When braking coming up to stop light or stop sign usually under 15 MPH transmission does not gear down and seems to surge. Happens randomly. You have to almost stand on brakes and shift to neutral. Surge may last approx 5 seconds. Varies depending on speed your braking from. In the beginning talked to ford dealer and was told they could not duplicate. Had a ford escort for my son in mid 80's and he experienced a similar problem. Vehicle now has approximately 72000 miles and seems to getting worse. I believe it's been an ongoing problems for years and not acknowledged. I would be very surprised if many others have not had the same experience.
2005 Ford Focus transmission complaints
Page 2 of 3: complaints 11 to 40 of 47, newest first, as owners wrote them.
I purchased this car when it was only a year old and it has been a nightmare. First, all the door handles broke off making it impossible to get in and out of the car. Second, the accelerator stuck almost causing an accident and now the transmission went out while I was going through a busy intersection. Buyer beware, this car is not only junk but dangerous!!!
Tl* the contact owns a 2005 ford focus. The contact stated that the key became stuck in the ignition. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic for diagnosis and the contact was informed that the gear shifter would need to be replaced. The vehicle had not been repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure and current mileage was 83,600.... Updated 08/19/13 *bf the shifter was replaced on july 30, 2013
Beginning last year, there have been multiple occasions when I was decelerating and the entire front end of the car would begin to vibrate and the steering would become difficult to handle. Took the car to an independent repair shop, they could not duplicate the problem, asked me to make note of road conditions, etc. Tires replaced sometime in the past year. Alignment performed within past two months. Tires are wearing in diagonal pairs oddly. Blew fuse which operated the automatic safety locks, cruise control and the locking control on taking the car out of park. Called ford dealership, was told to pop small piece of plastic off the shifter deck and stick a screw driver in to be able to shift out of park. Was also told this could be a big problem and to bring it in. After charging me $130.00 to "diagnose" the problem, they then charged me $10 to replace the fuse, could find no reason for it to have blown. Then told me my transmission fluid needed to be replaced. Too many dollars later, I left the dealership. Two weeks later, fuse blew again. Took to independent garage,$ 0.95 for the fuse and $30 to try and figure out why it was blowing out, unsuccessfully. The shimmy in the front end was getting worse and I was debating dealership or independent, decision was removed from my hands when the front of the car began swerving toward traffic in rush hour at 45mph on monday night 6/24/13. Suddenly, there was a loud noise and I managed to wrench the steering wheel to the right and hit a curb instead of oncoming traffic. Friend behind me witnessed incident and said the car looked like it jumped sideways. Both right tires off rims, shredded, unknown further damage at this point as the shop hasn't had a chance to make an assessment. My insurance company is already considering totaling the car out. It has 128000 miles or so. I feel like I have sideways whiplash. No airbag depl.
Tl* the contact owns a 2005 ford focus. The contact stated that while driving approximately 50 MPH, the vehicle would not accelerate. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic for diagnosis. The mechanic stated that the transmission would have to be replaced. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The approximate failure mileage was 90,000.
Key stuck in ignition. The column was not locked. On the gear shift there is a plastic sleeve. I put the gear shift in park and slid my hand below the knob and pulled the sleeve up and the key comes out.
All I can say is this car has been a problem. The car started this hard starting issue a while ago when I contacted ford they told me this was normal I had the car for a few years and all of a sudden this sound when starting will come from the trunk and take at least 5 cranks to start and this is normal. As of this week I was driving on I-95 on my way to work at approximately 60 MPH. When all of a sudden my car starting revving as if it was in neutral and I couldn't accelerate once off the highway the car worked fine. After work on my way home the same thing happen but while I was on the entrance ramp I was able to get up to 35mph and all of a sudden it was in neutral I was almost hit from behind. My car only has 94000 miles on it and it needs a transmission. I bought this car in 2008 with 49,000. And for the past two years this car has been nothing more than a problem. I will never own or recommend a ford to anyone.
Tl* the contact owns a 2005 for focus zxw station wagon. The contact stated that when the key was in the ignition and the shift over ride button was depressed, the key would become locked in the ignition. The contact took the vehicle to the dealer and was told that the vehicle was operating as designed. The contact glued the shift over ride button in place and changed the ignition, which resolved the failure. The contact also stated the metal frame of the driver's seat became cracked. The contact had to prop the seat up so that he could drive the vehicle. The manufacturer was contacted and a complaint was filed. The vehicle was not further repaired. The failure mileage was 205,000. Updated 02/20/13*lj the consumer stated the transmission was poorly designed. Updated 02/21/13 the consumer stated the experienced numerous problems with the transmission, after having the fluid flushed. The consumer stated the side view mirrors were rigid and were easy to break, the rear suspension springs were not designed to carry weight, which caused the vehicle to bounce on the highway and secondary road bumps. The heat shields attached to the exhaust system were designed poorly, to the point they were bent and caused a rattle. The steel rims, bent easily, which created a vibration and balance problem. The headlights lenses were discolored, the valve cover gasket leaked oil onto the spark plugs, the hood cables were defective. The hood cable froze and broke. Updated 07/25/13
Tl* the contact owns a 2005 ford focus wagon. The contact stated that while driving 65 MPH, he depressed the accelerator pedal but the vehicle failed to accelerate properly. The vehicle was taken to the dealer who diagnosed that the solenoid in the transmission needed to be replaced. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The vehicle was repaired. The failure and current mileage was 68,000.
Tl* the contact owns a 2005 ford focus. The contact stated that while driving approximately 10 MPH, a loud noise emitted from the front end of the vehicle. The contact was able to continue to drive. The failure occurred whenever the transmission shifted in the first, second or third gear. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic who stated the failure could possibly be related to front end bearings or axle. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the problem. The approximate failure mileage was 153,000.
After starting the car when it has set a few hours the overdrive off light is flashes yellow, odometer just shows dashes, and speedometer dosent work. Car still operates but shifts gears hard, when it reaches the speed for door to lock everything starts working. I have had multiple problems with the engine mgmt fuse, and have had 3 altenators changed out in the last 2 years. Also I had a problem with key not coming out of ignition and found out that a peice of the shifter had broke off and slid down and kept it from going all the way into park, after removing part I have had no problem with the key. Also engine light stays on was told by auto zone it was vaccum system took it to ford place they said it was motor mounts, they were replaced 20,000 miles ago and it still hasnt helped.
Tl* the contact owns a 2005 ford focus. While driving approximately 35 MPH, the transmission began to hesitate and shift gears erratically with a loud bang. The vehicle was taken to both the dealer and independent mechanic for diagnosis. The technicians informed the transmission exhibited internal damages and would require replacement. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the defect. The approximate failure mileage was 43,000.
Tl* the contact owns a 2005 ford focus. The contact stated that the transmission would not shift into second or third gear. The vehicle was taken to a mechanic who inspected the failure and advised that the shift solenoid and transmission needed to be replaced. The dealer was notified of the failure who informed her to bring the vehicle in and they will perform a full diagnostic test at her expense. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was 43,000.
Tl* the contact owns a 2005 ford focus. The contact stated that the second and third gears failed. The vehicle was taken to an authorized dealer and they stated that the transmission needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired. Approximately 50,000 miles later, the failure recurred and the transmission began to slip. The manufacturer was notified and offered no assistance. The failure mileage was approximately 38,000. Updated 09/19/11 *bf updated 2/23/12
Tl* the contact owns a 2005 ford focus. The contact was driving 35 MPH when the vehicle became resistance to acceleration attempts. The vehicle was taken to a dealer who was unable to diagnose the failure. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure and the vehicle was not repaired. The failure and the current mileage was 66,000.
Automatic transmission was in drive and under way when rpms raced up. It seemed to be out of gear. Transmission indicated it was in drive. I thought that the od gear had malfunctioned. After disengaging the od the vehicle seemed to be locked in 2nd gear (as engine RPM & sound indicated). After taking it to the repair shop it was determined the shift solenoids were ok & it required the transmission to be torn apart for inspection. Mazda provides the automatic to ford. The transmission should not fail at this mileage. According to the repair shop it was the 4th low mileage vehicle in a week requiring a complete rebuild of the transmission.
Stopping car and placing car in park sometimes the car will not go all the way in park and the keys will not release from ignition. When the car is restarted the button for the automatic shifter will shift out of park without pressing down the brake pedal.
O/d light came on. Automotive shop ran a test and retrieved code p0767. Shop replaced the solenoid and car would still not shift into 2nd gear. Shop wanted to replace the transmission but I declined as the car only had 52,000 miles. Took the car to a ford dealership and they said there was no 2nd or 4th gear. Dealership said it was a possible broken band or failed band apply piston. They removed the pan and verified broken band. They replaced the 2-4 band and installed new band apply piston at a cost of $931.22 plus the cost of a rental car at $101.16. No car should have a transmission fail at 50,000 miles. I feel there was a defect in the parts used in the transmission. When I asked about installing a new transmission, I was concerned that they would install the same transmission that failed in my car. The shop said not to worry because the transmission has all updated parts! The response leads me to believe that the parts in my transmission were defective and I should be reimbursed the cost of my repairs. I called ford motor company and since there was not a recall they could not help me. Again, no car should have a transmission fail at 50,000 miles.
I'm having problems with the car hesitating while driving. This has repeatedly happened. I have a little over 90,300 miles on the car. It really scares me when I'm going at least 60 MPH on the highway and press the gas to accelerate and then get the hesitation or pullback as if it is going to cut off. I'm afraid it is going to cut off while I am driving it. It also happens when I'm driving 35 MPH. When this happens and I cut the car and start it back up, the clock resets to 12:00 and the radio comes on blasting. My lights flicker when it happens at night. I took it to the dealership and they replaced the fuel pump module. This has not helped one bit and I am out $462. They have quoted me a price of $1500 if the fuel pump module replacement did not work. They tell me it will probably be the PCM that needs replacing.
The ignition key sticks in my 2005 ford focus. It cannot be removed from the ignition. Research on the internet reveals that this a common problem. It has to do with shifter cable that costs $650. Is it safe? I am not certain. I am not sure whether the shift is locking adequately. Why hasn't ford recalled this problem?
2005 ford focus passanger side a arm bolt holding the a arm to the wheel lossend and just one bolt fell out on the road causing the tire and the remainder of the front wheel assembly to jam under the fender pulling the axle out of the transmission stopping the car thankfull that the car was going slow and stopped and not on a freeway at a high rate of speed. This car has only 39171 miles and had been to the ford dealer frequent for a noise problem that they could not find the noise and never fixed the problem. This car has been in the family and has not been abused comments were made at the repair shop as to the amount of damage the lack of one bolt caused and that lucky as to the speed to which it came apart this event could have been alot worse. The speed was about 25 MPH going thru a roundabout traffic signal north bound and continuing to the north making a right starting in the round about then a left in the roundabout and a right leaving the roundabout the wheel jamed under the fender stopping the car in its tracks just clearing the roundabout got out to inspect the reason the car stopped and the passanger wheel was turned right and under the fender the left wheel was facing correct straight ahead.
Tl*the contact owns a 2005 ford focus. While driving approximately 25 MPH it became very difficult to shift gears. The dealer advised the contact that the clutch needed to be replaced. The current and failure mileage was 4000.
I was driving without any warning a pop sound and my clutch would not go into any gears. I had to force it into second gear all the way home. Total of 3 failures approx. 1 month apart final result on my third trip for repairs ended with me unable to stop in time which caused me rear ending the back of a truck. I damaged the front of my car. After numerous attempts to repair my car both engine and body I still have no car. My car has 1,200 miles on it. 2005 ford focus bought brand new from dealership and unable to go anywhere in it. I don't have the old parts. The lady told me that she would check into it to see if the damages would be covered by them. Considering the accident would not of happened in the first place if they would of fixed my car right the first time. Either way she called me to let me know they weren't going to cover it.
Ford focus 2005, 20,000 miles can not remove key from ignition due to problem after shifting the car into park. This is not an isolated incident as we have discovered many other owners with ford focus from 200-2007 having the same problem. The dangerous issue here is that we have to leave the car parked with the key in the ignition. Even though the key can't be removed it can still start the car again and go. This car is left open for thieves to steal. It has not been recalled and it is an expensive fix by dealers since it's not under warranty. Why if there are so many sites on the web with owners like myself with this problem, not being addressed as a recall by ford.
I purchased a used 2005 ford focus with exactly 30,000 miles on it, around 40,000 I noticed my transmission started to slip, further research revealed many people complaining of this same thing before they even reach 60,000. Seems to me it is a factory defect in the transmission. Even after being looked at I am going to have to pay lots of money to get it repaired due to the warranty only being at the 40,000 mark. Which the dealer never told me that the warranty they offered was void if original factory warranty was still in effect. In which I ended up on the short end of the stick because their warranty they give for the used cars outlasts what I had remaining on the factory warranty. This is ridiculous. Severe slipping when transmission goes to shift into third and fourth gear.
I bought a 2005 ford focus zx3 at the end of 2004. At 42,000 miles the clutch went out without any warning. I have driven manual cars since first getting my license over 20 years ago, so I know how to drive a manual transmission. I looked up info on the internet and found that ford knows of the problem (tsb# 05256 the federal safety agency id# 10018945 dated jan. 1, 2005). Now that the clutch (which ford knew about ) went bad, ford says it is not a warranty part and they will not replace, leaving me to pay for it out of my pocket. I don't think customers should pay for ford's bad parts.
I purchased a 2005 ford focus in january 2005. Approximately 14 months after the purchase the car started having major power train failure. This has resulted in the repair/replacement of the engine, the clutch 3 times, the transmission, and the shifting cables.
The transmission on my 2005 focus was difficult to shift into 1st gear. The dealership replaced it under warranty during 7 - 16 march 2007. While doing the work they nicked the brake line just enough to create a slow leak. The location of the leak was near the front left tire. After one day of driving, all the fluid leaked out and the brakes failed while my wife was driving it. The dealership arranged to pick up the focus with a tow truck. They repaired the brakes (19-23 mar). On 23 mar, my wife picked up the focus. Approximately 1/2 mile from the dealership, the driver's side airbag deployed while she was turning left. The force of the impact pushed her left arm down and to the right, pulling the steering wheel to the left, causing her to hit the curb. No other vehicle was nearby or involved. She was able to maneuver the focus into the parking lot of a medical treatment facility, where she was treated for cervical injury. The dealership picked up the focus with a tow truck. At the dealership they put the focus up on a lift and I inspected the undercarriage along with the service manager and mechanic. The brake rotor was complete separated from the wheel and the lower control arm was bent at about a 20 degree angle from normal. The wheel was noticeably scratched and the tire was cut. The service manager suggested that my wife hit the curb causing the airbag to deploy. My wife is absolutely positive the airbag deployed causing her to hit the curb.
On 2/24/07, I made a purchase at a drive through window at a fast food restaurant. I leaned across the center console to place the order on the passenger side floor. While doing so, I bumped the gear shift and it moved from drive to neutral without depressing the lock button on the side of the gear shift handle. Upon arriving home, I tested the gear shift handle, and found I could move it from reverse to neutral to drive, and from drive to neutral, all without depressing the gear shift release button. It seems to me that unintended shifting while driving could result in a serious incident, and I believe the shift release button is designed to prevent that. On this vehicle, this is a problem.
There was shaking in the front of my car...I finally went to the dealership where I bought my 2005 ford focus and when they checked it out, they said that they would have to replace the right front axle assembly....then in nov. 2005 I moved to sylva, and have been to andy shaw ford 3 or 4 different times for them to check the shaking in the front of my car, twice to be told that my tires were out of balance, and that nothing else was found at the time...the first couple times I went there, I was told that my tires were out of balance, and they charged me for balancing my tires...which this was not the problem, nor did it fix the problem...around the third time I went to the dealership in sylva, they did a test drive with me in the car and was told by two representatives of the dealership that nothing was wrong with my car and that it rode like any other ford focus...I purchased 4 new tires for my car at a local tire dealer this past saturday, and today I went to an auto repair shop and told them what was happening with my car, and they put my car up on a lift, and started my car and gave it the gas so that my two front tires would spin, and the driver's front side tire was not spinning right, but the other front tire was spinning smoothly...the fellow told me that it could be my wheel, or my tire, and I told him that I had just purchased new tires...then I went back to where I bought my new tires, and ask them would they put the driver's front tire on the new wheel that I had in my car and they did and I test drove the car, and the problem was not fixed...I talked to a ford certified mechanic that has his own shop and was told that it could be the tie rod, he went on to tell me that someone else had came to his shop with the same problem, same type of car, same year, and all... I have been to the ford dealership in salisbury, nc where I bought my car, as well have made several trips to the ford dealership here in sylva to be told that my tires were out of balance.
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