Ford Focus Complaints

22,326 consumer complaints on file.

#11692457October 9, 2025
FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM
Fuel pump went out and caused car to stall and leave me stranded on the side of the road when dash indicator showed 23 miles left to travel. I had this fixed through the dealership Drive Time sent me to mechanic shop as was still under dealership warranty.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11692211October 8, 2025
STEERING
Experienced abrupt electrical steering motor failure. Power steering remains inoperable and available for inspection. Occurred during normal driving without warning, and effort required to manually steer was too much for my wife necessitating an emergency stop to avoid collision with oncoming traffic while trying to execute a routine turn putting us and the other vehicle in danger of an offset collision. This appears to be a known issue in FORD steering units but has only been addressed in Fusion models as a recall. The component has yet to be inspected as Ford will not pay for the repair despite the obvious ongoing safety issue, the vehicle will remain off the road for now in the hopes a recall is issued.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11691794October 7, 2025
POWER TRAIN
Transmission problem
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11691479October 5, 2025
POWER TRAIN
Transmission is overheating is the warning I keep getting on the dashboard read out. The transmission is shifting very hard and you can hear it grinding and winding up when it is trying to shift. I had the car put on a computer at a shop and the codes were reading that the clutch was not releasing and he tried to reset it and it kept failing. I googled my car and saw that this is a known problem with them and that Ford hasn't acknowledged the problem yet.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11691504October 5, 2025
ENGINE
My wife was driving her car home from work when her car suddenly overheated in light traffic. She pulled over and called me. I came by and we saw that the coolant level was low, so we filled it up to the normal level and she drove it another 20 minutes back to our home. She said it was shuddering the whole way back. I started it in the driveway later that evening and a large amount of white smoke came out of the exhaust pipe and the engine still seemed to be misfiring. I tried starting it again the next day and it would crank but not start. It seems to be an issue with the engine, my guess is a ruptured head gasket. The shuddering caused by the misfires made the car unstable to drive especially if it died while she was at speed with other cars around. The car was towed to a dealer over 30 days ago and they said that it may be related to the open recall, but they won't know until they tear it down. Which they still haven't done. There were no engine codes or prior lamp indications until the overheating event.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11691165October 3, 2025
ENGINE
Order of Events · [XXX]: Vehicle shut down mid-drive, displaying “Parking Brake Fault Service Required.” Required tow ($100). · September 27, 2025: Firestone Complete Auto Care diagnosed the issue as transmission-related. Paid $48.13 for diagnostic (receipt attached). · September 27, 2025: Contacted Green Ford in Greensboro, NC (Service Advisor Josh Oldham). VIN was entered in Ford’s database, which showed no outstanding field service actions. I showed them a recall letter for the exact issue at hand (replacement of Transmission Control Module). My recall letter was dismissed as invalid despite being in hand. Vehicle towed to dealer ($120). · September 29, 2025: Spent over 1 hour 19 minutes with Ford Customer Relationship Center, providing the recall number (14M02). Ford agent ultimately stated the recall could not be honored. · September 30 – October 1, 2025: Dealer confirmed by text and phone that their management refused to apply the recall or cover repairs. VIN Discrepancy The core of this dispute is a direct contradiction between Ford’s official communications and Ford’s internal VIN database. Customer Satisfaction Program Letter (14M02): - VIN listed as covered under recall/extended warranty. - Coverage extended through June 2025. - Sent directly by Ford in August 2023. Ford Vehicle Information / Warranty Report (via Green Ford, 9/27/2025): - Same VIN entered into Ford’s system. - Shows 'No Outstanding Field Service Actions.' - Dealer therefore refused to honor recall despite letter. Before all of this happened I had no issues with the vehicle since purchase, and so when I received the letter I kept it but did not need to utilize it. Now Ford has stated I am "outside" the warranty of what Ford is willing to cover for repairs, however their own system does not even list that I have a recall for this. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11691284October 3, 2025
ENGINE
I purchased this vehicle 4 days ago. On the second day I noticed a shutter when accelerating, going uphill and often continuous. I have been told that it is the clutch. I am aware that the same issue on the 2017 focus has been recalled. I do not understand why it is just certain vehicles. Especially, since it is the same year and issue as the recalled ones. I am a police officer that has had some health issues with my heart. My parents gave me the money to buy this car. They do not have the money to repair it and neither do I. I called two Ford dealerships as well as the Ford manufacturer. Nobody was willing to help. I discovered that this is the place to file a complaint all on my own. Please try and help me.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11691113October 2, 2025
ENGINE
On August 26, 2025, my 2018 Ford Focus suffered an engine failure and had to be towed by AAA to [XXX] of Saugus. Prior to the tow, service advisor [XXX] confirmed the vehicle could be inspected for secondary engine damage connected to Ford recall 23S64 (oil pump drive belt). On August 29, [XXX] texted me that the engine required replacement due to engine failure but that Ford would not cover it since the oil pump belt itself had “not failed.” He claimed Ford only covers engine replacement if the belt breaks outright. This is inaccurate: recall obligations extend to secondary damage caused by the defect, which in my case left the car inoperable. When I requested inspection documentation, technician notes, and photos, Service Director [XXX] and [XXX] told me “there is no checklist” and insisted the car was “drivable,” which was false—I have the AAA tow receipt. Internal correspondence shows [XXX] asking if photos “must have been taken for SSSC contact,” yet the case was never escalated to Ford’s Special Service Support Center as required. On Sept. 30, [XXX] emailed me that he would no longer respond, accused me of manipulating details, threatened storage fees, and refused to perform recall repairs. On Oct. 1, in person, he told me [XXX] “does not need to follow Ford recall protocol” because it is a private dealer and that he blocked my vehicle in Ford’s system to prevent any [XXX] location from performing recall work. I believe [XXX] of Saugus and Ford Motor Company have failed to comply with federal recall obligations, misrepresented the condition of my vehicle, refused escalation, and retaliated against me. I respectfully request NHTSA investigate Ford and enforce compliance with recall 23S64 so my vehicle has both the recall and the secondary engine damage repaired, ensuring that my car is safe to drive INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11690460September 30, 2025
POWER TRAIN
I understand there were problems with the 2014 transmissions on Ford Focus models. Even though my car has a manual transmission, I believe it had similar problems to the automatic teansmissions.in switching from 1 to 2, it would sometimes drop. I'm now having issues with my transmission and wondering if the problem is the same.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11690619September 30, 2025
POWER TRAIN
Vehicle was checked by local dealer and stated repair code 14M02 needed to be completed. 10 year extended warranty was concluded in June, 2025, but this is a safety concern. The car stopped in the road, right off the interstate, because the transmission quit working properly. Gears shifted very hard when transmission started working again. After parking, the car would not go back into reverse.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11690410September 29, 2025
POWER TRAIN, ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING
The contact owns a 2018 Ford Focus. The contact stated that while driving at various speeds, the vehicle was jerking and hesitating while depressing the accelerator pedal. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, where an unknown transmission repair was performed; however, the failure persisted. The local dealer and an unknown dealer were contacted and offered to take the vehicle in a trade-in, but the contact declined. The vehicle was taken to Marcino Enterprises LLC, where it was test-driven, and the failure recurred. The dealer diagnosed that the transmission fluid was contaminated with metal shavings and had become brown. Additionally, the contact stated that the engine overheated. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and referred the contact to the NHTSA Hotline for assistance. The failure mileage was approximately 8,899.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11690147September 28, 2025
POWER TRAIN
I am having an issue with the duel transmission. My car has been stalling making it unsafe. It has been giving me a warning saying the transmission is overheating even just driving short distances. The clutch A has been getting stuck and not dis engaging causing the car not to be able to shift gears. I have spent all of the money I have on this car and can’t afford to pay money to get it fixed when ford is aware of the issues when it was manufactured. They have issued recalls and are responsible to fix the problem. The recall needs to be extended so that hard working tax payers like me don’t feel screwed over by ford and out of so much money. I feel taken advantage of. And I’m broke , stuck with a car that is unsafe to me or others on the road.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11689962September 26, 2025
ENGINE, FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM, POWER TRAIN
My vehicle is part of the 23S64/23V905 Ford recall. The car died in the middle of an intersection in 2024 and Ford finally agreed to replace the faulty parts with more faulty parts until there was a fix. Now there is a fix and Ford said they will not replace it because it's still running, but when/if the parts fail again, to bring it in and they'll fix it. So if the vehicle fails on the interstate or in the middle of an intersection again and I'm in a crash, then they'll fix it. But they will not fix it until they fail because "there are too many not running vehicles in front" of mine.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11689608September 25, 2025
SERVICE BRAKES
The brakes went to the floor and the whole car locked up. When I pressed the brakes to slow down it felt like something on the brakes just fell apart. I was in a car accident because of this I hit another car no no
Crash:
Yes
Fire:
No
Injuries:
2
Deaths:
0
#11689761September 25, 2025
POWER TRAIN
The contact owns a 2016 Ford Focus. The contact stated while driving 40 MPH and depressing the accelerator pedal, the vehicle hesitated. The contact also stated that while attempting to start the vehicle, the vehicle failed to respond as intended. Additionally, while driving at an undisclosed speed and attempting to make a left or right turn, the lost motive power. An independent mechanic was contacted, and the vehicle was taken to the independent mechanic to be diagnosed. The mechanic retrieved DTC: P2872 (Clutch "A" Stuck Engaged). The vehicle was not repaired. The contact related the failure to Customer Satisfaction Program: 14N02 (Extended Warranty Coverage for PCM Reprograming in the Event of ABS Vehicle Speed Signal Related Communication Loss that Disables OBDII System Monitors); however, the VIN was not included in the CSP. The manufacturer was notified of the failure, and informed the contact that the VIN was not under warranty or recall. The failure mileage was 108,000.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11689373September 24, 2025
STEERING
I’m writing about my 2015 Ford Focus (VIN: [XXX] ), which has under 38,500 miles. While heading to work, I suddenly lost power steering—no warning, just stiff steering out of nowhere. The repair cost me over $5,000 to replace the electric power steering rack, which only a Ford dealer could handle due to software restrictions. This follows a TCM replacement that Ford covered under recall. I contacted Ford for goodwill assistance, but they refused. At this mileage, these failures are unacceptable. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11689468September 24, 2025
STEERING
The contact owns a 2011 Ford Focus. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the steering wheel failed to turn in the intended direction and instead turned in the opposite direction. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic where it was diagnosed with a failed steering column. The contact was informed that the steering column needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The dealer was made aware of the failure. The contact was advised that the parts to repair the vehicle were discontinued. In addition, the contact was informed that the aftermarket parts were not available. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 19,000.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11688517September 19, 2025
POWER TRAIN
Transmission actuator A and actuator B making the Transmission not able to shift. Happened after new battery installed and was told it could have been a surge sent to Transmission control module breaking the actuators.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11688519September 19, 2025
POWER TRAIN, VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL, ENGINE
The car would not shift into a gear, would not shift gear to propel itself in traffic causing a safety issue. A warning light would come on saying the transmission was getting overheated. Ford of Glenwood Springs Colorado refused to look at the car because of its age despite the recall on the clutch for the year, make and model of the car. A NAPA shop determined the clutches were out. NAPA quoted $4,253 to fix the problem. I called Ken Garff Ford in Fort Collins Colorado at 4809 S. College Avenue to get this fixed under the recall. They said my VIN number wasn't covered, and the cost would be $6,000. I called Ford 1-866-436-7332 spoke to Ron employee #2192738 and was told he would document the call but could not do anything. Ford is aware of the safety issue we simply want them to standby their product and fix the problem or reimbursing us for the repairs to avoid a further hardship to get to work. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11687506September 16, 2025
FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM
Everytime I go to get fuel the car will not crank it makes a terrible noise then cranks but its slow. The pressure in tank causes it to stall out.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0

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