2012 Ford Focus Electric Problems

The contact owns a 2012 Ford Focus BEV. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, the contact noticed that an unknown warning light was illuminated and remained illuminated for several days. The failure recurred several times. On one occasion, the contact was unable to start the vehicle. The contact had the vehicle towed to a local dealer who inspected the vehicle and diagnosed failure with an electrical wiring harness kit and that the battery was drained. The dealer was able to replace the wiring harness however, the battery was not replaced due to the cost of a new battery. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 92,000.

MY VEHICLE EXPERIENCED A STOP SAFELY NOW MESSAGE WHILE DRIVING. POWER WERE CUT OFF AND THE VEHICLE STALLED IN MOVING TRAFFIC. MY VEHICLE HAD DONE A RECALL ON THE POWER HARNESS TO ADDRESS THE STOP SAFELY NOW ISSUE BUT I DON'T THINK THE RECALL FIXED IT COMPLETELY.

MY SHOCKS AND MY TRANSMISSION I BELIEVE

WHILE DRIVING VEHICLE ON THE HIGHWAY AND USING CRUISE CONTROL VEHICLE FAILS TO MAINTAIN SPEED. THE CRUISE CONTROL ABRUPTLY SHUTS OFF WITHOUT WARNING AND DRIVER HAS TO TAKE OVER. THE VEHICLE MAINTENANCE LIGHT TURNS ON/OFF PERIODICALLY. DEALER HAS INVESTIGATED AND DIAGNOSED THIS AS THE WIRING HARNESS UNDER THE PASSENGER SEAT SHORT CIRCUITING AND CAUSING POWER ISSUES. I BELIEVE THIS MAY BE RELATED TO THE EXISTING WIRING ISSUE AT THE MICHIGAN PLANT (HTTP://WWW.CLICKONDETROIT.COM/CONSUMER/RECALLS/FORD-RECALLS-160000-FOCUS-ESCAPE-MODELS-FOR-WIRING-PROBLEM). MAY BE RELATED TO REPORTS OF SUDDEN POWER LOSS IN FOCUS ELECTRIC VEHICLES.

THE STEERING WHEEL ON MY CAR IS STARTING TO LOCK UP WHEN YOU ARE DRIVING THE STEERLING WHEEL GETS STUCK AND ITS HARD TO CONTROL THE CAR,.

TWICE SINCE WE HAVE OWNED THIS CAR THE STEERING WHEEL LOCKS UP AFTER THE ENGINE IS STARTED. MY WIFE SAYS THERE IS A MESSAGE ON THE DASH DISPLAY ABOUT THE STEERING. BOTH TIMES SHE SHOWED ME THE STEERING BEING LOCKED UP IN THE DRIVEWAY OF OUR HOME. I WAS ABLE TO CORRECT THE PROBLEM BY TURNING OFF THE IGNITION SWITCH AND RESTARTING. SHE TOLD ME THIS MORNING IT HAS HAPPENED TO HER WHILE DRIVING ONCE ON A HIGHWAY AT 60 MPH . SHE WAS ABLE TO STRONG ARM THE STEERING WHEEL TO THE SHOULDER. I AM EXTREMELY CONCERNED ABOUT THIS PROBLEM. I STILL OWE A LOT OF MONEY ON THIS CAR AND I CAN'T EVEN GIVE IT AWAY WITH THIS KIND OF PROBLEM.

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.

TL-CONTACT OWNS A 2012 FORD FOCUS.... GENERAL RECALL INQUIRY -- ELECTRIC STEERING LOCKED UP IN DRIVEWAY BEFORE LEAVING HOUSE TWICE WITHIN THE LAST WEEK... CONTACT CALLED DEALERSHIP AND DEALERSHIP STATED ENTIRE STEERING COLUMN AND ELECTRIC STEERING SYSTEM NEEDS TO BE REPLACED. CLUTCH WAS REPLACED TWICE ALREADY. 0 RECALLS ASSOCIATED WITH THIS VIN CB

WHILE DRIVING AT ABOUT 35 MPH, A WARNING APPEARED IN THE INSTRUMENT CLUSTER "STOP SAFELY NOW'. I STOPPED AT A TRAFFIC LIGHT AND THE VEHICLE STALLED. I TURNED THE VEHICLE ON AND OFF A NUMBER OF TIMES AND THE WARNING REMAINED; THE CAR WAS NOT DRIVABLE. AFTER ABOUT 5 MINUTES AFTER CYCLING THE ON/OFF FUNCTION THE WARNING LIGHT DISAPPEARED AND THE VEHICLE SEEMED TO BE BACK TO NORMAL. THIS IS HAPPENED A SECOND TIME ON DEC 15, 2014 WHEN THE VEHICLE HAD 11000 MILES. IT WAS A REPEAT OF THE PREVIOUS EXPERIENCE. *TR

TO DATE 8/20/2013 THE CAR HAS DIED 8 TIMES AND 4 TIMES IN THE LAST WEEK. THE SEQUENCE I USE TO GET IT STARTED AGAIN IS AFTER THE SSN WARNING, PULL OVER, TURN INGITION OFF, OPEN DOOR, CLOSE DOOR, LOCK CAR, UNLOCK CAR, PRESS START. IT ONLY STARTED TO HAPPEN AFTER THE UPDATE WAS DONE. IT HAPPENS OVER BUMPS, ON THE FREEWAY, IN A PARKING LOT AND HAPPENS AT ALL SPEEDS AND HAPPENS RANDOMLY. FORTUNATELY IT HAS NOT YET CAUSED AN ACCIDENT BUT IT EASILY CAN ESPECIALLY IF IN THE FAST LANE ON THE FREEWAY OR IN AN INTERSECTION.

THE PRODUCT IS BOSCH POWER XPRESS 240 VOLT CHARGER COUPLED TO MY 2012 FORD FOCUS ELECTRIC. IT IS SET TO 30 AMPS FOR MY VEHICLE....UPDATED 12/17/14 *BF THIS CHARGER WAS PUT IN SERVICE ON 7/22/2013. I NOTICED IN FEBRUARY THAT THERE WAS A NOTICEABLE ELECTRICAL SMELL OF MELTED PLASTIC AFTER CHARGING THE CAR, BUT THERE WAS NO DAMAGE. I FIGURED THAT WITH THE VERY COLD AIR IN MY GARAGE THAT MY SENSE OF SMELL MAY BE OFF. I CHARGE AT HOME AND AT WORK. THE WORK CHARGER IS MADE BY PEP. I HAVE ALSO OCCASIONALLY USED CHARGEPOINT CHARGERS. DURING THE WINTER I ALSO PRE-CONDITION THE VEHICLE TO 85 DEGREES. ON 3/27/14 I NOTICED FIRSTHAND THE ISSUE WHILE GETTING IN THE CAR IN THE MORNING. THE VEHICLE WAS STILL PRE-CONDITIONING WHEN I UNPLUGGED IT. THE CHARGER WAS MELTED AT THE CHARGING STATION COUPLER END AND THE VEHICLE CHARGE INLET PORT WAS ALSO MELTED. I TOUCHED THE CHARGING STATION COUPLER AFTER UNPLUGGING IT FROM MAIN POWER AND THE TIPS OF THE CONTACTS WERE BASICALLY MOLTEN PLASTIC THAT BURNT THE TIP OF MY FINGER. I DECIDED TO SCHEDULE A WARRANTY REPAIR WITH FORD. ON 3/28/2014 I TOOK THE VEHICLE IN FOR WARRANTY SERVICE WITH FORD MOTOR COMPANY AND THEY REPLACED THE CHARGE PORT UNDER WARRANTY. ON 4/8/2014 I CALLED BOSCH ABOUT THE CHARGER AND THEY OPENED A CASE TO REPLACE THE CHARGER UNDER WARRANTY. THE CLAIM WAS ACCEPTED AND PROCESSED ON 4/11/2014. MY CONCERN IS OF POSSIBLE FIRE OR INJURY FROM AN OVERHEATED AND/OR IMPROPERLY INSULATED CONNECTION BETWEEN THE CHARGING STATION AND THE VEHICLE. *TR UPDATED 9/29/2015*JS

WHILE DRIVING THE VEHICLE, I SUDDENLY RECEIVED A "STOP SAFELY NOW" MESSAGE. THIS HAS HAPPENED SEVERAL TIMES SINCE THE FIRST INCIDENT, SOMETIMES WHILE DRIVING THE VEHICLE, AND SOMETIMES WHILE THE VEHICLE IS NOT IN MOTION. IN ADDITION, THE STATED AVAILABLE CAPACITY OF THE BATTERY (23KWH) IS IN FACT NOT ACCESSIBLE, AND THE VEHICLE IS ONLY ABLE TO USE 16KWH BEFORE THE STOP SAFELY NOW MESSAGE IS DISPLAYED. *TR

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 REGENERATIVE BRAKES ON MY 2012 FORD FOCUS EV DO NOT APPEAR TO BE WORKING PROPERLY AND I AM GROWING CONCERNED THAT THEY MAY BE UNSAFE, ESPECIALLY AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS. OTHER FORD FOCUS EV'S THAT I'VE TESTED BRAKE DIFFERENTLY WITH MUCH MORE CONTROL. THE BRAKES ON MY VEHICLE ARE EITHER "ON" OR "OFF"; THERE IS NO IN-BETWEEN, NO GRADUAL STOPPING BECAUSE, WHEN PRESSING DOWN ON THE BRAKE PEDAL, NOTHING HAPPENS UNTIL THE PEDAL TRAVELS ABOUT HALFWAY, THEN THE BRAKES CEASE AND THE CAR LITERALLY JOLTS TO A STOP. TWO FORD MECHANICS AT TWO DIFFERENT FORD DEALERSHIPS AND 1 FORD SERVICE MANAGER HAVE TOLD ME THAT MY BRAKES DO NOT APPEAR TO BE WORKING PROPERLY AND THAT THEY MAY BE UNSAFE; HOWEVER, AFTER NUMEROUS COMPLAINTS TO FORD CORPORATE GOING ALL THE WAY BACK TO WHEN I FIRST PURCHASED THE VEHICLE IN SEPTEMBER 2013, FORD CLAIMS THAT "EVERYTHING IS NORMAL," IN SPITE OF THE FACT THAT TWO OF THEIR OWN TECHNICIANS AND A FORD SERVICE MANAGER STATE OTHERWISE. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 FORD FOCUS ELECTRIC. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 25 MPH, THE VEHICLE HESITATED TO SWITCH GEARS. THE VEHICLE WAS DRIVEN TO MAHWAH FORD (55 FRANKLIN TPK, MAHWAH, NJ 07430) WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE CLUTCH ASSEMBLY NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 26,000.

The contact owns a 2012 Ford Focus BEV. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, the contact noticed that an unknown warning light was illuminated and remained illuminated for several days. The failure recurred several times. On one occasion, the contact was unable to start the vehicle. The contact had the vehicle towed to a local dealer who inspected the vehicle and diagnosed failure with an electrical wiring harness kit and that the battery was drained. The dealer was able to replace the wiring harness however, the battery was not replaced due to the cost of a new battery. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 92,000.

MY SHOCKS AND MY TRANSMISSION I BELIEVE

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 FORD FOCUS ELECTRIC. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING AT APPROXIMATELY 35 MPH, ANOTHER VEHICLE CROSSED THE DIVIDING ROAD LINES CAUSING THE CONTACT TO CRASH INTO THE VEHICLE. THE AIR BAGS FAILED TO DEPLOY. THE CONTACT DID NOT DISCLOSE IF A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED OR NOT. THERE WERE NO INJURIES. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO AN IMPOUND LOT WHERE IT WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 19,403.