I recently bought a 2013 Ford Focus SE hatchback with 111,000 miles. It ran fine at first, but now the transmission sometimes jerks or hesitates to shift. It doesn’t happen all the time. Sometimes it jerks a lot, and other times it drives like new for a while.
I changed the transmission fluid when it started acting up, but it didn’t help. In fact, it seems worse now. The old fluid looked fine no weird color or smell.
After driving, it jerked badly, and I got a check engine light with code P07A3. But then, a few hours later, I drove to the gym and it was fine again, though the engine light stayed on. I’m worried it’s going to act up again when I drive to work tomorrow. I really need help figuring this out.
Just make sure you don’t slam on the gas when it starts jerking. A lot of people do that and end up damaging their transmissions. If you feel the jerk in the gas pedal, ease off and let the car sort itself out.
Look up Ford Focus TCM (Transmission Control Module). If your car shows any symptoms, the dealership should replace it for free depending on the mileage and age of the car. They’ve extended the program through 2025, even if you don’t meet the usual mileage or age requirements.
