What 3,788 owners told NHTSA about the 2012 Ford Focus

The contact owns a 2012 Ford Focus. The contact stated that while driving between first and second gear, the vehicle shuddered and lost motive power temporarily. The vehicle was taken to two independent mechanics, where the contact was informed that the TCM or the shift interlock actuator needed to be replaced. The contact stated that after the mechanic replaced the shift interlock actuator, the vehicle operated as needed temporarily, and the failure recurred. The vehicle was taken to the dealer to be repaired under a Class Action Lawsuit settlement; however, the dealer informed the contact that the vehicle was not covered. The dealer diagnosed that the transmission clutch was slipping, and the dealer determined that the transmission needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact stated that the vehicle had failed to respond upon shifting to reverse(R) and failed to exceed first gear or 10 MPH. The check engine warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and confirmed that the VIN was not under recall. The contact was referred to the NHTSA Hotline for assistance. The failure mileage was approximately 67,000.

NHTSA ODI 11682377

I own a 2012 Ford Focus with approximately 51,000 miles. The transmission warning light came on, and I was informed by a repair shop that the transmission control module (TCM) and gears need repair. This vehicle uses the PowerShift dual-clutch transmission (DPS6), which has been the subject of a class-action lawsuit and multiple extended warranties due to widespread failures. The car exhibits jerking, delayed acceleration, and loss of power, which create dangerous driving conditions, particularly when merging into traffic or crossing intersections. Ford informed me I am outside the warranty period and refused to assist, despite this being a well-documented, recurring safety issue for which they have admitted fault in other cases. I am reporting this issue because it poses a serious safety hazard, and I believe the TCM defect should be subject to a mandatory recall. Ford is shifting the burden of a known manufacturing defect onto consumers, and this needs to be addressed before someone is injured.

NHTSA ODI 11679362

The contact owns a 2012 Ford Focus. The contact stated that while attempting to start the vehicle, the engine shuddered while idling, with the check engine warning light illuminated. The local independent mechanic was contacted; however, the vehicle was not diagnosed. The contact was advised that the failure might be attributed to coolant intrusion into the engine. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 100,058.

NHTSA ODI 11678324

The contact's mother owns a 2012 Ford Focus. The contact stated that while his mother was driving at an undisclosed speed, the transmission was slipping, and the vehicle stalled. The check engine warning light was illuminated. The contact's mother pulled over and had the vehicle towed to an independent mechanic and the dealer, who determined that the Transmission Control Module (TCM) had failed and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact related the failure to Customer Satisfaction Program: 14M02 (Transmission Control Module Extended Warranty Coverage); however, the vehicle was not included. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and advised the contact to file a complaint with the NHTSA Hotline. The failure mileage was approximately 100,000.

NHTSA ODI 11675273

The contact owns a 2012 Ford Focus. The contact stated that while driving 35 MPH, the vehicle jerked and the transmission unexpectedly downshifted. The contact was able to pull over to the side of the road. The message "Transmission Overheating" was displayed, and the check engine warning light illuminated. The contact turned off the vehicle and waited until the transmission had cooled down. The contact was able to restart the vehicle. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, where it was diagnosed that the transmission had failed and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and referred the contact to the NHTSA Hotline for assistance. The approximate failure mileage was 195,000.

NHTSA ODI 11674011

I am reporting a recurring safety issue with the DPS6 dual-clutch automatic transmission in my 2012 Ford Focus (VIN: [XXX] ). The vehicle intermittently fails to shift beyond 3rd gear while in motion, resulting in loss of acceleration and inability to maintain safe highway speeds. The most recent incident occurred in July 2025 while my son was driving. The car would not upshift past 3rd gear, forcing him to pull off the road. We took the vehicle to a Ford dealership, which ran diagnostics and ultimately identified diagnostic trouble code P2832: “Shift Fork B Position Sensor Circuit Low.” This error points to failure of the clutch actuator assembly, a key component of the DPS6 system. The dealership linked the issue to internal transmission component failure but stated the original warranty repair had already been used and no coverage was currently open. Ford Customer Relationship Center advised us to have the dealer submit through the Specialty Recall Program and to file a safety complaint with NHTSA. This failure is consistent with the issues outlined in Technical Service Bulletin (TSB) 16-0109, which addresses shuddering, hesitation, and shifting failure in Ford’s DPS6 transmission due to actuator and clutch contamination. The vehicle previously underwent warranty repair for transmission issues, and this is a repeat failure tied to the same known defect. This defect affects drivability and safety, especially for younger or less experienced drivers. Ford has acknowledged the defect in class action settlements and internal bulletins, but is denying coverage in this case. I am requesting NHTSA investigate this ongoing pattern of failure and pressure Ford to address these safety risks before they result in serious injury. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

NHTSA ODI 11673492

The contact owns a 2012 Ford Focus. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the transmission unexpectedly downshifted with the check engine warning light illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, where it was diagnosed and determined that the TCM, purge valve, and clutch assembly had failed and needed to be replaced. The TCM and purge valve were repaired under warranty. The clutch assembly was not repaired or replaced. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and referred the contact to the NHTSA hotline for further assistance. The approximate failure mileage was 128,000.

NHTSA ODI 11672200

The Power Steering shut down suddenly while I was driving it. I am [XXX], and certainly did NOT have the power to turn the wheel like it needed. If there had been fast moving traffic at that time, I could have been hit and severely injured, Why hasn't this been recalled yet? The problem has been confirmed by an independent service center. I had to go there when my power steering intermittently came back on because it was only 6 blocks away from my house and I didn't dare try to drive it to a ford dealer which was 12 miles away. I'm not positive about the light coming on, but I believe I saw a circle with an "i" inside of it I was too stressed to notice completely, when I was trying to control my car. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

NHTSA ODI 11671103

The contact owns a 2012 Ford Focus. The contact stated while driving 45 MPH, the message "Transmission Hot," was displayed. In addition, the transmission was slipping. The vehicle was taken to the dealer; however, the vehicle was not inspected or diagnosed. The contact was informed that the failure was a known failure, there was no fix available. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact stated that the failure persisted. The manufacturer was notified of the failure, a case was opened, and the contact was referred to the NHTSA Hotline for assistance. The failure mileage was approximately 225,000.

NHTSA ODI 11670836

The contact owns a 2012 Ford Focus. The contact stated while at a stop light, the accelerator pedal was depressed; however, the vehicle failed to move forward. The contact stated that the failure had occurred while driving on a major highway. The contact stated that after the vehicle sat for approximately ten minutes, the vehicle was restarted, and the vehicle independently reset. The vehicle was driven to the residence. In addition, the contact stated that several days prior to the failure, the vehicle was started; however, the gear shifter failed to shift into drive(D). The contact stated the gear shifter only shifted into reverse(R), and the transmission fault warning light illuminated. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired by an independent mechanic or the dealer. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure but provided no assistance. The contact was advised to contact the NHTSA Hotline to report the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 37,000.

NHTSA ODI 11670925

The contact owns a 2012 Ford Focus. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle jerked and failed to accelerate as intended while depressing the accelerator pedal. In addition, the contact stated the transmission unexpectedly downshifted before slamming into gear. The vehicle intermittently returned to normal functionality, or the RPM would fluctuate, and the transmission would shift rough. No warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, who retrieved DTC: P07A3 (Failure with the clutch A stuck causing transmission friction). The contact was informed that the clutch actuator needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not yet repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure, a case was opened, and the contact was referred to the NHTSA Hotline for assistance. The failure mileage was approximately 150,000.

NHTSA ODI 11667679

Unknown

NHTSA ODI 11667109

I was starting to pull away from a traffic light but the car would not go to second gear and was shaking violently this has happened more times then I can count and I take care of my [XXX] we travel 50 miles a day in this car on one of the most dangerous roads in the nation [XXX] ) there are places on this road with no emergency lanes in case my car stalls again or just won't go into gear and I have drivers bearing down on me at 70 miles an hour. I know for a fact these issues have come up with countless others that have bought this vehicle and I just don't understand why this isn't a big enough safety concern is it going to take the death of me and my grandson for a recall to be made on this piece of garbage ford calls a transmission? I don't have $ for another vehicle and if this one doesn't keep getting me to work I'll be out of a job and we will be homeless a friend helped me buy this car and I assumed he checked it out first and he only looked at the accident report but not the overall report on these vehicles which shouldn't even be on car lots for sale they are unsafe death traps and when people start dying in them which im sure has already happened those deaths are on ford and on this so called national highway safety because your not doing your job this recall should have happened years ago INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

NHTSA ODI 11666933

The contact owns a 2012 Ford Focus. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle inadvertently lost motive power. The contact was able to pull over to the shoulder of the roadway, where the failure persisted for approximately an hour. After restarting the vehicle, the vehicle returned to normal functionality, but the failure became a regular occurrence. The contact stated that the check engine warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, who was unable to duplicate the failure. The vehicle was not repaired. After investigating the failure, the contact related the failure to Customer Satisfaction Program: 14M02. The manufacturer was notified of the failure but provided no assistance. The failure mileage was 171,000.

NHTSA ODI 11664297

The contact owns a 2012 Ford Focus. The contact stated that while attempting to refuel, the fuel nozzle continuously clicked off. Additionally, while operating the vehicle, the fuel gauge malfunctioned and displayed inaccurate fuel information. The contact stated that the fuel gauge incorrectly displayed a full fuel tank; however, the contact stated that the vehicle stalled. The tow service was called to the scene and discovered that there was no fuel in the fuel tank. The tow service added fuel and the vehicle restarted and operated normally. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer who diagnosed that the fuel tank, fuel gasket, and canister purge valve were faulty and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not yet repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure, but no assistance was offered. The failure mileage was 127,255.

NHTSA ODI 11662064

I went to emissions and I received an “Important Vehicle Safety Recall Information” notice that states Transmission Control Module Extendes Warranty Coverage”.

NHTSA ODI 11661632

Transmission problem

NHTSA ODI 11661650

The contact owns a 2012 Ford Focus. The contact stated that the front driver's side door failed to latch securely while closed. The contact stated that the door occasionally unintendedly opened while driving. The contact stated that the failure required him to drive with an arm out the window holding the door closed. The vehicle was taken to the dealer to be repaired under NHTSA Campaign Number: 16V643000 (Latches/Locks/Linkages); however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The dealer diagnosed the vehicle and informed the contact that the part to repair the vehicle was on backorder. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and referred the contact to the NHTSA Hotline for assistance. The failure mileage was approximately 178,000. Parts distribution disconnect.

NHTSA ODI 11661413

The contact owns a 2012 Ford Focus. The contact stated that the message “Transmission Overheating – Pullover and Wait 5 Minutes Before Continuing to Drive” was displayed. The contact stated that the vehicle jerked while driving at various speeds, the transmission failed to shift properly. The contact stated that while attempting to accelerate from idling, the vehicle jerked abnormally before accelerating. The contact stated that occasionally the RPM became elevated; however, the vehicle failed to accelerate as intended. The vehicle was taken to the dealer who diagnosed that the Transmission Control Module (TCM) had failed and the dual-clutch system, A and B, was faulty and needed to be replaced. Additionally, the seals on the transmission had failed, causing transmission fluid to leak from the transmission. The contact was informed that the TCM, dual-clutch system, and seals need to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was informed of the failure and provided the contact with a reference number for the call. The manufacturer referred the contact to the NHTSA Hotline to report the failure. The failure mileage was unknown.

NHTSA ODI 11659250

TCM needs replaced. Car does not have reverse, stalls and overheating.

NHTSA ODI 11657446

The contact owns a 2012 Ford Focus. The contact stated that the window motor in the passenger’s side window was no longer functioning while attempting to roll down the window. There was no warning light illuminated. The local dealer was contacted; however, the vehicle was not diagnosed. The contact was informed that the VIN was not under recall. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 99,085.

NHTSA ODI 11656799

Power steering light intermittently comes on and vehicles looses power steering. Upon turning vehicle off then back on power steering will come back on. Can't get it to act up long enough for mechanic to diagnose. Only a matter of time before an accident happens. There are hundreds of complaints online about this same issue. Ford has issued some recalls but not on my particular VIN...

NHTSA ODI 11656316

The contact owns a 2012 Ford Focus. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle stalled with the check engine warning light illuminated. The vehicle was towed to the dealer, where it was diagnosed that the purge valve had failed and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and referred the contact to the NHTSA Hotline for further assistance. The failure mileage was approximately 143,500.

NHTSA ODI 11655837

Ford manufactured faulty clutches in Ford Focus cars years 2012-2015. The clutches were put in automatic transmissions and after short periods of time the clutch slips requiring full replacements. In 2023 my daughter was driving on a 55 mile per hour highway when the car shut down and would no longer drive. She had to immediately pull over and have the car towed to the dealership. We spent $4,600 reporting the clutch. Just barely after 2 years the clutch is completely out again. A clutch in an automatic car should not go out within 2 years and 13,000 miles. When the clutch slips it puts the driver and other drivers at increased risk of an accident. Ford is aware of these issues and refuse to do any sort of recalls.

NHTSA ODI 11654170

The TCM on the transmission needs fixed they said i could get a rental car.

NHTSA ODI 11652609