2017 FORD FOCUS Complaints

The contact owns a 2017 Ford Focus. The contact stated while driving at various speeds on several occasions, the vehicle started shuddering. The vehicle was taken to a dealer twice where it was diagnosed, and the dual clutch was replaced. The vehicle was repaired; however, the failure reoccurred approximately two years later. The vehicle was taken to a dealer where it was diagnosed and determined that the clutch needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 12,000.

The contact owns a 2017 Ford Focus. The contact stated that while his son was driving at slow speeds, the vehicle jerked while depressing the accelerator pedal. The contact stated that the check engine warning light was displayed on the instrument panel. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic to be diagnosed. The mechanic retrieved a code for transmission clutch failure. The dealer was notified of the failure and the contact was informed that there were no recalls related to the failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact was referred to the manufacturer and attempted to file a case; however, the contact was referred to the NHTSA Hotline for assistance. The failure mileage was approximately 82,000.

The contact owns a 2017 Ford Focus. The contact stated that while attempting to accelerate after a stop, the vehicle shuddered while the accelerator pedal was depressed. No warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was taken to a local dealer, where it was diagnosed with transmission failure, and the clutch was replaced. In addition, the contact stated that the vehicle was repaired approximately 5 times. The vehicle was taken to another local dealer, Summerville Ford (9700 Dorchester Rd, Summerville, SC 29485), where it was diagnosed with the same failure and the clutch was replaced; however, the failure persisted. The vehicle was taken back to the first local dealer where it was diagnosed with transmission failure, and the clutch was replaced; however, the failure persisted. The vehicle was taken to a third local dealer, Jones Ford, Inc. (5757 Rivers Ave, North Charleston, SC 29406) where it was diagnosed with a transmission failure, and the clutch was replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and referred the contact to the NHTSA Hotline for assistance. The failure mileage was unavailable.

The contact owns a 2017 Ford Focus. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, the engine overheated. The contact inspected the coolant reservoir, and the coolant level was low. The contact refilled the coolant reservoir. The contact stated that three months later the failure reoccurred. The coolant level was refilled. The vehicle was taken an independent mechanic; however, the failure was not duplicated. The contact was informed that there was no evidence of a coolant leak. The vehicle was not repaired or diagnosed by an independent mechanic or the dealer. The contact was advised to take the vehicle to the dealer. The vehicle was taken to the dealer where it was diagnosed with a failed coolant pump, fractured belts, valve cover gaskets, and corroded engine mounts. The contact was informed that the coolant pump, belts, valve cover gaskets, and engine mounts needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and a case was filed. The contact was advised to contact the NHTSA Hotline to report the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 35,000.

The contact owns a 2017 Ford Focus. The contact stated that while operating the vehicle, the check engine warning light remained illuminated, and the vehicle would not operate while shifted into reverse. Additionally, the vehicle jerked while driving and attempting to accelerate from a standing start. The vehicle was taken to a local mechanic who diagnosed the vehicle and determined that the transmission was faulty and 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 151,000.

While driving my 2017 Ford Focus SE (automatic), the vehicle began experiencing severe transmission problems including hesitation, shuddering during acceleration, jerking between shifts, and eventually a complete failure to engage any gear. The car became inoperable in traffic, posing a serious safety risk to me and others. There were no warning lights or messages prior to the failure. I took the vehicle to a certified Ford dealership, and after performing a diagnostic inspection, they confirmed the transmission had failed and needs to be completely replaced. The symptoms are consistent with widespread issues linked to the DPS6 PowerShift dual-clutch transmission used in Ford Focus models from 2012 to 2018. Ford is aware of these defects, as documented in multiple Technical Service Bulletins (including TSBs 16-0109, 17-0044, and 18-2358), and several class action lawsuits. Despite this being a known and well-documented defect, Ford has refused to provide any assistance or coverage for the repair, citing the expiration of the basic warranty. I believe this is a manufacturing defect that should be covered regardless of mileage due to the nature and safety risk of the failure. The transmission issue has been diagnosed and confirmed by a Ford dealership and the vehicle is available for inspection upon request. I am filing this report because I believe this issue continues to put drivers at risk and warrants further investigation and action by NHTSA.

The contact owns a 2017 Ford Focus. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle inadvertently lost motive power. The contact was able to pull to the shoulder of the roadway, where the vehicle was able to restart after cooling down. The transmission overheating warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, who diagnosed a failure with the transmission. The contact was informed that the transmission needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. After investigating the failure, the contact related the failure to NHTSA Campaign Number: 18V845000 (Power Train); but was informed that the VIN was not included in the recall. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 86,000. The VIN was not available.

Clutch needs to be replaced at 77,000 miles. This is a related issue with Ford Focus vehicles’ transmission. I was never told that the transmissions were an issue when I purchased this vehicle. I took it to ford and they said it’s wear and tear instead of addressing the issue that the transmission is bad. They wanted $4000 for repairs. I paid $17k cash for this car. The car does not switch gears and makes grinding noises when driving or coming to a stop.

The contact owns a 2017 Ford Focus. The contact stated while driving approximately 20 MPH, while the accelerator pedal was depressed, the vehicle lost automotive power and shuddered abnormally. There was no warning light illuminated. The contact stated that the failure had occurred on several occasions. The vehicle was taken to a dealer where it was diagnosed that the there was an unknown part in the fuel tank that needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired; however, the failure persisted. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 90,000.

The contact owns a 2017 Ford Focus. The contact stated while driving 70 MPH, the accelerator pedal was depressed, and the vehicle hesitated and stalled. The contact was able to coast to the side of the road. No warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was towed to the residence, and then was towed to the dealer. The vehicle was diagnosed that the timing belt had failed, and the engine needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 71,000.