2012 FORD FOCUS Complaints

View complaints related to 2012 FORD FOCUS. The complaints found here are submitted by actual consumers with first hand experience. There are more than 3,670 complaints submitted for the 2012 FORD FOCUS. You can submit your own complaint to the NHTSA or call the Hotline, Monday-Friday 8am to 8pm at (888) 327-4236, TTY: (800) 424-9153.

  • 2012 FORD FOCUS
    - Standish, ME

    Rowe ford came stated he checked to see it the software was there also stated there were codes and said he was done. He never fixed the software cause i have u codes that state pcm and has locked my car into limp mode which means my car is immobilized due to the bad software. They closed Out the recall on there end with out the proper Fix. It was their mobile service. I know For a fact the pcm is causing this communication issue in my car. Inlost my job due to this very issue cause it Left Me With no transportation. My car is now a brick just sitting here cause of there negligence to do the job correctly and also the mobile technician was Only here 10 minutes and that also told me he did not reflash my pcm software as the letter states for the remedy. They seemed to think i want a free Transmission fix and My transmission is fine its the pcm software Causing this lockout and a mechanic has stated it as the issue to my lockout issue. Also all i was Getting was a run around to get this resolved. Don’t like being treated like an idiot. This is the original recall safety recall 26S40/ NHTSA 26V369. It was falsely complered.

    Source: NHTSA WEB SITE
  • 2012 FORD FOCUS
    - UNIVERSITY PLACE, WA

    I am submitting this complaint because Ford dealers do not appear to be following Ford Motor Company's published procedure for Customer Satisfaction Program 24N07. I visited two Ford service departments in [XXX] and [XXX]. Both told me they must first perform their own diagnostic evaluation before replacing the canister purge valve (CPV) under 24N07, and that I may be responsible for a diagnostic fee if they do not confirm the issue. Both dealers justified this requirement by stating that it was mandated by Ford corporate. This appears inconsistent with Ford's XXX communication to all U.S. Ford and Lincoln dealers. The 24N07 Technical Instructions already provide a decision process: Step 1 directs technicians to check for specified DTCs, including P0443, OR determine whether the customer reports hesitation, rough idle, or loss of power. Step 2 asks whether any Step 1 condition is present. If yes, Step 3 directs the technician to replace the CPV. (PAGE 16) Nowhere in this procedure does Ford require a separate comprehensive EVAP diagnosis before replacement. Ford's labor operation also includes checking for DTCs as part of the 24N07 service. (PAGE 16) This is especially concerning because CPV-related symptoms can be intermittent. A vehicle may have rough idle, hesitation, loss of power, or a qualifying DTC, but operate normally during the dealer's diagnostic session. Under the dealers' approach, the owner may then be charged a diagnostic fee and still be denied the 24N07 repair. Similar experiences have been reported by other Focus owners online, including diagnostic-fee warnings of approximately $199, $210, $225, and $400. I ask NHTSA to review whether Ford dealers are properly implementing 24N07 and whether dealers are adding diagnostic requirements not contained in Ford's December 4, 2024 instructions. Ford 24N07: [XXX] INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

    Source: NHTSA WEB SITE
  • 2012 FORD FOCUS
    - Goshen, OH

    The contact owns a 2012 Ford Focus. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle unexpectedly decelerated and stalled. The vehicle was able to restart but failed to move. The message "Transmission Failure" was displayed. The vehicle was towed to the residence and was not diagnosed or repaired by an independent mechanic or dealer. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and informed the contact that the vehicle was not covered under the Customer Satisfaction Program: 14M02 (Transmission Control Module Extended Warranty Coverage). The failure mileage was approximately 112,200.

    Source: HOTLINE VEHICLE OWNERS QUESTIONNAIRE
  • 2012 FORD FOCUS
    - Cleveland, OH

    The contact owns a 2012 Ford Focus. The contact stated that while driving approximately 60 MPH, the check engine warning light illuminated, with an abnormal sound coming from the vehicle before the vehicle stalled. The contact stated that an independent mechanic arrived on the scene to reset the clutches, and the vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic. The contact used an OBD scanner and retrieved information that the clutch position sensor A, clutch position sensor B, the actuator control circuit, the shift control circuit, and several other unknown parts needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact researched and was made aware of an unknown Customer Satisfaction Program; however, the vehicle was not included. A dealer was contacted and confirmed that the vehicle was not included. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 70,000.

    Source: HOTLINE VEHICLE OWNERS QUESTIONNAIRE
  • 2012 FORD FOCUS
    - St. Paul, MN

    SAFETY DEFECT AND RECALL REMEDY REFUSAL REPORT: My 2012 Ford Focus is actively experiencing severe safety failures matching the known defects in Ford Recall Campaign 26S40 (NHTSA Campaign Number 26V369) for the canister purge valve. While operating the vehicle, the engine suddenly stalled, creating an immediate highway safety hazard. Diagnostic scans show critical low fuel pressure. A physical inspection reveals that the fuel tank and the attached heat shield are severely warped and deformed. This structural damage is a direct result of the defective purge valve sticking open, creating an excessive internal vacuum that collapsed the fuel delivery module and tank assembly. I had the vehicle towed to an authorized Ford dealership (Apple Ford in White Bear Lake, MN). The dealership service department is actively refusing to honor or perform the mandated remedy under NHTSA Campaign 26V369. The technician stated that because a previous, legacy software update was noted in their system, "nothing more can be done." This directly violates the June 2026 re-recall mandate, which was issued precisely because previous software fixes were incomplete or improperly performed. Furthermore, the dealership is attempting to charge me an unauthorized diagnostic fee for an open safety recall inspection, refusing to inspect the physically collapsed gas tank, and making verbal, undocumented claims about frame rust to avoid performing the safety remedy. The vehicle is currently stranded at the dealership, unrepaired, and remains an active safety hazard. I am requesting that the NHTSA investigate this dealership's refusal to comply with a federal safety recall mandate and force Ford Motor Company to replace the damaged fuel system components as required by law.

    Source: NHTSA WEB SITE
  • 2012 FORD FOCUS
    - El Paso, TX

    My complaint is for serious safety concerns on my 2012 Ford Focus and the handling of recall 18S32 and 26S40 by Ford Motor Company. My fuel tank is visibly deformed in the exact strap area described in the recall, and I have physical proof and photographs confirming this. On XXX, a Ford technician found deformation during dispatch by local dealer to complete Recall 26S40. When I brought the vehicle to Viva Ford in [XXX], service manager and his master tech confirmed problem. They began avoiding the repair of course. Called Ford and they gave the same horrible customer service. Insistent that there were no recalls. Escalated to BBB and Ford had the audacity to simply reply that because there were no open recalls they would not be moving forward with a repair. Ford issued recall because many Focus vehicles were incorrectly marked as “repaired” by recall 18S32 years ago and they were actually never even repaired at all. Ford has publicly acknowledged these “phantom fixes.” While 26S40 is only a software patch, it does not eliminate eligibility for a tank replacement. In fact, in the service manager at the dealership even sent me official Ford literature which I will attach that states a claim can be made for related repairs needed that stemmed from these original recalls. Because the original software fix was never properly applied, my canister purge valve likely stuck open for years, causing the tank deformation that falls directly under recall 18S32 and the subsequent 26S40 where the Service Manager and Master Technician have confirmed my problem. I have never received a fuel-tank recall repair, yet my tank is deformed and unsafe because it can fall off from my vehicle while in motion and cause me to stall abruptly. This is the safety issue at hand. Both Ford and Viva Ford dealership are refusing to repair it despite evidence and recall criteria that match my vehicle’s condition. I am appalled at their avoidance to fix my problem. Thank you. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION AC

    Source: NHTSA WEB SITE
  • 2012 FORD FOCUS
    - Standish, ME

    "I am reporting a dealer safety recall refusal under Campaign 26S40 / NHTSA 26V369. My 2012 Ford Focus is completely immobilized in my driveway in [XXX] with a total transmission software lockout and zero fuel. Yankee Ford in [XXX] operates an active Mobile Service van program but explicitly refused to dispatch a technician to flash my PCM. They falsely claimed local town ordinances prevent them from operating, completely ignoring that my vehicle is located outside their jurisdiction in [XXX]. They are using false administrative excuses to deny a free, federally mandated safety repair on a stranded vehicle." INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

    Source: NHTSA WEB SITE
  • 2012 FORD FOCUS
    - Houston, TX

    The contact owns a 2012 Ford Focus. The contact stated that the vehicle previously failed the vehicle state inspection due to the check engine warning light being illuminated. Additionally, the vehicle stalled intermittently while driving. The contact had to pull over, wait, and then restart the vehicle. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, who performed an unknown recall repair for the canister purge valve, but the failure persisted. The vehicle was then taken to the second dealer, Group 1 Ford of Southwest Houston (6445 Southwest Fwy, Houston, TX 77074), who performed another unknown recall repair for the canister purge valve, but the failure reoccurred. The contact later received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 26V369000 (Fuel System, Gasoline); however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The dealers were made aware of the failure but confirmed that parts were not yet available. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 130,000.

    Source: HOTLINE VEHICLE OWNERS QUESTIONNAIRE
  • 2012 FORD FOCUS
    - HURON, CA

    My driver side door was working perfect until one day i went into my car and tryed closing my door but it wont close so i had to go to work while holding the door so it dosent open i favent talked to ford itself bucause om scared they will charge me a lot

    Source: NHTSA WEB SITE
  • 2012 FORD FOCUS
    - Rogers, AR

    The TCU/TCM has been going in and out of control. Sometimes it will work then others it will shut off. Speedometer won’t work, power steering won’t work, cruise control won’t work, etc. and when you do the transmission reset for it, it won’t work at all.

    Source: NHTSA WEB SITE