2013 Ford Focus Driver assistance Problems

erratic shifting and eratic slipping gears , first happened while on highway and then it wouldnt go in any gear besides reverse and would say transmission overheat wait 5 min . caused another veihcal behind me to slam on there brakes and they ended up getting rear ended from the car behind them ..... all becouse of my cars tcm or transmission issues>!!!! also not too mention ` random unusual noises coming from clutch or shifter when not even start car yet _delayed start and delayed shifting .. i could go on and on this car is a nightmare

NHTSA ID

11686017

Incident

Sep 8, 2025

When I drive my car it takes time before it kicks in to drive correctly

NHTSA ID

11662950

Incident

May 9, 2025

I have a current recall on my transmission I notify for it. I went up there to get the recall fixed. They plugged it up to the machine to see about my transmission, and they said it came back with a cold that was not associated with the recall for my transmission, but it did say something was wrong with my transmission, I looked into that popped up on the cold reader and it’s it. I gave them the number and they said that Ford will be unable to pay for it and they told me I would have to pay $175 in order to hook it up to the main machine to see what exactly the code is if it match the cold that will pay for me new transmission. I explained to them that if I have a recall on the car for my door, lash and my transmission , why would I have to pay for so he kept running around loops not trying to give me a correct response basically just making me trying to pay for them to hook up something that should be for free so my car is accelerating is not accelerating speed, it keeps on clicking is something to do with my transmission, which it has a recall on it before in Orange will not fix it Paid paid off so I need someone to help me solve this matter because Ford and Orange is trying to make me pay for something that is a recall that should be fixed and free if someone call me back at [XXX] thank you INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

NHTSA ID

11647156

Incident

Feb 7, 2025

The rear backup camera is malfunctioning and is unsafe when backing up.

NHTSA ID

11565905

Incident

Jan 5, 2024

My car will intermittently lose power, such as in the middle of an intersection, or turning in front of another vehicle, which puts me and my children at risk. The transmission is throwing a code for overheating and malfunctioning, and there is an open customer satisfaction bulletin for the transmission control module, but Ford refuses to replace it because it’s not throwing “the correct code “ I have had the clutch replaced three times if not four in the time that I’ve had the vehicle and it’s more than frustrating. It’s dangerous along with losing power. It will intermittently catch the gear that is trying to shift into and cause the car to accelerate rapidly, the transmission, shutter control module and clutch have been an issue in this car, along with a class action lawsuit, and now Ford has had my vehicle for three weeks, and refuses to do the open service campaign for the TCM because of the code issue and it refuses to do the clutch because even though it was replaced three years ago, they state that the warranty is only for 12 months regardless of the fact that it was the fourth clutch that put in the car , I am working with someone at Ford warranty in hopes of getting them covered because I know they have done it in other cases, but I am more than frustrated with the service. I’ve received so far very unprofessional, which is unfortunate because overall I do love my car I would’ve kept it all this time if I didn’t I 10-year-old car should not have had to have the transmission clutch replaced three times or four times in 10 years and under 150,000 miles.

NHTSA ID

11541691

Incident

Jul 1, 2023

The contact owns a 2013 Ford Focus. The contact stated that during acceleration and takeoff, the vehicle shuddered and jumped forward. There were no warning lights illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer, where it was diagnosed that a reset was needed. The vehicle was repaired, but the failure persisted. The manufacturer was not contacted. The failure mileage was approximately 80,000.

NHTSA ID

11536982

Incident

Jan 1, 2019

Mileage

80,000 mi

There are multiple issues going wrong with my car and I have 5 children and this makes me angry and scared to drive it 1. Vehicle completely shuts down if you go under 1/4 tank and NOT on red at all! No gas light or anything 2. The hesitation from stop to go is getting worse" mechanics tell me this is normal" for a focus and now sometimes when accelerating on the highway it gets stuck in certain speeds and feels rougher 3. Now there is a chain like rattling noise upon idle that is annoying and embarrassing 4 the codes state oxygen sensor ,speed sensor,fuel valve issue, and power train and abs... It's 100.00 per issue to diagnose. How is anyone able to afford this? I'm not a mechanic but everytime I take my car in they give it back saying there's no issue or I have to pay more fees to find the issue before anything can be replaced? This is crazy! I don't feel safe driving this car with my babies in it but with student loans and my kids school costs I can't seem to save if I'm paying all these fees to try to figure out what the issues are . The front windshield is horrible because it's hard to see out of even when I clean it w auto glass cleaner, which I have never experienced before and is very dangerous.

NHTSA ID

11457056

Incident

Jan 13, 2021

WHEN I DRIVE IN THE RAIN MY CAR WILL SPUTTER AND LOSE SPEED. THE OIL LIGHT AND BATTERY LIGHT TURNS ON AND IT DIES. I CAN GET IT TO TURN OVER BUT IT IMMEDIATELY DIES.I HAVE HAD TO GET IT TOWED TWICE. STILL CAN'T FIGURE OUT THE PROBLEM.

NHTSA ID

11405960

Incident

Mar 31, 2021

Mileage

148,000 mi

I WAS DRIVING ON THE FREEWAY AT THE POSTED SPEED OF 65 MPH WHEN THE CAR ENGINE RPM DROPPED TO 2000 AND THEN BACK UP TO 4000 THE CAR IMMEDIATELY SLOWED TO 50 MPH CAUSING TRAFFIC BEHIND ME TO SLAM IN THEIR BRAKES. THE CAR WOULDN'T SHIFT TO SPEED UP CAUSING ME TO PULL OVER AND CREEP TO A GAS STATION.

NHTSA ID

11405231

Incident

Mar 5, 2021

Mileage

187,000 mi

I HAVE HAD NOTHING BUT ISSUES WITH THIS CAR SINCE I GOT IT 5 YEARS AGO. I WAS LEAVING TO TAKE MY SON TO A DR APPOINTMENT. I GOT ABOUT A MILE DOWN THE ROAD AND THE SERVICE ENGINE NOW POPS UP. A LOUD POP SOUND CAME THRU MY SPEAKERS AND THE RADIO STOPPED WORKING. THEN I STARTED LOSING RPMS AND POWER TO MY CAR IT WOULDN'T GO OVER 10MPH. I WAS ABLE TO LIMP IT BACK HOME VERY SLOWLY. I'M NOT SURE WHAT'S GOING ON I'VE REPLACED THE CRANKSHAFT/CAMSHAFT SENSOR AND PURGE VALVE. I'VE HAD ALL THE RECALLS FIXED ON IT DEALING WITH THE TRANSMISSION AND CLUTCH ABOUT 2 YEARS AGO. WHEN FORD MADE THIS CAR THEY CLEARLY WASN'T THINKING STRAIGHT. THIS CAR IS NOT SAFE AND I'M SO GLAD WE MADE IT BACK HOME SAFE MY CHILD WAS TERRIFIED. NOTHING BUT A MONEY PIT AND I DON'T HAVE A LOT OF MONEY TO KEEP PUTTING IN A CAR THAT KEEPS HAVING THE SAME ISSUES OVER AND OVER.

NHTSA ID

11390626

Incident

Jan 29, 2021

Mileage

247,000 mi

I PURCHASED A FORD FOCUS SE FROM MCCARTHY FORD IN ILLINOIS IN 2015. SINCE HAVING THE CAR, I'VE CONSTANTLY EXPERIENCED JERKING WHILE ACCELERATING, LACK OF ACCELERATION, WHICH WAS DANGEROUS, WHILE MAKING A LEFT TURN WITH ONCOMING TRAFFIC, OR ON THE HIGHWAY WITH TRUCKS SPEEDING BY YOU BECAUSE MY CAR WOULDN'T ACCELERATE QUICK ENOUGH. I CONSTANTLY COMPLAINED TO FORD DEALER ABOUT THESE ISSUES AND THE KEPT REPAIRING IT UNDER THE GUISE THAT 'OH YOUR TCM(TRANSMISSION CONTROL MODULE) BEDS REPROGRAMMING' OR IT WAS 'YOUR CAR WAS ORIGINALLY A STICK SHIFT THAT THEY TURNED AUTOMATIC, AND WHAT YOU FEEL, IS YOUR CAR SHIFTING GEARS'. THE CAR WAS UNDER WARRANTY AND THEY ASSURED ME I DIDN'T HAVE TRANSMISSION ISSUES, SO I LET THEM FIX THIS SAME ISSUE MORE THAN 5 TIMES OVER THE COURSE OF WARRANTY. IN JULY 2020, MY CAR STOPPED AND WOULDN'T DRIVE AT ALL. I TOOK IT TO FORD, AND THEY CLAIMED IT WAS THE TCM AGAIN, AND SUPPOSEDLY FIXED WITH NO CUSTOMER TO ME. HOWEVER, THE CAR NEVER STOP JERKING OR THE ACCELERATION WAS ALWAYS LACKING, LIKE IT'S ALWAYS DONE, BEFORE AND AFTER A REPAIR. OCTOBER 11,2020, I TAKE MY CAR IN FOR THE EXACT SAME SYMPTOMS, AND NOW I NEED A TRANSMISSION CLUTCH, THAT FORD CLAIMS IS $1700 DOLLARS TO FIX. NOW, I TOOK MY CAR IN FOR THESE EXACT ISSUES, I'VE BEEN EXPERIENCING, ALL THESE YEARS. BUT, NOW MY WARRANTY IS UP ON THE TRANSMISSION AND NOW IT'S SUPPOSEDLY GONE OUT. I HAVE LESS THAN 6 MONTHS TO PAY ON THIS VEHICLE, I'M A SINGLE MOM, A STUDENT, AND UNEMPLOYED DUE TO THE PANDEMIC. I ABSOLUTELY DO NOT HAVE THIS MONEY, AS I FEEL FORD AS BLACKBALLED ME, AND AS I READ REVIEWS, APPARENTLY THOUSANDS OF OTHER PEOPLE AS WELL. I AM DEVASTATED, AND DON'T KNOW WHAT ELSE TO DO. IS THERE ANY WAY NHTSA CAN HELP, OR HOLD FORD ACCOUNTABLE FOR THIS? THE POTENTIAL DANGER I'VE DEALT WITH WHILE DRIVING THIS VEHICLE ALL THESE YEARS, WITH MINIMAL ACCELERATION AND SHIFTING GEARS. THANK YOU! !

NHTSA ID

11364465

Incident

Oct 11, 2020

I JUST BOUGHT IS CAR WEDNESDAY THE 09TH 2020 AND ON THURSDAY THE 17TH I PICKED MY CAR UP FROM THE GARAGE AFTER GETTING IT INSPECTED, I GO BACK TO WORK AND LEAVE AROUND 730PM I WENT TO DROP MY FRIEND OFF AT HER HOUSE, HER HOUSE IS LOCATED ON A HILL, ONCE I TURNED THE CORNER AND HIT THE GAS, THE CAR BACKFIRED AND FELT LIKE IT WAS GOING TO STALL, EVERYTIME I STOP THE CAR IS HESITANT TO MOVE EVERYTIME I TRY AND TAKE OFF. ALSO WHILE I WAS ON MY WAY HOME I HAD TO TAKE A ROAD WITH A HILL AND WHAT A MISTAKE I DIDN'T THINK I WAS GOING TO MAKE IT TO THE TOP THAT'S WHEN THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON.

NHTSA ID

11355704

Incident

Sep 17, 2020

Mileage

145,000 mi

I WAS DRIVING DOWN A CITY STREET AND AN ENGINE LIGHT APPEARED AND INSTANTLY POWER STEERING STOPPED WHILE I WAS IN MOTION. I HAD TO SLOWLY DRIVE THE CAR BACK TO THE HOUSE WHICH WAS 10 MINS AWAY AND PARK IT WHICH OBVIOUSLY WAS NOT EASY CONSIDERING THE CIRCUMSTANCES. FORD STATED THAT THERE WERE NO RECALLS ON ELECTRICAL OR POWER STEERING FOR THIS MODEL BUT I HAVE SEEN THAT SOME OTHER MODELS HAVE HAD ELECTRICAL ISSUES AND ITS CONCERNING. LUCKILY, I WAS THE ONLY PERSON IN THE CAR AND MY CHILDREN WERE NOT PRESENT. I AM ALSO THANKFUL I WAS NOT ON THE INTERSTATE WHEN THIS OCCURRED AS THIS COULD HAVE BEEN A POTENTIALLY DANGEROUS SITUATION. THIS OCCURRED YESTERDAY, 8/26/2020 IN INDIANAPOLIS, IN.

NHTSA ID

11351533

Incident

Aug 26, 2020

Mileage

120,000 mi

WHILE DRIVING A FULLY-CHARGED 2013 FORD FOCUS BEV, THE "STOP SAFELY NOW" MESSAGE APPEARED, RESULTING IN THE STEERING WHEEL LOCKING AS I SLOWED THE CAR. CAR HAD DIFFICULTY SHIFTING TO PARK ONCE STOPPED. *TR

NHTSA ID

11330336

Incident

Jun 17, 2020

Mileage

31,000 mi

MY FORD CAR ENGINE LIGHT IS ON WHENEVER IT RAINS AND MY FORD CAR STALLS AND I HAVE NO IDEA WHAT RECALL ISSUES IT HASH LATCH DOOR CHECK LOOK AT THE SALES SERVICE FORD DEALERSHIP!2020 *TR

NHTSA ID

11324733

Incident

May 1, 2020

Mileage

70,000 mi

CAR JERKS DURING ACCELERATION, CPU WAS UPDATED AT FORD DEALERSHIP BUT JERKING IS PERSISTENT, TRANSMISSION OVERHEATING SIGNAL APPEARED, CHECK ENGINE SIGNAL APPEARED, CAR REVERSE GEAR FAULTY. ALL HAPPENED WHILE CAR WAS IN MOTION IN A BUSY STREET. AFTER CAR SHOWED THE TRANSMISSION OVERHEATING SIGNAL IT SHUT DOWN AND I WAS CLOSE TO GETTING HIT BY ANOTHER CAR FROM THE REAR END AS IT SHUT DOWN SIMULTANEOUSLY. CALLED TOWING SERVICE RIGHT AFTER BECAUSE CAR WOULD NO LONGER DRIVE WHEN ON GEAR. *TR

NHTSA ID

11323760

Incident

May 5, 2020

Mileage

145,000 mi

FUEL SYSTEM/ GASOLINE: STORAGE-CAMPAIGN #18V735000 (01/19/2019)-FUEL SYSTEM/ GASOLINE: STORAGE-CAMPAIGN #19V515000-(01/29/2019)-LATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGES: DOOR LATCH-CAMPAIGN #16V643000-01/27/2017)-LATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGES: HATCHBACK: LIFT GATE LOCK CAMPAIGN # 16V698000-(11/16/2016)-STRUCTURE: BODY HATCH BACK/ LIFT GATE CAMPAIGN # 16V691000 (11/16/2016)- ELECTRICAL SYSTEM: WIRING CAMPAIGN # 15V813000-(01/07/2016)

NHTSA ID

11322778

Incident

Jan 7, 2016

Mileage

69,000 mi

I REPORTED THIS ISSUE WHEN I HAD MY FOCUS IN 2014....IT WAS DISMISSED. NOW, 4 TIMES IT WAS IN THE DEALERSHIP AND 4 TIMES IT WASN'T FIXED, 4 TIMES I HAD TO PAY FOR A RENTAL FOR 2 WEEKS EACH TIME, COSTING ME A TOTAL OF $2,755 IN ALL FOR NOTHING TO BE RESOLVED. I TRADED THE VEHICLE BECAUSE IT WAS LITERALLY A SAFETY HAZZARD BUT NO ONE WOULD DESIGNATE IT THAT AT THE TIME.

NHTSA ID

11322352

Incident

Aug 12, 2014

I WAS DRIVING AWAY FROM MY BOYFRIENDS HOUSE HEADING TO THE INTERSTATE 95 . AS I WAS DRIVING I NOTICED WHITE SMOKE COMING OUT OF THE DASHBOARD, I THE CAR AROUND AND HEADED BACK TO MY BOYFRIENDS HOUSE, I PUT THE CAR IN PARK AND JUMPED OUT, MY BOYFRIEND CAME OUTSIDE AND HE WAS ABLE TO PUT THE FIRE OUT. *TR

NHTSA ID

11320363

Incident

Sep 1, 2018

Mileage

125,000 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2013 FORD FOCUS. THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING AT VARIOUS SPEEDS, THE TRANSMISSION STARTED TO SLIP. THE CONTACT STATED NO WARNING LIGHT WAS ILLUMINATED. THE CONTACT DROVE THE VEHICLE TO SKALNEK FORD LOCATED AT (941 S LAPEER RD, ORION CHARTER TOWNSHIP, MI 48362) WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED. THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT THE TRANSMISSION CLUTCH NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE AND A CASE WAS FILED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 77,100. *BF*JB

NHTSA ID

11318736

Incident

Jan 1, 2020

Mileage

77,100 mi

THE STEERING WHEEL GOT STUCK! THANK GOD I WAS LEAVING MY HOME AND NOTICED IT.. AND ALSO I HAD TO GET THE METER FIXED BECAUSE IT WAS GIVING ME THE WRONG GAS MILEAGE

NHTSA ID

11318521

Incident

Mar 16, 2020

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2013 FORD FOCUS. THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING 70 MPH, THE VEHICLE STALLED WITH SEVERAL UNKNOWN WARNING LIGHTS ILLUMINATED. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE FUEL GAUGE WAS INOPERABLE. ROADSIDE ASSISTANCE WAS CALLED AND JUMP STARTED THE VEHICLE AND ADDED FUEL TO THE VEHICLE. THE CONTACT ALSO EXPERIENCED THE FAILURE WHILE DRIVING AT 55 MPH. ADDITIONALLY, AFTER REFUELING THE VEHICLE, THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL WAS DEPRESSED, THE RPM REVVED UP HOWEVER, THE VEHICLE HESITATED TO RESPOND. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE RESPOND UP TO 10 MPH. THE CONTACT RECEIVED NOTIFICATION OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 18V735000 (FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE). THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO MIKE REICHENBACH FORD LINCOLN LOCATED AT (600 N COIT ST, FLORENCE, SC 29501), TO BE DIAGNOSED. THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT AN UNKNOWN SOFTWARE UPDATE NEEDED TO BE PERFORMED WHICH WAS STILL PENDING. THE FAILURE PERSISTED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 120,000.*DT CONSUMER STATED THAT VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO MIKE REICHENBACH ON 9/12/2019 FOR THE REPAIR AND WAS TOLD THAT THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. CONSUMER FOUND OUT LATER THAT NO REPAIRS WERE ACTUALLY MADE. THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON AND VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN AUTO ZONE WHERE IT WAS FOUND OUT THAT THERE WAS AN ISSUE WITH THE CANISTER PURGE VALVE WHICH WAS PART OF THE RECALL. ON 3/2/2020 CONSUMER TOOK VEHICLE TO RACEWAY FORD OF DARLINGTON TO BE REPAIRED. RACEWAY FORD REFUSED TO REPAIR VEHICLE BECAUSE MIKE REICHENBACH HAD CLOSED THE RECALL. CONSUMER SAYS VEHICLE CONTINUES TO STALL RANDOMLY AND THAT AFTER REFUELING VEHICLE HAS TO BE RUNNING WITH THE GAS PEDAL DEPRESSED BEFORE IT CAN BE DRIVEN. *DL

NHTSA ID

11315691

Incident

Jun 1, 2019

Mileage

120,000 mi

WHILE AT A STOP LIGHT ON A BUSY STREET MY CAR JERKS AND THEN GETS QUIET, WHEN THE LIGHT CHANGES TO GREEN I HIT ON THE GAS PEDAL AND THE CAR DOES NOT MOVE, NO MATTER HOW HARD I PRESS, I TURN ON MY EMERGENCY LIGHTS AND AFTER ABOUT 3 MINS THE CAR FINALLY MOVES BUT WHILE DRIVING ONCE AGAIN I HIT ON THE GAS PEDAL TO INCREASE SPEED AND IT DOES NOT WORK, I DECIDE TO TURN AROUND IN A SMALL PARKING LOT AND TAKE IT HOME AND WHILE DOING THAT THE CAR DOESN'T REVERSE, I GET IT BACK ON THE ROAD AND IT JERKS AND JUMPS TO THE POINT WHERE I JUST HAD TO PARK IT AND CALL A RIDE. THE WEEK PRIOR A MECHANIC TOLD ME I JUST NEEDED COOLANT AFTER THE CAR JERKED AND STALLED ON THE HIGHWAY WHILE I WAS GOING 70MPH, AND NOW EVERY TIME I BRING THE CAR TO A COMPLETE STOP IT DOESN'T MOVE ONCE IT'S TIME TO ACCELERATE, I'VE HAD IT STALL IN HEAVY TRAFFIC WHERE CARS WHERE BUMPER TO BUMPER AND I COULD NOT MOVE. ALL OF THIS AFTER I HAD THE ECU FLASHED TO FIX THE CODES, THE ENTIRE ENGINE AND HEAD GASKETS REPLACED, THE FUEL PUMP SYSTEM AND TRANSMISSION FIXED BY FORD. SO I TOOK IT TO A MECHANIC TO GET IT DIAGNOSED AND THEY INFORM ME OF MULTIPLE PROBLEMS SUCH AS A NEW THERMOSTAT AND AIR BAG DEPLOYMENT ISSUES BUT THE MAIN PROBLEM IS THAT I NEED A NEW TRANSMISSION AGAIN, UNFORTUNATELY THE CARS VALUE IS NOT WORTH WHAT IT WILL COST TO FIX THE TRANSMISSION AGAIN.

NHTSA ID

11310819

Incident

Feb 21, 2020

Mileage

158,000 mi

WHILE DRIVING THE LIGHTS COME ON THE DASHBOARD AND THE CAR STOPS AUTOMATICALLY AND THE CAR DOESN'T TURN ON FOR WHILE,THEN AFTER TWO HOURS IT TURNS ON AND I DRIVE IT FOR ANOTHER FIVE DAYS AND THAT HAPPENS AGAIN ALMOST AN IN CRASH OR I WAS VERY LUCKY FOR A VERY BAD ACCIDENT AND I CALLED A TOW TRUCK TO SEND MY CAR HOME AND SINCE THEN IS UNDRIVABLE WHICH IS PARKED IN MY HOUSE

NHTSA ID

11300406

Incident

Jan 11, 2020

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2013 FORD FOCUS. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING AT UNDISCLOSED SPEEDS, THE VEHICLE HESITATED AND SHOOK ABNORMALLY WHILE THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL WAS DEPRESSED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO ROCHESTER FORD 4900 US-52, ROCHESTER, MN 55901, (507) 288-7564, WHERE IT WAS REPAIRED NINE TIMES UNDER WARRANTY HOWEVER, THE FAILURE PERSISTED AND THE REPAIRS WERE UNKNOWN. THE MANUFACTURER HAD BEEN NOTIFIED REGARDING THE MATTER AND OFFERED NO FURTHER ASSISTANCE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 45,084.

NHTSA ID

11298416

Incident

Nov 8, 2014

Mileage

45,084 mi