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Issues with new 2012 Ford Focus

888K views 2K replies 468 participants last post by  PrDawg 
#1 ·
Well purchased my brand new 2012 Ford Focus on May 21, 2011. My vehicle had to be ordered and was delivered to me on May 24th. Upon driving it, I found that when I would come to a stop and push the gas to go, it would sputter and hesitate. I have been dealing with it for over 2 weeks and decided to contact my dealership.

I took the vehicle to the shop on June 3rd. The tech drove with me and felt exactly what I was talking about. He stated that he had to put it on the computer. Within 30 minutes, he came out with a piece of paper stating 2012 Focus automatic transmission shudder. Some 2012 focus vehicles equipped with the powershift/DPS6 transmission may experience a shudder/shake on start up or when slowing to a stop. This condition does not cause durability or reliably concerns and will deminish as the clutch breaks in. "IF CUSTOMERS COMPLAIN OF THIS ISSUE, PLEASE DO NOT ATTEMPT TO REPAIR THE VEHICLE AND SHARE THIS SERVICE MESSAGE WITH THE CUSTOMER.

My question was, how long does this go on and when will it stop? No on could answer. Has anyone else felt this issue? I could not find any post on this prior to me putting this up. I stated I do not feel safe in the vehicle. The car at times when I pull out on the road feels just like it will stall out. After sending an email to the VP of the dealership, I was contacted by the service manager. He stated that he is working on getting an answer from Ford.. At the time of service there were 781 miles on my car. Today there are 1291 and still nothing has changed. I am awaiting a reply and will move forward if I don't like the answer.[bigcry]

Also, yesterday while driving, my shoe lace got caught on brake peddle. Has anyone else ever gotten stuck on the brake peddle? Just curious. It freaked me out.
 
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#100 ·
This is my view of the issues... the 2012 Focus is a new Focus for the NA region. It is based on the European model, with some modifications for North American (NA) use. Yes, there are quite a few setbacks that are causing some headaches, but at this time, it is sort of hard to say whether the issues we are seeing are entirely the fault of Ford. As for my issue, it could be a quality issue from the manufacturer of the bearing.

I'm not vouching one way or another, but I think it's still a little early to immediately dismiss the Focus as a potential purchase. Yes, we are experienced a lot of problems right now, but it is also still quite early in this generation's lifecycle.

OK, so no I wouldn't buy one again RIGHT NOW if I was looking to get one, but come back to the idea in may 6 months or a year and reconsider it. The choice is yours, but again, we are still seeing some "start up" issues that should go away over time as Ford has a chance to address them. Yes, some of the problems we are experiencing should have been worked out in the factory or on the drawing board, but I can tell you (from doing product launches and design work myself) that things don't always go 100% as planned, and issues can arise that you can't predict because you can't predict how every customer is going to use your product--some will follow your guidelines, some will ignore them and do whatever, so it makes for desiging products not so easy.

For, now, I"m taking Ford's comments about how the car is not yet "broken in" (even though they claim there isn't such a thing these days anymore), but I will run the car to about 2k or 3k and if any problems still persist, it's going back to the dealer for round two (the car right now only has about 700 miles on it).
 
#99 ·
Just got a call from the dealer... sounds like it's a wheel bearing problem.

Funny part is that when he desdribed Ford's reaction to the problem, they seemed to be aware of the problem by making a comment about "a noise between 50-75mph" that seems to match the description of what I'm experiencing.

Now the questions is how long... he couldn't get me an estimate unfortunately. Said something like Ford has to get them from the manufacturer, and who knows how long that's going to take.
 
#120 ·
Welcome to my nightmare.I got my 2012 Focus 7 weeks ago and from the start had the 50 to 80 mph vibration.So far they replaced one drive shaft,bearings ,the entire transmission and I also replaced the Continental tires for some GoodYear and the vibration/noise is still there.On the 9th of August they also told me that the engineers were aware about the situation and were working on it.Had a few arguements at the dealership with the service department,owner and even the salesman who was worried about the way I was gonna rate him on the survey.Sorry,but it's hard to say "completely satisfied" when the car never rolled like a new car should.In two weeks the dealership is suppose to contact me for an update and maybe offering me a car replacement if a solution is not found.It's hard to believe that Ford will replace all the problem cars.Hope Ford engineers will solve this very soon.
 
#101 ·
Tranny Issues/Break-In

For what it's worth the 2012 Focus that I rented had 4700+ miles on it and still had all the well documented tranny issues. One would think that amount of miles would have taken care of "break-in." Will wait till the end of Sept. for the hopeful software/firmware upgrade to make my decision between the Focus and the Elantra, may the best car win!
 
#103 ·
shudder

I took my focus to the local dealership today to let them investigate the shudder when stopping and hesitation on acceleration. I got the same response as most people in this forum. They told me that they too could feel the shudder but everything checked out ok and they printed the SSM (21918) from Ford that says the shudder condition is normal and that symptoms should diminish as clutches break in. Mine has over 4000 miles, so my next question is, how long should something like that take to 'break in'. and when should I return to the dealership? The service man told me that if it doesn't diminish by 10,000 miles to bring it back. 10,000 miles seems like an awful lot of miles to deal this issue. :-(
 
#106 ·
I took my focus to the local dealership today to let them investigate the shudder when stopping and hesitation on acceleration. I got the same response as most people in this forum. They told me that they too could feel the shudder but everything checked out ok and they printed the SSM (21918) from Ford that says the shudder condition is normal and that symptoms should diminish as clutches break in. Mine has over 4000 miles, so my next question is, how long should something like that take to 'break in'. and when should I return to the dealership? The service man told me that if it doesn't diminish by 10,000 miles to bring it back. 10,000 miles seems like an awful lot of miles to deal this issue. :-(
teaster,

Thanks for the update. Can you PM me with your mileage and dealer information? My PM inbox has gotten quite full the past few days, and I no longer have your original message. I will ensure your issue gets the proper attention.

hammy627,

You are correct, I haven't seen a dealer get upset at a situation being addressed at our level. They seem to welcome the assistance. [:)]

~Natasha
 
#105 ·
Ok. For all of those that say they have issues and then other people read it on a forum...just to say they will not be buying "X".

There is always a percentage of issues with anything. The percentage is higher for the first year......period.

My other hobbies and work this is called bleeding edge. If you are conservative, you wait the next year. if you are a got to have the new shiny type, you already know what I am talking about.

My SO has the first year Fiesta and I have the first year Focus. I got in her car and new something is different. I see the same thing in my car. If you understand it is an automated assisted manual trans instead of an automatic, the issues make more sense. She on the other hand only sees that is goes when the pedal is pressed.

Also, I think this is the first year of drive by wire...this might also be a contributing factor.

All I can say is I had the first year mod motor Cobra and they had to replace everything on the cooling system due to a recall. After that it was a great car.

In the perfect world there will never be any issues with anything. We all strive for this, but guess what....the world is far from perfect.

Sorry for the philosophical rant....

Carry on. [headbang]
 
#107 ·
shudder - reprogramed PCM and TCM

I do have an update from taking mine in for the shudder the other day. In talking with service they did the following, this if right from the slip:

"Checked Transmission operation - EEC Test performed TSB 11-07-22-Reprogrammed PCM and TCM to latest calibration - retest no further problem found"

I can't say it fixed things 100% put there is definitely a major difference. It was most noticeable in stop and go highway traffic on slight inclines. But the first drive to work, things are noticeably better. Will update after more miles. So I'm not sure if this was the fix someone had mentioned that was coming in Sept, but if you call with this info it should get some attention
 
#109 ·
I do have an update from taking mine in for the shudder the other day. In talking with service they did the following, this if right from the slip:
"Checked Transmission operation - EEC Test performed TSB 11-07-22-Reprogrammed PCM and TCM to latest calibration - retest no further problem found" I can't say it fixed things 100% put there is definitely a major difference. It was most noticeable in stop and go highway traffic on slight inclines. But the first drive to work, things are noticeably better. Will update after more miles.
Hi Jellman123,

Thanks for the good news of your transmission improving dramatically. I'm here if you need any help later on down the road.

~Natasha
 
#108 ·
Artimus, I recommend you check into the maintenance of the Elantra vs. the Focus. I have an older Elantra that has given me very good service. I cross shopped and drove the 2012 Elantra the same day as the Focus which I purchased a week later.
I found out the Elantra's service intervals are much sooner like the traditional cars of the past. Test driving both cars I found the Focus to be more powerful, handled better and felt solider. The Focus has more models and more features. Elantra Hatch???
My Focus has 1700 miles on it and the transmission (DCT 6 SPD) is very smooth. Neither of these cars are going to go down in price the longer you wait.
 
#110 ·
Natasha, I am also interested in whether or not you can confirm that an updated fix is in the works from Ford by the end of September. I would love to buy a Focus but will not do so until this transmission problem is solved to everyone's satisfaction. I really feel sorry for all these owners who have to go through this hassle. Jake
 
#115 ·
Natasha, I am also interested in whether or not you can confirm that an updated fix is in the works from Ford by the end of September.
Hi Jake,

I am not able to speculate on any updates our Engineering team may be working on, but I will keep you posted as information is released. Please keep in mind, however, the concerns shown on this forum are not an indication of an issue that affects every Focus.

My 2012 Titanium also has the hessitation issue and I will be taking it in tomorrow to get it checked along with my MyFordTouch going dead.
Hi TonyTDYagain,

Please keep me updated on your dealer's diagnosis. If they are unable to resolve your hesitation and MyFord Touch issue, please PM me with your VIN, contact information, mileage, & servicing dealer name/state so I can help.

I too have 2012 se sedan that had severe roar and growl/moan at 57mph, Dealer replaced wheel brg and noise got quieter but still has it. I had factory area engineer test drive and am awaiting results of his inquirys.
Hello cj2012,

Thank you for being a loyal member of the Ford family. I'm sure this must be discouraging, but I am glad an engineer is researching to resolve this to your satisfaction. If they are unable to resolve it to your satisfaction, please send me a private message with your information (VIN, contact information, mileage, & servicing dealer name/state) and I will assist.

I am also having some trouble with my 6spd auto transmission. It actually almost stalled on me when I was in reverse trying to park this morning. I notice that it idles very low, especially on hills and sometimes shudders like it's going to stall. I'm going to call my dealers service dept today and see what they say.
Hi bjennie4,

Making an appointment with your dealer is the perfect first step. They will be able to properly diagnose your Focus. I am also here if you need any assistance.

~Natasha
 
#111 ·
My 2012 Titanium also has the hessitation issue and I will be taking it in tomorrow to get it checked along with my MyFordTouch going dead. Has anyone else had issues with the 9 inch going out? It started with my phone not connecting, then the Sirrius quit working, then the Navigation, then nothing. Won't even turn on.
 
#112 ·
2012 Focus growl / moan noise

I too have 2012 se sedan that had severe roar and growl/moan at 57mph, Dealer replaced wheel brg and noise got quieter but still has it. Bought 2 cars last month. 2012 focus and new Fiesta. Both trannys are very jerky and car seems to hunt unless you put your foot in it smoothly. If you stomp it it does not always shift to correct gear. I test drove another new car that was within 15 numbers in production run and car roared horribly at same speed. I had factory area engineer test drive and am awaiting results of his inquirys. This is my second and third ford all at one time. Last Vehicle 2006 F150 Lariat crew cab. really loved my truck except mileage. Ford needs to figure something out with this Tranny issue or I am seeking Lemon Law because as as far as I am concerned problems severly diminish value of vehicle.
 
#113 ·
Whirring and moaning can be CV axles. Keep taking it back to your dealer since they are fixing it. I had an issue recently that I thought was bearings, but turned out to be mostly inner CV joint failure. I had to replace my axles. I have 130k, so that's not horribly bad for axles. I probably could've driven further on those, but didn't because I was making a 1k mile round trip to FocusFest.
 
#114 ·
Shuddering when stopped or in reverse

I am also having some trouble with my 6spd auto transmission. It actually almost stalled on me when I was in reverse trying to park this morning. I notice that it idles very low, especially on hills and sometimes shudders like it's going to stall. It only has 450 miles on it and I picked it up about a week and a half ago. I read the posts and saw that those who went to their dealers said that it just has to be broken in. I'm going to call my dealers service dept today and see what they say. I'm glad I'm not the only one experiencing this problem.
 
#116 ·
Update. Dropped off my Focus this morning at the dealer. They ran a diagnostics and found a bad interface module with my nine inch touch screen. I also had the rear door front seals come loose from both doors and they have to order both parts. Seems the dealers don't have 2012 parts on thier shelves yet :) Only problem is they are expecting the parts in a week so no radio, phone, GPS to go back and forth to work with. I told them to keep it until it's fixed, I'll drive my F-150 till then.
 
#117 ·
Hi TonyTDYagain,

Thanks for the update. I'm glad they were able to determine the causes of your concerns! Please let me know if they have any difficulty getting the parts in, and I'll assist. It's great that you have your F-150 in the meantime, but I can't wait for you to get your Focus back!

~Natasha
 
#118 ·
I too have experienced the "shudder" feeling on my Titanium and because of this Fanatics page, will get it checked out sooner rather than later. I always related it to something similar to trying to start off in second gear, so I've been dropping it down to 'S' and starting off in Sport mode, then upshifting once I get going good.
 
#119 ·
Hi JPopNC,

Having the dealer inspect your Focus will be beneficial in easing your concerns. They will thoroughly diagnose it, and are in the best position to provide solutions. Please let me know if I can be of any assistance!

~Natasha
 
#121 · (Edited)
With less than 1200 KM and 30hrs drive time, I have:
1) a loose upper strut tower bearing on right side (makes a heck of a grinding and rumble when turning the wheel to the right, or returning from the right turn),
2) a defective PS rear speaker (rattles),
3) 'acceleration hesitation' (started about 2 days ago),
4) black screen (only one incident so far that I 'fixed' myself with the fuse pull).

Parts are on order and I am expecting to have all repaired by end of next week. The acceleration issue has not been reported to the service center as of yet as it started just after having them look at the other issues and honestly, I did not make the connection to it fully as an issue until reading some of this thread!

I am remaining optimistic at this point.... trying.
 
#123 ·
I would also like to remind people that ford has sold a good number of focuses since it came out, when you search 2012 ford focus problems on google, this thread comes up, so people who are having problems will probly make it known here. Keeping in mind of course there's only a percentage of people who would come online and post as well, but i dont think the problems we're reading about are on every focus, there will always be an unlucky few with a new model, im just keeping my fingers crossed :) and happy i got a manual SEL without MFT :)
 
#125 ·
You were lucky.My first choice was also an SEL with the manual tranny,but the dealership was charging more for it because they were estimating a two month delivery time and they were reducing the value of my trade in because of that(something I never seen before).Went to another dealership and pretty much got the same BS.Obviously the dealerships were told to sell more Powershift,so I checked the dealerships inventory and bought an SE with the sport package and powershift.In less than a day I discovered a vibration and noise issue on my car between 50 and 80 mph that the dealership and Ford still didn't sort out,and this was 7 weeks ago.Isolated problem or not ,enough people complained for Ford to release a TSB about the issue.And now I'm stuck with a worthless car until the engineers find a permanent solution.
 
#124 ·
Just thought I'd provide an update since i Just picked up my car... They got it fixed and the noise is gone. Had to replace the wheel bearings. Apparently there is (from what I was told) a TSB out there now relating to cars making the noise that I was experiencing, to replace or check the wheel bearings. Ford apparently now has a new provider/vendor for wheel bearings, so they used this new brand on my car. Needless to say, it took care of things and hopefully I can enjoy the car now (now that it's quiet and not making annoying noises). If you are experiencing a whining/moaning noise that is intermitant and varies with speed, have your dealer check your wheel bearings for possible damage or defect. That's what did it for me.

I will say this too, that my dealer went the extra step and just replaced both, even though Ford recommended finding out which bearing was bad. The tech told me that he didn't want to risk replacing the "wrong" bearing so he ate the cost of the extra bearing and just did both to be on the safe side, which I appreciate, so I don't have to worry about making a second trip bcak to the dealer in the event that the other bearing was bad. So, I appreciate that my dealer when the extra step to reduce the possibility that there will be a bearing issue again. Plus, they loaned me a car at no cost (because it was under warranty) which helped too since it was in the shop for over 2 weeks.
 
#129 ·
The only issue I'm left with (and this may not even be an issue since the car only has 800 miles on it) is that every once in a while, it will shift funny when accelerating from a dead stop (from a stoplight/stop sign). But the majority of the time, it shifts fine. Maybe is't just me, or maybe some things still need to wear in a bit...

Prior to taking my car in, I told the dealer that I would give them a fair rating based on the level of service I received. Needless to say, I will be giving them a good rating for taking care of the bearing issue in a somewhat timely manner. I just hope my trans won't be needing a replacement like yours was. Hopefully the issues i see are just a matter of time for things to wear in. I actually haven't driven it a lot on the highway (at least not for any more than 50 miles at a time, so maybe it needs to be run at higher RPMs for a little while or just be flat out driven more. I'm going to wait until 1500-2000 miles, and if the problem doesn't go away, I'm going back to the dealer.
 
#130 ·
The dealership says that last TSB they got about the noise problem was :

SSM #.21985 2012 FOCUS DRONE/WARBLE NOISE WHILE DRIVING
SOME 2012 FOCUS MAY EXHIBIT A DRONE OR WARBLE NOISE OCCURRING AT 50-70 MPH. THIS NOISE MAY BE ORIGINATING AT THE FRONT WHEEL BEARINGS. RECOMMEND USING CHASSIS EARS TO ISOLATE THE NOISE. CONTINUE TO MONITOR OASIS FOR UPDATES.
EFFECTIVE DATE: 08/04/2011

Do you have the TSB number for the solution with the new bearings?
 
#131 ·
I have grinding noise when turning out of driveways and parking spots. I haven't had time to take it in yet but I will try to when I'm free which won't be until 2 weeks.

I have had the car for 2 months and its been doing this for over a month...sucks!!!!

Maybe it has to do with my bearings or struts?
 
#135 ·
Thank you FordCustomerService. I will let you know if the trans shifting doesn't get better. For now, though, I've been driving it fairly lightly (because it's still under 1000 miles). Maybe I need to do something differently? I have found that more "firm" accelerations result in smoother shifting, so maybe I should "baby" it so much anymore, since it is now near 1000 miles.

Anyways, for those who are wondering, I don't have the TSB number. All I know is that Ford released one early this month and that it is in fact a problem with some of the Foci out there. Mine starting making the noise at around 35mph, so I think their range of 50-75 MPH is a bit too narrow of a range. But then again, each car can be different.

I'm just glad it got taken care of before things started to get real bad.
 
#136 ·
One thing that I Have noticed, and isn't too big of a concern right now, is that I'm now down about a 1/4 of a quart of oil. I don't see any signs of leakage or burning. Anyone else have this? I could have sworn the thing was full when I purchased the car, but checked today after the car sat over night and it is about 1/4 quart low. I"m going to get the oil changed in the next week, but has anyone else experienced this, or is this normal for the oil when it comes from the factory??

I'm planning on using Mobile 1 Synthetic as soon as the car hits 1000 miles. Ideas?
 
#139 ·
Hello,

A TSB is simply a supplement to the repair manual, so dealers diagnose the concerns, and perform any applicable TSBs based on the symptoms exhibited by that particular vehicle. As sirhawkeye said, every car is different, so it is best to have a diagnosis done first. It is fine if you choose not to contact Ford of Canada yet, just know that they are available if you need assistance.

sirhawkeye,

Your oil consumption doesn't sound too concerning. Just keep an eye on it, and let me know if it increases.

~Natasha
 
#140 ·
Transmission Shudder

I purchased my 2012 hatchback in July and have had it into service once already for this "shudder." My car is an automatic, no clutch. It feels as if the car will stall when I come to a stop sign and sometimes hesitates when I press the gas, then just takes off. That part is a little scary. It also idles rough at times, other times it's so quiet I can't tell if the engine is still running. I am taking the car back this Friday for them to check it again as I am still having this problem after 3000 miles. I printed all the posts from this site, and am taking it with me to the dealer so they don't think I'm nuts. Sometimes they look at me like I don't know what I'm talking about (you think it's because I'm female?), but my dad was a mechanic and I know when things are not right. Other than that, I love this car![loveff]
 
#141 ·
I purchased my 2012 hatchback in July and have had it into service once already for this "shudder." My car is an automatic, no clutch. It feels as if the car will stall when I come to a stop sign and sometimes hesitates when I press the gas, then just takes off. That part is a little scary. It also idles rough at times, other times it's so quiet I can't tell if the engine is still running. I am taking the car back this Friday for them to check it again as I am still having this problem after 3000 miles. I printed all the posts from this site, and am taking it with me to the dealer so they don't think I'm nuts. Sometimes they look at me like I don't know what I'm talking about (you think it's because I'm female?), but my dad was a mechanic and I know when things are not right. Other than that, I love this car![loveff]
Hi pjhogan,

Congrats on your new Focus, and welcome to the forum! I'm glad you have an appointment scheduled at your dealer. Please keep me updated, and I'll assist if they are unable to resolve it for you. So happy to hear about the love for your Focus. [:)]

~Natasha
 
#142 ·
After getting my car back, I don't notice the trans shift shutter as much anymore. I will note that the did disconnect the battery while they replaced the bearings, so either the bearings helped with the shutter, or the batter disconnect allows the trans to "reset" itself and relearn its shift strategy.

Either way, it seems more smooth now, and with only about 850 miles on it, it seems to be fine. I'm just a little concerned on the 1/4 of a quart of oil I had to add. Hopefully it's just a one-time deal and I don't have to keep doing that, or it will be going back for more work. Haven't done anything differently with this car than I have done with any of my other new cars in the past, but noticed that the oil level was a little low, unless it too, was replaced when the did the work on my car, and maybe just didn't get filled up completely... I'll have to give it a week or two and see if it continues to "lose" oil (I don't see any leaks or any signs of it burning). Is it maybe part of the "beak in" when the car goes through it's first few hundred miles, it uses a little oil???
 
#147 ·
Hopefully it's just a one-time deal and I don't have to keep doing that, or it will be going back for more work. I'll have to give it a week or two and see if it continues to "lose" oil (I don't see any leaks or any signs of it burning). Is it maybe part of the "beak in" when the car goes through it's first few hundred miles, it uses a little oil???
Hey sirhawkeye,

As sailor said, that's normal operating range, and nothing to be concerned about. It doesn't hurt to keep an eye on it, though. [:)]

Ok so days have gone by and I'm back to give an update. Like I said in the previous post, I no longer feel the car shake or shudder while on idle and I'm happy about that...I am now confident that my car is running like it should. Learning more about the car and other owners helped me realize that. I am very happy with my new purchase.
Hi Guimpy!

I'm pleased to hear of the confidence in your Focus! Thanks for the update!

~Natasha
 
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