There are 50 owner-reported speed control & cruise complaints for the 2012 Ford Focusin NHTSA's database. These are unverified consumer reports and may not reflect confirmed defects.
Transmission over heating stop safely light comes on transmission hot stop wait 5 second I do the restart of the transmission and it keeps doing it
WHILE ACCELERATING OUT OF A PARKING LOT TO PULL OUT INTO TRAFFIC, ACCELERATING THROUGH INTERSECTIONS, OR TAKING A RIGHT ON RED, THE CAR WILL START TO ACCELERATE AND THEN SUDDENLY AS IT TRY'S TO DOWNSHIFT, IT ACTS AS IF ITS STUCK IN NEUTRAL, AND WONT ACCELERATE AT ALL. ON MULTIPLE OCCASIONS I HAVE ALMOST BEEN HIT BY OTHER MOVING VEHICLES. SOME GOING 50 MPH HAVE HAD TO SLAM THEIR BRAKES ON BECAUSE I WASN'T ABLE TO FINISH ACCELERATING TO GET OUT OF THE WAY. WHEN IT ISN'T DOING THAT, IT HAS JERKY/ ROUGH/ DOWNSHIFTS. IT ALSO VIBRATES WHEN I TRY TO SPEED UP AND SOMETIMES HAS A HESITATION AND THEN WILL KICK IN TO GEAR. THIS IS A VERY SERIOUS SAFETY ISSUE AND HAS ALMOST CAUSED ME TO GET HIT BY OTHER CARS IN MOTION MULTIPLE TIMES . ESPECIALLY TRYING TO PULL OUT INTO TRAFFIC! I BROUGHT IT TO THE USED DEALERSHIP I BOUGHT IT FROM AND THEY DISCOVERED THERE WAS A COMMUNICATION ERROR CODE WITH THE TCM. THEY DID A SYSTEM RESET AND 24 HOURS LATER, IT WAS BACK TO DOING THE SAME THING AGAIN. AFTER DOING RESEARCH I LEARNED THAT THERE WAS A RECALL ON THIS ISSUE AND THE RECALL DOES A FREE RESET FOR YOU. WELL, THIS DOES NOT FIX THE SAFETY ISSUE! IT ACTUALLY NEEDS TO BE REPLACED TO THEIR NEWER UPDATED MODEL THAT ISN'T DEFECTIVE LIKE THIS ONE. SO, THEIR CURRENT SAFETY RECALL DOES NOTHING. ALSO, OTHER RESEARCH SHOWED ME THAT FORD WENT THROUGH A GIANT LAWSUIT OVER THESE EXACT PROBLEMS IN 2016 AND ONE RESULT WAS AN EXTENDED WARRANTY OF 10 YEARS OR 150K MILES. THIS DOESN'T HELP THE PEOPLE THAT ARE ALREADY OVER THE 150K MILES! THEIR SAFETY ISSUE IS STILL PRESENT! NEXT I'M CONTACTING THE BBB, ATTORNEY GENERAL, THE LOCAL NEW CHANNELS, AND THE GOVERNOR! THIS RECALL NEEDS TO BE UPDATED TO GETTING IT REPLACED!!!! NOT JUST RESET!! *RECALL 13V523000 *SOURCES OF MY INFORMATION: HTTPS://WWW.CARS.COM/ARTICLES/FORD-FOCUS-FIESTA-TRANSMISSION-SETTLEMENT-WHAT-OWNERS-SHOULD-KNOW-420135/
WHILE DRIVING ON THE FREEWAY AROUND 6PM AND TAKING AN ON RAMP ONTO ANOTHER FREEWAY THE FORD FOCUS STALLED MID-DRIVE AND WOULD NOT ACCELERATE ANYMORE OR SWITCH TO HIGHER GEARS WHEN THE ACCELERATOR WAS PRESSED. THE FORD IMMEDIATELY COULD NOT GO ANY FASTER THAN FIRST GEAR AND LUCKILY WE AVOIDED AN ACCIDENT BY PULLING TO THE SIDE OF THE FREEWAY ON RAMP INTO THE VEGETATION SINCE THERE WAS NO SHOULDER. THERE WAS NO NOISE OR INDICATION THAT SOMETHING HAD HAPPENED TO THE VEHICLE. THE ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON AND THE VEHICLE JUST STOPPED DRIVING IN THE MIDDLE OF DRIVING AT AROUND 50MPH. IT WOULD NOT DRIVE BACKWARDS WHEN PUT INTO REVERSE AND WOULD REV UP TO EXTREMELY HIGH RPM WHEN THE DRIVER TRIED TO MOVE FORWARDS OR BACKWARDS. TOWED THE CAR TO THE MECHANIC THE NEXT DAY AND THEY RAN A DIAGNOSTIC THAT CAME BACK WITH 5 ERROR CODES INCLUDING: P0805, P087A, P2831, P2836, AND P2861. A PIN POINT TEST WAS PERFORMED AND FOUND THAT THE VOLTAGE WAS AT A CONSISTENT 5 VOLTS, SO THEY CLEARED THE CODES AND TOOK THE VEHICLE FOR A TEST DRIVE AND IT WAS FINE AGAIN. THE VEHICLE HAS ABOUT 79,000 MILES. ATTACHED WILL BE THE MECHANICS FORM ALONG WITH WHAT THEY SAID ARE SEVERAL CODES FOR RELATED RECALLS THAT WERE SUPPOSEDLY ALREADY FIXED. *TR
TAKI OFF FROM STOP LIGHT CAR IS STALLING, TURNED VEHICLE OFF AND WILL NOT START AGAIN
HIGH RPMS DIED IN FLIGHT STALLING JERKING
AFTER GOING TO MY FORD DEALER FOR THE LAST 2 RECALLS THAT EFFECT FUEL SYSTEM (LAST ONE WAS RECALL #19S22) MY CAR WAS OK FOR A FEW MONTHS. NOW THAT TEMPS HAVE DROPPED BELOW 50 THE SAME THING IS HAPPENING. WHEN ACCELERATING, THE CAR SHAKES AND SPUTTERS AS IT TRIES TO GO AND I GET ABOUT 18MPG INSTEAD OF MY USUAL 27MPG.
WE PURCHASED A 2012 FOCUS FOR OUR 18 YEAR OLD DAUGHTER AS HER FIRST CAR. THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT IS ILLUMINATED AND THE CAR SHUDDERS AS YOU ACCELERATE LIKE ITS SHIFTING GEARS BUT IT'S A VERY AGGRESSIVE JERK. ONCE IT REACHES CERTAIN SPEED IT DRIVES SMOOTHLY BUT IF YOU STOP AT A RED LIGHT OR STOP SIGN AND ACCELERATE AGAIN IT DOES THE SAME THING. THE FAULT CODE FOR THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT STATES IT'S A CATALYTIC CONVERTER PROBLEM. I DID SOME ONLINE RESEARCH AND FOUND A RECALL FOR WHAT I THOUGHT WAS THE CAUSE OF THE ISSUE (RECALL 18S32). TOOK IT INTO THE DEALERSHIP TO HAVE THE RECALL REPAIRED AND THEY RESET THE PCM BUT TECH TOLD ME THE GAS TANK "PASSED INSPECTION" SO NO FURTHER REPAIRS WERE NEEDED. HOWEVER, THE CAR STILL SHUDDERS AT ACCELERATION. I WAS TOLD I'D HAVE TO PAY $135 FOR THEM TO DIAGNOSE THE PROBLEM. I AM SO AFRAID FOR MY DAUGHTER WHO IS A FAIRLY NEW DRIVER TO BE DRIVING THIS UNSAFE VEHICLE. I WILL BE SEARCHING FOR A CLASS ACTION LAWSUIT AS I'VE READ SEVERAL COMPLAINTS OF THE SAME ISSUE ON THIS WEBSITE. I DON'T FEEL COMFORTABLE SELLING THIS CAR TO ANYONE ELSE WITH THESE PROBLEMS EITHER. FORD REALLY NEEDS TO RECTIFY THIS PROBLEM IMMEDIATELY BEFORE SOMEONE GETS HURT OR WORSE, DIES! THE CAR HAS 101,000 MILES ON IT.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 FORD FOCUS. THE CONTACT TOOK HER VEHICLE TO AN UNKNOWN DEALER TO BE REPAIRED PER AN UNKNOWN RECALL. THE CONTACT BELIEVED THERE WAS A MANUFACTURER DEFECT WITH THE THROTTLE BODY AND STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WOULD HESITATE TO ACCELERATE WHEN THE BRAKE PEDAL WAS RELEASED AND WOULD THEN VIOLENTLY ACCELERATE SUDDENLY. THE FAILURE CAUSED THE VEHICLE TO CRASH INTO A DITCH. THE AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. A POLICE REPORT WAS NOT FILED. THERE WERE NO INJURES. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO A DEALER OR INDEPENDENT MECHANIC FOR DIAGNOSTIC TESTING OR REPAIRS. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 119,000.
WHEN I PUT MY GEAR IN REVERSE, SOMETIMES MY CAR JERKS AND REVERSE FASTER THAN IT SHOULD OR OTHER TIMES THE CAR WOULD IDLE, I WOULD SEE THE RPM GOING UP AND HEAR THE RPM BUT THE CAR DOESNT MOVE. I'D HAVE TO HIT BRAKE AND TRY TO REVERSE AGAIN. WHEN I COME TO A STOP AND TRY TO DRIVE, THE VEHICLE EITHER JERKS OR JUST TAKES OFF. THE PROBLEM ALMOST HAPPENS EVERY TIME. OR WHEN I AM SLOWING DOWN, THE CAR WOULD JERK OR SHUDDER. WHENEVER I TAKE THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALERSHIP, THEY JUST TELL ME THE SHUDDER/JERKS ARE IN THEIR NORMAL RANGE READING AND BASICALLY TELLS ME THAT IS NORMAL FOR THE VEHICLE TO DO. ALL THE SHUDDERING, JERKING, AND BEING HESITANT HAPPENS MOSTLY STARTING FROM A STATIONARY POSITION, LIKE AT A RED LIGHT OR A STOP SIGN. THIS HAS BEEN HAPPENING EVERY SINCE I BOUGHT THE CAR IN 2016 AUGUST, AS A USED CAR. I'VE HAD TO GET A NEW CLUTCH, AND REPLACE THE NEW ONE BECAUSE IT WASN'T WORKING PROPERLY.
I HAVE A 2012 FORD FOCUS TITANIUM HATCHBACK. I TOOK MY CAR INTO BOB TOMES FORD FOR A SHUTTERING PROBLEM AND WAS TOLD TO WAIT AND SEE TO CONTINUE TO DRIVE THE CAR. MONTHS LATER I HAD THE TCM REPLACE AND NOW MY CLUTCH IS OUT. THESE WERE ALL ISSUES AT THE TIME I ORIGINALLY BROUGHT MY CAR INTO FORD. AFTER THE TCM WAS REPLACE I TRIED TO PICK UP MY CAR FROM BOB TOMES FORD SERVICE CENTER AND THE SERVICE TEAM COULD NOT START MY CAR OR GET IT IN GEAR( YET SOMEHOW THEY "TEST DROVE" IT). MY CAR HAS STALLED IN THE MIDDLE OF INTERSECTIONS, MY CHECK ENGINE LIGHT HAS COME, MY TRANSMISSION IS OVERHEATING AND ASKING ME TO PULL OVER AND WAIT 5 MINUETS. THIS IS EXTREMELY DANGEROUS AS I AM A MOTHER AND HAVE UP TO 3 CHILDREN WITH ME AT ONE TIME. I CAN NOT TRUST MY CAR TO GET ME FROM A TO B SAFELY. MY CAR DIES RANDOMLY WHEN IT WANTS TO. MY CAR IS NOW COMPLETELY UNDRIVEABLE. I AM STILL PAYING ON THIS CAR AND I CAN NOT EVEN DRIVE IT! I NEED SOMETHING TO BE DONE ABOUT THIS ASAP. THIS IS ABSOLUTELY TERRIFYING THAT FORD IS ALLOWED TO SELL CARS KNOWING THE TRANSMISSION IS FAULTY BEFORE THEY WERE ON THE MARKET.
I WAS DRIVING SOUTHBOUND IN THE LEFT LANE ON I-495 FROM MD INTO VA, ABOUT TO GET TO THE EZ PASS CAMERA. I SELDOM USE THE PASS, THEREFORE IT IS NOT AFFIXED TO THE WINDSHIELD. I HAD PLACED IT ON THE DASHBOARD IN ANTICIPATION OF THE UPCOMING CAMERA. TRAFFIC WAS ALTERNATELY SLOWING DOWN AND SPEEDING UP TO APPROXIMATELY 35 MPH. THE DRIVER AHEAD OF ME SUDDENLY SLOWED NEARLY TO A STOP, SO I PRESSED MY BRAKES, WHICH CAUSED THE EZ PASS TO SLIDE ACROSS THE DASHBOARD AND UP AGAINST THE WINDSHIELD. UNABLE TO REACH IT WITH MY SEATBELT ON, AND BECAUSE THE CAR WAS BARELY MOVING, I UNFASTENED THE SEAT BELT TO RETRIEVE THE PASS. AT THE SAME TIME THE DRIVER AHEAD OF ME SLIGHTLY INCREASED HER SPEED, THEN SUDDENLY SLOWED AGAIN, WHICH I DID, TOO. HOWEVER, THIS TIME I HAD TO PUNCH THE BRAKE. IT WENT STRAIGHT TO THE FLOOR, MY CAR SPED UP, AND I WAS UNABLE TO AVOID REAR-ENDING THE CAR AHEAD. IT WAS SUCH A HELPLESS FEELING TO TRY AND STOP AND HAVE NO BRAKES! A "CRASH MODE" MESSAGE SHOWED UP ON SCREEN BEHIND THE STEERING WHEEL AND THE SYNC SYSTEM AUTOMATICALLY DIALED 911. THE OTHER DRIVER GOT OUT OF HER CAR AND WALKED BACK TO ASK IF I WAS OKAY. I WAS FINE, BUT BECAUSE TRAFFIC IN THE RIGHT LANE WAS SPEEDING PAST, AND SOME CARS WERE EVEN PASSING US ON THE SHOULDER, I DID NOT ATTEMPT TO GET OUT OF MY CAR. EVENTUALLY THE STATE POLICE, EMTS AND A TOW-TRUCK ARRIVED. MY STEERING NO LONGER WORKED, BUT ONCE THE OTHER CAR WAS TOWED OUT OF THE WAY THE RESPONDING OFFICER WAS ABLE TO WALK ALONGSIDE MY CAR, PUSHING IT ONTO THE SHOULDER WHILE I ATTEMPTED TO STEER. THE TOW DRIVER TOOK OVER FROM THERE. I RODE WITH HIM BACK TO MD TO THE BODY SHOP OF THE FORD DEALER WHERE I PURCHASED THE CAR IN 2011 AND HAVE HAD ALL MAINTENANCE PERFORMED AND PREVIOUS CLUTCH ISSUES ADDRESSED. IT WAS IN THE SHOP FOR A MONTH. I ASKED IF THERE WAS SOMETHING WRONG WITH THE BRAKES BUT WAS TOLD THERE WAS NO EVIDENCE OF THAT.
TAKATA RECALL I'LL BE DRIVING AND MY CAR STALLED OFTEN AND HAS CUT OFF ON TWO OCCASION .THEN MY ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON.I WAS DRIVING HAPPEN TO BE AT A STOP SIGN AND THE AND CUT OFF AND ROLLED HAD TO RESTART.WHEN EVER I STOP THE CAR IT TAKE TIME BEFORE IT SPEEDS UP.
THE FORD FOCUS ELECTRIC HAS TWO "DRIVE" MODES: "D" AND "L". THE LATTER IS MORE AGGRESSIVE IN REGENERATIVE BRAKING. WHEN I APPROACH A RIGHT TURN INTO MY NEIGHBORHOOD, THERE IS A SHORT SEGMENT OF CEMENT BETWEEN THE TWO ASPHALT ROADS. I BELIEVE THE TRACTION/STEERING CONTROL GETS CONFUSED, AND THE REGENERATIVE BRAKING DISENGAGES, CAUSING THE VEHICLE TO ACCELERATE AND LURCH FORWARD, EVEN IF I AM BRAKING/DECELERATING. STEERING BEHAVIOR ALSO SEEMS AFFECTED. THE FIRST TIME THIS HAPPENED WAS VERY DISCONCERTING AS I THOUGHT I WAS GOING TO CRASH INTO THE VEHICLE STOPPED AT THE CROSS-STREET I WAS TURNING ONTO. I CAN REPRODUCE THIS CONSISTENTLY.
THE TRANSMISSION KEEPS SLOWING DOWN THE CAR. WON'T GET UP TO SPEED, CANNOT EXCEED 25MPH.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 FORD FOCUS. WHILE ACCELERATING, THE VEHICLE SHOOK WITHOUT WARNING AND THE MALFUNCTION WARNING INDICATOR ILLUMINATED. THE DEALER WAS NOT NOTIFIED. THE CONTACT MENTIONED THAT HE HAD THE CLUTCH REPAIRED PER AN UNKNOWN RECALL A YEAR AGO, BUT THE FAILURE RECURRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 65,000. *JS
HAVING PROBLEMS MAINTAINING SPEED ! WHEN I EXCELERATED IT DOESN'T WANT TO PICK UP SPEED THEN SUDDENLY IT PICKS UP SPEED AFTER PRESSING THE PEDAL TO THE FLOOR. VERY DANGEROUS. I SAW THIS VERY SAME COMPLAINT FROM ANOTHER FOCUS OWNER DATED IN MARCH 2016 . VERY SCARY!
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 FORD FOCUS. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE FAILED TO ACCELERATE. THE CONTACT HAD TO APPLY FORCE TO THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL TO INCREASE THE SPEED. THE DEALER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE AND INDICATED THAT THE VEHICLE HAD A SALVAGED TITLE. THE DEALER REFUSED TO PROVIDE THE RECALL REPAIR AND ADVISED THE VEHICLE OWNER TO CONTACT THE MANUFACTURER FOR A RECOMMENDATION ON A REPAIR SOLUTION. A REPAIR APPOINTMENT WAS NOT SCHEDULED WITH THE DEALER OR AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED TO DETERMINE IF THE VEHICLE WOULD RECEIVE THE REPAIR FOR NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 16V643000 (LATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGES). THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 78,000. VIN TOOL CONFIRMS PARTS NOT AVAILABLE.
I PURCHASED THIS VEHICLE FROM FORD OF KIRKLAND IN WASHINGTON STATE IN 2016, AND NOTICED DRIVING ISSUES THE DAY I DROVE IT OFF THE LOT. THIS VEHICLE HAS A DPS6 TRANSMISSION AND IT CONSTANTLY JERKS, SHUDDERS AND SLIPS OUT OF GEAR WHILE DRIVING AT ANY SPEED. IT OFTEN FAILS TO ACCELERATE OR ACCELERATES SUDDENLY AND OUT OF CONTROL, ESPECIALLY WHEN GOING UPHILL. IT ALSO FREQUENTLY OVERHEATS, ESPECIALLY WHEN IDLING, DESPITE HAVING WORK DONE ON IT SEVERAL TIMES THAT WAS SUPPOSED TO FIX THIS PROBLEM. I WAS TOLD THIS WAS AN AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION WHEN THE VEHICLE WAS SOLD TO ME, AND THE DPS6 IS NOT AN AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION AT ALL. I ALSO FREQUENTLY HAVE ISSUES WITH THE ELECTRICAL AND RADIO SYSTEM. THE CLOCK CHANGES RANDOMLY AND THE AUDIO SWITCHES UNEXPECTEDLY TO RADIO STATIONS FROM BLUE TOOTH WHILE DRIVING AND THEN FAILS TO SWITCH BACK TO ANY BLUE TOOTH DEVICE, SOMETIMES FOR SEVERAL DAYS UNTIL IT RANDOMLY BEGINS WORKING AGAIN. THIS IS ESPECIALLY PROBLEMATIC WHEN I AM RELYING ON AUDIO DIRECTIONS FROM NAVIGATION APPS THAT ARE PAIRED FROM MY CELL PHONE WHILE DRIVING. I WAS ALSO TOLD BY FORD OF KIRKLAND SERVICE CENTER THAT THERE IS "NOTHING WRONG" WITH MY TRANSMISSION OR MY VEHICLE AND THAT I'M JUST NOT DRIVING IT "CORRECTLY," WHICH MAKES ABSOLUTELY NO SENSE. THIS VEHICLE AND ITS FAULTY TRANSMISSION ARE UNSAFE TO DRIVE. I DO NOT LET ANYONE ELSE DRIVE THIS VEHICLE BECAUSE I FEAR FOR THEIR SAFETY AND I ONLY DRIVE IT MYSELF IN TIMES WHERE IT IS ABSOLUTELY NECESSARY, WHICH I CAN PROVE BY THE VERY SMALL AMOUNT OF MILES I HAVE PUT ON IT SINCE PURCHASE. I EXPERIENCE THE ABOVE STATED PROBLEMS EVERY SINGLE TIME I DRIVE IT THIS VEHICLE, WHICH IS A CLEARLY A LEMON BY DEFINITION. FORD BROKE THE LAW BY SELLING ME THIS DANGEROUS VEHICLE WITH A TRANSMISSION THAT THEY KNEW WAS UNSAFE AND BY FALSELY ADVERTISING THIS TRANSMISSION AS AN AUTOMATIC.
(AUTOMATIC HATCHBACK) THE CAR ROLLS BACK WHEN IN GEAR, ON A STEEP HILL. SHIFTING GEARS, IT WILL HESITATE ON THE HIGHWAY AND WILL JUMP GEARS AND STUDDER. A FEW DAYS AGO I WAS TRYING TO BACK OUT OF MY DRIVEWAY TO GET TO WORK AND WHEN I PUT IT IN REVERSE, THE CAR DIDN'T MOVE WHATSOEVER, SO I PUT IT IN DRIVE TO TEST AND SEE IF IT WAS WORKING, AND IT GOT IN 1ST GEAR JUST FINE.SO I TRIED TO REVERSE AGAIN WITH THE SAME ISSUE. THEN THE ENGINE LIGHT ILLUMINATED, SO I LEFT THE CAR AND GOT A RIDE TO WORK, HOWEVER THAT NIGHT WHEN I CAME HOME, I TESTED THE CAR OUT AGAIN AND SAME PROBLEM, HOWEVER A MESSAGE POPPED UP "TRANSMISSION IS NOT IN PARK (P)" AND I HAD IT IN REVERSE, SO I PUT IT IN DRIVE AND THE SAME MESSAGE POPPED UP. NOW I CANNOT GET IT TO MOVE AT ALL. WHILE IN DRIVE, IT WILL REV UP, BUT IT WILL NOT MOVE! IT WILL START UP NO PROBLEM, AND SOMETIMES IT WILL DRIVE, BUT IT WILL LOSE POWER AND NOT MOVE AGAIN.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNED A 2012 FORD FOCUS. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 2 MPH AND ATTEMPTING TO PARK, THE VEHICLE EXPERIENCED UNINTENDED ACCELERATION AND DROVE OVER THE SIDEWALK AND CRASHED INTO A WALL. NO WARNING INDICATORS WERE ILLUMINATED. IT WAS UNKNOWN IF ANY INJURIES WERE SUSTAINED. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THE VEHICLE WAS DESTROYED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS INFORMED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 25,000. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE.
Showing 1–20 of 50 complaints
Complaints are unverified consumer reports submitted to NHTSA. A high complaint count may reflect vehicle popularity, not defect severity. Data sourced from NHTSA public records.
Data synced from NHTSA on Apr 26, 2026