2014 Ford Focus Electric Problems
Owner-reported complaints filed with NHTSA, grouped by component
Data refreshed
What this page shows
Everything below is an owner-reported complaint submitted to NHTSA about the 2014 Ford Focus Electric, grouped by the component NHTSA recorded on the report. These are not confirmed defects, and they are not recalls. NHTSA does not verify most reports before publishing them, and a category with more reports in it is not evidence that a part is defective.
Complaints are reports submitted by owners and drivers to NHTSA. They are not verified and do not establish that a defect exists.
Reports by component
Ranked by how many owner reports name each component category
- Electrical2930.2%
- Powertrain (other)2121.9%
- Engine1616.7%
- Fuel system1111.5%
- Driver assistance77.3%
- Steering66.3%
- Other / unspecified22.1%
- Brakes22.1%
- Visibility11.0%
- Exterior lighting11.0%
Percentages are of component mentions. A single complaint can name more than one component, so these do not sum to the total complaint count.
Each component in detail
What the reports in each category say, in the owners' own words
Electrical
Reports naming the electrical system — wiring, battery, charging, control modules, infotainment and electrical accessories.
From owner reports, verbatim
I EXPERIENCED WHAT OTHERS HAVE CALLED THE 'STOP SAFELY NOW' WARNING LIGHT AND FOLLOWED BY THE LOSS POWER AND STEERING ISSUES ON CITY STREET. THIS ISSUE HAPPENED MANY TIMES RECENTLY ON THE LOCAL STREETS (MARCH - APRIL, 2019). THANKS GOD, THIS DIDN'T HAPPEN ON THE FREEWAY ( OTHERWISE, I CAN'T IMAGE WHAT COULD HAPPEN). I FOUND THE TSB 17-0045 ONLINE FOR THIS PROBLEM AND BROUGHT THIS TSB TO MY DEALERSHIP. THEY CHARGED ME $$ TO GET THIS CAR FIXED BY FOLLOWING THE INSTRUCTION OF THIS TSB ( HOPEFULLY THIS GOT FIXED). TSB 17-0045 SPECIFIED THE CARS BUILT 9/15-2011 TO 8/15/2014 MAY HAVE THIS ISSUE. MY CAR WAS BUILT ON JUNE 2014. I STRONGLY REQUEST NHTSA INVESTIGATE THIS URGENT SAFETY ISSUE.
ON 4 SEPARATE OCCASIONS SINCE PURCHASING THIS VEHICLE ON 9/22/2017, THE CAR WHILE IN MOTION HAS ABRUPTLY AND UNEXPECTEDLY LOST ALL POWER AND ROLLED TO A COMPLETE STOP. WHEN THIS HAPPENS A WARNING INDICATOR ON THE DASH READS "STOP SAFELY NOW"! ONCE STOPPED, THE CAR IS UNRESPONSIVE AND CANNOT BE TURNED OFF OR RESTARTED. ONLY AFTER SEVERAL MINUTES OF WAITING (5+ MINS), THE CAR RESPONDS AGAIN, ALLOWING A RESTART. THANKFULLY, IN ALL FOUR INSTANCES, I HAVE BEEN TRAVELING ON CITY STREETS AND HAVE BEEN ABLE TO PULL TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD SAFELY, BUT THIS IS A VERY DANGEROUS SITUATION, AS THE CAR LOSES ALL POWER AND ONCE STOPPED IT WILL NOT RESPOND.
Powertrain (other)
Powertrain reports that are not specifically the engine or transmission — driveshafts, axles, transfer cases and differentials.
From owner reports, verbatim
TRANSMISSION WOULD NOT GO AFTER SITTING AT RED LIGHT A LIGHT CAME ON SAYING TRANSMISSION DEFAULT
THE VEHICLE KICKS FORWARD DURING BRAKING. IT FEELS LIKE THIS HAPPENS AFTER A FULL CHARGE THE FIRST TIME THAT THE REGENERATIVE BRAKING MECHANISM TURNS ON. I HAVE ALSO EXPERIENCED A STRONG KICK WHEN BRAKING AND GOING OVER A BUMPS, SUCH AS THE BUMPS THAT ARE ON LANE DIVIDERS.
Engine
Reports naming the engine itself — including stalling, misfires, oil consumption, cooling and internal engine components.
From owner reports, verbatim
I HAD YET ANOTHER "STOP SAFELY NOW" WARNING IN WHICH THE CAR COMPLETELY LOST POWER TO THE DRIVETRAIN WHILE IN MOTION. I HAD PREVIOUSLY TAKEN IN THE CAR FOR THE RECALL IN JANUARY AND WAS TOLD THAT WOULD RESOLVE THE ISSUE, BUT THE PROBLEM HAS POPPED UP AGAIN. THIS IS A VERY DANGEROUS THING TO HAPPEN TO HAVE A CAR SUDDENLY LOSE ALL POWER WHILE DRIVING IN THE MIDDLE OF THE ROAD. FORD HAS CLEARLY NOT FIXED THIS PROBLEM YET.
I WAS DRIVING ALONG AT FREEWAY SPEED, IN COMMUTE TRAFFIC, AND THE POWER SHUT DOWN AND AN ALERT SHOWED ON THE DASH "PULL OVER SAFELY". THERE WAS NO POWER LEFT IN MY ELECTRIC VEHICLE, SO I COASTED OVER TO THE SHOULDER. THE CAR WOULDN'T DRIVE. CAR WAS TOWED TO FORD, WHERE IT HAS TAKEN OVER 2 WEEKS, AND THEY ARE STATING THE WHOLE MOTOR NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THERE ARE ONLY 17,000 MILES ON THIS CAR. I "GOOGLED" THE "PULL OVER SAFELY" ALERT, AND HAVE FOUND THIS SEEMS TO BE AN ONGOING PROBLEM WITH THIS CAR FOR MANY PEOPLE, AND THAT FORD HAD RECALLED OVER 2,000 FORD FOCUS EV CARS, MODEL YEARS 2011-2013, FOR THIS EXACT REASON.
Fuel system
Reports naming fuel storage or delivery — tanks, pumps, lines, injectors and fuel leaks.
From owner reports, verbatim
I GOT A LOAN ON THE CAR LAST YEAR OF 2017 AND THE CAR HAD ISSUES ACCELERATING. I DO NOT RECALL THE DATE BUT MY HUSBAND AND WAS ON THE HILL AND I AND IT STATED TRANSMISSION DEFAULT. I TOOK THE CAR TO FORD AND THEY REPLACED THE CLUTCH. FOR ABOUT 2MTHS IT WAS FINE. THEN IT WOULDN'T ACCELERATE PROBABLY. THE CAR THEN STARTS TURNING OFF IN TRAFFIC AND I ALMOST WAS IN A CAR ACCIDENT. I THEN REPLACED THE BATTERY. THEN I FINALLY DECIDED TO TAKE IT TO FORD AND THAT'S WHEN THEY TOLD ME I NEEDED MY ENTIRE FUEL SYSTEM REPLACED. I CAN NOT AFFORD THAT AND I AM UNABLE TO PURCHASE AN EXTENDED WARRANTY WHICH WILL NOT EVEN COVER THE EXISTING ISSUES EVEN IF I DID PURCHASE IT. I CONTINUE TO DRIVE THE CAR BECAUSE MY CREDIT ISN'T GOOD ENOUGH TO OBTAIN ANOTHER CAR. I PAY A MORE EVERY MONTH AND I NEED SOME HELP.
VEHICLE SUBJECT TO CUSTOMER SATISFACTION PROGRAM 15N03 AND 16B02. AFTER TWO REPAIRS FOR RANDOM LOSS OF MOTIVE POWER, WITH TWO REPLACEMENTS OF HIGH-VOLTAGE WIRE HARNESS, CAR CONTINUES TO DISPLAY "STOP SAFELY NOW" WARNING ON DASH AND LOSS OF MOTIVE POWER. OBVIOUSLY A SAFETY HAZARD AS CAR HAS LOSS POWER IN TRAFFIC SEVERAL TIMES, FORTUNATELY WITHOUT INJURIES OR DAMGE. I AM RETURNING VEHICLE TO DEALERSHIP FOR THIRD TIME TODAY FOR SAME ISSUE. FIRST REPAIR WAS IN BEGINNING OF NOVEMBER, 2015 AND SECOND REPAIR WAS DONE AT THE END OF APRIL 2016.
Driver assistance
Reports naming forward-collision avoidance, lane keeping, back-over prevention, cruise control and related electronic driver-assistance systems.
From owner reports, verbatim
I EXPERIENCED WHAT OTHERS HAVE CALLED THE 'STOP SAFELY NOW' WARNING LIGHT AND FOLLOWED BY THE LOSS POWER AND STEERING ISSUES ON CITY STREET. THIS ISSUE HAPPENED MANY TIMES RECENTLY ON THE LOCAL STREETS (MARCH - APRIL, 2019). THANKS GOD, THIS DIDN'T HAPPEN ON THE FREEWAY ( OTHERWISE, I CAN'T IMAGE WHAT COULD HAPPEN). I FOUND THE TSB 17-0045 ONLINE FOR THIS PROBLEM AND BROUGHT THIS TSB TO MY DEALERSHIP. THEY CHARGED ME $$ TO GET THIS CAR FIXED BY FOLLOWING THE INSTRUCTION OF THIS TSB ( HOPEFULLY THIS GOT FIXED). TSB 17-0045 SPECIFIED THE CARS BUILT 9/15-2011 TO 8/15/2014 MAY HAVE THIS ISSUE. MY CAR WAS BUILT ON JUNE 2014. I STRONGLY REQUEST NHTSA INVESTIGATE THIS URGENT SAFETY ISSUE.
VEHICLE HAS EXPERIENCED SEVERAL INSTANCES WHERE A 'STOP SAFELY NOW' ERROR APPEARS ON DASHBOARD. WHEN STATIONARY, THIS PREVENTS VEHICLE FROM STARTING. WHEN IN MOTION, POWER STEERING IS DISABLED AND BRAKING IS MORE DIFFICULT. SEPARATELY, THE VEHICLE FREQUENTLY INDICATES AN ABS WARNING LIGHT WHILE DRIVING AT APPROXIMATELY 45 MPH IN CITY DRIVING. FURTHER ERROR MESSAGES OCCUR REGARDING LOSS OF TRACTION CONTROL, USUALLY OCCURRING AT AROUND 5 MPH IN NEIGHBORHOOD.
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Steering
Reports naming the steering system — racks, columns, power-steering assist and steering linkage.
From owner reports, verbatim
WHEN I FIRST BOUGHT THE CAR I HAD ISSUES WITH THE STEERING WHEEL THEY TOOK CARE OF THE PROBLEMS SO RECENTLY MY STEERING WHEEL ACTING UP AGAIN MAKING NOISES AND JUST YESTERDAY IT SAY STEERING LOSS SAFELY STOP SO I CHECK ONLINE THERE BEEN RECALLS ON STEERING ISSUES LUCKILY IT HAPPEN WHEN I PARK OR I WOULD OF BEEN IN A SERIOUS CRASH
MY STEERING LOCKED UP WHEN I PULLED AWAY FROM MY HOUSE, BUT I ORIGINALLY THOUGHT IT WAS JUST THE UNUSUALLY COLD MORNING. WHILE THE CAR WAS STILL DRIVEABLE, IT WAS EXTREMELY DIFFICULT, ESPECIALLY DURING TURNS. WHEN I TOOK MY CAR IN, I WAS TOLD THE ENTIRE RACK AND PINION STEERING HAD TO BE REPLACED, WHICH COSTS AROUND $2,000. THIS PROBLEM, CAUSED BY A SENSOR THAT CANNOT BE REPLACED ON ITS OWN BUT INSTEAD MUST HAVE THE ENTIRE STEERING REPLACED, HAS BEEN NOTED BY FORD AS A REOCCURRING PROBLEM TO THE POINT THAT MEMOS WERE SENT TO DEALERS TELLING THEM TO EXPECT CARS AT AROUND 50,000 MILES TO COME IN WITH THIS PROBLEM. MY CAR IS AT 52,000 MILES.
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Other / unspecified
Reports whose component NHTSA recorded as unknown, or that do not map to one of the categories above.
From owner reports, verbatim
WHITTIER CA BRIGHT MOTEL CAR STRUCK [XXX] BROKEN LEG 2 RODS IN LEG HE DROVE BLACK SILVER FORD FOCUS 2014 DMV HINDER ME FROM GETTING A IDENTIFICATION CARD LICENSE NO [XXX] WRECKLESS DRIVER WHITE MAN FROM LONG BEACH APPLE BEES STARBUCKS LONG BEACH CA VIN UNAVAILABLE INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6).'*JB
WAS TAKING OFF FROM WORK - BARELY GOT OUT OF THE PARKING LOT AND THE CAR CAME UP WITH THE WARNING LIGHT AND SAID TO PULL OVER. BARELY PULLED OVER THE CAR SHUT OFF. DEALER HASN'T REALLY HAD TO WORK ON THEIR ELECTRIC CARS, HAD TO CONTACT THEIR ENGINEERING DEPARTMENT. NOW THEY SAY THEY HAVE TO REPLACE THE ELECTRICAL HARNESS OF THE CAR. CAR ALSO DOESN'T GRIP THE ROAD WHEN AT A STOP AND TRYING TO DO A QUICK PULL OUT TO MERGE INTO TRAFFIC. *TR
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Brakes
Reports naming service brakes, the antilock braking system, brake hoses, master cylinders or the parking brake.
From owner reports, verbatim
WHITTIER CA BRIGHT MOTEL CAR STRUCK [XXX] BROKEN LEG 2 RODS IN LEG HE DROVE BLACK SILVER FORD FOCUS 2014 DMV HINDER ME FROM GETTING A IDENTIFICATION CARD LICENSE NO [XXX] WRECKLESS DRIVER WHITE MAN FROM LONG BEACH APPLE BEES STARBUCKS LONG BEACH CA VIN UNAVAILABLE INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6).'*JB
THIS MODEL HAS A "STICKY" STEERING WHEEL THAT WILL NOT ALWAYS RETURN TO THE NEUTRAL POSITION WITH OUT DRIVER ASSISTANCE AND NEEDS TO BE CONSTANTLY ADJUSTED TO KEEP THE VEHICLE DRIVING IN A STRAIGHT LINE. YOU CAN ACTUALLY LET GO OF THE STEERING WHEEL WHILE GOING AROUND A GRADUAL CURVE IN THE ROAD AND THE CAR WILL FOLLOW THE CURVE THE WHOLE WAY WITHOUT BREAKING ITS ARCH. IT ALSO SUFFERS FROM DANGEROUS "TORQUE STEERING" WHICH CAUSES THE VEHICLE STEERING TO LOSE CONTROL WHEN YOU ACCELERATE AGGRESSIVELY. IN ADDITION, THE ELECTRIC STEERING REACTS POORLY WITH THE REGENERATIVE BREAKING. IF YOU NEED TO BREAK HARD, THE STEERING WILL SWERVE DANGEROUSLY AND INHIBIT DRIVER CONTROL. I'VE APPROACHED FORD ABOUT THIS AND TAKEN TO THE DEALER SEVERAL TIMES AND THEY SAY THAT'S JUST THE WAY THE CAR IS. I'VE TALKED TO OTHER OWNERS OF THIS TYPE OF CAR AND NOT ALL BUT A GOOD PORTION HAVE HAD SIMILAR PROBLEMS. ONE MAN EVEN SAID HE'S AFRAID TO DRIVE THE CAR 1. FOR SAFETY, BUT 2. BECAUSE IT LOOKS LIKE YOU'RE DRIVING DRUNK BECAUSE YOU HAVE TO CONSTANTLY ADJUST THE STEERING JUST TO KEEP THE CAR IN LINE - LOOKS LIKE YOU'RE SWERVING. LASTLY, THE MILEAGE THEY SAY YOU CAN GET FROM A CHARGE ISN'T ACCURATE AND THEIR APP DOESN'T WORK IN ALL LOCATIONS. NEITHER OF WHICH THEY DISCLOSED BEFORE I LEASED THIS CAR. PLEASE CHECK INTO THIS AS FORD DOESN'T CARE. I'M HAPPY TO ASSIST YOUR INVESTIGATION IN ANY WAY. THANKS! *TR
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Visibility
Reports naming windshields, glass, wipers, defrosters and mirrors.
From owner reports, verbatim
WINDSHIELD WIPERS WILL STOP IN THE MIDDLE OF THE WINDSHIELD WHEN TURNED ON. THIS CONDITION OCCURS REGARDLESS OF SPEED SETTING OR THE INTERMITTENT SETTING. THIS CONDITION OCCURS REGARDLESS OF MOVING OR STATIONARY, SPEED OF MOTION, INTENSITY OF RAIN OR OTHER FACTORS. THIS HAS HAPPENED EVERY SINGLE TIME THAT I HAVE USED THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS.
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Exterior lighting
Reports naming headlights, tail lights, turn signals and other exterior lighting.
From owner reports, verbatim
WHITTIER CA BRIGHT MOTEL CAR STRUCK [XXX] BROKEN LEG 2 RODS IN LEG HE DROVE BLACK SILVER FORD FOCUS 2014 DMV HINDER ME FROM GETTING A IDENTIFICATION CARD LICENSE NO [XXX] WRECKLESS DRIVER WHITE MAN FROM LONG BEACH APPLE BEES STARBUCKS LONG BEACH CA VIN UNAVAILABLE INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6).'*JB
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Higher-selling and older vehicles accumulate more reports. Counts are not failure rates and are not directly comparable between vehicles that sold in very different numbers.
Elsewhere on this vehicle
Data sources
- NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation — owner-reported complaints and the components recorded on them
Data on this page last refreshed .