2013 Ford Focus: sudden loss of power

Filed Sep 9, 2026 · Electrical · ME

RE: FAULTY THROTTLE WIRING / LOCATION CAUSING CORROSION 2013 FORD FOCUS - RECALL NEEDED To Whom It May Concern: My 2013 Ford Focus SE Flex with VIN [XXX] lost power while traveling from [XXX] to [XXX] a couple times before completely dying. My code reader was getting fixed throttle codes 2112, 2111 and pending codes 122, 223. I switched out the throttle body AND accelerator pedal position sensor. This did NOT resolve the issue. I had the Focus towed to Downey Ford in [XXX] where they found a Technical Service Bulletin stating endless Focuses had this issue with corroded wiring, which appears to be caused by TSB 15-0036, which is regarding the wiring harness rubbing against a sharp part of the intake, which can cause shorts in the cables. This Ford Dealership repair cost me $845.80 + grief + an extended stay at my hospitable parents in [XXX]. This concern should be escalated to RECALL status as it leaves your loyal customers stranded on the roadside. My request is a full refund from Ford for $845.80 CAD. See Downey Ford Invoice # SO # XXX attached. Source: [XXX] [XXX]: Bear with me, this is going to be a bit long. TL;DR: Car will not accelerate, CEL/MTC states problem with "accelerator pedal position sensor". Wiring harness has been cut into by rubbing on intake. I want to splice it to fix it, but need advice due to length/resistance requirements. Two weeks ago, my wife was driving my 2013 Ford Focus SE Hatchback and right as she got off the freeway, it instantly lost power, a message appeared on the screen stating "Engine Fault - Repair Now", and it idled super rough. She restarted the engine and it was fine until she tried accelerating more than a tiny bit, at which point the same symptoms occurred again. She was able to limp the car home. Having misplaced my OBD2 scanner, I limped it over to the local auto parts store and they read the code as INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

Filed Feb 19, 2025 · Transmission · NY

I have the DPS6 Transmission from the Michigan plant. My Focus SE started to shudder, jerk, didn't want to shift,. Also, acted like the car was going to stall and when in reverse wouldn't back up. I also had problems with loss of power. I didn't feel safe when driving, what happens when I'm on the road if the car won't shift when in traffic? It's a hazard !! Had a new clutch, seals, gasket, cylinder put in (2023) and now( End of January 2025) it's started again along with shift forks as I was told by the dealership. Ford FIX THE PROBLEM your DPS6 Transmission should be REPLACED !! Are you waiting for deaths to happen ? You've known about this but haven't helped your customers.

Filed Dec 17, 2024 · Transmission · WA

I started experiencing intermittent (what seems like transmission) Issues about a little over a year ago. It would randomly occur and usually after the engine was warmed up and I had been driving a lot that day. It would only occur from a dead stop and then starting to accelerate from 1st to 2nd gear. The RPMs would go way high but the car wouldn’t accelerate I would let off the gas and then give it a little gas right away and it would seem to “grab” and the car wouldn’t accelerate start to go. It has over time increasingly gotten worse increasing from just 1st to 2nd gear and now 2nd to 3rd gear. I have a transmission that is a dual clutch transmission so it is an automatic but when I want to I can put my gear shifter into “S” mode (sport mode) and the car then acts as a manual transmission needing the driver to change gears by pushing a + or a - button on the gear shifter either when accelerating or downshifting gears. It never acted up in “S” Mode only during automatic driving until recently. What sparked my need to write in about this is when I was driving down the freeway the car all of a sudden lost power but the RPMs accelerated up into the Red zone on my tachometer. Essentially I was dead driving 60 mph down the freeway and quickly losing speed cars were swerving around me and one almost rear ended me. It put my life and the life of my passengers all at risk and it was scary! I had a good friend of mine who is an ASE Certified mechanic look at the car and he couldn’t see anything wrong but because this happens intermittently I wouldn’t expect the problem to occur for him during a five min test drive. However it doesn’t change the severity of what I have been experiencing. There was a previous recall on my vehicle for this transmission and these exact problems and although it was repaired (under a different owner) I am experiencing the same issues. Maybe the replacement transmission was also faulty? since my “service transmission” light came on as well.

Filed Jun 7, 2024 · Fuel system, Transmission · OH

I have had multiple instance of losing power with my car, I completed Customer Satisfaction Program 14M02 and the known issue was not solved. I then went to a mechanic to have a diagnostic test performed due to the check engine light being on and they concluded that the issue was the Canister Purge Valve as well as possibly the Charcoal Canister due to the CPV malfunctioning. Other than losing power within my car the other associated problems, as confirmed by mechanic, are rough idling, difficulty starting, decreased fuel economy, and increased emissions.

Filed Dec 16, 2023 · Electrical, Transmission · UT

I bought the car in November, 2021. I had it immediately start to shudder, noticed that for example when I tried to accelerate especially in the midst of turning in the middle of a busy road at an intersection I would stall and lose the ability to move the car, then the hazard lights would never turn on, then lost power to the components of the car which used to function normally. I’m a single mom caring for a child who has multiple disabilities and needs much assistance in which we are still being tested and on waiting lists for, and the last year our car was overheating always, despite the amount of work and repairs that we have paid for and other organizations helped us with, which is more than the cost of the actual cars worth and before any of these faulty parts or builds were common knowledge and available, I was never aware of this. I had the car in to multiple mechanics and we were told they couldn’t find the problem. We’ve repaired up to 5 grand or more and have been having to drive with the heat on for the last year full blast and windows down. We’ve had heat sickness and thrown up or ended up having severe headaches and dehydration. We then had the loss of power worsen, til 2 months ago. It was dead one morning and after jumping it, I couldn’t get it in reverse, so pushed it out and then it wouldn’t go over 10-15 mph nor would the hazard lights work. I got it to Ogden Ford, who said it’s the dual clutch part. I had it replaced and came up with the near grand. We have lost our entire life due to this, no help with outside assistance, almost homeless. Now we get a call saying the clutch part was replaced but the whole transmission has to be replaced and need to get 4 grand. Had told them no way I can. They had a salesmen call me to pitch a new car instead. I called Ford Motor company and asked customer relations to get help. They won’t even fix the existing recalls and we are losing our life. We need help. Please we have tried all we can.

Filed Nov 7, 2023 · Fuel system · FL

The canister purge valve has failed. Was not defective when recall #19S22 was performed. Car failed to start repeatedly and would not idle after refilling the tank from low (fuel light on) to approximately 75%. Eventually, the car did start and after keeping the RPMs at 2000 for a few minutes, the car is back to idling normally. Check engine light did not appear until 3 days after the stall at the gas station, which had a DTC P1450 code indicating inability for the car to bleed the fuel tank, suggesting the canister purge valve. Ford should offer the free replacement of the defective purge valve and inspection of the carbon canister and fuel tank even after the 19S22 recall was performed (which was just a software update and inspection at the time of service). The possibility of the car stalling not just at the gas station is a safety issue for others and the occupant because of the possibility of a sudden loss of power/becoming an obstruction/or abruptly stopping on the road.

Filed Aug 30, 2023 · Acceleration, Transmission · IN

My car will intermittently lose power, such as in the middle of an intersection, or turning in front of another vehicle, which puts me and my children at risk. The transmission is throwing a code for overheating and malfunctioning, and there is an open customer satisfaction bulletin for the transmission control module, but Ford refuses to replace it because it’s not throwing “the correct code “ I have had the clutch replaced three times if not four in the time that I’ve had the vehicle and it’s more than frustrating. It’s dangerous along with losing power. It will intermittently catch the gear that is trying to shift into and cause the car to accelerate rapidly, the transmission, shutter control module and clutch have been an issue in this car, along with a class action lawsuit, and now Ford has had my vehicle for three weeks, and refuses to do the open service campaign for the TCM because of the code issue and it refuses to do the clutch because even though it was replaced three years ago, they state that the warranty is only for 12 months regardless of the fact that it was the fourth clutch that put in the car , I am working with someone at Ford warranty in hopes of getting them covered because I know they have done it in other cases, but I am more than frustrated with the service. I’ve received so far very unprofessional, which is unfortunate because overall I do love my car I would’ve kept it all this time if I didn’t I 10-year-old car should not have had to have the transmission clutch replaced three times or four times in 10 years and under 150,000 miles.

Filed Apr 30, 2023 · Transmission · MA

Driving on the highway car started to make a loud noise when I tried to accelerate I couldn’t then I lost power, lucky I was near the breakdown lane. I pulled over no warning lights ever came on started up again put gear in drive and it wouldn’t move only worked in reverse. I just found out that the control module was recalled last November but I was never contacted.

Filed Mar 13, 2023 · Electrical, Engine · OH

I had my engine on in park and it stalled left me stranded and dashboard said engine fault service now when I tried starting the car it would turn over and I heard a bunch of clicking and the lights were flickering the dash and radio had no power and my wipers wouldn’t go off. I had to abandon my car on someone’s private property until I could get it towed they ended up calling the cops and gave me 48 hours to remove my car off there property. In my 2013 Ford Focus se I have experienced reduced engine power, hesitation, ENGINE STALLS while driving with NO WARNING Front and rear lights flicker and dim random spikes in voltage and inconsistent start-up issues like sometimes the vehicle does not start when turning the ignition on and car suddenly starts or idles down unexpectedly and stutters/lurches when driving. Also sometimes my radio fails to have power. I have replaced relay fuses starter fuses purge valve bought a new battery bought a new alternator I changed o2 sensors spark plugs filters etc I took it to Fred Martin Ford and they advised me they found intermittent communication failure between PCM and TCM. Performed wire trace on harness found harness frayed that runs along transmission unit. There are wiring harness recalls on Certain 2013 and 2014 Model Year Focus ST and Escape Vehicles Equipped with a 2.0L Engine Engine Wiring Splice Repair Safety Recall 14S17 My 2013 Ford Focus SE 2.0L Engine does not fall under this recall how come? There are several other customers having the same wiring harness issues.

Filed Dec 3, 2022 · Transmission · TX

Loss of power when engaged, transmission slips to lower gear causing u to slow down and will not engage back in to drive then jerks when gas is applied. I have eluded several accidents and cause others to swerve to miss me. Check engine light is on. When taken in to dealer they have changed the TCM 3 or 4 times but is still doing the same thing.

Filed Oct 11, 2022 · Steering · 82,000 miles · AZ

The contact owns a 2013 Ford Focus. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle experienced a loss of power steering assist. The vehicle was not diagnosed nor repaired by an independent mechanic or dealer. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 82,000. The VIN was unavailable.

Filed Sep 23, 2022 · AR

Lost power while driving on highway. Ford dealership identified problem with TCM. Car has not been repaired at this time. Waiting for back ordered TCM.