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

MY CAR SHUTTERS AND SHAKES WHEN I'M ACCELERATING. GOING FROM A DEAD STOP IS THE WORST. I'VE TAKEN MY CAR IN AND THERE IS NO RESOLUTION AS OF TODAY. FORD KNOWS OF ALL OF THESE ISSUES AND KNEW OF THEM BEFORE MY CAR WAS MANUFACTURED. MY EXTENDED WARRANTY RUNS OUT NEXT MONTH AND WILL BE ON THE HOOK FOR ANY FUTURE DAMAGES TO MY CAR.

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GRINDING SOUND WHEN SHIFTING FROM 1ST TO 2ND GEAR AND SURGING.

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THE 2012 FORD FOCUS HAS HAD TRANSMISSION PROBLEMS FOR YEARS. WE HAVE TAKEN THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALERSHIP NUMEROUS TIMES ONLY TO HAVE ISSUES RETURN IN 6 TO 10 MONTHS. THERE IS NO FIX FOR THIS ISSUE. THIS VEHICLE ROLLS BACKWARDS WHEN STOPPED, SHUDDERS AND SHAKES DURING ACCELERATION, INABILITY TO MOVE FORWARD ON AN INCLINE, AND VIBRATION DURING ACCELERATION. WHEN TAKING IT IN FOR REPAIR I WAS TOLD THE WARRANTY EXTENDED AND THERE WOULD BE NO WORRIES ABOUT HAVING THE CAR FIXED IN THE FUTURE. UNBEKNOWNST TO ME THIS WAS THE CASE UNTIL WE REACHED 100,000 MILES. WE HAVE FELT TRAPPED IN THIS CAR DUE TO THE FACT THAT IT HAS LIMITED VALUE AS A TRADE IN OR AS SCRAP. RECENTLY, THE CAR WOULD START BUT WOULD NOT SHIFT INTO GEAR. WHILE ON THE ROAD IT WOULD DROP OUT OF GEAR AND THE SHIFT WOULD BE FROZEN. I WOULD HAVE TO COAST TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD AND THROUGH A SERIES OF TURNING THE CAR OFF AND ON IT WOULD EVENTUALLY WORK. OVER THE COURSE OF SHORT TRIPS (5 TO 10 MILES) WE HAD THIS HAPPEN ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS OVER THE COURSE OF OUR DRIVE. THE CAR WAS TAKEN TO A LOCAL CAR REPAIR SHOP AND THEY REFERRED US TO A FORD DEALERSHIP. AT THIS POINT WE DECIDED TO INVEST NO MORE INTO THIS AUTOMOBILE. IT NOW SITS IN MY DRIVEWAY AND CANNOT BE DRIVEN ON THE ROAD.

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I OWN A 2012 FORD FOCUS SE THAT CONTINUES TO DISPLAY ISSUES WITH THE TRANSMISSION. THIS INCLUDES DELAYED ACCELERATION, JERKING, AND BUCKING. WHILE I WAS DRIVING ON THE FREEWAY A COUPLE OF YEARS AGO THE TRANSMISSION CONTROL MODULE FAILED RESULTING IN THE VEHICLE UNABLE TO SHIFT PROPERLY. THIS ENDANGERED BOTH MY LIFE AND THE LIVES OF THE OTHER PASSENGERS IN THE VEHICLE. MY FORD FOCUS HAS BEEN IN FOR SERVICE MULTIPLE TIMES AT DIFFERENT LOCATIONS TO INCLUDE THE DEALERSHIP PURCHASED FROM. THE VEHICLE HAS BEEN SERVICED BOTH UNDER THE ORIGINAL WARRANTY AND THE EXTENDED WARRANTY AND STILL DISPLAYS ISSUES WITH THE TRANSMISSION. I AM HAVING A HARD TIME UNDERSTANDING WHY THERE IS AN EXTENDED WARRANTY IF EVEN AFTER I CONTINUE TO EXPLAIN WHAT IS HAPPENING WITH THE VEHICLE THE DEALERSHIPS ARE NOT ABLE TO SOLVE THE PROBLEM. MY CONCERN IS MY SAFETY AND WHAT FORD MOTOR COMPANY PLANS TO DO. YOU ASK FOR A DATE AS TO WHEN THIS HAPPENED BUT IT HAS BEEN ONGOING SINCE I PURCHASED THE CAR IN 2012. I LOOK FORWARD TO HEARING SOMETHING OTHER THAN THE SAME LINES I HAVE HEARD FOR THE PAST 7 YEARS REGARDING MY VEHICLE.

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HAVE BEEN UNDER A RECALL REGARDING THE TRANSMITION ON MY 2012 FORD FOCUS FOR 7 YEARS. HAVE BEEN VERY PATIENT DEALING WITH THE DEALERSHIP. THEY'VE TOLD ME THAT THE PARTS ON BACK ORDER, DID A COMPUTER FIX MULTIPLE TIMES AND TOLD ME TO DRIVE THE CAR AS IS... STOPPED ANSWERING MY CALLS ETC... CALLED FORD CUSTOMER SERVICE MULTIPLE TIMES AND BEEN TOLD TO GO BACK TO THE DEALERSHIP... CALLED FORD CUSTOMER SERVICE AGAIN TODAY ONLY TO BE TOLD THEY WILL NOT STAND BEHIND THEIR CONTRACTED DEALER... I'VE BEEN IN MULTIPLE TIMES TOO HAVE IT FIXED AND ITS BEEN WORSE AFTER EACH TIME. IT'S STUTTERING WHILE DRIVING, BUNNY HOPPING WHILE ACCELERATING, MAKING GRINDING NOISES, IT'S ALMOST IMPOSSIBLE TO DRIVE UP A STEEP HILL DUE TO THIS, IS ALMOST IMPOSSIBLE TO GET INTO A FREEWAY AND GET UP TO SPEED QUICKLY ENOUGH TO KEEP FROM GETTING HIT. I'VE BEEN REAR ENDED DUE TO THE STUTTER... ITS NOT SAFE. NOW AFTER CONTACTING FORD AND THE DEALERSHIP FOR THE HUNDREDTH TIME I'M TOLD THERE'S NOTHING THEY WILL DO TO FIX THIS PROBLEM.

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THR POWERTRAIN WENT BAD AGAIN. THIS WOULD MAKE IT THR 3RD TIME AND FORD WILL NOT REPLACE IT BECAUSE THE VEHICLE HAS OVER 100000 MILES.

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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 FORD FOCUS ELECTRIC. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 25 MPH, THE VEHICLE HESITATED TO SWITCH GEARS. THE VEHICLE WAS DRIVEN TO MAHWAH FORD (55 FRANKLIN TPK, MAHWAH, NJ 07430) WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE CLUTCH ASSEMBLY NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 26,000.

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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 FORD FOCUS. WHILE DRIVING 45 MPH, THE VEHICLE STALLED AND WOULD NOT RESTART. ALSO, THE CHECK ENGINE INDICATOR ILLUMINATED ALONG WITH THE GEAR THAT WAS SELECTED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE CONTACT'S HOME. THE CONTACT'S FATHER LINKED THE VEHICLE UP TO HIS DIAGNOSTIC MACHINE, WHICH INDICATED THAT THE TRANSMISSION NEEDED TO BE REPROGRAMMED. THE CONTACT CALLED CHENOWETH FORD (1564 E PIKE ST, CLARKSBURG, WV 26301) AND WAS INFORMED THAT THERE WAS NO RECALL FOR THE FAILURE; THEREFORE, THE CONTACT WOULD HAVE TO PAY FOR THE REPAIR. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE AND DID NOT ASSIST. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 71,100.

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MY CAR IS VIBRATING AND WILL NOT ACCELERATE AT TIMES. I HAVE BEEN TOLD BY FORD THAT THERE IS A FAULTY CLUTCH AND SEAL THAT NEEDS TO BE REPLACED. IT WAS A PART THEY WERE AWARE WAS A PROBLEM AND THEY EXTENDED THE WARRANTY TO 7 YEARS BUT WE ARE PAST THAT TIME NOW SO THEY WILL NOT COVER THE REPAIR. THE CAR WILL LOSE FORWARD POWER AT ANY GIVEN TIME.

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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 FORD FOCUS. WHILE DRIVING AND ATTEMPTING TO ACCELERATE, THE VEHICLE VIBRATED AND FAILED TO GAIN SPEED. THE CONTACT MENTIONED THAT THE FAILURE OCCURRED INTERMITTENTLY AND THE VEHICLE HAD TO BE TURNED OFF AND RESTARTED IN ORDER TO ACCELERATE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO LONG-LEWIS FORD LINCOLN (2551 JOHN HAWKINS PKWY, BIRMINGHAM, AL 35244, (205) 989-3673) WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE CLUTCH AND SEAL NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 66,000.

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2012 FORD FOCUS. CONSUMER WRITES IN REGARDS TO ISSUES WITH TRANSMISSION. *LD THE CONSUMER REQUESTED INFORMATION ON RECALLS FOR THE VEHICLE.*JS

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THERE HAVE BEEN SEVERAL RECALLS FOR MY CAR REGARDING THE FUEL SYSTEM AND GAS TANK, MY CAR EXHIBITED ALL THE SAME SYMPTOMS, I TOOK IT TO A FORD DEALERSHIP THAT REFUSED TO DO THE WORK UNLESS I PAI'D $2,000 FOR AN EXPIRED PREVIOUS RECALL FOR A DIFFERENT ISSUE THAT WAS UNRELATED. THEY CLAIMED WITHOUT DOING THAT WORK IF THEY DID THIS WORK THE CAR WOULDN'T WORK AT ALL. I COMPLAINED TO FORD WHO TOLD ME DEALERSHIPS DON'T HAVE TO HONOR RECALLS AND TO KEEP TRYING OTHER DEALERSHIPS. I ASKED WHAT TO DO IF NONE WOULD DO THE WORK AND THEY SAID PAY OUT OF POCKET. WORSE YET, THE FIRST DEALERSHIP CLEARED THE RECALL AS NOT BEING NEEDED, SO NOW I HAVE A DAMAGED CAR THAT I CAN'T GET THE RECALL WORK ON THAT I CAN'T AFFORD TO DO MYSELF. I'M GOING TO JUST HAVE TO SELL THE CAR.

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TAKATA RECALL STARTED CAR AND DASH LIGHT INDICATED THE FOLLOWING MESSAGE, "TRANSMISSION MALFUNCTION. SERVICE NOW" ALSO GOT POWER STEERING ASSIST ERROR MESSAGE EARLIER IN THE MONTH.

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THE VEHICLE HAS BEEN IN THE DEALER 5 TIMES FOR TRANSMISSION RELATED ISSUES. THEY HAVE REPROGRAMMED THE PCM, TCM 3 TIMES. REPLACED THE TCM ONCE, REBUILT THE TRANSMISSION. THE CAR STILL SHOWS SIGNS OF SHUDDERING AND VIBRATION DUE TO THE TRANSMISSION SEALS LEAKING ON THE CLUTCHES. THE LAST TIME THE CAR WAS IN, THE TRANSMISSION DIDN'T "LOSE ENOUGH RPM'S" TO WARRANT REPAIR, ALTHOUGH THE DEALER AND MECHANIC STATED THE CAR SHOULD NOT DRIVE THAT WAY. NOW THE EXTENDED WARRANTY HAS EXPIRED FOR THE CUSTOMER CARE 14M01 AND FORD WILL NOT DO ANYTHING ABOUT IT AND WANTS ME TO PAY $1600.00 FOR THE REPAIR. THE CAR HAS LOW POWER, WHEN PULLING OUT ONTO THE ROADWAY IT HESITATES AND SOMETIMES IS VERY SLOW TO MOVE. THIS CAN CREATE QUITE A HAZARD WHEN PULLING OUT INTO TRAFFIC

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LOSS OF DRIVE WHILE IN MOTION. I HAD TO COAST TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD IN BUSY TRAFFIC. LIKELY WORN CLUTCH ON AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION.

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THE CAR RADIO GOES OFF THE WINDOWS DON'T GO DOWN AND THE TRANSMISSION WENT ON THE CAR OUT OFF NO WHERE WHEN I MAINTAIN MY CAR EVERY 3 MONTHS AND AS NEEDED

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THE POWER STEERING FOR A WHILE WORKED INTERMITTENTLY, BUT 1 MONTH AGO THAT STOPPED WORKING COMPLETELY.

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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 FORD FOCUS. WHILE DRIVING VARIOUS SPEEDS, THE VEHICLE LUNGED FORWARD WITHOUT WARNING. THE FAILURE OCCURRED INTERMITTENTLY. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO SAFFORD FORD LINCOLN OF SALISBURY (1902 NORTH SALISBURY BLVD, SALISBURY, MD, (410) 548-4600) WHERE THEY DIAGNOSED AND REPAIRED THE TRANSMISSION CONTROL MODULE THREE TIMES; HOWEVER, THE FAILURE CONTINUED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 97,000.

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TAKATA RECALL MY DRIVER SIDE DOOR WANT SHUT AND I SEE IT HAS A RECALL ON MY ENGINE ALSO. I WAS DRIVING AND MY DOOR JUST FLEW OPEN I TRIED SHUTTING IT SEVERAL TIMES IT WOULDN'T BUDGE. MY RADIO ALSO DON'T WORK ETHER I DON'T KNOW IF THAT'S PART OF IT. *TR

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MY CAR HAD LESS THAN 90,000 MILES ON IT WHEN IT BEGAN TO HAVE ISSUES WITH THE TRANSMISSION. THE ENGINE STUTTERS OR IDLES WHEN I ACCELERATE, WHICH HAS MADE GETTING ON THE INTERSTATE A NIGHTMARE. IF I ACCELERATE TO EVEN 35 MPH, I HAVE TO COMPLETELY REMOVE MY FOOT FROM THE GAS PEDAL, OTHERWISE MY RPMS WILL SHOOT TO OVER 4 (4,000 RPMS). IT CAUSES MY ENTIRE CAR TO FEEL LIKE IT'S SHAKING, AND IT ALMOST SEEMS LIKE MY CAR IS HAVING TROUBLE SHIFTING GEARS. NOT ONLY THAT, BUT WHEN I'VE STOPPED AT A STOP SIGN AND BEGIN TO DRIVE, MY ENGINE MAKES THE MOST TERRIBLE CHURNING/CLASHING/GRINDING NOISE POSSIBLE. LATELY IT HAS GOTTEN TO THE POINT THAT MY RPMS WILL CONTINUE TO INCREASE BUT MY CAR'S SPEED WILL STAY THE SAME. ALL OF THESE SITUATIONS (TROUBLE SHIFTING GEARS, NOISES, AND HIGH RPMS) WILL OCCUR NO MATTER WHAT, EVERY TIME I ACCELERATE. IT DOESN'T MATTER WHAT SORT OF ROAD I AM ON.

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ELECTRONIC POWER STEERING FAILED AT LESS THAN 50,000 MILES. COULD NOT STEER CAR. ELECTRONIC CONTROL IS LOCATED BY EXHAUST MANIFOLD, WHICH HEAT CAUSED UNIT TO FAIL. THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM AND FORD HAS RECALLED THE STEERING UNIT ON OTHER MODEL, BUT NOT ON FOCUS. COST $2160 TO REPAIR. TRANSMISSION SHUTTERS AT LOW SPEEDS MAKING IT DIFFICULT TO CONTROL. HAD IT INTO FORD SEVERAL TIMES TO DIAGNOSE AND THEY STATE IT IS WITHIN PARAMETERS OF THIS DUAL CLUTCH TYPE TRANSMISSION. FORD HAD EXTENDED WARRANTY FOR TRANSMISSION BUT REFUSED TO REPLACE MINE UNDER WARRANTY.

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VEHICLE SHUDDERS WHEN TAKING OFF BUT ONCE INITIAL TAKE OFF IS COMPLETE THERE IS NO SHUDDER ANYMORE.

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SOME TIME AGO I NOTICED MY CAR REVVING BUT NOT ACCELERATING. I TOOK THE CAR TO THE FORD REPAIR CENTER AND THEY TOLD ME THE PROBLEM WAS AN EVAP VALVE AND A FEW OTHER COMPONENTS WHICH NEEDED TO BE REPAIRED TOTALLING OVER $2000 IN OUT OF POCKET REPAIRS. SHORTLY THEREAFTER THE EVAP VALVE GETS RECALLED, I HAD TO TAKE IT TO FORD AGAIN TO RE REPLACE THE PARTS THEY REPLACED EARLIER IN THE YEAR. NOW I'M DRIVING THE CAR AGAIN, AND CONTINUE TO EXPERIENCE THE SAME PROBLEM. I TAKE THE CAR IN FOR BREAKS, SHOCKS AND STRUTS. THE MECHANIC ASKS ME IF MY CAR FEELS SLUGGISH AND IF I AM HAVING A PROBLEM STARTING THE CAR, TO WHICH I RESPONDED YES AND HE PROCEEDS TO TELL ME I NEED TO REPLACE MY BATTERY SO I DO, THINKING THAT MAY BE THE PROBLEM WHY THE CAR IS STALLING. AGAIN, NOT THE FIX I WAS LOOKING FOR. A FEW WEEKS LATER, I'M DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD HEADING TO WORK, MY CAR STALLS, YET AGAIN, BUT THIS TIME IT STARTS SLOWING DOWN. I'M ACCELERATING ATTEMPTING FOR IT TO GO AND IT JUST STOPS IN THE MIDDLE OF THE ROAD. I TRIED TURNING IT BACK ON AND NOTHING. A FEW MORE ATTEMPTS LATER AND FINALLY STARTS. I GET TO WHERE I NEED TO GO, PARK THE CAR. UPON RETURNING THE CAR WOULD NOT START. HAD IT TOWED TO A MECHANIC WHO INFORMED THE THE ISSUE IS THE TRANSMISSION. THE CAR HAS NOW BEEN PARKED FOR 4 MONTHS. ENGINE LIGHT NEVER CAME ON AND THERE WAS ABSOLUTELY NO INDICATION ON THE DASHBOARD THAT THERE WAS A PROBLEM. AND THE ISSUE NEVER CAME UP A MONTH EARLIER WHEN FORD REPAIRED THE FUEL EVAP PROBLEM. AT THIS POINT I'M AT MY WIT'S END AND DON'T KNOW IF IT'S EVEN WORTH REPAIRING. AFTER READING THROUGH SOME OTHER COMPLAINTS IS SEEMS THE PROBLEM PERSISTS EVEN AFTER THE ATTEMPTED FIX. WHO HAS MONEY TO KEEP DUMPING INTO A CAR AND NOT KNOW IF FORD WILL EVER RECALL THE TRANSMISSION WHICH THEY REALLY SHOULD DO. THIS CAR HAS BEEN A PROBLEM SINCE IT WAS DRIVEN OFF THE LOT NEW!

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VEHICLE INTERMITTENTLY LOSES ALL PROPULSION, BOTH WHILE IN MOTION OR AFTER ACCELERATING FROM A STOP. I'VE HAD IT HAPPEN BOTH DURING CITY COMMUTES AND DURING A TURN. THROUGHOUT THESE EPISODES, THE GEAR INDICATOR ON THE DASHBOARD GOES FROM HIGHLIGHTING THE CURRENT DRIVE ("D") GEAR, OR IN SOME CASES THE REVERSE ("R") GEAR OR PARKING MODE ("P"), TO NOTHING AT ALL. WHEN THE GAS PEDAL IS PUSHED WHILE THIS IS HAPPENING, THE ENGINE WILL REV, BUT VEHICLE WILL NOT MOVE. USER WON'T EVEN HAVE A CHANCE TO PULL OVER SINCE IT WILL STOP DEAD. EPISODES ARE USUALLY BRIEF, AVERAGING A COUPLE MINUTES, HOWEVER WHEN THIS DOES HAPPEN IT CAN CAUSE AN ACCIDENT DUE TO A SUDDEN DECREASE OF SPEED. AS FOR WHAT SPECIFIC SYSTEM IS AT FAULT, I'M UNCERTAIN SPECIFICALLY, THOUGH BELIEVE EITHER THE POWER TRAIN OR MAIN COMPUTER (ESP. DEALING WITH GEAR SHIFTING) IS MALFUNCTIONING.

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'TAKATA RECALL' MY AUNT BOUGHT THE CAR IN NOVEMBER OF 2012, SOLD IT TO ME IN MARCH THE CAR SHUTTERS , VIBRATES AND LOSES POWER AFTER TAKING OFF FROM A COMPETE STOP, SHE'S HAD THE CAR SERVICED THE LAST 4 YEARS AND HAS TOLD THEM ABOUT IT AND THEY NEVER DOCUMENTED IT, THEY DRIVE THE CARS AFTER THEY FIX THEM, THEY CAN FILL WHAT IT DOES. CAR IS UNSAFE TO DRIVE LIKE THAT IT STRUGGLES TO ACCELERATE FROM TAKE OFF. TOOK IT TO FORD AND THEY SAID I MISSED THE EXTENDED WARRANTY BY 4 MONTHS, DOES SOMEONE HAVE TO DIE BEFORE THEY MAKE THIS PROBLEM A RECALL!

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