Most common 2012 Ford Focus Electric problems
Share of the 33 complaints; one complaint can involve more than one system. "~" is the median mileage when the problem started.
Ford Focus Electric complaints by model year
Best Focus Electric years: 2016, 2017, 2015. Years to avoid: 2013, 2014, 2012. Compare all years →
2012 Ford Focus Electric recalls (3)
Equipment › Electrical
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 120V Convenience charge cords that were supplied with and sold for use with 2013-2015 Ford C-Max Energi and Fusion Energi vehicles and 2012-2015 Ford Focus Electric vehicles.
Remedy: Ford will notify owners, and dealers will replace the current cord with a new 120V convenience cord with a thermistor, free of charge. The recall began January 18, 2019.
Power train › Automatic transmission › Control module (TCM/PCM/tecm)
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain model year 2012-2014 Focus Electric vehicles manufactured September 15, 2011, through August 23, 2013. In the affected vehicles, a powertrain control module software problem may result in a stall-like condition.
Remedy: Ford will notify owners, and dealers will reprogram the power control module, free of charge. The recall beganon November 22, 2013. Ford's recall campaign number is 13S09.
Equipment › Electrical › Anti-theft devices
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain model year 2012-2013 Focus Electric vehicles and 2013 C-Max vehicles equipped with the Intelligent Access Push Button Start System. In the affected vehicles, there is no audible chime when the vehicle is operational and the driver's door is opened.
Remedy: Ford will notify owners, and dealers will update the software for the door chime, free of charge. The recall began on October 30, 2013. Owners may contact the Ford customer relationship center at 1-866-436-7332.
NHTSA defect investigations
Federal safety investigators have looked into 4 possible defects involving the 2012 Ford Focus Electric:
Door Latch Failures
In December 2019, the Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) opened this investigation based on 235 Vehicle Owner Questionnaires (VOQs) alleging doors failed to latch when closed, and/or inadvertently opened while driving, on model year (MY) 2012-2014 Ford Fiesta, and 2013-2014 Fusion and Lincoln MKZ.
Door Latch Failure
In January, the Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) opened this Preliminary Evaluation based on consumers' allegations of doors failing to latch and/or inadvertently opening on model year (MY) 2012-2013 Ford Focus vehicles (subject vehicles).ODI has received 464 unique reports related to the alleged problem, with over 200 claiming that the door(s) opened inadvertently while the vehicle was in motion.One consumer…
Electric powertrain propulsion failure
In an October 28, 2013 letter to NHTSA, Ford Motor Company (Ford) submitted a recall notice identifying a defect in the Powertrain Control Module (PCM) software in approximately 2,456 model year (MY) 2012 through 2014 Ford Focus Electric vehicles manufactured from September 15, 2011 through August 23, 2013 (Recall No.
Pedestrian alert sounds
NHTSA received a petition on or about July 18, 2022, requesting that Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) 141 be applied to all electric and hybrid vehicles operating in the United States. The petition can be reviewed at NHTSA.gov under ODI Number 11486072. FMVSS 141 establishes performance requirements for pedestrian alert sounds for motor vehicles.
What 2012 Ford Focus Electric owners say
Transmission & drivetrain
For the past month my 2012 Ford Focus had been jerking when increasing to speeds of 55mph and higher. I got the wheel alignment done, changed the tires, thinking it would help. On April 16th at 5 pm I was driving from school when I was passing a burger king on a main road by thr interstate, my car just lost all power and stopped. I tried to turn it back on, nothing. I ended up pushing it into burger kings parking lot. Tried to jump it. No go. Took battery to get tested, completely dead. OK, so all it needs is a battery? Wrong! Bought a new battery. Still nothing. Had the car towed to pep boys where I am informed that its the PCM/TCM and only Ford can fix it because it needs to be reprogrammed. OK, called Ford in tampa fl, after doing research about recalls on this site. According to them there has never been a recall. …
While running on cruise control at 55mph, I disengaged the cruise control for a turning vehicle ahead. A yellow wrench light & stop safely now message appeared in dash. A warning bell alarmed. Vehicle began free wheeling towards other vehicle without expected regeneration braking. Had to hit brakes hard. Pulled to side of road. Car had no motive power. Turned car off. Waited for all lights in dash to go out, then restarted car normally. Car appeared to have no problems. This happened 5 more times in the next 2 days. No problems noted. The dealer was to busy on Friday to look for any codes in vehicle computer. This should never happen except when the motor is shorted or grounded out hard enough to burn it and blow a fuse.
Electrical system
The contact owns a 2012 Ford Focus BEV. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, the contact noticed that an unknown warning light was illuminated and remained illuminated for several days. The failure recurred several times. On one occasion, the contact was unable to start the vehicle. The contact had the vehicle towed to a local dealer who inspected the vehicle and diagnosed failure with an electrical wiring harness kit and that the battery was drained. The dealer was able to replace the wiring harness however, the battery was not replaced due to the cost of a new battery. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 92,000.
For the past month my 2012 Ford Focus had been jerking when increasing to speeds of 55mph and higher. I got the wheel alignment done, changed the tires, thinking it would help. On April 16th at 5 pm I was driving from school when I was passing a burger king on a main road by thr interstate, my car just lost all power and stopped. I tried to turn it back on, nothing. I ended up pushing it into burger kings parking lot. Tried to jump it. No go. Took battery to get tested, completely dead. OK, so all it needs is a battery? Wrong! Bought a new battery. Still nothing. Had the car towed to pep boys where I am informed that its the PCM/TCM and only Ford can fix it because it needs to be reprogrammed. OK, called Ford in tampa fl, after doing research about recalls on this site. According to them there has never been a recall. …
Steering
Twice since we have owned this car the steering wheel locks up after the engine is started. My wife says there is a message on the dash display about the steering. Both times she showed me the steering being locked up in the driveway of our home. I was able to correct the problem by turning off the ignition switch and restarting. She told me this morning it has happened to her while driving once on a highway at 60 MPH . She was able to strong arm the steering wheel to the shoulder. I am extremely concerned about this problem. I still owe a lot of money on this car and I can't even give it away with this kind of problem.
I started the car this morning and the steering would not work. I came inside the house, looked up the problem on line and found a terrific amount of hits. I also saw that without warning the steering can stop all together causing an accident. I also saw that sometimes you can go back to the vehicle and start it up again and the steering problem May go away. This is very alarming. What if I am driving and the steering goes out? This, of course, can lead to injury or death to the driver or to others involved in a crash.
2012 Ford Focus Electric engines & fuel economy
| Engine | Transmission | Drive | MPG city / hwy / combined | Range |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Electric | CVT | FWD | 110 / 99 / 105 MPGe | 76 mi |
EPA ratings. Class: Compact car.
Frequently asked questions
Is the 2012 Ford Focus Electric a good car?
Based on 33 owner complaints filed with NHTSA, the 2012 Focus Electric rates avoid: 2.4× as many complaints as a typical year of the Focus Electric at the same age. It is one of the Focus Electric years we suggest avoiding. Complaint counts don't account for sales volume or individual maintenance, so have any used car inspected before buying.
What is the most common problem with the 2012 Ford Focus Electric?
The transmission & drivetrain — 14 complaints, 42% of all complaints for this model year, most often about clutch assembly. Next are the electrical system (14) and steering (6).
How many recalls does the 2012 Ford Focus Electric have?
There are 3 recalls for the 2012 Ford Focus Electric, the most recent from September 10, 2018 (electrical). Recall repairs are free at any authorized dealer — check whether yours has been done with the VIN recall check.
What are the best and worst years of the Ford Focus Electric?
The best years by complaints, compared at the same age, are 2016, 2017 and 2015. Years to avoid or approach with caution: 2013, 2014 and 2012. See the full Ford Focus Electric years comparison.
At what mileage do 2012 Ford Focus Electric problems happen?
The median mileage reported in complaints is about 19,000 miles; 69% of problems with a recorded mileage started before 50,000 miles.
Source: U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) — owner complaints through October 20, 2026, recalls and defect investigations; fuel economy from the EPA. Complaints are unverified reports and are not proof of a defect. How we rate model years.