2012 Ford Focus
Problems, recalls and owner-reported issues
Power train is the leading concern among 3,801 owner complaints filed for this model year. This is the highest complaint count among 19 Focus model years with reports.
Of the 2012 reports, 108 involved a crash and 15 involved a fire. 88 people were injured and 5 people died.
What owners report most often
Recalls and investigations
Fuel system, gasoline, storage, evaporative emissions, canisterJun 9, 2026
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2012-2018 Focus vehicles previously repaired incorrectly under recall number 18V735. The Canister Purge Valve (CPV) may malfunction, causing the engine to stall unexpectedly while driving.
An engine that stalls while driving increases the risk of a crash.
Dealers will update the powertrain control module (PCM) software, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed July 29, 2026. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 26S40. Vehicle Identification Numbers (VINs) involved in this recall will become searchable on NHTSA.gov on July 6,2026.
Campaign 26V369000 on NHTSA.gov
Latches/locks/linkages, doors, latchJun 8, 2020
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2011-2014 Fiesta, 2013-2014 Fusion, 2015 Mustang, 2013-2015 Escape and C-Max, 2012-2015 Focus, 2014-2016 Transit Connect, 2013-2014 Lincoln MKZ, and 2015 MKC vehicles. These vehicles were previously recalled and repaired under recalls 15V-246, 16V-643 or 17V-210, however the repair may not have been completed properly. A component within the door latches may break making the doors difficult to latch and/or leading the driver or a passenger to believe a door is securely closed when, in fact, it is not.
A door that is not securely latched could open while the vehicle is in motion, increasing the risk of injury to a vehicle occupant.
Ford will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the latch date codes to confirm if the repair was done correctly, and replace the side door latches if necessary, free of charge. Owners will also have the option to inspect their own vehicle's door latches and enter the date codes into a website to determine if the latches are correct. Owner notification letters were mailed on July 27, 2020. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 20S30.
Campaign 20V331000 on NHTSA.gov
Fuel system, gasoline, storageJul 5, 2019
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2012 and 2017 Focus vehicles equipped with 2.0L GDI gasoline engines and 2013-2014 Focus ST vehicles equipped with 2.0L GTDI engines, previously recalled under 18V-735. The affected vehicles did not have the Powertrain Control Module (PCM) updated as intended. Therefore, the Canister Purge Valve (CPV) may malfunction, possibly causing excessive vacuum in the fuel vapor management system.
The excessive vacuum may result in an engine stall while driving, without warning and without the ability to restart the vehicle, increasing the risk of a crash.
Ford will notify owners, and dealers will reprogram the Powertrain Control Module. Dealers will also check for fault codes and replace the CPV as needed. If the CPV is replaced, dealers will inspect and replace the carbon canister, fuel tank and fuel delivery module as necessary. The recall began July 29, 2019. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 19S22.
Campaign 19V515000 on NHTSA.gov
Fuel system, gasoline, storageOct 22, 2018
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2012-2018 Ford Focus vehicles with a 2.0L GDI or 2.0L GTDI engine. The Canister Purge Valve (CPV) may malfunction, possibly causing excessive vacuum in fuel vapor management system.
The excessive vaccuum may result in an engine stall while driving, without warning and without the ability to restart the vehicle, increasing the risk of a crash.
Ford will notify owners, and dealers will reprogram the Powertrain Control Module. Dealers will also check for fault codes and replace the CPV as needed. If the CPV is replaced, dealers will inspect and replace the carbon canister, fuel tank and fuel delivery module as necessary. The recall began August 19, 2019. Owners may contact Ford Customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 18S32. Note: Until the vehicle is serviced for this concern, owners are advised to keep the fuel tank at least halfway full.
Campaign 18V735000 on NHTSA.gov
Latches/locks/linkages, doors, latchSep 6, 2016
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain model year 2012-2015 Ford Focus, 2013-2015 Ford Escape and Ford C-MAX, 2015 Lincoln MKC and Ford Mustang, and 2014-2016 Ford Transit Connect vehicles. A component within the door latches may break, preventing the doors from latching and/or leading the driver or a passenger to believe a door is securely closed when, in fact, it is not.
A door that is not securely latched could open while the vehicle is in motion, increasing the risk of injury to a vehicle occupant.
Ford will notify owners, and dealers will replace the door latches with an improved part, free of charge. The recall began on January 27, 2017. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 16S30.
Campaign 16V643000 on NHTSA.gov
Exterior lightingAug 1, 2013
Ford is recalling certain model year 2012-2013 Focus BEV vehicles equipped with High Intensity Discharge (HID) headlights, manufactured September 15, 2011, through May 6, 2013; and model year 2013 Focus ST vehicles equipped with High Intensity Discharge (HID) headlights, manufactured February 16, 2012, through May 7, 2013. Due to a wiring incompatability, the front side marker lamps may not function. Thus, these vehicles fail to comply to the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) No. 108, "Lamps, Reflective Devices, and Associated Equipment."
Without the proper illumination of the side maker lamps, the vehicle may be less visible in night time conditions, increasing the risk of a crash.
Ford will notify owners, and dealers will modify the headlamp assembly wiring, free of charge. The recall began on August 16, 2013. Owners may contact the Ford customer relationship center at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's recall number is 13C04.
Campaign 13V335000 on NHTSA.gov
EquipmentOct 2, 2012
This recall involves aftermarket parts sold by Yakima Products, Inc. for use on model year 2012 and 2013 Ford Focus vehicles. This recall is being conducted by Yakima, not by Ford. Certain combined Q-Tower and Q128 Clip rooftop rack systems, part numbers 8000124 and 8000728, do not fully contact the door frame.
Without proper contact of the rooftop rack clip to the door frame, there is insufficient clamping pressure and friction. The system may slide off the vehicle when loaded with accessories, possibly becoming a road hazard to other vehicles or causing injury to pedestrians.
Yakima will notify owners, and Yakima or a Yakima dealer will refund the purchase of the Q-Tower and Q-128 Clip system. There is no replacement system available for the 2012-2013 model year Ford Focus. The safety recall began on October 15, 2012. Only vehicles equipped with the vehicle rack system are affected. This recall is being conducted by Yakima, not Ford. Owners may contact Yakima at 1-888-925-4621.
Campaign 12E035000 on NHTSA.gov
Visibility, windshield wiper/washer, switch/wiringApr 5, 2012
FORD IS RECALLING CERTAIN MODEL YEAR 2012 FOCUS VEHICLES MANUFACTURED FROM AUGUST 1, 2010, THROUGH OCTOBER 18, 2011. A SEAL IN THE WIRING HARNESS CONNECTOR TO THE PASSENGER SIDE WIPER MOTOR MAY BE MISSING.
WATER OR OTHER CONTAMINANTS MAY ACCUMULATE IN THE CONNECTOR, RESULTING IN AN INTERMITTENT OR INOPERATIVE PASSENGER SIDE WIPER MOTOR, REDUCING VISIBILITY AND INCREASING THE RISK OF A CRASH.
FORD WILL NOTIFY OWNERS, AND DEALERS WILL INSPECT AND AS NECESSARY, CLEAN AND PROPERLY SEAL THE PASSENGER SIDE WIPER MOTOR CONNECTOR. ANY INOPERATIVE WIPER MOTORS WILL BE REPLACED. THIS SERVICE WILL BE PROVIDED FREE OF CHARGE. THE SAFETY RECALL BEGAN ON MAY 21, 2012. OWNERS MAY CONTACT THE FORD MOTOR COMPANY CUSTOMER RELATIONSHIP CENTER AT 1-866-436-7332.
Campaign 12V149000 on NHTSA.gov
Representative owner complaints
3,801 reports, newest first.
Power train, Dec 27, 2022
Transmission failure again after already having vehicle serviced by Ford dealership in Cedar Rapids Iowa due to fuel issue from what they said was the issue. Still showing same coded and same issues with hard shifting and vibration and loss of power while trying to drive. Nearly cause daughter to be in multiple accidents. Issue started at around 40k miles and still happening and put over $10k in parts in this car now. Including new exhuast manifold and catalytic converter, O2 sensor, new fuel pressure sensors, new throttle body and other parts all done by dealerships. Getting old chasing parts. Now another shop said I was told all wrong and it's been a Transmission issue this entire time and ford just didn't want to fix it.
Power train, Dec 27, 2022
The contact owns a 2012 Ford Focus. The contact stated while driving at various speeds, the vehicle stalled. Additionally, the contact stated that the transmission was slipping in and out of gear and at times the vehicle failed to shift into the intended gear while driving. The transmission warning light was illuminated. An unknown message indicating a transmission failure was displayed. Additionally, the contact stated that the vehicle stalled while driving on another occasion. The vehicle experienced rough starts. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer, where it was diagnosed that the transmission needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired; however, the failure persisted. The vehicle was taken to a second local dealer, Star Ford (1101 S Brand Blvd, Glendale, CA 91204), but was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and referred the contact to the NHTSA hotline. The failure mileage was approximately 140,000.
Power train, Dec 22, 2022
Ford has acknowledged a problem with the Transmission Control Module (2012 Focus SEL) soon after this car was released. "Failure" caused the car to lose power while driving on the highway three seperate times. Warning light came on, but would go off after letting the car cool down. In 2015 and 2019 they sent notice to dealers, and to owners, to pay for replacement of this part if it failed up to 10 years or 150,000 miles. The issue for me is that my module finally required replacement (per dealer) after the "10 year point" at 89,700 miles. Software updates were done by Ford earlier for this issue, mine in 2019. (delivery was May 2012, replacement November 2022) I was also part of a class action lawsuit for this issue which Ford closed at the same "10 year point" leaving many customers now responsible for the replacement out of pocket, for me $1100, (part $967.21 - $300 core return charge, labor $428.99) or you have an undriveable vehicle. The second, even more frustrating, issue is that there are no Ford parts available to the dealer to even do this repair. I contacted Ford Customer Care directly, a case number was issued, was told they would "escalate my part request" but waiting period was minimum 4-6 weeks, unable to help me. Due to the lack of parts, I had to pay myself for a aftermarket module to be installed (thus now no coverage for labor charges per dealer for using an aftermarket part) after one month waiting for a Ford part, car sitting at the dealer, that two dealers told me would not available for months, if at all. As they KNEW this part was defective, replacement should have been done to all affected vehicles before they would fail, not making owners at risk for when the inevitable failures would occur.
Power train, Dec 12, 2022
Vehicle began to shift hard while driving, making starting, stopping, and accelerating an issue. This continued for a few days with intermittent improvement until one day the vehicle would not even crank.
Power train, Dec 6, 2022
Car unable to go in reverse, risked personal injury from oncoming traffic because we were unable to back out of the way when light changed.
Service brakes, Air, Tires, Nov 23, 2022, crash
The contact owns a 2012 Ford Focus. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the brake pedal was depressed but the brakes failed to stop the vehicle. The failure caused the vehicle to rear-end another vehicle. The contact sustained back injuries and scratches from the seat belt; however, medical attention was not yet received. A police report was filed. The contact then parked the vehicle in a parking lot, where it remained. The vehicle was not deemed totaled by the insurance company due to a lapse in insurance coverage. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The contact stated that prior to the failure, the vehicle lost motive power with the ABS, TPMS, and brake warning lights illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, where it was diagnosed with transmission failure, and the ABS, TPMS, and brake sensors were faulty, causing the battery to drain rapidly. The dealer replaced the transmission and the sensors for the ABS, TPMS, and brakes; however, the failure recurred. The failure mileage was approximately 101,000.
Power train, Nov 23, 2022
The contact owns a 2012 Ford Focus. The contact stated while driving 40 MPH, the vehicle shifted out of gear and decelerated unintendedly. There was no warning light illuminated. The contact was able to veer to the side of the road. The contact stated that upon turning off and restarting the vehicle several times, the vehicle responded as needed while shifting into drive(D). However, the failure reoccurred the next day while starting the vehicle and shifting into drive(D). The contact was unable to drive the vehicle. The dealer was notified of the failure. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and informed the contact that they could not assist as an unknown Extended Warranty had expired. The failure mileage was approximately 96,000.
Power train, Nov 15, 2022
The contact owns a 2012 Ford Focus. The contact stated that while driving at various speeds, the transmission was slipping and failing to recognize the intended gear. No warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic and a local dealer; however, the mechanics were unable to duplicate the failure. The vehicle was then taken back to the dealer, where the clutch was replaced under warranty. The vehicle was repaired; however, the failure recurred, and the contact stated that the vehicle was stalling while shifting between gears. Additionally, excessive force was needed to depress the accelerator pedal. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was 85,903.
Power train, Nov 9, 2022
My son was traveling on 3 lane highway in the far left passing lane when the vehicle acted like it went into neutral. He was able to coast through traffic on the busy highway to get pulled over onto the right hand side of the road. The motor was still running but the vehicle would not move. He could not put the vehicle into park so he shut off the vehicle and called a towing service. The towing service was also unable to get the vehicle into neutral. There were no initial warnings that anything was going wrong with the vehicle. The vehicle was then towed to Nielsen Ford in Morristown, NJ where it was diagnosed as being a Transmission Control Module issue.
Engine, Nov 4, 2022
The contact owns a 2012 Ford Focus. The contact stated that upon parking the vehicle and removing the key from the ignition, the vehicle continued to run without warning. The contact stated that the engine eventually turned off after approximately 3-5 minutes. The contact had taken the vehicle to the dealer where they informed her that they were unaware of the failure. The manufacturer was also notified of the failure and referred her to the NHTSA hotline for assistance. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was approximately 68,000. The consumer stated the vehicle was turned in and the consumer has a new vehicle.
Power train, Nov 1, 2022
The Ford Focus 2012 has a very common problem that the transmission control module consistently malfunctions even after repairs, and the car loses power at 70 mph. This is what happened to me on a major highway, and I was fortunate to steer my car to the side of the road. The transmission on the Ford Focus 2012 should be recalled since this is very dangerous: losing control on a highway at high speed. Just because I was able to steer to the side of the road does not diminish the potential danger to me as the driver, and indeed I have read accounts of drivers getting into accidents because of this problem. Unfortunately, the transmission control module issue is not officially a recall; this seems like a dangerous oversight.
Power train, Oct 26, 2022
The clutch was replaced on my 2012 bought new ford focus sel. That cost was $3000. After it was replaced within 5 miles of driving down the road the TCM module AE8Z-7Z369-F starting flashing warnings on the engine light, the transmission went to neutral and engine revved. I coul not drive and had to pull over for safety. The unit keeps shifting up and down or out of gear at any speed and is dangerous to drive. the TCM module is 6 months back ordered and Ford does not supply the part itself anymore. Has been confirmed issue by Transmission repair shop. I am at risk of getting hit if the car does not work. Or hitting someone when it jerks forward when stopped and started.
Power train, Oct 22, 2022
While driving on city streets (25-35mph) with consistent pressure to gas pedal, the engine revved with RPMs spiking while the car slowed down. Check engine light came on. The car was taken to a local mechanic who cleared the check engine light but did not otherwise intervene--they said it was a transmission error code and referred me to a transmission specialist. The car drove normally again after that. Transmission shop gave me the error codes for transmission (P090C-00), Body Control Module (B10D7-81 & B10D7-94), Tire Pressure Monitor (B10D7-81 & B10D7-94) and OBDII Codes (P090C). This is the second time this has happened to this particular car.
Power train, Oct 21, 2022
The contact owns a 2012 Ford Focus. The contact stated while driving 15 MPH, the vehicle started shaking and vibrating. The vehicle was taken to the dealer however, the vehicle was not diagnosed. The manufacturer was contacted and stated that the VIN was not under recall. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was 115,000.
Fuel/propulsion system, Oct 19, 2022
Purge Valve became stuck closed which caused fuel vapors to become trapped in the fuel tank. Fuel tank collapsed inward. This is a common occurrence with 2012-2018 Ford Focus models but my vehicle was not covered under a recall warranty.
Engine, Oct 18, 2022
The contact owns a 2012 Ford Focus. The contact stated while driving at undisclosed speed, the vehicle would not accelerate and the vehicle started to shake, causing the vehicle to stall. The vehicle was not diagnosed. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not contacted. The failure mileage was 116,000.
Power train, Oct 13, 2022
The contact owns a 2012 Ford Focus. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the gear shifter failed to shift into the intended gear while the RPM fluctuated. Additionally, the engine was revving loudly. There was no warning light illuminated. 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 84,000.
Power train, Oct 12, 2022
The contact owns a 2012 Ford Focus. The contact stated that while driving at various speeds, the vehicle would hesitate and shake upon the depression of the accelerator pedal as a "transmission overheating" warning message appeared on the instrument panel. The contact took the vehicle to a dealer where it was diagnosed with a defective dual-clutch transmission. The manufacturer was also notified of the failure and stated that the vehicle was not covered under warranty or recall. The vehicle had yet to be repaired. The failure mileage was approximately 140,000.
Power train, Sep 30, 2022
The contact owns a 2012 Ford Focus. The contact stated that on numerous occasions the transmission warning light intermittently illuminated. The contact then stated that on multiple occasions while making a right turn, she heard a bumping noise. The vehicle was first taken to an auto shop however, the vehicle was then taken to the dealer where it was diagnosed and produced code: P073S:006C stating that the engine failed to engage in gear one and the dual clutch module needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and the contact was informed that there was no extended warranty on the vehicle and the contact was advised to call the NHTSA Hotline. The failure mileage was approximately 81,000.
Power train, Sep 30, 2022
The contact owns a 2012 Ford Focus. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the transmission warning light illuminated indicating not to drive the vehicle. The contact stated that she was able to maneuver the vehicle off the road. The contact then notified her son and the vehicle was taken to the dealer where it was diagnosed that the TCM failed and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and the contact was informed that parts were on back order and the contact was provided a case number. The failure mileage was approximately 54,000.
Power train, Sep 29, 2022
The contact owns a 2012 Ford Focus. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, the transmission was slipping and failed to recognize the intended gear. The failure nearly caused a collision. The vehicle was towed to the residence and was not diagnosed nor repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 195,000.
Engine, Sep 27, 2022
2012 FORD FOCUS. CONSUMER WRITES IN REGARD TO ILLUMINATED CHECK ENGINE LIGHT.
Power train, Sep 26, 2022
The contact's son owns a 2012 Ford Focus. The contact stated while her son was driving at an undisclosed speed, the RPM revved up and the vehicle decelerated independently. Additionally, the vehicle started shuddering. There was no warning light illuminated. The contact's son was able to veer to the side of the road. The contact continued driving at slower speeds. The contact stated that the failure reoccurred increasingly. The vehicle was taken to two independent mechanics where it was diagnosed that the Powertrain Control Module (PCM) needed to be replaced. The dealer was notified of the failure and informed the contact that the vehicle could not be repaired under Ford Transmission Control Module Extended Warranty Coverage Campaign Number: 14M02 because the campaign expired. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 120,000.
Power train, Sep 26, 2022
My 18yr old daughter just purchased this car and drove it for 2 weeks when the transmission went out. IT STOPPED WORKING MID TURN!! LUCKY SHE DIDN'T GET HIT BY ANOTHER Vehicle. Now it has been towed to a Ford dealership that is stating the part is on "back order" so this car that she saved her own money to purchase is sitting, out of commission, for who knows how long!
Power train, Sep 26, 2022
The contact owns a 2012 Ford Focus. The contact stated while driving 75 MPH, the vehicle would not accelerate as needed. The contact stated that the Service Transmission or Transmission Failure warning light was illuminated. The contact stated that the vehicle was jerking however, she was able to drive home safely. The vehicle was diagnosed and the contact was informed that the transmission needed to be replaced. The manufacturer was contacted and referred the contact to the NHTSA Hotline for assistance. The contact was informed that the vehicle warranty would not cover the repair. The failure mileage was 156,000.