2017 Ford Focus · symptom sheet
Transmission fails or needs replacement
- 53owner reports
- 70,000median miles
- 0involved a crash
Newest report Sep 24, 2026 · checked Oct 2, 2026
453 of the 897 complaints on this car are about the transmission and drivetrain. 53 of those describe transmission failure.
Tick what matches of 53 reports
Transmission failure 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 end of the road for a transmission: the car stops moving under its own power, or a shop says the unit has to be replaced or rebuilt. Half of the owners here mention a warning light or message, and a quarter mention it happening again or to a second unit.
What got replaced
Owners who name the part that was replaced mention the transmission (53 reports).
Recalls and investigations
2 recalls on the transmission and drivetrain cover the 2017 model year. A recall on the same system isn't always the same failure, so read the defect text.
The clutch may fracture, resulting in damage to the transmission assembly and possibly a transmission fluid leak.
The clutch may fracture, resulting in damage to the transmission assembly and possibly a transmission fluid leak.
All 10 recalls on the 2017 Ford Focus, with the owner complaints on each recalled system
When it happens
The middle half of failures fell between 45,319 and 92,000 miles, from the 43 reports that gave a mileage.
What owners wrote
“My 2017 Ford Focus transmission failed at 113,000 miles. I was stranded in the middle of nowhere with a flashing warning light and no cell signal.”
Filed Feb 6, 2026 · 113,000 miles
“Transmission problems. Transmission went out at 68k miles. Recalls in previous years but not on 2017 but same problem still occurring”
Filed Sep 16, 2023 · 68,000 miles
“TRANSMISSION FAILURE, car shudders when starting from take off, will not go forward while in gear, engine light came on, would not go into reverseye, I could have been rear ended struck, Unknown if anything else was an issue”
Filed Mar 28, 2022
Should you keep driving it?
This page can't tell you that. 0 of 53 reports involved a crash. 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 Paid for this repair before a recall covered it? How recall reimbursement works
Other problems on this car
- Transmission shudders, slips or shifts hard 232 reports
- Engine stalls or loses power while driving 207 reports
- Check engine light or misfire 144 reports
- Engine failure, knocking or rod bearing 48 reports
- Loses power when accelerating 34 reports