MyCarTSB

2011 Ford Focus Transmission Problems

18 owner-reported transmission complaints from NHTSA data

18
Complaints
1
Crashes
Feb 2019Nov 2023
Date Range

Data sourced from NHTSA public database. For informational purposes only. Always consult a qualified mechanic.

Owner Complaints (18)

criticalPOWER TRAIN
Filed: Jul 2019

Your car's dual clutch transmission has been problematic since purchase, starting with shuddering when you start the engine. After dealer repair, the transmission now makes loud noises and unexpectedly slips out of gear into neutral while driving, even at highway speeds. The transmission also slips significantly during acceleration, which could cause accidents when merging into traffic.

NHTSA #: 11231273
highPOWER TRAIN
Filed: Nov 2023

While driving at 35 mph, your check engine light came on and your car started vibrating and shaking with strange noises from underneath. You couldn't shift into reverse, and even in drive the car wouldn't go faster than 15 mph. Your mechanic suggested this might be related to a known Ford transmission issue (Campaign 18V845000). The problem likely involves your transmission or related drivetrain components needing inspection or repair.

NHTSA #: 11555145
highPOWER TRAIN
Filed: Feb 2019

Your clutch pedal has gone to the floor and no longer engages, leaving you unable to shift gears. This happened while you were driving on the highway. The clutch system needs to be inspected and likely repaired or replaced to restore normal operation.

NHTSA #: 11182451
mediumPOWER TRAIN,STRUCTURE
Filed: Jul 2018

ONLY 3 OUT OF 4 DOORS OPEN, THE OUTSIDE DOOR LATCHES HAVE FAILED SINCE PURCHASE IN 2013. HAVE ALSO CONTINUALLY FAILED/RE-BROKE AFTER BEING FIXED. CAR ALSO DOES NOT UNLOCK AFTER BEING LOCKED AND INSIDE DOOR MECHANISMS DO NOT UNLOCK AFTER BEING ENGAGED.. HUGE SAFETY ISSUE. ALSO MULTIPLE TIMES THE A SOLENOID HAS TO BE REPLACED DUE TO THE CAR DOES NOT SHIFT CORRECTLY AND FAILS TO ACCELERATE SAFELY (TAKES A OVER A MIN TO GO FROM 35-60) AND EVEN THEN IT WILL NOT MAINTAIN 60 MILES PER HOUR GOING UP A HILL . THIS IS A AUTOMATIC VEHICLE , AND IT IS UNSAFE , ESPECIALLY WHEN EXITING OFF A ONRAMP TRYING TO EXCEL TO POSTED SPEED LIMIT TO MERGE INTO TRAFFIC OFF THE RAMP. I HAVE HAD MULTIPLE PROBLEMS/ISSUES WITH THIS VEHICLE SINCE ITS PURCHASE AND IT IS A VERY UNSAFE VEHICLE.

NHTSA #: 11113939
mediumPOWER TRAIN,SERVICE BRAKES
CrashFiled: Jun 2018

SEVERAL TIMES, MY BREAKS HAVE NOT RESPONDED WHILE PRESSING DOWN ON THEM, MY FOOT WILL BE TO THE GROUND AND THERE IS NOTHING. IT CAUSED MY VEHICLE TO CRASH INTO THE VEHICLE IN FRONT OF ME THE FIRST TIME IT HAPPENED GOING 35 MILES AN HOUR.

NHTSA #: 11104294
mediumPOWER TRAIN
Filed: Jun 2018

WITH LESS THAT 70000 MILES ON THE CAR MY TRANSMISSION STARTED TO GO OUT ON ME. I HAVE SINCE HAD THE TRANSMISSION REPLACED AS IT IS UNDER WARRANTY, AND LESS THAN A WEEK AFTER GETTING IT FIXED IT WAS ALREADY STARTED TO GO ON ME AND HAS GOTTEN PROGRESSIVELY WORSE OVER THE SIX MONTHS.

NHTSA #: 11104296
mediumPOWER TRAIN
Filed: Sep 2017

2011 FORD FOCUS SE TRANSMISSION PULLING AND JERKING, CAUSING THE TIRES TO VIBRATE WHILE DRIVING. UPON FIRST ACCELERATING BEFORE MOTOR WARMS UP, THE CAR SOUNDS LIKE A TRUCK. IT IS EXTREMELY LOUD. THE CAR HAS TO BE MOVING FOR AWHILE BEFORE THE LOUD NOISE DECREASES SOME, BUT THE NOISE CONTINUES.

NHTSA #: 11022447
mediumPOWER TRAIN
Filed: Aug 2016

THE VEHICLE WAS PURCHASED BRAND NEW BUT THE TRANSMISSION HAS ALWAYS SHIFTED ROUGH. THE DEALER SAID IT WAS BECAUSE FORD HAD REDESIGNED THE TRANSMISSION SO IT WOULD SHIFT BETTER AND BE MORE FUEL EFFICIENT. EVEN THOUGH WE COMPLAINED THE DEALER SAID THERE WAS NOTHING THAT THEY COULD DO. CONSEQUENTLY, THIS PROBLEM HAS EFFECTED THE CARS OVERALL PERFORMANCE AND HAS NOW BECOME SO BAD THAT THE CAR IS DIFFICULT TO DRIVE. THE TRANSMISSION SHIFTS ROUGH, JUMPS OR LAUNCHES OUT , SHAKES, HAS HESITATION AND EVEN ROLLS BACK IF YOU ARE ON A HILL. CONSEQUENTLY, THE CAR SEEMS UNSAFE TO DRIVE AS IT FEELS AT TIMES LIKE THE CAR MIGHT JOLT OUT BECAUSE OF THE ROUGH SHIFTING. WHEN THE CAR SHIFTS ROUGH AT HIGH SPEEDS IT TENDS TO PULL IT TO ONE SIDE.

NHTSA #: 10899038
mediumPOWER TRAIN
Filed: Jun 2016

MY VEHICLE SLIPS WHEN CHANGING GEARS..FIRST STARTED WHEN SHIFTING FROM 1ST TO 2ND..IT'S AUTOMATIC TRANS. THAT WAS YESTERDAY NOW IT STALLS GOING INTO ANY GEAR

NHTSA #: 10874368
mediumPOWER TRAIN
Filed: Jun 2016

TAKATA RECALL I WAS COMING UP TO A STOP LIGHT READY TO PUSH THE CLUTCH IN TO SLOW DOWN. I TRIED TO PUSH IN THE CLUTCH AND IT WAS STUCK. I LET MY FOOT OFF AND TRIED AGIAN. THE CLUTCH WENT DOWN. I THOUGHT THAT WAS ODD AND DANGEROUS. I WAS GLAD MY WIFE WASN'T DRIVING. I WANTED TO PULL OVER AND SEE WHAT WAS GOING ON. I GOT IN THE TURN LANE. WHEN I PUSHED THE CLUTCH IN TO GO THE CLUTCH WENT TO THE FLOOR AND I WAS STUCK IN THE TURN LANE. IT WAS A BUSY ROAD, BUT I WAS OFFERED HELP AND WAS ABLE TO PUSH IT THROUGH THE LIGHT AS IT CHANGED. I NOTICED THAT THE CONNECTION FROM THE CLUTCH TO THE PEDAL WAS BROKEN. A PLASTIC PIECE HAD BROKE. THE CAR ONLY HAS 57000 MILES. I FEEL LIKE I WAS LUCKY NOTHING HAPPENED. THAT PART SHOULD NOT BREAK ON A CAR. I WANT TO FEEL SAFE WHEN ME OR MY WIFE ARE DRIVING OUR VEHICLE.

NHTSA #: 10871979
mediumPOWER TRAIN
Filed: Apr 2016

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 FORD FOCUS. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE TRANSMISSION SHUTTERED WHILE DRIVING AT LOWER SPEEDS. THE FAILURE OCCURRED WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHERE IT WAS CONFIRMED THAT THE VEHICLE SHUTTERED AND HESITATED, BUT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS WORKING AS DESIGNED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. PRIOR TO THE FAILURE, THE VEHICLE EXHIBITED THE SAME FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE TRANSMISSION CONTROL MODULE WAS DEFECTIVE AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 84,719. UPDATED 08/03/16*LJ THE CONSUMER STATED SEVERAL ADJUSTMENTS WERE MADE TO THE CLUTCH. HOWEVER, THEY WERE ONLY TEMPORARY FIXES. UPDATED 08/09/16.*JB

NHTSA #: 10855333
mediumPOWER TRAIN,ELECTRONIC STABILITY CONTROL (ESC)
Filed: Feb 2016

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 FORD FOCUS. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WOULD ABNORMALLY VIBRATE WHILE IDLING. THE FAILURE HAPPENED WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO THE DEALER OR INDEPENDENT MECHANIC TO BE DIAGNOSED NOR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE VIN WAS INVALID. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 85,000.

NHTSA #: 10838958
mediumPOWER TRAIN
Filed: Sep 2014

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 FORD FOCUS. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING AT VARIOUS SPEEDS, A LOUD BANGING NOISE EMITTED FROM THE TRANSMISSION CAUSING THE VEHICLE TO JERK. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC. THE TECHNICIAN DIAGNOSED THAT THE SHIFT SOLENOID WAS FAULTY. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE PROBLEM BUT NO SOLUTION WAS OFFERED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 67,000.

NHTSA #: 10632491
mediumPOWER TRAIN
Filed: Mar 2014

THROTTLE BODY WENT OUT ON MY 2011 FORD FOCUS SES WHILE DRIVING. BROUGHT IT INTO HUB CITY FORD IN LAFAYETTE, LA FOR THEM TO LOOK AT IT. FIRST TRIP, CLEANED THE THROTTLE BODY AND SAID IT SHOULD HAVE PERFORMED LIKE NEW. AS I WAS LEAVING THE PARKING LOT, THE WRENCH LIGHT ON DASH TURNED ON AND I HAD TO GET IT REPLACED.

NHTSA #: 10568350
mediumPOWER TRAIN,ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
Filed: Oct 2013

THIS IS THE FIRST REPORT OF 3 SEPARATE INSTANCES. STARTING UP FROM WAITING AT A SIGNAL LIGHT THE SYSTEM FLASHED "STOP SAFELY NOW". ( I HAD JUST TOUCHED THE DISPLAY SCREEN TO VIEW THE BATTERY POWER.) PROCEEDING THROUGH A LEFT TURN AND WHEN GETTING TO THE CURB THE SYSTEM SHUT DOWN. AT THAT POINT A COMPLETE TURN OFF OF THE CAR WAS ATTEMPTED WHICH DID NOT HAPPEN, WITH THE DISPLAY STILL BEING ACTIVE. REPEATED ATTEMPTS FINALLY COMPLETELY SHUT DOWN THE SYSTEM, WHICH WAS THEN RESTARTED NORMALLY. THE OTHER TWO INSTANCES OCCURRED WHILE BACKING OUT OF THE GARAGE, AND ROUNDING A NEIGHBORHOOD TURN. *TR

NHTSA #: 10548278
mediumPOWER TRAIN
Filed: May 2013

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 FORD FOCUS. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 45 MPH, THE VEHICLE BECAME HESITANT TO ACCELERATION ATTEMPTS. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR DIAGNOSIS WHERE THE TECHNICIAN STATED THAT THE PCM MODULE WOULD HAVE TO BE UPDATED. THE UPDATES WERE PERFORMED HOWEVER, THE FAILURE CONTINUED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 15,000. *TR

NHTSA #: 10512539
mediumPOWER TRAIN
Filed: Aug 2012

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 FORD FOCUS. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING AT APPROXIMATELY 25 MPH THE VEHICLE STARTED TO JERK VIOLENTLY AND STALLED. THE CONTACT MENTIONED THAT THE POWER TRAIN WARNING LAMP ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHO WAS UNABLE TO DIAGNOSE THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE RECURRED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN BACK TO THE DEALER WHO STATED THAT THE THROTTLE BODY MIGHT BE DEFECTIVE AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED AS A SAFETY PRECAUTION. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 10,700 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 10,720.

NHTSA #: 10470384
mediumPOWER TRAIN
Filed: May 2011

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 FORD FOCUS. THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 65 MPH THE VEHICLE STALLED. A THROTTLE CONTROL/TRANSMISSION WARNING LIGHT ALSO BEGAN TO ILLUMINATE ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL. THE CONTACT WAS ABLE TO DRIVE INTO THE EMERGENCY LANE WHERE THE VEHICLE WAS STOPPED. UPON RESTART THE VEHICLE WAS DRIVEN TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER WHERE THEY WERE UNABLE TO DIAGNOSE THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 7,915.

NHTSA #: 10399593

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