Ford Focus 2015 Problems

Certainly. The Focus is a great driving car, and now with a regular auto it is a really attractive proposition.

I can understand your frustration and I think you have a good case for getting a refund, but it's very hard to do that in this country where the manufacturer holds all the cards. The only thing you can do if you want to pursue it is to get legal advice. We understand there is a class-action suit happening in the USA on this same subject, you might be able to hook up with that.

This is an issue that continues the haunt Ford even after it paid millions of dollars in fines levied by the ACCC for way it conducted itself in the face of the dual-clutch transmission fiasco. Fundamentally, about half the Fords delivered in Australia with the Powershift transmission, experienced either problems or outright transmission failures. Some of them on multiple occasions.

Ford’s response of initially ignoring the problem and then blaming its customers stands as a 24-carat example of how not to do things. And the ACCC agreed, fining and condemning the company’s behaviour. Eventually, Ford was forced to offer customers a good deal on the next model Focus which featured a conventional automatic gearbox. Even then, the ACCC’s view was that Ford should have offered a full refund, not a sweetened deal to trade up to the newer model. Simply replacing the problem gearboxes wasn’t a widespread permanent fix as the replacement units would have given precisely the same problems.

If you bought your car second-hand, that’s another problem because, really, the affected cars should have been scrapped, not resold to unsuspecting buyers (another beef the ACCC had with Ford at the time).

I think your first port of call should be to the ACCC who will be able to give you an idea of the current situation as far as the problem goes, and what Ford is currently doing about it. Bear in mind, though, the original problem surfaced many years ago, so you’re a late member of the Powershift club.

Ford’s EcoBoost engines have a bit of a track record with blown head gaskets thanks to the fundamental design of the crankcase where it meets the cylinder head. Given the relatively high turbo-boost pressure some of these engines use to produce their impressive performance, the head gasket can fail.

But it’s also fair to say that this engine design has also seen its share of overheating problems, blown turbochargers and coolant leaks (often into the cylinders). With that in mind, don’t bother guessing what the problem is, allow a mechanic to inspect the engine and give you a professional opinion based on facts.

Of those you have been looking at I would rule out the Cruze on the basis of its transmission troubles. The Focus and the Hyundai are good cars and would do what you want nicely. Others to consider would be the Mazda3 and the Kia Rio.

The Cerato is a great package. If she is a keen driver who wants the sporty feel of the Focus, go with the Ford.

Ford changed from the LW model to the LZ in 2015. The LW had a dual-clutch automatic, which was very problematic and should be avoided; the later LZ had a regular automatic transmission and has none of the problems that beset the LW. In short the LZ is worth buying, and can be compared to the Mazda3 and Toyota Corolla for reliability.

Perhaps you've been lucky and simply bought a freakish Focus without any DCT Powershift transmission problems. But when more than half the small Fords sold in Australia fitted with that transmission  experiencing either single or multiple failures, I'm afraid the odds are stacked against you in the longer term. It seems there are two types of Focus Powershift transmissions: Those that have failed, and; those that will fail at some stage.

The price you paid is probably about where the market is now, but this is a car we can't recommend at any price.