2014 Ford Focus: stuck in gear or won't shift

Filed Aug 8, 2026 · Transmission · PA

I own a 2014 Ford Focus Titanium with approximately 75,000 miles and the DPS6 automatic transmission. The transmission has developed a serious and recurring problem. The vehicle began violently jerking/shuddering while moving forward and suddenly would not go into reverse. A transmission warning light came on. After the battery was recharged, reverse temporarily returned, but the same transmission problems came back while driving. The vehicle was diagnosed with trouble code P090C:68, related to the clutch actuator system. Ford has known about recurring DPS6 transmission problems in these vehicles for years and has issued multiple technical service bulletins and customer programs addressing transmission clutch shudder, shifting problems, loss of engagement, and related failures. Ford’s own documentation has acknowledged conditions that can result in loss of transmission engagement, loss of power, and other driveability problems. My Ford dealer told me Ford has known about this problem for a long time but considers it not to be a safety issue and therefore will not pay for the repair. The dealer estimated the repair at $6,077.31, and I was charged $159 for the diagnosis. I believe this is a serious safety concern. Sudden jerking, unpredictable transmission engagement, inability to reverse, or unexpected loss of propulsion can create a dangerous situation when entering traffic, crossing an intersection, turning, accelerating from a stop, or attempting to move out of the path of another vehicle. I am concerned that Ford has known about these recurring transmission failures for years, yet affected vehicles can still experience potentially dangerous transmission failures without a permanent safety remedy. I request that the federal safety agency investigate the DPS6 transmission in 2014 Ford Focus vehicles and determine whether these known defects constitute a safety-related defect and whether a safety recall or other corrective action is warranted.

Filed Jul 21, 2025 · Transmission · TN

I recently purchased this car from a private seller. Within weeks, the vehicle began exhibiting serious transmission issues — including sudden loss of power, inability to shift correctly, and entering “limp mode”, which severely restricts speed and performance. I had the codes scanned and received P090C and P090C-00, which point to a transmission control module (TCM) or clutch actuator circuit failure — an issue widely known in these vehicles with the DPS6 PowerShift transmission. Ford previously issued a Customer Satisfaction Program (CSP 14M01) for this exact TCM failure, but they have since ended the program (as of June 30, 2025), and they are refusing to cover the repair — even though my vehicle is within the affected model year range and has not yet had the TCM replaced. The car has already had the clutch replaced, but the shifting problems and check engine light returned, putting me at risk while driving. This is a known, recurring safety issue, and the manufacturer is not standing behind its repair despite the car being part of a program that previously acknowledged this defect. I’m filing this complaint to urge the federal safety agency to reopen its investigation or require Ford to reinstate support for affected owners

Filed Jul 12, 2025 · Acceleration, Fuel system · TN

I’m pretty sure the tcm went out because the check engine light is on and it is shuddering and losing power randomly. Also will not go into reverse unless I shut car off.

Filed Jul 3, 2025 · Acceleration, Transmission · MO

I have a 2014 Ford Focus. For years, the car has been shaking when I slow down and speed up. I never really cared because it got me from point A to point B. But now it stalls and won't shift gears unless I go to high RPMS. The check engine light is on and a mechanic told me the transmission needs replaced. I have a DPS6 transmission and discovered that it is part of the class action lawsuit and extended warranty. I called Ford and they told me to write a letter to their office of general counsel. I am worried that is a stall tactic so I want to report it here. I no longer feel safe driving this vehicle.

Filed Nov 18, 2024 · Transmission · 83,000 miles · MN

The contact owns a 2014 Ford Focus. The contact stated while reversing, the vehicle failed to reverse as intended. In addition, the contact stated that the gear shifter did not function as intended. The contact stated that the gear shifter did not go into park or drive. The contact had to use the parking brake. The contact stated that he tried driving the vehicle again, the contact was able to drive a short distance and the failure reoccurred. In addition, the transmission was slipping. 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 and report the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 83,000.

Filed Jun 20, 2024 · Transmission · 99,000 miles · WA

The contact owns a 2014 Ford Focus. The contact stated that while driving on four occasions at various speeds, the vehicle shifted into neutral(N) inadvertently and would not shift into any other gear. The contact stated that the accelerator pedal was depressed again, and the transmission eventually shifted into the desired gear. Additionally, the contact stated that while driving on several occasions at various speeds, the vehicle was shuddering with an abnormal sound coming from the engine compartment while changing gear. The vehicle was towed to a dealer where it was diagnosed that the clutch assembly and shift motor needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 99,000.

Filed Jan 26, 2024 · Transmission · 143,000 miles · MD

The contact owns a 2014 Ford Focus. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, a message displayed reading "Transmission Overheating", after which the vehicle entered LIMP Mode and was unable to accelerate above 5 MPH. The contact was able to pull to the shoulder of the roadway and turn off the vehicle. After restarting the vehicle, the vehicle returned to normal functionality, but the failure became a regular failure. The check engine warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic, who diagnosed a failure with the dual clutch transmission. The vehicle was not repaired. After investigating the failure, the contact related the failure to Customer Satisfaction Program: 19N08, but the VIN was not included. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 143,000.

Filed Dec 26, 2023 · Transmission · TX

While driving on the freeway to go drop my daughter at school, the car started jerking and loosing speed, it wasn't responding or picking up speed when pressing on the gas pedal, it started slowing down and almost got hit from behind. Then a warning came on the dash showing check engine and "transmission overheating," at that moment I pulled over to the side of the freeway and parked the car. I was able to make it to my daughter's school, but after getting to my daughters school, the car would not go into drive or reverse, so I turned it off to cool it down. I tried to turn it back on and it failed to come back on, and so I had to get it towed from my daughter's school to my residence. The transmission was compromised and is now faulty because it failed to go into drive or reverse. I'm not sure why it's not starting. My safety and that of others was put at risk when the car jerked and started slowing down suddenly on the freeway and almost caused an accident. Not inspected and no diagnostic carried out yet. I'm in the process of having it towed to a ford dealership because there's a customer notice from Ford for extended warranty for the transmission control module.

Filed Apr 5, 2023 · Brakes, Electrical · 169,097 miles · MS

POWER STEERING ASSIST, FAILURE: ENGINE FAILURE TO START: POWER BRAKE ASSIST, FAILURE: TRANSMISSION CONTROL MODULE, FAILURE: CLUTCH FAILURE AND SHIFT ROUGHNESS:. CAR UNUSEABLE FOR THREE YEARS WITHOUT BECAUSE OF PARTS INAVAILABILITY: This type even happened mutiple times because of the transmission control module failure. The first sign of problems was shuddring and rough shifting beginning with about 30,000 miles on the vehicle Multiple trips to the Ford Dealerships resulted in Unsatisfactory action by Ford Motor company to repair the problem The result was safety problems like stalling and losing power steering and brake assist in traffic. It displayed multiple system failure warnings when it failed, Steering asist, Brake assist, ABS, transmission position light was in park while driving. We tried to get repairs done but they just kicked it down the road till we fought with the car to get 160,000 miles out of it because there was no other choice and they denied there was a problem. It was completely unserviceable beginning on the shown date because the clutch control and transmission control module have been faulty, It has started a few times but will not shift properly and the clutch is faulty because of the control module being bad. We paid to have the control module replaced when it became available, but the vehicle is not servicable because the clutch and flywheel are damaged from the module being faulty. This should have been a safety recall as soon as the problem was discovered, but it was hidden and the owners of these vehicles have had to deal with it over the last 10 years. Any of these cars on the road are just as dangerous as this one It.is still at the shop 4 months after they tried to patch it awaiting the determination of whether a clutch recall will fix it or not. These owners of these cars are driving time bombs if they are not able to react to the problems listed in traffic.

Filed Jan 29, 2023 · Engine · NY

There is a CSP recall on shudder clutch. The car shudders to the extreme and sometimes doesn't shift into second or third gear for 2-3 seconds nearly causing accidents while merging onto highways several times. I contacted I have taken it to the Ford dealership 3 times and called Ford and now want to acknowledge that that is the problem, but unfortunately the warranty has expired. I have been dealing with this for two years.

Filed Oct 20, 2022 · Transmission · 65,000 miles · NC

The contact owns a 2014 Ford Focus. The contact stated that while driving from a complete stop and depressing the accelerator pedal, the vehicle shuddered. There was no warning light illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer where the transmission clutch was replaced under an unknown recall. However, the contact stated while driving 45 MPH 6-months later, the vehicle downshifted to first gear independently. The contact was unable to veer to the side of the road. The contact turned off and restarted the vehicle. The contact shifted from park(P) to drive (D); however, the transmission remained stuck in first gear and the vehicle would not exceed 10 MPH while driving. The contact was able to drive back to his residence. The vehicle was towed to the dealer where it was diagnosed that the transmission control module (TCM) had failed and needed to be replaced; however, the parts were on back order. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and confirmed that the parts were on back order. The failure mileage was approximately 65,000.

Filed Oct 4, 2022 · Transmission · 115,000 miles · VA

The contact owns a 2014 Ford Focus. The contact stated that after starting the vehicle and shifting to drive(D) the vehicle would shudder and slip out of gear. The contact stated that the failure also occurred while driving uphill approximately 30 MPH, the vehicle started to shudder and slipped out of gear with the vehicle rolling backwards. The contact stated no warning light was illuminated. Additionally, the contact stated that on another occasion after the vehicle started shuddering, the vehicle remained stuck in first gear and the vehicle failed to exceed 10 MPH. The contact had the vehicle towed to a dealer where it was diagnosed and determined that a fork inside the transmission and many clutches needed to be replaced. The vehicle had not been repaired. The manufacturer had been informed of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 115,000.