2012 Ford Focus FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM
Owner-reported problems and safety issues filed with NHTSA. Review common failures, severity levels, and complaint trends over time.
Complaint Timeline
Chronological view of owner reports
CAR STALLED AND LOST POWER WHILE DRIVING, WAS ABLE TO COAST INTO A PARKING LOT. CAR WOULD NOT RESTART, AND HAD IT TOWED TO THE DEALER. DIAGNOSED AND SAY THE PURGE VALVE FAILED AND THAT THEY NEED TO REPLACE FUEL PUMP, AND TANK, FOR $2K.
SUDDEN LOSS OF POWER. ENGINE WAS REVVING UP BUT TRANSMISSION NOT ENGAGING. IT WAS AS IF I HAD SHIFTED TO NEUTRAL. I HAD TO COAST TO A STOP.
MY HUSBAND WAS DRIVING MY CAR HOME FROM WORK AND IT BEGAN SPUTTERING. LUCKILY THERE WAS A RESIDENTIAL ROAD NEARBY AND HE TURNED OFF THE BUSINESS HWY AND THE CAR DIED. IT WOULDN'T START AND WAS ACTING LIKE IT HAD NO GAS EVEN THOUGH IT HAD OVER HALF A TANK. IT HAD TO BE TOWED. IT HAS NOW BEEN IN THE SHOP FOR 3 WEEKS WAITING ON A BACK-ORDERED FUEL PRESSURE SENSOR. IT'S ONLY A FEW YEARS OLD. THIS IS THE MOST FRUSTRATING THING!!! *TR
I'M WRITING ABOUT A PROBLEM THAT I FEEL IS A SAFETY DEFECT. MY CAR STARTED IDLING VERY ERRATICALLY AND THE AMBER ENGINE LIGHT IS ON. THE DEALER SAYS THAT THE VAPOR CANISTER CONTROL SOLENOID FAILED, DRAWING A VACUUM IN THE FUEL TANK WHICH CAUSED THE FUEL TANK TO COLLAPSE. IT ALSO FILLED THE VAPOR CANISTER WITH FUEL. THEY SAY THE RAW FUEL FROM THE CANISTER IS BEING DRAWN INTO THE ENGINE CAUSING THE ERRATIC IDLE. THIS IS NOT ONLY A PROBLEM WITH JUST MY VEHICLE, BUT THOUSANDS OF OTHERS WHO ARE HAVING THE SAME PROBLEM. IT'S BEYOND COSTLY AND THROUGH NO FAULT OF THE OWNERS, OUR CARS ARE UNSAFE TO DRIVE!
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 FORD FOCUS. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 10 MPH, THE VEHICLE STALLED WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER. THE TECHNICIAN DIAGNOSED THAT THE FUEL PUMP NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE ISSUE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS UNKNOWN.
ON SEPT 8 2014 I WAS DRIVING HOME FROM WORK AND ONCE I GOT OFF THE HIGHWAY I NOTICED THAT MY CAR WAS SLOWING DOWN AND THE BATTERY AND OIL LIGHT WAS ON THE NEXT THING I KNEW MY CAR SHUT OFF I RESTARTED IT AND TOOK IT TO THE DEALERSHIP ( SINCE IT IS STILL UNDER WARRANTY ) TO GET IT CHECKED OUT. THE SERVICE DEPT TOLD ME THAT IT WAS THE FUEL PUMP AND THEY WERE ORDERING THE PART BUT THAT WAS A LIE NOT ONLY DID THEY NOT FIX THE PROBLEM IT HAS GOTTEN WORSE THE CAR RUNS OUT OF GAS EVEN THOUGH THERE IS GAS IN THE CAR IT SHUTS OFF AT SLOW SPEEDS AND THE DEALERSHIP BASICALLY TOLD ME THAT A 2 1/2 YEAR CAR IS COVERED UNDER WARRANTY AND TOLD ME ITS GOING TO BE 2000.00 TO FIX IT!! BUT ON THE BRIGHT SIDE IF FORD RECALLS THE PART THEN I COULD GET REIMBURSED REALLY!! *TR
BEGINNING IN APRIL, THE CAR HAS RANDOMLY BROKEN DOWN SEVERAL TIMES, WITH NO NOTICE, PUTTING MY SAFETY AND LIFE IN DANGER. CARS HAD TO COME TO A JOLTING STOP TO AVOID FROM HITTING ME AND ON ONE OCCASION A POLICE OFFICER ACTUALLY HAD TO INTERVENE TO SAFEGUARD ME FROM ONCOMING TRAFFIC. PLEASE SEE THE SEQUENCE OF EVENTS BELOW. OFRIDAY, APRIL 12TH-CAR BROKE DOWN IN A MAJOR INTERSECTION DURING RUSH HOUR TRAFFIC ENDANGERING MY LIFE AND THE OTHER DRIVERS AROUND ME. CARS WERE ZOOMING PASS AT HIGH SPEEDS AND BRAKING ABRUPTLY TO AVOID CRASHING INTO ME. OWEDNESDAY, JULY 2ND-CAR SUDDENLY DECELERATED WHILE I WAS DRIVING ACROSS A BRIDGE. ONCE AGAIN MY LIFE WAS ENDANGERED. I TRIED TO GET THE CAR TO ACCELERATE WITH RAPIDLY PUSHING DOWN ON THE GAS PEDAL, BUT NOTHING HAPPENED. THE CAR EVENTUALLY CAME TO A STOP AND I WAS FORCED TO TURN THE CAR OFF WHILE STILL IN THE MIDDLE OF THE STREET AND RESTART IT. AFTER GETTING THE CAR STARTED I DROVE IT BACK TO THE DEALERSHIP HOPING THEY COULD RESOLVE THE ISSUE. UNFORTUNATELY, THE MECHANIC WAS UNABLE TO FIND ANYTHING THROUGH THE DIAGNOSTIC READING OR MULTIPLE TEST DRIVES. OMONDAY, JULY 7TH-CAR BEGAN TO DECELERATE WHILE DRIVING ON A BUSY STREET. I IMMEDIATELY PULLED OVER TO TURN THE CAR OFF. WHEN I WAS ABLE TO START THE CAR AGAIN I DROVE IT TO CARMAX. ON THE WAY THERE I HAD TO DRIVE THE CAR AT A SLOW SPEED TO PREVENT THE CAR FROM CUTTING OFF ON ME AGAIN. ALSO, SINCE THE AC SEEMED TO WORSEN THE ACCELERATION OF THE CAR I TURNED IT OFF AND DROVE THE CAR FOR 15 MINUTES IN THE SEARING HEAT. IN THE END THE CAR WAS WITH THE FORD DEALER FROM FRIDAY, JULY 7TH TO TUESDAY, JULY 22ND. OFRIDAY, JULY 25TH- CAR BROKE DOWN IN MIDDLE LANE OF HIGHWAY 64E RIGHT BEFORE ENTERING THE HAMPTON ROADS BRIDGE TUNNEL. CARS SWERVED TO PREVENT FROM HITTING ME AND ONCE AGAIN MY LIFE AND THE LIVES OF OTHERS WAS PUT IN JEOPARDY. *JS
I GOT MY CAR STARTED AND PULLED OUT OF THE PARKING SPACE I WAS IN AND PARALLEL WITH THE STREET I WAS PLANNING ON PULLING OUT INTO WHEN THE ENGINE CUT OUT ON ME. FORTUNATELY I HAD NOT PULLED INTO THE STREET AS I HAD PLANNED WHEN THE ENGINE QUIT ON ME. I KEPT TRYING TO START THE CAR AND IT SEEMED LIKE THE CAR WOULD BE ABOUT TO START WITH JUST ANOTHER SECOND OR TWO MORE AS THE STARTER WAS TURNING. THE FUEL GAUGE KEPT LIGHTING UP ALONG WITH OTHER LIGHTS THOUGH I HAD 3/4 OF A TANK OF GAS. I HAD TO HAVE THE CAR TOWED FRIDAY EVENING TO THE DEALERSHIP AND AFTER THEY HAD MY CAR FOR 4 WHOLE WORKING DAYS, AT ABOUT 11 AM ON THE FOLLOWING FRIDAY THEY FINALLY FIGURED OUT WHAT WAS WRONG WITH MY CAR. I HAVE A PLATINUM WARRANTY AND AT ROUGHLY 43,000 MILES THE DEALERSHIP IS GOING TO CHARGE ME NEARLY $1700 FOR FUEL FILTER, FUEL PUMP AND EMISSIONS IN ADDITION TO THE RENTAL CAR I'VE BEEN PAYING OUT OF MY POCKET WHILE THEY FIGURE OUT WHAT IS WRONG WITH THE CAR, ORDER PARTS, (THE PARTS TO TAKE 3 DAYS) AND FIX THE CAR. I THINK THIS IS VERY UNREASONABLE FOR A CAR OF SO LOW MILEAGE AND COULD HAVE GOTTEN ME INJURED OR KILLED IF I HAD PULLED OUT INTO THE STREET AND THE LIGHT CHANGED WHEN THE CAR QUIT ON ME. *TR
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 FORD FOCUS. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 65 MPH, THE SERVICE ENGINE LIGHT ILLUMINATED CONTINUOUSLY ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL AND THE FUEL GAUGE BECAME ERRATIC. THE FAILURE OCCURRED PREVIOUSLY AND THE DEALER REPLACED THE EVAPORATOR CANISTER PURGE VALVE BUT THE FAILURE RECURRED. THE VEHICLE WAS RECENTLY TAKEN TO THE DEALER, WHO INDICATED THAT THE FUEL TANK AND VALVE WOULD NEED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 48,000.
SPIDERS OR INSECTS BLOCK THE VENTS FROM THE GAS TANK MAKING IT ALMOST IMPOSSIBLE TO FILL MY GAS TANK. I BOUGHT THE CAR IN THE SUMMER OF 2012 AND IT HAPPENED IN THE FALL OF 2012 AND THE FALL OF 2013. *TR
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 FORD FOCUS. THE CONTACT STATED THAT SHE NOTICED GASOLINE LEAKING FROM UNDER THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE HAD NOT BEEN DIAGNOSED. THE CONTACT STATED THAT IN THE PREVIOUS YEAR, THE FUEL LINE BECAME DETACHED THREE TIMES AND WAS REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED BUT OFFERED NO ASSISTANCE. THE VEHICLE HAD NOT BEEN REPAIRED. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WAS 28,500.
THE PROBLEM STARTED ABOUT 2 MONTHS AFTER THE PURCHASE OF MY CAR. WITH THE LOW FUEL LIGHT ON I FILLED MY GAS TANK UNTIL THE HANDLE/NOZZLE OF THE GAS PUMP CLICKED OFF INDICATING THE TANK WAS FULL. WHEN I REMOVED THE NOZZLE FROM THE FILL TUBE YOU CAN HEAR A RUSH OF GAS COME UP AND THEN A SPLASH AS THE GAS HITS THE GROUND. IT EJECTS THE GAS UNDERNEATH THE CAR ALONGSIDE THE RIGHT REAR TIRE LEAVING AN 8" WET SPOT. MY CONCERN IS YOU HAVE HOT BRAKES AND A HOT MUFFLER RIGHT THERE NEXT TO WHERE THE FUEL IS DUMPING ON THE GROUND. IN MY HONEST OPINION THIS IS A MAJOR FIRE HAZARD. I NOW WILL NOT FILL UP MY TANK WITH ANYONE IN THE CAR. I HAVE BROUGHT IT TO THE DEALERS ATTENTION ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS AND THEY SAY THEY HAVE FOUND NOTHING WRONG. IT HAS HAPPENED TO ME THREE TIMES. TWO TIMES BEFORE THE DEALER INVESTIGATED IT AND FOUND NOTHING WRONG AND ONE TIME AFTER. I SPOKE WITH THE DEALERS FINANCE MANAGER WHO OWNS/LEASES A FORD FUSION AND HE STATED IT HAD HAPPENED TO HIM ON HIS CAR AS WELL. FORD HAS A NEW FUEL FILLER SYSTEM THAT DOES NOT USE A CAP ANYMORE. IT WOULD APPEAR THAT THIS SYSTEM MAY BE FAULTY BY DESIGN. *TR
AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION DOES NOT SHIFT SMOOTHLY. INTERMITTENT VIBRATES, BUCKS, HESITATES, SLIPS & JERKS. CAN'T RELY ON TAKE-OFF ACCELERATION WHETHER IT WILL ENGAGE PROPERLY, PULLING INTO TRAFFIC IS VERY DANGEROUS. STOP AND GO TRAFFIC IS VERY DANGEROUS. IT'S LIKE SOMEONE DRIVING A STICK SHIFT AND NOT HAVING THE CLUTCH & GAS IN SYNC, ONLY IT'S AN AUTOMATIC SO YOU CAN'T DO ANYTHING ABOUT IT. I HAVE HAD THE CAR IN TO THE SERVICE DEPARTMENT ON 3 OCCASIONS. THE FIRST TIME THE TECH LAUGHED AT ME AND TOLD ME IT WAS JUST THE "NEW" 6-SPEED TRANSMISSION. 2ND TIME, THEY REPLACED SOME PARTS IN THE TRANSMISSION. 3RD TIME, THEY HAD THE CAR 4 DAYS & SAID THERE WAS NOTHING OUT OF THE ORDINARY HAPPENING. THERE IS DEFINITELY SOMETHING WRONG WITH THIS TRANSMISSION, AND FORD NEEDS TO DO SOMETHING TO FIX THEM BEFORE AN ACCIDENT HAPPENS.
Trend Over Time
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Common problems reported
Quick Summary
The 2012 Ford Focus has 138 FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM complaints on file. Review the timeline above for detailed owner experiences.