331 complaints reported

2017 Ford Focus Power Train

Owner-reported problems and safety issues filed with NHTSA. Review common failures, severity levels, and complaint trends over time.

Reports
331
Crashes
0
Fires
0
Injuries
0

Complaint Timeline

Chronological view of owner reports

Jun 2023

The contact owns a 2017 Ford Focus. The contact stated while attempting to accelerate from a stop light, the vehicle failed to accelerate properly with the transmission warning light illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, and the contact was informed that the clutch needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was contacted and stated that the vehicle was not included in NHTSA Campaign Number: 18V845000 (Power Train) and referred the contact to the NHTSA Hotline for assistance. The failure mileage was 100,000.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2017 FORD FOCUS, Manufacturer: Ford Motor Company
Incident: Jun 2022
Jun 2023

The car was driving fine but when we had to jump the car off the car would not shift in reverse and also the car was very sluggish when driving it to the dealership. The dealership confirmed that the Transmission Control Module had gone bad on the car and also notified us that this was a recurring problem on other Ford Focus and Fusion models.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2017 FORD FOCUS, Manufacturer: Ford Motor Company
Incident: Mar 2023
May 2023

I’ve only had the vehicle 1 yr 2 months. Purchased from CMA Honda and the vehicle powered completely off. The battery was replaced and the transmission control module, they are now saying it’s internal. The entire transmission has to be taken apart and they are now saying it will be $5000 or more. Nope trading it.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2017 FORD FOCUS, Manufacturer: Ford Motor Company
Incident: May 2023
May 2023

The contact owns a 2017 Ford Focus. The contact stated while stopped at a traffic light, the light turned green and the contact depressed the accelerator however, the vehicle failed to respond. The contact stated that the vehicle revved but failed to respond. The contact stated that the vehicle started moving forward at a slow speed and was shuddering. The contact stated that she returned to her residence and turned off and restarted the vehicle, however the failure persisted. The contact stated that she also experienced a failure in attempting to shift the vehicle into reverse(R). The contact stated no warning light was illuminated. The contact had taken the vehicle to a local dealer, where it was diagnosed and determined that the clutch needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired; however, the contact stated that the failure reoccurred, and she had the clutch replaced two more times by the dealer. The contact stated that the dealer had replaced the Transmission Control Module due to the failure. The vehicle had not been repaired. The manufacturer had been informed of the failure. The contact researched online and related the failure to NHTSA Campaign Number: 18V845000 (Power Train). The failure mileage was approximately 127,000.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2017 FORD FOCUS, Manufacturer: Ford Motor Company
Incident: Apr 2020
May 2023

Transmission does not shift properly. Vehicle shakes and shudders while accelerating. Noticeable loss of power and acceleration while shaking and shuddering happens.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2017 FORD FOCUS, Manufacturer: Ford Motor Company
Incident: May 2023
May 2023

Transmission Available for inspection Being able to accelerate and or brake is essential for safety in a vehicle and this is compromised. Nothing has been confirmed but plenty of matching information on vehicle type. Vehicle has not been inspected No warning lights came on and this began this year

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2017 FORD FOCUS, Manufacturer: Ford Motor Company
Incident: May 2023
May 2023

The contact owns a 2017 Ford Focus. The contact stated while driving approximately 65 MPH, the check engine and transmission warning lights illuminated. The contact stated that there was a warning to pull over due to the engine overheating. The contact pulled over and turned off the vehicle and waited for approximately 20 minutes before restarting the vehicle. The contact began driving on the highway and the transmission warning light illuminated and the vehicle lost forward momentum. The contact pulled off the highway and drove the vehicle to an independent mechanic. The contact was informed that the vehicle needed to be diagnosed by the dealer or a transmission specialist. The contact stated that while driving to the transmission specialist, the vehicle stalled and had to be towed to the transmission specialist. The transmission specialist referred the contact to the dealer due to the transmission failure. The contact was advised by the transmission specialist that there was a recall related to the failure, NHTSA Campaign Number: 18V845000 (Power Train). The vehicle had not been repaired. The manufacturer had not been informed of the failure. The failure mileage was 86,777.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2017 FORD FOCUS, Manufacturer: Ford Motor Company
Incident: Aug 2023
May 2023

The contact owns a 2017 Ford Focus. The contact stated while driving approximately 30 - 40 MPH and depressing the accelerator pedal, the vehicle accelerated sluggishly. The contact stated that the check engine warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer to be diagnosed. The contact was informed that the transmission control module (TCM) needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired; however, while leaving the dealer, the failure recurred. The dealer informed the contact that the clutch needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. Upon investigation, the contact associated the failure with NHTSA Campaign Number: 18V169000 (Power Train), however, the VIN was not included. The manufacturer was informed of the failure. The failure mileage was 90,123.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2017 FORD FOCUS, Manufacturer: Ford Motor Company
Incident: Jan 2023
Apr 2023

Fors continues to have the same transmission issues they had in the 2011-2016 ford focus dual clutch transmission. 2017 & 2018 should’ve been recalled. I have approximately 15,000 miles on my 2017 and the car was working fine and one day it suddenly lost some forward gears and reverse leaving the car in limp mode in the middle of the an intersection after starting to drive forward on the road. The lights changed and traffic is moving across leaving me in an unsafe situation and the other drivers having cars traveling 55 nearly rear ending them. There is no warning of this failure they suddenly happen and can cause issues where you’re stuck at a light or cannot get through an intersection. I tried to bring my car in and they told me they had 80,000 focus cars ahead of me and that they wouldn’t be able to fix my car due to a chip shortage. 80,000 other ford focus with this same issue is clear to me they’ve never resolved the matter and continued allowing these unsafe cars to be on the road. If this happens on a busy freeway, intersection, or anywhere on the road its a serious issue. There needs to be a full recall on the transmissions control module, the two clutch actuators, and the shift forks. Because of the design the TCM first fails causing the actuators to rotate and sheer of the pin from the castings, causing the shift forks to come loose. The only way to fix it because of all the diat created when this happens is to replace the dual clutch, TCM, both external actuators and shift fork A and shift fork B. Of course they sold two more years of the same model they’ve previously recalled and were part in a class action settlement that requires they replace these unsafe components. I cannot be the only person to report this safety issue. It nearly caused me to get hit on the road and I’m lucky to be alive. The next person may not be so lucky. Ive only got 15,000 miles on this car it shouldn’t have any issues like this. Recall these now.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2017 FORD FOCUS, Manufacturer: Ford Motor Company
Incident: Dec 2022
Apr 2023

The contact owns a 2017 Ford Focus. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle jerked intermittently. Additionally, the contact stated that the vehicle failed to reverse while the transmission was shifted into reverse(R). The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, who informed the contact that the control module needed to be replaced; however, the part to do the recall repair was not available. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and referred the contact to file a complaint with the NHTSA hotline. The failure mileage was approximately 20,000.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2017 FORD FOCUS, Manufacturer: Ford Motor Company
Incident: Sep 2022
Apr 2023

The DPS6 dual-clutch transmission shudders and shifts hard during all phases and speeds. Acceleration is unpredictable and feels as though it could stall at any time. Ford wants $3000 - $5000 to repair. They also state the issue is common.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2017 FORD FOCUS, Manufacturer: Ford Motor Company
Incident: Mar 2023
Apr 2023

The contact owns a 2017 Ford Focus. The contact stated while driving in stop-and-go traffic, the vehicle would hesitate or stall without warning. The vehicle had been serviced on three separate occasions under warranty by Asheville Ford (611 Brevard Rd, Asheville, NC 28806) and Frederick Motor Company (1 Waverley Drive, Frederick, MD 21702) where the dual-clutch system was replaced. The contact stated that after each repair, the failure returned within 6-8 months after the vehicle was repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was approximately 15,000.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2017 FORD FOCUS, Manufacturer: Ford Motor Company
Incident: Jan 2018
Apr 2023

I purchased my car 3 years ago from a dealer. I maintain maintenance on my vehicle faithfully. I was coming from work I had stopped at the stop sign, when I went to accelerate to make a left turn. My car started to decelerate as if I was in the wrong gear. I tried to drive and it would drive to maybe 10/15 mph and sound as if I’m in the wrong gear. The car is automatic so I was completely lost. I’m thankful I was able to make it home. The transmission failure service light came on. The car stopped going in reverse. My mechanic says the transmission alone is about 4500. I’m still making payments on this car to help my credit. I know someone who has the exact same car with the same problem. The transmission. I called different ford places. They were no help. Then getting on here just made me feel worst because ALOT of people are apparently having the same problem with same kind of car. Please help.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2017 FORD FOCUS, Manufacturer: Ford Motor Company
Incident: May 2023
Apr 2023

Dual clutch transmission needs replaced and my vehicle only has approximately 44,500 miles on it. Mechanics including Ford mechanics say that it is no fault of my own but a common problem with the 2017 Ford Focus transmission. The automatic transmission loses power, hesitates and shakes between gears sometimes, especially on inclines. It also when going from reverse to drive which started yesterday 03/03/2023 sometime after Ford Services inspected it, now sometimes the vehicle still drives in reverse after shifting to drive until i press my brakes, look to see it is in drive, which it is, then, press the gas pedal again and it moves forward finally as it should. This occurrence is random but mostly an issue when having to reverse on a slight incline out of a parking position, which makes it more dangerous. This is not a one time occurrence but ongoing until i replace the transmission. There are also no service engine lights warning of the transmission or anything else for that matter showing there being an issue even though there is.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2017 FORD FOCUS, Manufacturer: Ford Motor Company
Incident: Jan 2023
Mar 2023

The contact owns a 2017 Ford Focus. The contact stated while driving 55 MPH, the vehicle lost motive power. There was no warning light illuminated. The contact pulled over to the side of the roadway and turned off the vehicle. The vehicle was towed to the residence. The dealer was contacted, and the dealer stated that the vehicle needed to be diagnosed. The manufacturer was contacted, and a case was filed. The contact was referred to the NHTSA Hotline to file a complaint. The failure mileage was 98,639.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2017 FORD FOCUS, Manufacturer: Ford Motor Company
Incident: Mar 2023
Mar 2023

POWER SHIFT TRANSMISSION/DUAL CLUTCH IS SHUTTERING /JERKING WHEN ACCELERATING FROM A STOP OR AND TURNING CORNERS.NOTE THIS HAPPENS REGULARLY. ITS BEEN BACK TO DEALEARSHIP ON 4 OCCASIONS . THEY REPLACED CLUTCH ASSEMBLY ONCE IN FEB 2020,IT WAS TAKEN IN AGAIN IN MAY 2021 FOR SAME ISSUE TOLD IT WAS IN SPEC. THE FOURTH TIME WAS TAKEN IN IN MARCH 2023 TOLD ITS IN SPEC.CAN'T FIND THE DATE FOR TIME NUMBER 3,BUT WAS TOLD THEN IT WAS IN SPEC.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2017 FORD FOCUS, Manufacturer: Ford Motor Company
Incident: Mar 2023
Mar 2023

While accelerating from a complete stop, the car frequently jerks and sputters while it appears to be attempting to switch gears. This has been a problem since I bought the car pre-owned in 2020 but it has become much more frequent and instead of doing a single jerk or sputter when stepping on the gas, it does it much more. I did research more and it appears the make, model, and year were part of a recall prior to my owning the vehicle for what seems to be the same issue; however, my VIN was not part of that recall.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2017 FORD FOCUS, Manufacturer: Ford Motor Company
Incident: Mar 2023
Mar 2023

The contact owns a 2017 Ford Focus. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle shuddered briefly before returning to normal functionality. No warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, who diagnosed a failure with the dual-clutch. The vehicle was repaired, but the failure reoccurred. The manufacturer was notified of the failure but referred the contact to the NHTSA Hotline for assistance. The failure mileage was 20,000.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2017 FORD FOCUS, Manufacturer: Ford Motor Company
Incident: Jan 2019
Feb 2023

The contact owns a 2017 Ford Focus. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle made abnormal sounds. Additionally, the transmission was slipping while driving. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, where it was diagnosed with bearing and bushing failure, and the DPS gearbox needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and advised the contact to file a complaint with the NHTSA Hotline. The failure mileage was approximately 69,000.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2017 FORD FOCUS, Manufacturer: Ford Motor Company
Incident: Feb 2023
Feb 2023

The contact owns a 2017 Ford Focus. The contact stated while driving approximately 20 MPH and shifting from first to second gear, she heard an abnormal noise. The contact stated no warning light was illuminated. The contact was able to continue driving to her destination. The contact took the vehicle to the local dealer, where it was diagnosed with needing the clutch to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired but experience the same failure within two months. The contact took the vehicle back to the local dealer, where it was diagnosed with needing the clutch to be replaced for second time. The vehicle was repaired but experience the same failure a second time. The contact took the vehicle the third time to the local dealer, where it was diagnosed with needing the axle to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact purchased the axle from the dealer but took the vehicle to an independent mechanic and had the axle replaced. The vehicle was repaired but continued to experience the failure and the contact stated that a control module warning light was illuminated. The contact took the vehicle to another independent mechanic, where the vehicle was diagnosed and it was determined that the clutch fork needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer had been informed of the failure. The failure mileage was 100,838.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2017 FORD FOCUS, Manufacturer: Ford Motor Company
Incident: Jan 2022
Feb 2023

The contact owns a 2017 Ford Focus. The contact stated while driving 20 MPH, the vehicle lost motive power and started jerking with the check engine warning light illuminated. The contact was able to drive the vehicle to the dealer and was informed that the transmission needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was contacted and stated that there was no Extended Warranty on the vehicle. The failure mileage was 100,000.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2017 FORD FOCUS, Manufacturer: Ford Motor Company
Incident: Jun 2022
Feb 2023

The contact owns a 2017 Ford Focus. The contact stated while driving at various speeds, the vehicle was jerking, lost motive power, and hesitated while accelerating. The cause of the failure was not yet determined. The manufacturer and local dealer were notified of the failure. The contact stated that the vehicle had been serviced for the same failure previously, and the transmission clutch was replaced on three separate occasions. The failure mileage was 17,500.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2017 FORD FOCUS, Manufacturer: Ford Motor Company
Incident: Jan 2018
Jan 2023

The contact owns a 2017 Ford Focus. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle was jerking and then lost motive power. Several unknown warning lights were illuminated, and the transmission fault message was displayed. The contact was able to restart the vehicle. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, where it was diagnosed that the TCM and transmission shift forks A and B needed to be replaced; however, the replacement parts were on backorder. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and transferred the contact to the NHTSA Hotline. The failure mileage was 38,693.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2017 FORD FOCUS, Manufacturer: Ford Motor Company
Incident: Jan 2023
Jan 2023

The contact owns a 2017 Ford Focus. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle shuddered and the transmission inadvertently downshifted. No warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, where it was diagnosed with transmission failure. The transmission was replaced; however, the failure recurred. The transmission was replaced twice after the first failure. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and referred the contact to file a complaint with the NHTSA Hotline. The failure mileage was 67,000.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2017 FORD FOCUS, Manufacturer: Ford Motor Company
Incident: Oct 2021
Jan 2023

Trans make noise shudders and rolls back ,also had car jump forward at light. For told me they know there a problem had clutch replaced twice in 2 years now out of warranty.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2017 FORD FOCUS, Manufacturer: Ford Motor Company
Incident: Dec 2022

Trend Over Time

Complaints by year

Quick Summary

The 2017 Ford Focus has 331 Power Train complaints on file. Review the timeline above for detailed owner experiences.