOCUS. I WAS TOLD TO KEEP MY RECEIPT IN CASE THERE IS A RECALL STARTED ON THIS PARTICULAR PROBLEM WITH FORD FOCUS AND MY VIN # IS INCLUDED.

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I HAVE HAD MY PASSANGER DOOR LATCH REPLACED A FEW MONTHS AGO AS IT WAS NOT SHUTTING , ON SATURDAY THE 17 OF OCT 2015 I WAS DRIVING HOME AND MY DOOR OPENED WHILE I WAS DRIVIVG NOW THAT DRIVERS DOOR LATCH IS BROKEN ? 10/19/20215 SERVICE ADVISOR STATES THERE IS A CHARGE OF $411.00 I AM 5 MONTHS PREGNANT AND CANT AFFORD THAT BECAUSE WHAT ARE THAT CHANCHES OF TWO DOORS BEING DEFECTIVE , I HAD TO CALL IN TO WORK AS I HAVE NO TRANSPORTATION MY DOOR WILL NOT SHUT .

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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A OWNS A 2012 FORD FOCUS. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 30 MPH AND MAKING A RIGHT TURN, THE DRIVER SIDE DOOR OPENED INDEPENDENTLY. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE LATCH FRACTURED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 67,000.

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I PURCHASED A FORD FOCUS MAY OF 2014, WITH 30,000 MILES ON IT. I HAD A FACTORY WARRANTY UP TO 60,000 MILES ON IT. I AM NOW AT 62,000 MILES ON MY CAR AND THE LATCH ON MY DRIVER SIDE DOOR BROKE AND MY DOOR FLEW OPEN WHILE DRIVING ON THE FREEWAY AT 70 MPH. IF I WERE NOT WEARING MY SEATBELT, I WOULD HAVE FLOWN OUT OF MY CAR TO MY DEATH! SINCE THEN, I HAVE HAD TO BUNGIE MY FRONT DOORS SHUT, LEAVING ME NO ACCESS TO GET IN AND OUT OF MY CAR SAFELY, HAVING TO CRAWL IN MY BACKSEAT. I NEED THIS FIXED ASAP AND I AM NOT PAYING TO GET IT FIXED WITH SO MANY FORDS BREAKING DOWN.

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DRIVER SIDE REAR DOOR LATCH FAILED, PREVENTING DOOR FROM CLOSING PROPERLY. SAFETY HAZARD AS DOOR WILL NOT REMAIN CLOSED. SECOND DOOR LATCH TO FAIL ON THIS VEHICLE.

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VEHICLE IS EQUIPPED WITH REMOTE ENTRY AND PASSIVE ANTI-THEFT SYSTEM. ON OCTOBER 8, 2015, THE RIGHT REAR PASSENGER DOOR LATCH FAILED WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS STATIONARY IN A PARKING LOT AND THE DOOR WILL NOT STAY CLOSED. AT PRESENT THE DOOR IS BEING HELD CLOSED WITH A BUNGEE CORD. PART IS CURRENTLY NOT AVAILABLE FROM FORD.

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RIGHT HAND REAR DOOR LATCH FAILURE. VEHICLE WAS MOVING FROM PARK WHEN DEFECT WAS WARNED BY THE DASHBOARD "DOOR OPEN" WARNING SYSTEM. (WARNING! THE FOLLOWING IS AN EDITORIAL, OR RANT, BY THE CAR OWNER. HE INTENDS TO SHAME THOSE AT FORD WHO DECIDE THAT THINGS LIKE DOOR LATCH ISSUES DO NOT SERVE THE BOTTOM LINE SO ARE UNIMPORTANT.) TO THOROUGHLY DESCRIBE THIS PROBLEM ONE NEED ONLY TO KNOW OF THE HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS OF FORDS ALREADY RECALLED FOR THE SAME ISSUE. CAJOLING BY SOME SEEMS TO INCREASE THE SCOPE OF THE RECALL, WHICH DOES NOT YET INCLUDE THIS VEHICLE. AMONG OTHER THINGS, THIS IS A SAFETY CONCERN. PASSENGER SEATBELTS BEING MORE WIDELY USED DOES NOT ALLOW FOR DOOR LATCHES TO BE LESS EFFECTIVE! LET THE LUXURY OPTIONS FAIL BEFORE TEN YEARS, NOT THE BONES OF THE THING. WHO DECIDES TO CONTINUE USING BAD LATCH TECHNOLOGY FOR SO LONG? THIS IS NOT A CHALLENGE, IT IS A CHOICE.

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