2012 Ford Focus: won't start

Filed Sep 16, 2025 · Fuel system · NC

Everytime I go to get fuel the car will not crank it makes a terrible noise then cranks but its slow. The pressure in tank causes it to stall out.

Filed Aug 27, 2025 · Transmission · OH

On Friday [XXX], I was at a stop sign waiting to turn right, when it was my turn to go my car would not move at all, forward or back, the regular lights on the dash board were still on. I put my blinkers on and had all cars go around me. I turned my car off and then back on, that's when the check engine light came on. After 8 minutes of turning the car off and on, I was able to move backwards and forwards I was able to drive. I stopped at AutoZone on the way to get my car scanned. I received a report with a bunch of p-codes. I made it home, I called Ford, they didn't have any immediate appointments. The closet Ford dealership to me says they don't work on cars over 10 years old. I made an appointment at Firestone for saturday morning, they got the same P-codes and said they were all transmission problems and recommended I go to a Ford dealership or a transmission specialists. on my way home from Firestone, first my car speed felt like it was speeding up on it's on and then my car slowed down tremendously and I has to pull over, again I put my blinkers on. After 5 minutes I was able to move again, I was close to home. My car moved so slow feeling like it would stop any time, i drove with my blinkers on and made it home. On Monday my car wouldn't start up at all. A Ford that would take my car didn't have an appointment for 2 weeks. So I made an appointment with AAMCO for Tuesday and I had my car towed there because it wouldn't turn on. My safety was put at risk because I could have been driving at normal speed and could've slowed down out of know where and a car could have slammed into the back or side of me. AMMCO says it my dual input clutch assembly, actuators, forks and TCM This is my first time ever seeing the check engine light on [XXX] Ford's TCM extended warranty expired [XXX]. I called Ford's corporate customer service for help with diagnosis and repair but they said there was nothing they could do. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

Filed Sep 2, 2023 · Fuel system · GA

My check engine light went on and off for a while, and every time I filled up with gas my car would not start. I would have to turn it off and then on again in order to get it to run. I have attached details of the repair, which were a specific 2012 Ford Focus recall that my car had not been included in. Since this repair, my car’s fuel tank still does not function properly. My fuel gauge is faulty, which is dangerous because I could run out of gas at any moment even if it appears to be half full. My fuel tank is not pressurized enough to push enough gas into the tank to run as it should (I may have worded that wrong, but I am repeating what [XXX] has told me). This car should have been on the fuel pump recall list. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

Filed Aug 28, 2023 · Transmission · ME

The transmission shakes and shutters went to dealer and asked about the issue and they stated it was known issue and I should just accelerate very quickly which would clean the clutches. It did work temporarily. in August 2023 while driving the car it refused to down shift while climbing a hill. AFter stopping by the side of the road, the car would not start on the first try. After trying again car did start however it would not go into reverse. It would move forward however driving in heavy traffic the car would not shift out of second causing very high rpms. Limped it into the dealership where they stated it was the clutch and shifting forks. One month later I got the car back and on the way home it once again would not shift while climbing a hill and the check engine light came on. The next morning when I went out to start it once again it would not start. Once it did I could not shift it into revers and once again only second gear was available.

Filed Jul 19, 2023 · Engine, Transmission · KY

Hello, This is what happened to my 2012 Ford Focus SE. First I noticed that after putting gas the car doesn't start I have to try it 1 or 2 times more. Second when the vehicle stops on the traffic light sometimes it gets difficult to get out because is not taking the change correctly, so I have to press the clutch so hard. Because of the car doesn't show up any lights or signal that told me that the car is having a problem I took it to the dealership, and they did diagnostic, and the issues are confirmed.

Filed Jun 23, 2023 · Engine, Transmission · GA

Driving down the road and all of a sudden the transmission starts jumping out of gear and back in gear, then light comes on stating transmission is overheating. Shut car off to cool transmission and car will not start back, after around an hour car cranks back up, but continues to jumping in and out of gear and light stating transmission is overheating stop for 5 minutes and relays clicking under the hood around the motor/ transmission.

Filed Aug 10, 2022 · Fuel system · TN

Bought the car may 2020 and 3 months later the gas gauge would say empty when it wasn't. I would run out of gas multiple times and be stranded. I would keep a full gas tank in my trunk just incase because alot of times my kids were with me. The last time this happened the car stalled. I put gas in the car from my gas tank but it would not start anymore.

Filed Jul 13, 2021 · Electrical, Transmission · SC

First the dashboard panel went out , came back on several times , then it refused to start on the first and second tries , nothing just dead . Then the transmission was acting like it was slipping for no reason just when you stopped suddenly , then reverse went out with no warning . Check engine light came on . Now it won't crank and codes says it's a electrial problem . Low milage on this car . Why has it not been recalled ?

Filed Jun 4, 2021 · Fuel system · MD

The first incident occurred at a gas station. I filled my tank, turned my car on and put my car in drive as usual. As I took my foot off the brake, my car started to roll backwards. There was no dashboard lights on at this time. As I was driving home, the check engine light came on. I went home to research places to take my car to be checked. I left back out and when I started my car, the check engine light was no longer on. I restarted my car several times and drove back and forth to see if the light would come back on and it did not. The light did not come back on for about 2 weeks and when it did, my car stopped while I was driving. I was able to restart it but it was scary having my car stop while driving. I filled up my tank this morning and when I tried to start it, it did not start. It did start after a second try.

Filed Mar 29, 2021 · Engine, Transmission · 128,000 miles · AR · crash

I few day after getting this car I felt a hesatats going in to 2 gear shortly later I took it had it diagnosed but they said it would be about $70 unless it was a recall on it so they did the said the TCM was out and it has a recall on it but also I need a clutch and that was $4000. So they fixed it and it's it all good now about 2 no. Later I was stopped at a red light with a SUV in front of me I had my foot on the brake and it started fellow writing in that shop for you made me hit the SUV in front.of me, it started doing the other stuff again I felled my gas up and tried to start it but it would start I seat the a lil the tried it again if stared just when I started driving it was jerking really bad I stop at the closest place I can get a diagnostic brand on it the said it was something in the gas tank so I took it back to the ford place cause the was a recall on something to do with the gas tank they fixed it ones again but shortly after that more started going wrong the hazard light wouldn't warm, put it reverse it would do anything but set there and raise my RPM's, but then it started working again so we kept on driving it, it would just do all these things off and on other than the hazard light never worked again , driving down the road want about 5miles it was running hot so I pulled over and killed it and called my dad he checked all the fluids the where fine but I tried to start it it wouldn't start seat the a lil the it started so I took it to the shop I always used on some of my cars the said it was my fan it was $400. Going down the hwy 70mp it stoped accelerating the rpms went down to little past one like I was sitting idling pulled over on the side of the highway without causing an accident I had to turn the car off then I restarted and then shifting down the road again but still haven't all kinds of problems this car is probably a death trap

Filed Oct 19, 2020 · MI

As I was driving the car it stalled and would not restart. This has happened several times. The last time it happened I was driving down my drive way and it stalled. It would not start and it sat in my driveway for several days. I finally got it to the ford dealership. They said that nothing was wrong with the car.

Filed May 4, 2020 · Acceleration, Engine · 3 miles · OK

Taki off from stop light car is stalling, turned vehicle off and will not start again