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

HI, Ortega Highway in California. got a flat tire. I pulled over to change to the spare and can't get the lug wrench (OEM) on the nuts...(drizzling steadily) I see I am risking stripping the lugs. I'm in the forest- cell signal is spotty. I'm left no choice but to drive on my flat tire slowly to a gas station (several miles) And they can't get it off. I call for a tow to tire shop. They show up in a car w/ a 4 way lug wrench..because of course, they assumed they had to fit. must be my ineptness..and he can't get one lug loose. And now I miss my appt., I have to wait another two hours for a tow truck, while several creepy people want to "help" me.... (help me get thrown in their trunk they mean.. ) I'm making light of it now, but I really resent my safety being put in jeopardy and not even given a heads up when Ford knows it's a problem...no surprise, I've got a Focus transmission .Any integrity & ownership of defective design is non existent.. I can forgive mistakes, they happen. And as long as I am aware of them, I can prepare... But Ford doesn't give a [XXX] about our safety. I've had it, no trust is left. Cost benefit analysis is their concern, which saves them money short term yay, for stockholders & CEO bonuses. Ignoring their long term loss of customers due to unethical behavior. Tangent over.. I made it to the tire shop 15 minutes before close. That shop was the place I first learned of the lug nut "2 metal swelling and stripping" issues. He had a special tool just for Ford Lug nuts. This has happened several times since then... I have had to leave my car on the side of the road, also, drive it to the tire shop slowly. damaging my rim... But my real concern is getting a flat tire that I cannot change myself because the lugs strip/ swell in some isolated area... was lucky it was day that first time, scary as [XXX]...Ford puts drivers in unsafe situations because irresponsibility is now it's business model. Cost us time, money, & piece of mind INFORMATION Redacted PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6).

NHTSA ODI 11432709

The contact owns a 2014 Ford Focus. The contact stated while changing the oil there was a gasoline odor coming from the oil. The contact stated no warning light was illuminated. Upon investigation, the contact associated the failure with NHTSA Campaign Number: 18V735000 (Fuel System, Gasoline) however, the VIN was not included. The vehicle was taken to a local dealer but was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not informed of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 30,000.

NHTSA ODI 11432755

Cluch

NHTSA ODI 11432805

Speakers making kids popping crackling ear piercing sounds even when car is shut off and keys are out car locked?! What's making this happen and is the car still safe to be in let alone drive?

NHTSA ODI 11432554

I know exactly what's wrong because it's a recall that's on certain Ford focuses of this year but apparently not mine for some reason even though I have the problem but it's the emissions control valve that's stuck open my car stalls out after I fuel. I'm having an extreme loss of power sometimes just being me having to push the pedal more down to losing all acceleration all together to where it shuts down the cruise control when I'm on the highway. It's running real rough on idle all of which are signs of this recall but because it's not covered under my car I'm having to pay $100 just to put the car in the shop to have them look at it and tell me what I already know and then I'm going to have to pay whatever it costs to repair it which I'm sure it's going to be 3 to $500 for a problem they've already admitted to lying about before and obviously are lying about now when they say that this series of Ford focus 2014 was not affected so now I have to pay out of pocket for being a Ford customer so I hope it's worth it to them to lose me as a customer for the rest of my life because of something that would have cost them two or $300. And my family for generations have been lifelong ford buyers my family is well known at our local trotter Ford my grandparents literally buy a new car every year and say they're taking their business elsewhere after finding out about this so I don't see where they think they're saving money by lying like they are.

NHTSA ODI 11432240

The contact owns a 2014 Ford Focus. The contact stated while his wife was driving at an undisclosed speed and making a left turn, the vehicle lost power steering functionality. The driver continued to drive the vehicle manually without power steering functionality back to the residence. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 58,003.

NHTSA ODI 11431398

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

The stereo/radio emits a very loud popping/cracking noise. The noise happens whether the car is turned or off. This puts the driver and passengers in danger because having a loud noise randomly happen while driving can cause the driver to jerk the wheel as a reflex/reaction. This can cause an accident on the road, putting the driver and passengers at risk, along with other vehicles and it’s passengers at risk. The manufacturer has not acknowledged the issue, and no guidance has been issued for owners. There are no warning lights or messages in place. This happens randomly and is very scary.

NHTSA ODI 11430916

There is a loud electrical crakle sound coming from the speakers. It also does it when the car is off. It's very startling and I believe it's dangerous.

NHTSA ODI 11430398

The transmission broke it stared to hard shift had problems down shifting and it would slip made it very hard to drive.

NHTSA ODI 11429957

The contact's daughter owns a 2014 Ford Focus. The contact stated the vehicle was taken to the local dealer for a recall repair and the vehicle was diagnosed with the clutch needing to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact stated that upon taking possession of the vehicle, the vehicle failed to start. The manufacturer was contacted and referred the contact to NHTSA. The failure mileage was approximately 74,000.

NHTSA ODI 11429639

The contact owns a 2014 Ford Focus. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 20V331000 (Latches/Locks/Linkages) however, the part to do the recall repair was unavailable. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was made aware of the issue. The contact stated while driving the vehicle would not exceed 45 MPH. The RPM would rev up however, the vehicle failed to respond. The check engine warning light was illuminated. The approximate failure mileage was 80,000. Parts distribution disconnect.

NHTSA ODI 11429644

The transmission got it fix the same day i got the car and its still messing up

NHTSA ODI 11429077

The contact owns a 2014 Ford Focus. The contact stated that the driver’s side door was not closing properly. The vehicle was taken to the dealer for an unknown recall repair. The dealer informed the contact that there were two other open unknown recalls on the vehicle related to the transmission control module failure and the fuel tank deformation. The contact stated that the recall repairs were completed however, the check engine warning light illuminated. The contact also stated that the vehicle would stall and shift gears independently while driving. The dealer was made aware of the failure and informed the contact that the parts for the repair were not available. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and informed the contact that the parts for the repair were not available and a case was opened. The vehicle was not repaired. The approximate failure mileage was 137,000.

NHTSA ODI 11428383

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

Just to get it out of the way, my vehicle is currently in Italy due to my work location. The car is also US spec but was transported here. Approximately 2 months ago, my rear driver door latch gave out, this causes my door to swing wide open since it is unable to latch on and lock. After having this issue, I found out that there was a recall for this already. I then took the vehicle to the nearest Ford dealership to me. They said they would email me when the part came in since they have to order it first, about a month goes by and no email so I drive there again and they say they have the part. I am then told to make a date to get the work done, roll over a few days and I get the car there and drop it off and wait. After the long 2 hours, I am informed that they replaced the 2 front door latches, then they proceed to tell me that the recall is only for the front doors and that I would have to pay out of pocket to get the rear latches done. Confused, I show them the statement from the Ford and NHTSA website that states, "OWNERS WILL BE NOTIFIED BY MAIL AND INSTRUCTED TO TAKE THEIR VEHICLE TO A FORD OR LINCOLN DEALER TO HAVE ALL AFFECTED DOOR LATCHES REPLACED WITH A MORE ROBUST SERVICE PART. THERE WILL BE NO CHARGE FOR THIS SERVICE.". To this day, I am still being told that same information from them that it is not covered in that recall. I am now stuck and don't know what to do since I cannot get the work done any where else because of my location. I have tried using the Chat Now feature on Fords' website without any luck.

NHTSA ODI 11426908

The contact owns a 2014 Ford Focus. The contact stated upon starting the vehicle, the message "hill assist not available" appeared on the instrument panel. There were several unknown warning lights along with the ABS warning light illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer who diagnosed that the ABS module needed to be replaced however, the parts for the repair were not available. The vehicle was then taken to an independent mechanic who provided the same diagnosis. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The approximate failure mileage was 46,000.

NHTSA ODI 11425774

The contact owns a 2014 Ford Focus. The contact stated that the vehicle stalled soon after refueling. The check engine warning light was illuminated. The contact had taken the vehicle to a dealer where they diagnosed her vehicle with a deformed fuel tank. Upon investigation, the contact linked the failure to NHTSA Campaign Number: 19V515000 (Fuel System, Gasoline) however, the Vin was not included. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and confirmed that the Vin was not included in the recall. The representative informed her that a supervisor would reach out to her for further assistance however, the contact had yet to hear from the manufacturer. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was approximately 95,000.

NHTSA ODI 11425445

Transmission failure hard to shift overhead transmission

NHTSA ODI 11425241

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

Vehicle was left with Midwest Superstore in Hutchinson, Kansas July 2020 for multiple fuel related and transmission related problems. Dealer replaced purge valve (recall), did not inspect fuel tank. Also a transmission test was done and all above failure levels. Picked up the car with a dead battery, broken fuel gauge, and still stalled regularly with less than half tank fuel. Did not have spare vehicle, dealt with for entire year. Transmission frequently shutters or locks up. Vehicle frequently stalls in traffic or after fuel addition. Finally was able to get it back to dealer (a year later). They note that indeed the fuel tank is crushed (purge valve recall) and will require a tank and pump assembly. Dealership states that Ford will not honor replacement of these components even though the recall was never adequately performed the previous year. The only thing that can make the fuel tank crush is the defective purge valve they replaced.

NHTSA ODI 11423257