The car is from a dealership, automatic transmission, and has 120,000 km on it. I plan to have a mechanic check it out before buying. It also comes with a 6-month warranty. Would love to hear your thoughts before I make a decision. Thanks!
I have a 2018 Focus and knew about the transmission issues going in. My clutches failed right before the warranty ran out, so I got lucky. If this one doesn’t have a warranty, I wouldn’t touch it. Even if it does, you’re gambling on when the clutches or TCM might fail. Be careful.
@Dev
It does have a 6-month warranty. If I take it to a mechanic, do you think they could catch potential issues, or will I still have problems down the road?
Wren said:
@Dev
It does have a 6-month warranty. If I take it to a mechanic, do you think they could catch potential issues, or will I still have problems down the road?
Here’s what I’d do during a test drive:
- Listen for screeching or odd sounds when it downshifts at stops.
- Let it roll on its own when you take your foot off the brake. If it struggles to move, that’s a red flag.
- Pay attention to shuddering when accelerating up to 30 mph.
- On the highway, if the car shakes under acceleration but stops when you let off, it likely needs new clutches.
Also, check the history of the car—maintenance, recalls, etc. Sometimes Ford dealerships can tell you if it’s had clutches replaced.
@Dev
Solid advice. Definitely worth following.
@Dev
Don’t bother. These cars are broken by design. If you’re set on a Focus, get one with a manual transmission. Otherwise, look elsewhere.
@Dev
Run. Do not buy this car. Even with the warranty, you’re setting yourself up for expensive repairs.
If it’s an automatic, do not buy it. These transmissions are a nightmare. Tons of people have horror stories about clutches failing and waiting months for parts that still don’t fix the issue. Save yourself the trouble.
I drive a 2015 Focus daily, and while it’s okay for now, I had the clutches replaced just before the warranty expired. I only keep it because I can afford to replace it when it eventually breaks. If you’re looking for something reliable, skip this car.
I bought one from a Toyota dealership, and the transmission failed in under three months. It would’ve cost me at least $4,000 to fix. I’d recommend looking at Japanese cars like Toyota or Hyundai instead. They’re much more reliable.
I have a 2015 Focus SE with 111,000 miles. My TCM failed, and I had to wait six months for the part. It’s fixed now, but I wouldn’t take another one of these cars if it was free. Can’t wait to trade it in for something better.
I have a manual 2015 Focus SE, and I wouldn’t recommend it either. The automatic is even worse from what I’ve heard.
Vance said:
I have a manual 2015 Focus SE, and I wouldn’t recommend it either. The automatic is even worse from what I’ve heard.
The manual versions are actually solid if you’re okay with stick shift. The automatics, on the other hand, are a disaster.
Avoid it. I’m on my third TCM in a 2015 SE, and the car has only 80k miles on it. Not worth the hassle.
Do yourself a favor and don’t buy it.
I have a 2017 Focus. Other than the TCM issue, it’s a great car. But that one issue is enough to make me regret the purchase.
How much are they asking? I have a 2012 Focus with 140,000 km and have already gone through two TCMs. Regular maintenance helps, but the TCM issue looms over these cars.
The only way this is a good deal is if they give it to you for free. Trust me on this.
You can test for some transmission problems on a test drive:
- Start the car and immediately shift into drive. If there’s a hard shift, the transmission has been neglected.
- Let the car idle for 20 minutes (preferably parked to block airflow). Then drive it. If issues appear after it’s warmed up, the transmission likely has problems.
These checks could save you from a bad purchase.
Don’t buy it. My TCM went out recently, and I’ve been waiting months for the part. They haven’t even started manufacturing replacements yet.