What 2,584 owners told NHTSA about the 2014 Ford Focus Bev

VEHICLE IS EQUIPPED WITH FORD'S 'AUTOMATIC/MANUAL HYBRID' TRANSMISSION. VEHICLE BEGAN STUTTERING ABOUT A MONTH AFTER PURCHASING. PURCHASED VEHICLE BRAND NEW IN JANUARY WITH 44 MILES ON IT. WHEN ACCELERATING FROM FULL STOP, VEHICLE SHUDDERS AS IF THERE WERE ISSUES WITH THE AIR INTAKE, FUEL, OR TRANSMISSION. TOOK VEHICLE BACK TO TWO SEPARATE FORD DEALERSHIPS (INCLUDING WHERE VEHICLE WAS PURCHASED) AND WAS TOLD THAT THAT'S JUST HOW IT RUNS. PREVIOUS CAR WAS A MANUAL. WHOMEVER IS OPERATING THE CLUTCH UNDER THE HOOD, NEEDS A LESSON IN DRIVING! FEELS LIKE VEHICLE IS GOING TO STALL EVERY TIME. *TR

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PURCHASED A 2014 FORD FOCUS ELECTRIC IN JULY OF 2014. ABOUT 1 MONTH AND 1400 MILES LATER I BEGAN TO EXPERIENCE PROBLEMS WITH THE "STOP SAFELY NOW" MESSAGE. VEHICLE WILL IMMEDIATELY LOOSE POWER TO ACCELERATOR WHILE STILL MAINTAINING POWER TO BRAKING AND STEERING. THE PROBLEM HAS OCCURRED 4 TIMES WHILE DRIVING SINCE THE 31ST OF JULY (TODAY IS 5 AUG 2014). ATTEMPTED TO TAKE TO THE DEALER TODAY. HOWEVER, THE ONLY CERTIFIED EV TECHNICIAN IS ON VACATION UNTIL NEXT WEEK. FORD WEBSITE SAYS VEHICLE IS NOT ELIGIBLE FOR CURRENT RECALLS. I WILL ATTEMPT TO BRING VEHICLE TO SERVICE CENTER NEXT WEEK. *TR

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WHILE CRUISING AT A STEADY 65MPH IN RUSH HOUR TRAFFIC ON THE INTERSTATE MY VEHICLE UNEXPECTEDLY WENT INTO WHAT THE FORD DEALER LATER CALLED "LIMP MODE." THE CAR LOST ALMOST ALL ITS POWER AND AT FIRST SEEMED TO BE STALLED. I WAS UNABLE TO ACCELERATE AND THE SPEED GRADUALLY DROPPED. THERE WERE TRACTOR-TRAILERS MERGING ONTO AND OFF THE INTERSTATE, AND I HAD A FEARFUL SENSATION OF GOING UP UNDER ONE. THERE WAS TOO MUCH TRAFFIC TO "BACK OFF" AND GO BEHIND THEM, AND I HAD NO ACCELERATION TO GET AROUND. IT FELT LIKE I WAS GOING TO BE "RUN OVER," AND I'M NOT SO SURE THE TRACTOR-TRAILER DRIVERS COULD EVEN SEE ME. AT THE NEXT EXIT I IMMEDIATELY LEFT THE INTERSTATE AND PULLED INTO A GAS STATION, TURNING OFF THE ENGINE. TAKING OFF AND ACCELERATING FROM THE INTERSTATE EXIT TO THIS STATION WAS ACTUALLY VERY DIFFICULT. IT FELT LIKE I WAS GOING TO CAUSE AN ACCIDENT BECAUSE THE CAR DID NOT HAVE ENOUGH ACCELERATION TO PROPERLY MANEUVER. I WAS NOT SURE WHAT HAPPENED AND IMMEDIATELY CALLED THE SERVICE DEPARTMENT AT THE NEAREST FORD DEALER. I SPOKE WITH A LADY WHO SEEMED VERY KNOWLEDGEABLE ABOUT THE PROBLEM, (WHICH ACTUALLY WORRIES ME BECAUSE THAT MAKES IT SEEM LIKE A COMMON ISSUE), BUT OFFERED NO SOLUTION. SHE ALMOST SEEMED SLIGHTLY "IRRITATED," AS IF IT WAS SOMETHING SHE HAD "EXPLAINED MANY TIMES BEFORE." SHE SAID "TURN THE CAR OFF FOR ABOUT 10-15 MINUTES AND LET THE COMPUTER RESET. IF THERE IS A MAJOR PROBLEM IT WILL STILL BE IN 'LIMP MODE,' BUT MORE LIKELY IT WAS A FLUKE AND WILL TURN OFF." I ASKED, "WHY DID THIS HAPPEN? IT'S ONLY SIX MONTHS OLD AND I WAS JUST CRUISING DOWN THE HIGHWAY." HER RESPONSE WAS 'YEAH, IT JUST HAPPENS.'" I PERSONALLY FEEL LIKE THIS IS SOMETHING THAT COULD BE WIDESPREAD AND NEEDS INVESTIGATION. IT FELT LIKE A HIGHLY DANGEROUS SITUATION, AND IS APT TO REPEAT ITSELF. THE DEALER OFFERED NO IMMEDIATE SOLUTION OTHER THAN, "LET'S JUST SEE WHAT HAPPENS." *TR

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FORD FOCUS ST 2014 ON HOT / HUMID DAY WHEN YOU START THE CAR UP THE ENGINE REVS WILL DROP TO <500 RPM AND THE ENGINE WILL SHUTTER OR COMPLETELY STALL. IN ADDITION, WHILE TRAVELLING AT SPEEDS 10-20 MPH WHEN THE CLUTCH GETS PUSHED IN THE ENGINE WILL HUNT IDLE FROM XRPM AND DROP TO <500RPM RAPIDLY AND THE CAR WILL SHUTTER OR COMPLETELY STALL. I HAVE BEEN DRIVING MY CAR DOWN THE ROAD AND HAD IT COMPLETELY STALL WHILE MOVING. IF THIS HAPPENS IN THE MIDDLE OF THE ROAD OR INTERSECTION IT IS SERIOUSLY DANGEROUS. FORD IS AWARE OF THE ISSUE, BUT ARE NOT FIXING THE ELECTRICAL PROBLEM UNLESS A SPECIFIC ENGINE CODE IS STORED IN THE COMPUTER. IT HAS BEEN PROVEN THAT THE ENGINE WILL STALL IN THESE SITUATIONS AND STILL NOT THROW AN ENGINE CODE, THUS, FORD WILL NOT PERFORM THE SERVICE. *TR

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CAR WAS IN THE GARAGE WITH FULLY CHARGED. I TRIED TO START CAR AND I GOT MESSAGE "SAFE MODE SHUTDOWN" ON THE RIGHT SCREEN AND "STOP SAFELY NOW" ON THE LEFT SCREEN. CAR LIGHTS START BLINKING AND AFTER A WHILE WHOLE CAR SHUTDOWN AND DISABLED. CAR IS NOT RESPONDING REMOTE KEY. BACK DOOR IS LOCKED AND CAN'T OPEN. I TRIED TO PUT BACK TO CHARGED AND NOTHING CHANGED AT ALL. I CALLED FORD ROAD SIDE ASSISTANCE AND TAKING CAR TO SERVICE TOMORROW. *TR

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TROUBLE WITH THE DUAL CLUTCH AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION FROM THE FIRST DAY OF OWNERSHIP. THE CAR NOW HAS 6K MILES AND THE PROBLEMS PERSIST. THE FOLLOWING PROBLEMS ARE EVEN WORSE DURING COLD WEATHER: THE TRANSMISSION SHIFTS POORLY, ROUGHLY, MISSES SHIFTS, CHOOSES THE WRONG GEAR FOR THE VEHICLE SPEED, DISENGAGES AND SENDS THE ENGINE TO REDLINE THEN DROPS INTO GEAR WITH A BANG AND EITHER SLOWS THE VEHICLE WITH ENGINE BRAKING BECAUSE THE GEAR IS TOO LOW, OR LUGS THE ENGINE WITH NO ACCELERATION BECAUSE THE GEAR IS TOO HIGH. THE TRANSMISSION IS ALWAYS SHIFTING, AND SEEMS 'CONFUSED' AS TO WHAT GEAR THAT IT SHOULD BE IN. IN CITY DRIVING, IF I NEED TO SUDDENLY BRAKE, WHEN I RE-APPLY THE THROTTLE AGAIN, THE TRANSMISSION HANGS BETWEEN GEARS AND THE ENGINE REVS TO REDLINE THEN DROPS INTO GEAR AND CHIRPS THE TIRES. THE TRANSMISSION ALSO MAKES GRINDING NOISES WHEN CHANGING FROM 1ST TO 2ND GEAR. ALSO VERY SLOW TO DROP TO A LOWER GEAR WHEN THROTTLE IS PRESSED FOR QUICK ACCELERATION. TAKES ABOUT 2 SECONDS FOR IT TO DOWNSHIFT AND THEN ACCELERATE. ALSO, THE GEAR INDICATOR ON THE CONSOLE (PRNDS) DOESN'T LINE UP WITH THE SHIFTER OR ILLUMINATE TO SHOW WHICH GEAR IS SELECTED, SO IT'S DIFFICULT TO TELL WHETHER I'VE SELECTED REVERSE, NEUTRAL, OR DRIVE. IN ADDITION, THE DISPLAY ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL THAT SHOWS THE GEAR SELECTION SOMETIMES TAKES OVER 30 SECONDS TO ILLUMINATE OR 'BOOT UP' TO INDICATE WHAT GEAR IS SELECTED. I OFTEN END UP IN NEUTRAL WHEN I THINK I'VE CHOSEN REVERSE OR DRIVE WHILE I WAIT FOR THE INSTRUMENT PANEL INDICATOR TO 'BOOT UP'. THE DEALERSHIPS SAY THAT I HAVE THE CURRENT SOFTWARE, AND, "THEY ALL DO THAT." DANGEROUS, AND WILL PROBABLY ADD UP TO VERY EXPENSIVE REPAIRS AS IT CAN'T POSSIBLY BE RELIABLE UNDER THESE CONDITIONS. *TT

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MY FORD FOCUS (2014) SHUTS OFF AT IDLE. I HAVE TAKEN THE CAR TO GET FIXED TWICE. NOW THE DEALER HAS HAD MY CAR FOR A WEEK AND THEY ARE STILL TRYING TO FIND OUT WHAT THE PROBLEM IS. ALSO I HAVE FOUND ON THE ST FORMS THAT THERE IS A LOT OF FORD ST OWNERS WITH THE SAME PROBLEM. *TR

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2014 FORD FOCUS ST WITH MANUAL TRANSMISSION WHEN DECELERATING TO A STOP SIGN OR STOP LIGHT (APPROX 20-10 MPH), AND ENGAGING THE CLUTCH TO COAST WITH THE CAR IN NEUTRAL, THE CAR WILL ALMOST STALL (DROPS TO ABOUT ~500 RPM) AND THEN THE ENGINE "CATCHES ITSELF" AND WILL REV TO 1000-1200 RPM BEFORE SETTLING BACK TO A NORMAL 700-800 RPM IDLE. THIS HAPPENS AT RANDOM, BUT "AC/ON" ALSO INCREASES LIKELIHOOD OF OCCURRENCES. THIS HAPPENS EVERY TRIP. I STOPPED COUNTING AFTER 12 EVENTS IN THE FIRST SEVEN DAYS. THE CAR ALSO "HUNTS" FOR IT'S IDLE SPEED (WITH A WARMED ENGINE) AND VARIES FROM 700-1000 RPM, APPARENTLY AT RANDOM. THERE IS ALREADY A FORD TSB FOR THIS, TSB# 13-09-07, BUT IT CAN ONLY BE ACCOMPLISHED IF AN ENGINE COMPLETELY SHUTS DOWN AND THROWS A CHECK ENGINE LIGHT/CODE. DUE TO THE FACT THAT THIS COULD COMPLETELY SHUT OFF AN ENGINE WHILE STOPPING NEAR OTHER MOTORISTS, LIKE THE RECENT GM IGNITION ISSUE, I BELIEVE FORD SHOULD RECALL ALL THESE VEHICLES. IT IS A 45 MINUTE REPAIR AND APPROX $8 DOLLARS IN PARTS TO REPAIR TWO "CRIMPED WIRE CONNECTIONS" IN THE MAIN WIRING HARNESS, (S132 & S133). THEY NEED TO BE SOLDERED, NOT CRIMPED (6 BARE COPPER WIRES OVERLAID TOGETHER AND CRIMPED). I HAVE BEEN TO TWO FORD DEALERSHIPS BUT THEY ARE UNDER STRICT FORD GUIDELINES NOT TO ACCOMPLISH THE TSB UNLESS THERE IS A CHECK ENGINE LIGHT/CODE. I EVEN OFFERED TO PAY FOR THE REPAIR AND WAS TURNED AWAY BOTH TIMES. I BELIEVE IT IS BETTER TO ACCOMPLISH THIS TSB AND REMOVE THE CONCERN THAN TO WAIT FOR AN OWNER SAFETY ISSUE LEADING TO ENGINE SHUT DOWN AND AN ACCIDENT. THERE HAVE BEEN NUMEROUS COMPLAINTS ABOUT THIS ISSUE ON FORUMS AT FOCUS ST.ORG: HTTP://WWW.FOCUSST.ORG/FORUM/FORUM.PHP [SEARCH FOR TSB 13-9-7]. THERE ARE YOUTUBE VIDEOS OF THIS EVENT AS WELL. PLEASE HELP FORD RESOLVE THIS ISSUE BEFORE IT HURTS SOMEONE. THANK YOU KINDLY. *TR

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I WAS TRAVELING ABOUT 35 MPH WHEN MY CAR FLASHED A MESSAGE "STOP SAFELY NOW" AND THE CAR HAD LOST POWER TO THE WHEELS AND I WAS NOW JUST COASTING. I PULLED THE VEHICLE OFF TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD. I WAS ABLE TO TURN OFF THE VEHICLE AND GET IT STARTED AGAIN. I WAS LUCKY THAT I WAS ABLE TO SAFELY GET MY VEHICLE TO A SAFE PLACE HAD THIS BEEN ON A FREEWAY I WOULD HAVE SURELY BEEN IN A SERIOUS ACCIDENT. *TR

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