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U.S. public vehicle records

2012 Ford FOCUS problems and owner complaints

Explore the records behind recurring owner reports.

Key facts

3,768 owner complaints analyzed

7 distinct recall campaigns

67,000 mi median reported failure mileage

Scope: 2012 model year. Data snapshot: . 3,105 complaints include usable failure mileage.

Owner-reported patterns

Most common problems

Power Train is the most frequently named component, appearing in 1,388 of 3,768 complaints (36.8%). A complaint can name multiple components.

Recurring terms in complaint narratives
TopicMatching reportsShare of complaints
Transmission and shifting1,30534.6%
Steering behavior94925.2%
Engine operation50413.4%
Braking behavior1975.2%
Electrical and battery issues1704.5%
Fuel system concerns1514.0%

Topic matches use published keyword rules. They describe mentions, including negations or comparisons, and do not confirm a diagnosis. Read the matching rules.

Component breakdown

Number of unique complaints naming each component. Top eight shown.

Power Train
1,388
Steering
924
Engine
475
Unknown Or Other
358
Electrical System
344
Structure:Body
295
Fuel/Propulsion System
284
Vehicle Speed Control
164
Component breakdown data
CategoryCount
Power Train1388
Steering924
Engine475
Unknown Or Other358
Electrical System344
Structure:Body295
Fuel/Propulsion System284
Vehicle Speed Control164

Power Train: 1,388; Steering: 924; Engine: 475; Unknown Or Other: 358; Electrical System: 344; Structure:Body: 295; Fuel/Propulsion System: 284; Vehicle Speed Control: 164

Reported problems by failure mileage

Complaint counts in mileage bands. These are not failure rates per vehicle or mile.

Under 25,000
493
25,000 to 49,999
574
50,000 to 74,999
684
75,000 to 99,999
631
100,000 to 149,999
560
150,000 and above
163
Reported problems by failure mileage data
CategoryCount
Under 25,000493
25,000 to 49,999574
50,000 to 74,999684
75,000 to 99,999631
100,000 to 149,999560
150,000 and above163

Under 25,000: 493; 25,000 to 49,999: 574; 50,000 to 74,999: 684; 75,000 to 99,999: 631; 100,000 to 149,999: 560; 150,000 and above: 163

50,000 to 74,999 miles has the most reports with usable mileage (684). 663 complaints have missing, zero or invalid mileage.

Complaints over time

Year the complaint was filed, not the vehicle model year or incident year. The snapshot year is partial.

2011
28
2012
120
2013
157
2014
338
2015
438
2016
749
2017
339
2018
281
2019
576
2020
224
2021
129
2022
140
2023
109
2024
60
2025
50
2026
30
Complaints over time data
CategoryCount
201128
2012120
2013157
2014338
2015438
2016749
2017339
2018281
2019576
2020224
2021129
2022140
2023109
202460
202550
202630

2011: 28; 2012: 120; 2013: 157; 2014: 338; 2015: 438; 2016: 749; 2017: 339; 2018: 281; 2019: 576; 2020: 224; 2021: 129; 2022: 140; 2023: 109; 2024: 60; 2025: 50; 2026: 30

Pattern summary

Power Train leads the component reports. Transmission and shifting appears in 1,305 complaint narratives. Steering behavior appears in 949 complaint narratives. Engine operation appears in 504 complaint narratives. Use these patterns to inspect individual reports and prepare questions for a mechanic.

Calculated from recorded counts. An AI narrative has not been published for this selection.

Complaint evidence

Examples provide context, not a representative sample or a verified diagnosis.

Owner report 10417756 · 2011-08-06 (August 6, 2011)

I WAS DRIVING AND STUCK IN TRAFFIC. GOING SLOW, 5-10MPH, THE CAR STARTED SHIFTING REALLY STRANGE, NOT MOVING WHEN INITIALLY ACCELERATING AND THEN JERKING FROM FIRST TO SECOND GEAR. MY DESTINATION WAS 3 BLOCKS AHEAD OF ME SO I STAYED ON ROUTE AND PARKED WHEN I ARRIVED. AS I GOT BACK INTO THE CAR IT WOULDN'T START. I MANAGED TO GET THE CAR TO START AFTER "MESSING" WITH THE AUTO SHIFTER AND LEAVING THE CAR IN NUETRAL. ONCE STARTED THE CAR WOULD NOT GO INTO GEAR, OR MOVE WHEN PLACED INTO D, R OR L. I SHUT THE CAR DOWN AND IT WOULD NOT START A…

Owner-reported narrative. 1,300 miles reported. Look up ODI 10417756 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10426262 · 2011-09-19 (September 19, 2011)

WE PURCHASED THIS CAR ON 08/19/2011 AND THE NEXT DAY WHILE TAKING OFF FROM A STOP SIGN THE CAR WOULD SHUDDER, I DO NOT HAVE THIS ISSUE WHEN THE TRANSMISSION IS COLD BUT IN STOP AND GO DRIVING AND NORMAL CITY DRIVING AFTER IT HAS WARMED UP. ALSO WHEN YOU DEPRESS THE ACCELERATOR FROM A STOP THE VEHICLE WILL GO FOR A SECOND THEN HAVE A NICE SIZED FLAT SPOT SO EVEN THE PEOPLE IN THE CAR WILL GO FORWARD AS IF THE BRAKES WERE COMING ON. I TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER AND THE TECH DROVE IT AND VERIFIED THAT IT DID HAVE THIS ISSUE. THEY CONTACTED FOR…

Owner-reported narrative. 20 miles reported. Look up ODI 10426262 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10413327 · 2011-07-18 (July 18, 2011)

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 FORD FOCUS. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 60 MPH, THE VEHICLE WOULD PULL TO THE RIGHT AND SHE WOULD HAVE TO USE EXCESSIVE FORCE TO CONTINUE STEERING STRAIGHT. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER WHERE THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS OPERATING AS INTENDED, AND THERE WAS NO REMEDY AVAILABLE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 75.

Owner-reported narrative. 75 miles reported. Look up ODI 10413327 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10414894 · 2011-07-24 (July 24, 2011)

WILE DRIVING AT 60 MPH THE STEERING WENT TO MANUAL, WARNING DISPLAY READ "STEERING MALFUNCTION STOP SAFELY" CONTACT AUTHORIZED DEALER. THIS HAS ONLY HAPPEN ONCE AND STILL NOT SURE WHAT FIXES IT. STILL AT DEALER. *TR

Owner-reported narrative. 2,985 miles reported. Look up ODI 10414894 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10426419 · 2011-09-20 (September 20, 2011)

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 FORD FOCUS. THE CONTACT STATED THE VEHICLE WOULD STALL WITHOUT WARNING. IN ADDITION, THE CONTACT EXPERIENCED SUDDEN ACCELERATION. THE CONTACT TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER AND WAS TOLD THERE WAS A PROBLEM WITH THE COMPUTER. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 600.

Owner-reported narrative. 600 miles reported. Look up ODI 10426419 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10426991 · 2011-09-23 (September 23, 2011)

WE BOUGHT OUR FOCUS EARLIER THIS YEAR AND IMMEDIATLEY NOTICED STUMBLING ON ACCELERATION AND ROUGH IDLING. THE CAR FEELS LIKE IT'S GOING TO STALL WHEN IT TAKING OFF FROM A STOP OR WHEN MAKING HARD ACCELERATIONS. WE TOOK THE CAR TO THE DEALER THE FIRST WEEK OF OWNERSHIP TO HAVE THIS LOOKED AT, BUT FORD TOLD US IT NEEDED TO BREAK IN AND THAT THERE WERE NO ERROR CODES WHEN THEY RAN A DIAGNOSITC. THE PROBELM HAS NEVER BEEN FIXED ALTHOUGH THE SYMPTOMS WERE CONFIRMED BY THE SHOP FOREMAN. THE SECOND TIME WE TOOK THE CAR IN AS THE SHUDDERING WAS WORSE, …

Owner-reported narrative. 200 miles reported. Look up ODI 10426991 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10410444 · 2011-07-05 (July 5, 2011)

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 FORD FOCUS. THE CONTACT STOPPED THE VEHICLE WHEN HE NOTICED THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL AND BRAKE PEDAL WERE LOCATED VERY CLOSE TO EACH OTHER. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO A DEALER FOR DIAGNOSTIC TESTING NOR WAS IT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 5.

Owner-reported narrative. 5 miles reported. Look up ODI 10410444 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10430337 · 2011-10-15 (October 15, 2011)

AFTER A WEEK OF PURCHASING OUR BRAND NEW FOCUS STARTED NOTICING THE AUTOMATIC TRANNY SURGES AND SLIPS. LIKE ITS BUCKING FEELING. SOMETIMES IT SURGES ALMOST HARD ENOUGH TO PUT YOU ON THE DASH. KINDA SCARY IN TRAFFIC. CAR HAS ONLY 4500 MILES ON IT AND NOW HAS ELECTRICAL PROBLEMS IN DASH AND UPON GOING DOWN THE ROAD YOU WILL VIBRATIONS LIKE A BENT AXEL OR WORN BEARING. ITS A NEW CAR!!!!!!! *TR

Owner-reported narrative. 2,500 miles reported. Look up ODI 10430337 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10437953 · 2011-12-01 (December 1, 2011)

HIT DEER ON MAJOR HIGHWAY COMING HOME FROM WORK. FRONT AIRBAG DID NOT DEPLOY. WHEN TAKEN TO BODY SHOP,AFTER CAREFUL EXAMINATION,IT WAS DETERMINED BY THE FORD DEALER THAT THE AIRBAG SENSORS WERE NOT ON THE VEHICLE,DEALER CANNOT EXPLAIN WHY AIRBAG DID NOT DEPLOY WHEN THERE WAS APPROXIMATELY $10,0000.00 DAMAGE TO THE FRONT END FROM SAID COLLISION. DEALER REPORTS THAT THE WIRING HARNESS THAT CONTROLLED THE AIRBAG NEEDED TO BE REPLACED DUE TO DAMAGE FROM THE ACCIDENT. MINOR INJURIES WERE SUSTAINED FROM THE ACCIDENT. *TR

Owner-reported narrative. 7,500 miles reported. Look up ODI 10437953 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10468906 · 2012-08-02 (August 2, 2012)

TWO INCIDENTS. WHILE DRIVING AT A SPEED OF ABOUT 25 MILES PER HOUR, THE VEHICLE LOST POWER AND STALLED ON AN ARTERIAL STREET. TRAFFIC WAS LIGHT, AND THERE WAS NO DANGER TO ME OR OTHER MOTORISTS. THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT RESTART. HAD THE CAR TOWED TO THE DEALER, AND WAS TOLD IT WAS OUT OF GAS. THE GAUGE HAD BEEN READING 1/4 FULL AT THE TIME OF THE INCIDENT. THE GAUGE CONTINUED TO GIVE FALSE READINGS (MOVED FROM LOWER TO HIGHER AMOUNTS DURING THE COURSE OF EXHAUSTING THE FUEL SUPPLY) OVER THE NEXT FEW WEEKS. EVENTUALLY THE DEALER DIAGNOSED TH…

Owner-reported narrative. 5,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10468906 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10476527 · 2012-09-20 (September 20, 2012)

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…

Owner-reported narrative. 3,600 miles reported. Look up ODI 10476527 at NHTSA ↗