2012 Ford Focus Recalls, Complaints & Specs
7 safety recalls list the 2012 Ford Focus, and owners have filed 3,769 complaints with NHTSA. Check your own VIN below.
7 safety recalls for the 2012 Ford Focus
Most recent first. Recall repairs are free at any authorised dealer. Click a recall for the full defect, consequence and remedy text.
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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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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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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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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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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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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…
3,769 owner complaints filed with NHTSA
Owners of the 2012 Ford Focus have filed 3,769 complaints with NHTSA; 107 describe a crash and 15 describe a fire. Reports cite 88 injuries and 5 deaths. The average mileage at failure in those reports is 69,929 miles. Complaints peaked in 2016 with 749 filed that year.
Most-reported components
What owners are reporting
“Transmission overheating warning light Transmission clutch stuck open recommended to change out “actuator A” but did not solve. Clutch fork needs replacement”
Owner complaint to NHTSA, September 29, 2026 · Power train
“The contact owns a 2012 Ford Focus. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 20V331000 (Latches/Locks/Linkages); however, the part to do the recall repair was denied. The contact st”
Owner complaint to NHTSA, September 4, 2026 · Latches/locks/linkages
Fuel economy and specs
EPA ratings for the 2012 Ford Focus (Focus Electric, Focus FWD, Focus FWD FFV, Focus SFE FWD, …). Ranges cover every tested configuration.
| Combined | 29–105 MPGe |
|---|---|
| City / Highway | 26–110 / 35–99 |
| Fuel | Electricity, Gasoline or E85, Regular |
| EPA class | Compact Cars |
| Engine | 4 cyl, 2 L |
| Transmission | Automatic (AM-S6); Automatic (AM6); Automatic (variable gear ratios); Manual 5-spd |
Compare Ford Focus model years
Recall and complaint counts for every Ford Focus model year in NHTSA's database.
| Model year | Recalls | Complaints |
|---|---|---|
| 1999 Ford Focus | 0 | 11 |
| 2000 Ford Focus | 11 | 3,686 |
| 2001 Ford Focus | 7 | 1,761 |
| 2002 Ford Focus | 1 | 939 |
| 2003 Ford Focus | 1 | 977 |
| 2004 Ford Focus | 1 | 387 |
| 2005 Ford Focus | 1 | 441 |
| 2006 Ford Focus | 0 | 205 |
| 2007 Ford Focus | 0 | 391 |
| 2008 Ford Focus | 1 | 250 |
| 2009 Ford Focus | 0 | 229 |
| 2010 Ford Focus | 0 | 287 |
| 2011 Ford Focus | 0 | 113 |
| 2012 Ford Focus | 7 | 3,769 |
| 2013 Ford Focus | 11 | 2,112 |
| 2014 Ford Focus | 12 | 2,603 |
| 2015 Ford Focus | 9 | 1,021 |
| 2016 Ford Focus | 10 | 1,181 |
| 2017 Ford Focus | 10 | 898 |
| 2018 Ford Focus | 7 | 835 |
Checking a specific 2012 Ford Focus
How do I know if my 2012 Ford Focus has an open recall?
Enter your 17-character VIN above. The VIN is on the driver's side dashboard (visible through the windshield), the driver's door jamb sticker, and your registration or insurance card. The check runs against NHTSA's live database and tells you which campaigns list your vehicle. 7 campaigns currently list the 2012 Ford Focus; your car may already have been repaired under some of them.
Is the recall repair free?
Yes. Under federal law, manufacturers must fix safety recalls at no charge for vehicles up to 15 years old from the date of sale to the first owner. Contact any authorised Ford dealer with your VIN and the NHTSA campaign number (for example 12V149000).
What is the difference between a recall and a complaint?
A recall is a safety campaign filed by the manufacturer or ordered by NHTSA, with a defined defect and remedy. A complaint is a report an owner sent to NHTSA; it is not verified, but patterns of complaints are what trigger NHTSA investigations and, eventually, recalls.
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.