Did you buy a 2012 Ford Focus brand new back when it was first released almost a decade ago? Or have you purchased a used 2012 Ford Focus sometime between then and now? Either way, it’s important for you to know that there are a handful of 2012 Ford Focus recalls that have been issued over the years.
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In fact, there have been seven recalls issued for the 2012 Ford Focus since the car hit showrooms back in 2011 for the first time. And while some of the 2012 Ford Focus recalls are more serious than others, you should still be aware of every last one. It’ll help you take advantage of these recalls and get your 2012 Ford Focus fixed sooner rather than later.
Let’s take a few minutes to learn about the 2012 Ford Focus before diving into the different 2012 Ford Focus recalls and finding out a little bit more about each one of them.
A Brief Overview of the 2012 Ford Focus
If you’re here because you’re interested in reading about the different 2012 Ford Focus recalls, there is a good chance that you’re already pretty familiar with the 2012 Ford Focus. But we still want to kick things off by providing you with a (very!) brief overview of the 2012 Ford Focus, just to make sure that you know everything you can about your car.
The 2012 Ford Focus is a sedan that Ford released back in 2011, more than a decade after releasing the very first Ford Focus in the late 1990s. While it definitely was not the flashiest car in the Ford lineup at the time, it was considered one of the most cost-efficient cars that Ford had to offer. It was also one of the smallest cars available through Ford, and it was heralded for things like its “nimble handling” and “refined and quiet ride.”
Here are some of the features that came jam-packed into a standard 2012 Ford Focus:
- 15-inch steel wheels
- Power front windows, locks, and mirrors
- Keyless entry
- Height-adjustable driver’s seat
- Four-speaker sound system with CD player and auxiliary jack
The 2012 Ford Focus was also really good on gas, which is something that was important to many people back in the early 2010s. It was capable of getting between 26 and 28 miles per gallon in the city and between 36 and 40 miles per gallon on the highway.
Ford sold the 2012 Ford Focus for between $16,500 and $22,700, and in the end, it turned out to be one of the most popular Focuses that Ford ever released.
How Many People Own a 2012 Ford Focus?
It’s difficult to say how many people own a 2012 Ford Focus today. But as we just mentioned, the 2012 Ford Focus was one of the most popular Focuses that Ford ever put out. More than 245,000 Americans purchased a 2012 Ford Focus. It helped Ford sell roughly 70,000 more 2012 Ford Focuses than 2011 Ford Focuses.
It’s worth noting that the 2012 Ford Focus wasn’t as popular as, say, the 2000 Ford Focus. Almost 290,000 Americans ponied up to buy that particular car. But even still, the 2012 Ford Focus will go down as one of the biggest success stories for Ford when it comes to small cars sold in the early part of the 2000s. And you’ll still find many 2012 Ford Focuses on the road today.
What Were the 2012 Ford Focus Recalls?
The 2012 Ford Focus may have been popular. And it may have had a lot of great features that made it worth checking out. But it was most definitely not without its problem. Since first being released, there have been seven 2012 Ford Focus recalls issued.
If you own a 2012 Ford Focus and you haven’t addressed any of the problems that led to these 2012 Ford Focus, you should discover more about each of them ASAP. Keep reading to hear about all seven of the 2012 Ford Focus recalls.
1. Missing Seals for Wiring Harness Connectors for Passenger Side Wiper Motors
Ford put out the very first recall for the 2012 Ford Focus way back in April 2012. It was recall number 12V149000, which was for a seal for the wiring harness connector for the passenger side wiper motor that was missing in some 2012 Ford Focuses.
When this seal was missing from a 2012 Ford Focus, it would allow water and all kinds of other contaminants to work their way into the wiring harness connector. They would render the passenger side wiper motor useless and put 2012 Ford Focus owners at risk by making it difficult for them to see out their windshields.
Ford issued 2012 Ford Focus recalls for this particular problem and agreed to check out 2012 Ford Focuses to see if they had a missing seal for their wiring harness connectors. They then agreed to replace any wiper motors that were affected by this issue right away.
2. Faulty Rooftop Rack Systems
Most of the 2012 Ford Focus recalls listed here were issued by Ford. But this particular one was not. It was instead issued by Yakima Products, Inc., which put recall number 12E035000 out for its Q-Tower and Q128 Clip rooftop rack systems in October 2018. They discovered that these systems that were designed for the 2012 Ford Focus didn’t come into full contact with the door frame on the car.
Because of this issue, Yakima found that some of their racking systems were sliding right off the top of 2012 Ford Focuses when they were loaded up with accessories. This made them dangerous both for those who put them on their 2012 Ford Focuses and for those who might be driving in the general vicinity of them.
Yakima did not create a replacement rooftop rack system that was compatible with the 2012 Ford Focus. So rather than providing 2012 Ford Focus owners who owned one of their rooftop rack systems with a replacement, they sent them a refund instead.
3. Malfunctioning Canister Purge Valves (CPV)
In October 2018, Ford put out another one of its 2012 Ford Focus recalls. It was recall number 18V735000, and it also covered other Ford Focuses released from 2012 up through 2018. This recall was issued after Ford found problems with the canister purge valve (CPV) in these vehicles.
The canister purge valve in some 2012 Ford Focuses was found to create an excessive vacuum in the fuel vapor management system. This could sometimes lead to a 2012 Ford Focus’ engine stalling out while it was in motion. This would often happen without any previous warnings, and it would stop a driver from restarting their 2012 Ford Focus.
Ford agreed to have their dealers reprogram the powertrain control module in 2012 Ford Focuses and replace the CPV in them as necessary. If the CPV needed to be replaced, Ford also agreed to have dealers replace the carbon canister in a 2012 Ford Focus in addition to the fuel tank and the fuel delivery module if needed.
4. Wiring Incompatibilities in the Front Side Marker Lamps
Some 2012 Ford Focuses came equipped with high density discharge (HID) headlights in them. But unfortunately, they also come with wiring incompatibilities that caused the front side marker lamps in these 2012 Ford Focuses not to function. This led to yet another one of the 2012 Ford Focus recalls, this time in the form of recall number 13V335000.
This recall, which was issued in August 2013, alluded to the fact that 2012 Ford Focuses that suffered from this problem might not be as visible as they should be at night. This, in turn, increased the chances of a 2012 Ford Focus owner getting into a crash after dark.
Ford let those who owned a 2012 Ford Focus know that they could bring their car to a dealer and have their headlamp assembly wiring modified to prevent this problem from occurring. In doing so, they could ensure that their cars would comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) No. 108.
5. Faulty Door Latches
In September 2016, Ford announced that the door latches found in some of their most popular cars, including the 2012 Ford Focus, were faulty. These door latches contained parts in them that would break and prevent a door from latching all the way. This led some 2012 Ford Focus owners to think their doors were closed shut when they really weren’t, and it resulted in recall number 16V643000.
This was one of the most dangerous 2012 Ford Focus recalls since it could strike at a moment’s notice and cause a driver’s car door to open when they were behind the wheel. As a result, Ford recalled 2012 Ford Focuses and told those who owned them that they could have their door latches replaced free of charge.
6. Powertrain Control Module (PCM) Updating Issues
There were certain 2012 Ford Focus vehicles with 2.0L GDI gasoline engines in them that were found to have powertrain control modules (PCM) that were not updated in the way they should have been. Ford discovered that this could lead to the aforementioned canister purge valves in them failing and causing an excessive vacuum to show up in a car’s fuel vapor management system. It resulted in recall number 19V515000 in July 2019.
Ford let 2012 Ford Focus owners know that they could get access to most of the same recall services as those eligible for recall number 18V735000. These two 2012 Ford Focus recalls were similar in that they called for dealers to reprogram powertrain control modules and replace the canister purge valve, carbon canister, fuel tank, and fuel delivery module if needed.
7. More Faulty Door Latches!
Unfortunately, previously mentioned recall number 16V643000 didn’t do the trick for all 2012 Ford Focus owners. There were some 2012 Ford Focus owners who took advantage of this recall only to find that their door latches still weren’t working as intended because the repairs to them weren’t done correctly. The result was recall number 20V331000 in June 2020.
As part of this 2012 Ford Focus recall, Ford agreed to have dealers inspect their door latches again and then replace them if the original repairs to them weren’t done in the right way. Ford also gives those who own a 2012 Ford Focus the option to inspect their door latches on their own and enter special date codes into the Ford website to see if further repairs would be necessary. This is the most recent of the 2012 Ford Focus recalls.
What Should You Do If You Own a 2012 Ford Focus?
If you’re the owner of a 2012 Ford Focus, it’s obviously very important to see if your car has been recalled. It’s also important to see if you’ve had the necessary repairs made following 2012 Ford Focus recalls. You can see where your car stands by consulting the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration website here.
You should also keep your eyes peeled for any future 2012 Ford Focus recalls. Given the track record of the 2012 Ford Focus, it wouldn’t be surprising at all to see one or two more 2012 Ford Focus recalls pop up.
How Difficult Is It to Sell a 2012 Ford Focus Today?
Because of all the 2012 Ford Focus recalls that have been issued, you may have trouble selling a 2012 Ford Focus in this day and age. This will be especially true if you have open recalls on your car that you haven’t acted on.
One way to get around this when you’re trying to part ways with a 2012 Ford Focus might be by reaching out to Cash Cars Buyer for help. We’ll buy your car from you and pay you cash for it—even if there are 2012 Ford Focus recalls that affect it!
To sell your car to Cash Cars Buyer, just follow these simple steps:
- Let us know more about your car (make and model, year, mileage)
- Obtain an offer from us
- Decide whether to accept our offer or reject it
- Schedule a place and time for us to pick up your car and drop off your cash if you accept our offer
Would you like to see how easy it is to sell your 2012 Ford Focus to us? Contact us today to find out!