Problems · by component

2014 Ford Focus vehicle speed control problems

169 owner complaints to NHTSA about the 2014 Ford Focus cite vehicle speed control, 6% of all 2,661 complaints for this model year.

Complaints
169
6% of all complaints
Crashes
12
Reported by owners
Fires
0
Reported by owners
Injuries
4
Reported by owners
01 —Owner reports

What owners say about the vehicle speed control

Verbatim from NHTSA complaints, newest first
“I am submitting this complaint regarding ongoing transmission and Transmission Control Module (TCM) issues with my 2014 Ford Focus. In October 2022, the transmission was replaced, yet I continue to experience serious transmission-related failures. Most recently, the vehicle would only start in neutral and would not reliably shift into drive or reverse. These recurring issues have made the vehicle unreliable and unsafe. I have contacted Ford Customer Service three separate times seeking assistance and a permanent resolution. Despite these efforts, I have not been provided with a fix that addresses the root cause of the problem. Ford has long been aware of widespread TCM issues affecting certain Ford Focus models, making the continued failure of this vehicle especially concerning. My greatest concern is safety. During a recent incident, the vehicle unexpectedly slammed into gear with significant force while my son and I were inside. The sudden engagement nearly caused me to lose control of the vehicle and almost sent us into a ditch. Had road conditions or traffic been different, the outcome could have been much worse. I have dash camera footage documenting the…”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Jun 1, 2026Power train, Vehicle speed control, Fuel/propulsion systemODI 11741322
“hello my name is [XXX] and I bought this 2014 Ford focus from a private dealer without being told what was wrong with the car for 4100 dollars and since I have had it it's been giving me problems it has a salvaged title.also it sounds like the inside of the hood is gurgling water ,sometimes it won't go in to reverse,it has a hard start the tcm module needs to be replaced and I guess it has something to do with the check engine light going off and turning back on every other day something about the clutch keeps popping up.i looked it up the first time and it said that it was a recall now it doesn't show any recalls anymore can you please help me”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled May 23, 2026Power train, Electrical system, Vehicle speed controlODI 11739649
“Here’s an overview of the transmission issues with the 2014 Ford Focus — and how many owners feel Ford Motor Company has repeatedly failed to properly fix them. What’s wrong with the transmission The 2014 Focus (and many models 2012–2016) came with a dual-clutch automatic transmission system (PowerShift transmission). That system used “dry” clutches — rather than a traditional, fluid-cooled torque-converter — which turned out to be a flawed design in real-world use. Dry clutches tend to overheat, wear out prematurely, slip, and fail, especially under common driving conditions. [XXX] +2 [XXX] +2 As a result, owners of 2014 Focus vehicles reported a long list of recurring symptoms: rough or jerky shifting, shuddering when accelerating from a stop, slipping gears, delayed or harsh gear changes, grinding or clunking noises, hesitation before accelerating (especially dangerous when merging or pulling out), and in some cases failure to shift properly or unexpected behavior like popping out of gear. [XXX] + [XXX] m + [XXX] m +3 For many drivers, these issues didn’t appear once — but kept happening repeatedly. In some cases, transmission control modules (TCMs) were…”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Dec 6, 2025Power train, Vehicle speed controlODI 11703452
“I keep getting denied for warranty TCM had the code I did a report after it was I would be covered had proof of the codes and deny me for another service that’s under warranty pretty much just take my money send me out the way and then I get stuck on the highway from the problem in having to fix it myself”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Aug 29, 2025Vehicle speed control, Unknown or other, EngineODI 11683916
“I’m pretty sure the tcm went out because the check engine light is on and it is shuddering and losing power randomly. Also will not go into reverse unless I shut car off.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Jul 12, 2025Vehicle speed control, Fuel/propulsion systemODI 11673040
“I have a 2014 Ford Focus. For years, the car has been shaking when I slow down and speed up. I never really cared because it got me from point A to point B. But now it stalls and won't shift gears unless I go to high RPMS. The check engine light is on and a mechanic told me the transmission needs replaced. I have a DPS6 transmission and discovered that it is part of the class action lawsuit and extended warranty. I called Ford and they told me to write a letter to their office of general counsel. I am worried that is a stall tactic so I want to report it here. I no longer feel safe driving this vehicle.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Jul 3, 2025Power train, Vehicle speed controlODI 11671002

Showing 6 of 169 reports. Read every report on NHTSA.gov.

Data from NHTSA Complaints API (owner reports, unverified) · synced Nov 10, 2026NHTSA vehicle page

Complaints are unverified owner reports to NHTSA and are not normalized for sales volume. One complaint can cite several components.