What 2,641 owners told NHTSA about the 2014 Ford Focus

Unable to control vehicle in light rain conditions. Steering took me straight off the highway into a steel wire fence. Totalled the car with massive front end damage. Seat belt did not lock. Knocked window out with head during impact. The ONLY airbag to deploy was the knee airbag, shooting the hard plastic straight into my kneecap.

NHTSA ODI 11548551

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

POWER STEERING FAILURE, THE POWER STEERING LOCKED UP ONE DAY WHEN I WENT TO THE STORE,I STARTED THE CAR& THE POWER STEERING WAS LOCKED AND EXTREMLY HARD TO STEER, I FINALLY DROVE IT HOME WHICH WAS ABOUT 15 MILES, I HAD TO DRIVE VERY SLOW BECAUSE IT WAS VERY HARD TO STEER, THE CAR WAS PARKED IN A STORE PARKING LOT AND WHEN I RETURNED TO THE CAR IT WAS VERY HEAVY TO TURN THE WHEEL I WAS AFRAID TO DRIVE IT HOME BUT I DIDNT WANT TO LEAVE IT OVERNIGHT IN A STORE PARKING LOT...

NHTSA ODI 11208493

PURCHED VEHICLE MARCH 6TH 2015.GOT THE EXTENDED WARRENTY SINCE THEN THE TRANSMISSION WAS FIXED 3 TIMES AND NOW THE ELECTRONIC ASSIST STEERING WENT OUT WHILE PULLING IN MY DRIVE MAKING ME HIT MAILBOX AND MAKE DENT IN HOOD OF CAR.CALLED 3 DIFFERENT DEALERS AND ALL 3 SAID SORRY THAT'S NOT ON RECALL EVEN THOU THE SAME STEERING IS USED ON OTHER FORD VEHICLES AND ARE ON RECALL.MY WARRENTY OZ UP AND CAN NOT AFFORD TO FIX TRANSMISSION AND STEERING.THE TRANSMISSION WAS MOVED OUT TO A 5 YEAR 10K MILE WARRENTY.LIKE I SAID THEY FIXED UNDER WARRENTY 3 TIMES.THIS CAR IS A LEMON AND I HAVE NO CHOICE BUT TO SEND IT BACK AND HOPEFULLY NOT BE CHARGED FOR THE CAR.

NHTSA ODI 11128590

CPSC: A WEEK AGO, MY SON WAS DRIVING APP 45 MILES PER HOUR WHEN SUDDENLY THE POWER STEERING LOCKED, JERKING HIS VEHICLE TO THE LEFT, ACROSS THE ADJACENT LANE ON A 2 LANE HIGHWAY. HE ATTEMPTED TO REDIRECT THE VEHICLE, BUT THE STEERING WAS LOCKED AND HE COULD NOT CONTROL THE CAR. *DT THE CONSUMER STATED THE VEHICLE BECAME AIRBORNE. THE SEAT BELT LOCKED AND THE AIRBAG DEPLOYED. *JS

NHTSA ODI 11074787

STEERING WHEEL ACTED LIKE IT LOST POWER AND AS I TRIED TO AVOID A CURB, INSTEAD OF AVOIDING THE CURB THE VECHILE HIT THE CURB AND BLEW OUT TWO TIRES AND MORE DAMAGE. I WILL FIND OUT WHEN I GO TO THE FORD DEALER. THIS IS THE SECOND ACCIDENT I HAVE HAD WITH A STEERING ISSUE WITH THIS VECHILE. STERLING HAS BEEN AN ISSUE WHERE IT ACTS LIKE MANUAL IF THE CAR SITS OR AROUND WATER. CAR HAS ALSO HAD CLUTCH AND MULTIPLE SERVICE FOR TRANSMISSION ISSUES.

NHTSA ODI 11040971

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2014 FORD FOCUS. WHILE DRIVING 35 MPH, THERE WAS AN ABNORMAL NOISE COMING FROM THE STEERING WHEEL. THE CONTACT LOST POWER STEERING AND THE VEHICLE CRASHED INTO A GUARDRAIL. A POLICE REPORT WAS NOT FILED. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE FRONT PASSENGER SIDE FENDER TO THE REAR QUARTER PANEL WAS SEVERELY DAMAGED. ADDITIONALLY, THE TRANSMISSION BEGAN TO SHUDDER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE FAILURE WAS INTERMITTENT. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO HAGERSTOWN FORD (1714 MASSEY BLVD, HAGERSTOWN, MD 21740, (301) 733-3673) WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE CLUTCH NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE CLUTCH WAS REPLACED FOR THE SECOND TIME. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 14V514000 (STEERING). THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT CONTACTED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 9,999.

NHTSA ODI 11023591

WHILE DRIVING HOME THROUGH THE VILLAGE AT UNDER 30MPH, SLOWING DOWN FROM 30MPH BECAUSE OF TRAFFIC STOP AHEAD, THE RIGHT FRONT SIDE OF VEHICLE CRASHED DOWN AND CONTROL WAS LOST CAUSING ME TO SIDESWIPE PARKED VEHICLE. THE PIECES OF THE FRONT END APPEAR TO HAVE FAILED AND WERE FALLING ALL OVER THE ROAD.

NHTSA ODI 11020117

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2014 FORD FOCUS. WHILE TURNING AT A TRAFFIC LIGHT, THE CONTACT'S VEHICLE STALLED AND CAUSED A FRONT END COLLISION WITH ANOTHER VEHICLE. THE AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. THE CONTACT SUSTAINED MINOR INJURIES, WHICH DID NOT REQUIRE MEDICAL ATTENTION. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE DEALER WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE CLUTCH AND THE TIE ROD NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. PRIOR TO THE CRASH, THE CLUTCH WAS REPLACED FIVE TIMES. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 13,000.

NHTSA ODI 10958878

TL* THE CONTACT OWNED A 2014 FORD FOCUS. WHILE DRIVING 70 MPH WITH THE CRUISE CONTROL ACTIVATED, THE STEERING WHEEL VIBRATED WHEN THE CRUISE CONTROL WAS DEACTIVATED. THE CONTACT LOST CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE AND CRASHED INTO A GUARDRAIL. THERE WERE NO WARNING INDICATORS ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED AND DEEMED A TOTAL LOSS AT THE SALVAGE YARD. THE POLICE WAS NOTIFIED BUT THE CONTACT WAS UNAWARE IF A REPORT WAS FILED. THE CONTACT WAS TAKEN TO THE HOSPITAL BY AMBULANCE FOR OBSERVATION OF CHEST PAINS. THE AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE ISSUE. THE VIN WAS INVALID. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 55,000.

NHTSA ODI 10915353

MY VEHICLE HAS HAD NUMEROUS TRANSMISSION PROBLEMS, GOING INTO REVERSE WHILE DRIVING, SHUTTING OFF WHILE DRIVING, ETC. RECENTLY, THE POWER STEERING COMPLETELY WENT OUT AND REVERTED TO MANUAL STEERING. TODAY, WHILE DRIVING IT FOR A WHILE, I NOTICED A BURNING SMELL AND PULLED OVER. UNDER THE HOOD, THE FUSE BOX HAD CAUGHT FIRE, BUT WAS BLOWN OUT BY THE WIND WHEN I OPENED THE HOOD. 20,500 MILES.

NHTSA ODI 10853592

TRAVELING STRAIGHT ON THE TOLL ROAD AT 70MPH (SPEED LIMIT) WITH THE CRUISE CONTROL ON THE BACK END OF THE VEHICLE STARTED FISH TAILING AND WENT OUT OF CONTROL INTO A GUARDRAIL WHICH TOTAL THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS JUST PURCHASED A MONTH PRIOR. I WILL SUBMIT PHOTOS AND DOCUMENTS ON REQUEST.

NHTSA ODI 10787418

2 WEEKS AGO THE CAR LOST POWER STEERING WHILE BACKING OUT OF THE DRIVEWAY. THERE WAS NOT AN ACCIDENT AT THAT TIME. TODAY 5-31-15 WHILE TRAVELING THROUGH A SMALL CURVE ON A NEIGHBORHOOD STREET, THE CAR SUDDENLY LOST POWER STEERING AGAIN AND CAUSED MY DAUGHTER TO STRIKE A BRICK MAIL BOX. LUCKILY, SHE IS OKAY. THE CAR HAS SUSTAINED SIGNIFICANT DAMAGE AND WILL HAVE TO HAVE BODY WORK. WHEN THIS HAPPENED I STARTED TO LOOK TO SEE IF THERE WERE ANY RECALLS FOR THIS AND SAW THAT THE FORD FOCUS IS NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALL, HOWEVER IT IS INCLUDED IN A CLASS ACTION LAW SUIT BECAUSE OF FORD'S FAILURE TO ACKNOWLEDGE AND HANDLE THE PROBLEM WITH THE POWER STEERING. I HAVE PHOTOGRAPHS OF THE DAMAGE AND AM WILLING TO PROVIDE THEM TO YOU IF NECESSARY.

NHTSA ODI 10722506