Which parts fail
Components named in complaints (automatic and manual transmissions, CVT, axles, driveshaft, 4WD/AWD).
Mileage when the problem started
Owner reports
Selected complaints filed with NHTSA by 2014 Ford Focus owners, lightly cleaned up (personal details are redacted by NHTSA).
The contact's wife owns a 2014 Ford Focus. The contact stated that the vehicle had been shuddering, hesitating, and lunging while driving. The vehicle was taken to several unknown dealers and the dealers informed the contact that it was a known failure and that the TCM was reprogramed; however, the failure persisted. The vehicle was taken to the dealer and the transmission clutch was replaced in 2019; however, the failure reoccurred while driving. The contact stated that while his wife was driving approximately 60 MPH, the vehicle inadvertently stalled. The check engine warning light and the warning message "Service transmission immediately" illuminated. The contact's wife was able to restart the vehicle after several minutes and veered to the side of the road. …
The contact owns a 2014 Ford Focus. The contact stated while driving at 50 MPH, the vehicle inadvertently decelerated to 10 MPH. There were no warning lights illuminated. The contact continued to depress the accelerator pedal and pulled into the parking lot of her apartment. The vehicle was towed to the dealer where it was diagnosed that the transmission had failed however, the vehicle was not repaired. The dealer informed the contact to take the vehicle to a transmission specialist as they did not have a transmission mechanic or parts. The contact contacted other unknown dealers who advised as the first dealer. The vehicle was towed to a transmission specialist where the transmission was taken apart and the transmission assembly was replaced. The transmission specialist drove the vehicle to the contact's residence and informed her that the steering rack might have failed. …
The contact owns a 2014 Ford Focus. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 13V523000 (Power Train). The contact took the vehicle to local dealer and had the recall repair completed. The contact stated that two years after the recall repair, while driving at an undisclosed speed speed, the vehicle independently shifted into neutral(N). The contact stated that the transmission was hot and a message to "Pull Over" was displayed. The contact was able to park on the side of the road for 15 minutes and then continued driving to her destination. The contact took the vehicle back to the local dealer, where it was diagnosed with needing the clutch plates and an unknown sensor to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired but experience the failure two years after the second repair. …
My 2014 Ford Focus Titanium experiences bucks and jerking on a daily basis. I will be making turns crossing large streets and I will have a chance to go and when I do the car will stall and the power will come back almost getting me killed by oncoming traffic. Also at red lights or stop signs I will stop and then press the gas only to have the car go a little and then stall or jerk/buck in which the person behind me (especially at red lights) thinks I'm going and goes only to have me stop and then they almost hit my back (I actually had one person tap my back bumper but thank Jesus I was ok). Also on the highway doing 55-70 MPH and I press the gas to move a lane or go forward more the car will drop gears and stall causing the cars behind me to almost hit me and honk. This is not too mention the slips and bucks the transmission causes on the daily which are just annoying. …
The contact owns a 2014 Ford Focus. The contact stated while the vehicle was stationary at a traffic light and depressing the accelerator pedal, the vehicle started jerking and shuddering. The contact stated no warning light was illuminated. The contact continued to experience the failure while driving to his destination. The contact took the vehicle to the local dealer, where it was diagnosed with needing the manual clutch and transmission pressure plate to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired but continued to experience the failure. The contact took the vehicle a second time to the local dealer in August of 2018, where it was diagnosed with needing the manual clutch and transmission pressure plate to be replaced for the second time. The vehicle was repaired but continued to experience the failure. …
The contact owns a 2014 Ford Focus. The contact stated while driving 30 MPH, the message "Transmission Fault. Service Now" was displayed. The accelerator pedal was depressed but the vehicle failed to respond. The contact veered to the side of the road for a moment. The contact was able to drive to her nearby residence at 5 MPH. The vehicle was then taken to the nearby dealer, where it was diagnosed that the transmission control module (TCM) sensors had failed. The dealer replaced the TCM; however, the failure reoccurred. Additionally, the contact stated that she would hear abnormal dragging sounds coming from underneath the vehicle while driving. The contact stated that upon attempting to drive from a complete stop, she vehicle would shudder and fail to respond. The vehicle was taken to a repair shop, where it was diagnosed that the transmission was slipping. …
The contact owns a 2014 Ford Focus. The contact stated that the vehicle failed to start and was jumpstarted. The contact stated that the failure recurred several times. The check engine warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, where the battery was replaced; however, the failure persisted. The contact stated while attempting to reverse at 2 MPH, the vehicle failed to respond. The contact parked the vehicle. A mobile mechanic could not determine the cause of the failure. The vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic, where it was diagnosed that the failure was related to the transmission. The vehicle was then towed to a certified transmission specialist, who referred the contact to the dealer for assistance. …
The contact owns a 2014 Ford Focus. The contact stated while driving 40-45 MPH, the check engine warning light was illuminated, and the vehicle decelerated to 15-20 MPH. The contact merged to the right lane and continued driving at a slow speed. Additionally, the contact stated that the vehicle failed to start while in a parking lot. The contact waited 30 minutes and was able to restart the vehicle. The check engine warning light was illuminated. The contact then shifted into reverse(R), but the vehicle failed to respond. The contact stated that she turned off and restarted the vehicle, and the vehicle responded as needed. The contact received notification of Ford Service Campaign Number: 14M02, and the vehicle was taken to the dealer for repair. The dealer diagnosed the vehicle with transmission clutch shudder. The vehicle was not repaired. …
The contact owns a 2014 Ford Focus. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, the accelerator was depressed; however, the vehicle failed to accelerate as intended. In addition, the contact stated that the vehicle jerked abnormally. The contact drove the vehicle to a safe location and parked the vehicle. The contact turned the vehicle off and allowed the vehicle to sit for several minutes. The vehicle was restarted, and the vehicle was driven to a dealer where it was diagnosed with transmission failure. The contact was informed that the transfer case needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact required second opinion. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic where it was diagnosed with transmission control module failure and transmission clutch failure. …
The contact owns a 2014 Ford Focus. The contact stated while attempting to drive from a complete stop, the vehicle failed to respond upon depressing the accelerator pedal. Additionally, the vehicle failed to respond upon shifting to reverse(R). The contact stated that the vehicle failed to shift into gear. The check engine warning light was illuminated, and the message "Transmission Fault - Service Now" was displayed. The contact was able to shift to neutral(N) after several attempts, and the vehicle was pushed into a gas station with assistance. The contact stated that upon scanning the vehicle with a vehicle scanner, the contact retrieved diagnostic trouble codes indicating a TCM failure. The contact accidentally reset the codes, and the vehicle became drivable; however, the vehicle failed to exceed 40 MPH. The contact stated that the failure recurred. …
Transmission complaints in other Focus years
Frequently asked questions
How common are transmission problems on the 2014 Ford Focus?
NHTSA has 1,576 complaints about the transmission & drivetrain of the 2014 Ford Focus, 61% of the model year's 2,604 complaints. The component named most often is clutch assembly (44 mentions).
Is there a recall for 2014 Ford Focus transmission problems?
No. NHTSA lists no transmission & drivetrain recall for the 2014 Ford Focus, though it has 12 recalls for other components. If the problem is widespread, a repair may still be covered by an extended warranty or a manufacturer service bulletin — ask a dealer.
At what mileage do 2014 Ford Focus transmission problems start?
Half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 41,000 miles, and 39% before 25,000 miles.
Is it dangerous?
Owners linked 23 crashes, 3 fires and 12 injuries to transmission & drivetrain problems on this model year. If you notice symptoms, have the car checked before driving further.
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.