Home · 2013 Ford Focus Bev · Complaints

What 2,157 owners told NHTSA about the 2013 Ford Focus Bev

These are the actual owner complaints behind this car’s reliability verdict, filed with the federal government, unedited. They’re unverified reports, not confirmed defects: read them as leads for your pre-purchase inspection, not a diagnosis.

All (2,157)Crash / fire / injury (63)Transmission & drivetrain (1,131)Engine (355)Electrical system (295)Steering (279)Fuel system (270)Speed control (115)Body & structure (83)Latches & locks (52)Electronic Stability Control (esc) (39)Visibility & wipers (29)

270 of 2,157 complaints match · Fuel system · clear filters · page 11 of 11

Oct 6, 2014Transmission & drivetrainFuel system

I HAVE A 2013 FOCUS WITH 28600 MILES. ON A DAILY BASIS I WHEN I ACCELERATE IT RATTLES AND HESITATES. THE DEALERSHIP SAID IT WAS A SMART TRANSMISSION AND IS JUST WHAT IT DOES. ON OCT 3RD 2014 I WAS AT A BUSY INTERSECTION AND WAITING FOR THE LIGHT TO TURN GREEN. THE LIGHT TURNED GREEN AND THE CAR ACTED AS THOUGH IT WAS IN NEUTRAL AND WOULD NOT DRIVE. AFTER ABOUT 15 SECONDS WITH EVERYONE HONKING AT ME IT STARTED TO MOVE FORWARD BUT SOUNDED LIKE IT WAS GOING BACK AND FORTH FROM NEUTRAL TO DRIVE AND I COULDN'T GO OVER 30. I BARELY MADE IT TO A PARKING LOT. I PULLED OVER AND CALLED THE DEALERSHIP BUT IT WAS TO LATE AND THE ASSOCIATE SAID I HAD TO CALL BACK AT 7 IN THE MORNING. MY CAR SHUDDERED ALL THE WAY HOME ESPECIALLY WHEN I HAD TO STOP AND ACCELERATE AT A LIGHT OR STOP SIGN. I CALLED IN THE MORNING AND THEY SAID TO BRING THE CAR IN. THE NEXT DAY IT DROVE FINE. THEY THOUGHT IT MIGHT BE BAD GAS DUE TO THE FACT THE ENGINE LIGHT HAD COME ON DURING THE MALFUNCTION. THAT JUST MADE ME MAD. THE DEALERSHIP PUT IT ON THE COMPUTER AND IT CAME UP A BAD TRANSMISSION MODULE? I AM OUT A CAR FOR A WEEK. I DO NOT WANT THE CAR BACK . WHAT IF IT HAPPENS AFTER 36000 MILES. FORD KNOWS ABOUT THIS PROBLEM. I BOUGHT THIS CAR WITH AN EXPECTATION OF IT BEING SAFE. IT IS NOT. IT IS A DANGEROUS CAR. YOU SHOULD BE ASHAMED FORD CORPORATION YOU ARE PUTTING PEOPLES LIVES IN DANGER. *TR

NHTSA ODI 10641663

May 29, 2014Fuel systemSpeed control

FIRST INCIDENT ...WAS MAKING A TURN FROM A STOP POSITION AND CAR HESITATED(TRANSMISSION). SECOND INCIDENT .. PARKED CAR ON AN INCLINE AND CAR ROLLED BACK ENOUGH TO HAVE SOMEBODY BEHIND ME CALL IT TO MY ATTENTION. THIRD INCIDENT ? GOING UP ON MY DRIVEWAY THE CAR HESITATED AND SHAKES A LOT WHEN STARTING FROM A STOP POSITION. NOTE= WHEN MY WIFE DROVE THE CAR ON A TEST RUN.. NONE OF THIS PROBLEMS SHOWED UP. THAT IS BECAUSE THE ROUTE WE TOOK WAS ALL ON FLAT SURFACES(IN FLORIDA). WE BROUGHT IT TO THE ATTENTION OF THE FORD DEALERSHIP, AND THEY HANDED US A PAMPHLET, THAT EXPLAINED TO US THAT WE DID NOT REALLY BUY A CAR WITH AN AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION, IT IS A STANDARD TRANSMISSION WITH SOME KIND OF GEAR SET UP TO SHIFT AS IF IT IS AN AUTOMATIC. THE DEALERSHIP ALSO TOLD US TO CALL THE MANUFACTURER IF WE WANTED TO MAKE A COMPLAIN. WE HAVE A TWO YEAR WARRANTY, BUT I AM THINKING THAT WE MIGHT HAVE SOME TRANSMISSION PROBLEMS A LOT SOONER, BUT WHO WANTS TO DRIVE A NEW CAR WITH THAT PROBLEM PENDING OVER YOUR HEAD. I HOPE THAT WE ALL COMPLAIN LOUD ENOUGH FOR FORD TO TAKE SOME IMMEDIATE ACTION, AND COME UP WITH A SATISFACTORY SOLUTION. *TR

NHTSA ODI 10594963

May 22, 2014SuspensionFuel systemEngine

1. THE SPUTTERING, HESITATION WHEN PRESSING DOWN ON THE ACCELERATOR 2. AFTER STOPPING THE CAR, THE EXTRA "JOLT" SEEMS AS IF IT COULD BE A SAFETY CONCERN/ISSUE 3.YEAR LATER ALL THIS GOT WORSE AND I HAD THE CAR TOWED IN TO THE DEALERSHIP 2 TIMES FOR A TOTAL OF 38 DAYS OF "FIXING" THE PROBLEMS OF THE TRANSMISSION. 4.I'VE HAD MY CAR BACK NOW FOR 3 DAYS, THE HESITATION IS STILL THERE, NO SPUTTERING NOTICED AS OF NOW. *TR

NHTSA ODI 10593382

May 21, 2014Fuel systemElectrical systemSpeed control

WE WERE DRIVING HOME AND HAD BEEN ON THE ROAD USING CRUISE CONTROL FOR APPROXIMATELY 2 1/2 HOURS WHEN THE VEHICLE SHUT OFF COMPLETELY GOING FROM 70 MPH TO NO POWER OR ELECTRICAL. WE WERE FAST LANE ON I-75 NORTH AND THE CAR WAS WITHOUT ANY POWER OR HAZARD LIGHTS. WE ATTEMPTED TO RESTART THE CAR SEVERAL TIMES AND FINALLY IT STARTED AFTER 5 MINUTES. LUCKILY A CAR STOPPED AND HAD THEIR HAZARD LIGHTS ON. SINCE THEN OUR CAR FUEL HAS DECREASED TO 12 MPG IN THE CITY AND 22 ON THE HIGHWAY. WHEN YOU TAKE OFF CAR BOGS DOWN AND YOU HAVE TO MASH HARD ON THE GAS TO GET IT TO MOVE. THE IDLE IS ROUGH AND YOU CAN FEEL IT RUNNING ROUGH. WE HAVE HAD IT INTO THE DEALERSHIP FIVE TIMES AND SINCE CAR DOES NOT CODE THEY WILL NOT WORK ON IT PER FORD'S POLICY. THUS, WE HAVE THAT FORD HAS ADVERTISED WILL GET 28 IN THE CITY AND 40 ON THE HIGHWAY WHICH WE DID GET THE FIRST MONTH BEFORE IT DIED ON THE HIGHWAY. SINCE THEN WE ARE AFRAID TO DRIVE USING CRUISE ON A TRIP. *TR

NHTSA ODI 10593211

Feb 23, 2014Transmission & drivetrainElectrical systemFuel system

THE CAR WOULDN'T START (ELECTRIC CAR). A INSTRUMENT PANEL MESSAGE SAID SEE OWNERS MANUAL ALONG WITH RED EXCLAMATION MARK SHOWED. HAD TO BE TOWED TO DEALER. WAS DIAGNOSED AT FIRST WITH A BAD HIGH VOLTAGE BATTERY. THEY ORDERED ONE ($25,000 BATTERY). ONE WEEK INTO WAITING, FORD (FACTORY) SAID ITS NOT THE BATTERY AND ORDERED A GROUND CABLE FROM THE HIGH VOLTAGE TO THE ELECTRIC DRIVE MOTOR. IT TOOK 27 BUSINESS DAYS TO GET THE VEHICLE REPAIRED. ANOTHER VISIT, IN SEPT. 2012 THE CARS INTERIOR HEATER FAILED. THEY TOOK 7 BUSINESS DAY TO ORDER AND REPLACE THE ELECTRIC COOLANT HEATER PUMP. *TR

NHTSA ODI 10565513

Feb 16, 2014Transmission & drivetrainElectrical systemFuel system

WHILE DRIVING I LOST THE ABILITY TO ACCELERATE THE VEHICLE AS I APPROACHED AN INCLINE IN THE ROAD AND A "STOP SAFELY NOW" AND "SEE MANUAL" WARNING LIGHT APPEARED ON THE DASH. I ACTIVATED THE HAZARD LIGHTS AND PULLED OVER INTO THE BIKE LANE. I SHUT OFF THE CAR, OPENED THE DOOR AND WAS ABLE TO RESTART THE CAR AFTER SEVERAL FAILED ATTEMPTS. APPROXIMATELY 5 MINUTES LATER, I SUCCESSFULLY RESTARTED THE CAR AND DROVE BACK HOME, ONLY THE CAR LOST THE ABILITY TO ACCELERATE AGAIN AS I CAME THROUGH A MAJOR INTERSECTION. THIS TIME THE WARNING SIGNS WERE NOT ACTIVATED UNTIL I HAD COASTED TO A STOP. THEN THE SAME "STOP SAFELY NOW" AND "SEE MANUAL" WARNING LIGHT APPEARED ON THE DASH. I PLACED THE CAR IN PARK AND WALKED A MILE HOME. THE POWERTRAIN CONTROL MODULE REPROGRAM WAS COMPLETED BY FORD IN SEPTEMBER OF 2013. THIS IS THE 7TH OCCURRENCE SINCE THE PCM HAS BEEN REPROGRAMMED BY FORD. MY SAFETY HAS BEEN REPEATEDLY COMPROMISED AND I NO LONGER HAVE CONFIDENCE IN THIS CAR NOR FORD AS THEY ARE UNABLE TO FIX THE PROBLEM AND ARE UNWILLING TO TAKE RESPONSIBILITY. PLEASE REFER TO MY PREVIOUS COMPLAINT FILED PRIOR TO THE PCM REPROGRAMMING AND OFFICIAL RECALL NOTICE. *TR

NHTSA ODI 10564591

Nov 7, 2013Fuel systemTransmission & drivetrain

THIS INCIDENT HAS NOW OCCURRED TWICE IN ONE WEEK. THE FIRST TIME I WAS DRIVING OUT OF MY APARTMENT COMPLEX AND THE CAR JUST DIED. THE FUEL LIGHT NEVER WENT ON AND STILL SAID I HAD ABOUT 30 MORE MILES UNTIL E. WAS TOWED TO THE DEALERSHIP, AND THEY TOLD ME THEY PUT GAS IN IT AND IT STARTED RIGHT UP. IT SAID I HAD 144 MILES UNTIL E AND THEY CALIBRATED IT AND THE MILEAGE DECREASED TO 133. I DROVE THE CAR 80 MILES AND HAPPENED AGAIN YESTERDAY, BUT THIS TIME I WAS ON A BUSY STATE ROAD GOING ABOUT 55 MPH WITH MY SON IN THE CAR. THE CAR JERKED AND I COULD TELL IT WAS LOSING POWER. LUCKILY I WAS ABLE TO COAST INTO A SUBDIVISION. THE FUEL LIGHT NEVER WENT ON AND ALSO STATED I STILL HAD ABOUT 33 MILES LEFT UNTIL E. THE CAR HAS BEEN TOWED AGAIN TO SAME DEALERSHIP AND NO WORD ON WHAT IS WRONG. WAS TOLD THEY WERE ON THE PHONE WITH FORD TO SOLVE THE PROBLEM. I AM CURRENTLY IN A RENTAL AND SCARED TO DRIVE MY CAR AS I AM AFRAID THIS WILL HAPPEN AGAIN. ALSO, HAD MANY TRANSMISSION AND CLUTCH ISSUES THIS SUMMER AND THOSE PARTS HAVE SINCE BEEN REPLACED. THE CAR IS A YEAR OLD AND BEEN IN THE SHOP MORE TIMES THAN MY OLD CAR THAT I TRADED IN FOR MY NEW FORD. *TR

NHTSA ODI 10551442

Oct 28, 2013Electronic Stability Control (esc)Fuel system

WHILE DRIVING IN STOP AND GO TRAFFIC ON THE FREEWAY, THE VEHICLE STALLS UNEXPECTEDLY, FOLLOWED BY A MESSAGE TO 'STOP SAFELY NOW'. AFTER SEVERAL MINUTES OF ATTEMPTING TO RESTART, THE VEHICLE RESTARTS AND IS ABLE TO DRIVEN AGAIN NORMALLY. THIS HAS OCCURRED TO ME THREE TIMES SO FAR, WITHOUT WARNING AND DOES NOT SEEM TO BE ANY COMMON PATTERN THAT IS CAUSING THE STALLS. *TR

NHTSA ODI 10549894

Oct 25, 2013Transmission & drivetrainFuel system

THE FIRST EVENT OCCURRED ON 7/17/2013, AT 2267 MILES. I HAD CHARGED THE BATTERY OVERNIGHT (AT OUR MOTEL), USING THE 120-VOLT CHARGING CORD. I HAD PULLED THE CAR AROUND TO THE FRONT OF THE MOTEL THE CAR WAS STATIONARY, IN "PARK," WHEN THE "STOP SAFELY NOW" MESSAGE WAS DISPLAYED. I JUST POWERED THE CAR OFF AND POWERED IT BACK ON. THAT CLEARED THE SSN MESSAGE. THEN, I DROVE HOME, AS PLANNED, WITH NO RECURRENCES OF THE ERROR MESSAGE. TODAY, 10/24/2013, AT 4127 MILES, THE "STOP SAFELY NOW" MESSAGE WAS DISPLAYED (FOR ONLY THE SECOND TIME), WHILE I WAS DRIVING DOWN A HILL, AT ABOUT 30 MPH. THE CAR HAD BEEN SITTING IN THE PARKING LOT, AT WORK, AND THE SSN ERROR OCCURRED AFTER DRIVING ABOUT 1 MILE. THERE WAS NO PLACE TO PULL OVER, WITHOUT BLOCKING TRAFFIC, BUT, SINCE I WAS GOING DOWNHILL, I JUST CONTINUED COASTING, MADE MY USUAL RIGHT TURN AT THE BOTTOM OF THE HILL, AND PULLED OVER, AT A SPOT WHERE THERE WAS A VERY WIDE, PAVED SHOULDER. SINCE IT WAS TOO LATE IN THE DAY (5:30 PM) TO GET THE CAR (WITH THE POWER STILL ON AND THE SSN MESSAGE STILL DISPLAYED) TOWED TO THE LOCAL FORD DEALER (WHICH CLOSES AT 6 PM), I POWERED THE CAR OFF AND, THEN, POWERED IT BACK ON. THE SSN ERROR, AGAIN, WENT AWAY, AND I WAS ABLE TO SAFELY DRIVE HOME, WITH NO ADDITIONAL SSN MESSAGES. BECAUSE OF A CONSTRUCTION DETOUR, LATELY, I HAVE BEEN DRIVING TO WORK AND BACK, ON A MAJOR HIGHWAY, THAT HAS A SPEED LIMIT OF 65 MPH. NUMEROUS STRETCHES OF THAT HIGHWAY ARE BOTH UPHILL AND HAVE LITTLE OR NO ROOM TO PULL OVER. THE LAST PART OF MY TRIP HOME IS US A STEEP HILL, WITH LOTS OF CURVE AND MOSTLY VERY NARROW SHOULDERS. *TR

NHTSA ODI 10549442

Oct 25, 2013Electrical systemFuel system

WHILE BRAKING FOR A STOP SIGN, THERE WAS A THUD, THE STOP SAFELY NOW LIGHT CAME ON, AND THE CAR STOPPED IMMEDIATELY. IT WOULD NOT RE-START. I PUSHED IT TO THE SIDE AND CALLED FOR A TOW. IT IS NOW AT THE FORD DEALER. THIS IS THE THIRD INCIDENT OF THIS KIND AND THE SECOND TIME I HAVE TAKEN IT TO THE DEALER AND REPORTED THE INCIDENT TO NHTSA. *TR

NHTSA ODI 10549569

Oct 24, 2013Transmission & drivetrainElectrical systemFuel system

MY VEHICLE DISPLAYED A "STOP SAFELY NOW" WARNING DURING MY NORMAL MORNING COMMUTE. THE WARNING WAS PRECEDED BY A FAILURE OF THE RADIO PORTION OF THE SYNC SYSTEM. I BRIEFLY TURNED OFF THE VEHICLE AT A USUAL STOP ON MY ROUTE AND UPON TURNING IT ON, THE RADIO VOLUME, POWER AND TUNING WERE ALL UNRESPONSIVE. I ATTEMPTED TO RESET THE VEHICLE AT THE NEXT TRAFFIC LIGHT BY POWERING DOWN AND OPENING THE DOOR, BUT THE RADIO REMAINED ON EVEN AFTER THE VEHICLE WAS OFF AND THE DOOR WAS OPENED. I ATTEMPTED THIS SEVERAL MORE TIMES AT EACH SUCCESSIVE TRAFFIC LIGHT AND THE RADIO WOULD NOT SHUT OFF. AFTER ONE SUCH RESET, THE STOP SAFELY NOW WARNING WAS DISPLAYED ON THE DASH. I WAS STOPPED AT A TRAFFIC LIGHT AT THE TIME AND WAS ABLE TO RESET THE VEHICLE AND SAFELY ENTER A PARKING LOT AND WAIT FOR A TOW - WITH THE RADIO STILL ON. MY LOCAL FORD DEALER WAITED THREE DAYS TO DIAGNOSE THE ISSUE AND UNSURPRISINGLY DETERMINED IT WAS CAUSED BY A DEFECTIVE/DEAD 12 V BATTERY AND REPLACED THE BATTERY. SOFTWARE WAS ALSO UPDATED. UPON RETURNING HOME AND ATTEMPTING TO CHARGE, MY VEHICLE DISPLAYED A HIGH VOLTAGE SYSTEM FAULT AND HAD TO BE TOWED TO THE DEALER AGAIN. THE DEALER SAID THIS FAULT WAS CAUSED BY A LOOSE CONNECTION ON A TERMINAL BLOCK ON THE ELECTRIC MOTOR THAT WAS USED TO SIGNAL BATTERY CAPACITY TO THE ON-BOARD COMPUTER. *TR

NHTSA ODI 10549370

Oct 19, 2013Fuel system

CAR SHUT DOWN/STOPPED WHILE DRIVING; WARNING LIGHT SAYS "STOP SAFELY NOW" BUT THERE IS NO CHOICE -- THE CAR SHUTS DOWN AND ONLY OPTION IS TO COAST TO SIDE OF ROAD. *TR

NHTSA ODI 10548554

Oct 18, 2013Electrical systemBrakesFuel system

I HAVE RECEIVED A "STOP SAFELY NOW" WARNING TWICE IN THE PAST WEEK WHILE DRIVE MY FORD FOCUS ELECTRIC. WHEN THIS HAS HAPPENED I'VE LOST ALL ACCELERATION, AND ONE OF THE TIMES I LOST THE ABILITY TO STEER AND BREAK. BOTH TIMES THAT THIS HAS HAPPENED THE CAR BATTERY WAS NEAR FULLY CHARGED. --------------------------------- 1ST OCCURRENCE WAS ON OCT 7TH 2013 WHILE SLOWING DOWN TO APPROACH A STOP SIGN, I HEARD BEEPING AND RECEIVED THE "STOP SAFELY NOW" WARNING ON THE SCREEN AND IMMEDIATELY THE CAR LOST POWER (THE DASHBOARD STILL HAD POWER). I LOST THE ABILITY TO STEER, BREAK AND ACCELERATE. THANKFULLY I WAS ALREADY COMING TO A STOP (FOR THE STOP SIGN) AND WAS UNDER 5MPH. THE CAR ROLLED TO A STOP, I WAS UNABLE TO TURN THE CAR BACK ON UNTIL I OPENED THE DRIVER'S DOOR (THIS CAUSED THE DASHBOARD TO POWER OFF), AFTER THIS I WAS ABLE TO POWER THE CAR BACK ON AND CONTINUE DRIVING. ------------------------------------- 2ND OCCURRENCE WAS ON OCT 16TH 2013 WHILE DRIVING 65MPH ON THE FREEWAY, I HEARD BEEPING AND RECEIVED THE "STOP SAFELY NOW" WARNING ON THE SCREEN AND IMMEDIATELY THE CAR LOST POWER (THE DASHBOARD STILL HAD POWER), THIS TIME I WAS STILL ABLE TO STEER AND BREAK BUT HAD NO ACCELERATION. THANKFULLY THERE WAS A FREEWAY EXIT CLOSE BY, AND THE CAR HAD ENOUGH MOMENTUM THAT I WAS ABLE TO ROLL DOWN THE EXIT RAMP AND TO THE SHOULDER OF THE FEEDER ROAD. THE CAR WOULD NOT RESTART, I HAD TO OPEN THE DRIVER SIDE DOOR FOR THE CAR TO POWER DOWN ALL THE WAY. I WAS THAN ABLE TO POWER THE CAR BACK ON AND KEEP DRIVING. ------------------------------------- I HAVE TAKEN THE CAR TO THE FORD SERVICE DEPT (ON OCT 17TH); AT THIS TIME THEY ARE TELLING ME THAT THEY HAVE NOT FOUND AN ISSUE. *TR

NHTSA ODI 10548444

Oct 10, 2013Electrical systemEngineFuel system

STOP SAFELY NOW- CAR ASKED ME TO STOP SAFELY NOW WHILE DRIVING AND I PULLED OVER. AT THAT POINT, IT DID NOT RESTART. HAS HAPPENED 4 OTHER TIMES WITH MY WIFE AND 4 KIDS IN THE CAR WHILE TRAVELING AT SPEED. VERY UNSAFE AND HAVE REPORTED TO FORD. HAS BEEN IN SHOP FOR OVER 30 DAYS AND THEY ARE EXECUTING A BUY-BACK, BUT WITH ALL THESE OTHER CARS ON THE ROAD, IT CAN BE EXTREMELY DANGEROUS AS YOU LOSE ALL CONTROL WITH AN ELECTRIC CAR. NEEDS TO BE INVESTIGATED AND FORD NEEDS TO FIX THE PROBLEM BY FINDING A ROOT CAUSE. *TR

NHTSA ODI 10547536

Oct 7, 2013Transmission & drivetrainElectrical systemFuel system

ON AT LEAST 8 SEPARATE OCCASIONS, WHILE DRIVING MY CAR ALL OF SUDDEN AND OUT OF THE BLUE IT DISPLAYS A "STOP SAFELY NOW" WARNING ON THE DASHBOARD AND THEN COMPLETELY LOSES ALL POWER TO THE DRIVETRAIN AS SOON AS IT SLOWS TO DOWN TO APPROX. 5MPH. FORTUNATELY, I'VE NOT BEEN KILLED YET AS A RESULT OF THIS. THE CAR HAS BEEN TO THE FORD DEALER 2 TIMES SINCE THE FIRST OCCURRENCE IN APRIL TO "FIX" THE PROBLEM AND IS CURRENTLY THERE AGAIN AFTER IT MOST RECENTLY HAPPENED ON SEPT 24, 2013. IT'S NOW BEEN AT THE DEALER FOR NEARLY TWO WEEKS AND THEY ARE STILL TRYING TO FIGURE IT OUT. *TR

NHTSA ODI 10547138

Oct 3, 2013Transmission & drivetrainElectrical systemFuel system

I HAVE JUST OVER 1000 MILES ON MY 2013 FOCUS EV ... TOOK IT FOR ITS 1ST POWER CAR WASH TODAY @ DELTA SONIC ... ABOUT 10:00 MIN DRIVING AWAY FROM CAR WASH, VEHICLE ABRUPTLY "SHUT DOWN" REQUESTING AN "IMMEDIATE SAFE STOP" AND THE "YELLOW WRENCH" SHOWED ON DASH. AFTER ABOUT 30:00 MIN WHILE SCHEDULING A TOW FROM FORD ROADSIDE ASSIST, VEHICLE ABRUPTLY "CLEARED ITSELF" AND TURNED ON ... DROVE HOME W/O PROBLEM ? WONDERING IF "FLOOD SENSOR" SENSED TOO MUCH WATER AND DISENGAGED BATTERY PACK ? ... LIGHTS, RADIO AND ACCESSORIES WERE STILL OPERATING. SOMEWHAT CONCERNED ON VEHICLES PERFORMANCE DURING UPCOMING "COLD WET" MONTHS. YOUR SUGGESTION ? *TR

NHTSA ODI 10546691

Sep 23, 2013Transmission & drivetrainElectrical systemFuel system

VEHICLE WARNING "STOP SAFELY NOW" APPEARED AND THE EV LOST ALL ITS MOTIVE POWER AND STALLED. REPEATED ATTEMPTS TO RESTART THE VEHICLE FAILED.

NHTSA ODI 10544970

Aug 27, 2013Fuel system

LUCKILY NO ONE WAS INJURED - AS I WAS DRIVING THE HIGHWAY TO GO HOME, THE CARS MOTOR SUDDENLY SHUT OFF, AFTER BARELY MAKING IT TO THE SHOULDER (INCHES FROM TRAFFIC) I LOOKED AT THE ESTIMATED MILES TO EMPTY, WHICH STATED 17 MILES TO EMPTY - YET I WAS OUT OF FUEL. SEEMS FORD FOCUS HAS A INCORRECT READING ON THE FUEL ECONOMY/AND OR ESTIMATED PORTION THAT COULD BE POTENTIALLY DANGEROUS. (I TOOK A PHOTO OF THE DASH READOUTS AS WELL). *TR

NHTSA ODI 10537436

Jun 10, 2013Fuel systemTransmission & drivetrainEngine

MY PERFORMANCE CONCERN STARTED WITHIN THE FIRST WEEK OF OWNERSHIP. I HAD REPORTED WHAT I PERCEIVED AS A PERFORMANCE ISSUE TO THE DEALER BUT OPTED TO GIVE A NEW CAR TIME TO "BREAK IN". 4 WEEKS INTO MY OWNER EXPERIENCE, THE SERVICE DEPARTMENT HELD AND DROVE THE CAR FOR 5 DAYS AND HAD DETERMINED THAT A TRANSMISSION COMPONENT WAS THE CAUSE OF THE ISSUE I WAS EXPERIENCING. I NOW HAVE OVER 10K MILES ON THE VEHICLE AND HAVE HAD THE SAME EXPERIENCE. THE SERVICE DEPARTMENT HAS SINCE TOLD ME THAT THE ROUGH IDLE IN PARK OR IN GEAR WITH BRAKE APPLIED IS THE RESULT OF THE "DIRECT INJECTION" TECHNOLOGY USED IN THIS VEHICLE. THE HESITATION EXPERIENCED DURING 0 TO >0 ACCELERATION (GRADUAL OR HARD) IS ALSO THE RESULT OF THE "DIRECT INJECTION" TECHNOLOGY COUPLED WITH ELECTRONIC CLUTCH TECHNOLOGY USED IN PLACE OF A TORQUE CONVERTER. THIS COMBINATION HAS YIELDED NUMEROUS "ALMOST STALLED" CONDITIONS DURING NORMAL DRIVING MANEUVERS INCLUDING ACCELERATION DURING THE COMPLETION OF A LEFT TURN CROSSING ONCOMING LANES OF TRAFFIC. I RAISE THIS CONCERN AS I UNDERSTAND THERE IS AN INVESTIGATION OF F150 VEHICLES WITH "DIRECT INJECTION" TECHNOLOGY AS A POTENTIAL CAUSE FOR THE LOSS OF POWER. MY EXPERIENCE WITH THE FORD FOCUS HAS NOT RESULTED IN AN ACCIDENT. MY GOAL IS TO RAISE AWARENESS TO A SIMILAR CONDITION FROM THE SAME MANUFACTURER UTILIZING THE SAME TECHNOLOGY. I ALSO HAVE A SECOND VEHICLE ([XXX]) THAT IS LEASED AND HAS THE SAME PERFORMANCE ISSUE DESCRIBED ABOVE. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR

NHTSA ODI 10515988

Apr 23, 2013Speed controlEngineFuel system

AS I PULLED OUT INTO THE FLOW OF TRAFFIC FROM A GAS STATION, I REALIZED MY CAR WOULD NOT ACCELERATE BEYOND 15-20 MPH. I IMMEDIATELY PULLED OVER TO THE RIGHT HAND LANE AND PROCEEDED TO THE STOP LIGHT, WHICH WAS ABOUT A 100 YARDS DOWN THE ROAD. AT THE RED LIGHT I PLACED THE CAR INTO NEUTRAL AND DISCOVERED THE ENGINE WOULD NOT GO BEYOND 3500-4000 RPM'S. I THEN TURNED ON THE WARNING FLASHERS, AND WHEN THE LIGHT TURNED GREEN I PULLED OVER TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD AND PROCEEDED AT 15-20 MPH UNTIL I COULD TURN INTO A SAFE AREA ABOUT 1 MILE DOWN. I THEN HAD THE CAR TOWED TO THE LOCAL FORD DEALER. WHEN THE DEALER RAN MY VIN# THROUGH THEIR SYSTEM, IT SHOWED THAT A TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN HAD BEEN ISSUED REGARDING THIS VERY PROBLEM. THEY THEN REPAIRED THE CAR AND IT NOW SEEMS TO BE RUNNING OK, ALTHOUGH I DON'T FEEL REAL GOOD ABOUT IT. HOPEFULLY SOMETHING LIKE THIS WILL NOT HAPPEN AGAIN, ESPECIALLY IF I AM IN A SITUATION LIKE DRIVING ON THE FREEWAY AT HIGH SPEEDS. MYSELF AND MY WIFE WERE KNOWINGLY PUT INTO A POTENTIALLY UNSAFE RISK BY FORD MOTOR COMPANY, WHICH I FEEL COULD HAVE BEEN AVOIDED IF FORD MOTOR COMPANY HAD BEEN A LITTLE MORE PROACTIVE IN NOTIFYING THEIR CUSTOMERS OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SOMETHING LIKE THIS OCCURRING. *TR

NHTSA ODI 10509290

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How to use these: a complaint is one owner’s report, filed voluntarily and published unverified. Patterns matter more than any single story. If several owners describe the same failure at similar mileage, put that system at the top of your pre-purchase inspection list. Back to the full 2013 Ford Focus Bev verdict →