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

The contact's wife owns a 2014 Ford Focus. The contact stated that the vehicle had been shuddering, hesitating, and lunging while driving. The vehicle was taken to several unknown dealers and the dealers informed the contact that it was a known failure and that the TCM was reprogramed; however, the failure persisted. The vehicle was taken to the dealer and the transmission clutch was replaced in 2019; however, the failure reoccurred while driving. The contact stated that while his wife was driving approximately 60 MPH, the vehicle inadvertently stalled. The check engine warning light and the warning message "Service transmission immediately" illuminated. The contact's wife was able to restart the vehicle after several minutes and veered to the side of the road. The vehicle was towed to a second dealer - Pacifico Ford (6701 Essington Ave, Philadelphia, PA 19153) who diagnosed that the transmission control module had failed and needed to be replaced. The dealer repaired the vehicle under an unknown extended warranty; however, the failure reoccurred while driving. The vehicle was then taken to Lawrenceville Ford Service (2920 Brunswick Pike, Lawrence Township, NJ 08648) who diagnosed that the transmission clutch needed to be replaced. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and informed the contact that they could not cover the repair because the transmission clutch was not covered by the extended warranty. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was approximately 31,000.

NHTSA ODI 11448882

Mid August last year my 2014 Focus lit up on the dash “service transmission immediately”. The car hesitated and shuddered through the gears and the automatic transmission wouldn’t go through all the gears. It is still under warranty. Took it to a local Ford dealer, they said the Transmission Control Module is out. This is the second time this has happened. My car has 65,000 miles on it. The dealer said the part was on back order, and could take months, and they could not offer a rental/loaner. They said I could “still drive the car until it finally just stops moving.” I tried driving it, it REALLY “stops moving” like when you’re trying to merge onto the interstate and semis are coming. It took the dealer 5.5 MONTHS to get the part. No loaner car could be offered from Ford or the local dealer. Just “sorry the part is ordered but that’s all we can do.” Almost 6 months without a car that I was still paying on, that was under warranty. It’s fixed now, but this is the SECOND TIME this issue has happened and when you’re driving it is EXTREMELY dangerous to both those in the vehicle and other commuters as well. The car will literally shift out of gear when you’re going 70+ miles per hour and you lose all control. It won’t accelerate from a stop when you need it to. It won’t slow down smoothly so that you can stop on time. It’s extremely dangerous and it’s apparently a common issue in these vehicles that hasn’t been properly addressed. If I could trade my car in I would before this issue recurs again but I owe on it a little more than its trade in is valued. This issue needs addressed asap, Ford should honestly offer a lemon buy back for those vehicles affected. Thank you.

NHTSA ODI 11448450

On 08/18/2021, the Transmission Control Module (TCM) on our 2014 Ford Focus failed completely in a parking lot with NO ADVANCE WARNING. This failure of the transmission could have happened while driving in a dangerous location such as an entrance ramp, a busy highway or other location where it would have been impossible to move out of the traffic lane. THIS LACK OF ENGAGEMENT OR LOSS OF POWER COULD HAVE POSSIBLY ENDANGERED OUR LIVES OR THE LIVES OF OTHERS. The car was towed to a nearby Ford dealer who diagnosed the problem as a failed TCM. Ford sent us a letter in August 2016 titled as “Customer Satisfaction Program 14M02” for our specific 2014 Focus, with our specific VIN # that Ford was extending the warranty of the TCM, to a total of 10 years or 150,000 miles from the warranty start date, whichever occurs first. The Ford dealer ordered the TCM, but it is STILL ON BACKORDER with no estimated arrival time. The car has been unusable & sitting at the dealer’s lot WAITING FOR THE REPLACEMENT TCM FOR 4-1/2+ MONTHS! According to the Detroit Free Press article of 07/11/2019 (“Ford knew Focus, Fiesta had flawed transmission, sold them anyway”), Ford was aware of the problem. The serious transmission reliability issues with my 2014 Ford Focus go beyond just the TCM. The original TCM was reprogrammed after 30,000 miles. In the 126,728 miles the car has been driven, I have had the CLUTCH REPLACED FIVE TIMES due to SHUDDER DURING SHIFTING. In my opinion, it is a BREACH OF CONSUMER PROTECTION LAWS WHEN FORD DOES NOT HONOR THEIR WARRANTY IN A TIMELY MANNER. That indicates to me that Ford hasn’t taken ownership of these transmission problems and has DELAYED/NEGLECTED ITS DUTY TO REPAIR & MAKE THE CAR SAFE & RELIABLE. NHTSA should launch an investigation and force Ford to fix this transmission design failure before we and/or others become seriously injured or die because of the inadequate performance of this car’s transmission.

NHTSA ODI 11447559

In September 2021, I contacted Allan Vigil Ford in Morrow, Georgia, to make an appointment for a recall transmission service of a 2014 Ford Focus. Recall transmission repairs have been done at this same dealership in the past. I was unable to drive the car and was given an appointment to drop the car off on October 18, which I did. I immediately requested a loaner vehicle and was told one wasn’t available. After, several weeks I was approved to receive a rental through Enterprise but cannot use that rental care company due to owing a balance. I had a similar issue in the past with Geico, who immediately allowed me to rent a car through Hertz. I was eventually informed I could rent with another car rental company and receive reimbursement. However, I did not receive this information in writing, and it would incur thousands of dollars upfront with no clear standard on the rental process or when I will receive reimbursement. This is not feasible considering I am still paying the monthly note to Navy Federal Credit Union and the insurance while the car is inoperable. I would also like to make it known I am a Registered Nurse and frontline worker and must travel from Locust Grove to Decatur to work, at least 40 miles one way. This hardship has created tension at my workplace because I cannot take any time off due to the pandemic. There is also tension in my relationships as I beg for rides and provide them cash, increasing my debts. I have done an online buyback quote with Carmax, and in working condition, they will pay $8000 for the vehicle, which will cover the remaining loan balance. Since it has been almost three months with no anticipated end date due to the needed transmission module, suitable options include Ford to buy back the vehicle, provide compensation, and a rental car.

NHTSA ODI 11447259

My vehicle has been sitting at a Ford dealer needing a TCM for months neither Ford Motor Company nor the Autonation Ford Dealer has made any real attempts on getting it repaired. the car has already stopped on the interstate and slowed down without warning numerous times will not go into reverse and limps along at like 20 miles per hour Ford knows about this problem and keeps blaming the dealer and saying they let the part ticket expire the dealer will not return either of my phone calls. This is car has been in and out of the shop for this same problem for years and started having problems @ less then 1000 miles and Ford put this car back up for sale and thus putting my families life in danger

NHTSA ODI 11446890

The contact owns a 2014 Ford Focus. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle was jerking abnormally. There was no warning light illuminated. The contact pulled over to the side of the road and inspected the vehicle but found no issues. The vehicle was taken to a local dealer where the engine mounts were replaced however, the failure persisted. Additionally, the contact was informed that the canister purge valve was stuck. The vehicle was then taken to an independent mechanic to be diagnosed. The contact was informed that the automatic dual-clutch was damaged and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 130,000.

NHTSA ODI 11444501

Transmission issues. Repaired multiple times but keeps coming back. Out of warranty but needs repaired again.

NHTSA ODI 11443587

when driving or just moving forward or back the vehicle jerks violently. seems that the transmission is not working properly. my research online has found many owners of this similar vehicle to have the same issue. this began happening at 56k miles, I use this vehicle less than 5k miles a year. many people online claim that this type of vehicle has a poor/bad transmission design. This should not be occurring this soon in a young vehicles life. I am reporting this because there is a chance that a pause or jerk hesitation while in traffic or freeway can cause a serious accident.

NHTSA ODI 11443540

Transmission is overheated, burning smell, the car lost control, start zigzagging on the high way , and got into an accident, I was injured, and lost my job. The CarMax dealership, refused to take care of a car, or even take it back, because of the safety issues. Then, second time, the transmission slips on acceleration at starts and on highways. It feels like it's the transmission is in neutral. For the third time, the car was jerking and going forward and backward , that the transmission would slip badly, even totally disengage. I was getting on a very busy road and accelerated and suddenly the car decelerated; the car behind me almost rear ended me, honked his horn, but there was nothing I could do. As you can see, the problem been reproduced and confirmed by an independent service center as a non-safe to drive. But CarMax dealership ignoring the issues regardless.

NHTSA ODI 11442970

The contact owns a 2014 Ford Focus. The contact stated that while starting the vehicle it shuddered. While driving uphill the transmission was slipping. The contact stated that while his wife was driving, the check engine warning light illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer and the contact was informed that the clutch assembly needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. A financial assistance claim was submitted on the contact's behalf. The transmission clutch assembly and fuel assembly were previously repaired under warranty in July 2020 at approximately 66,421 miles. The manufacturer was notified and offered to pay half of the cost of the repair. The manufacturer referred the contact to NHTSA for assistance. The failure mileage was approximately 84,000.

NHTSA ODI 11442859

I went to Oxford ME to buy a part on the way back to Augusta, ME the shift module shifted itself from (D)drive to (N) and the car was Rolling backwards as I was on a hill I pump the gas peddle until it shifted back into (D)drive this happened 3 times, I think it's the TCM also, the transmission began slipping after this problem and then the computer shut off the motor and I had to pull over to the side of the road and call a flatbed driver to pick me up at my house that's where I could use the phone 10 miles away! The tow was $127.00 The TMC Shift Module is $298.00 plus 5.5% Tax. This car Is Very Dangerous To Drive In Traffic or Anywhere!!! I took it to Quark Ford Dealership in Hallowell, Maine and there they said they can do a safety check on the doors & trunk the transmission check would cost me $126.00 an Hour to do! So, I left!

NHTSA ODI 11442504

I was driving my vehicle home from a friend's house, and just as I was turning into my parking spot, I got a notification in regard to my transmission needing to be serviced. I believe my transmission light was currently on, because I have recently gotten an oil change and that didn't seem to be the problem. I've experienced issues with the vehicle after i put gas in the car. When I go to start it back up, it stalls or acts as if it wants to start, but then just doesn't. After a few moments I go to start the vehicle again and in most cases this seems to be effective for the time being. There was also a notification that stated my transmission was hot, and that I should pull over safely.

NHTSA ODI 11440435

The contact owns a 2014 Ford Focus. The contact stated that while driving at various speeds, the vehicle would hesitate, shudder, and would not accelerate properly with the RPM’s fluctuating. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer who replaced the duel clutch however, the failure reoccurred. The contact indicated that the duel clutch had been replaced on six separate occasions. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The VIN was not available. The failure mileage was 9,000.

NHTSA ODI 11440201

My Vehicle Transmission Gear shifting Malfunction while I was Making a Maneuver with my Vehicle going into forward Driving mode. I had too make a sudden Brake and place the gear back into the Park position. I turn the Engine off and restarted the Engine and placed in drive mode. I drove home with no other incidents but this could have been a crash into other cars and People in the area. I need someone too check into this matter concerning my Vehicle. [XXX]. INFORMATION Redacted PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6).

NHTSA ODI 11436209

There are several issues to report. 1. When I put gas in the car it will not crank up fully until the 2 or 3 crank tries and I'll have to press on the accelerator to give it gas and finally it will start up. 2. There are extremely loud static bursts that comes out of the radio speakers when the radio is not on or the the key is out of the ignition. The radio started to work sporadically it comes on and off when it wants to. 3. The car sends messages out stating transmission is overheating and to pull over for 5 mins. It cuts off and also did not allow me to move it at all stuck in traffic.

NHTSA ODI 11435715

The contact owns a 2014 Ford Focus. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, he noticed that the check engine warning light was illuminated on the instrument panel. The contact took the vehicle to an independent mechanic where the vehicle was diagnosed with a defective gear shifter. The contact was then referred to a dealer for assistance where they diagnosed the vehicle with a clutch failure. The contact was informed that the vehicle was not under recall or warranty and that he had to pay out of pocket for the repair. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and referred him to NHTSA for assistance. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was 105,000.

NHTSA ODI 11434183

The contact owns a 2014 Ford Focus. The contact stated that while driving at various speeds, the vehicle would hesitate and jerk upon the depression of the accelerator pedal with the check engine and the transmission service now warning lights illuminated on the instrument panel. The contact stated that while at a complete stop, the vehicle would not accelerate after multiple attempts to depress the accelerator pedal. Due to the failure, the vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic where they diagnosed the vehicle with a faulty transmission. The contact had then taken the vehicle to the dealer where she was informed that parts were on backorder and that the vehicle was still safe to be driven. The manufacturer had been notified of the failure and informed her that there were no recalls on the vehicle. The vehicle had yet to be repaired. The failure mileage was 50,000.

NHTSA ODI 11433057

Cluch

NHTSA ODI 11432805

The contact owns a 2014 Ford Focus. The contact stated while driving 60 MPH and exiting off the highway, the contact noticed an abnormal noise coming from the vehicle. The contact noticed that the transmission warning light was illuminated. The contact pulled the vehicle over to the side of the road and called the local dealer to have the vehicle towed to the dealer. Days prior to the failure, the contact had the vehicle repaired for the clutch bolts being replaced in connection with the transmission. The local dealer inspected the vehicle and diagnosed the failure that the transmission module was faulty and that the transmission gears needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 78,000.

NHTSA ODI 11431230

The clutch slips when accelerator is pressed. It can be fixed (again, I've already had it fixed 3 times but it keeps happening). The car will stutter when accelerating and sometimes does not go right away, causing some safety concerns. It has been confirmed and fixed multiple times. There are no warning lamps for this malfunction.

NHTSA ODI 11431290

When my engine light came on, I took it to about 2-3 shops and they all said it was the catalic convertor. I took it to Coliber Auto Care, they did their own diagnostic and came up with 4 codes which was for the converter, spark plugs, fuel system and the coolant fluid system. I had the coolant system fixed and they told me it's best to have the catalytic converter fixed first before I have thr rest fixed and that the engine light will still be on until I get the converter fixed. It was at the end of the day when I picked up my Ford and when I got into my car, yes I saw the engine light on and as I was driving off, a warning transmission light came on. I then took it to Pepboys to have the convertor fixed and it was them that caught the transmission problem among other issues. I took my car back to Caliber Auto about my transmission because my car was driving just fine until they started working on it. When I picked up my vehicle from Caliber Auto and as I was driving off, my car was stalling and wouldn't automatically shift gears properly. Once I made it home, I had my car towed back to Pepboys then from Pepboys to David McDavid Ford in White Settlement, TX. I do have all the paperwork, but since I'm filling this form on my phone, I have no way of uploading them right now. Once I get a feed back to my email from you, I'll then use my laptop to upload all the documents.

NHTSA ODI 11426889

I have a 2014 ford focus and i have had three services visits i have had the clutch replaced two shift actuators, the transmission oil seal and the transmission control module after the third service visit the car would shutter nearly every time i drove it but the symptoms were no more than just performance issues which went on for about two years. In addition the car would periodically overheat during extreme temperatures over rover 110 briefly when i would start the car but the temperature gauge would go right back down  and the car wouldn't overheat. However this was most likely due to the transmission overheating because in June the car would exhibit the same symptom but more frequently but then when i was driving on june 13th the computer told me the transmission was overheating. I barely managed to get the car home however the transmission began to lose power and the transmission service light came on. I later inspected the car and noticed the breather tube had come lose on top of the transmission most likely due to shuttering. I can no longer drive the car because of the potential that i could get in an accident even though you have braking and power steering there's a potential for a hazard when making left turns if you are unable to accelerate while making a left turn due to loss of power with the transmission you could be hit by oncoming traffic. Ford refuses to replace or repair the transmission and as with numerous other consumers they use the excuse of the car being out of warranty  I have also had a battery draw due to the transmission i have had to replace the the battery 3 times and the hill assist light came on numerous times 

NHTSA ODI 11425023

The vehicle suffered a transmission clutch failure. There was an extended warranty service for the transmission module but not for the transmission clutch. Other models from the same year included transmission clutch service extended warranty but not my vin#. It’s unfair that my vehicle suffered a clutch failure and it is not a required recall.

NHTSA ODI 11423618

The contact owns a 2014 Ford Focus. The contact stated while driving 30 mph, the vehicle stalled when she disengaged the brake pedal and depressed the accelerator pedal. There were no warning lights illuminated however, the hill start assist not available message was displayed on the instrument panel. The contact stated she was able to restart the vehicle and pull to the side of the road. The contact stated as she was attempting to park the vehicle at a nearby parking lot, she disengaged the brake pedal and depressed the accelerator pedal, and the vehicle stalled again. The transmission fault, service immediately message appeared on the instrument panel. The vehicle was towed to the dealer. The vehicle was not diagnosed nor repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure but did not provide any assistance. The approximate failure mileage was 79,000.

NHTSA ODI 11423640

Transmission keeps failing on the car and it is currently in a ford dealership as they are refusing to acknowledge that there's a recall on it and that it should be covered. This is the 2nd or third time time that I had issues with the transmission itself not including other constant issues with the car itself.

NHTSA ODI 11423378