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

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 FORD FOCUS. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE SPED UP AND SLOWED DOWN INDEPENDENTLY DUE TO THE TRANSMISSION. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THERE WAS A HESITATION WHEN SHIFTING FROM ONE GEAR TO THE NEXT. ALSO, WHILE STOPPED AT A TRAFFIC LIGHT OR STOP SIGN, THE ENGINE REVVED WHILE THE BRAKE PEDAL WAS DEPRESSED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO PAT MILLIKEN FORD (9600 TELEGRAPH RD, REDFORD CHARTER TWP, MI 48239, (313) 731-6436) WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE TRANSMISSION CONTROL MODULE (TCM) NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE TCM WAS REPLACED TWICE, BUT THE FAILURE RECURRED. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE FAILURE WAS INTERMITTENT. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 13V523000 (POWER TRAIN). THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 70,000.

NHTSA ODI 11078706

DRIVER DOOR DO NOT CLOSE

NHTSA ODI 11078529

MY FORD FOCUS I WAS DRIVING DOWN THE STREET ONE REAL SLOW AND MY STEERING ASSIST STOPPED THE CAR JUST STOPPED I STOPPED IT BECAUSE THE STEERING WHEEL BECAME ALMOST IMPOSSIBLE TO TURN STEERING ASSIST MALFUNCTION I WENT TO THE DEALERSHIP THEY SAID IT WAS $2,500 TO REPAIR IT I DON'T HAVE $2,500 MY CAR IS ALREADY HAD TO TRANSMISSION FAILURES IT'S HAD AN EXPLODING BATTERY IT'S HAD DOOR LOCKS THAT HAD TO BE REPLACED CUZ THEY DIDN'T STAY LAST NIGHT TRANSMISSION'S BEEN WENT OVER TWICE FROM THE DEALERSHIP AND I JUST THINK THEY NEED TO FIX THIS FOR NO CHARGE BECAUSE IT IS A SAFETY HAZARD NOW I HAVE NO POWER STEERING MY CAR IS WORTHLESS I'M SINGLE I'M

NHTSA ODI 11078381

THE STEERING WHEEL HAS SHARP EDGES IN THE ALUMINUM TRIM IN THE CENTER OF THE STEERING WHEEL, COVERING THE HORN & AIRBAGS. THIS TRIM IS FLAKING & HAS VERY JAGGED EDGES. MY HUSBAND & I HAVE BOTH CUT OUR FINGERS, DRAWING BLOOD ON NUMEROUS OCCASIONS. WHAT A FEELING IT IS TO FLINCH AFTER BEING NICKED WHILE TURNING INTO A BUSY INTERSECTION, HOW DANGEROUS..HURTS LIKE HELL!!

NHTSA ODI 11078211

THREE TIMES THE POWER STEERING HAS FAILED AT VEHICLE START. REQUIRED TURNING CAR OFF AND BACK ON TO RESOLVE.

NHTSA ODI 11076021

DROVE FROM MY APARTMENT TO THE MAILBOXES IN OUR COMPLEX AND WHEN I WENT TO START MY CAR TO LEAVE THE MAILBOX I GO A "STEERING ASSIST FAILURE" AND COULD NOT DRIVE MY CAR, THE STEERING WHEEL COULD NOT TURN.

NHTSA ODI 11076042

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 FORD FOCUS. WHEN THE CONTACT ATTEMPTED TO DRIVE THE VEHICLE, THE CHECK ENGINE WARNING INDICATOR REMAINED ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO HAWKEYE FORD (2027 US-34, RED OAK, IA 51566) WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED WITH FAILURE CODES P144A AND P0456. THE CODES INDICATED THAT THE EVAP, PURGE VENT, VENT VALVE, FUEL TANK, AND FUEL PUMP NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT CONTACTED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 130,000.

NHTSA ODI 11075849

TURNED ON THE CAR AND POWER STEERING HAD FAILED.

NHTSA ODI 11075450

ISSUE WITH AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION KNOCKING AND SLIPPING AT LOW SPEEDS. I WAS MADE AWARE THAT THIS IS A KNOWN ISSUE, ACKNOWLEDGED BY FORD, BUT WAS TOLD BY DEALERSHIP, MY ISSUE WAS CAUSED BY OIL FROM REAL SEAL LEAKING ONTO TRANS. MECHANIC SAID TRANSMISSION KNOCK MAY HAVE CAUSED OIL LEAK BUT IT IS NOT COVERED.

NHTSA ODI 11075542

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 FORD FOCUS. WHILE STATIONARY AND DRIVING AT VARIOUS SPEEDS, THE STEERING WHEEL SEIZED WITHOUT WARNING ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS. DON SANDERSON FORD IN GLENDALE, ARIZONA WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE AND STATED THAT THE RACK AND PINION NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 80,000. *TT CONSUMER STATED 3 TO 4 TIMES UPON STARTING THE VEHICLE THE WHEEL WOULD NOT MOVE, AFTER AWHILE AFTER PUTTING THE CAR FROM "P" TO "N" AND BACK AGAIN IT MOVED. THERE HAVE BEEN SEVERAL RECALLS. CONSUMER HAS BROUGHT IT IN MANY TIMES FOR TRANSMISSION RECALLS. CONSUMER ALSO STATED DRIVER AND PASSENGER DOORS OPEN ON THER OWN AND PASSENGER WINDOW WOULD NOT GO DOWN FROM DRIVER SIDE CONTROLS.*JB

NHTSA ODI 11075101

POWER STEERING COMPLETELY STOPPED WORKING. ALMOST WRECKED THE CAR. TRANSMISSION VIBRATES AND MAKES NOISE

NHTSA ODI 11074680

WHILE DRIVING DOWN THE INTERSTATE, THE VEHICLE LOST POWER AS IF IT SHIFTED INTO NEUTRAL THE RPMS ROSE AND THE VEHICLE STOPPED POWERING FORWARD. NO WARNING SIGNALS APPEARED ON THE CONTROL PANEL OF THE VEHICLE. TOOK VEHICLE DIRECTLY TO FORD DEALERSHIP WHERE THEY STATED THAT THERE WERE NO RECORDED FAULTS AND THEREFORE THEY COULD NOT DO ANYTHING TO THE VEHICLE.

NHTSA ODI 11074070

MY CAR CONSTANTLY SMELLS LIKE GAS WHEN I START IT UP AFTER FILLING THE GAS TANK UP, THE CAR DIES WHEN DRIVING DOWN ROAD I HAVE TO PULL OVER TO START IT BECAUSE IT DIES WHILE I AM ON THE ROAD SO I HAVE TO PULL OVER SINCE LAST YEAR THE FUEL READER STOPPED WORKING CAUSING ME TO DIE ON SIDE OF ROAD BECAUSE OF RUNNING OUT OF GAS. THE CAR STILL HAS TRANSMISSION ISSUES IT JERKS FROM TIME TO TIME AND THE HALF SHAFT BEARING AND WHEEL BEARINGS ARE CURRENTLY GOING OUT IN THIS CAR. I BOUGHT THE CAR BRAND NEW AT THE FORD DEALERSHIP. THIS IS CAR IS A LEMON I HAVE OWNED OVER 15 USED CARS AND NEVER HAD A PROBLEM AS MUCH I HAVE HAD WITH THIS NEW CAR.

NHTSA ODI 11073559

THE DRIVER SIDE SEAT BELT WILL NO LONGER LATCH. AT FIRST IT BECAME HARD TO CLICK IN OR OUT THEN STOPPED WORKING ENTIRELY. IT HAS NOT BEEN INVOLVED IN ANY ACCIDENT ANY TIME NEAR THIS MALFUNCTION.

NHTSA ODI 11073461

HORN WAS WORKING ON AND OFF FOR FIRST FEW YEARS I HAD THE CAR. NOW, IT DOESN'T WORK AT ALL.

NHTSA ODI 11073463

TRANSMISSION ISSUES INCLUDING SHUTTERING AND DELAYED FORWARD MOTION WHEN ACCELERATING. ALSO SOUNDS LIKE IT IDLES TOO LOW WHEN STOPPED AT A LIGHT VIBRATES LIKE IT'S GOING TO DIE. SOUNDS LIKE SOMETHING IS GOING TO FALL OUT FROM UNDER THE HOOD WHEN TRANSMISSION CHANGES GEARS. ALL HAPPENS WHEN CITY DRIVING. ALSO CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON WHEN THESE ISSUES BEGAN.

NHTSA ODI 11073515

POWER STEERING WENT OUT COMPLETELY. ON A 3 AND A HALF HOUR TRIP I STOPPED TO GET GAS, TURNED THE CAR OFF. AFTER PUMPING GAS I STARTED THE CAR AND A FAULT APPEARED "POWER STEERING LOSS, STOP SAFELY". HAD THE CAR TOWED TO THE MECHANIC AND REPLACED THE POWER STEERING RACK. DRIVING IT HOME THE POWER STEERING RACK AND COMPUTER FAULTED AGAIN WHILE DOIN 70 MPH ON THE HIGHWAY! THIS IS UNBELIEVABLY DANGEROUS. WITH THE CONSIDERABLE ABOUT OF PROBLEMS LIKE THIS THERE SHOULD HAVE BEEN A RECALL ALREADY.

NHTSA ODI 11073394

TL* THE CONTACT OWNED A 2012 FORD FOCUS. WHILE MAKING A LEFT TURN AT 15 MPH, THE TRANSMISSION CONTROL MODULE (TCM) WARNING INDICATOR ILLUMINATED, THE CONTACT'S VEHICLE STALLED AND CRASHED INTO THE SIDE OF ANOTHER VEHICLE. THE CONTACT WAS NOT INJURED. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC. THE VEHICLE WAS DESTROYED. STAR FORD LINCOLN (1101 S BRAND BLVD, GLENDALE, CA 91204, (818) 956-0977) WAS INFORMED OF THE CRASH. THE VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 13V523000 (POWER TRAIN). ADDITIONALLY, THE TRANSMISSION CONTROL MODULE AND CLUTCH WERE REPLACED ON SEPTEMBER 5, 2017. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 76,000.

NHTSA ODI 11073262

I HAVE HAD MY FORD FOCUS FOR 4 YEARS NOW AND I HAVE RECENTLY STARTED HAVING PROBLEMS WITH THE RADIO/SYNC. LOAD NOISES WILL INTERRUPT THE RADIO OR COME ON EVEN IF RADIO IS OFF. THIS HAS HAPPENED TO ME A NUMBER OF TIMES WHILE DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD AND SCARED THE LIVING DAYLIGHT OUT OF ME CAUSING ME TO SWERVE IN TO THE OTHER LANE OR CAUSED ME TO SLAM ON MY BREAKS WITH CARS BEHIND ME. I HAVE NOTICED THAT MANY OTHER FOR FOCUS OWNERS HAVE EXPERIENCED THE SAME ISSUES AND DON'T UNDERSTAND WHY THIS HASN'T BEEN RECALLED! IT IS VERY UNSAFE AND WON'T STOP WHEN CAR IS TURNED OFF AND KEY REMOVED. PLEASE HELP! IT IS GETTING WORSE!

NHTSA ODI 11072947

ON MULTIPLE OCCASIONS MY 2012 FORD FOCUS GOT STUCK IN PARK AND WOULD NOT SHIFT INTO DRIVE. THE STEERING WHEEL WOULD NOT TURN. THE SHIFT STICK WOULD NOT MOVE FROM PARK BACK INTO DRIVE. THE ELECTRICAL LIGHTS 'P N D S' TURNED OFF ON THE DASH. WHEN I PUSHED ON THE BRAKE THE CAR WOULD NOT SHIFT BACK INTO DRIVE. LAST NIGHT IT HAPPENED IN THE MIDDLE OF RUSH HOUR TRAFFIC AT A RED LIGHT. I TURNED THE CAR ON AND OFF SEVERAL TIMES. THE DASH BOARD LIGHTS WOULD COME ON , BUT 'P N D S' REMAINED UNLIT AND THE CAR WOULD NOT SHIFT BACK INTO DRIVE. AFTER 4 OR 5 TIMES OF TURNING CAR ON AND OFF AND OPENING AND CLOSING THE DOOR (THIS AFFECTS DASH BOARD LIGHTS SOME HOW). THE LIGHTS CAME BACK ON AND THE CAR WOULD ALLOW ME TO SHIFT BACK INTO DRIVE WHILE PUSHING ON THE BRAKE.

NHTSA ODI 11071730

CAR STALLING WHILE DRIVING. DEALERSHIP RUNS CODES AND DETERMINES IT'S THE FUEL TANK. IT WILL HAVE TO BE REPLACED. $2K FOR PARTS AND LABOR.

NHTSA ODI 11071601

TL* THE CONTACT OWNED A 2012 FORD FOCUS. WHILE DRIVING 15 MPH, THE CONTACT DEPRESSED THE BRAKE PEDAL AND THE VEHICLE SLID DUE TO SNOW AND ICE ON THE ROAD. AS A RESULT, THE VEHICLE CRASHED INTO A STOP SIGN AND A TREE. THE CONTACT TURNED OFF THE VEHICLE AND CALLED THE POLICE. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THE AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. THERE WERE NO INJURIES. THE VEHICLE WAS DESTROYED AND TOWED TO A COLLISION CENTER WHERE IT REMAINED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED AND STATED THAT THERE WERE NO RECALLS FOR THE VEHICLE. THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT TAKATA WAS NOT THE MANUFACTURER OF THE AIR BAGS IN THE VEHICLE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 100,600.

NHTSA ODI 11067242

I WAS DRIVING AND THE CAR KEPT TURNING OF. IT HAPPENED WHEN I WAS STOPPED AT A LIGHT AND MULTIPLE TIMES WHEN I WAS DRIVING. IT DOESN'T SHUTTER AND STALL, IT JUST SHUTS OFF. ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON WITH P1450 AND P0456. IT IS EVIDENTLY A KNOWN ISSUE. THERE WAS A RECALL FOR 2010-2011 FORD FUSIONS FOR THE EXACT SAME THING. "SOME OF THESE VEHICLES MIGHT HAVE A CANISTER PURGE VALVE THAT DOES NOT WORK PROPERLY, CAUSING INTERNAL PRESSURE CHANGES INSIDE THE FUEL TANK. REPEATED PRESSURE CHANGES INSIDE THE TANK COULD RESULT IN A CRACK ON THE TOP OF THE TANK, POSSIBLY ALLOWING FUEL TO LEAK. A FUEL LEAK IN THE PRESENCE OF AN IGNITION SOURCE CAN LEAD TO A FIRE." THERE IS NO RECALL FOR THE FORD FOCUS MODELS AFFECTED, EVEN THOUGH IT IS A KNOWN ISSUE AND NOT RELATED TO NORMAL WEAR. IT IS A MANUFACTURER DEFECT. IT WAS A VERY SCARY EXPERIENCE AND A VERY COSTLY ONE TO REPAIR. I AM UNDER 60,000 MILES. I DO NOT UNDERSTAND WHY THERE IS A RECALL ON ONE MODEL, BUT NOT THE OTHER FOR THE EXACT SAME MANUFACTURER ISSUE. THE ESTIMATED REPAIR COST IS $1800 FROM THE FORD DEALERSHIP SERVICE DEPARTMENT. I WAS ALMOST HIT, BECAUSE IT HAPPENED WHILE I WAS MAKING A TURN. IT CAUSED ME EXTREME ANXIETY. THIS IS NOT THE FIRST MANUFACTURER ISSUE I HAVE HAD WITH THIS CAR. NOT LONG AFTER GETTING IT, I HAD TRANSMISSION ISSUES.

NHTSA ODI 11067252

CONNECTOR FOR AIRBAGS KEEP COMING UNDONE. WE TOOK IN AFTER SEEING NOTIFICATION ON DASH SHOWING AIRBAG ISSUE. PAID 170 FOR THEM TO PUT A NEW CONNECTOR IN. LESS THAN A YEAR LATER IT IS LOOSE AGAIN. WE CANNOT KEEP PAYING $170 FOR THEM TO FIX THIS. THE SWITCH JUST HANGS UNDER THE DRIVER'S SEAT AND WE HAVE MADE A POINT OF NOT PUTTING ANYTHING UNDER THERE IN CASE THIS WAS THE PROBLEM. I HAVE SEEN ONLINE WHERE AIRBAGS ARE NOT DEPLOYING. COULD BE A FAULTY SWITCH UNDERNEATH CAUSING THIS TO HAPPEN. HTTP://WWW.ARFC.ORG/COMPLAINTS/2012/FORD/FOCUS/AIR_BAGS/PROBLEM.ASPX

NHTSA ODI 11066953

CLUTCH AND FRONT SEAL DEFECTIVE CAUSING TRANSMISSION FLUID TO LEAK OUT THEREBY CAUSING TRANSMISSION BEARINGS TO FAIL. FORD ADMITS TO DEFECTIVE FRONT SEALS AND WILL REPLACE FOR FREE BUT REFUSES TO COVER TRANSMISSION PROBLEM THAT WAS DUE TO THEIR DEFECTIVE SEALS.

NHTSA ODI 11066817