Ford Focus Complaints (2016)

1,195 consumer complaints on file.

#11668894June 24, 2025
POWER TRAIN
The contact owns a 2016 Ford Focus. The contact stated while driving 50 MPH, the transmission was slipping, the vehicle exceeded 3,000 RPM and suddenly lost motive power. There was no warning light illuminated. The contact was able to pull over to the side of the road. The contact was able to resume driving; however, the failure recurred while at a complete stop at a four-way intersection. The contact was able to drive approximately 2 MPH to his son's residence. The vehicle was towed to the dealer, where it was diagnosed that the fuel pressure regulator had failed, and a fuel line was rusted. The dealer replaced the parts. Additionally, the dealer diagnosed that the transmission clutch needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired due to the cost. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and referred the contact to the NHTSA Hotline for assistance. The failure mileage was approximately 179,000.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11668544June 23, 2025
POWER TRAIN
The contact owns a 2016 Ford Focus. The contact stated that while idling at a stop sign and attempting to accelerate, the transmission failed to shift into gear and the vehicle failed to respond. The contact shifted to park until the transmission shifted to drive. The message that the transmission was overheating was displayed and informed the contact to park the vehicle. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, who diagnosed that the traction control module and clutch had failed. The contact related the failure to NHTSA Campaign Numbers: 18V845000 (Power Train) and 18V169000 (Power Train); however, the VIN was not included in the recalls. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was informed of the failure, and a case was opened. The manufacturer referred the contact to the NHTSA Hotline to report the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 82,000.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11668146June 20, 2025
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING, SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC
The contact owns a 2016 Ford Focus. The contact stated while driving approximately 70 MPH, the "Oil Pump" message became displayed, and the vehicle decelerated and stalled. Additionally, during the failure there was a loud knocking sound coming from the engine. The contact stated that the brakes failed to function properly while the brake pedal was depressed. The vehicle was towed to the local dealer who determined that the engine had failed; however, the cause of the failure was not yet determined. The manufacturer was notified of the failure, but no assistance was provided. The contact was informed that the VIN was not included in NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V905000 (ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING). The contact stated that the vehicle had experienced the failure listed in the recall. The failure mileage was 160,000.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11668016June 19, 2025
POWER TRAIN
Purchased 2016 Ford Focus SE with 132,000 Mi on Wednesday June 11, 2025. Drove with no problem when I took it for a long test drive. Drove it Thursday June 12, 2025 with no problem. On Friday June 13, 2025 I thought I felt a little slippage going from 1st to 2nd gear. On Friday June 14, 2025 my 17yr old daughter drove it to the beach and while driving back home she got a msg "Transmission Overheating". She pulled over and called me. I was able to put the key 2 clicks into the starting position and switch to neutral where I got a msg " Transmission now Ready". I then put my scanner on it and was it read Shift Error PO7A3, Clutch "A" Disengagement P286F, Clutch "B" Stuck Engaged P287A. I took it to the dealer I bought it from but it was a As Is Purchase. Now I am stck even though Ford and the dealer knew about these problems.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11667520June 17, 2025
POWER TRAIN
There are known issues with the 2016 ford focus transmission dual clutch transmission shudder. My vehicle is the se and seems to have this but there is no safety recall for the se or my vehicle specifically. There was even a law suit for the 2016 ford focus se with this issue. My car has under 77,000 miles. When I asked ford about this issue previously they said there was nothing g they could do
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11666961June 14, 2025
POWER TRAIN
The transmission is awful, delayed acceleration, rough shifting and lack of power. Delayed acceleration is the main issue due to it “ lagging “ in the middle of intersections and at green lights, etc. may fall under the ford focus lawsuit but when I look up my vin on this website, no recalls pop up but all the signs of the other models recalled are shown and present in my model of the Focus.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11666609June 12, 2025
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM, ENGINE
The contact owns a 2016 Ford Focus. The contact stated while driving at an unknown speed, an alarm sounded, the message " Pull Car Over Safely " was displayed, and the vehicle turned off independently. The contact stated that the vehicle was turned off and was restarted several times; however, the failure persisted. The vehicle was taken to a dealer to be diagnosed; however the dealer was unable to determine the cause of the failure. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The approximate mileage was 67,855.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11665731June 9, 2025
POWER TRAIN
The contact owns a 2016 Ford Focus. The contact stated that while depressing the accelerator pedal, the vehicle hesitated and then jerked into the next gear. The contact stated that the hesitation occurred at various speeds. The contact stated that the check engine warning light was illuminated. Additionally, the contact stated that while slowing down, the vehicle hesitated, and then the transmission downshifted, and the vehicle jerked. The contact had not taken the vehicle to a dealer or independent mechanic to be diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was informed of the failure and referred the contact to the NHTSA Hotline for assistance. The failure mileage was 131,206.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11664316June 2, 2025
POWER TRAIN
The contact owns a 2016 Ford Focus. The contact stated that while driving 20 MPH, the vehicle briefly began to jump and jolted before returning to normal functionality. No warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, who diagnosed a failure with the clutch, determining that the transmission friction element B was stuck on. The contact was informed that the clutch needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 100,000.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11664457June 2, 2025
SEAT BELTS
Seat belt does not retract on its own, seat belt locks randomly and does not retract fully making it loose.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11660853May 14, 2025
UNKNOWN OR OTHER
Was at a red light and the clutch wouldn’t work. I had to pull the clutch up with my foot. I was so afraid someone was going to hit me. Then when you drive the car sometimes the clutch sticks and you can’t put into gear. I looked on the internet to see if other people were having the same problem. There were so many people who had the problem. I called Ford Dealer up to see if a recall . The mechanic said no they haven’t had the problem. I told him to look it up cause there was all kinds of people with the problem. I called Ford up to do a complaint. At that time was told no recalls to have anything fixed on the car. I took it to my mechanic and it was what the internet people had said the problem is. plastic actuator arm to the back of the pedal is made of PLASTIC and is breaking clean off!! My car is in the shop getting fixed. I can send the bill when I pick my vehicle up. Was told anywhere from 850 to 1000.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11658512May 2, 2025
POWER TRAIN
The contact owns a 2016 Ford Focus. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle briefly jolted and hesitated before returning to normal functionality. The check engine warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, who diagnosed a failure with the clutch motor. The vehicle was repaired. After investigating the failure, the contact related the failure to NHTSA Campaign Number: 16V479000 (Power Train); but the VIN was not included. The manufacturer was notified of the failure, a case was opened, and the contact was referred to the NHTSA Hotline for assistance. The failure mileage was 134,000.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11658558May 2, 2025
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING
The contact owns a 2016 Ford Focus. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle stalled. No warning lights were illuminated. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V905000 (Engine and Engine Cooling); however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The local dealer was not contacted. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was made aware of the issue. The failure mileage was approximately 109,420.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11658262May 1, 2025
POWER TRAIN, ENGINE
The contact owns a 2016 Ford Focus. The contact stated while driving at various speeds, the transmission was slipping, and the vehicle jerked until shifting into gear. The contact stated that the check engine warning light was illuminated. The local dealer was contacted; however, the vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The contact was advised that the VIN was not under recall. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 116,000.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11657556April 29, 2025
POWER TRAIN
The transmission (powertrain) on my 2016 Ford Focus SE (VIN: [XXX] ) has had persistent issues since shortly after I purchased the car in April 2022. It has not completely failed yet, but the symptoms — including shuddering, slipping, jerking, and hesitation when accelerating or shifting — have worsened over time. It uses a dual-clutch transmission with no dipstick, making it difficult to properly monitor or service. The vehicle is in my possession and available for inspection upon request. Due to the unpredictable and unsafe driving behavior, I have stopped driving the vehicle altogether and have not driven it in over a month. The car hesitates when shifting, especially at stop signs or when merging into traffic, creating serious safety concerns for myself and others. The issue has been reproduced multiple times and addressed at the CarMax dealership in Tinley Park, IL, where I bought the car. However, their repairs were only temporary, and the problem returned. Because the car is now outside of their warranty period, they refuse to inspect it without charging a diagnostic fee. I also contacted Ford Customer Service, but was told that since there is no current recall, I would need to pay out of pocket and that no assistance could be offered. There were no warning lights or messages at the start of the issue, which began within 60–90 days of ownership. The transmission symptoms have been present ever since, and have progressively worsened. This is clearly part of a wider transmission issue with the 2016 Focus, as supported by numerous consumer complaints and lawsuits. I urge NHTSA to investigate and take appropriate action, including consideration of a recall. 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
#11657329April 28, 2025
POWER TRAIN
The vehicle shutters and fails to engage while taking off from a stop. The transmission feels like the clutch slips (Automatic transmission). This 2016 Ford Focus is having the exact same issues as mentioned in the Ford customer satisfaction program 14M02 -Supplement #7. In this memo Ford outlines that 2012-2016 Ford Focus models with the DPS6 automatic transmission built between August 1st 2010 - November 5th 2015 in Michigan can get repairs made. I contacted Ford and they are saying they will not honor repairing the vehicle since it isn't showing the recall attached to it specifically even though they acknowledge the issues exist in my vehicle. On the 14M02 recall supplemental #7 the Fords with that transmission have received additional extended warranties to 10yrs 150,000 miles. My car has 132,000 miles and is 9 years old. I had this same issue fixed prior while the vehicle was still under the original factory warranty. I need assistance since Ford is failing to make the appropriate repairs to a vehicle they have acknowledged has problems from a bad designed transmission. These 2012-2016 cars are LEMONS!! PLEASE HELP!
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11656724April 25, 2025
ENGINE, POWER TRAIN
The contact owns a 2016 Ford Focus. The contact stated that the vehicle failed to shift into second gear while driving. The contact stated there was an abnormal grinding sound while turning the steering wheel. The contact stated that while driving approximately 10-50 MPH, the vehicle began to slow down and kick back. The check engine warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer, where it was diagnosed with transmission control module, purge valve, and power control module failure, and a software reprogramming was needed. The vehicle was repaired, but the failure recurred. The vehicle was taken back to the local dealer, who replaced the transmission. The vehicle was repaired, but the failure persisted. The vehicle was taken back to the same dealer, where it was diagnosed and determined that the clutch needed to be replaced. The manufacturer was contacted and referred the contact to the NHTSA Hotline. The failure mileage was approximately 15,060.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11656730April 25, 2025
POWER TRAIN
The contact's daughter owns a 2016 Ford Focus. The contact stated that while driving at various speeds, the vehicle jerked and hesitated while depressing the accelerator pedal, with several unknown warning lights illuminated. Due to the failure, the vehicle was towed to the dealer and was diagnosed with a defective clutch module. The contact was provided an estimate for the repair and was later referred to the manufacturer for assistance. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and informed the contact that the vehicle was not included in NHTSA Campaign Number: 18V845000 (Power Train). The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was approximately 100,000.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11656791April 25, 2025
ENGINE, FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM
Check engine light illuminated followed by unresponsive throttle. Pulled over and the car immediately stalled. Would not restart. Came back with code P1450. There's an open recall for that exact code for 2015-2018 focus, however the 1.0L supposedly "not affected" so my vehicle is not eligible.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11656518April 24, 2025
ENGINE
Notes from the Ford dealer: Oil pump belt tensioner failed causing oil pump belt to slip and starve engine for oil. Turbo was also starved of oil. Long block and turbo were replaced. This seems to be the same issue that is included in a current recall but it does not extend to all affected vehicles. Reference NHTSA# 23V905. Ford recall 23S64.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0

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