2012 Ford FOCUS

Problems, Recalls & Reliability Report

Avoid This Year

Quick Summary

The 2012 Ford FOCUS has 4967 owner complaints filed with NHTSA — that's 62.1x the segment average of 80. The most common issue is transmission problems (29% of all complaints), specifically: i was driving and stuck in traffic. going slow, 5-10mph, the car started shifting really strange, not moving when initially accelerating and then jerking from first to second gear. my destination was 3 blocks ahead of me so i stayed on route and parked when i arrived. as i got back into the car i. ⚠️ 20 fire reports filed.

20 fire reports 110 crash reports 73 injuries

4967

Total Complaints

Recalls Issued

—/5

Safety Stars

62.1x

vs Segment Avg

Known Problems

TRANSMISSION

1456 complaints

29%

• I WAS DRIVING AND STUCK IN TRAFFIC. GOING SLOW, 5-10MPH, THE CAR STARTED SHIFTING REALLY STRANGE, NOT MOVING WHEN INITIALLY ACCELERATING AND THEN JERKING FROM FIRST TO SECOND GEAR. MY DESTINATION WAS 3 BLOCKS AHEAD OF ME SO I STAYED ON ROUTE AND PARKED WHEN I ARRIVED. AS I GOT BACK INTO THE CAR I
• WE PURCHASED THIS CAR ON 08/19/2011 AND THE NEXT DAY WHILE TAKING OFF FROM A STOP SIGN THE CAR WOULD SHUDDER, I DO NOT HAVE THIS ISSUE WHEN THE TRANSMISSION IS COLD BUT IN STOP AND GO DRIVING AND NORMAL CITY DRIVING AFTER IT HAS WARMED UP. ALSO WHEN YOU DEPRESS THE ACCELERATOR FROM A STOP THE VEHICL
• WE PURCHASED THIS CAR ON 08/19/2011 AND THE NEXT DAY WHILE TAKING OFF FROM A STOP SIGN THE CAR WOULD SHUDDER, I DO NOT HAVE THIS ISSUE WHEN THE TRANSMISSION IS COLD BUT IN STOP AND GO DRIVING AND NORMAL CITY DRIVING AFTER IT HAS WARMED UP. ALSO WHEN YOU DEPRESS THE ACCELERATOR FROM A STOP THE VEHICL

Typical onset: 50K miles Est. repair: $500🔥 3 fire reports💥 31 crashes

“I WAS DRIVING AND STUCK IN TRAFFIC. GOING SLOW, 5-10MPH, THE CAR STARTED SHIFTING REALLY STRANGE, NOT MOVING WHEN INITIALLY ACCELERATING AND THEN JERKING FROM FIRST TO SECOND GEAR. MY DESTINATION WAS 3 BLOCKS AHEAD OF ME SO I STAYED ON ROUTE AND PARKED WHEN I ARRIVED. AS I GOT BACK INTO THE CAR I”

— NHTSA complaint filing

STEERING

927 complaints

19%

• TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 FORD FOCUS. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 60 MPH, THE VEHICLE WOULD PULL TO THE RIGHT AND SHE WOULD HAVE TO USE EXCESSIVE FORCE TO CONTINUE STEERING STRAIGHT. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER WHERE THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT THE VEHIC
• WILE DRIVING AT 60 MPH THE STEERING WENT TO MANUAL, WARNING DISPLAY READ "STEERING MALFUNCTION STOP SAFELY" CONTACT AUTHORIZED DEALER. THIS HAS ONLY HAPPEN ONCE AND STILL NOT SURE WHAT FIXES IT. STILL AT DEALER. *TR
• IN MY BRAND NEW 2012 FORD FOCUS WHILE DRIVING AT SPEEDS ABOVE 50MPH IT IS INCREDIBLY HARD TO KEEP THE CAR IN IT'S LANE WITHOUT CONSTANT ADJUSTMENT OF THE STEERING WHEEL. IT FEELS LIKE YOU'RE BEING BUFFETED BY STRONG WINDS ON BOTH SIDES OF THE VEHICLE. I'M AFRAID TO DRIVE FASTER THAN 60MPH DUE TO THE

Typical onset: 50K miles Est. repair: $500🔥 2 fire reports💥 23 crashes

“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 FORD FOCUS. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 60 MPH, THE VEHICLE WOULD PULL TO THE RIGHT AND SHE WOULD HAVE TO USE EXCESSIVE FORCE TO CONTINUE STEERING STRAIGHT. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER WHERE THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT THE VEHIC”

— NHTSA complaint filing

ENGINE

499 complaints

10%

• TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 FORD FOCUS. THE CONTACT STATED THE VEHICLE WOULD STALL WITHOUT WARNING. IN ADDITION, THE CONTACT EXPERIENCED SUDDEN ACCELERATION. THE CONTACT TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER AND WAS TOLD THERE WAS A PROBLEM WITH THE COMPUTER. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE AND
• AFTER A WEEK OF PURCHASING OUR BRAND NEW FOCUS STARTED NOTICING THE AUTOMATIC TRANNY SURGES AND SLIPS. LIKE ITS BUCKING FEELING. SOMETIMES IT SURGES ALMOST HARD ENOUGH TO PUT YOU ON THE DASH. KINDA SCARY IN TRAFFIC. CAR HAS ONLY 4500 MILES ON IT AND NOW HAS ELECTRICAL PROBLEMS IN DASH AND UPON GOING
• TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 FORD FOCUS. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING 30 MPH THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT ILLUMINATED AND THERE WAS AN INCREASE IN ENGINE RPMS AS THE VEHICLE STALLED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE AND THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE AND THE CURRENT MI

Typical onset: 50K miles Est. repair: $500🔥 5 fire reports💥 10 crashes

“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 FORD FOCUS. THE CONTACT STATED THE VEHICLE WOULD STALL WITHOUT WARNING. IN ADDITION, THE CONTACT EXPERIENCED SUDDEN ACCELERATION. THE CONTACT TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER AND WAS TOLD THERE WAS A PROBLEM WITH THE COMPUTER. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE AND”

— NHTSA complaint filing

OTHER

374 complaints

• RELEASE BUTTON FOR EMERGENCY BRAKE BROKE AND CAME OFF. UNABLE TO SET PARKING BRAKE BECAUSE I WON'T BE ABLE TO RELEASE IT. FORD SERVICE INFORMED ME THAT IT WAS "TRIM ISSUE" AND WAS NOT COVERED BY WARRANTY. I CAN NOT SET THE PARKING BRAKE, WHICH LEAVES THE DANGER OF THE CAR ROLLING WHILE PARKED AND
• THE EMERGENCY BRAKE CAME OFF (COMPLETELY). FORD IS BACK? I DO NOT THINK SO IF THEY OVERLOOK IMPORTANT ASPECTS OF THE CAR. *TR
• TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 FORD FOCUS. THE CONTACT STARTED THE VEHICLE AND THE VEHICLE ACCELERATED RAPIDLY EVEN WITH THE BRAKE PEDAL ENGAGED. THE VEHICLE FAILED TO SLOW DOWN AND CRASHED INTO A CEMENT WALL. THERE WERE NO PERSONAL INJURIES. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE CONTACT'S RESIDENCE. IN ADDITIO

Typical onset: 50K miles Est. repair: $500🔥 3 fire reports💥 11 crashes

“RELEASE BUTTON FOR EMERGENCY BRAKE BROKE AND CAME OFF. UNABLE TO SET PARKING BRAKE BECAUSE I WON'T BE ABLE TO RELEASE IT. FORD SERVICE INFORMED ME THAT IT WAS "TRIM ISSUE" AND WAS NOT COVERED BY WARRANTY. I CAN NOT SET THE PARKING BRAKE, WHICH LEAVES THE DANGER OF THE CAR ROLLING WHILE PARKED AND”

— NHTSA complaint filing

ELECTRICAL

355 complaints

• AFTER A WEEK OF PURCHASING OUR BRAND NEW FOCUS STARTED NOTICING THE AUTOMATIC TRANNY SURGES AND SLIPS. LIKE ITS BUCKING FEELING. SOMETIMES IT SURGES ALMOST HARD ENOUGH TO PUT YOU ON THE DASH. KINDA SCARY IN TRAFFIC. CAR HAS ONLY 4500 MILES ON IT AND NOW HAS ELECTRICAL PROBLEMS IN DASH AND UPON GOING
• WHILE BACKING OUT OF A DRIVEWAY THE STEERING SYSTEM FAILED, I ROLLED DOWN A HILL AND INTO A WOODED AREA. THE SYSTEM GAVE AN INDICATOR LIGHT OF STEERING SYSTEM FAILURE AND ALSO THE BRAKING SYSTEM DID NOT ENGAGE. I LOST COMPLETE CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE. *TR
• WHILE STOPPED BEHIND RED LIGHT ALL SCREEN SYSTEM, SYNC SYSTEM, RADIO INCLUDING SOUND SYSTEM WENT BLACK. DID NOT START OVER TILL NEXT DAY IN THE MORNING AND AS SOON AS START THE CAR ERRORS AFTER ERROR CAME UP FOR NAV SYSTEM, PHONE CONNECTION. HAD TO RESET EVERY THING. THESE ERRORS ARE COMING UP EVERY

Typical onset: 50K miles Est. repair: $500🔥 4 fire reports💥 10 crashes

“AFTER A WEEK OF PURCHASING OUR BRAND NEW FOCUS STARTED NOTICING THE AUTOMATIC TRANNY SURGES AND SLIPS. LIKE ITS BUCKING FEELING. SOMETIMES IT SURGES ALMOST HARD ENOUGH TO PUT YOU ON THE DASH. KINDA SCARY IN TRAFFIC. CAR HAS ONLY 4500 MILES ON IT AND NOW HAS ELECTRICAL PROBLEMS IN DASH AND UPON GOING”

— NHTSA complaint filing

Estimated Repair Costs

TRANSMISSION(~50K mi)

$500

STEERING(~50K mi)

$500

ENGINE(~50K mi)

$500

OTHER(~50K mi)

$500

ELECTRICAL(~50K mi)

$500

Estimates based on average reported repair costs. Actual costs vary by location, shop, and severity.

🔍 Pre-Purchase Inspection Checklist

Based on 4967 owner complaints for this specific year, here's what to check or ask about:

☐
TRANSMISSION: I WAS DRIVING AND STUCK IN TRAFFIC. GOING SLOW, 5-10MPH, THE CAR STARTED SHIFTING REALLY STRANGE, NOT MOVING WHEN INITIALLY ACCELERATING AND THEN JERKING FROM FIRST TO SECOND GEAR. MY DESTINATION WAS 3 BLOCKS AHEAD OF ME SO I STAYED ON ROUTE AND PARKED WHEN I ARRIVED. AS I GOT BACK INTO THE CAR I
Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500
☐
STEERING: TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 FORD FOCUS. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 60 MPH, THE VEHICLE WOULD PULL TO THE RIGHT AND SHE WOULD HAVE TO USE EXCESSIVE FORCE TO CONTINUE STEERING STRAIGHT. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER WHERE THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT THE VEHIC
Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500
☐
ENGINE: TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 FORD FOCUS. THE CONTACT STATED THE VEHICLE WOULD STALL WITHOUT WARNING. IN ADDITION, THE CONTACT EXPERIENCED SUDDEN ACCELERATION. THE CONTACT TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER AND WAS TOLD THERE WAS A PROBLEM WITH THE COMPUTER. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE AND
Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500
☐
OTHER: RELEASE BUTTON FOR EMERGENCY BRAKE BROKE AND CAME OFF. UNABLE TO SET PARKING BRAKE BECAUSE I WON'T BE ABLE TO RELEASE IT. FORD SERVICE INFORMED ME THAT IT WAS "TRIM ISSUE" AND WAS NOT COVERED BY WARRANTY. I CAN NOT SET THE PARKING BRAKE, WHICH LEAVES THE DANGER OF THE CAR ROLLING WHILE PARKED AND
Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500
☐
General: Get a pre-purchase inspection from an independent mechanic ($100-$200)