WHILE DRIVING VEHICLE ON THE HIGHWAY AND USING CRUISE CONTROL VEHICLE FAILS TO MAINTAIN SPEED. THE CRUISE CONTROL ABRUPTLY SHUTS OFF WITHOUT WARNING AND DRIVER HAS TO TAKE OVER. THE VEHICLE MAINTENANCE LIGHT TURNS ON/OFF PERIODICALLY. DEALER HAS INVESTIGATED AND DIAGNOSED THIS…

12/31/2015 · NHTSA ODI #10817262.0

2012 Focus · powertrain

I AM FILING A COMPLAINT AGAINST A 2012 FORD FOCUS SE. THE CAR HAS BEEN MAKING TRANSMISSION NOISES THAT CANNOT BE RESOLVED FOR QUITE SOME TIME NOW AND WHILE DRIVING ON THE 101 FREEWAY, ALL OF THE INSTRUMENT PANEL LIGHTS CAME ON AND THE ENTIRE CAR COMPLETELY SHUT OFF AND NO…

12/31/2014 · NHTSA ODI #10669229.0

2012 Focus · steering

WHILE DRIVING STEERING FAULT SERVICE IMMEDIATELY AND AN EXCLAMATION MARK APPEARED ON THE DASHBORAD. AT THE SAME TIME THE CAR WOULD BARELY STEER AND I HAD A VERY HARD TIME GETTING IT OFF THE ROAD. I CALLED FOR ROADSIDE ASSISTANCE AND THEY TOOK IT TO THE DEALERSHIP. *KB

12/31/2011 · NHTSA ODI #10441953.0

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Active recalls showing 1 of 1

severe NHTSA 12V149000 05/04/2012

FORD IS RECALLING CERTAIN MODEL YEAR 2012 FOCUS VEHICLES MANUFACTURED FROM AUGUST 1, 2010, THROUGH OCTOBER 18, 2011

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.

Fix: 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.

Common questions

Is the 2012 Ford Focus reliable?

It's got known weak points. With a reliability score of 5.8 out of 10 based on 3,778 owner complaints filed with NHTSA, the 2012 Ford Focus has a higher-than-average rate of reported issues. The areas to watch are listed above. Whether it's worth owning depends on price, condition, and how much repair exposure you can absorb.

What's the most common problem on the 2012 Ford Focus?

Based on NHTSA records, the most-reported issue is powertrain, with 1,347 complaints filed. Average repair cost runs about $2,500 at an independent shop.

What's the most expensive thing that goes wrong?

The steering is one of the costlier repair items. Average repair cost runs about $700 at an independent shop. Catching early warning signs can sometimes extend life by 20–30,000 miles.

How do I check if my Ford Focus has open recalls?

Paste your VIN into the decoder at the top of this page. We pull live from NHTSA, so you'll see exactly which campaigns apply to your vehicle and whether the dealer has logged the fix. Recall repairs are always free regardless of mileage or warranty status.

Is an extended warranty worth it on a 2012 Ford Focus?

Math is straightforward: a quality service contract runs $1,800–3,500 over 3 years. With 3,778 complaints on file and the costliest repair averaging $700, one major failure more than pays for it. The catch is reading the contract — many providers exclude wear items and require pre-authorization, so cheaper plans aren't always better value.

Related vehicles

Recall and complaint data sourced from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) public records database, last synced 10 hours ago. Editorial commentary written by ProblemsByVin contributors and reviewed by ASE-certified mechanics. We are not affiliated with ford. Some links on this page are affiliate links and we may earn a commission if you complete a quote or purchase.