2017 Ford Focus problems, complaints & recalls
Most-reported problem areas: Power Train (388) · Engine (102) · Engine And Engine Cooling (74)
🧭 Reliability snapshot
Compared against other Ford Focus model years — complaint volume vs the model's median year, recalls and severity. How we score →
🛣️ Complaints by mileage
528 NHTSA complaints that reported an odometer reading.
Safety recalls (10)
Fuel System, Gasoline:storage:evaporative Emissions:canister 2026-06-09 · campaign 26V369000 · 257,868 vehicles
Defect: 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.
Risk: An engine that stalls while driving increases the risk of a crash.
Fix: 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 recall is 26S40. Vehicle Identification Numbers (VINs) involved in this recall will become searchable on NHTSA.gov on July 6,2026.
Power Train:manual Transmission 2026-06-09 · campaign 26V376000 · 5,252 vehicles
Defect: 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.
Risk: A transmission fluid leak in the presence of an ignition source such as hot engine or exhaust components can increase the risk of a fire.
Fix: Dealers will update the software, free of charge. Additionally, dealers will inspect Focus vehicles and replace the clutch assembly as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were October 16, 2026. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 26S43. Vehicle Identification Numbers (VINs) involved in this recall will become searchable on NHTSA.gov on July 6,2026.
Equipment:electrical:engine Block Heater 2026-01-15 · campaign 26V011000 · 116,672 vehicles
Defect: 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.
Risk: An electrical short circuit can increase the risk of a fire.
Fix: 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 element with a threaded plug, and remove the block heater electrical cord. Interim letters, notifying owners of the safety risk, were mailed March 6, 2026. Additional letters will be sent once the final remedy is available. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. For
Equipment:electrical:engine Block Heater 2026-01-15 · campaign 26V012000 · 2,403 vehicles
Defect: 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.
Risk: An electrical short circuit can increase the risk of a fire.
Fix: 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 element with a threaded blanking plug, and remove the block heater electrical cord. Interim letters, notifying owners of the safety risk, were mailed February 13, 2026. Additional letters will be sent once the final remedy is available, anticipated in December 2026. Owners may contact F
Engine And Engine Cooling:engine:oil/Lubrication:pump 2023-12-22 · campaign 23V905000 · 139,730 vehicles
Defect: 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.
Risk: A loss of oil pressure can result in an engine stall and a loss of power braking assist, increasing the risk of a crash.
Fix: 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 replace the engine assembly as an interim repair before the availability of remedy parts for the final repair. This repair will be free of charge (parts and labor). Owner notification letters were mailed August 11, 2025. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. For
Fuel System, Gasoline:storage:evaporative Emissions:canister 2019-07-05 · campaign 19V515000 · 57,488 vehicles
Defect: 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 Valve (CPV) may malfunction, possibly causing excessive vacuum in the fuel vapor management system.
Risk: The excessive vacuum may result in an engine stall while driving, without warning and without the ability to restart the vehicle, increasing the risk of a crash.
Fix: 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 carbon canister, fuel tank and fuel delivery module as necessary. The recall began July 29, 2019. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 19S22.
Power Train:manual Transmission 2018-11-28 · campaign 18V845000 · 2,828 vehicles
Defect: 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.
Risk: A transmission fluid leak in the presence of an ignition source such as hot engine or exhaust components can increase the risk of a fire.
Fix: 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. Owners may contact Ford at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 18S07. Note: This recall is an expansion of Recall 18V-169.
Fuel System, Gasoline:storage:evaporative Emissions:canister 2018-10-22 · campaign 18V735000 · 1,282,596 vehicles
Defect: 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.
Risk: The excessive vaccuum may result in an engine stall while driving, without warning and without the ability to restart the vehicle, increasing the risk of a crash.
Fix: 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 carbon canister, fuel tank and fuel delivery module as necessary. The recall began August 19, 2019. Owners may contact Ford Customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 18S32. Note: Until the vehicle is serviced for this concern, owners are advised to kee
Seats:mid/Rear Assembly 2017-08-28 · campaign 17V528000 · 698 vehicles
Defect: 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 Standard (FMVSS) number 207, "Seating Systems," and 210, "Seat Belt Assembly Anchorages."
Risk: The reduced seat back strength may increase the risk of injury in the event of a crash.
Fix: 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 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 17C13.
Latches/Locks/Linkages:hatchback/Liftgate:lock 2016-09-28 · campaign 16V698000 · 64,038 vehicles
Defect: 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 comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 206, "Door Locks and Door Retention Components."
Risk: With only a single press needed, the driver may accidently unlatch the hatchback, increasing the risk of injury to any unsecured passengers in the back.
Fix: 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 number for this recall is 16C13.
Service bulletins (177)
Technical service bulletins are repair instructions manufacturers send dealers for known issues. Unlike recalls, the fix is not automatically free — but naming the bulletin at the service desk can save diagnosis time and support goodwill repairs.
Unknown Or Other 2026-08-25 · 26L02 · Other
customer satisfaction program 26l02 certain 2014-2021 model year various vehicles 1.0l fox classic engine timing belt and oil pump belt interval change
Engine 2026-05-09 · 25B51 · Other
certain 2021-2024 model year bronco, 2021-2024 model year bronco sport, 2020-2022 model year corsair and escape, 2016-2024 model year explorer, 2019-2020 model year fusion, 2016-2018 model year focus rs, 2022-2024 model year maverick, 2016-2019 model year mkc and 2019-2024 model year ranger vehicles
Unknown Or Other 2026-04-29 · 25H05 S1 · Other
harvest program 25h05 – supplement #1 certain 2011-2021 model year vehicles software verification harvest program
Unknown Or Other 2026-03-25 · 25N17 · Other
advance notice – customer satisfaction program 25n17 certain 2015-2025 model year multiple vehicle lines rear view camera replacement if required after dealer evaluation
Power Train 2026-03-04 · 25E05 · Other
certain 2015 - 2018 model year focus vehicles with 1.0l engine canister purge valve (cpv) replacement (if required) and powertrain control module (pcm) reprogramming submitting owner letter
Unknown Or Other 2026-02-24 · SSM 54601 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions
ford and lincoln vehicles equipped with wired keyless entry keypad systems and accessory wireless keyless entry keypad systems may or may not come with a wallet card containing the master code. unlike the integrated wired keypad, the accessory wireless keypad master code cannot be retrieved from the
Showing the 6 most recent of 177 bulletins. Search all of them free at nhtsa.gov.
What owners report
2026-10-19 · Unknown Or Other“i had a recall on my vehicle in june of last year for a new motor. i had oil leaking all in my intake. i didn’t get my car back till december with a new motor. as soon as i left the check engine light came back on. i took it back and they said it was my battery. now my oil is leaking all in my intake again. i haven’t put 12000 on the motor and that…”
2026-10-13 · Power Train · 72,339 mi“the contact owns a 2017 ford focus. the contact stated that an abnormal, burnt rubber odor was emitted from the vehicle while driving at various speeds. additionally, the vehicle hesitated upon depression of the accelerator pedal as the check engine warning light illuminated. the contact stated that the failure had occurred while on the highway, ne…”
2026-10-04 · Service Brakes“i am reporting severe, life-threatening pre-existing safety defects involving the mechanical braking system and the dual-clutch transmission assembly on my 2017 ford focus. after purchasing the vehicle from a dealership under the fraudulent written assurance that a safety inspection was completed, i was forced to drive the vehicle a long distance a…”
2026-09-24 · Power Train · 109,000 mi“the contact owns a 2017 ford focus. the contact stated that while driving 10 mph, the vehicle jerked unexpectedly. the contact stated that the transmission unexpectedly shifted into other gear and the vehicle failed to accelerate and almost caused the vehicle to be t-boned. the vehicle was taken to a service center where the transmission failure wa…”
2026-09-01 · Unknown Or Other“we have a recall for our car. the recall is 18532a. in this recall it states that if there are drivability issues with this car they are to replace the canister purge valve. we have complained of these exact issues which include complete loss of power while driving and they have refused to replace the cpv. they are attempting to get us to agree to …”
2026-08-29 · Power Train“the transmission on my 2017 ford focus started not shifting correctly. it would shudder, slip and hesitate when shifting. at times when it did get up to speed it would unexpectedly downshift and go into limp mode. the automobile is not safe to drive and is now parked at my residence. a warning would flash up on the dash that stated the transmission…”
2026-08-26 · Engine“what component or system failed or malfunctioned, and is it available for inspection upon request? transmission failure after 2 recall/warranty repairs, most recently in july 2026. how was your safety or the safety of others put at risk? vehicle accelerating and then stopping out right on and off the freeway "bucking" on the freeway, fast then sl…”
2026-08-24 · Power Train“2017 focus slow down for traffic go to accelerate and nothing like it wasn’t in gear had to jump out and push car out of intersection told the clutch stuck or tcm but ford won’t fix their mistakes and nobody makes them stand behind their mistake it bad when nobody cares after the sale and they have ur money. someone help …”
2026-08-20 · Engine And Engine Cooling · 160,000 mi“the contact owns a 2017 ford focus. the contact stated that the vehicle was taken to a dealer for a recall repair associated with an engine oil failure and tensioner replacement. the contact stated that after the recall repair, while her daughter was driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle was jerking and then unintendedly accelerated. the "se…”
2026-08-14 · Engine“i was driving and during the drive i realized that if the accelerator pedal was pressed more than the lightest touch the car would stop accelerating. i decided that i had to turn back to go home, and during my return trip the engine oil pressure lamp started flashing at me. soon after, i entered a roundabout and pressed the clutch. at this moment t…”
Excerpts of consumer complaints filed with NHTSA, lightly truncated. They are owner statements, not verified findings.