The contact owns a 2012 Ford Focus. The contact stated while driving at various speeds, the vehicle started to shudder and the transmission independently shifted to neutral(N). The contact took the vehicle to the local dealer, where it was diagnosed with needing the input control to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer had been informed of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 97,000.
2012 Ford Focus complaints
Owner reports filed with NHTSA about this vehicle, newest first and reproduced as filed. They are unverified accounts: one proves nothing, and a pattern across many is the thing worth reading. Back to the full 2012 record →
TCM went out in the car the part is on back order
The contact owns a 2012 Ford Focus. The contact stated that after opening the driver’s side front door the vehicle independently started without the keys being placed in the ignition. The vehicle was taken to the dealer however, the mechanic was unsure of the cause of the failure. The contact was advised to manually manipulate an unknown box under the hood to turn off the vehicle. The manufacturer was not contacted or notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 70,000. The consumer stated the vehicle was sold.
The contact owns a 2012 Ford Focus. The contact stated while driving approximately 55 MPH, the transmission failed. The transmission overheating warning light was illuminated and indicated to wait 5 minutes before proceeding. The contact then waited approximately 10 minutes then continued driving to his destination with the transmission was slipping. The contact then experienced the same failure while leaving his destination, and the vehicle lost reverse(R) gear. The contact proceeded to drive 50 MPH and pulled over again safely before the low battery warning light illuminated. The vehicle was not able to restart. The contact then received assistance while attempting to jump start the vehicle. The vehicle finally restarted and was driven to the residence. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired; however, the contact related the failure to the transmission dual clutch failure. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 209,000.
The contact owns a 2012 Ford Focus. The contact stated that the TCM was recently replaced; however, the failure recurred, causing the vehicle to hesitate and then stall during acceleration while the accelerator pedal was depressed. The vehicle was towed to the dealer where it was diagnosed that the TCM needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and advised the contact to file a complaint with the NHTSA. The failure mileage was 132,155.
The contact owns a 2012 Ford Focus. The contact stated while taking the vehicle to routine service at the dealer, the service tech stated that the vehicle needed a new set of lug nuts. The contact was informed that the lug nuts could not properly be tightened and therefore needed to be replaced. The manufacturer was not contacted. The failure mileage was 63,000.
My daughter was leaving work at the DSM hospital and heading back to college/campus at ISU and her check engine light came on and the vehicle RPMs would increase but wouldn't go. She was able to get pulled off on the side of the road and called for help. She was stranded and had to get a tow back to the nearest shop near Johnston. I live 2 hours away and she was unable to get back to college/work. We had her vehicle towed to the nearest repair shop(All Pro Service-515-278-2059) and was diagnosed to be the transmission control. The shop stated there was a recall on the Focus for this and advised us to contact Ford. I have had her vehicle at the shop now since being towed there on 6/29/22 and the shop is still waiting on the part to come in. She is without a vehicle and as I mentioned I live 2 hours away and commute to work daily and can't be without my vehicle either. I rented a car and let her use my vehicle for 2 weeks as Ford told the shop the part was to be in July 8th. I returned the rental on 7/13 and was told Ford said the part was on back order and unsure of ship but that would be covered by recall since her vehicle is under 150k. It has now been 7 weeks and still no part and having to rent a vehicle at $300/week or arrange rides for my college/night shift working student from 2 hours away! I am asking for the Ford Focus transmission control recall to this vehicle to cover the part and make this horrible situation right with us!! She has had this car for 2 years and it
The contact owns a 2012 Ford Focus. The contact stated that the vehicle had previously been serviced under NHTSA Campaign Number: 18V735000 (Fuel System, Gasoline) however, the failure recurred. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the check engine warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic who diagnosed that the fuel tank was suctioned into the frame of the vehicle and that the canister purge valve needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and advised the contact to file a complaint with NHTSA. The contact related the failure to NHTSA Campaign Number: (19V515000) Fuel System, Gasoline) however, the VIN was not included in the recall. The failure mileage was approximately 140,000.
Electric power steering assist failed. Vehicle currently has no power steering. Problem confirmed by dealer who says steering rack needs replacement. Fairly common issue per online complaints. Ford issued recall on other models but not the Focus.
Bought the car may 2020 and 3 months later the gas gauge would say empty when it wasn't. I would run out of gas multiple times and be stranded. I would keep a full gas tank in my trunk just incase because alot of times my kids were with me. The last time this happened the car stalled. I put gas in the car from my gas tank but it would not start anymore.
The car shutters and vibrates so hard when starting at times. When driving in stop and go traffic, the car lurches forward because of the clutch and transmission. It struggles to get into the next gear because of Ford putting a manual transmission in an automatic car. The car needs a new clutch and seal/harware kit
Purchased car, there was no known recalls on car, after driving for several miles. The clutch failed in the car. Looked up recalls of ford focuses within my cars year and found that the exact part that’s dialing on my car had a recall/ settlement but when I called ford about the car they said they can’t do anything for me because my vin number isn’t under the recall. But the exact party is failing and faulty in my car and I can no longer drive it.
My windshield wipers are malfunctioning causing no visibility and battery to die. They will not turn off even after car in turned off and keys are no longer in emmision
The contact owns a 2012 Ford Focus. The contact stated while driving approximately 35 MPH and depressing the accelerator pedal, the vehicle was not responding. The contact stated that occasionally while in the drive(D) or reverse(R), the vehicle failed to respond. The contact stated that the check engine warning light was illuminated. The contact and employee pushed the vehicle to the local mechanic. The mechanic diagnosed a failure with the transmission and clutch actuator circuit. The vehicle was not repaired. The vehicle was towed to the dealer and diagnosed with the clutch actuator circuit and transmission failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 29,000.
The contact owns a 2012 Ford Focus. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle hesitated while shifting to the intended gear. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic who diagnosed that the transmission clutch plate needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and advised the contact to file a complaint with the NHTSA. The failure mileage was approximately 110,000.
-Loss of power from the pedal, not able to accelerate from a stop. RPM rides high until it shifts. "Transmission Malfunction. Service Now" notice. -Unaffected by other traffic but not able to properly maneuver traffic. -Problem has re-occurred but not taken to a service center. -No inspection conducted yet. - No warning lamps appeared until issue occurred a few times.
There is a warning light showing a code 1450, unable to create fuel vacuum, that at first was thought to be an issue with a current recall for the car that was fixed. But after a routine oil change a fuel leak was found. I was told by the mechanic that it appears to be a fuel tank deformation similar to the 19S22 recall. My Ford focus was not apart of that recall and I was told by Ford to contact you to potentially have my car added. The leak is subnational enough that it could cause an engine fire.
The vehicle needs PCM and TCM replacement. Stalls while braking or apply pressure to gas peddle while driving, faulty gear changing mechanism has issues switching to proper gear due to the underlying problems above. It has turned off while driving on the interstate without warning. May instantly stop while applying minor pressure to brakes. Has been inspected by mechanic and AutoZone employees confirming the issues. It is unsafe due to the instant stopping or applying to breaks behind another driver almost hitting them or causing someone to hit from behind. Furthermore, inaccurate gear changing causes an increase rapidly in speed or very slow in speed which could lead to accidents.
The contact owns a 2012 Ford Focus. The contact stated while driving at approximately 60 MPH, the vehicle shuddered and inadvertently downshifted. The contact stated that the downshifting occurred while accelerating to merge into traffic. The contact stated that the failure was intermittent but had since become constant. The contact stated that the transmission control module warning light was illuminated. The contact had taken the vehicle to a local dealer, where it was diagnosed and determined that the transmission control module needed to be replaced. The dealer informed the contact that the part was not available and he would be placed on a waiting list. The vehicle had not been repaired. The manufacturer had been informed of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 101,000.
I bought this car in February of this year, and the problems were present at purchase, I have brought it in and had them looked at but unable to determine what was wrong. The car sometimes stalls out whenever parked, or idling. Every time i put gas in, then start it, the vehicle will start then immediately stall. I have to start it and push the gas to keep it from stalling and quickly put into drive and his the gas to get it from stalling when i try to drive away. While starting the car the RPMS go very high and reves as if someone was pushing the gas. The hood display on the dash always says the Hood is open. This has been present since start.
The contact owns a 2012 Ford Focus. The contact stated that while operating the vehicle, the transmission failed to shift into reverse(R). The contact stated that the failure was intermittent; however, occasionally the failure caused the contact to be stranded. Additionally, while driving at various speeds, the check engine warning light illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the local mechanic who diagnosed that the failure occurred whenever the transmission became overheated. The contact was informed that the transmission needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not yet repaired. The manufacturer and local dealer were notified of the failure but no assistance was offered. The failure mileage was 132,000.
The power steering quits working and has no power assist when driving down the road. You are not able to turn the vehicle at all and even get it off the road to a safe spot on the side of the road. It goes out even when trying to turn a corner and it starts to go head on into traffic putting other drives at rick of being hit by a car I can’t control.
The power steering has gone out again. We replace the rack and pinion with a brand new one and it still went out again. There are many complaints in regards to the power steering going out, including a death due to this car. There have been recalls for other Ford’s that were forced to be recalled because Ford continued to ignore the issue. Even with those recalls, my focus is not included and it a huge safety issue and decreases the drivability.
The cars transmission computer says it needs service now , the car won’t shift gears and has no power I have replaced many parts but it has only gotten worst , these transmissions are terrible and it caused me to almost get killed because of this faulty transmission problem I need this transmission fixed
The contact owns a 2012 Ford Focus. The contact stated that the check engine warning light was illuminated. The contact had taken the vehicle to several independent mechanics and each diagnosed the vehicle with a defective canister purge valve due to a faulty fuel tank sensor. Upon investigation, the contact linked the failure to NHTSA Campaign Number: 19V515000 (Fuel System, Gasoline). The contact called Hoffman Ford Lincoln (600 Connecticut Blvd, East Hartford, CT 06108) and Tasca Ford Berlin (250 Webster Square Rd, Berlin, CT 06037) and both informed him that his vehicle was not included in the recall. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and referred the contact to the NHTSA. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was approximately 55,000.
I had regular service done on my vehicle 5/27/2022 to which the battery needed to be replaced. That was done without issue however 3 days later as I was on my way to work the check engine light came on and my engine began revving then stalling/losing power as well as shuddering. This was especially concerning as I was on the highway traveling at 70 MPH when suddenly I lost engine power and my vehicle began lurching. I was close enough to home that I was able to turn back and drive very slowly as it was apparent there was an issue in the gears turning over when accelerating. I could not get my vehicle in for service as the dealership could only schedule me later the following week to get it diagnosed. I was able to drive it, again very, very slowly - to the dealership. I was told it was the TCM; 14MO2 Extended Coverage Warranty. The dealership assured me this would be covered yet now continues to tell me that this is not being accepted and that I have to pay out of pocket for this repair. I'm unsure of what to do at this point as my daily commuter has been at the dealership since June 9th 2022.
The contact owns a 2012 Ford Focus. The contact stated while driving 10-15 MPH, the vehicle stalled. A message indicating that the transmission was faulty was displayed and the traction control warning light was illuminated. The contact was able to restart the vehicle within three minutes. The contact was able to continue driving; however, the failure reoccurred several times while driving. The vehicle was taken to the dealer where it was diagnosed but no issues were found. The dealer informed the contact that the vehicle could not be repaired under Ford Transmission Control Module Extended Warranty Coverage Campaign Number: 14M02 because no issues were found. However, the failure persisted. The vehicle was taken back to the Ford dealer who informed the contact that they could not repair the vehicle under Ford Transmission Control Module Extended Warranty Coverage Campaign Number: 14M02 as the mileage of the vehicle had exceeded 150,000. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and a case was opened. The manufacturer then referred the contact to the NHTSA. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was approximately 125,000.
The Transmission Control Module went out on my vehicle in late May of this year. It's been nearly two months since I sent my car to the dealership and as of yesterday they have no ETA as to when the part may come in. I asked for a loaner and was denied. I asked for rental assistance and was denied. Now because I have no other option I'm having to purchase a new vehicle because I need one for work. This part has been the subject of many recalls and lawsuits but because I never had an issue with it until this year it appears I have no recourse. They're blaming covid and the supply chain but this issue has been ongoing since before covid was a thing. I want to be very clear, I do not blame the dealership in the slightest for this issue. This is a Ford issue 100% of the way. Do I have any recourse? Is there anything I can do to recoup my losses?
While driving at 35 - 45 mph the car just jumps out of gear and will not go back to drive. This has happened several time over the last months. If this were to happen on an interstate it could be life threatening causing wrecks due to being unable to accelerate. It give no warning at all before just stopping.
Major transmission problems , shutters, want go in gear , no power , stalls when you gain speed , have done major repairs to the transmission and the problems are temporarily fixed
The contact owns a 2012 Ford Focus. The contact stated while attempting to start the vehicle, the transmission was clicking. There was a parking aid malfunction warning light illuminated. The vehicle was taken the next day to an independent mechanic but was not diagnosed with a failure. The contact continued to drive the vehicle and the failure recurred. The contact stated that while exiting the highway at approximately 30 MPH, the vehicle lost motive power and stalled without warning. The contact was unable to restart the vehicle. The vehicle was safely pushed to a local mechanic. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was informed of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 120,000.
The transmission has given trouble since the beginning of owning this 2012 Ford Focus and now it is in the shop as of 6-11-2022 and the Transmission Module Control is on back order. They say they reset it and my daughter could drive it but if it goes out again then it will be her bill bc the warranty will be out
I have taken my car into to Carson City, NV Ford dealer many times. They say they fixed something else and do not have the time to fix the door latches that I made the appointment for . The only one that needs to be done is the back door on the driver's side. The rest were done the first time I took it in. I'm on a six plus month waiting list again to have the latch replaced with the right one! This has gone on way to many years. What happens if the door open and then closes on a kid/person in the back seat? Safety recall notice 20S30 / NHTSA 20V-331
The contact owns a 2012 Ford Focus. The contact stated while driving approximately 30 MPH, the vehicle stalled and was difficult to start. The contact also stated that the vehicle inadvertently stalled while stopped. There was no warning light illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer to be diagnosed; however, the mechanic was unable to determine the cause of the failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The contact and an independent mechanic related the failure to NHTSA Campaign Number: 18V735000 (Fuel System, Gasoline). The VIN was included in the recall. The approximate failure mileage was 78,400.
Transmission module fails causing the transmission to disconnect from the drive wheels. (Transmission comes out of gear). Driver has no control of the vehicle speed or engine speed and this forces the driver to attempt to stop the car. The engine will continue to rev until the gas petal is released.
Back in October 2018, (& during the time Ford was settling their class action lawsuit against them regarding transmissions, clutches, the Powertrain Control Module, and more), I received another recall described by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) as: "NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID: 18V735000 October 22, 2018 Ford will notify owners & dealers will reprogram the Powertrain Control Module. Dealers will also check for fault codes & replace the CPV as needed. If the CPV is replaced, dealers will inspect & replace the carbon canister, fuel tank & fuel delivery module as necessary. The recall is expected to begin December 10, 2018. Ford's number for this recall is 18S32. Note: Until the vehicle is serviced for this concern, owners are advised to keep the fuel tank at least halfway full." I brought the vehicle in to have the recall taken care of and after a day of servicing the vehicle, I was told that the PCM was reprogrammed & the issues were fixed. A week or 2 later, I received notice that the issue hadn't been resolved & a new recall was issued regarding the very same thing. As reported by the NHTSA: "NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID: 19V515000 July 5, 2019 Ford will notify...(same text as noted above)" Then added, "(Ford) is recalling certain vehicles...previously recalled under 18V-735. The affected vehicles did not have the PCM updated as intended. Therefore, the Canister Purge Valve (CPV) may malfunction, possibly causing excessive vacuum in the fuel vapor management system."
The contact owns a 2012 Ford Focus. The contact stated that while his son was driving, the vehicle was jerking. The contact stated that several unknown warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic where the contact was informed that the transmission and PCM needed to be replaced. The contact called the local dealer however, the vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and referred the contact to the NHTSA for assistance, but no additional assistance was provided. The contact related the failure to NHTSA Campaign Number: 13V523000 (Power Train). The approximate failure mileage was 169,000.
The contact owns a 2012 Ford Focus. The contact stated that while her daughter was driving approximately 65 MPH, the vehicle was shuddering and jerking. The transmission was shifting in and out of neutral(N). The transmission malfunction service now and check engine warning lights were illuminated. The local dealer was not contacted. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure but no additional assistance was provided. The approximate failure mileage was 165,618.
The contact owns a 2012 Ford Focus. The contact stated while attempting to lock the door, the driver's side door latch was unable to lock securely. The door ajar message was displayed. The contact also stated that due to the latch failure and the door not closing securely, the battery became drained. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer who diagnosed a failure with the door latch. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The contact related the failure to NHTSA Campaign Number: 16V643000 (Latches/Locks/Linkage). The approximate failure mileage was 152,528
Transmission failure
The contact owns a 2012 Ford Focus. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the check engine warning light illuminated. The contact took the vehicle to a dealer where she was informed that the TCM (Transmission Control Module) was defective; the TCM was repaired under warranty. A week after the repair, the vehicle had failed to accelerate above 30 MPH while hesitating with the accelerator pedal depressed. Due to the failure, the vehicle was towed back to the dealer where the contact was informed that the TCM had failed again. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and informed her that the parts for the repair were on backorder. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was approximately 86,200.
I have had P1450 code combined with P144A. The P1450 was a recall item for my year and model of car but my VIN is not included. I think it is the same problem as the others.
The contact owns a 2012 Ford Focus. The contact stated while driving approximately 25 MPH, the check engine warning light illuminated. Additionally, a message stated that the transmission was overheated and to pull over and let the engine cool down was displayed. The contact also stated that the automatic clutch was slipping, and the vehicle was difficult to start. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer who diagnosed a failure with the transmission control module. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 162,500.
The contact called on behalf of the son who owns a 2012 Ford Focus. The contact stated while the driver was driving approximately 55 MPH the vehicle began to downshift and the reverse gear was inoperable. There was a check engine warning light illuminated. The contact pulled over safely and then drove the vehicle to AutoZone. The vehicle was diagnosed with transmission module failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 155, 547.
The contact called on behalf of his grandmother who owns a 2012 Ford Focus. The contact stated that while his grandmother was driving approximately 45 MPH, the vehicle erroneously shifted in and out of gear. The driver safely pulled over to the side of the roadway and turned off and restarted the vehicle. The contact stated that the check engine and transmission warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer to be diagnosed. The contact was informed that the transmission was defective and needed to be rebuilt or replaced. The vehicle was towed to the residence. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 77,000.
The contact owns a 2012 Ford Focus. The contact stated that while driving at various speeds, the vehicle would suddenly lose automotive power and stall. During the failure the message "system in park" would display. The vehicle was taken to the local mechanic who diagnosed that the transmission module was faulty and needed to be replaced. The manufacturer was notified of the failure but no assistance was offered. The failure mileage was 161,541.
The contact owns a 2012 Ford Focus. The contact stated while driving and shifting gears the vehicle stalled. The contact stated, “Stop Immediately” and “Check Engine” warning lights were illuminated. Additionally, an audible warning chime was heard. The contact restarted the vehicle and the brake and power steering functionality were available. The contact had driven the vehicle to a local dealer where it was diagnosed and determined that the transmission control module (TCM) needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure was recurring and the contact had stopped driving the vehicle. The manufacturer had not been informed of the failure. The failure mileage was 110,888.
Transmission does engage and slips. Eventually transmission warning light comes stating transmission is overheated. After you pull over for several minutes to let it cool down then trying to restart the car is very difficult. Pulling out into the road car is not safe. Transmission slips and will not engage making yourself a target to get hit by another car. Called Ford customer service at the advice of several service advisers because I was told that Ford had put out faulty transmissionson on the Focus and Fiesta"s. So I called Ford and I was told there is nothing Ford will do about this situation. I sent Ford a certified letter requesting for help to fix transmission, I was turned down. I called Ohio state Attorneys General Office, after communication was made Ford stated they will not repair vehicle. That the time given had passed and they will do nothing to repair thier bad transmission issue. The Attorneys Gennerals office told to file a complaint with you NHTSA.
The contact owns a 2012 Ford Focus. The contact stated while driving 70 MPH, the transmission failed to shift as designed. The contact stated that the transmission malfunction service now warning light was illuminated. The contact parked on the side of the road and turned off the vehicle. The contact stated that after restarting the vehicle, the warning light was no longer illuminated. The contact was able to continue driving to his destination. The contact continued to experience the failure. The contact called the local dealer and made them aware of the failure. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The contact stated that the transmission malfunction service now warning light was again illuminated. The manufacturer had been informed of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 120,000.
The contact owns a 2012 Ford Focus. The contact stated while driving 70 MPH, the vehicle stalled inadvertently. The contact was able to restart the vehicle and continued driving; however, the failure reoccurred while driving. The contact was unable to veer to the side of the road and was unable to restart the vehicle. The vehicle was towed to the dealer where the transmission software was updated; however, the failure persisted. The contact stated that the transmission fault message was displayed. The vehicle was towed to the dealer where it was diagnosed that the transmission control module (TCM) had failed and needed to be replaced; however, the parts were on back order. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and informed the contact that the parts were not available. The manufacturer referred the contact to NHTSA. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was approximately 115,000.
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NHTSA publishes every complaint as the owner wrote it and investigates only a fraction. Spelling, capitalisation and judgement are the filer’s own. What carries weight is repetition: the same component failing the same way across many filings, and whether the manufacturer eventually opened a recall for it.
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