Owner complaint record
2014 Ford Focus Problems and Recalls: What Owners Report
This page shows the problems 2014 Ford Focus owners reported to NHTSA, the federal agency that tracks car safety: 2,596 complaints sorted by system, the mileage they started at, the check engine codes owners named, and the recalls to check before you buy.
NHTSA owner complaintsChecked Oct 2, 20262,596 complaintsFederal file of Aug 25, 2026
+23% vs 2013
1,491 complaints, 57% of the total
half of the powertrain reports that give a mileage came before this
38 mention an injury, 9 a fire
The powertrain leads the 2014 Ford Focus record at 57%, with engine next at 17%. Of the powertrain reports that give a mileage, half came before 40,000 miles. The costliest part on our cost list is the dual clutch assembly, $659 to $1,320 for the part alone.
It's a count of reports, not a failure rate. Use it to decide what to inspect before buying, not to grade the car.
The dual-clutch automatic dominates this record: more than half the complaints name the powertrain, with shudder, jerks and stalling.
2014 Ford Focus overview
The 2014 Focus came with a 2.0-liter four, with a six-speed automated manual, the dual-clutch automatic, or a five-speed manual, plus a 2.0-liter turbo with a six-speed manual.
Owners filed 23% more complaints about the 2014 than the 2013 (2,106), and the powertrain leads both years. The 2015 drew 1,015, with powertrain named most.
- Power
- 160 hp at 6,500 rpm
- Torque
- 146 lb-ft at 4,450 rpm
- Gearbox
- 6-speed automated manual or 6-speed automatic or 5-speed manual
- Fuel
- Regular gasoline
- Injection
- Direct injection
city / highway / combined mpg, EPA
- Power
- 252 hp at 5,500 rpm on 93-octane fuel
- Torque
- 270 lb-ft at 2,500 rpm on 93-octane fuel
- Gearbox
- 6-speed manual
- Fuel
- Regular gasoline
- Injection
- Direct injection
city / highway / combined mpg, EPA
Fuel economy from EPA fueleconomy.gov; power and torque from Ford's 2014 Focus engine specifications on ford.com.
Is the 2014 Ford Focus reliable?
Owners filed more complaints about the 2014 Ford Focus than about any other Focus year except 2012, and most of them are about the powertrain. The four checks below are what the federal record can say; none of them is a reliability score.
- 2ndCompared with other Focus years2,596 complaints, the 2nd most of 9 model years (2012 has 3,763).By model year
- 57%The system named mostPowertrain, in 1,491 complaints. Half of the powertrain reports that give a mileage came before 40,000 miles.Problems by system
- 12Recalls12 recall campaigns cover the 2014 Ford Focus.Recalls
- 68Crashes, injuries, fires68 complaints mention a crash, 38 an injury and 9 a fire.
A complaint count is not a failure rate: the record doesn't say how many were sold, so a popular year draws more reports.
2014 Ford Focus problems by system
Every complaint to NHTSA names the part of the car that gave the owner trouble, such as the engine or the steering. The cards below sort the 2,596 complaints about the 2014 Ford Focus that way, largest first: open one to read what owners wrote, when it usually starts, and what to check.
Powertrain57%1,491 complaintsShudder and jerks from the automatic
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What owners describe
There is a grinding noise and shuddering issues with the vehicle. The car has very poor acceleration at times as the transmission seems to slip. Now at 10,000 Ford is going to replace the clutches. However, I am still driving the car as the parts are back ordered so I assume this is a common issue.
I took my car to get fixed under the recall for the 2014 Ford focus, it was fixed (so they said) but a month later the problem still persists. It jerks while accelerating and it also stalls.
ILTXGAMIRead 4 more owner reports+4
The car shudders or hesitates when accelerating from a stopped position. So far the dealership has stated that "some shuddering is normal". I just don't see how that is normal. Now not only is the car shuddering but it also make a grinding noise when it shudders. Car has 12,000 miles on it
Tcm has been reprogrammed one and 2 new clutches have been installed under warranty. Shudder has returned at around 12,000 miles since last new clutch installed. Ford refuses to do anything since it was 120 miles over the warranty. This is a known issue with these cars.
Constant shuddering when accelerating . The whole car shakes and feels like the engine is about to fall out. Ford double clutch transmission on 2014 Ford focus needs to be recalled.
Vehicle "shudders" excessively upon acceleration after a stop. Stalled acceleration that almost lead to crash.taken to Ford dealership and told that the dual clutch on the transmission needs to be replaced at 63,000 miles
When it starts
Usually starts around 40,000 miles. Half of owners reported it between 12,000 and 80,000.
What to do
Pull away from a stop several times and feel for shudder or a jerk.
Our guideCar Jerks When Accelerating: Causes, Costs and FixesEngine17%442 complaintsStalling at speed, hesitation
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What owners describe
Engine stalls at driving speeds. Ford issued a tsb for this vehicle but dealers are refusing to do the tsb because it is an intermittent problem. The tsb concerns faulty engine wiring harness. (tsb 13-9-7).
The vehicle a 2014 Ford focus s model was moving at a high rate of speed going down the highway when it stalled out due to the wiring splices going bad causing the vehicle to stall out and stop without warning
MNCAILMIRead 4 more owner reports+4
Five times this car has completely stop at 60mph driving on major highway 494 minneapolis,mn. Stalled 5 times. This car has almost killed me 5 times. Its been serviced 5 times with no resolution. I want my money back or a new car that wont kill me. Every time its serviced the dealership charges me a fee.
My 2014 focus st stalls every time I come to a stop even with a full tank of gas due to a failing cpv which is part of the current Ford recall 18v735. However Ford has still not gotten a remedy and my car has been waiting almost almost 4 months now for this recall to be ready since it started.
The car randomly stalls and dies while I am driving it. It has died on the interstate and on rural roads and highways. This is very dangerous and there is currently a recall out on a part of the 2014 Ford focus which causes this problem. It dies when I am driving and coasting, when I accelerate, and when I have my cruise set.
When driving my 2014 Ford focus, when stop at a light and began to start going the car stalls or or it starts to shake like if I was driving a manual transmission, why hasn't the recall they said they did fixed the problem!!! This happens on city streets and highway.
When it starts
Usually starts around 51,000 miles. Half of owners reported it between 14,000 and 86,757.
What to do
Drive in stop-and-go traffic and watch for a stall or a restart message.
Our guideCar Shuts Off While Idling or Driving? Causes and What to DoFuel and power delivery11%297 complaintsStalling and hesitation when merging
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What owners describe
I took my car to get fixed under the recall for the 2014 Ford focus, it was fixed (so they said) but a month later the problem still persists. It jerks while accelerating and it also stalls.
My 2014 Ford focus hesitate, then it takes off, when mergining into traffic it stalls, transmission seems to be slipping, I was almost hit twice from it stalling, transmission service light comes on, radio display not working
MNCAMIAZRead 4 more owner reports+4
Five times this car has completely stop at 60mph driving on major highway 494 minneapolis,mn. Stalled 5 times. This car has almost killed me 5 times. Its been serviced 5 times with no resolution. I want my money back or a new car that wont kill me. Every time its serviced the dealership charges me a fee.
My 2014 focus st stalls every time I come to a stop even with a full tank of gas due to a failing cpv which is part of the current Ford recall 18v735. However Ford has still not gotten a remedy and my car has been waiting almost almost 4 months now for this recall to be ready since it started.
When driving my 2014 Ford focus, when stop at a light and began to start going the car stalls or or it starts to shake like if I was driving a manual transmission, why hasn't the recall they said they did fixed the problem!!! This happens on city streets and highway.
My car has several issues which are not safe to drive with and dealership cannot fix them: 1. Vibration on the brake pedal when I let the car go from a stop before pushing the gas. 2. Transmission is jerky when I accelerate, it seems to stop, go back and forth, as if somebody's pulling me back 3. Antifreeze smell when I turn on the ac (have a headache)
When it starts
Usually starts around 61,050 miles. Half of owners reported it between 30,000 and 86,000.
What to do
Accelerate onto a busy road and feel for a stumble.
Electrical system9%237 complaintsStalling and shutting off on the highway
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What owners describe
Five times this car has completely stop at 60mph driving on major highway 494 minneapolis,mn. Stalled 5 times. This car has almost killed me 5 times. Its been serviced 5 times with no resolution. I want my money back or a new car that wont kill me. Every time its serviced the dealership charges me a fee.
The car randomly stalls and dies while I am driving it. It has died on the interstate and on rural roads and highways. This is very dangerous and there is currently a recall out on a part of the 2014 Ford focus which causes this problem. It dies when I am driving and coasting, when I accelerate, and when I have my cruise set.
CAORRead 2 more owner reports+2
My Ford focus (2014) shuts off at idle. I have taken the car to get fixed twice. Now the dealer has had my car for a week and they are still trying to find out what the problem is. Also I have found on the st forms that there is a lot of Ford st owners with the same problem.
The radio shorts out and makes very loud popping noises. Will happen even if the radio is off or the volume is at 0. This happens in any state as long as the car is on. It is seemingly random in occurrence. It has happened while parked, city driving, highway driving.
When it starts
Usually starts around 60,000 miles. Half of owners reported it between 28,100 and 90,000.
What to do
Drive at highway speed and watch the dash.
Steering8%215 complaintsSteering assist loss, grinding when turning
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What owners describe
The vehicle a 2014 Ford focus s model was moving at a high rate of speed going down the highway when it stalled out due to the wiring splices going bad causing the vehicle to stall out and stop without warning
Impared steering/grinding noise when turning stationary or in motion, temporary loss of steering control, increasing risk of crash and poses an unreasonable risk to my safety. Please see NHTSA # 14v514000 Ford recall # 14s18 .
TXMIRead 2 more owner reports+2
Even after several repair attempts by Ford when turning the steering cracks and pops loudly, it sounds like something is about to break. This vehicle also has had 4 clutch assemblies installed and has a creaking sound in the drivers side door that (according to the dealer) is because there is a bad weld in a "support" column located behind the front fender.
Power steering light came on as I was driving and totally went out. I could barely control the car enough to turn the corner to take it to the dealership. This is a brand new vehicle with less that 4000 miles on it and the dealership refuses to honor the warranty. This is dangerous and should not happen on a brand new vehicle.
When it starts
Usually starts around 51,000 miles. Half of owners reported it between 29,282 and 80,500.
What to do
Turn the wheel lock to lock with the engine running and watch for a steering warning.
What repairs cost on the 2014 Ford Focus
Part prices for the problems 2014 Focus owners report most. They are shelf and mail-order prices for the part alone, so a shop bill adds labor and its own markup.
For the automatic: LuK’s dual clutch set up to Sachs’s, the only two listed.
Check dual clutch kitsPrices on this page are our own research, not the store’s, and store prices change daily.
Prices read on RockAuto on Oct 2, 2026, for the parts listed as fitting this car; regular stock only, closeouts left out.
Check engine codes owners report
11 owners name P1450 (a Ford-specific code) in their complaints, the code named most for this car.
Complaints whose text names the code, one count per complaint. Tap a code to read our guide; grey codes have no guide yet.
When problems show up on the odometer
Powertrain complaints start earliest, typically around 40,000 miles. Fuel and power delivery complaints start latest, around 61,000 miles.
Dot: typical mileage. Bar: the middle half of reports. From the mileage owners wrote on the form.
Ford Focus complaints by model year
2014 is shown in dark. The powertrain is named most in 6 other Focus years.
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2014 is shown in dark. The powertrain is named most in 6 other Focus years.
When owners filed
Complaints about the 2014 Ford Focus have kept arriving since 2013, with peaks in 2016 and 2019. A peak often follows a recall or a news story, not a new fault.
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2014 Ford Focus recalls
12 recall campaigns cover the 2014 Ford Focus. A recall list is by model year; whether one car had the work done is in its VIN record.
2014 Ford Focus crash tests and investigations
NHTSA crash tests rate the 2014 Ford Focus five stars overall. Its defect office has opened three investigations that cover this model year.
Ratings run from 1 to 5 stars: 5 is the safest result, 1 the least safe.
Frontal stars compare cars of about the same weight; side stars compare every vehicle. Rollover stars show how top-heavy the car is: NHTSA puts the 2014 Ford Focus’s chance of rolling over in a single-car crash at 12%.
Safety equipment NHTSA recommends
Federal investigations
Before you buy a used 2014 Ford Focus
These checks follow what 2014 Focus owners reported most: an automatic that shudders and jerks, then stalling. Ask for the service history by VIN, because it shows transmission work and whether the recall repairs were done.
- 1Pull away from a stop several times
Shudder and jerks from the automatic lead the complaints.
- 2Ask for the transmission repair record
The VIN history shows clutch and module work.
- 3Drive in stop-and-go traffic
Stalling runs through the engine, fuel and electrical complaints.
- 4Turn the wheel lock to lock
Steering complaints describe the assist failing.
- 5Run the VIN for open recalls
Only the VIN says if this car got the recall repairs.
Oil and service for the 2014 Ford Focus
This is what Ford's manual says the 2014 Focus needs: which oil to use and how much, the fluids for the transmission and the cooling system, and when each job is due. The car tracks oil wear itself and shows an oil change message on the dashboard, but Ford says never to go past a year or 10,000 miles.
- Engine oil
- 5W-20
- Oil capacity
- 4.5 US quarts
- Transmission fluid (automatic)
- Motorcraft Dual Clutch Transmission Fluid
- Transmission fluid (manual)
- Motorcraft Full Synthetic Dual Clutch Manual Transmission Fluid
- Coolant
- Motorcraft Orange, prediluted
- Engine oil
- 5W-30
- Oil capacity
- 5.7 US quarts
- Transmission fluid
- Motorcraft Dual Clutch Transmission Fluid (ST manual gearbox)
- Coolant
- Motorcraft Orange, prediluted
Service schedule
From the Ford 2014 Focus Owner's Manual and Ford 2014 Focus ST Supplement, read Oct 2, 2026. Normal schedule.
Common questions
What are the most common problems with the 2014 Ford Focus?
Owners name the powertrain most (1,491 complaints), then engine (442) and fuel and power delivery (297).
Is 2014 a good year for the Ford Focus?
The complaint record can't grade a car, but it shows what to check: the powertrain complaints that lead this year, the mileage they start at, and whether the recall repairs were done.
Was there a recall on the 2014 Ford Focus?
Yes. NHTSA lists 12 recall campaigns for the 2014 Ford Focus: fuel system (4), electrical system (2), latches/locks/linkages (3), steering, fuel pump, equipment. A dealer can tell from the VIN whether one car got the repairs.
At what mileage do 2014 Ford Focus problems start?
Powertrain complaints start earliest, around 40,000 miles. Fuel and power delivery complaints come later, around 61,000 miles.
Which Focus years have the most and fewest complaints?
The 2012 and 2014 model years have the most in the file, and the 2011 and 2010 the fewest, though newer cars have had less time to collect complaints.
What the complaint record can't tell you
Sources
Show all 6 sources
Owner quotes are changed from all capitals to normal case only. Counts by system and year cover vehicles with at least 10 complaints.