# Any Ford Focus owners on here?



## Fuzzwardo (Oct 16, 2013)

Will a 29er fit in the back of a Ford Focus hatchback without too much hassle? I 'm thinking of trading in my Taurus and getting a 2014 Focus. I would also like to get a roof rack but still want to be able to lock my bike inside the car.


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## fuzzy34 (Apr 7, 2008)

No. I have a 2012 hatchback and I've tried. If you take off both wheels and seat it will though.


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## Fuzzwardo (Oct 16, 2013)

Hmmm. Not what I was hoping to hear. May have to rethink things.


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## adumb (Nov 29, 2009)

are you sure it won't fit. I have a 2005 focus and the new ones look a little bit bigger. I just lay my back seats down and take the front wheel of my bike and it fits no problem. I definitely prefer to have my bike inside then on a rack.


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## WillTheGreat (Aug 26, 2010)

I have a 2012 Focus hatchback, and to fit my bike in the back upright, I have to take both wheels off and remove the seat post. This leaves a lot of space to pack other things. I mainly do this for long trips when I don't want to use the roof rack.

If you lay the bike on it's side, you only have to remove the front wheel, but it takes up so much space that it isn't very practical.

FYI, the Honda Fit has much more cargo space than the Focus hatchback. It may be a better choice if you want to store your bike in the car regularly. I was willing to sacrifice this because I like the Focus better overall.


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## Shelterock (Apr 30, 2015)

*Focus EV*

I have a focus EV 2014. Thule square bar with 3 bike racks, with latest addition rockymount brassknuckle fat bike. Thumbs up. 
I don't have a 29" to try. If you push all the front seats forward and lean them forward you might. Hotrock 20" does fit on one side down. 
H


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## Freebird23103 (Aug 16, 2015)

2014 Focus ST. I use a hitch and a hitch rack, leaves the rear cargo area free for gear. Check out Kurt Hitches and racks.


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## CaptainBart (Aug 17, 2015)

I have a 2013 Focus hatchback, love it the titanium with the hp-corners like nothing else under 100k-except the ST of course- but I don't go super fast and don't want to shift for myself all the time. . I just brought my Diamondback axis 27.5 home from Palm Springs in the back of the Focus. I took the front wheel off and with the back seats down...no problem. We actually also made a Costco run since it is 125 miles to the City from Blythe Ca. I am planing on getting a roof top carrier.


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## Thatshowiroll (Jan 30, 2009)

Hey y'all. I'm buying a 2012 Focus Titanium. I'm installing a hitch for my rack. problem is, all the hitches for this model car come with 1-1/4" receivers. My rack is 2". Would it be wise to get an adapter?
Also. My 4 bike rack is pretty heavy on it's own. Probably not a wise idea. What say ye?


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## Fuzzwardo (Oct 16, 2013)

I would probably do something else. I think the tongue weight on my hitch it only 150 lbs or so, depending on the rack, that's probably close to half the weight already before bikes. I usually just use my 2 place on mine if I need more room I take the truck and the 4 place.


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## Thatshowiroll (Jan 30, 2009)

I could maybe get a lighter, 2 bike rack.

Edit:
As it turns out, bike racks that fit a 1-1/4" hitch have smaller tubes, making the whole thing lighter. I'll just install the new hitch and buy a new rack.


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## Oh My Sack! (Aug 21, 2006)

I've never tried to stuff a bike in my '14 Focus Hatch SE. I just put a hitch on it and run a Thule T2 or a Sidearm on the Yakima Base rack on top. 

That said, if you're serious about a Focus, I suggest you look elsewhere unless you're a gambling man. I'll be Lemon-Law'ing mine in the near future. I'm just grooming the repair stats to get it lined up. You will not find a bigger POS transmission unless you get an ST with the true manual shift. I gambled on Ford having corrected the issue as they said when I bought brand new and paid cash for it. I'm about to get my 2nd transmission assembly replaced in 37,000 miles. The car is a drug on the market and the lemon laws are skyrocketing. Everything else about the car is great but Ford can not fix the transmission and they've been updating it since 2012. The '17 supposedly has a different tranny system but it's a first. I'd never take my chance on it. Just be forewarned.


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## Guest (Apr 25, 2017)

I had my transmission warrantied twice on my 15 focus sedan. The "clutch" specifically and the problem is still there. It makes this grinding crackling noise now from a slow rolling start and shifts super spongy. Drops out of gear on the highway. Stay clear


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## canker (Jul 26, 2007)

Love my 13 but then I bought one with a regular old fashioned 5 speed manual. Not only is it a way more reliable than the 6 speed DSG thing but it was also around $3500 cheaper than the exact same car with the DSG because very few people wants to drive a stick anymore.

BTW you don't have to get a ST to get a stick.


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## Thatshowiroll (Jan 30, 2009)

Thatshowiroll said:


> Hey y'all. I'm buying a 2012 Focus Titanium. I'm installing a hitch for my rack. problem is, all the hitches for this model car come with 1-1/4" receivers. My rack is 2". Would it be wise to get an adapter?
> Also. My 4 bike rack is pretty heavy on it's own. Probably not a wise idea. What say ye?


So yeah, I bought this car and love it. in 4 weeks, I already put 2500km on it.
It's the automatic with the double clutch. Takes some getting used to, because you have to treat it like a manual. If you don't give it time to shift, it stutters.
Darn thing is cheap on gas. Getting 6L/100km on the highway. 
Installed a 1-1/4 inch hitch, sold the old rack, and bought a new 2 bike one.
Had to fit a 3rd bike one day, put the seat down, removed wheels, bike fit ok in the hatchback.
Really happy with this car so far.


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## DC2.2GSR (Apr 12, 2012)

Thatshowiroll said:


> So yeah, I bought this car and love it. in 4 weeks, I already put 2500km on it.
> It's the automatic with the double clutch. *Takes some getting used to, because you have to treat it like a manual. If you don't give it time to shift, it stutters*.
> Darn thing is cheap on gas. Getting 6L/100km on the highway.
> Installed a 1-1/4 inch hitch, sold the old rack, and bought a new 2 bike one.
> ...


No. That is not normal, no matter what any salesman told you or what you heard elsewhere. As a matter of fact, you should return the car if you can, depending on your state's laws on buyer's remorse. Don't hesitate, just take it back and buy something else. At 4 weeks+ you're likely beyond any limit, but I'd still look into it. If you can't take it back, put it up for sale and get rid of it ASAP before it gets really bad.

That stuttering you're feeling is the problem that others are describing. It gets worse, much much worse. When it does, you'll be heading to the dealer. First they're going to tell you it's normal. They're going to swear up and down that it's the design and that it's supposed to be that way. They'll test drive it for you, and then tell you it feels normal, up to Ford's design spec. They might even throw around words like "high end" - Ford employees have been prompted to spin the problem into a performance design feature. "It's different than other low end cars you might have test driven." That will get you to leave the service department somewhat satisfied that nothing is wrong. That's the only 
goal, to get you to leave.

Next trip to the dealer they'll test the TCM, tell you they made an adjustment, test drive again, and again you leave. That issue that requires a re-flash is just a band-aid. They're changing shift points so that the issue is masked. It's a mechanical issue but they're not actually fixing anything, just covering it up. It will mask the issue for another couple weeks.

Eventually, on what could be your 2nd, 5th, or 10th trip to the dealer, they'll tell you that they need to tear it down and put in a clutch kit. What they're doing is putting in the "updated" clutch kit, which isn't actually updated at all, just a straight replacement. The updated ones were never changed completely, and never fixed the issue. It just resets the clock. They waited this long to tell you it's mechanical because the clutch kits have been backordered for years. They'll replace it, you'll be happy, and eventually it gets bad again - repeat until you want to drive the car into a lake.

The whole time you go through this mess, the service people will look at you funny and treat you like you're making things up in your head, that there's no actual issue going on. You'll feel like a car hypochondriac, which is also their goal - make you think you're just being too critical so you just deal with it. This is not an accident, it's by design.

Source for all of this? My best friend is a parts manager, and worked at a high volume Ford dealer for 5 years. He witnessed the clusterf*** from the inside. He was finally able to move to manage a dept for a higher end brand, and swears that Ford's business practices surrounding this Focus mess are the worst he's ever seen from any brand.

Another friend bought a brand new Focus, even after friend #1 and I pleaded with him to reconsider, due to this whole issue. He didn't listen, and ended up going through a year and a half of re-flashes and clutch replacements, and even a full trans replacement. His experience literally mirrored the above narrative.

This isn't a brand-flaming session, just real experience. Stay far, far away from Ford, especially the newer Focus.


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## RAKC Ind (Jan 27, 2017)

As an ASE Tech for 15 yrs Fords or good for 2 things:

Owners getting exercise (walking) and job security for people like me.

Pretty much any later model Ford is total garbage. Since the first of the year:

Newer Ford truck 70k miles, never towed or hauled anything with it. Smoked the transmission because planetaries shattered.

Ford escape came in, 100k, on its 3rd motor because timing chain systems keep breaking. (Massively known issue with escapes and a couple later years of focus'). So now it has its 4th motor in it now.

Right behind that, motor in a 2010 focus, found this is it's 3rd motor now.

Just avoid Ford at all costs. Truth be told I won't own an "American branded" car made since 2008ish. Our old 2007 colbalt was a great car, replaced by Chevy Cruze which is a total pile of garbage.

So instead we are making the transition to imports assembled here (support US workers just the same since American brands are no where near made in America anymore) aka Honda and Toyota.

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## HEMIjer (Jul 17, 2008)

Ugh I just bought a used 2015 Ford Focus hatchback because my older commuter car had a slipping transmission...

Anyway I am thinking putting a hitch on and using my existing 1UPUSA rack.

I would need to run a converter from 1.25 to 2" though

Something like:MaxxHaul RV Trailer Bike Rack Cargo Solid Steel 1-1/4 to 2" Tow Hitch Adaptor | eBay

Anyone doing this on a focus?


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## Thatshowiroll (Jan 30, 2009)

I thought of doing this, but the rack would stick out too much with the extension for my taste.



HEMIjer said:


> Ugh I just bought a used 2015 Ford Focus hatchback because my older commuter car had a slipping transmission...
> 
> Anyway I am thinking putting a hitch on and using my existing 1UPUSA rack.
> 
> ...


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## RAKC Ind (Jan 27, 2017)

Did you guys not actually read the specs for 1up racks. Fits 1.25....

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## shopcat_cycles (Dec 28, 2007)

The heavy duty racks come with a 2" carrier. 

I've thought about adding a rack, but the ST's center exhaust definitely poses a problem. Don't see why it would be much of an issue using the adapter in your situation though, Hemi.


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## HEMIjer (Jul 17, 2008)

Exactly I already have the 2" hitch rack from 1up and would be nice to be able to move from my Jeep to the Focus. I know Hitch rack has drawbacks but also nice not to Kill gas mileage with a roof rack on what is essentially a commuter car.


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## CleoraFields (May 5, 2017)

No, it's normal.


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## b4z (Dec 26, 2014)

ncfisherman said:


> The heavy duty racks come with a 2" carrier.
> 
> I've thought about adding a rack, but the ST's center exhaust definitely poses a problem. Don't see why it would be much of an issue using the adapter in your situation though, Hemi.


Curt makes a hitch that fit between the bumper cover and the exhaust. Fits great and looks nice and stealth when not in use. I use it along with a 1up on my ST.


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## shopcat_cycles (Dec 28, 2007)

Nice! Thanks for that b4z. I had looked around and found a guy who was modifying Curt hitches to fit above the exhaust, but nothing off the shelf.


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