My 2018 Ford Focus has not been running correctly since about 30000 miles. As I accelerate, the car has trouble shifting into the next gear and will make a rattle noise that sounds like an object hitting against a fan blade. This makes it difficult to speed up on the freeway or accelerate correctly when I get a green light. I take it into the dealership regularly for an oil change and tune up but when I mentioned the issue they have told me they don't hear it and nothing is wrong.
2018 Ford Focus transmission complaints
Page 6 of 12: complaints 131 to 160 of 319, newest first, as owners wrote them.
I purchased this car recently, and it ended up having a faulty transmission. Research shows many of these car’s with a “Power shift” transmission have had the same issue. Please do what’s right, and initiate a recall. Thank you!
The contact owns a 2018 Ford Focus. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, the RPM's were increasing and decreasing erratically on the tachometer, after which the vehicle lost motive power. The vehicle returned to normal functionality, but the failure became a regular occurrence. The check engine warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, who determined that the transmission was not shifting properly. Due to the failure the clutch 'A' stuck-engaged fault requiring the transmission 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: 18V169000 (Power Train) but the VIN was not included. The manufacturer was notified of the failure but referred the contact to the federal safety agency Hotline for assistance. The failure mileage was 40,000.
The contact owns a 2018 Ford Focus. The contact stated that while attempting to drive from a complete stop, the vehicle shut off inadvertently. The contact was able to restart the vehicle. The contact stated that the failure had been recurring while driving from a complete top. Additionally, the contact stated that while driving uphill and depressing the accelerator pedal, the vehicle shuddered and hesitated to respond. There was an abnormally loud sound coming from the engine. The check engine warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, where it was diagnosed that the failure was related to the powertrain system. The mechanic referred the contact to the dealer. An unknown dealer was notified of the failure and informed the contact that she would be charged a diagnostic fee. The contact declined to pay the diagnostic fee. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The contact related the failure to an unknown recall. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 76,890.
The contact owns a 2018 Ford Focus. The contact stated that when her son started the vehicle, the check engine warning light illuminated. The contact stated that while her son was driving at an undisclosed speed, the RPM increased; however, the vehicle failed to accelerate as intended. The contact's son immediately parked the vehicle. The vehicle was towed to the dealer where it was diagnosed with a failed tube assembly and a failed clutch assembly. The contact was informed that the clutch assembly and tube assembly needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 38,834.
The contact owns a 2018 Ford Focus. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, the transmission was stuck in first gear and the vehicle failed to shift gear as designed. The check engine warning light was illuminated. The contact was able to drive to the residence. The vehicle was towed to the dealer, where the transmission control module was replaced; however, the failure recurred at the dealer. The dealer then diagnosed the vehicle and determined that there were metal shavings inside the transmission and that the transmission needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and a case was filed. The contact was informed that the vehicle was out of warranty. The failure mileage was approximately 72,000.
In september of 2023, I experienced an oil pressure light. It was expaliend that the oil pump drive belt failed and I needed my engine replaced. Since then, I have reached out mulitple times to ford with little recourse as to help with my problem. Now, recall # 23s64 / 23v905 has been issued concerning my problem. In my chat with ford, they indicated the problem is my responsibility and would not acknowledge the recall and any help.
The contact owns a 2018 Ford Focus. The contact stated that while driving at various speeds, the vehicle decelerated unintendedly. The contact depressed the accelerator pedal down to the floorboard, but the vehicle failed to respond. There was no warning light illuminated. The contact veered to the side of the road. The contact stated that she turned off and restarted the vehicle. The contact continued driving; however, the failure recurred while driving. The contact stated that the failure had been recurring increasingly, and the vehicle was towed to the residence on one occasion. Additionally, the contact stated that the vehicle failed to start while shifted into park(P), and only start while shifted into neutral(N). The contact also stated that the vehicle failed to respond while shifting into reverse(R). The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired by an independent mechanic or dealer. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and a case was opened. The manufacturer referred the contact to the federal safety agency Hotline for assistance. The failure mileage was approximately 150,000.
The contact owns a 2018 Ford Focus. The contact stated while driving approximately 25 MPH and depressing the accelerator pedal, the vehicle hesitated before shifting to the next gear. The contact stated that the hard shifting occurred at various speeds. The failure also occurred while the vehicle was down shifting. The contact stated that the check engine warning light was illuminated. The contact had not taken the vehicle to a local dealer or independent mechanic. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was informed of the failure. The contact researched online and related the failure to the federal safety agency Campaign Number: 18V845000 (Power Train). The failure mileage was approximately 170,000.
Transmission control module went at 85,000 miles cost me 3500 in repair. Causing the clutch and clutch solenoids to go early.
Symptoms began 2020 with grinding and vibrating when automatic shift from A stop to first gear especially on inclines. Dealer inspected transmission and found excessive clutch residual, replaced the duel clutch, cleaned clutch housing, and reset the transmission 11-17-2020. Symptoms have re started 2023. Clutch and transmission issues can lead to leaks and fire risk.
The contact owns a 2018 Ford Focus. The contact stated while depressing the brake pedal, the vehicle came to a complete stop, and the transmission inadvertently downshifted. The vehicle then jerked forward. Additionally, the transmission failed to shift into gear. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, where it was diagnosed that the clutch forks, transmission, and activator were faulty, and determined that the clutch, clutch forks, and activator needed to be replaced. 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 105,000.
Transmission has failed the clutch got stuck and transmission overheating.
While backing out of a parking spot vehicile was in reverse and without notice the car slamed in drive. My daughter slammed on the brakes and tried agian the car got alomost out of the parking spot and it did it again shifting gears with no warning. This happened three times. She checked to make all the doors were closed. No others cars were anywhere near her. She finally got the car home and we took it to the local Ford dealer and they said they never heard of this problem. This seems to be documented with Ford Focus autos. The car has 38,000 miles and is out of warranty by 2 months. This seems to be a safety issue Ford should correct. The car is not safe for the road.
Last week the service engine light appeared. I was due to get an oil change, so I had it done that day. The light remained on, so I took it to a local auto shop and they did a code reader. The code was P0783, drive train. I googled my car and the error code and a huge list on recalls appeared related to the same make and model of my car, but different vin number. If this is true, why isn't my car a part of this? I'm going to call the Ford company and see if they can help me. When I'm driving she chokes and chugs and lurches above 40mph and goes into a high rev then back down within seconds. She also stutters at a stop and just doesn't drive smooth like she used to.
Hi I have a 2018 Ford Focus SE with less that 64,000 miles that had the same Powershift Transmission problem as the older recalled ones. It is certainly a safety issue since it involves a loss of power and not switching gears correctly. I called the Ford Customer Service Center and they appeared to agree with me that this type of failure shouldn’t happen so quickly but after a week of waiting for a response after a follow up call they told me via email that they would do nothing and there were no current programs to help out. I see that there is currently is a class action suit involving this very issue and many forums with complaints so there must be many more people out there with the same issue. The car has less than 64,000 miles and had a clutch failure with the Powershift Transmission, still an ongoing issue that it appears Ford doesn’t care about. Our dealer is aware of issues involving these transmissions and they too were unable to get any help from Ford. It appears Ford would rather wait to there are more deaths, lawsuits and/or Government action before doing anything. We have had it repaired and it cost almost $2,000 even after the dealer helped a bit. I’ve attached the bill.
While driving vehicle two "Oil Lights" on dash came on and car instantly began making a noise. Pulled over and had it towed to a service shop, they are telling me the "Oil Pump Drive Belt" broke and now the entire engine needs replaced. Upon researching this issue I come to find that this is a VERY COMMON issue that Ford is aware of but refusing to fix. This needs addressed!
The contact owns a 2018 Ford Focus. The contact stated while driving approximately 65 MPH with the cruise control activated, the vehicle started losing motive power. The contact stated that he depressed the accelerator pedal and heard an abnormally loud bang and pulled over. The contact stated that the “Engine Fault - Service Immediately" warning light was illuminated. The contact stated that the vehicle was towed to the dealer. The dealer determined that the Transmission Control Module (TCM) needed to be replaced. The vehicle had not been repaired. The manufacturer had been informed of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 61,000.
Car failed to engage transmission at low to moderate speeds particularly when accelerating. RPMs revved with no acceleration and then engaged suddenly causing the car to lurch forward and jerked while accelerating. The check engine light appeared. The car was brought to an independent service station. Repairs were made to the computer system and motors but the problem is still not resolved. Mechanic recommends full transmission replacement at this point. Called Ford Dealer who said this is a known issue with dual transmission system. Called Ford Motor Co to make them aware of the issue and no assistance was provided (they stated that my consumer score did not qualify me for assistance but would not disclose what was impacting my score).
The contact owns a 2018 Ford Focus. The contact stated that while driving at various speeds, the vehicle hesitated while accelerating, which caused the vehicle to jerk. The power train warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was taken to a dealer to be diagnosed. The contact was informed that the failure was due to a faulty dual clutch transmission. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and referred the contact to the federal safety agency Hotline for assistance. The failure mileage was approximately 66,200.
The contact owns a 2018 Ford Focus. The contact stated while driving at various speeds, the vehicle was shuddering, the clutch was slipping, and the vehicle would not properly accelerate. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer to be diagnosed. The contact was informed that the transmission clutch was faulty and needed to be replaced. The transmission clutch was replaced but the failure recently reoccurred and the transmission clutch was replaced a second time. The manufacturer was notified of the failure, but no assistance was offered. The failure mileage was 19,000.
The contact owns a 2018 Ford Focus. The contact stated that the check engine light had been illuminated. The vehicle would suddenly stall while idle causing the contact to have to restart the vehicle or continually reeving in order to prevent stalling. The vehicle would also display a sputtering when slowing down. The contact noticed that the mileage per gallon ratio had decreased significantly. The vehicle had been taken to a certified mechanic who diagnosed that the purge valve had been stuck open causing multiple failures. The fuel tank had been warped a bit and may need to be replaced. The vehicle had not been repaired. The contact was informed that their vehicle's year/make/model was involved in the federal safety agency Campaign Number: 18V735000 (Fuel System, Gasoline) however their VIN was not included. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 72,000.
The contact owns a 2018 Ford Focus. The contact stated that after parking the vehicle, moments later the vehicle was restarted, and the check engine warning light remained illuminated. Additionally, the vehicle failed to respond when shifted into reverse(R). The contact stated that while driving the vehicle failed to exceed 15 MPH and failed to drive in the lower gears. The vehicle was taken to the local service center who diagnosed that the transmission control module had failed and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not yet repaired. The manufacturer and local dealer were notified of the failure, but no assistance was provided. The failure mileage was 134,000.
Vehicle with no warning or signs displayed a transmission fault while in cruise control on flat straight road and began to rev. Pulled off of main road into parking lot and attempted to back into space but vehicle would not reverse. There was no issue backing up 15 minutes prior and of course it happens shortly after the 100,000 mile mark.
I was driving and could not get the transmission out of first gear and will not go in reverse. I was broke down waiting for a tow n 110 degree Texas weather. I have vertigo so I do not drive much. My car only has 55018 miles. I cannot afford a $6500 transmission repair. I am a single mom trying to put two girls through college. Help!!
The contact owns a 2018 Ford Focus. The contact stated that after parking the vehicle, the following morning the vehicle failed to start. The battery was replaced however, after starting the vehicle, the vehicle was operating in LIMP Mode. The vehicle was towed to the local dealer who diagnosed that the transmission was faulty and needed to be replaced. The transmission was replaced; however, after retrieving the vehicle the check engine warning light remained illuminated and the RPM was revving too high. The vehicle was taken back to the dealer who diagnosed that the TCM was faulty and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure, but no assistance was offered. The failure mileage was 61,000.
Car started making a noise and jerking, couldn't go above 12 mph and wouldn't go in reverse. Check engine light came on. This is same fault we had with our previous Ford focus which was supposed to be corrected in 2018 models but clearly isn't. Dealership said it is tcm and back order for part could be months, told us they don't do loaner cars but the repair is free. The repair isn't free because this is our only car and my disabled husband needs transport to weekly hospital appointments so it is costing 30 dollars a day for a rental we shouldn't have to pay for. Ford TCM is clearly a huge issue no matter what year you buy.
Slave cylinder on 2018 limited edition focus rs, i was driving home and pedal instantly fell to the floor! In the middle of the highway right before my exit and I had to do some rather scary driving when the car wouldn't change gears & stalled. I had to get the car to emergency lane/shoulder to pull over! No previous signs/warning lights or vehicle drive ability leading up to complete catastrophic failure of said slave cylinder. It's currently at the dealership where I had it towed with the clutch still on the floor &. Although the clutch was still on the floor the dealership took 2 DAYS TO "DIAGNOSE" the issue with the vehicle when its obviously a hydraulic issue with either the master cylinder or slave cylinder smdh thats an issue in of its self but i digress.The dealership did confirm that it is indeed a complete failure of slave cylinder. I've read that this is a known issue with ford focus vehicles that ford is well aware of yet they haven't recalled this part let alone acknowledge said issue when brought in for replacement. This is the 2nd time I have an issue with the slave cylinder which I had replaced 26,000 miles ago my vehicle currently has 126,699 but I replaced slave cylinder @ 104,568 miles so new slave cylinder doesn't even have 30,000 miles on it.
The contact owns a 2018 Ford Focus. The contact stated that upon attempting to start the vehicle, the vehicle failed to start. The transmission warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was towed to an unknown dealer, where it was diagnosed that the transmission needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 61,000. The VIN was unavailable.
Ford Focus went into automatic limp mode after a dead battery with no reverse. I've heard it's an ongoing issues with these cars. And Ford has a program to fix these issues unfortunately my car year falls outside their current criteria. Took the car to the mechanic and they said it's an ongoing issue with these cars.
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