2012 Ford Focus Complaint Log

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.

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 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.

The contact owns a 2012 Ford Focus. The contact stated that the vehicle failed to start intermittently. The contact stated that several attempts were needed to start the vehicle. The contact stated that while attempting to reverse, the gear shifter failed to shift into reverse. The contact stated that while driving approximately 30 MPH, the vehicle started hesitating. The contact pulled over and had the vehicle towed to the dealer to be diagnosed. The contact was informed that the transmission control module failed and needed to be replaced. The vehicle had not been repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and confirmed that the repair was no longer covered under warranty. The approximate failure mileage was 88,000. Consumer was told by a dealer Car with VIN 1FAHP3E26CL327697 is no longer under the warranty as it ran out 3 months ago. Ford is not willing to make the repair at no cost to us. Case number with Ford is [XXX]. INFORMATION Redacted PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6).”

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

The component is unknown and below is description. The car is stalling while accelerating and rushing forward when it does accelerate. At stop lights and when the car stops in traffic the vehicle is stalling. When the gas pedal is pushed to accelerate the stalling can cause a vehicle behind me to crash. After stalling, the acceleration causes the car to rush forward and it could cause my vehicle to run into someone in front of me. The vehicle was inspected at a dealership however I strongly believe their recommendations were not correct and that there is an easy fix for the issue above. They also claimed that it had nothing to do with the recall and did not provide information on the assessment about the recall. This particular recall does cause stalling so it is baffling to see that the dealership did not provide a written assessment on the report like they did for the door handles. I paid $150 for an assessment and around $200 for tow to bring the vehicle home after the assessment. The check engine light did come on and I took the vehicle to the dealership due to how unsafe the car was driving. I feared driving the vehicle and had it towed to the dealership for this poor assessment. I have not driven this vehicle in a year due to the unsafe driving conditions. I would like for the recall to be fixed and determine if that is causing the issue or not.

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.

transmission control model in the car needs a new one

The contact owns a 2012 Ford Focus. The contact stated while his wife was starting the vehicle, the transmission malfunction warning light was illuminated. The driver continued driving to her residence. The contact stated he was unable to shift from park(P) to drive(D). The contact towed the vehicle to the local dealer, where it was diagnosed with needing the transmission control module to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired but was pending repairs. The manufacturer had been informed of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 42,000.

Car unable to go in reverse, risked personal injury from oncoming traffic because we were unable to back out of the way when light changed.

After vehicle warms up good, the transmission shutters when taking off from a stop causing a dangerous hesitation when pulling out into traffic.

The contact owns a 2012 Ford Focus. The contact stated while driving 55 MPH, the transmission module service now message displayed on the instrument cluster and the check engine warning light was illuminated. The contact stated that the vehicle decelerated to 20 mph and the transmission shifted independently into neutral. The contact stated the ABS and traction control activated independently with the ABS and traction control warning lights illuminated. The contact was able to exit to a nearby gas station at 5 mph and the hill ascent assist not available message was displayed on the instrument cluster. The contact depressed the brake pedal and parked the vehicle on the hill. The contact waited 5 minutes before restarting the vehicle and stated that the ABS and traction control warning lights were off. The contact continued to drive and while approaching her residence the vehicle began to decelerate again. The contact called the local dealer and made them aware of the failure. The dealer had no appointment availability until 2023. The contact called another local dealer, Ray Skillman Ford (1250 US-31, Greenwood, IN 46143, (317)885-9800) and made them aware of the failure. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer had not been informed of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 83,000.

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 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 contact owns a 2012 Ford Focus. The contact stated that after refueling, the vehicle was running roughly. The check engine warning light illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer where it was diagnosed that the fuel tank was deformed. The contact was informed to keep the fuel above a half tank. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact stated that the failure was related to NHTSA Campaign Number: 19V515000 (Fuel System, Gasoline). The manufacturer was contacted but provided no additional assistance. The approximate failure mileage was 85,000.

The contact owns a 2012 Ford Focus. The contact stated that while driving at various speeds, the vehicle would hesitate and shake upon the depression of the accelerator pedal as a "transmission overheating" warning message appeared on the instrument panel. The contact took the vehicle to a dealer where it was diagnosed with a defective dual-clutch transmission. The manufacturer was also notified of the failure and stated that the vehicle was not covered under warranty or recall. The vehicle had yet to be repaired. The failure mileage was approximately 140,000.

The contact owns a 2012 Ford Focus. The contact stated that while parked in the driveway when the check engine light illuminated. The contact attempted to turn the vehicle on however the engine only revved. The contact took the vehicle to a certified mechanic who diagnosed that the crankshaft failed and banded the transmission. The vehicle was involved in a previous recall for the same failure and was remedied previously. The mechanic stated the failure was caused by the same repair as before however the vehicle had not been repaired again. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 10,000.

Transmission failure

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 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?

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

Got Error Code P1450 of CPV which falls under the following Recall but Ford Motor Company is stating the VIN does not fall under this recall as they are VIN Specific but the link below states the recall affects the vehicles built from 8/1/2010 to 4/17/17. This vehicle build date according to the door sticker is 3/12 which should fall under the recall See Below Link: https://static.nhtsa.gov/odi/rcl/2018/RCMN-18V735-0635.pdf

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 contact owns a 2012 Ford Focus. The contact stated while driving 45 MPH, the vehicle stalled inadvertently. The check engine warning light was illuminated. The contact veered to the side of the road, turned off, and restarted the vehicle and was able to continue driving. The contact stated that the failure reoccurred while driving. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, where it was diagnosed that the emission evap canister control purge valve and fuel tank needed to be replaced. The vehicle was taken to the dealer for the recall repair. The dealer informed the contact that no repairs were needed upon inspection. The contact stated that the vehicle stalled abruptly while driving, almost causing other vehicles to crash into the vehicle. The vehicle was towed to a second independent mechanic, where it was diagnosed that the fuel tank had failed. The vehicle was towed to the dealer, who informed the contact that the failure occurred due to the lack of fuel in the fuel tank. Additionally, the contact stated that the vehicle had failed to shift into gears as intended and would shut off while driving. The contact also stated that the vehicle accelerated independently while driving, almost causing her to strike pedestrians. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, where the dealer diagnosed that the fuel tank needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was unknown.

The contact owns a 2012 Ford Focus. The contact stated while stationary at a stop sign and depressing the accelerator pedal, the vehicle started shaking and jerking forward. The contact stated that the check engine warning light was illuminated. The contact continued driving however, the failure was progressing. The contact was able to drive to his residence. The contact took the vehicle to the local dealer, where it was diagnosed with needing the transmission to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer had been informed of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 76,000.

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 that the vehicle shuddered while accelerating from being idle. The vehicle hesitated to properly accelerate. The vehicle was taken to the dealer and diagnosed with a defective TCM module. The dealer reprogrammed the TCM module however, the failure persisted. The vehicle was taken back to the dealer and the contact was informed that the transmission clutch failed and needed to be replaced. The contact stated that the failure persisted and the vehicle had been inoperable. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and informed the contact that the vehicle was not covered under an extended warranty. The approximate failure mileage was 62,000.

The contact owns a 2012 Ford Focus. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle hesitated during acceleration. Upon inspection, the contact noticed there was oil leaking onto the inside of the hood. The vehicle was not diagnosed nor repaired by an independent mechanic or dealer. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 160,000.

The contact owns a 2012 Ford Focus. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, the transmission was slipping and failed to recognize the intended gear. The failure nearly caused a collision. The vehicle was towed to the residence and was not diagnosed nor repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 195,000.

Car will not go in reverse. Code shows actuator clutch stuck. Replaced actuator. Repair shop suggested TCM, but was able to reset TCM and reverse worked once, but while in reverse, shifter will slip into N and D with just a tap, and no button depression. It only responded once, and now code is back. Unsafe by not being able to reverse out of harms way, and while in reverse can go into N or D inadvertently.

The contact owns a 2012 Ford Focus. The contact stated that the check engine warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer where it was diagnosed and the contact was informed that the canister purge valve needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure but no additional assistance was provided. The contact stated the failure was related to NHTSA Campaign Number: 19V515000 (Fuel System, Gasoline) however, the VIN was not included. The failure mileage was approximately 152,038.

Recently, my 2021 Ford Focus began intermittently shuddering when shifting between first and second gear. Also, the reverse gear intermittently does not enage and will have to physically push the vehicle backwards in order to shift back into first gear.

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.

transmission control module malfunction was covered under extended warranty and I am 11 months outside the window for repair but think it should be covered for the lifetime of the car

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.

The horn has never worked for me since I had the car. I’ve had so many close calls where people almost backed into me and there is nothing I can do but pray! And also the stereo system I’ve had to go in and disconnect due to the fact that I’d come outside with my car off haven’t even started it that day yet the speakers would be blaring a horrible cracking and popping sounds also happens randomly while driving it’s very scary

A check engine light appeared on 5/12/2022 car experienced lack of power from accelerator with transmission slippage pulled off of road and car failed to go into any gears had to turn off engine let car sit and then restart for it to engage. 5/13/2022 car went to local mechanic it was diagnosed that TCM (transmission control module) was bad and we needed to take to ford dealership. 4/20/22 while driving to ford dealership the car would not accelerate or change gears several times during trip. Ford dealership mechanic said that the part TCM was on "indefinite backorder". The car is to dangerous to drive.

The contact owns a 2012 Ford Focus. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle hesitated during acceleration and then lost motive power. The vehicle was towed to the dealer where it was diagnosed that the TCM needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired and remained at the dealer. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 80,000.

Lug nuts swelled, unable to remove without damaging, all 20 lugs nuts.

The contact owns a 2012 Ford Focus. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the transmission warning light illuminated indicating not to drive the vehicle. The contact stated that she was able to maneuver the vehicle off the road. The contact then notified her son and the vehicle was taken to the dealer where it was diagnosed that the TCM failed and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and the contact was informed that parts were on back order and the contact was provided a case number. The failure mileage was approximately 54,000.

I have a 2012 Ford Focus with transmission issues. It shudders when taking off, loses power when shifting and doesn't shift correctly. We have had overheating issues and stalling and not starting issues. It has to do (with my understanding) of the type of transmission they used in these vehicles.

While driving the vechicle it has problems accelerating and dies out in traffic to a rolling stop. I had the car diagnosed at a Ford dealership near me and was told it would be worse senario approx. $6500 to repair and that is because part of the transmission is $4000 alone. Despite the transmission issues reported on this vehicle the dealership would not comp any fixes. When in reality my problem is the same as many other owners that reported this issue. The difference is the car is newer to me but was previously owned. This is bad that Ford released a faulty transmission and leaves the owners with the burdon to repair.

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.

The contact owns a 2012 Ford Focus. The contact stated while driving at various speeds, the vehicle hesitated while depressing the accelerator pedal. The contact also stated that the traction control and check engine warning lights were intermittently illuminated during the failure. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic who diagnosed that the Transmission Control Module (TCM) needed to be replaced. The mechanic called the dealer and was informed that parts for the repair were on backorder. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was approximately 70,000.

My wife was pulling out from grocery store into highway when car jerked and almost stalled out!

A couple weeks ago leaving work a warning light came on that the power steering assist was disabled/malfunctioning, to have it serviced. It became prohibitively difficult to steer my car. I called AAA and had it towed to an independent service center. They reported that the steering module, essentially the computer brain for the steering, has failed. The repair is overwhelmingly expensive, and I haven’t pursued it due to the crippling cost. When I proceeded to drive the car home, the light was off, and it drove fine. One of the shops I spoke with said this could happen, but it would come back unpredictably, and intermittently until it just won’t be drivable. I’m just glad it was in a safe spot when this failure occurred. Reports I’ve been reading online have scared me with drivers being on the freeway when this component fails, nearly causing accidents in some cases. This seems like a serious safety issue, and certainly not a ‘wear and tear’ issue of daily use. The shop reported the repair would cost $2400 before taxes. I bought this car used for $5000 last year, and so far have had to put in a whole new front end, replace the cooling/ heating reservoir system. So throwing in that much more money into it is having a very negative impact on my livelihood. Other drivers report this issue occurring at anywhere from 60,000 miles to 150,000 miles. My car is at 128,000 miles.

The contact owns a 2012 Ford Focus. The contact stated that while attempting to reverse the vehicle with the gear shifter in reverse(R), the vehicle failed to respond. There was no warning light illuminated. The vehicle was taken an independent mechanic to be diagnosed. The contact was informed that the transmission needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. Neither the dealer nor the manufacturer was contacted or notified of the failure. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 13V523000 (Power Train) however, the VIN was not included as only the electric models were included in the recall. The approximate failure mileage was 140,000.

The contact owns a 2012 Ford Focus. The contact stated while driving at undisclosed speed, the vehicle would not accelerate and the vehicle started to shake, causing the vehicle to stall. The vehicle was not diagnosed. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not contacted. The failure mileage was 116,000.

When i got to accelerate car will rev to high rpms and when i let go of the gas pedal it will shift to nxt gear then do it again, i have to let go of the gas pedal for it to shift correctly

For the past few months there has been a grinding type sound when shifting down to third. Then It went to shifting up to second and it doesnt want to shift out of second without jumping forward.