Ford Focus Recalls & Complaints by Model Year
NHTSA lists 36 safety recalls and 22,096 owner complaints across 20 model years of the Ford Focus (1999–2018). The most-complained-about year is 2012.
Pick your Ford Focus model year
| Model year | Recalls | Complaints |
|---|---|---|
| 2018 Ford Focus | 7 | 835 |
| 2017 Ford Focus | 10 | 898 |
| 2016 Ford Focus | 10 | 1,181 |
| 2015 Ford Focus | 9 | 1,021 |
| 2014 Ford Focus | 12 | 2,603 |
| 2013 Ford Focus | 11 | 2,112 |
| 2012 Ford Focus | 7 | 3,769 |
| 2011 Ford Focus | 0 | 113 |
| 2010 Ford Focus | 0 | 287 |
| 2009 Ford Focus | 0 | 229 |
| 2008 Ford Focus | 1 | 250 |
| 2007 Ford Focus | 0 | 391 |
| 2006 Ford Focus | 0 | 205 |
| 2005 Ford Focus | 1 | 441 |
| 2004 Ford Focus | 1 | 387 |
| 2003 Ford Focus | 1 | 977 |
| 2002 Ford Focus | 1 | 939 |
| 2001 Ford Focus | 7 | 1,761 |
| 2000 Ford Focus | 11 | 3,686 |
| 1999 Ford Focus | 0 | 11 |
What Ford Focus owners complain about
Across all model years, owners have filed 22,096 complaints with NHTSA. The 2012 model year has the most, with 3,769.
All Ford Focus recalls (36)
Every NHTSA safety campaign that lists a Ford Focus, most recent first, with the model years each one covers.
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Canister (fuel system)
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2012-2018 Focus vehicles previously repaired incorrectly under recall number 18V735. The Canister Purge Valve (CPV) may malfunction, causing the engine to stall unexpectedly while driving.
Remedy: Dealers will update the powertrain control module (PCM) software, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed July 29, 2026. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this…
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Manual transmission (power train)
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2015-2018 Focus and 2013-2016 Fusion vehicles previously repaired incorrectly under recall numbers 18V169 and 18V845. The clutch may fracture, resulting in damage to the transmission assembly and possibly a transmission fluid leak.
Remedy: Dealers will update the software, free of charge. Additionally, dealers will inspect Focus vehicles and replace the clutch assembly as necessary, free of charge. Interim letters, notifying owners of the safety risk,…
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Engine block heater (equipment)
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2013-2018 Focus, 2013-2019 Escape, and 2015-2016 MKC vehicles equipped with a 2.0L engine. The engine block heater may crack and develop a coolant leak, causing it to short circuit when the block heater is plugged in.
Remedy: Owners are advised not to plug in their block heater until the vehicle is remedied. Dealers will replace the block heater, free of charge. Owners will also have a alternative option to replace engine block heater…
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Engine block heater (equipment)
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2016-2018 Focus, 2019 Explorer, and 2024 Explorer vehicles. The engine block heater may crack and develop a coolant leak, causing it to short circuit when the block heater is plugged in.
Remedy: Owners are advised not to plug in their block heater until the vehicle is remedied. Dealers will replace the block heater, free of charge. Owners will also have a alternative option to replace engine block heater…
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Pump (engine and engine cooling)
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2016-2018 Ford Focus and 2018-2022 Ford EcoSport vehicles. The oil pump drive belt or drive belt tensioner may fail, resulting in a loss of engine oil pressure.
Remedy: Dealers will replace the oil pump tensioner assembly and oil pump drive belt, free of charge. If engine failure occurs due to a damaged oil pump belt and/or oil pump belt tensioner, Ford has authorized dealers to…
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Latch (latches/locks/linkages)
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2011-2014 Fiesta, 2013-2014 Fusion, 2015 Mustang, 2013-2015 Escape and C-Max, 2012-2015 Focus, 2014-2016 Transit Connect, 2013-2014 Lincoln MKZ, and 2015 MKC vehicles. These vehicles were previously recalled and repaired under recalls 15V-246, 16V-643 or 17V-210, however the repair may not…
Remedy: Ford will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the latch date codes to confirm if the repair was done correctly, and replace the side door latches if necessary, free of charge. Owners will also have the option to…
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Canister (fuel system) and storage (fuel system)
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2012 and 2017 Focus vehicles equipped with 2.0L GDI gasoline engines and 2013-2014 Focus ST vehicles equipped with 2.0L GTDI engines, previously recalled under 18V-735. The affected vehicles did not have the Powertrain Control Module (PCM) updated as intended. Therefore, the Canister Purge…
Remedy: Ford will notify owners, and dealers will reprogram the Powertrain Control Module. Dealers will also check for fault codes and replace the CPV as needed. If the CPV is replaced, dealers will inspect and replace the…
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Manual transmission (power train)
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2016-2018 Ford Focus vehicles equipped with a 1.0L Fox GTDI engine and a 6-speed manual transmission. The clutch may fracture, resulting in damage to the transmission assembly and possibly a transmission fluid leak.
Remedy: Ford will notify owners, and dealers will update vehicles with software that detects and prevents prolonged clutch slip, and will replace the clutch, as necessary, free of charge. The recall began January 17, 2019.…
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Canister (fuel system) and storage (fuel system)
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2012-2018 Ford Focus vehicles with a 2.0L GDI or 2.0L GTDI engine. The Canister Purge Valve (CPV) may malfunction, possibly causing excessive vacuum in fuel vapor management system.
Remedy: Ford will notify owners, and dealers will reprogram the Powertrain Control Module. Dealers will also check for fault codes and replace the CPV as needed. If the CPV is replaced, dealers will inspect and replace the…
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Manual transmission (power train)
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2013-2014 Ford Fusion vehicles equipped with a 1.6L GTDI engine and 6-speed manual transmission and 2015-2016 Ford Focus vehicles equipped with a 1.0L GTDI engine and 6-speed manual transmission. Also included are four 2017 Ford Focus vehicles that had clutch replacements with potentially…
Remedy: Ford will notify owners, and dealers will update the Focus vehicles with software that detects and prevents prolonged clutch slip, and will replace the clutch, as necessary, free of charge. Owners of Fusion vehicles…
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Mid/rear assembly (seats) and seat belts: rear/other
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2017 Focus vehicles. The rear left side seat back frame may have an insufficient weld between the outboard pivot bracket and the pivot nut joint, resulting in the seat back having reduced strength. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety…
Remedy: Ford will notify owners, and dealers will inspect and replace the rear second left side rear seat back as necessary, free of charge. The recall began October 10, 2017. Owners may contact Ford customer service at…
Model years: 2017
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Body (structure)
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2016 Focus and C-Max vehicles. The floor pan may have improperly welded left-hand apron joints.
Remedy: Ford will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the apron joints, repairing the vehicle, as necessary, free of charge. The recall began March 8, 2017. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332.…
Model years: 2016
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Lock (latches/locks/linkages) and hatchback/liftgate (structure)
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain model year 2013-2017 Ford Focus hatchback vehicles manufactured February 14, 2012, to August 26, 2016 and equipped with a manual transmission. The hatchback of the affected vehicles may be unlatched with a single press of the interior latch release button. As such, these vehicles fail to…
Remedy: Ford will notify owners, and dealers will reprogram the Body Control Module with updated software, free of charge. The recall began February 10, 2017. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's…
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Latch (latches/locks/linkages)
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain model year 2012-2015 Ford Focus, 2013-2015 Ford Escape and Ford C-MAX, 2015 Lincoln MKC and Ford Mustang, and 2014-2016 Ford Transit Connect vehicles. A component within the door latches may break, preventing the doors from latching and/or leading the driver or a passenger to believe a door…
Remedy: Ford will notify owners, and dealers will replace the door latches with an improved part, free of charge. The recall began on January 27, 2017. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number…
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Electrical system: wiring
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain model year 2013 Escape vehicles manufactured January 11, 2012, to April 1, 2013, and 2013-2014 Focus ST vehicles manufactured May 03, 2012, to October 14, 2013. Insufficient compression in the engine wiring harness splices to the Manifold Absolute Pressure (MAP) sensor may provide incorrect…
Remedy: Ford will notify owners, and dealers will replace the current crimped splices with new splices, free of charge. The recall began on January 7, 2016. Owners may contact Ford customer service 1-866-436-7332. Ford's…
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Ignition (electrical system)
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain model year 2015 Ford Escape vehicles manufactured April 1, 2014, to June 12, 2015, Ford Focus vehicles manufactured June 17, 2014, to June 12, 2015, and Ford C-Max vehicles manufactured April 22, 2014, to June 12, 2015. In the affected vehicles, the engine may continue to run after the key…
Remedy: Ford will notify owners, and dealers will update the body control module software, free of charge. The recall began on July 27, 2015. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this…
Model years: 2015
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Fuel pump (fuel system)
Ford Motor Company (Ford) notified the agency on January 8, 2015, that they are recalling certain model year 2014 Ford Escape vehicles manufactured April 15, 2014, to May 8, 2014, and 2015 Lincoln MKC vehicles manufactured April 21, 2014, to May 15, 2014. On April 30, 2015, Ford expanded the recall to cover an additional 45,505…
Remedy: Ford will notify owners, and dealers will replace the fuel pump, free of charge. The recall began on February 27, 2015. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 14S30.
Model years: 2014
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Delivery (fuel system)
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain model year 2014 Ford Focus vehicles manufactured May 1, 2014, to May 24, 2014, 2014 Ford Escape vehicles manufactured on June 6, 2014, and 2015 Lincoln MKC vehicles manufactured June 4, 2014, to July 7, 2014. In the affected vehicles, the Fuel Delivery Module (FDM) may crack between the…
Remedy: Ford will notify owners, and dealers will replace the FDM, free of charge. The recall began in September 2014. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 14S20.
Model years: 2014
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Steering Do not drive
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain model year 2014 Focus and C-Max vehicles manufactured August 8, 2014, to August 15, 2014. The affected vehicles may have steering gears that were incorrectly assembled.
Remedy: Ford will notify owners, and dealers will replace the steering gears, free of charge. The recall began on November 11, 2014. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-800-392-3673. Ford's number for this recall is…
Model years: 2014
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Electrical system: wiring
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain model year 2013-2014 Escape vehicles manufactured October 5, 2011, to April 1, 2013, and equipped with 2.0 liter engines and Focus ST vehicles manufactured February 14, 2012, to October 14, 2013, and equipped with 2.0 liter engines. Insufficient compression in the engine wiring harness…
Remedy: Ford will notify owners, and dealers will replace the current crimped splices with new splices, free of charge. The recall began in October 2014. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-800-392-3673. Ford's…
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Exterior lighting
Ford is recalling certain model year 2012-2013 Focus BEV vehicles equipped with High Intensity Discharge (HID) headlights, manufactured September 15, 2011, through May 6, 2013; and model year 2013 Focus ST vehicles equipped with High Intensity Discharge (HID) headlights, manufactured February 16, 2012, through May 7, 2013. Due to a…
Remedy: Ford will notify owners, and dealers will modify the headlamp assembly wiring, free of charge. The recall began on August 16, 2013. Owners may contact the Ford customer relationship center at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's…
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Latches/locks/linkages
Ford is recalling certain model year 2013 Focus and C-Max vehicles built from November 16, 2012, through November 21, 2012; and model year 2013 Escape vehicles manufactured from November 14, 2012, through November 21, 2012. The left rear door child lock was built incorrectly. As a result, the child lock may not engage when the operator…
Remedy: Ford will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the affected rear door latches, and replace them as necessary, free of charge. The recall began on March 27, 2013. Owners may contact Ford Motor Company Customer…
Model years: 2013
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Switch/wiring (visibility)
Ford is recalling certain model year 2012 focus vehicles manufactured from august 1, 2010, through october 18, 2011. A seal in the wiring harness connector to the passenger side wiper motor may be missing.
Remedy: Ford will notify owners, and dealers will inspect and as necessary, clean and properly seal the passenger side wiper motor connector. Any inoperative wiper motors will be replaced. This service will be provided free of…
Model years: 2012
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Inflator module (air bags)
Certain vehicles fail to conform to the requirements specified in federal motor vehicle safety standard no. 208, 'occupant crash protection.' the driver air bag module may not have been properly assembled.
Remedy: Dealers will replace your driver air bag module free of charge. The recall began on november 20, 2007. Owners may contact ford at 1-800-392-3673.
Model years: 2008
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Latch (latches/locks/linkages)
Certain passenger vehicles with four or five doors and originally sold in or currently registered in connecticut, delaware, illinois, indiana, iowa, maine, maryland, massachusetts, michigan, minnesota, missouri, new hampshire, new jersey, new york, ohio, pennsylvania, rhode island, vermont, west virginia, wisconsin, and the district of…
Remedy: Dealers will have a lower rocker seal added to the door and have the rear door latches evaluated free of charge. A latch that passes the evaluation will be lubricated to prevent future corrosion. A latch that does not…
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Fuel system, gasoline
On certain passenger vehicles, contamination of the filter in the fuel delivery module (fdm) can reduce, and eventually block, the flow of fuel to the engine.
Remedy: This action is deemed a safety improvement campaign and is not being conducted under the safety act. All owners will be notified of the problem, and dealers will replace the fdm with a new design at no charge if the…
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Cables (electrical system)
Certain passenger vehicles equipped with zetec engines, loose or broken attachments and misrouted battery cables could lead to cable insulation damage.
Remedy: Dealers will inspect the battery cables for the condition of the cable insulation and proper tightening of the terminal ends. As necessary, cables will be rerouted, retaining clips installed, and damaged battery cables…
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Linkages (steering)
Certain passenger vehicles have loose pinch bolts that secure the lower control arm to the steering knuckle have been reported.
Remedy: Dealers will inspect the steering knuckle pinch bolt for tightness and correct as necessary. Owner notification began february 10, 2003. Owners who do not receive the free remedy within a reasonable time should contact…
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Motor (visibility)
Vehicle description: passenger cars, sport utility vehicles, and light and medium duty pickup trucks. A switch located in the plastic cover of the wiper motor gear case could malfunction and overheat, potentially resulting in loss of intermittent wiper function, loss of wiper park function, complete loss of wiper function, or ignition…
Remedy: Dealers will inspect the date code on the wiper motor. Motors built with the suspect time frame will have the wiper motor gear case cover replaced. Owner notification began august 20, 2001. Owners who take their…
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Recliner (seats)
Pm certain sedans and wagons, the seat back recliner handle spring could have been damaged during an in-process test and the occupant may notice a chucking, or perceived looseness of the front seat back, or the seat back could unexpectedly recline.
Remedy: Dealers will replace the seat back recliner handle spring for the driver and front passenger seats. Owner notification began april 3, 2001. Owners who take their vehicles to an authorized dealer on an agreed upon…
Model years: 2001
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Recliner (seats)
Vehicle description: station wagons and 3-door vehicles. The subject vehicles have a folding 60/40 second seat that becomes a load floor in the folded position. When the 60% portion of the seat is folded down and a load is applied to the front edge of the load floor, the outboard hinge pivot could disengage from the hinge.
Remedy: Dealers will install a revised seat back hinge pivot.
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Electrical system: wiring
Vehicle description: passenger vehicles. A decklid wire harness can fatigue and develop broken wires in the bend area of the wire harness.
Remedy: Dealers will replace the decklid wire harness.
Model years: 2000
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Cables (vehicle speed control)
Vehicle description: passenger vehicles equipped with speed control and automatic transmission. A speed control cable could have a core wire that is long enough to catch on the sleeve at the throttle body end of the cable during wide-open throttle acceleration.
Remedy: Dealers will inspect these vehicles and, if necessary, replace the speed control cable. Owner notification began october 12, 2000. Owners who take their vehicles to an authorized dealer on an agreed upon service date…
Model years: 2000
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Lugs/nuts/bolts/studs (wheels)
Vehicle description: passenger vehicles. The rear wheel hub retaining nuts can loosen and allow the left rear wheel and brake drum assembly to separate from the vehicle.
Remedy: Dealers will inspect the rear wheel bearings and install a rear wheel retention cap to prevent left rear wheel separation. Owner notification began october 12, 2000. Owners who take their vehicles to an authorized…
Model years: 2000
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Frame and members (structure)
Vehicle description: passenger vehicles. Certain vehicles fail to comply with requirements of FMVSS no. 201, "occupant protection in interior impact." the resultant hic(d) value at one target location ap1, located on the trim panel at the juncture of the a-pillar and roof side rail, may be greater than design intent.
Remedy: Dealers will remove the left and right side b-pillar and a-pillar trim panels, revise the headliner edge near the tops of the a-pillars to accept the new a-pillar trim panels with their energy absorbing tubes, and…
Model years: 2000
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Vehicle speed control
Vehicle description: passenger vehicles equipped with speed control. The speed control cable end fitting can allow water to enter the speed control servo assembly. If this occurs, corrosion in the servo assembly could develop and cause intermittent speed control operation or prevent the throttle from returning to idle.
Remedy: Dealers will replace the speed control cable (with a new cable that incorporates a glass-filled end cap) and inspect the assembly for internal corrosion. Servos with evidence of corrosion will also be replaced. Owners…
Model years: 2000
Other Ford models
- F-15037,961 complaints
- Explorer34,566 complaints
- Escape27,430 complaints
- Fusion22,405 complaints
- Taurus18,159 complaints
- Windstar14,158 complaints
- Edge14,065 complaints
- Expedition9,359 complaints
Source: NHTSA recall and complaint databases and EPA fuel economy data, October 2026. Complaint counts are owner reports to NHTSA, not verified defects. Recall counts are safety campaigns that list this model year; whether a particular car was already repaired depends on its VIN. How this data is compiled.