I am the owner of a 2012 Ford Focus SE with approximately 54,000 miles. Beginning around 44,000 miles, the vehicle exhibited transmission shuddering, harsh engagement, and improper downshifting consistent with known DPS6 Transmission Control Module (TCM) defects. Prior to the expiration of Ford Customer Satisfaction Program 14M02 on June 30, 2025, I confirmed coverage through Ford’s recall website and presented the vehicle to an authorized Ford dealership on May 27, 2025 (documented in Carfax). The dealership declined repair, stating no diagnostic trouble codes or warning indicators were present and incorrectly advised that customer satisfaction programs do not expire. On December 18, 2025, while driving at highway speed, the vehicle experienced sudden loss of drivability. Traction control was disabled, hill assist became unavailable, engine RPM increased abnormally, and the vehicle stalled in traffic. The instrument cluster displayed “Transmission Malfunction – Service Now.” The vehicle would not restart and required towing from the roadway, creating a hazardous traffic situation. The dealership later diagnosed a complete TCM failure and provided a repair estimate of approximately $1,800. Ford Motor Company has publicly acknowledged widespread TCM defects in 2012–2016 Ford Focus vehicles and issued multiple recalls and customer satisfaction programs, including later supplements authorizing TCM replacement rather than software reprogramming. Despite my documented attempt to obtain service before the program deadline, Ford denied coverage solely due to expiration. Ford corporate denied goodwill assistance, refused supervisor escalation, and asserted that a TCM software reprogramming performed in 2016 at approximately 19,000 miles resolved the issue. Software reprogramming does not correct the underlying hardware defect and only delays failure. This vehicle has experienced repeated transmission-related failures under 54,000 miles and remains disabled at the dealers
2012 Ford Focus transmission complaints
Page 2 of 49: complaints 11 to 40 of 1,448, newest first, as owners wrote them.
The contact owns a 2012 Ford Focus. The contact stated that the rear driver’s side door failed to open as intended. The contact used force to attempt to open the door and failed. No warning lights were illuminated. The contact stated that when the vehicle was purchased, she was informed that the vehicle had an open recall related to the federal safety agency Campaign Number: 20V331000 (LATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGES). When the contact retrieved the vehicle, the contact was informed that the recall had been repaired; however, there was no proof that the vehicle was under recall or that the recall repair was performed. The contact stated that several weeks later, mold was found in the driver’s seat and on the driver’s side seat belt. The contact stated that after a snowstorm, the moonroof was misty, and there was a water ring found above the interior roof. The vehicle was not taken to the dealer or an independent mechanic. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact stated that on a separate occasion, after starting the vehicle, there was an abnormal hissing sound coming from the vehicle underneath the driver’s side of the vehicle. No warning lights were illuminated. The contact was able to drive to the post office. After returning to the vehicle and starting the vehicle, the abnormal hissing sound persisted. The vehicle was not taken to the dealer or an independent mechanic. Upon further investigation, the contact related the failure to Manufacturer Recall Number: 18S32. The manufacturer was notified of the failures and would not confirm if the VIN was or was not under recall. The failure mileage was 129,354.
I purchased this car as a certified pre owned car from the Mazda dealership In mechanicsburg PA about two and a half years ago. The transmission failed and the car was unsafe to drive after 3 months from the purchase date. The Mazda dealership didn’t know how to fix the transmission as it’s a complicated process. They tried to send it to a ford dealership but they would not work on it. It took Mazda awhile to finish my transmission because they didn’t know how to fix it. Now the same exact problem is occurring two years later. I haven’t even put 40,000 miles on my car after the replacement of the new transmission. As I stated before the car is unsafe to drive and I need it for work. This brand new transmission should not be failing after only 2 years and 35,000 miles. Included files are from November 2022 when I purchased the car and from February and march 2023 when the transmission was fixed.
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)
The contact owns a 2012 Ford Focus. The contact stated that while driving between first and second gear, the vehicle shuddered and lost motive power temporarily. The vehicle was taken to two independent mechanics, where the contact was informed that the TCM or the shift interlock actuator needed to be replaced. The contact stated that after the mechanic replaced the shift interlock actuator, the vehicle operated as needed temporarily, and the failure recurred. The vehicle was taken to the dealer to be repaired under a Class Action Lawsuit settlement; however, the dealer informed the contact that the vehicle was not covered. The dealer diagnosed that the transmission clutch was slipping, and the dealer determined that the transmission needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact stated that the vehicle had failed to respond upon shifting to reverse(R) and failed to exceed first gear or 10 MPH. The check engine warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and confirmed that the VIN was not under recall. The contact was referred to the federal safety agency Hotline for assistance. The failure mileage was approximately 67,000.
I own a 2012 Ford Focus with approximately 51,000 miles. The transmission warning light came on, and I was informed by a repair shop that the transmission control module (TCM) and gears need repair. This vehicle uses the PowerShift dual-clutch transmission (DPS6), which has been the subject of a class-action lawsuit and multiple extended warranties due to widespread failures. The car exhibits jerking, delayed acceleration, and loss of power, which create dangerous driving conditions, particularly when merging into traffic or crossing intersections. Ford informed me I am outside the warranty period and refused to assist, despite this being a well-documented, recurring safety issue for which they have admitted fault in other cases. I am reporting this issue because it poses a serious safety hazard, and I believe the TCM defect should be subject to a mandatory recall. Ford is shifting the burden of a known manufacturing defect onto consumers, and this needs to be addressed before someone is injured.
The contact's mother owns a 2012 Ford Focus. The contact stated that while his mother was driving at an undisclosed speed, the transmission was slipping, and the vehicle stalled. The check engine warning light was illuminated. The contact's mother pulled over and had the vehicle towed to an independent mechanic and the dealer, who determined that the Transmission Control Module (TCM) had failed and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact related the failure to Customer Satisfaction Program: 14M02 (Transmission Control Module Extended Warranty Coverage); however, the vehicle was not included. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and advised the contact to file a complaint with the federal safety agency Hotline. The failure mileage was approximately 100,000.
The contact owns a 2012 Ford Focus. The contact stated that while driving 35 MPH, the vehicle jerked and the transmission unexpectedly downshifted. The contact was able to pull over to the side of the road. The message "Transmission Overheating" was displayed, and the check engine warning light illuminated. The contact turned off the vehicle and waited until the transmission had cooled down. The contact was able to restart the vehicle. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, where it was diagnosed that the transmission had failed and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and referred the contact to the federal safety agency Hotline for assistance. The approximate failure mileage was 195,000.
I am reporting a recurring safety issue with the DPS6 dual-clutch automatic transmission in my 2012 Ford Focus (VIN: [XXX] ). The vehicle intermittently fails to shift beyond 3rd gear while in motion, resulting in loss of acceleration and inability to maintain safe highway speeds. The most recent incident occurred in July 2025 while my son was driving. The car would not upshift past 3rd gear, forcing him to pull off the road. We took the vehicle to a Ford dealership, which ran diagnostics and ultimately identified diagnostic trouble code P2832: “Shift Fork B Position Sensor Circuit Low.” This error points to failure of the clutch actuator assembly, a key component of the DPS6 system. The dealership linked the issue to internal transmission component failure but stated the original warranty repair had already been used and no coverage was currently open. Ford Customer Relationship Center advised us to have the dealer submit through the Specialty Recall Program and to file a safety complaint with the federal safety agency. This failure is consistent with the issues outlined in Technical Service Bulletin (TSB) 16-0109, which addresses shuddering, hesitation, and shifting failure in Ford’s DPS6 transmission due to actuator and clutch contamination. The vehicle previously underwent warranty repair for transmission issues, and this is a repeat failure tied to the same known defect. This defect affects drivability and safety, especially for younger or less experienced drivers. Ford has acknowledged the defect in class action settlements and internal bulletins, but is denying coverage in this case. I am requesting the federal safety agency investigate this ongoing pattern of failure and pressure Ford to address these safety risks before they result in serious injury. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
The contact owns a 2012 Ford Focus. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the transmission unexpectedly downshifted with the check engine warning light illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, where it was diagnosed and determined that the TCM, purge valve, and clutch assembly had failed and needed to be replaced. The TCM and purge valve were repaired under warranty. The clutch assembly was not repaired or replaced. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and referred the contact to the federal safety agency hotline for further assistance. The approximate failure mileage was 128,000.
The contact owns a 2012 Ford Focus. The contact stated while at a stop light, the accelerator pedal was depressed; however, the vehicle failed to move forward. The contact stated that the failure had occurred while driving on a major highway. The contact stated that after the vehicle sat for approximately ten minutes, the vehicle was restarted, and the vehicle independently reset. The vehicle was driven to the residence. In addition, the contact stated that several days prior to the failure, the vehicle was started; however, the gear shifter failed to shift into drive(D). The contact stated the gear shifter only shifted into reverse(R), and the transmission fault warning light illuminated. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired by an independent mechanic or the dealer. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure but provided no assistance. The contact was advised to contact the federal safety agency Hotline to report the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 37,000.
The contact owns a 2012 Ford Focus. The contact stated while driving 45 MPH, the message "Transmission Hot," was displayed. In addition, the transmission was slipping. The vehicle was taken to the dealer; however, the vehicle was not inspected or diagnosed. The contact was informed that the failure was a known failure, there was no fix available. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact stated that the failure persisted. The manufacturer was notified of the failure, a case was opened, and the contact was referred to the federal safety agency Hotline for assistance. The failure mileage was approximately 225,000.
The contact owns a 2012 Ford Focus. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle jerked and failed to accelerate as intended while depressing the accelerator pedal. In addition, the contact stated the transmission unexpectedly downshifted before slamming into gear. The vehicle intermittently returned to normal functionality, or the RPM would fluctuate, and the transmission would shift rough. No warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, who retrieved DTC: P07A3 (Failure with the clutch A stuck causing transmission friction). The contact was informed that the clutch actuator needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not yet repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure, a case was opened, and the contact was referred to the federal safety agency Hotline for assistance. The failure mileage was approximately 150,000.
Unknown
The contact owns a 2012 Ford Focus. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle inadvertently lost motive power. The contact was able to pull over to the shoulder of the roadway, where the failure persisted for approximately an hour. After restarting the vehicle, 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 was unable to duplicate the failure. The vehicle was not repaired. After investigating the failure, the contact related the failure to Customer Satisfaction Program: 14M02. The manufacturer was notified of the failure but provided no assistance. The failure mileage was 171,000.
The contact owns a 2012 Ford Focus. The contact stated that the message “Transmission Overheating – Pullover and Wait 5 Minutes Before Continuing to Drive” was displayed. The contact stated that the vehicle jerked while driving at various speeds, the transmission failed to shift properly. The contact stated that while attempting to accelerate from idling, the vehicle jerked abnormally before accelerating. The contact stated that occasionally the RPM became elevated; however, the vehicle failed to accelerate as intended. The vehicle was taken to the dealer who diagnosed that the Transmission Control Module (TCM) had failed and the dual-clutch system, A and B, was faulty and needed to be replaced. Additionally, the seals on the transmission had failed, causing transmission fluid to leak from the transmission. The contact was informed that the TCM, dual-clutch system, and seals need to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was informed of the failure and provided the contact with a reference number for the call. The manufacturer referred the contact to the federal safety agency Hotline to report the failure. The failure mileage was unknown.
We have had constant problems with the car just randomly not starting. Some days it’ll work fine and then the next it won’t start even if you try to jump it
The contact owns a 2012 Ford Focus. The contact stated the vehicle failed to start. No warning light was illuminated. The contact called AAA, who jump-started the vehicle. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic who diagnosed the vehicle and determined that the purge valve had failed. The contact stated that the vehicle was repaired. The contact stated that on a separate occasion, while driving 10 MPH up a hill and attempting to accelerate, the vehicle briefly lost motive power and jerked before slamming into first gear. Several unknown warning lights were illuminated. The contact stated that the vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic who diagnosed that the transmission control module had failed. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact stated that the failure reoccurred. The contact received a postcard from the manufacturer for a manufacturer's recall for the canister purge valve (24N07). The manufacturer was not informed of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 70,000.
The contact owns a 2012 Ford Focus. The contact stated while driving at approximately 35 MPH, the accelerator pedal was depressed; however, the vehicle hesitated before responding as intended. The contact stated that several unknown warning lights were illuminated. The contact had taken the vehicle to a local dealer; however, the vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The contact stated that the hesitation occurred at various speeds, with an abnormal whirring sound coming from underneath the vehicle. The manufacturer was not informed of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 107,000.
The contact owns a 2012 Ford Focus. The contact stated that upon starting the vehicle, the engine started to shake violently; occasionally, causing the vehicle to shut off unexpectedly. The contact was able to restart the vehicle. There was no warning light illuminated. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, where it was diagnosed, and the contact was informed that the torque converter was faulty and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 81,000.
The contact owns a 2012 Ford Focus. The contact stated while the vehicle was parked and attempting to start the vehicle, the vehicle failed to respond. The vehicle was under warranty and was taken to the dealer. The vehicle was diagnosed with clutch failure. The vehicle was repaired, and the clutch was replaced. On another occasion, the vehicle started to lose motive power and failed to reverse. The check engine warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic where it was diagnosed that the clutch had left residue, which caused the transmission to fail. The vehicle was then taken to a dealer where it was diagnosed with clutch failure; however, the contact was informed that the clutch was not under warranty. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 93,000.
Transmission shudders and struggles to shift gears due to sticking clutch. This causes a dangerous delay in transmission engagement. (Numerous occasions without specific dates.) I have previously had the TCM reprogrammed multiple times.( 8 or 9 times) The car still does not drive properly. I have brought it in to 2 Ford dealerships to have the Ford customer satisfaction program completed. Both dealerships refused to honor the Ford CSP. (Five Star Ford of North Richland Texas and Southwest Ford of Weatherford Texas)
The contact owns a 2012 Ford Focus. The contact stated while driving at approximately 65 MPH, the check engine warning light illuminated, and the vehicle was losing motive power. The contact was able to exit the highway and stop the vehicle. The contact turned off and restarted the vehicle and was able to regain vehicle functionality. The contact stated that the vehicle was taken to a local dealer who diagnosed the vehicle. The contact stated that the vehicle was repaired; however, the contact was not notified of the cause of the failure. The contact stated that the failure reoccurred. The contact stated that the vehicle was taken back to the same dealer several times and the contact was advised that the vehicle was repaired; however, the failure reoccurred. The contact received a postcard from the manufacturer for two manufacturer recalls for the TCM: (14M02) and Canister purge valve (24N07); however, after calling the dealer, the contact was informed that the vehicle was no longer covered under warranty for the manufacturer recalls. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not informed of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 91,000.
The contact owns a 2012 Ford Focus. The contact stated that upon the depression of the accelerator pedal, the vehicle hesitated and jerked with several unknown warning lights illuminated. The vehicle was towed to a dealer and was diagnosed with a defective motor mount. The vehicle was then taken to an independent mechanic and was diagnosed with a defective transmission. The contact was informed by the independent mechanic that they did not have the tools to repair the vehicle. The vehicle was taken back to the dealer and the contact was informed that the TCM (Transmission Control Module) was defective and needed to be replaced. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was approximately 94,000.
The contact owns a 2012 Ford Focus. The contact stated that the transmission was slipping, shuddering, and jerking when attempting to accelerate at various speeds and during the initial start-up. There were no warning lights illuminated. The contact researched online and found it to be a known issue with the transmission control module failing, The vehicle was taken to the dealer, approximately 18 times in total, who were unable to diagnose the failure. The control module had been replaced and adjustments had been completed multiple times however the failure had persisted. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and opened a case regarding the failure. The manufacturer referred the contact to the federal safety agency Hotline to file a safety complaint. The failure mileage was 5.
The contact owns a 2012 Ford Focus. The contact stated while his wife was driving at an undisclosed speed and attempting to accelerate up an incline, the vehicle inadvertently lost motive power. The contact pulled over to the shoulder of the roadway and the vehicle returned to normal functionality, but the failure became a regular failure. No warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, who diagnosed a failure with the clutch. The contact was informed that the clutch needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. After investigating the failure, the contact related the failure to the federal safety agency Campaign Number: 13V523000 (Power Train); but the VIN was not included. The manufacturer was notified of the failure, a case was opened, and the contact was referred to the federal safety agency Hotline for assistance. The failure mileage was 79,000.
The contact owns a 2012 Ford Focus. While the contact's son was driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle shuddered with the check engine warning light illuminated. The contact stated that the failure occurred a short distance from the residence. The vehicle was driven back to the residence. The vehicle was then towed to the dealer where it was diagnosed with transmission clutch assembly failure. The contact was informed that the transmission clutch assembly needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired. Additionally, the contact stated that the failure had occurred several times. The contact stated that the transmission clutch assembly had been replaced in 2019, 2020, and 2021, and the repairs were covered under warranty. The contact stated that another Ford dealer had completed the previous repairs. The contact stated that in 2021 after the repair was performed, the contact was provided a discount if the failure reoccurred; however, the discount was not applied during the July 2024 repair. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and a case was filed. The failure mileage was approximately 139,164.
The contact owns a 2012 Ford Focus. The contact stated while driving at approximately 65 MPH, the vehicle stalled and shuddered; the vehicle made an abnormal sound. No warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was taken to a dealer where it was diagnosed that the clutch assembly, lever assembly, along several other unknown parts needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact did research and was made aware of an unknown the federal safety agency Campaign Number however, the VIN was not included. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and referred the contact to the federal safety agency Hotline to report the failure. The failure mileage was 28,139.
The contact owns a 2012 Ford Focus. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle unexpectedly downshifted, with the check engine warning light illuminated. The dealer was contacted. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 127,242.
The contact owns a 2012 Ford Focus. The contact stated that the check engine warning light was illuminated. While driving at various speeds, the contact had to manually shift the gear shifter to neutral and then to drive even though the vehicle had an automatic transmission. The vehicle was taken to the dealer who informed the contact that the transmission had failed and needed to be rebuilt or replaced. The vehicle had not been repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and confirmed that the VIN was not under recall. The manufacturer referred the contact to the federal safety agency Hotline to report the failure. The failure mileage was 78,971.
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