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What 842 owners told NHTSA about the 2017 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 (842)Crash / fire / injury (22)Transmission & drivetrain (428)Engine (206)Fuel system (169)Engine & cooling (70)Speed control (37)Electrical system (36)Steering (20)Airbags (15)Brakes (9)Lights (9)

Newest first · 842 complaints · page 33 of 34

Dec 16, 2018

CAR VIBRATES, LOSS POWER SOUNDS LIKE A TRUCK WHEN TAKING OFF FROM A TRAFFIC LIGHT OR STOP SIGN. NOTICE THE SMELL OF GASOLINE.

NHTSA ODI 11161849

Dec 14, 2018Engine

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2017 FORD FOCUS. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 10 MPH, THE VEHICLE STALLED AND WAS RESTARTED. IN ADDITION, THE CHECK ENGINE INDICATOR ILLUMINATED. THE CONTACT CALLED PRIORITY FORD AT 757-583-3673 (LOCATED AT 7520 N MILITARY HWY, NORFOLK, VA 23518), BUT THE TECHNICIAN WAS UNABLE TO DIAGNOSE THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE RECURRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE AND REFERRED THE CONTACT TO NHTSA. THE FAILURE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 60,000.

NHTSA ODI 11161352

Dec 6, 2018Transmission & drivetrainElectrical system

CAR HAS ABOUT 13,000 MILES. SUDDENLY LOST POWER WHILE STOPPED AT A TRAFFIC LIGHT. 'STOP SAFELY NOW' WARNING SHOWED ON DASHBOARD. TRIED FOR 10-15 MINUTES TO RESTART, FINALLY RESTARTED AND COMPLETED COMMUTE TO WORK. DROVE THE CAR TO THE DEALER SAME DAY. AFTER ONE WEEK, DEALER HAS NO DIAGNOSIS AND HAS MADE NO REPAIR. I CANNOT DRIVE AN UNSAFE CAR ON MY DAILY COMMUTE, WHICH INCLUDES HIGHWAY DRIVING. FORD IS OBVIOUSLY ON NOTICE THAT THIS IS A SERIOUS SAFETY PROBLEM AND THEY HAVEN'T FIXED IT.

NHTSA ODI 11156675

Dec 3, 2018Transmission & drivetrain

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2017 FORD FOCUS. WHILE OPERATING THE VEHICLE, THE TRANSMISSION SHUDDERED WHEN ACCELERATING FROM A STOP AND THE TRANSMISSION WOULD NOT SHIFT PROPERLY OCCASIONALLY. THE CAUSE OF THE FAILURE WAS NOT DETERMINED. THE LOCAL DEALER (GREENWAY FORD, 9001 E. COLONIAL DR, ORLANDO, FL) WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 17,000.

NHTSA ODI 11155708

Nov 27, 2018Transmission & drivetrainEngine

WHEN POWERTRAIN IS WARM AND VEHICLE IS ACCELERATING FROM A STOP, THERE IS A LOUD GRINDING SOUND, VEHICLE SHUDDERING AND VIBRATION, AND RESULTING ENGINE HESITATION AS THE TRANSMISSION SHIFTS FROM 1ST TO 2ND AND 2ND TO 3RD GEAR. OCCASIONALLY AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS (55-65 MPH) THERE IS A NOTICEABLE VIBRATION AND SHUDDERING AS THE VEHICLE MOVES INTO AND OUT OF OVERDRIVE GEARS. I HAVE TAKEN THE CAR TO THE DEALERSHIP THAT SOLD IT TO ME TWICE WITH CONCERN ABOUT THIS PROBLEM AND THE SERVICE TECH SAYS THEY ARE WAITING FOR FORD TO RECALL THE FAULTY COMPONENTS, AND THAT THIS IS A COMMON COMPLAINT.

NHTSA ODI 11154176

Nov 25, 2018Transmission & drivetrain

'TAKATA RECALL' . MY 2017 FORD FOCUS HAS 42,600 MILES AND ABOUT 4 MONTHS AGO THE CAR STARTED TO SHAKE WHEN I WOULD ACCELERATE FROM IDDLE TO FIRST GEAR.

NHTSA ODI 11153644

Nov 13, 2018Fuel system

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2017 FORD FOCUS. WHILE OPERATING THE VEHICLE WITH THE FUEL TANK HALF FULL, THE VEHICLE HESITATED AND NEARLY STALLED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO BOB GILLINDHAM FORD(8383 BROOKPARK RD, PARMA, OH) TO BE DIAGNOSED, BUT THE FAILURE COULD NOT BE DUPLICATED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE AND DID NOT ASSIST. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 22,000.

NHTSA ODI 11151285

Oct 26, 2018

ENGINE STALLS AND YOU CAN HEAR A RATTLING NOISE WHEN PRESSING THE GAS PEDAL TO TAKE OFF IN TRAFFIC.

NHTSA ODI 11142790

Oct 8, 2018Transmission & drivetrain

AFTER OWNING MY NOW 2ND FOCUS, ONLY TO GET OUT OF MY FIRST 2013 FORD FOCUS THAT HAD TRANSMISSION/INTERNAL CLUTCH, TO GET INTO A 2017 FORD FOCUS WHICH I LEARNED TODAY FOR THE 1ST TIME HAS THE SAME TRANSMISSION. BEFORE I MADE THE PURCHASE OF THE 17 ON JULY 1ST, 2017, I WAS TOLD THEY NO LONGER HAD THE DUAL CLUTCH INTERNAL AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION, WHICH IS WHY I WAS WILLING TO TRADE THE 2013 FOCUS IN FOR THE 2017. MY CURRENT '17 ONLY HAD ABOUT 7600 MILES ON IT WHEN I STARTED FEELING THE CAR SHUTTER BETWEEN 1ST AND 2ND GEAR. THEN MORE RECENTLY BETWEEN 2ND AND 3RD GEAR. MY PREVIOUS VEHICLE HAD BEEN BACK TO OXMOOR FORD IN LOUISVILLE KY 6 TIMES FOR FIXES, WHICH THERE NEVER WAS A KNOWN FIX. MY CURRENT '17 IS IN FOR THE FIRST TIME. SAME ISSUES AS THE 13 YEAR MODEL. AS I DRIVE IT, IT CLINKS AND MAKES RATTLE NOISES IN ADDITION TO THE SHUTTERING. IT SOUNDS AS THOUGH THE TRANSMISSION IS GOING TO DROP OUT OF THE BOTTOM OF THE CAR. IT'S UNSAFE AND WILL CONTINUE TO GET WORSE AS TIMES GOES ON JUST AS MY 2013 DID. THE SALES MANAGER OF OXMOOR FORD IS WHO SOLD ME MY 2017 FORD FOCUS WHICH WAS ALL UNDER FALSE PRETENSES.

NHTSA ODI 11138971

Aug 22, 2018Transmission & drivetrain

WHEN I ACCELERATE FROM THE STOP, OR ON A TURN, MY CAR SHAKES TREMENDOUSLY AS IF THE TRANSMISSION IS GOING TO TEAR ITSELF APART; THIS STARTED ABOUT A MONTH AND A HALF AGO. I AM CURRENTLY SERVING OVERSEAS, AND BOUGHT THIS BRAND-NEW VEHICLE THROUGH A MILITARY AUTO-SALES COMPANY FIGURING I WOULD HAVE A RELIABLE VEHICLE WHILE I AM AT THIS DUTY STATION, RATHER THAN BUYING A USED VEHICLE. BOY WAS I WRONG, EVERY TIME I AM ON THE ROAD, AND HAVE TO STOP FOR THE NUMEROUS TRAFFIC JAMS I AM IN, I FEAR THAT MY CAR IS GOING TO BREAK DOWN PERMANENTLY IN A TERRIFIC SPECTACLE; THANK YOU FORD, THANK YOU FOR TAKING WHAT MONEY I HAD FOR A MODEST VEHICLE...JUST TAKING IT.

NHTSA ODI 11121632

Aug 16, 2018Transmission & drivetrain

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2017 FORD FOCUS. WHILE ATTEMPTING TO ACCELERATE, THE VEHICLE HESITATED AND MADE A CHOKING NOISE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER (LYNN LAYTON FORD, 3300 US-31, DECATUR, AL 35603) WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE CLUTCH AND TRANSMISSION FAILED AND NEEDED REPLACEMENT. THE VEHICLE WAS IN THE PROCESS OF BEING REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 8,000.

NHTSA ODI 11120426

Jul 24, 2018Transmission & drivetrain

VEHICLE BEGAN EXPERIENCING EXTREME SHUDDERING WHILE ACCELERATING UP TO 30 MILES PER HOUR. ONCE REACHING AROUND 60 MILES PER HOUR, VEHICLE DOES NOT WANT TO ACCELERATE ANY FURTHER, AND THE ENGINE WILL REV BEFORE DECIDING TO ACCELERATE.

NHTSA ODI 11113319

Jul 16, 2018AirbagsCrash1 injury

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2017 FORD FOCUS. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 25 MPH, ANOTHER VEHICLE CRASHED INTO THE FRONT DRIVER'S SIDE OF THE CONTACT'S VEHICLE. THE AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. THERE WERE NO WARNING INDICATORS ILLUMINATED. THE CONTACT SUSTAINED INJURIES THAT REQUIRED MEDICAL ATTENTION. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO JIM TIDWELL FORD (2205 BARRETT LAKES BLVD, KENNESAW, GA 30144, 770-427-5531) FOR DIAGNOSTIC TESTING AND REPAIRS. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 5,000.

NHTSA ODI 11111711

Jul 14, 2018BrakesCrash1 injury

WHILE TRAVELLING AROUND 20 TO 25 MPH IN THE LEFT HAND LANE OR A TWO LANE CITY STREET, THE CAR IN FRONT OF ME STOPPED TO MAKE A LEFT HAND TURN. I HAD PLENTY OF TIME TO STOP, HOWEVER, WHEN I DEPRESSED THE BRAKE PEDAL, THERE WAS NO RESISTANCE AND THE BRAKE PEDAL WENT DOWN TO THE FLOOR. I QUICKLY RELEASED AND DEPRESSED THE BRAKE PEDAL AGAIN WITH THE SAME RESULT. I TRIED TO AVOID THE VEHICLE BY TURNING TO MY RIGHT, BUT I WAS TOO CLOSE AND HIT THE RIGHT BACK BUMPER OF THE VEHICLE IN FRONT OF ME, CAUSING EXTREME DAMAGE TO THE FRONT LEFT SIDE OF MY CAR. THE INSURANCE COMPANY TOTALLED THE CAR.

NHTSA ODI 11111310

Jul 8, 2018Transmission & drivetrain

I WANT TO CONTINUE WITH THE COMPLAINTS ON SHUDDERING WHEN ACCELERATING FROM A COMPLETE STOP. I DRIVE FOR UBER/LEFT AND IT'S VERY UNNERVING WHEN I HAVE A RIDER AND THIS HAPPENS. I CAN'T ACCELERATE SAFELY THROUGH AN INTERSECTION BECAUSE OF THE SHUDDERING SOUNDS LIKE THE WHOLE CAR IS GOING TO BREAKDOWN. PLEASE PLEASE CALL FOR A RECALL ON THIS MATTER.

NHTSA ODI 11110115

Jul 6, 2018Transmission & drivetrain

MY 2017 FORD FOCUS SE HAS A REALLY BAD HESITATION WHEN SHIFTING THROUGH GEARS, IT WILL ROLL BACKWARDS ON HILLS AFTER COMING TO A COMPLETE STOP. VERY HORRIBLE SHUDDERING AND VIBRATION IN FRONT END. CLUNKING AND CHATTERING WHEN DRIVING. SLOW RESPONSE WHEN ACCELERATING. I FEEL LIKE MY CAR HAS TO SEARCH FOR THE GEAR SOMETIMES. RPM WILL RISE AND LOWER WEIRDLY WHEN SHIFTING. THERE IS NO RECALL ON THIS PARTICULAR MODEL AND YEAR YET BUT I THINK THERE SHOULD BE JUST LIKE THE OLDER FOCUS'S. THIS WAS ALL IN MOTION UNDER NORMAL DRIVING CONDITIONS. I'VE TRIED TAKING TO DEALER BUT THEY SAY NO RECALL YET!!!! IT HAS BEEN HAPPENING FOR QUITE SOME TIME, FEELS TO GET WORSE.

NHTSA ODI 11109936

Jul 2, 2018BrakesTransmission & drivetrain

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2017 FORD FOCUS. WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS STATIONARY, THE CLUTCH PEDAL WAS DEPRESSED AND TRAVELED TO THE FLOORBOARD. IN ORDER TO OPERATE THE VEHICLE, THE CLUTCH HAD TO BE MANUALLY PULLED BACK UP. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO KLABEN FORD LINCOLN, INC. (1089 W MAIN ST, KENT, OH 44240, (330) 673-3139) WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE MASTER CYLINDER AND CLUTCH NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 9,026. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE.

NHTSA ODI 11105192

Jun 29, 2018Visibility & wipers

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2017 FORD FOCUS. WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS IDLING, THE SUN ROOF SPONTANEOUSLY SHATTERED. THERE WERE NO INJURIES. THE FAILURE OCCURRED WITHOUT WARNING. BOB MAXEY FORD INC. (1833 E JEFFERSON AVE, DETROIT, MI) WAS CONTACTED, BUT DID NOT ASSIST SINCE THE SUN ROOF WAS NOT COVERED BY THE WARRANTY. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE AND DID NOT ASSIST SINCE THE VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED IN A RECALL. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 14,500.

NHTSA ODI 11104764

Jun 29, 2018

TRANSMISSION SLIPPING @ TAKE OFF,WHILE DRIVING. IT STALLED BETWEEN SPEED @ 18MPH AND 35MPH

NHTSA ODI 11104811

Jun 15, 2018Transmission & drivetrain

CAR HESITATES AND SHAKES AT ACCELERATION CAUSING RISK OF ACCIDENT. IT JUMPS WHEN GOING FROM A STOPPED OR SLOW POSITION TO GIVING IT GAS. IT WAS IN MOTION WHEN I TRIED TO PASS ANOTHER VEHICLE AND ANOTHER CAR WAS COMING HEAD ON. MY CAR WOULD NOT GO DUE TO THE ENGINE SHAKING. IT WILL DO THE SAME THING AT A STOP SIGN AND YOU GIVE IT THE SLIGHTEST AMOUNT OF GAS. WORSENS AS IT HEATS UP.

NHTSA ODI 11102151

May 22, 2018Transmission & drivetrain

WHEN ATTEMPTING TO SHIFT INTO FIRST GEAR THE CLUTCH WAS DEPRESSED AND DID NOT RELEASE LEAVING THE CAR TO COAST TO A STOP IN NEUTRAL. THIS OCCURRED IN A PARKING LOT, WHILE TRAILING >5 MPH PULLING BACK ON THE CLUTCH DID NOT RELEASE IT AND VERTICAL WAS TOWED WITH IT STILL FULLY DEPRESSED . LUCKILY THIS ISSUED HAPPENED IN A SAFE LOCATION, BECAUSE THIS ISSUE RESULTED IN FULL LOSS OF POWER BEING SENT TO THE WHEELS.

NHTSA ODI 11097194

May 22, 2018Brakes

THE REGENERATIVE BRAKE SYSTEM OCCASIONALLY CAUSES PROBLEMS WHEN ON BUMPY, SLIPPERY, OR UNEVEN PAVEMENT. THE BRAKES APPEAR TO LOCK-UP, OR "SKIP" WHEN ATTEMPTING TO STOP OR SLOW DOWN, CAUSING THE VEHICLE TO SLIDE FORWARD ABRUPTLY. I AM NOT SURE OF THE EXACT CAUSATION, HOWEVER I THINK IT MAY BE DUE TO THE CAR SWITCHING FROM REGENERATIVE TO FRICTION BRAKING. THIS FORM REQUIRES A DATE AND MILEAGE ENTRY, HOWEVER I WANT TO POINT OUT THAT THIS HAPPENS EVERY TIME I AM BRAKING ON LESS THAN PERFECT PAVEMENT.

NHTSA ODI 11097269

May 2, 2018Transmission & drivetrainSpeed controlCrash

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2017 FORD FOCUS. AFTER PULLING INTO HER OFFICE PARKING LOT, THE CONTACT SHIFTED THE GEAR INTO PARK AND TURNED OFF THE VEHICLE. SUDDENLY, THE VEHICLE BEGAN TO ROLL FORWARD AND STRUCK A STONE WALL. THERE WERE NO INJURIES AND A POLICE REPORT WAS NOT FILED. THE VEHICLE SUSTAINED MINOR DAMAGE AND DID NOT NEED TO BE TOWED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO A DEALER OR INDEPENDENT MECHANIC FOR DIAGNOSTIC TESTING OR REPAIRS. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 16,000.

NHTSA ODI 11091407

Apr 26, 2018Transmission & drivetrain

CLUTCH PEDAL STUCK TO THE FLOOR FOR THE SECOND TIME WHEN DRIVING. WAS DRIVING ABOUT 46 MPH AND SHIFTED TO 5TH GEAR AND THE CLUTCH WENT HALF WAY TO THE FLOOR WITHOUT RETURNING... TRIED TO PRESS IT IN AGAIN AND IT WENT ALL THE WAY TO THE FLOOR AND STAYED. HAD TO PULL OVER AND POP CAR OUT OF 5TH GEAR AND COULD NO LONGER MOVE AGAIN. HAVING CAR TOWED IN AND FORD WILL LOOK AT CAR FOR THE SECOND TIME. THIS WAS VERY DANGEROUS AGAIN BECAUSE CARS WERE BEHIND ME TAILGATING AND I COULD HAVE BEEN HIT WHEN PULLING OVER WITHOUT ANY POWER TO MOVE OUT OF THE WAY. PLEASE PLEASE CHECK INTO THIS ASAP. COUNTLESS OTHER FOCUS RS OWNERS HAVE HAD THE SAME ISSUE!

NHTSA ODI 11090214

Apr 23, 2018Transmission & drivetrain

2017 FORD FOCUS SHUDDERS AND CLUNKS WHEN ACCELERATING FROM A STOP. CAR SHUDDERS SO HARD THAT IT FEELS LIKE TRANSMISSION IS FALLING OUT OF CAR. TOOK IT BACK TO BILL ESTES FORD WHERE I PURCHASED CAR AT 5000 MILES AND THEY KEPT IT FOR TWO DAYS AND SAID IT WAS NORMAL AND OPERATING WITHIN SPECIFICATIONS. CAR CONTINUED SHUDDERING PROBLEMS AND THEN I TOOK IT TO TOM WOOD FORD AND WAS TOLD IT WAS NORMAL AND TO JUST KEEP DRIVING IT. THEN TOOK IT TO DON HINDS FORD AND WAS TOLD THERE WAS NOTHING THEY COULD DO BECAUSE ALL FOCUS MODELS HAVE THE PROBLEM. I THEN TOOK IT TO PEARSON FORD WITH ABOUT 10,000 MILES ON IT AND THEY REPROGRAMMED THE LEARNING MODULE. I WAS TOLD AGAIN THAT THEY ALL FOCUS HAVE THE PROBLEM AND THEIR OPTIONS TO FIX IT IS LIMITED BY FORD CORPORATE. CAR CONTINUED TO SHUDDER AND CLUNK ON ACCELERATING. TOOK IT BACK TO PEARSON FORD WITH 13000 MILES AND THEY REPROGRAMMED TRANSMISSION CONTROL, PCM AND ADAPTIVE LEARNING MODULE. CAR SHUDDERING WAS LESS FOR ABOUT 4 DAYS. NOW WITH 15000 MILES THE SHUDDERING AND CLUNKING IS WORSE THAN EVER AND SHUDDERING IS OCCURRING AT ACCELERATING FROM A STOP OR WHILE ACCELERATING AT HIGHWAY SPEED. THE PROBLEM SEEMS TO BE THAT THE DEALERS ARE BEING TOLD BY FORD CORPORATE TO SAY IT'S NORMAL TO SHUDDER AND CLUNK. CLASS ACTION SUIT FOR FORD FOCUS TRANSMISSION/CLUTCH PROBLEMS DID NOT INCLUDE 2017 MODELS ONLY UP TO 2016 EVEN THOUGH THE 2017 MODELS HAVE THE SAME TRANSMISSION/CLUTCH.

NHTSA ODI 11089571

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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 2017 Ford Focus RS verdict →