Used 2012 Ford Focus Consumer Reviews
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Constant Transmission Problems - replace the TCM
Thomas, 07/29/2016
updated 09/06/2016
2012 Ford Focus SE 4dr Sedan (2.0L 4cyl 5M)
10 of 11 people found this review helpful
I see a lot of complaints about the dual-clutch transmission and rightly so. In my experience it is garbage. When you take it to the dealership do not let them tell you that they don't know what it is because there has been at least one lawsuit filed in CA and there has been a recall on the Transmission Control Module. Make them replace it. Do not allow them to charge you for reprogramming a faulty TCM or Powertrain Module because they are simply reprogramming a bad component and bleeding your wallet dry. My local dealer was thoroughly inept and I eventually took my Focus out of State to Franklin Ford just south of Nashville where I found a woman in the service division that actually knew her job. Yes, I had to look in other States to find a dealer that didn't tell me the same lie the first dealer did. The other issue is that the dual clutches are dry rather than a wet system or the traditional torque converter. Anyone with any sense knows that slamming two clutch discs together over and over with no lubrication is just stupid. On a positive note the car is fun to drive...right up until the point that it leaves you sitting on the side of the interstate or the middle of an intersection with no way to move it...the mileage has been good, and the rest of the car has actually been reliable. Other negatives include an interior that won't even resist water stains so after a short time the seats look like the carpet in a daycare. If you are unfortunate enough to own one of these abominations, have Ford replace the TCM then sell it immediately to anyone willing to buy it. If I had known about this transmission I would have purchased a VW or Honda. An update: After replacing the TCM in 2015 my Focus is back at the dealer. They said the TCM is bad and that the clutches and slave cylinder need to be replaced. I have questioned the wisdom of replacing parts that we know to be bad in a transmission we know to be bad with identical parts. It makes to sense to me. At this point the only thing that would make me happy would be for Ford to abandon the apocalyptically horrible Dual Clutch Transmission and replace it with one that actually functions reliably. It is clear from the number of complaints on this board and others that there is something horribly wrong with these transmissions. Yet another update: The horn has stopped working and the transmission problems have made the car impossible to drive. The Used Car Manager at the local Ford dealership called me in response to a message I left about trading in "A car". After I told him that it was a 2012 Focus he never called me back. I went to the local GM dealership and a Sales Associate there told me that she refuses to sell the cars because they are unsafe and should not be allowed on the road. My Focus is sitting on a car hauler waiting to be towed to CarMax for an appraisal because I refuse to drive it. Because of this car and Ford's obstinance about correcting this issue I will never purchase another Ford product.
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POS
peter, 10/09/2015
2012 Ford Focus Titanium 4dr Sedan (2.0L 4cyl 6AM)
6 of 6 people found this review helpful
Beware of this car. 2012 model year has transmission problems. It has been in the shop five times for new transmission fixes...software, parts..etc. It has stalled while being driven 4 times. It is an absolute hazard. Ford customers service is the worst. They will absolutely not stand behind their products..especially a LEMON! The trade-in value is embarrassing low. Basically, I have lost the entire value of the car. It is worth more at the junk yard.
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So far so good
Sharina, 10/26/2015
2012 Ford Focus SEL 4dr Hatchback (2.0L 4cyl 6AM)
6 of 6 people found this review helpful
I've had this car a little over a year and it's been great. I've had 2 recalls since getting it and I just brought my car in and it was fixed and I was done. I don't mind the recalls. As long as it's fixed for free. My car has never stalled, but it did do that weird thing where you're speeding up and it hesitates a little, but it doesn't happen too often. I got my car with a lot of miles...like 64000 when I bought it for 15 thousand. They could have given me better price because I still owe 10 thousand and the car is worthe like 6 thousand now... I've had no issues. My car works wonderfully! I mean sometimes it takes a second for the air to turn on, but I love my car and I know I'll have it for a while. I'll probably end up getting a Ford again after this...
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Too many problems.
amanda, 10/06/2016
2012 Ford Focus SE 4dr Sedan (2.0L 4cyl 5M)
6 of 6 people found this review helpful
I have had the car for 4 years and it now has 75,000 miles on it. 1- Not long after purchasing the car, it started jerking when I would try to take off. I advised Ford of this and they said it was normal. Then they finally sent out a recall for the transmission. 2- Car was a year old- driving down the road I started smelling something. Ford advised us to have the car towed to them. I did and they advised it was an overfill of something and it was just getting rid of the overfill (sorry, can't remember what it was). While the tow truck driver was helping us load the car, the front end of the car scrubbed the ground and scratched the paint off the car (a lot). Ford advised us it was the tow company's responsibility and the tow company advised us it was Ford's responsibility (because Ford called them). End the end, no one took the blame so it is still messed up. 3- I had the car exactly 3 years when the driver side window quit working. Of course, no longer under warranty. 4- (July, 2016) Had the car for 3.5 years and the rear wheel and hub assembly needs replaced (not a cheap repair). 5- (October, 2016) the water pump busted. Not very happy with all this repairs and costs. Now thinking I should sell the car before something else goes wrong.
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Car looks nice, but garbage build quality
Lee, 07/15/2017
2012 Ford Focus SEL 4dr Hatchback (2.0L 4cyl 6AM)
6 of 6 people found this review helpful
Let's start inside: The fake brushed aluminum plastic parts on the interior trim look decent at first glance but after about a year the finish started peeling off. Around the steering wheel controls this cut my hand badly as I bled all over trying to drive to work. On a dealer visit for this and numerous other issues, the dealer cut away the metallic frayed section so it wouldn't cut me any longer but now I have a chunk missing from the trim. The infotainment system isn't as horrible as people make it sound. You just have to realize it has it's own personality and kind of does what it wants. Roughly 50% of the time it'll get a voice command in the general ballpark and phone calls while connected to bluetooth may be taken by the system, or just on your phone leaving you fumbling while driving to see where the caller can hear you. The transmission is complete garbage clunking and grinding loudly. It's embarrassing to drive on quiet side streets and people think you're breaking down in front of their houses. Gas mileage is decent. With mostly highway driving (80+%) I average almost 30MPG, just slightly better than a 5.0 Mustang I had from 1990 got (28MPG with similar routes). Recently now my TCM went out leaving me stranded figuring out how to get to work to preserve my job. The dealer fixed it in a day once I was able to get the car up there under the TSB but nothing was done to fix the transmission once again. Overall avoid this car like the plague, but a competitor and skips the horrible and insulting dealers and unreliable car.
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