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

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 (2,644)Crash / fire / injury (89)Transmission & drivetrain (1,589)Engine (455)Fuel system (360)Electrical system (274)Steering (225)Speed control (169)Body & structure (62)Latches & locks (47)Electronic Stability Control (esc) (39)Brakes (34)

455 of 2,644 complaints match · Engine · clear filters · page 19 of 19

Mar 18, 2014Electrical systemEngine

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

NHTSA ODI 10573283

Nov 28, 2013Speed controlEngineFuel system

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

Oct 22, 2013SteeringSpeed controlEngine

LOW GRINDING NOISE COMING FROM FRONT OF CAR AFTER TURNS, INCLINES, ACCELERATING AFTER A STOP. SOUNDS LIKE ALUMINUM CANS GRINDING. ALSO, LOSS OF POWER IN CAR ACCELERATION FOR BRIEF PERIODS WHEN DRIVING, ESPECIALLY WHEN ACCELERATING ON THE FREEWAY TO MERGE INTO TRAFFIC. *TR

NHTSA ODI 10548997

Sep 28, 2013Electrical systemEngine

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

NHTSA ODI 10546011

Sep 12, 2013Engine

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2014 FORD FOCUS. THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 55 MPH, THE VEHICLE STALLED AND THE STOP SAFELY NOW WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHERE THE FAILURE WAS UNABLE TO BE REPLICATED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 1,323. RETURNED BY USPS ON 11-13-2013. SECOND ATTEMPT ON 11-19-2013 FAILED. *KB

NHTSA ODI 10543338

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Working with the data? Download all 2,644 complaints as CSV · fetched from NHTSA July 22, 2026

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 2014 Ford Focus RS verdict →