2013 Ford FOCUS problems and owner complaints
Explore the records behind recurring owner reports.
Key facts
2,109 owner complaints analyzed
11 distinct recall campaigns
53,000 mi median reported failure mileage
Scope: 2013 model year. Data snapshot: . 1,681 complaints include usable failure mileage.
Most common problems
Power Train is the most frequently named component, appearing in 1,053 of 2,109 complaints (49.9%). A complaint can name multiple components.
| Topic | Matching reports | Share of complaints |
|---|---|---|
| Transmission and shifting | 951 | 45.1% |
| Engine operation | 355 | 16.8% |
| Steering behavior | 294 | 13.9% |
| Electrical and battery issues | 129 | 6.1% |
| Braking behavior | 101 | 4.8% |
| Fuel system concerns | 87 | 4.1% |
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.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| Power Train | 1053 |
| Engine | 343 |
| Steering | 268 |
| Electrical System | 266 |
| Fuel/Propulsion System | 208 |
| Unknown Or Other | 195 |
| Vehicle Speed Control | 110 |
| Structure:Body | 74 |
Power Train: 1,053; Engine: 343; Steering: 268; Electrical System: 266; Fuel/Propulsion System: 208; Unknown Or Other: 195; Vehicle Speed Control: 110; Structure:Body: 74
Reported problems by failure mileage
Complaint counts in mileage bands. These are not failure rates per vehicle or mile.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| Under 25,000 | 497 |
| 25,000 to 49,999 | 286 |
| 50,000 to 74,999 | 349 |
| 75,000 to 99,999 | 246 |
| 100,000 to 149,999 | 237 |
| 150,000 and above | 66 |
Under 25,000: 497; 25,000 to 49,999: 286; 50,000 to 74,999: 349; 75,000 to 99,999: 246; 100,000 to 149,999: 237; 150,000 and above: 66
Under 25,000 miles has the most reports with usable mileage (497). 428 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.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| 2012 | 5 |
| 2013 | 154 |
| 2014 | 218 |
| 2015 | 235 |
| 2016 | 263 |
| 2017 | 194 |
| 2018 | 162 |
| 2019 | 360 |
| 2020 | 153 |
| 2021 | 90 |
| 2022 | 94 |
| 2023 | 84 |
| 2024 | 52 |
| 2025 | 31 |
| 2026 | 14 |
2012: 5; 2013: 154; 2014: 218; 2015: 235; 2016: 263; 2017: 194; 2018: 162; 2019: 360; 2020: 153; 2021: 90; 2022: 94; 2023: 84; 2024: 52; 2025: 31; 2026: 14
Pattern summary
Power Train leads the component reports. Transmission and shifting appears in 951 complaint narratives. Engine operation appears in 355 complaint narratives. Steering behavior appears in 294 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 10482606 · 2012-10-30 (October 30, 2012)
AT APPROXIMATELY 7:15 AM, ROADWAY WAS WET (PREVIOUSLY RAINED), TRAVELING AT APPROXIMATELY 60 MPH IN LANE 3 OF 3 AND CHANGING LANE INTO LANE 2 OF 3 WHILE MILDLY ACCELERATING AND THEN LET OFF THE ACCELERATOR LIGHTLY AS CHANGING LANE (APPROACHING REAR OF VEHICLE IN FRONT OF ME). AS I TRIED TO ACCELERATE AFTER CHANGING INTO LANE 2, THE VEHICLE APPARENTLY SHIFTED INTO NEUTRAL WITHOUT USER INPUT, ENGINE COULD BE REVVED TO 5K RPM WITH NO EFFECT ON FORWARD SPEED. I MOVED GEAR SELECTOR INTO N FROM D AND BACK, AND D TO L AND BACK WITH NO EFFECT. I HAD T…
Owner-reported narrative. 550 miles reported. Look up ODI 10482606 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10483891 · 2012-11-09 (November 9, 2012)
I WAS DRIVING ON THE FREEWAY AND ATTEMPTED TO ACCELERATE. THE TRANSMISSION HUNTED FOR A GEAR BUT SEEMED TO GET STUCK BETWEEN GEARS AND ACTED AS IF IT WAS IN NEUTRAL. THE ENGINE RPMS STAYED UP SINCE I HAD MY FOOT ON THE GAS. I LET OFF THE ACCELERATOR AND THE ENGINE RPMS DIDN'T DROP, BUT KIND OF JUMPED AROUND. I TRIED APPLYING THE ACCELERATOR BUT IT JUST REVVED AND DIDN'T ACCELERATE. I THEN STOPPED APPLYING THE ACCELERATOR, SHIFTED TO NEUTRAL, THEN SHIFTED BACK TO DRIVE AND THE TRANSMISSION FOUND A GEAR AND I WAS ABLE TO DRIVE NORMALLY. *TR
Owner-reported narrative. 273 miles reported. Look up ODI 10483891 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10512459 · 2013-05-16 (May 16, 2013)
FORD FOCUS ELECTRIC VEHICLE STOPS SUDDENLY WITH "STOP SAFELY NOW". WHEN THIS OCCURS DRIVER (ME) LOOSES ALL ABILITY TO ACCELERATE. THIS EVEN OCCURRED TODAY AND LEFT US IN DANGER ON THE HIGHWAY WHILE WE NERVOUSLY WAITED FOR PROFESSIONAL ASSISTANCE. MANY REPORTS OF THIS EXACT ISSUE WITH THIS MAKE/MODEL VEHICLE ON THE PUBLIC FORUMS. CONCERN OF LOSS OF POWER TRAIN COULD MEAN INJURIES OR DEATH DEPENDING ON THE MOMENT A CAR LOOSES IT'S ABILITY TO DRIVE WHILE MOBILE. *TR
Owner-reported narrative. 1,800 miles reported. Look up ODI 10512459 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10515988 · 2013-06-10 (June 10, 2013)
MY PERFORMANCE CONCERN STARTED WITHIN THE FIRST WEEK OF OWNERSHIP. I HAD REPORTED WHAT I PERCEIVED AS A PERFORMANCE ISSUE TO THE DEALER BUT OPTED TO GIVE A NEW CAR TIME TO "BREAK IN". 4 WEEKS INTO MY OWNER EXPERIENCE, THE SERVICE DEPARTMENT HELD AND DROVE THE CAR FOR 5 DAYS AND HAD DETERMINED THAT A TRANSMISSION COMPONENT WAS THE CAUSE OF THE ISSUE I WAS EXPERIENCING. I NOW HAVE OVER 10K MILES ON THE VEHICLE AND HAVE HAD THE SAME EXPERIENCE. THE SERVICE DEPARTMENT HAS SINCE TOLD ME THAT THE ROUGH IDLE IN PARK OR IN GEAR WITH BRAKE APPLIED IS…
Owner-reported narrative. 100 miles reported. Look up ODI 10515988 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10481031 · 2012-10-18 (October 18, 2012)
THE INSTRUMENT CLUSTER GAUGES ARE HARD TO READ ON A SUNNY DAY. THE VISION OF THE SPEEDOMETER, WHILE DRIVING ON A SUNNY DAY IS VERY HARD TO READ. IT IS A DISTRACTION TO STARE AT THE SPEEDOMETER, TO SEE THE SPEED OF THE VEHICLE. THE INSTRUMENT CLUSTER LIGHTS ARE SET AT THE BRIGHTEST SETTING. THE GLARE FROM THE POLISHED ALUMINUM ON THE STEERING WHEEL IS ALSO A DISTRACTION WHILE DRIVING ON A SUNNY DAY. THE CLUSTER GAUGE BACK LIGHTS NEED TO BE BRIGHTER. MY LOCAL FORD DEALER WAS NOT A HELP... *TR
Owner-reported narrative. 340 miles reported. Look up ODI 10481031 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10492146 · 2013-01-10 (January 10, 2013)
DRIVING STRAIGHT ON THE HIGHWAY ~50MPH THE CAR SEEMED TO BE DRIFTING TO THE RIGHT AS THOUGH BEING BLOWN BY HEAVY WINDS, ALTHOUGH THERE WAS LITTLE/NO WIND THAT DAY. I APPLIED A TYPICAL, SLIGHT ADJUSTMENT TO THE LEFT BUT THE STEERING WHEEL RESISTED MY INPUT, AS THOUGH SOMEBODY WAS HOLDING ONTO THE STEERING WHEEL AND APPLYING PRESSURE TO THE RIGHT, AFTER A SPLIT SECOND, THE OPPOSING PRESSURE RELEASED AND THE WHEEL OVERCORRECTED TO THE LEFT FOLLOWED BY THE IDENTICAL RESPONSE WHEN I ATTEMPTED TO CORRECT BACK TO THE RIGHT. IT CONTINUED TO DO THIS EVE…
Owner-reported narrative. 60 miles reported. Look up ODI 10492146 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10505173 · 2013-03-31 (March 31, 2013)
I BOUGHT A 2013 FORD FOCUS HATCHBACK ON MARCH 22, 2013, LESS THAN TWO WEEKS. ALL SUDDEN MY CAR DIED WOULDN'T START. I CALLED FORD ROADSIDE ASSISTANCE, THE GUY CAME AND JUMP START MY CAR 5-6 TIMES IN ORDER TO GET CAR STARTED, BUT THE HOOD/ AND DASHBOARD HAD BURNING SMELLS AND IT WENT DARK COMPLETELY, NO LIGHTS DISPLAY ON DASH, THE SIGNAL LIGHT DIDN'T EVEN WORK TOO. I CHECKED ONLINE, MANY PEOPLE COMPLAINT FORD FOCUS HAS ELECTRICAL WIRING PROBLEM SINCE YEAR 2000, AND IT IS CONTINUED USING ON YEAR 2013 MODEL, THE WIRE CRACKING IN INSULATION. FOR…
Owner-reported narrative. 220 miles reported. Look up ODI 10505173 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10521207 · 2013-06-22 (June 22, 2013)
VEHICLE ABRUPTLY LOST DRIVETRAIN POWER AND CAME TO A SUDDEN STOP IN THE LEFT-HAND LANE OF A MAJOR SURFACE STREET IN SAN JOSE. THE VEHICLE SUDDENLY DISPLAYED THE WARNING 'STOP SAFELY NOW". ATTEMPTS TO RESTART OR REBOOT THE CAR FAILED LEAVING US DANGEROUSLY STRANDED IN MODERATE TRAFFIC FOR OVER 20 MINUTES UNTIL A NEARBY RESIDENT HELPED US TO PUSH VEHICLE TO SAFETY. ALL ELECTRICAL SYSTEMS ON THE VEHICLE CONTINUED TO FUNCTION BUT THE VEHICLE WAS IMMOBILIZED. PUSHING THE VEHICLE WAS VERY DIFFICULT, AS IF THE BRAKES WERE ENGAGED. THE FORD DEALER …
Owner-reported narrative. 3,200 miles reported. Look up ODI 10521207 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10486080 · 2012-11-26 (November 26, 2012)
TL- THE CONTACT OWNS A 2013 FORD FOCUS. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHENEVER TRAVELING UPHILL, THE VEHICLE WOULD ROLL AWAY IN REVERSE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE FAILURE OCCURRED WHENEVER SWITCHING FROM THE BRAKE PEDAL TO THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL. THE CONTACT TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER AND WAS TOLD THAT THE VEHICLE WAS PERFORMING AS DESIGNED AND THAT THE OCCURRENCE WAS A NORMAL CHARACTERISTIC OF THE VEHICLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT HE RECEIVED INFORMATION FROM THE MANUFACTURER THAT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS SUPPOSED TO ROLL AWAY IN REVERSE. THE…
Owner-reported narrative. 500 miles reported. Look up ODI 10486080 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10677053 · 2015-01-21 (January 21, 2015)
DRIVING AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS AND CAR ACTS AS IF STARVED OF FUEL AND RAPIDLY DECREASES SPEED. THERE WAS NO POWER, BUT VEHICLE WAS ON. THERE HAVE NOW BEEN THREE INCIDENTS WHILE ON FREEWAY AT SPEED THAT THE VEHICLE HAS DONE THIS AND EACH TIME I HAVE HAD TO PULL OFF ONTO SHOULDER (ALMOST GETTING HIT BY TRAFFIC EACH TIME). LUCKILY THE FIRST 2 TIMES I WAS ABLE TO RESTART CAR AND GET OFF FREEWAY BY STAYING ON SHOULDER SINCE CAR COULD NOT REACH FREEWAY SPEEDS. THIS LAST INCIDENT (ON 1/11/15) LEFT ME STRANDED ON FREEWAY BETWEEN AN ON RAMP AND FIRST LANE. T…
Owner-reported narrative. 32,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10677053 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10679454 · 2015-01-28 (January 28, 2015)
EVERY RECALL EVENT FOR MY 2013 FORD FOCUS, I HAVE ENCOUNTERED. AFTER A YEAR AND HALF OF CONTINUED TRIPS TO AND BEING WITHOUT MY CAR FOR SERVICE. THE TRANSMISSION ISSUES STILL NOT RESOLVED ALONG WITH THE ELECTRICAL ISSUES. THE STEREO DISPLAY GOES BLANK, AT TIMES SHOWS INCORRECT DATE AND CLOCK JUMPS TO DIFFERENT HOURS. THE CAR LUNGES FORWARD WHEN YOU GET TO ABOUT 25 TO 30 MPH OR HESITATES WHEN YOU EXCEL. WHEN YOU PUT IN PARK IT WILL LUNGE FORWARD OR ACT LIKE YOU'VE POPPED THE CLUTCH EVEN WHEN BRAKE IS ON. IT SHUDDERS, HAS BUMP & BANG NOISES,…
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10679454 at NHTSA ↗