What 2,644 owners told NHTSA about the 2014 Ford Focus RS

THREE SEPARATE TIMES WHILE BACKING UP FROM PARKING SPACES AND WHILE PULLING FORWARD, THE STOP SAFELY NOW LIGHT CAME ON AND THE CAR LOST ALL POWER. I WAS ABLE TO RESTART AND DRIVE NORMALLY BUT HAVE HEARD OF THIS CONDITION HAPPENING WHILE AT SPEED. CAR IS IN DEALERSHIP FOR REPLACEMENT OF HIGH VOLTAGE WIRING HARNESS. *JS

NHTSA ODI 10662049

THIS VEHICLE HESITATES UPON ACCELERATION, LOWERS RPMS, JERKS MAKING A CLICKING NOISE AND REVS UP THE RPMS ONCE IT ACCELERATES IT HAS HESITATION AND IS NOTIFIABLE THAT THE TRANSMISSION IS CHANGING GEARS THERE IS A LAG AS IF IT WAS A MANUAL AND THE OPERATOR COULD NOT CHANGE GEARS APPROPRIATELY. THE VEHICLE ALSO TENDS TO ROLL IN A REVERSE MOTION AS IF IN REVERSE UPON INCLINATION. UPON ENGAGING THE BRAKES THERE IS A POPPING NOISE. THE VEHICLE ALSO SOUNDS AS THOUGH IT HAS THE KEY IN AND ISN'T TURNED OVER COMPLETELY TO START AT TIMES VEHICLE IT TURNED OFF, IN PARK, WITHOUT KEY IN THE IGNITION, AND REMAINED THIS WAY FOR ANY PERIOD OF TIME. THIS 2014 FORD FOCUS WAS MANUFACTURED 6-17-2014 IN THE MICHIGAN ASSEMBLY PLANT. *TR

NHTSA ODI 10658898

UPON ACCELERATION, CAR HESITATES, STUTTERS, SHAKES AND MAKES A GRINDING NOISE. WHEN ENTERING THE HIGHWAY, IT REALLY HESITATED AND TOOK LONGER THAN USUAL TO GET TO THE SPEED LIMIT. HENCE, SOMEONE WAS COMING UP QUICKLY BEHIND ME AND WAS VERY IRATE WITH ME. THIS COULD HAVE CAUSED AN ACCIDENT OR SOMETHING OTHER . . . LIKE ROAD RAGE BY THE OTHER DRIVER. *TR

NHTSA ODI 10652097

3 MILES AFTER LEAVING THE PARKING LOT WITH MY MOM AND 2 KIDS IN THE CAR THE "STOP SAFELY NOW" WARNING FLASHED AND THE CAR LOST POWER. I FOUND SIMILAR COMPLAINT 10512459. I HAD TO PULL OVER IN THE BIKE LANE, TURN OFF THE CAR AND RESTART IT UNTIL POWER WAR RESTORED. SAME THING HAPPENED NEXT DAY RIGHT AFTER LEAVING HOME. NOW I AM AFRAID TO GO OUT ON THE HIGHWAY OR ON NARROW COUNTRY ROADS WITH THIS CAR. *TR

NHTSA ODI 10610951

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

NHTSA ODI 10611135

THIS ISSUE STARTED MAY OF 2014 WHEN MY VEHICLE WAS AT 13,000 MILES. WHEN AT A STOP LIGHT AS I RELEASE MY FOOT FROM THE BRAKE THE CAR WILL SHAKE IN IDLE. ONCE I PRESS ON THE GAS THE RPMS WILL SLOWLY GO TO AROUND 2000 RPMS. AT THIS POINT THE ENTIRE CAR WILL SHAKE THEN JUMP INTO THE NEXT GEAR. THIS IS HIGHLY UNSAFE AS THE CAR WILL JUMP FORWARD. I HAVE ALMOST HIT SEVERAL VEHICLES IN FRONT OF ME BECAUSE OF THIS ISSUE. LUCKLY NOTHING HAS HAPPENED YET HOWEVER THE DEALERSHIP SAYS IT IS OPERATING WITHIN NORMAL PARAMETERS ESTABLISHED BY FORD. I HAVE TAKEN IT IN ON TWO OCCASIONS AND AM GOING TO A DIFFERENT DEALERSHIP FOR A SECOND OPINION. FROM MY DISCUSSIONS WITH FORD'S CUSTOMER SERVICE THE PROBLEM CANNOT BE FIXED AS NOTHING HAS BEEN DIAGNOSED. IF THEY WOULD DRIVE THE CAR FOR MORE THEN A COUPLE MILES THEY WOULD FEEL THE ISSUE. I DO NOT FEEL SAFE IN MY BRAND NEW FORD ANYMORE. THIS ISSUE HAS CONTINUED TO OCCUR ON A DAILY BASIS. *JS

NHTSA ODI 10608751

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

NHTSA ODI 10604902

MY CAR HAS SEVERAL ISSUES WHICH ARE NOT SAFE TO DRIVE WITH AND DEALERSHIP CANNOT FIX THEM: 1. VIBRATION ON THE BRAKE PEDAL WHEN I LET THE CAR GO FROM A STOP BEFORE PUSHING THE GAS. 2. TRANSMISSION IS JERKY WHEN I ACCELERATE, IT SEEMS TO STOP, GO BACK AND FORTH, AS IF SOMEBODY'S PULLING ME BACK 3. ANTIFREEZE SMELL WHEN I TURN ON THE AC (HAVE A HEADACHE) *JS

NHTSA ODI 10579310

PURCHASED A 2014 FORD FOCUS SE ON JANUARY 4, 2014 AND HAVE HAD PROBLEMS SINCE DRIVING IT OFF THE DEALERSHIP PARKING LOT. WHEN DRIVING THE VEHICLE, THE STEERING WHEEL BOUNCES OR SWAYS BACK AND FORTH. THE FEEL IS SIMILAR TO WHEN IT IS WINDY AND THE CAR IS CAUGHT IN AN AIR GUST. WHEN DRIVING ANY DISTANCE OR A SPEED OVER 10 MPH, THE DRIVER MUST HOLD ONTO THE STEERING WHEEL TO KEEP THE CAR IN THE LANE OF TRAFFIC. THE STEERING WHEEL SWAYS ONE WAY AND ONCE YOU CORRECT IT IS NECESSARY TO CORRECT THE OPPOSITE WAY. THE CAR IS DRIVEN TO AND FROM WORK APPROXIMATELY 17 MILES ONE DAY DAILY. BY THE TIME I ARRIVE AT WORK OR HOME MY HANDS HURT FROM HOLDING THE STEERING WHEEL SO TIGHTLY. PRIOR TO THE THIRD VISIT TO THE SERVICE DEPARTMENT FOR THE STEERING ISSUE, A NEW PROBLEM AROSE. AFTER BREAKING TO STOP THE CAR, I LIFTED MY FOOT OFF OF THE BREAK, THE VEHICLE ACCELERATED FORWARD FAST ENOUGH TO SQUEAL THE TIRES. APPLIED THE BREAK AGAIN, STOPPED, REMOVED FOOT TO ACCELERATE AND CAR ACCELERATED ON ITS OWN AGAIN. THIS IS BECOMING AN ONGOING ISSUE. AS OF APRIL 9, 2014 THE VEHICLE HAS BEEN IN AT THE FORD DEALERSHIP FOUR TIMES, EACH TIME TO BE TOLD THERE NO PROBLEMS CAN BE FOUND WITH THE CAR. IT DRIVES THE SAME AS EVERY OTHER VEHICLE OF THE SAME MAKE PER THE DEALERSHIP. I'VE BARELY MISSED HITTING THE CENTER BARRIER ON THE FREEWAY, TAKING OUT THE SIDE OF A DELIVERY TRUCK, ACCELERATED FORWARD AT A DANGEROUS SPEED IN HEAVY TRAFFIC, AND THE STEERING IS PROGRESSIVELY GETTING WORSE. THIS CAR IS UNSAFE FOR THE PUBLIC HIGHWAY. FORD CONTINUES TO SAY THERE IS NO PROBLEM WITH THE CAR. AFRAID TO DRIVE THE VEHICLE IN FEAR OF HURTING ANOTHER DRIVER OR MYSELF. *TR

NHTSA ODI 10578985

WHILE DRIVING ON THE FREEWAY THE CAR BEGAN TO DECELERATE, GAS PEDAL WAS NON RESPONSIVE. TRAVELING APPROXIMATELY 60-65 MPH IN 5TH GEAR. DECELERATION OCCURRED IN 5TH GEAR. WAS ONLY ABLE TO MAINTAIN SPEED IN 4TH GEAR, BUT WAS UNABLE TO GO ANY FASTER THAN 50- 55 MPH WITH GAS PEDAL TO THE FLOOR. VEHICLE DISPLAYED SOME SHUDDERING AND SLIGHT SPUTTER EFFECT. IF VEHICLE WAS PLACED BACK INTO 5TH GEAR DECELERATION WOULD CONTINUE. TACHOMETER SHOWED 3000 RPM REGARDLESS OF GEAR PLACEMENT. NO WARNING LIGHTS, OR CHECK ENGINE LIGHTS. TWO DAYS LATER VEHICLE HAD THE SAME SYMPTOM BUT ONLY MOMENTARILY. *TR

NHTSA ODI 10554049