15 complaints reported

2008 Ford Focus Power Train

Owner-reported problems and safety issues filed with NHTSA. Review common failures, severity levels, and complaint trends over time.

Reports
15
Crashes
0
Fires
0
Injuries
0

Complaint Timeline

Chronological view of owner reports

Jun 2020

WHILE DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD MY THROTTLE CONTROL/TRANSMISSION LIGHT JUST POPS ON AN I LOSE A GREAT AMOUNT OF POWER AND ACCELERATION. I'VE OWNED THE CAR FOR ABOUT A MONTH NOW AN HAD THE SENSOR ON THE THROTTLE BODY WHICH SEEMED TO HELP FOR ABOUT 2 DAYS THEN THE LIGHT POPPED BACK ON. IT DOES THIS A LOT WILL DRIVE FINE FOR ABOUT 25-30 MINUS AT ABOUT 50-55 MPH THE LIGHT POPS ON WITH ABOUT 30MPH WORTH OF POWER.I PULL OVER TURN THE CAR OFF AND ON IT TURNS THE LIGHT OUT AN ALL POWER IS RESTORED. I'VE LOOKED ONLINE AND EVERYONE SEEMS TO POINT TO THE THROTTLE BODY GOING BAD. THE CAR IS IN PERFECT SHAPE AND HAS A FRESH ALL AROUND TUNE UP.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2008 FORD FOCUS, Manufacturer: Ford Motor Company
Incident: Jun 2020
Jan 2020

2008 FORD FOCUS. CONSUMER WRITES IN REGARDS TO DEFECTIVE TRANSMISSION. *LD THE CONSUMER NO LONGER OWNS THE VEHICLE. *JS

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2008 FORD FOCUS, Manufacturer: Ford Motor Company
Incident: Sep 2013
Jul 2019

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 FORD FOCUS. AFTER THE VEHICLE WAS PARKED ON A SLIGHT INCLINE, IT ERRONEOUSLY ROLLED FORWARD AND MADE CONTACT WITH A PARKED VEHICLE. THERE WAS NO PHYSICAL DAMAGE TO EITHER OF THE VEHICLES. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. TRI STAR MOTORS (151 WALNUT ST, KITTANNING, PA) AND THE MANUFACTURER WERE NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE CONTACT INDICATED THAT THE FAILURE PREVIOUSLY OCCURRED IN 2015 AND THE SHIFT CABLE WAS ADJUSTED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 60,000.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2008 FORD FOCUS, Manufacturer: Ford Motor Company
Incident: Jan 2015
Dec 2018

CAR STARTED REVEING HARD AND THEN ACTING LIKE GEARS WERE SLIPPING AND NEXT DAY REVERSE IS OUT OF CAR AND CAN NOT DRIVE IT

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2008 FORD FOCUS, Manufacturer: Ford Motor Company
Incident: Jul 2018
May 2015

TRANSMISSION BEGAN TO SPUTTER ON THE HIGHWAY. THIS WAS THE 4TH OR 5TH TIME THE CAR HAD THIS PROBLEM. AFTER GETTING OFF THE HIGHWAY CAR STRUGGLED TO SHIFT INTO GEAR. THE CAR WOULD FREE REV AND KICK/SHAKE INTO GEAR.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2008 FORD FOCUS, Manufacturer: Ford Motor Company
Incident: Apr 2015
Jul 2014

THIS 2008 FORD FOCUS HAS HAD SLIPPING WITH THE TRANSMISSION IN 4TH GEAR FROM 30000 MILES WHEN I TOOK TO DEALER THEY SAID UNTIL IT HAS A COMPLETE FAILURE THEY WOULD NOT TAKE DOWN AND INSPECT THE TRANSMISSION.IT IS NOW OUT OF WARRANTY AND I SOLD CAR TAKING A SIGNIFICANT LOSS. AT 58,000 THE 4TH GEAR COMPLETELY FAILED CAR COULD NOT BE DRIVEN OVER 30-40 MPH .IF THIS HAPPENED ON A EXPRESSWAY A TERRIBLE ACCIDENT COULD HAVE HAPPENED.I'M AM SURE I AM NOT A UNIQUE FORD OWNER WITH THIS PROBLEM. FORD SHOULD BE HELD ACCOUNTABLE AND A RECALL ON THIS CAR SHOULD HAVE TAKEN PLACE. *TR

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2008 FORD FOCUS, Manufacturer: Ford Motor Company
Incident: Jul 2014
Jul 2014

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 FORD FOCUS. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING, THE VEHICLE LOSS POWER AND STALLED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC, WHO DIAGNOSED THAT THE TRANSMISSION FAILED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 61,640.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2008 FORD FOCUS, Manufacturer: Ford Motor Company
Incident: Jul 2014
Jul 2014

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 FORD EDGE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE FAILED TO SHIFT INTO DRIVE. THE CONTACT MENTIONED THAT HE WAS ABLE TO SHIFT INTO THE REVERSE POSITION AND THE SERVICE ENGINE, TRACTION AND TRANSMISSION LIGHT ILLUMINATED ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED. THE FAILURE OCCURRED ON TWO SEPARATE OCCASIONS. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT CONTACTED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHO WAS NOT ABLE TO DUPLICATE THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 98,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 98,500.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2008 FORD FOCUS, Manufacturer: Ford Motor Company
Incident: Jul 2014
Jul 2014

MY WIFE WAS CUT OFF ON THE HIGHWAY SHE GAVE GAS TO MOVE AND THE TRANSMISSION BAND BROKE ALMOST GOT HIT. THERE'S A HUGE PROBLEM WITH THE FOCUSES TRANSMISSIONS AND SHOULD DEMAND A RECALL. CAR ONLY HAS 77000 MILES TRANSMISSION SHOULD NOT BREAK WHEN GIVEN GAS. NEVER BUY A FORD AGAIN. *TR

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2008 FORD FOCUS, Manufacturer: Ford Motor Company
Incident: Jun 2014
Oct 2012

I OWN A 2008 FORD FOCUS. IN 2010 MY CAR WOULD JERK BADLY WHEN I WOULD PRESS ON THE BRAKES. I TOOK IT IN TO FORD AND THEY SAID THE PROBLEM WAS MY TRANSMISSION. LUCKILY I STILL HAD WARRANTY AND THEY GAVE ME A NEW ONE. WHEN I GOT MY CAR BACK FROM THE REPAIR SHOP I STILL NOTICED SOME JERKINESS TO IT AND TOLD THEM. I WAS TOLD TO KEEP DRIVING IT AND IT WOULD GO AWAY, IT NEVER DID. 6 MO.LATER I NOTICE THE CAR GETTING WORSE. THE GAS PEDAL IS HESITANT AND THE GEARS HESITATE TO SHIFT. ESPECIALLY WHEN I DRIVE UPHILL AND TURN A CORNER. IT ALSO TAKES A LONG TIME TO GO UP TO SPEED. I TOOK IT FOR SERVICE AGAIN AND THEY SAID NOTHING WAS WRONG WITH IT. NOTE: THEY DID NOT TEST DRIVE MY CAR. HOW CAN A DOCTOR DIAGNOSE A PATIENT IF HE DOESN'T GIVE HIM A CHECK UP? I WAS VERY DISAPPOINTED AND THEY HAD THE NERVE TO CHARGE ME $200. IF I HAVE A NEW TRANSMISSION WHY IS THIS HAPPENING? I SERVICE MY CAR ON TIME AND HAVE IT WELL KEPT. IT'S NOW 2012 NO ONE CAN TELL ME WHAT'S WRONG WITH MY CAR. I'VE HAD SPARK PLUGS, FUEL FILTER, ENGINE OIL CHANGE, AIR FILTER CHANGED AND "NEW" TRANSMISSION AND THE PROBLEM STILL EXISTS. I AM VERY DISAPPOINTED IN FORD. *TR

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2008 FORD FOCUS, Manufacturer: Ford Motor Company
Incident: Feb 2010
Feb 2011

GOT STUCK IN THE SNOW AND ICE FEB.2011. LOW GEAR IS OUT ON MY TRANSMISSION AT 67,000 MILES ON MY 2008 FORD FOCUS. I THINK IT'S A COINCIDENCE THE TRANSMISSION HAS NEVER FELT LIKE IT SHIFTED RIGHT. I'VE BEEN A "MOTOR HEAD" FOREVER UNTIL THE COMPUTERIZED MOTORS CAME OUT, I KNOW MY CARS, MOTORS AND TRANIES, THIS IS NOT RIGHT AND I AM CALLING FORD TOMORROW, FEB. 14,2011, AND HAVE A DISCUSSION WITH THEM. I FEEL THEY NEED TO TAKE RESPONSIBILITY FOR THIS ESPECIALLY SINCE I SEE OTHER PEOPLE HAVE HAD TRANY PROBLEMS ALSO. *TR

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2008 FORD FOCUS, Manufacturer: Ford Motor Company
Incident: Jul 2011
Aug 2010

LTR TO THE POTUS RE A DEFECTIVE 2008 FORD FOCUS HE CO-SIGNED FOR HIS GRANDSON, CAR IS A LEMON AND WANTS FORD TO TAKE RESPONSIBILITY/ACCOUNTABILITY FOR THEIR PRODUCT. *KB THE CONSUMER STATED THE VEHICLE HAS BEEN TO THE DEALER 13 TIMES FOR THE SAME PROBLEM. DIFFERENT PARTS IN THE TRANSMISSION WERE CONSTANTLY BEING REPLACED. THE CONSUMER COMPLAINED OF SMELLING BURNT TRANSMISSION FLUID, THE TRANSMISSION WOULD NOT SHIFT, THE COOLER LINES AND CONTROL VALVE WERE REPLACED. EVENTUALLY, THE ENTIRE TRANSMISSION WAS OVERHAULED. *JB

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2008 FORD FOCUS, Manufacturer: Ford Motor Company
Incident: May 2008
Feb 2010

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 FORD FOCUS. OCCASIONALLY WHEN THE CONTACT WOULD PLACE THE VEHICLE INTO THE PARK, THE VEHICLE WOULD CONTINUE MOVING FORWARD AS IF IT WAS NOT IN GEAR. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALERSHIP WHERE THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT THE FAILURE COULD NOT BE REPRODUCED. THE CONTACT NOTICED PREVIOUSLY THAT THE EMERGENCY BRAKE WOULD NOT STOP THE VEHICLE FROM MOVING WHENEVER THE FAILURE OCCURRED. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 29000.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2008 FORD FOCUS, Manufacturer: Ford Motor Company
Incident: Feb 2010
Feb 2009

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 FORD FOCUS. THE CONTACT HEARD A LOUD GRINDING NOISE COMING FROM THE TRANSMISSION WHILE TRAVELING AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS. THERE WERE NO WARNING INDICATORS ILLUMINATED ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL. HE TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER ON NUMEROUS OCCASIONS AND THEY STATED THAT THERE WAS A FAILURE WITHIN THE TRANSMISSION, BUT THEY COULD NOT IDENTIFY A SOLUTION. CURRENTLY, THE VEHICLE HAS NOT BEEN REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER DID NOT ASSIST. THE VIN WAS UNKNOWN. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 15,000.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2008 FORD FOCUS, Manufacturer: Ford Motor Company
Incident: Jan 2009
Feb 2008

THE TRANSMISSIONS SHIFT POINTS ARE NOT CALIBRATED CORRECTLY. THE SHIFT POINTS ARE OFF. STARTING FROM A STOP THE VEHICLES FIRST SHIFT IS 3000RPM. WHILE UNDER NORMAL ACCELERATION FROM THAT POINT THE RPM'S CAN GO AS HIGH AS 3500 BEFORE THE SECOND SHIFT. ONCE IN SECOND GEAR, DEPENDING ON THE ENGINE LOAD THE RPM'S CAN GO AS HIGH AS 4000. AS I MENTIONED,ENGINE LOAD. ON A SLIGHT DOWNGRADE THE TRANS SHIFTS NORMAL WITH LOWER RPM AT ALL SHIFT POINTS. ON A SLIGHT UPGRADE SHIFT POINTS ARE HIGHER. DRIVE DOWN THE HIGHWAY AT A STEADY SPEED. THE FIRST SHIFT SEEMS OK. IN SECOND GEAR THE RPM'S WILL STAY AT 2500 TO 3000. THE TRANSMISSION DOES NO SHIFT UNTIL YOU LET OF THE GAS PEDAL A LITTLE. ONCE IN THIRD GEAR THE OD DOES NOT KICK IN UNTIL SPEEDS ABOVE 60MPH. I HAD THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER. THEY CHECKED FOR CODES AND THERE WERE NONE. THE SHOP FOREMAN DROVE THE VEHICLE THEN REQUESTED WE DRIVE ANOTHER TO SEE IF THE PROBLEM WAS PRESENT. WE DROVE ANOTHER VEHICLE THAT SEEMED TO PERFORM THE SAME. I MENTIONED TO HIM, IF THIS IS A NORMAL OPERATION MAYBE THE COMPUTERS PROGRAM IS WRONG. MAYBE THE TRANSMISSION NEEDS TO BE REFLASHED. HE CLAIMED FORD WOULD NOT PUT OUT A PRODUCT LIKE THAT. EXAMPLE: WE HAD SNOW A COUPLE OF DAY AGO AND YOU NATURALLY HAD TO WATCH YOUR SPEED. I DROVE AROUND AT 30MPH WITH THE RPM'S AT 3,000. *TR

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2008 FORD FOCUS, Manufacturer: Ford Motor Company
Incident: Jan 2007

Trend Over Time

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Quick Summary

The 2008 Ford Focus has 15 Power Train complaints on file. Review the timeline above for detailed owner experiences.