2013 Ford Focus POWER TRAIN,ENGINE
Owner-reported problems and safety issues filed with NHTSA. Review common failures, severity levels, and complaint trends over time.
Complaint Timeline
Chronological view of owner reports
The contact owns a 2013 Ford Focus. The contact stated that while attempting to accelerate from a stop, the transmission was slipping, with the check engine warning light illuminated. The vehicle was taken to a local dealer where the vehicle was diagnosed, and the contact was informed that the transmission was faulty and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 126,000.
The contact owns a 2013 Ford Focus. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed and attempting to accelerate, the vehicle shuddered and hesitated. The vehicle returned to normal functionality, but the failure became a regular occurrence. The contact stated that the check engine warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, who diagnosed a failure with the transmission. The contact was informed that the transmission needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure, a case was opened, and the contact was referred to the NHTSA Hotline for assistance. The failure mileage was 103,000.
The contact owns a 2013 Ford Focus. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle briefly lost motive power before suddenly jolting forward. The vehicle returned to normal functionality, but the failure became a regular occurrence. The check engine warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, who diagnosed failures with the clutch, slave cylinder, and shift levelers. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure, a case was opened, and the contact was referred to the NHTSA Hotline for assistance. The failure mileage was 24,000.
The contact owns a 2013 Ford Focus. The contact stated while driving 30 MPH, the vehicle lost motive power and stalled. The vehicle failed to restart. Additionally, the contact stated that while the vehicle was stopped, the vehicle rolled backward. The contact also stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle was jerking. There were no warning lights illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer to be diagnosed. The contact was informed that the clutch needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was contacted and informed the contact that the vehicle was out of warranty. The failure mileage was approximately 154,000.
The contact owns a 2013 Ford Focus. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the “Engine Overheated” message was displayed. The contact pulled over and turned off the vehicle and waited for the engine to cool down before restarting the vehicle. Additionally, the transmission failed to shift into reverse. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, where it was diagnosed that the clutch had seized and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact stated that the clutch was previously replaced in 2019. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and confirmed that the warranty had expired. The failure mileage was approximately 118,000.
The contact owns a 2013 Ford Focus. The contact stated that the check engine warning light was illuminated and flashing. While driving at an unknown speed, the engine misfired and the vehicle was chugging. The vehicle was taken to the dealer where it was diagnosed that the powertrain control module (PCM) needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired. The manufacturer was contacted but no additional assistance was provided. The approximate failure mileage was 113,659.
While driving at approximately 60 mph on a highway in the passing lane, the engine shut off without warning, and the following lights appeared on the dash: check engine, ABS, and traction control. The speedometer needle also went down to zero. I was in the process of passing a tractor trailer, and another tractor trailer was right behind me. I was barely able to maneuver off the highway onto the left shoulder and was almost rear-ended by the tractor trailer. The lack of power steering made it extremely difficult. This is a major safety issue. My family was in the car with me. After sitting on the side of the highway, I was able to start the engine and drive home. I arrived home and tried to back into my driveway, but it would not go into reverse. I took the car to the local Ford dealer and I was told the TCM needs to be replaced for around $750. I asked about the recall and they said that it expired in October of 2022. I did not know that recalls had an expiration date. After reading through many other complaints on the NHTSA website for the 2013 Focus, it seems that I have purchased a lemon. I just bought this vehicle in January at 57000 miles and have only put around 5000 miles on it. I still owe $9700 on the loan and the vehicle is undriveable. The manufacturer needs to buy this vehicle back so that I can purchase a replacement vehicle.
The contact owns a 2013 Ford Focus. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the accelerator pedal was depressed but the vehicle failed to respond. The contact was able to shift gears and drive the vehicle. The check engine warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer where it was diagnosed that the transmission clutch assembly needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified but no additional assistance was provided. The failure mileage was approximately 74,000.
TRANSMISSION TRANSMISSION TRANSMISSION THE CAR JERKS AND THE CLUTCH IS MESSED UP. I'VE HAD NOTHING BUT ISSUES WITH THE TRANSMISSION, CLUTCH, REPEATED RECALLS.
ON MY WAY FROM WORK WENT TO LEAVE AND PRESS GAS PADDLE CAR. ACT LIKE IT SPEED UP HILL . CAR START STUTTERING MAKING A GRINDING NOISE JERKING. GOT HALF WAY HOME IT START SMOKING. . WHEN I FIRST BOUGHT CAR I HAD TO PUT IN SHOP BECAUSE OF TRANSMISSION PROBLEMS IT ONE THING AFTER ANOTHER IVE DONE ALREADY HAD SEVERAL RECALLS DONE ON IT. NOW ITS GIVEN ME MORE PROBLEMS. ALWAYS ON THE HIGH WAY
WHILE DRIVING ONLY 20 MINUTES ON HIGHWAY THE ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON. PULLED OVER IMMEDIATELY AND TURNED OFF THE CAR. THE CAR WAS TOWED TO THE NEAREST SHOP. THEY SAID THEY NEED TO REPLACE THE FAILED WATER PUMP AND THERMOSTAT. THE NEXT DAY THEY SAID THAT DIDNT FIX THE PROBLEM AND THAT IT NEEDED A HEAD GASKET REPLACED. AFTER OPENING THE ENGINE THEY SAID THAT ITS WARPED. THE CAR (SE MODEL) HAS ONLY 84000 MILES AND WAS A CERTIFIED PREOWNED CAR WE BOUGHT FEB 2016. I WILL BE CONTACTING FORD MANUFACTURER ON A POSSIBLE RECALL #19522 AS WELL AS THE DEALERSHIP AS THIS SHOULD BE COVERED UNDER THE 7 YEAR 100000 WARRANTY.
MY CAR KEEPS FLASHING THE MULTIPLE WARNING LIGHTS. I CAN'T GET IT DIAGNOSED BECAUSE IT ONLY FLICKERS ON FOR A SECOND BEFORE TURNING OFF. IT'S THE ABS LIGHT, THE TRACTION CONTROL LIGHT, THE BRAKE LIGHT AND THE INFORMATION LIGHT. THIS ONLY HAPPENS WHILE I'M DRIVING, IT DOESN'T MATTER WHAT SPEED I'M GOING. IT WILL ALSO RESTART THE RADIO. ONCE I GET TO MY DESTINATION, MY WHOLE CAR WILL TURN OFF AS IF MY BATTERY DIED. I'VE TAKEN MY BATTERY TO BE TESTED AND IT'S FINE. WHEN I TRY TO TURN ON MY CAR, IT WON'T TURN ON BUT IT WILL MAKE CLICKING SOUNDS LIKE IT'S TRYING TO RESTART A CONNECTION. WHEN MY CAR FINALLY TURNED ON, IT SAID I HAD TRANSMISSION ISSUES. THIS CAR IS TERRIBLE, I DON'T FEEL SAFE WHEN I DRIVE IT BUT I STILL OWE MONEY ON IT AND CAN'T AFFORD TO PAY IT OFF IN ORDER TO GET A NEW CAR. I'LL NEVER GET A CAR MADE BY FORD AGAIN. *TR
WHEN DRIVING THE VEHICLE IT CAUSES A STUTTERING MOVEMENT FROM A STOP. WHEN PRESSING THE GAS FROM A STOPPED POSITION IT STARTS TO SHAKE UPON ACCELERATION. THE CAR ALMOST FEELS LIKE THE TRANSMISSION IS SLIPPING AND MAY CAUSE THE VEHICLE TO STOP. I FEEL THAT I AND MY CHILDREN ARE UNSAFE WHEN THIS HAPPENS!!!
WHEN DRIVING THE VEHICLE IT CAUSES A STUTTERING MOVEMENT FROM A STOP. WHEN PRESSING THE GAS FROM A STOPPED POSITION IT STARTS TO SHAKE UPON ACCELERATION. THE CAR ALMOST FEELS LIKE THE TRANSMISSION IS SLIPPING AND MAY CAUSE THE VEHICLE TO STOP. I FEEL THAT I AM UNSAFE WHEN THIS HAPPENS.
I'VE HAD TRANSMISSION PROBLEMS SINCE PURCHASING THE CAR. TWO DAYS AGO THE CAR WOULD NOT GO INTO REVERSE AND THE ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON - IT WAS STUCK IN THE GARAGE AT THIS TIME. I WAS FINALLY ABLE TO GET THE CAR TO REVERSE AND THE LIGHT WENT OFF A FEW HOURS LATER. YESTERDAY THE CAR, AGAIN, WOULD NOT REVERSE AND THE ENGINE LIGHT CAME BACK ON. THIS TIME IT WAS STUCK IN A PARKING LOT. AFTER MANY ATTEMPTS, SOME OF WHICH LEAD TO THE CAR NOT STARTING AT ALL, THE CAR FINALLY TURNED ON, AND REVERSED AFTER ROUGHLY HALF AN HOUR. THIS MORNING I TOOK THE CAR TO WEBB FORD IN HIGHLAND, IN FOR REPAIRS AS THE TRANSMISSION HAS A 100,000 MILE WARRANTY. THE DEALERSHIP SAID THEY ARE BACKED UP FOR OVER 2 WEEKS AND WOULD NOT EVEN LET ME LEAVE MY CAR. THE NEST CLOSEST DEALER IN CALUMET CITY, IL IS NOT TAKING TRANSMISSION WORK AT ALL. NOW, AFTER LEAVING WORK, MY CAR WILL NOT GO OVER 15MPH WITHOUT JERKING AND CHUGGING AND IT SEEMS THAT I HAVE NO WAY TO GET THE TRANSMISSION FIXED EVEN THOUGH IT'S UNDER WARRANTY BECAUSE NO ONE WILL TAKE MY CAR.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2013 FORD FOCUS. WHEN THE GEAR WAS SHIFTED INTO DRIVE, THE VEHICLE MOVED IN REVERSE. IN ADDITION, THE CONTACT STATED THAT SOMETIMES THE VEHICLE WOULD STALL AND FAIL TO START. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO NORRIS FORD (901 MERRITT BLVD, BALTIMORE, MD 21222, (410) 285-0200) WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE GEAR CLUTCH FAILED AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER MULTIPLE TIMES FOR THE FAILURES. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURES. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 39,000.
ON FRIDAY, MAY 30. 2019, AROUND 5:00PM, I WAS DRIVING TO A FAMILY EVENT. I HAD JUST STOPPED FOR GAS ABOUT 15 MINUTES PRIOR TO THE INCIDENT HAPPENING. AS IBWAS DRIVING AND I CAME TO A STOP. JUST AS THE LIGHT TURNED GREEN, SIGNALING FOR ME TO GO, AND I RELEASED MY FOOT FROM THE BRAKE AND BEGAN TO ACCELERATE, MY CAR STALLED. I WAS IN THE MIDDLE OF A VERY BUSY INTERSECTION. I IMMEDIATELY PUT ON MY HAZARD LIGHTS, PUT MY CAR IN NEUTRAL, AND BEGAN PUSHING IT OUT OF THE STREET. THERE WAS SMOKE COMING FROM THE HOOD THAT EVENTUALLY DISSIPATED. I MADE SEVERAL ATTEMPTS TO RESTART MY CAR AND IT NEVER WOULD. I CALLED MY ROADSIDE ASSISTANCE PROVIDER AND HAD MY CAR TOWED HOME. I HAVE BEEN TRYING TO FIGURE OUT THE ISSUE WHEN TODAY I HAD A READER PLUGGED INTO MY CAR TO TEST FOR ANY ERROR CODES. SURELY, CODES P0100, P2227 AND P0456 ALL CAME UP. AS I RESEARCHED THESE CODES, I WAS BROUGHT TO THE NHTSA WEBSITE AND FOUND THID RECALL THAT I WAS NEVER NOTIFIED OF AND THERE'S NO REMEDY FOR. I AM WITHOUT TRANSPORTATION.
THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON. THE TRANSMISSION SHUDDERS AND HESITATES UNDER ACCELERATION.
VEHICLE JERKS AND SHUDDERS ON ACCELERATION FROM STOPS. VEHICLE ALSO HESITATES AND LACKS POWER AT TIMES. IT ALSO OVERHEARS AND LEAKS COOLANT.
THE VEHICLE SHUDDERS AND MAKES NOISE WHEN SHIFTING GEARS. WHEN ACCELERATING AT AROUND 15MPH, THE VEHICLE BOGS DOWN AND LACKS POWER. ENGINE OIL LEAKS ALSO.
TRANSMISSION IS OVERHEATING; LIGHT COMES ON WHILE IN STOP AND GO TRAFFIC. THE CAR SHIFTS HARSHLY, MAKES GURGLING NOISES, HESITATES AND JERKS. ROARING AND CLUNKING COMING FROM ENGINE WHEN STARTING THE VEHICLE AND WHEN VEHICLE IS RUNNING.
VEHICLES TRANSMISSION BUCKING LOSING POWER SLIPPING ALSO STALLING OUT THIS CAR IS VERY UNSAFE I'VE HAD IT TO THE DEALERSHIP MANY TIMES STILL NO FIX
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2013 FORD FOCUS. WHILE THE CONTACT'S GIRLFRIEND WAS DRIVING 30 MPH, THE VEHICLE SHUDDERED AND THE GEAR SHIFTER BECAME STUCK IN SECOND GEAR. IN ADDITION, THE CHECK ENGINE INDICATOR ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO BAILEY FORD OF MALONE (11 STATE ST, MALONE, NY 12953, (518) 483-5500) WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE CLUTCH NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED AND PROVIDED CASE NUMBER: 21866473. NO FURTHER ASSISTANCE WAS PROVIDED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 70,000.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2013 FORD FOCUS. WHILE DRIVING VARIOUS SPEEDS, THE CHECK ENGINE INDICATOR ILLUMINATED. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE BEGAN TO JERK, HESITATE, AND THE TRANSMISSION WOULD NOT SWITCH INTO SECOND GEAR. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO FORD AUTONATION (2 AUTO CENTER DR, TUSTIN, CA) WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE TRANSMISSION LEVER ASSEMBLIES, THE ENGINE CYLINDER, AND THE TRANSMISSION CLUTCH WERE FAULTY AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED AND THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 129,000.
WHEN ACCELERATING THE CAR MAKES A LOUD NOISE WHEN TRYING TO SHIFT AND HESITATES WHEN GIVING IT GAS. CAR WAS PURCHASED IN JAN 2019 AND HAD BEEN DOING THIS SINCE WE OWNED THE CAR.
Trend Over Time
Complaints by year
Other Issues
Common problems reported
Quick Summary
The 2013 Ford Focus has 73 POWER TRAIN,ENGINE complaints on file. Review the timeline above for detailed owner experiences.