2014 Ford Focus · symptom sheet
Transmission shudders, slips or shifts hard
- 847owner reports
- 43,000median miles
- $1,800median quote
- 11involved a crash
Newest report Sep 12, 2026 · checked Oct 2, 2026
1484 of the 2,452 complaints on this car are about the transmission and drivetrain. 847 of those describe transmission shudder, which makes it the most reported problem on the 2014 Focus.
Narrower sheets: Transmission jerks, lurches or bangs into gear (388 reports) · Transmission hesitates when accelerating (277 reports) · Transmission slips (162 reports)
Tick what matches of 847 reports
Transmission shudder on other Focus years
Report counts are for each model year on its own, so a newer car has had less time to collect them.
What this problem usually is
This is the biggest drivetrain group on the site: a transmission that shudders, slips, hesitates or bangs into gear. It's the everyday version of transmission trouble, where the car still drives but doesn't drive right, and it has three narrower sheets of its own for jerking, hesitation and slipping.
What got replaced
Owners who name the part that was replaced mention the clutch (389 reports) and the transmission (23 reports).
Recalls and investigations
No recall on the transmission and drivetrain covers the 2014 model year as of Oct 2, 2026.
What owners paid
59 of the 847 reports quote a price. Each dot is one quote. The middle half runs $1,100 to $3,081.
When it happens
The middle half of failures fell between 18,791 and 79,000 miles, from the 674 reports that gave a mileage.
Is this a known problem?
The manufacturer has sent NHTSA 9 service bulletins or notices for the 2014 Ford Focus that deal with this problem. Newest first.
Federal rules make a manufacturer send NHTSA a copy of any notice about a defect that goes to more than one dealer or owner. Most of these are service bulletins, the repair instructions manufacturers send to dealers. NHTSA generally leaves safety recall bulletins out of this file, and recalls are listed separately.
Certain 2011 through 2014 Model Year Fiesta and Focus Vehicles Equipped with a DPS6 Automatic Transmission - Transmission Clutch Shudder / Transmission Input Shaft Seal Warranty Extension
Certain 2014 through 2015 Model Year Fiesta and 2014 through 2016 Model Year Focus Vehicles Equipped with a DPS6 Automatic Transmission - Transmission Clutch Shudder / Transmission Clutch Warranty Extension
MULTIPLE 2014-2016 VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH 6F35 TRANSMISSION AND BUILT ON 1-JAN-2014 AND THROUGH 31-DEC-2015 MAY EXHIBIT HARSH REVERSE ENGAGEMENT AND HARSH/DELAYED 3RD AND 5TH GEAR UP/DOWN SHIFTS WITH NO DTCS PRESENT.
SOME 2011-2015 FIESTA VEHICLES BUILT ON OR BEFORE 10/15/2014 AND 2012-2016 FOCUS VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH A DPS6 AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION MAY EXHIBIT EXCESSIVE TRANSMISSION CLUTCH SHUDDER ON LIGHT ACCELERATION.
5 more on the 2014 Ford Focus page.
What owners wrote
“My car if jerk when taking off. Horn stopped working and will not sound when you lock it with the key fob.”
Filed Jun 11, 2023 · 100,421 miles
“Transmission jerks and I think this is caused by fuel system cars got p1450 code unable to bleed fuel tank vacum this code was in the system august 24/2021 this vehicle has all the symptoms of a recall on these cars of recall 18s32 but this cars vin does not show up and it has been a problem since 62000 miles”
Filed Jul 28, 2022 · 62,000 miles
“The transmission will slip at times especially when accelerating. Itâs dangerous when pulling into traffic. Also the transmission overheats The transmission is known to slip and go out. The warning light for transmission overheating comes on.”
Filed Jun 22, 2022
“There is multiple complaints with same make model and year involving shudder transmission. When you stop start or try to accelerate the transmission will stall and jerk at times even causing the vehicle to jerk violently this is a huge concern however after contacting ford themselves they refuse to repair.”
Filed Jun 2, 2022
Should you keep driving it?
This page can't tell you that. 11 of 847 reports involved a crash and 6 people were hurt. Owners who file are the ones who had a bad experience, and nobody checks their reports. If the problem affects steering, braking, power or a fire risk, treat it as a safety fault and have it inspected before a long or high-speed drive.
File your own report with NHTSA. Complaint counts are how a problem gets an investigation. How reports land on this sheet.
Guide Taking it to a shop? How to describe this problem so it gets found
Other problems on this car
- Engine stalls or loses power while driving 565 reports
- Check engine light or misfire 156 reports
- Power steering cuts out or goes heavy 134 reports
- Transmission fails or needs replacement 104 reports
- "Service Transmission" message or wrench light comes on 86 reports
- Loses power when accelerating 85 reports
- Infotainment, screen or backup camera fails 66 reports
- Doors, latches or locks fail 65 reports
- Fuel pump failure 41 reports
- Traction control or StabiliTrak light comes on 37 reports
- Battery dies or the car will not start 36 reports
- Transmission drops into neutral or downshifts on its own 34 reports
- Fuel smells, leaks, or the gauge reads wrong 30 reports
- Airbag warning light or recall 28 reports
- Wheel bearing, tires or wheels 28 reports
- Engine overheats or leaks coolant 28 reports
- Brakes grind, pulse or wear early 27 reports